Letter from the Principal
Our God is a Good God
One of our key Strategic Directions at OCS (2024-2028) is to develop resilient students. Whilst that expression is common, it is hard to define. At OCS, we have a clear understanding of what a resilient student is. It is not simply an ability to cope with the demands of life, relying on one’s own strength to pull you through the tough times. Sometimes our own strength fails us, or simply the tough times get overwhelming. Coping and moving forward are important things, but we also want our students to know that during those tough times what gives us true strength is knowing that we are loved by a good God.
Knowing this simple yet profound truth gives us great comfort. Our God is a good God, not one who is distant and contrary. Like David in Psalm 23, who attributes God as his shepherd, he knows that there will be times when he has to walk through the ‘darkest valley’ but knowing that he has a shepherd with a crock and a rod, he feels protected. Note, the shepherd doesn’t remove the darkest valley, sometimes you must walk through it, but what gives you resilience is knowing that God is with you. Not surprisingly, Jesus also describes himself as a ‘shepherd’ (John 10:11-18) but He is not like other shepherds, he is the true good shepherd because He loves us and is willing to lay down his life for us.
Coming Up at OCS…
Lot’s happening this term!
- Primary Inter-school Debating – 4th + 20th June
- Monarch’s Birthday (Public Holiday) – 10th June
- Primary Chess Competition – 17th + 19th June
- Stage 2 at Orange Museum –\xA0Date changed to 2nd July
- Senior Subject Selection Expo – 20th June
- Stage 6 PDHPE ACPE Excursion – 24th June
- Whole School House Day – 1st July
- Stage 1 Olden Day Dress Up Day – 2nd July
- Primary STEAM Day – 5th July
- Last Day of Term 2 – 5th July
- STAR – Mon-Thurs from 3:15-5:00pm
- Active Kids Club – Mon-Fri from 3:15-5:00pm
- Primary Assembly – Friday Week A 9:30am
- Secondary Assembly – Friday Week A 10:50am
Deputy’s Report
The Path Towards Growth
At Orange Christian School, we are dedicated to nurturing the whole person through our pillars of Christian Discipleship, Academic Growth, and Parent Partnership. Under our pillar of Academic Growth, we strive to foster continual improvement and forward progress. While this journey rarely follows a straight line, each twist and turn brings valuable lessons.
Achieving academic growth throughout a term, a year, or an entire school career means encountering setbacks both inside and outside the classroom. These setbacks are crucial; they signify effort, and without effort, there can be no learning or growth. Yet, these challenges can sometimes obscure our goals and the broader picture of growth.
To successfully navigate this journey, we need to embrace strength and resilience. These values are honed through positively facing and overcoming challenges, all while maintaining a growth mindset. As we approach the end of Semester One, with exams and assessments upon us, I urge all students to reflect on their responses to challenges and setbacks. Do you learn from your mistakes and strive to improve? Do you consistently give your best effort? Do you seek and apply feedback?
These are the traits of a student on the path to growth, building the strength and resilience needed to keep moving forward. Students are encouraged to embrace every challenge as an opportunity to grow, and celebrate each step forward, no matter how small.
From the Head of Primary
This week has seen our Stage 3 Debating Team take on students from Kinross Wolaroi and Orange Anglican Grammar for their secondly friendly debating match for the year. We hosted the debate for this round, with our two teams scoring a win each. New friendships were formed, new skills were learnt, and we are looking forward to the next round held at OAGS.
Some of our Year 4 students also had the opportunity this week to participate in a STEM Challenge Day held at Kinross, and we are looking forward to building on this event in the future.
K-4 students have all visited Central West Gymsports over the last few weeks for a session at their gym. This has been a very worthwhile program and one we will continue to develop.
From the Head of Secondary
CWA Superstars
Congratulations to our CWA Central West Group Public Speaking Competition results this week.
Julia – First Place in the Senior section
Amy – First Place in the Year 9 + 10 section
Azarleah – Highly Commended in the Years 7 + 8 section.
Excellent work girls!
It has been a big week for the student leaders of our school with six of our Senior SLT members representing OCS at the Young Leaders of the Central West Summit at the Greenhouse on Tuesday, where 45 young leaders discussed the issues and possible solutions facing schools in our local area. On Wednesday, our captains Leila and Malachi were invited to meet Her Excellency The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of NSW in Sydney as part of the NSW Young Leaders Program.
Don’t forget the Senior Subject Market on Thursday 20th June for all Year 10 Students.
Student Development
PeaceWise Principles
After the PeaceWise launch day on May 13 we are pleased to see that students have been attempting to apply peacemaking principles in their interactions.
Check out the PeaceWise flyers on Schoolstream for more information. Over the following weeks we’ll explore key elements here.
One of the central principles is the idea of the slippery slope. This image is from Course 6 (Years 9 & 10). The courses adapt the information in age-appropriate ways for students from K-12.
The idea is to stay on top of the slippery slope rather than trying to escape conflict or attack the other person. Students are given reasons for dealing with conflict in a godly way and language to use to help them do that. Remember Jesus said;
“God blesses those who make peace. They will be called his children” Matthew 5:9
TAP Tips
Tips for Greatness from our Talented Athlete Program (TAP) Students
“Taking care of your body after physical activity- I speak from experience! Have at least a 30min cool down, with a slow jog around the field and static stretches.”
-Mason Reilly
Sport Spot
The past few weeks have been busy with sport! OCS attended the Far West Zone Soccer Gala Day, the CSSA Cross Country, commenced trials for Basketball, Dimity Buckerfield represented CIS Hockey at PSSA, and we started training our netball teams. Phew!
Stage 4 and 5 sport have been making the most of offsite sport at 10 Pin Bowling, Martial Arts, Parkour and Fitness Perfection for HIIT classes.
So busy, but it is important when the busyness of life threatens to drown us, that we find rest in God’s Word. Jesus embodied rest in Matthew 11:28-29 when He said,
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
When the busyness of life takes over, listening to God’s Word is a great place to start and take solace and to encourage our children to do the same.
Photo Gallery
Stage 2 STEAM Day
Some of our Stage 2 students got to visit Kinross this week to participate in the inter-school STEAM Day that was held. The students had a great day working together and learning to think a little more like an engineer.
