School Newsletter

As we come to the end of the term (yes I agree, it has gone very quickly), we have the opportunity to reflect on the upcoming time of Easter. Even for those who don’t share our faith, almost everyone would recognise that Christmas and Easter are the two pivotal events on the Christian calendar. I sometimes feel like I arrive at Christmas more prepared spiritually because the school holidays begin before Christmas arrives, allowing the opportunity to reflect on the importance of the events surrounding Jesus' birth.

This year we have the blessing that Easter lands in the middle of the school holidays. I cannot use the excuse that I have been too busy leading up to Easter to spend time reflecting on the true importance of this pivotal event in history. I have been thinking about what might be helpful for me to ensure that I am appropriately spiritually prepared for Easter.

One idea that comes to mind is to read through one of the gospel accounts again. I find each time I read the story of Easter I notice something different or am reminded again of a wonderful gospel truth. I know I have written previously about the impact the Luke version of Easter had on me, where Peter weeps bitterly when confronted by his sin.

Another thought was to watch The Passion of The Christ movie again. I understand that this is not for everyone. Whilst it is a good reflection on the reality of the events of Easter, I am well aware that the violence is confronting.

Another way you may choose to turn your attention to Easter is to join us for our Combined whole-school Easter Service this week, at 9am on Thursday 10th April.

You may come up with an entirely different idea to help you reflect on the season of Easter. Some Christians refer to the 40 days leading up to Easter as Lent. I have spoken to a few people who have given up something for the season of Lent – to help them focus on the importance of Easter. Perhaps you have your own family traditions in place already (I’d love to hear about them if you do).

Whatever your circumstances, may I encourage you to enter into the season of Easter intentionally preparing yourself to reflect on the events that not only changed the course of history but literally changed the course of eternity for us all. As Hebrews 9:27-28 reminds us, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”

God bless,

K-12 EASTER SERVICE

Our K-12 Easter Service will be held on Thursday 10th April at 9am in our Multi-Purpose Centre.

Students will attend and school families are welcome to join us.

COMMUNITY PICNIC

We will be holding our Community Picnic during the Cross Country Carnival on Thursday 10th April (Week 11, Term 1).

Food/drink options available on the day are:

• Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser for Mission Projects 2025. Cash and Square payments are accepted. (No pre-order required).
• The Canteen will operate normally for lunch orders via MunchMonitor, and the regular over-the-counter items the Canteen serves daily, along with various baked goods, treats, cool drinks, and ice blocks. Cash and Square payments for cards are accepted.
• Good Day Kiosk will be open throughout the day for coffee, tea, and lunch for parents and carers.

For further details click here.

Information regarding the Carnivals has been sent to families via email.

TERM 1 CELEBRATION ASSEMBLY

Our Term 1 Celebration Assemblies will be held on Friday 11th April (Week 11) in our Multi-Purpose Centre at the following times:

Junior School - 9am
Secondary School - 2pm

Parents of award recipients have been notified.

WYONG ANZAC DAY PARADE

This year, WCCS will participate in the ANZAC Day Morning Ceremony at Wyong. We appreciate the opportunity to participate and march in the ceremony to pay our respects to past and present service personnel. If you are interested in representing WCCS and marching, the details are outlined below:

• When: Friday 25th April
• Where: Wyong Town Park
• Time: 9:45am. The service starts at 9:55am and will conclude at around 10:30am. The march will be after the conclusion of the ceremony. The march will form in Rankens Court after the ceremony.
• Dress code: Full school uniform is to be worn for the march. You may also wear relatives' medals for the march if you like.

If you would like your child to participate in the march or if you have any questions, please feel free to email Mrs Linda Makepeace.

WOOSH VACATION CARE

During the April school holidays, WOOSH will be running a Vacation Care program. Please click here to view the days and activities.

To make a booking or inquiry, please contact wooshcoordinator@wyongbaptist.org.

ALINTA UNIFORM SHOP

As the Winter months approach, the Uniform Shop has asked us to remind our community that long-sleeve blouses are available for Secondary School girls. These can be purchased online through Alinta or at the Alinta Uniform Shop.

