Orange Christian School
Term 2 Week 8
Newsletter
Term 2 Week 8
Letter from the Principal
God's Word is Truth
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
Last Wednesday, I enjoyed watching many students from around the region come and play chess at our school. A mammoth effort and thanks to Mr John Green who organised and hosted over 160 students from around the Central West.
On that morning, I had the privilege of welcoming the chess players, and it was very easy for me to outline the benefits of friendly competition, having a growth mindset, and displaying good sportsmanship. This is because chess has very strict rules. There is no negotiation when it comes to playing in a tournament with 160 other players. Having these rules mean that players know exactly what they can do and what they can’t. For instance, you cannot arbitrarily decide to do two moves instead of one or choose to move the Rook diagonally. If such rules could be changed, we are no longer playing chess.
Likewise, God’s word his Bible sets out the ‘rules’ for how we live and worship God. This truth is so powerful that it can sanctify us (John 17:17). In other words, by living out God’s truth, we know what pleases God (His righteousness) and how we ought to treat one another. As we are reminded in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
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Coming Up at OCS
It's nearly the end of term, and we're chock-a-block until then!
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- Stage 6 PDHPE ACPE Excursion – 24th June
- Whole School Winter Sports House Day – 1st July
- Stage 2 at Orange Museum – 2nd July
- Stage 1 Olden Day Dress Up Day – 2nd July
- Primary STEAM Day – 5th July
- Last Day of Term 2 – 5th July
>> Swipe to see Term 3
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- First Day of Prep – 22nd July
- First Day of Term 3 K-12 – 29th July
- Far West Zone CSSA Basketball – 29th July
- Far West CSSA Zone Athletics Carnival – 30th July
- Bathurst Careers Expo at CSU – 31st July
- Newcastle Permanent Maths Comp – 2nd August
>> Swipe to see our regulars
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- 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
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Truth in the Digital Age
In today’s fast paced world, truth often becomes blurred amidst the constant flow of information and technology. As parents and guardians, it’s our responsibility to navigate these issues carefully, ensuring that our children grow up grounded in truth. The Bible reminds us of the liberating power of truth: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). This verse highlights the importance of understanding and embracing truth, and it’s liberating power, even when it’s not easy.
Renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in his recent book The Anxious Generation, writes about the dangers of excessive mobile phone use among young people. He states,
“There is a clear correlation between the rise of smartphones and the increase in anxiety and depression among teenagers. The constant exposure to social media and online validation has altered the landscape of adolescent development, often with detrimental effects on mental health.”
The truth is, unrestricted access to mobile phones can have serious consequences for the mental and emotional wellbeing of our children. Endless scrolling through social media, the pressures of needing “likes”, and exposure to inappropriate content can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and a distorted sense of reality. By setting boundaries and restrictions on mobile phone use, we can help protect our children from these harmful effects and guide them toward healthier habits and relationships.
This involves creating a balanced approach that includes designated times for phone usage, encouraging face-to-face interactions, and promoting activities that foster creativity and physical activity. It’s about teaching them to use technology as a tool, rather than letting it dominate their lives or their sleep time!
In a world where technology is ever-present, the truth is that our children need guidance and protection now more than ever in this area. By knowing and acting upon this truth, we can help set them free. Let’s commit to nurturing their wellbeing and ensuring they grow up with the wisdom to navigate the digital age responsibly.
Haidt, J. (2024). The Anxious Generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Penguin Press.
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Prayer and Praise
Join us in thanking God for the great things He's done, and presenting Him with our requests
The power and truth of His word –
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(John 8: 32)
Wisdom and guidance for staff, students and parents. We pray that our students will develop a love of learning and perseverance and that parents and staff will partner together with understanding and support.
The opportunity that OCS had recently to host enthusiastic Chess players who came in significant numbers to compete in the Primary Chess competition.
Our Teacher’s and Administration Team, as they prepare student’s end of semester reports.
From the Head of Primary
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Our Primary School Chess teams have had two jam packed days of chess competitions alongside approximately 160 other students from across the region. It was a privilege to be one of the hosting schools this week and be able to welcome the participating schools and their teachers to OCS. Our 30+ strong team is made up of students from across Stage 2 and 3, with keen Stage 1 students also welcome to attend. Many thanks to Mr. John Green who oversees and coordinates this valuable extra-curricular activity for our Primary School students.
The inaugural Winter Sports House Day, involving all students across the school, will be held in the last week of term. This is sure to be a fun day for all. See the school app for all the details.
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Stage 1 Olden Day Dress Up
Give us your best olden day garb! And no we don’t mean the 1990’s – although lets be honest, that IS the olden days for these kids.
On Monday, 2nd of July, all of Stage 1 can dress up in any of their best pre-1900’s gear (think bonnets and braces) that they would have just you know, lying around the house. They will be playing some olden day games and having a grand old time celebrating the culmination of their past and present family life unit they have been looking at in History this term.
Do you recognise some of these cute faces? Hint: they’re all in high school now, and most still go to OCS.
From the Head of Secondary
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Thank you to all our Year 10 Students and families who came along to our Senior Subject Market evening. Choosing the right subjects is crucial for your child’s future success, and we appreciate your involvement in this important process.
As you receive reports, please reach out with any questions or concerns. We are eager to partner with you in your child’s education, ensuring they receive the best support and guidance. Together, we can help them achieve their full potential.
On Monday 2nd of July, we will be having a Winter Sports House Day. For Secondary it will be normal classes Periods 1 – 3, followed by a range of House activities run by SLT Periods 4 – 6. Please see Schoolstream for more details.
News from the Primary Musical
Excitement is rising!
Excitement is cresting in our music department as students, with bubbly nerves, dive into auditions for our primary musical, The Little Mermaid Jr. We eagerly anticipate seeing our students transform from floundering to gracefully swimming as they showcase their talents in this underwater adventure in Term 4.
Stay tuned for callback details and the final cast list, set to surface by the end of term!
In other news, Secondary and Primary Orchestras continues to grow in numbers and ability as we practice Monday and Friday Mornings, respectively, at 8am. If your child plays an instrument and would like to join us, please sign-up using the form on Schoolstream, or speak to Mrs Denham or Mrs Johnston.
Congratulations Lucy!
Competing at Level 4 at the CSSA Gymnastics Competition
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Carpark Update
More of a heartfelt "thanks for your patience"!
Thank you for your continued patience regarding the carpark project. We deeply appreciate the grace and understanding you have shown during this frustrating period.
As you know, the project has been delayed due to the identification of extensive remediation work that is required. We are actively working with the contractor to develop a plan for completing the project, however as of now we do not have an updated timeline to share. We will provide further updates as soon as we have more information.
Thank you once again for your support and understanding.
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