Letter from the Principal
Taking e-Safety Seriously
Families may already be familiar with the concept of ‘eSafety’. Just as road safety is a set of guidelines designed to protect people on the roads, eSafety helps keep people, especially young people, safe online as they grow up in a digital world.
A recent study shared a striking insight: while children may spend several hours on screens each day, the average face-to-face conversation between a parent and child lasts only about 15 minutes. If I’m honest, this statistic hits home for me. The time I spend with my child after school/work is often far less than the time they spend on a device. Reading the article was a wake-up call. It challenged me to be more intentional, approving which apps are accessed, monitoring communication, and most importantly, creating space to connect so that the device gets put down and real conversation can begin.
While the Bible doesn’t speak directly about the internet, it offers truth and wisdom about guarding our hearts and minds from temptation, danger, and harmful influences. Colossians 3:2 encourages us to “set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” and Jesus reminds us that “the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22).
A helpful resource to support these conversations is the eSafety website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents. I encourage all parents to explore the three key strategies under “Online safety basics” as a practical and valuable starting point.
End of Term Wrap-Up
As we come to the end of Term 2, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work of our staff, crew, and students involved in our recent Peter Pan musical production. For those who were able to attend, I’m sure you’ll agree it was truly outstanding. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed their time and talents to bring this production to life.
Excitingly, our Musical team is already planning the next production which will involve our Primary School students, and we look forward to sharing that with you at the end of next year.
As we close the term, our staff are hard at work finalising Semester 1 reports. I encourage all parents to take the time to read these reports with their children. They offer valuable insights into each student’s progress and provide helpful feedback to support continued growth.
Wishing all our families a safe, restful, and refreshing holiday break.
Coming up at OCS…
Onto Term 3!
- Last day of Term 2 – 4th July
- K-12 Staff Professional Development Week – 21st-25th July
- First Day of Term 3 – 21st July (Prep)
- First Day of Term 3 – 28th July (K-12)
- Far West CSSA Zone Basketball – 28th July
- Kindy Theatre Visit – Josephine Wants to Dance – 29th July
- 101 Days of Kindergarten – 30th July
- Primary Chess Day – 30th July
- Todd Woodbridge Cup – 31st July
- Newcastle Permanent Maths Competition – 1st Aug
- Primary Inter-School Debating – 1st + 15th Aug
- Year 11 SLT Youth Leaders Summit – 4th Aug
- Mayors Cup Debating – 5th Aug
- Far West CSSA Zone Athletics – 6th Aug
- CSSA Primary Girls + Mixed State Netball Gala Day – 7th Aug
- Parent Teacher Interviews – 12th + 14th Aug
- STAR – Mon-Thurs from 3:15-5:00pm
- Active Kids Club – Mon-Fri from 3:15-5:00pm
- Primary Assembly – Friday Week A 9:15am
- Secondary Assembly – Friday Week A 10:50am
- Parent’s Prayer Connect in Bembooka – Friday Week 3, 8:45-9:15am
Deputy’s Report
Living our Values at OCS
At Orange Christian School, our culture is shaped daily by the values of Compassion, Humility, Respect, Integrity, Strength, and Truth. These are not just words—they are lived out in classrooms, playgrounds, and assemblies, forming the bedrock of how we learn, lead, and serve.
Whether it’s students showing compassion through helping others, demonstrating humility in group work, or standing firm in truth, these values guide our community. Staff model integrity and respect in every interaction, and it is also seen in the way we uplift one another through prayer, such as the Prayer and Praise mornings.
A highlight in Week 7 was the induction of our newly elected Year 7 Student Leadership Team members, Henry Kay and Elijah Hutchins. In front of their peers, they made heartfelt promises to uphold these same values, stepping into leadership with courage and conviction.
Picking up the theme of strong values and character formation from a book all about school culture, “If the culture of our schools affects the character of our pupils, and the character of our pupils then eventually shapes the culture of our society, undoubtedly what we teach our pupils does make a genuine difference to the world around us.” Birbalsingh,K. 2020. Michaela: The Power of Culture.
At OCS, we believe that difference begins here.
From the Head of Primary
It was a privilege for OCS to be one of the host schools for last week’s Primary School Chess Teams Competition. We welcomed approximately 200 students from across the region for a day of strategic play and friendly competition. Special thanks to Mr John Green, who coordinates and leads this valuable extra-curricular opportunity for our Primary students. Our own 40+ team, made up of students from Stage 2 and 3, represented the school with enthusiasm and great sportsmanship.
This week marked the first in a series of sessions designed to empower our students to grow in character and live out our school’s values in their daily lives. We were pleased to welcome local husband-and-wife pastoral team, Kate and Pete Kinsella, who spoke with our Year 3–6 students. The session, titled God’s Masterpiece, encouraged students to consider their identity and value through a Biblical lens. Teachers will continue to reflect on the ideas discussed with students in the weeks ahead.
This valuable initiative is being led by Mr Nathan Gray, Primary Wellbeing and Sustainability Coordinator. Mr Gray shared the following: “The response from students and teachers involved was extremely positive, and we are looking forward to building on this in the future.”
From the Head of Secondary
As we wrap up what has been another massive term, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, parents, and carers, your hard work and dedication to our students is always appreciated.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our Fiji Fundraisers this term. Please pray for the mission team as they head to Rakiraki today for 12 days to serve the community there and share the gospel through acts of service. For many of our students this will be their first time overseas as well as on mission.
On August 5 the Mayors Cup is on again during Local Government week. OCS will defend the Cup in 2025. In September we also begin our defence of the Dudley Debating Cup by hosting the preliminary rounds at OCS.
I pray that you have a fantastic break and come back ready for the exciting possibilities God has in store for us in Term 3!
Disco Party Trivia Night Fundraiser – Tickets Available!
August 30th
7pm
Ngalgarra Hall (500 Cecil Rd)
CWA Public Speaking News
Two OCS speakers went on to the InterGroup Round held on June 23 in Orange. Natalia Paddison (Year 6) and Abigail Hewitt (Year 7) represented the school and spoke beautifully. The competition was of a very high standard we are very pleased to report that Natalia was Highly Commended in this round. A very exciting achievement Well done girls!
Message from CAPA – Peter Pan Wrap-Up!
After months of dedication and creativity, Peter Pan soared onto the stage of the Orange Civic Theatre last week, delivering a vibrant and finely polished production that reflected an exceptional standard of performance across all areas. With a professional-level orchestra, powerful singing, captivating acting and dynamic choreography, the show delighted audiences and reflected the incredible God-given talents of our students.
More than just a performance, the musical was a journey of growth. Students built resilience, learned to take on and implement feedback, worked collaboratively as a team, and stepped boldly outside their comfort zones. Their willingness to support and encourage one another created a strong and joyful community throughout the process.
We are sincerely thankful to our parents for their ongoing support and encouragement, and to the many dedicated staff who brought the production to life—from directing and choreography to costumes, sets, and logistics. Peter Pan was a true celebration of creativity, commitment and community.
Sport Spot
Term 2 has almost finished and Term 3 will soon be upon us!
A big congratulations to the OCS Secondary chess team who have progressed to Round 4 of the Interschools Secondary Chess Competition. In a highly contested match vs OAGS for Round 3, the team was able to secure a draw which allowed them to progress to the final stages of the single elimination bracket. OCS Chess Team members are Daniel Tanner, Micah Weaver, Amber Marcelino, Micah Parton, Jean Sadykov, Bom Nguyen and James Herbert.
We’re Hiring!
See the website for more details, and please share with anyone who you know might fit this role!