• Give thanks for the beautiful weather, and a great day at the Junior School Athletics Carnival.
• Give thanks for the school holidays.
• Give thanks for Easter as we remember all that Jesus has done for us.
• Pray for a safe return to Term 2 after a restful break this Easter.

As the Term draws to an end, we are thankful for the opportunities our students have had to flourish in their areas of strength. To all our staff, parents, families, external providers and volunteers, thank you for caring for our students and providing fruitful programs and events throughout the term.

As first shared by our Assistant Principal, Mr Stephen Moody, our School Values project has been a significant focus this term. Students across Junior and Secondary school continue to discuss the Biblical characteristics of these Values, their definitions and subsequent behaviours. Thank you to both Mr Joseph Newman and Mrs Amber Robson for their dedication to the production of our Values videos, which students have watched each week.

As we approach Easter, our focus is on Christ; His sacrifice for each of us as individuals, and the significance of the Cross. Our students will hear messages prepared by Rev Shorten and Mrs Warner during their Devotions sessions and will have the opportunity to engage in discussion.

Rev, as he is affectionately known to our students, will encourage us all to consider the following questions:

• Did Jesus really die to pay for all of humanity’s sins? 
• Was there any other way that this could have happened?
• Is Jesus’ death the end of the story or is there another chapter or sequel? 
• How do I respond to all this?

He also suggests reading Hebrews 2:10, which says,

"In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered."

Perhaps this conversation could be continued around the dinner table in your home this Easter.

This coming week (Week 11), WCCS staff and students look forward to another bustling week full of activities. On Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th April, we will host our Parent Teacher Interviews. On Thursday 10th April, our Easter Service, Community Picnic and Cross Country Carnival provide an opportunity for families to join us onsite. And again, on Friday 11th April, we look forward to seeing our wider community come together as we celebrate the fantastic efforts of our students at the Junior and Secondary Celebration Assemblies.

We pray that you may all have a restful school holiday break and enjoy quality time with your loved ones.

Matthew 11:28-30:

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'"

God bless,

This week’s question has been asked of me on more than one occasion and comes courtesy of one of our Year 6 students. The student asked,

“Why did God create Adam and Eve if He knew they were going to sin and then go through everything that they did?”

It is a great question from Genesis 3 in the Bible and it fits under that broad banner of, "Why do we as humans suffer?" Here’s how I answered it.

I am a father of only three children, and before Mrs Shorten and I became parents we knew that none of our children would be perfect. We knew that they would all make mistakes, hurt us, choose poorly at different times in how they treat each other and let others down. Knowing all this didn’t stop us from wanting to have our own kids to love and cherish. Now, we aren’t perfect parents like God is, but there is nothing our kids can do that will ever have us not loving them. We don’t like it either when they suffer, in fact, our heart breaks and we try to walk alongside them in their suffering.

God’s love is so immense that even though He knew that Adam and Eve would mess up, He would be there for them even when they chose to go against Him and suffered the consequences. We see this love lived out for all humans most fully when God sent His only son Jesus to live as one of us, to die for us and rise again, kicking sin and death to the kerb so that suffering remains temporary and a relationship with God is eternal. And that is indeed Good News.

God bless,

YEAR 7 GEOGRAPHY EXCURSION

Year 7 Geography students enjoyed a field trip to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains on Friday 21st March. The excursion provided students with a real-world connection to their current Landscapes and Landforms unit, allowing them to experience firsthand the geographical concepts they've been studying in class.

Students participated in a guided bush walk led by a NSW Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger. The educational tour highlighted the diverse elements of the natural environment and explained the geological processes that have shaped the stunning landforms visible throughout the area.

Students learned about traditional Indigenous land management practices. The ranger introduced them to bush tucker, including the sarsaparilla plant, which many students had the opportunity to taste. This cultural component enhanced their appreciation for both the scientific and historical significance of this beautiful location.

The excursion perfectly complemented our classroom studies by allowing students to witness the unique beauty of God's creation while developing a deeper understanding of how these magnificent landscapes formed over time.

Students returned from the excursion with enthusiasm and new perspectives:

"I loved the waterfall."

