LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
NEWSLETTER
June 1 2023
Value of the Month - Courage
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6
IMPORTANT DATES
Date | Event |
|---|---|
Friday 2 June - Sunday 4 June | Gravitate: Leadership Training Camp |
Tuesday 6 June - Friday 9 June | Year 12 Gold Coast Camp |
Wednesday 7 - Friday 9 June | Year 11 Warrnambool Trip |
Monday 12 June | King's Birthday Public Holiday |
Thursday 15 June | GAT Examination |
Friday 16 June | Student Free Day (Marking Day) |
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”- Martin Luther King
The College continues to embark on new exploration by training our students to participate in cultural and sports inter-school activities. Although this was the first time our Primary students took part in a public speaking competition, we emerged overall 3 position in the team category. Our team was able to speak confidently and share from their own perspectives on those topics given. Judges were impressed with their level of confidence and sense of pride representing our College.
Jordan Ly, our Year 3 student, won a gold medal in the Grade 3 to 4 chess competition, enabling him to compete with some other top chess players in a higher-level competition later part of this year. This was an outstanding achievement from Jordan as he was competing with some students who were a year older than him.
During our first Primary CSEN Rally Day outing for this year, our students participated in Tchouk Ball and Soccer competitions last Friday. As a school we were so proud of our students’ achievements. Our girls’ teams won the flag for Tchouk Ball and Soccer while our Boys’ team won the Tchouk Ball award. Credit went to the teachers who put in time and effort to train our students in these games during PE and Sports lessons.
In the near future, through our Music program, we hope to build a musical band within the school that will enable students to learn and perform in an ensemble with brass, wind and percussion instruments.
Do continue to pray for the College to provide programs that could make use of God’s given talents to our students.
Wing Leong
Principal
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
We have received complaints from the public that our parents are blocking the exit from Princeton Drive when they are queuing along Springvale Road to collect their children in the afternoons.
We ask that you be mindful of leaving a gap for cars to exit from Princeton Drive when you find yourself in this situation.
We appreciate your support in creating a safe and harmonious environment for all.
TECHNOLOGY & WELLBEING
LIgHTHOuse Parent workshop - Impacts of Social Media on Mental Health
We will be having our upcoming Term 2 Lighthouse Parent Workshop on Thursday June 8, 2023 in the Zenith Lecture Theatre starting from 5:30 -7:00pm. During the workshop, parents will get to learn more information about the impacts of social media and digital world on your children’s mental health. We are excited to have Eric Agyeman, a youth mentor & speaker from Focus on the Family to speak and share his experience with us.
Remember to scan the barcode below to register for the workshop. Looking forwards to see families from both primary and secondary to join us together!
Melissa Li
Learning Technology Coordinator (Secondary)
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
Members of staff from our Wellbeing and Learning Support Teams engaged in a 2-day professional development course through Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) to better understand mental health and how to support our young people. While a typical first aid course aims to help everyday people assist others with physical needs until professional help arrives, the Youth Mental Health First Aid course takes a similar approach, but is aimed at teaching people how to assist young people who may be suffering from mental health difficulties or illnesses. This is often an overlooked area as mental health challenges are often not visible and can go unnoticed.
The prevalence of mental health difficulties and illness among Australian young people is high and most mental health difficulties first present at age 12-17 years of age. They can have a significant impact on many areas of health and development. However, often, the young person is not aware of what the problem is and how to seek help. They may feel embarrassed, worried, or helpless. On a positive note, research has shown that early intervention does work. Therefore, it is important for those of us who live and work with young people to be aware of the signs, how to assist, and where to get further help.
The A-L-G-E-E ACTION PLAN to use if our young person may be facing a mental health challenge:
A - Approach the person, assess and assist with any crisis
- Ask the person specific, direct questions relating to harm and safety
- Keep them safe
- Connect with professional help immediately
L - Listen and communicate non-judgementally
- Avoid confrontation
- Have empathy – show you care
G - Give support and information
Get support from school or your network who can help and make adjustments
- Provide information from reliable sources
- Help to set realistic goals
E - Encourage the person to get professional help
- Talk to your GP, or other professional
- Contact our school Wellbeing Team if you need suggestions
E - Encourage other supports
- Friends, family, school, church and other points of connection
Karen Lloyd
Head of Student Wellbeing (Primary)
PRIMARY - ELC - YEAR 2
Primary Mother’s Day Chapel 2023
‘There was a ‘buzz’ of excitement around the Mother’s Day stall this year. This infectious excitement continued to bubble over as 475 primary students took the stage to present their Mother’s Day items to an auditorium packed with 450+ guests – a record number.
From our precious Preps to the youthful Year 6 students, songs were sung that made the audience laugh, feel encouraged and loved. Following the Year 3 item I don’t believe there was a dry eye in the place.
What a delight it was to see every student singing with a clear message of love and appreciation for our ‘Super Mums’ at LCC.
Our Primary Captains presented flowers and a sweet gift and MCed the event. A prayer of thankfulness, protection and wisdom was spoken over our mothers. All the students wanted their mothers, grandmothers, and aunties to know that they are loved by them but more importantly loved by our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.
Thank you LCC mother’s for being ‘More than Enough’. You are loved beyond measure!
Proverbs 31:28-29 ‘Her children rise up and call her blessed……'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’
A huge thank-you to our P&F team who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this a most memorable Mother’s Day.
Mrs Venlo Kruize
Director of Primary ELC-6
SWIMMING
An exciting day for ELC 4 YO students to be at Toby Haenen Swim Centre. They were excited to get on the bus to the swim center. Each instructor engaged a few children in a small group to teach and educate them about water safety, basic swimming skills and to increase their confidence in water. They learned to flutter kick, used a back flouter, bubble breath, and had lots of fun water play under the supervision of the instructors. The children listened, stayed focused, and paid attention to the instructors’ instructions for the various group water activities. This learning experience was an achievement for students, and they learned valuable skills to help make them safe around a water environment whilst having FUN with their peers!
National Simultaneous Storytime 2023
This year, our Prep to 2 students were one of the 2,199,785 participants who shared a reading of The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie for National Simultaneous Storytime.
Thank you to our readers Mr Holloway, Mrs Kruize and Mr Kan (with his teddy, Bluey!) for making this a special event for our students.
After the reading, students reflected on the book’s message of being proud of your achievements, not comparing yourself to others and never giving up!
Danielle Ng
Primary Teacher and Head of Curriculum (Prep - 2)
Beam Wellbeing Incursion
Our Beam students participated in The Wellbeing Show presented by Mickey and Michael. We learned that we had to put aside Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANT) and have Positive Encouraging Thoughts (PET).
My favourite part was when we all got to sing together- Mason
We can put our worries in a jar and shake it up, then all our worries will fall to the bottom- Hailey
I learned to never give up on my dreams – Jaxon
Danielle Ng
Primary Teacher and Head of Curriculum (Prep - 2)
PRIMARY - YEARS 3 - 6
The Year 3 - 6 students thoroughly enjoyed The Wellbeing Show. It was filled with fun and jokes, demonstrations, songs, rock ‘n’ roll guitar playing, didgeridoo playing, and student interaction! At the same time, students learned about how to enhance their own wellbeing. The presenters, Michael and Nikki explained that “wellbeing” is about feeling good about yourself and also others. The students responded very well and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the presentation. There was so much packed into the one-hour presentation. Here are a few:
Thoughts
Students learned about ANTS and PETS. ANTS are Automatic Negative Thoughts and can be STOPPED by sending it out and replacing it with a PET. PETS are Positive Encouraging Thoughts. It is great to replace an ANT with 2 PETS! For example, instead of saying “I can’t do this. It’s too hard! We can replace it with “I can’t do it YET, but with practice I will get better.”
Dreams and Goals
Students were encouraged to write down their dreams, because dreams can become goals and plans for the future.
Teasing & Bullying
Students were taught how to empathise with others feel in order to stamp out any teasing and negative behaviours.
Mindset
It is better to have a ‘Growth Mindset’ which says I can get and better and better at something. Whereas a ‘Fixed Mindset’ is not helpful, ….and so much more!!!! Parents are encouraged to talk to their children to find out what they learned so they can support them with their wellbeing. We want all students to feel good about themselves and others!
Mrs Karen Lloyd & Mrs Matilda Tan
PUBLIC SPEAKING
This term, year 5&6 students participated in public speaking event organised by CSEN .Our students stepped out of their comfort zone, conquered their fears, supported each other, and learnt valuable skills. It was a heart-warming experience to see our students becoming critical thinkers, applying their knowledge in multidisciplinary contexts.
A big thank you to Mrs Alice Yang, for her time and effort and to all the teachers and students who made the day a success and memorable.
Kiranmayi Appikatla
Primary Teacher
SECONDARY
PSYCHOLOGY
During VCE Psychology classes we explored the role of the human brain in mental processes and behaviour noting the factors that influence and maintain healthy brain function. We have considered how the brain changes with age and its God given capacity for neuroplasticity in response to experience and trauma. Here are a few brain models the Year 11 Psychology class created.
Mrs Raymonda Togany
VCE Psychology Teacher
CHEMISTRY
Year 11 Chemistry students made slime as part of their learning of about polymers. They learnt that slime is the result of weak cross-links that are hydrogen bonds between the chemical structure. Slime behaves as a
non-Newtonian fluid because of the unusual properties of the polymer it contains. It flows slowly and acts as a viscAous liquid under low stress, but will tear, behaving more like a solid gel with application of moderate force. This behaviour results from the hydrogen bonding that
cross-links the polymer chains. This hydrogen bonding is moderately strong but can be broken and re-formed, allowing the polymer to change shape; so long as the stress applied is not too large. Students enjoyed competing to find who could stretch the slime the longest at the end of our experiment.