"Looking around the diverse ecosystem.”

"Going down to the waterfall... the hike, the animals, the sounds, the bush tucker—it was all amazing!"

"Being in Aussie nature made me feel really good, and it was great to learn about the Indigenous perspective of this place."

Mrs Andrea McKeown | HSIE Teacher

ANZAC DAY 2025

During Week 1, Term 2 we will be holding a combined K-12 ANZAC Day Ceremony. During the ceremony, we would like to commemorate and pay respect to the family members within the WCCS community who have served in past wars.

During the laying of the wreath ceremony, we are going to give students the opportunity to lay some flowers where we lay our wreath. Students can bring some flowers on the day and when the wreath is being laid, they can come up and place their flowers also as a sign of respect. If your child is interested in doing this, please email me and let me know.

We are also making photo montages in the hope that students make deeper connections and understand why we reflect on and remember ANZAC Day. This year, we are encouraging students from both Junior and Secondary Schools as well as staff to submit pictures of loved ones to be a part of this collage. We would also like to print these off and display these montages in the library during April.

If you have a family member that you would like to include in the montage, please email a photo with the following details to the email address listed below.

Name of relative: Name or names of the relatives who served in a war

Family relation to you: E.g. Great grandfather of...

War/s they served in:

Their role: E.g. a soldier, nurse, navy, pilot, peacekeeping mission, etc.

Inquiries or pictures can be submitted to Mrs Linda Makepeace.

YEARS 10-12 VISUAL ARTS EXCURSION

Our Years 10-12 Visual Art students had the opportunity to visit the Art Gallery of NSW to see ARTEXPRESS and the Cao Fei Exhibition.

ARTEXPRESS inspired our students with exemplary HSC works. At the Cao Fei exhibit they were immersed in interactive technological art.

The students had a fantastic time and enjoyed exploring the gallery and experiencing art of all kinds. They have been encouraged to consider how they can apply techniques they've seen to their own works and artistic practices.

Mrs Jade Dobson | Visual Arts Teacher

CSSA TRIATHLON

On Friday 28th March, 60 Junior and Secondary School students went to the International Regatta Centre in Penrith to compete at the CSSA Triathlon. This year Junior School had three teams of girls and five teams of boys competing in the teams event (swim and run) with three students competing in an individual event. Secondary School had eight teams of boys and four teams of girls and three students competing in individual events (swim, bike and run). All students competed with great spirit and cheered on their teammates throughout the day.

Congratulations to these students and teams for their extraordinary achievements on the day:

Teams:

• 1st - Year 5/6 Boys Team (Ryder K, Jack M, Harvey C)
• 2nd - Year 5/6 Boys Team (Elijah S, Brodie C, Dylan M)
• 2nd - Junior Girls Team (Secondary) (Anna L, Isabelle J, Arlya R)
• 1st - Junior Boys Team (Secondary) (Mathias W, Tobias W, Otis H)
• 3rd - Intermediate Girls (Secondary) (Skye D, Claire W, Reese M)

Individual Competitors:

• Ezra D – 1st Junior Boys Secondary Division
• Skye D – 1st Intermediate Girls Division
• Ryder K – 6th Year 5/6 Boys Division
• Noah J – 8th Senior Boys Secondary Division

Thanks to Mrs Kelly, Mr Irvine and Mr Knibbs for coming along and supporting and helping our kids throughout the day.

INTERCRU

On Wednesday 19th March a group of our Secondary School students travelled with Mr Johns and Rev to St Philip's Christian College Gosford (SPCC) for the InterCru gathering of Term 1. SPCC hosted a welcoming afternoon tea where the students could all mingle together. Some Green Point Christian College (GPCC) students were also there to join in the afternoon.
We gathered in their hall where the SPCC Chapel Band led us in praise and worship. A Bible passage was read and the guest speaker, an alumni of SPCC unpacked the passage with an encouraging message about God's purposes in our lives. More praise and worship followed by some getting-to-know-you activities. Small group prayer rounded out the afternoon. Before we knew it we were back on the bus back to school, excited for next term's InterCru at GPCC.

Rev Matt Shorten | School Chaplain