Mrs Esther Wong
VCE Chemistry Teacher
Biodiesel Preparation
In our Year 12 Chemistry class, we recently prepared a substance called biodiesel. Biodiesel is a type of oil that can be used to fuel engines or power other things, but it is made from vegetable oils and is renewable, unlike Petro diesel (diesel). We first mixed vegetable oil and sodium hydroxide in a flask then we put on a stopper and stirred it for around a minute. After leaving the flask for a day, a layer of biodiesel, formed on top. As it says in Romans 8:28, “and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” This verse shows us that even in fields of study such as chemistry, God is always present. His presence can be felt even when performing a practical activity like this one.
Josiah Ly
Year 12 Chemistry student
Year 8 Science students are studying Systems of the Human Body. As part of their study, each class has groups of students dissecting a sheep's heart. As a sheep's heart is similar to that of humans, students are able to visualise more meaningfully the theory they are learning.
Year 8 Science Team
PHYSICS
Students investigated the motion of objects using ticker timers. Like a pendulum, a ticker timer can be used as a measure of regular time intervals. Students measured distances between selected dots made on a piece of paper moving through the timer. They used their measurements to construct distance-time and speed-time graphs.
Technology faculty update
Dear Lighthouse Community, how time flies, we are in Week 6 of Term 2. Our students have enjoyed this term immensely with the various activity teachers have planned. Let’s start off by celebrating some of the wonderful works from our students.
Year 7 Stop Motion Animation – student design their own animation based on the theme of 'Nature’:
https://youtu.be/3CGIPFIZJAw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSQbnFC7lHA
Year 8 - TinkerCAD Furniture Design – student design their own furniture using 3D design software and printers.
Year 9/10 Clock Design – student design their own clock using Adobe Illustrator and laser printer.
LCC is also fortunate enough to partner with Casey Tech School to use their remote resources.
Year 9/10 Coding Robot – students learn to code using the Python language and:
Year 8 Eco Homes – students learn about different ways of building houses to ensure the most sustainable homes:
It is such a privilege for us teachers to work with brilliant young people and help them achieve their God given potential. We welcome ideas from parents on ways we could partner with local communities to bring about further change in the future in the realm of Technology.
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23, NIV
Ms Esther Wong
Technology faculty leader
VCE with Vocational Major
Learning Outcomes: Opportunity + Effort = Reward
In this lesson, participants will identify and reflect on Chris Gardner’s values and personality traits
that drove his motivation towards achieving his career goals in the movie ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’. “Success is determined by individual effort, something everyone can achieve.”
In the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness," the attributes of resilience, determination, and perseverance were clearly evident through Chris Gardner's actions and behavior. Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, Chris demonstrated an unwavering commitment to achieving his goals and creating a better life for himself and his son.
Chris Gardner's approach to life was admirable for several reasons. Firstly, his relentless determination to succeed was remarkable. He endured homelessness, financial struggles, and numerous rejections while pursuing a highly competitive internship program, yet he never gave up. Chris consistently displayed a strong work ethic, going above and beyond to prove his worth and seize opportunities. His tenacity in the face of adversity was truly inspiring.
Additionally, Chris Gardner's commitment to his son was commendable. Despite his own struggles, he remained a loving and dedicated father, ensuring his own's well-being and happiness. He instilled important values in his son, such as honesty, hard work, and the belief that one can overcome any obstacle with perseverance. His unconditional love for his child served as a driving force in his pursuit of a better life.
If I were to do anything differently, it would be challenging to pinpoint specific aspects as Chris Gardner's approach was largely effective. However, it's worth noting that everyone's circumstances and opportunities are unique. While Chris's story is inspiring, it's essential to recognise that not everyone may have the same support or resources available to them. It's important to tailor one's approach to their own circumstances and explore various avenues for success.
This true story is undeniably inspiring. Chris Gardner's journey serves as a powerful reminder that with resilience and determination, one can overcome immense challenges and achieve their dreams. It highlights the importance of perseverance, hard work, and maintaining a positive mindset even in the face of adversity.
Watching this movie also provides insights into the harsh realities faced by individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty. It sheds light on the struggles they encounter daily and the obstacles they must overcome to break the cycle of poverty. It emphasizes the significance of empathy, compassion, and support in helping those in need.
Overall, "The Pursuit of Happyness" offers valuable life lessons, such as the importance of never giving up, the power of a positive attitude, and the impact of love and support in overcoming hardships. It inspires viewers to believe in themselves and their abilities, and to persistently pursue their goals, no matter the challenges they may face.
By Christiaan Harmse
VCE with Vocational Major (Electrotechnology)
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