The article argues how important it is for parents to work together to help schools "prioritise first principles or fundamental truths about the world – which should be at the heart of school education". As a school we understand these fundamental truths to come from God’s word and that God’s word should shape our understanding of curriculum, educational practice, wellbeing and behaviour management strategies and our overall priorities.

It is primarily through our Association that Christian parents exercise their governance responsibility for our school and help the school to set its strategic agenda and focus. I would strongly urge Christian parents to join our Association and be involved in this key aspect of school life. You can find out more about how to join and be involved in our Association at Illawarra Christian Education.

At Illawarra Christian School we have long understood and held to the principle that parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children. We hold that parents choose to engage the school to assist them in this task of education and that Christian schools are in this way an extension of the Christian home.

Our task as parents is to disciple children before the Lord, to train and nurture them in knowledge and obedience to God. The mission field for parents starts with our children at home. The Christian school is part of the armour we use as parents to support us as we seek to disciple our children before God. The school supports the values and biblical teachings we have at home.

But how do I actively engage in my children’s education at school if it is a key factor in achieving better outcomes? There are lots of simple ways but here are just a few:

• Communicate with your children’s teachers - use SEQTA to let staff know about struggles, challenges, achievements, interests. Ask your children’s teachers what your children are learning and how you can support that learning at home.
• Attend Engage Evenings - participate in the Parent Teacher Conversations and attend workshops provided by the school so that you can learn more to support your child at home
• When school staff raise concerns about your children, follow up on these matters and don’t be afraid to raise issues with the school.
• Read with your children and have them read to you
• Ask your children about what they are learning and studying at school. Show an interest in their homework and school studies.
• Attend school functions and participate in activities organised by our parent representatives.
• Join the Association if you are eligible

At Illawarra Christian School we really value parent support and partnership in education. The Covid pandemic presented some challenges for parents in engaging with the school in our children’s education, but also some new opportunities.

Let me challenge you to be active in your child’s education journey.

Mr Simon Lainson

Principal

Illawarra Christian School Principal, Mr Simon Lainson, said of Mrs Sharpe:

"Melinda has extensive experience in education, having served as a classroom teacher and in leadership in a number of schools prior to joining ICS, most recently as the Deputy Principal (7-12) at Calderwood Christian School.

Melinda is passionate about developing in students a love of learning through a Christian worldview which equips, strengthens and prepares them for life in God's world.  

Melinda's enthusiasm, energy and sense of fun are great assets to our school community. Melinda has a warm, approachable and professional manner which has been greatly appreciated by many in our school community already.

It has been a delight to work alongside Melinda over the past 6 months and I look forward to continuing in this partnership with her in leadership of our school." 

Of her appointment as Deputy Principal, Mrs Sharpe said:

"It’s an absolute privilege to be appointed in the role of Deputy Principal at Illawarra Christian School, and I am looking forward, through God’s provision, to serving our school community."

We extend our congratulations to Mrs Sharpe and look forward to her continuing service to our school community.

Mrs Sarah Wilde provides a recap of what our Japanese visitors from Tokyo Rissho High School got up to during their time at ICS.

Year 7

Students from Tokyo Rissho High School joined our Year 7 Japanese class. The students got to know each other by playing 'Human Bingo' and having conversations in English about the places they had been to, the food they had eaten and their family members.

We used 'Australian animals', 'Australian food' and 'Australian cities' as our 'Hangman' topics to challenge our Japanese exchange students (and also ourselves!). We finished our lesson with an Australian trivia Kahoot game, where we learnt that Kahoot is also a popular game in Japan!

Stage 5

Students from Tokyo Rissho High School joined our Stage 5 Japanese class. The students got to know each other through a series of 'Quick Fire' questions about their families, hobbies, school life and favourite things.

The Japanese students wowed us with their fantastic chopstick skills in a series of challenges involving M&Ms and showed us how to play with the kendama and daruma, which are traditional Japanese toys.

We also introduced our Japanese exchange students to a variety of our favourite board games including Twister, Jenga, Snakes and Ladders, Connect 4 and Uno. We learnt that Uno is a very popular game in Japan too!

Art class

Students from Tokyo Rissho High School joined our Stage 5 Art class. The students worked hard on mono printing Australian native flowering gums. This was a new experience for our exchange students, who have not tried this style of painting before. They all did very well!

Sport & PE

Our Japanese exchange students joined in with Stage 4 sport and PE lessons. Both ICS students and the students from Japan had a wonderful time testing their skills at OzTag and Ultimate Frisbee.

Farewell BBQ

We farewelled our friends from Tokyo Rissho High School in a typical Aussie fashion with a classic BBQ!

Our Stage 5 Japanese class joined in the farewell and exchanged gifts with the Japanese students. Each of the students from Tokyo Rissho High were gifted a small present from ICS and a present was gifted to Tokyo Rissho High School from ICS.

We greatly value the friendships that were formed with our exchange students and we were sad to see them leave. We look forward to welcoming more Japanese exchange students in the future!

Mrs Sarah Wilde

Japanese / PDHPE

Prep looked at plenty of animals, learning about them from Ranger Ellie and Ranger Charlotte at Symbio.

It was a very exciting day, and the rangers commented on how well behaved and lovely Prep was!

They learnt about how to measure the growth of plants using tape measures, and how thirsty the soil was by measuring the pace at which the water soaked into the soil. Kindergarten observed the difference in temperatures between the cacti greenhouse and the jungle greenhouse and were surprised that the jungle greenhouse had a hotter temperature and felt humid. Kindergarten used bark, fertiliser, straw and more to plant a native seed and took them home. They ended the day with an adventure walk around the gardens. We had beautiful weather and it was a fun day! 

Students were informed about the hazards and dangers present at the beach, and ways to be safe while there.

Students learned about the importance of flags, how to call for help, and the importance of keeping the beach clean, among many other things!

Thank you to Matt and Eli for taking the time to visit our school and educating our students on how to be safe at the beach.

Their works reflected a year-long process, evolving through planning, research, and experimentation, culminating in their final forms in written, design, and performance presentations. It was a great opportunity to recognise our students' hard work and efforts and for others to benefit from their passions and accomplishments. Teachers were also thanked for their part in facilitating, guiding, and motivating their students through their various project journeys.

The evening was warmly supported by students, staff, parents, and others in our community with over 200 people in attendance. It was wonderful to have our families and wider community acknowledge and support each student and enjoy the gifts and talents that God has given them.

Mrs Melinda Sharpe

Deputy Principal

Mrs Simone Brown, who supervised the Year 9 and 10 teams, said the following about the State da Vinci Decathlon:

"It was a delight to take three of our amazing da Vinci decathlon teams to Knox Grammar School this week to compete in the State event.

The Year 9 and 10 teams went as Illawarra Regional champions and the Year 6 team as Regional runners-up.

The event at Knox Grammar School is enormous, with 75 teams competing in each of the Year 9 and 10 divisions, and 80 teams in the year 6 division.

The experience in and of itself is incredible for our students. Schools from all over Sydney and its surrounds were there including local and Sydney selective high schools. 

We are thrilled to let our community know that our Year 10 team placed 3rd in the State in English. This is outstanding and is a testament to their ability and perseverance.

Our Year 9 team placed 3rd in the State for Ideation and were the champions of 'Legacy'. This is exceptional and we are very proud of the efforts of all of these students. It is always a long day but well worth the drive.

Congratulations to all of our students. They are excellent representatives and truly lovely people."

Our ICS superstars embarked on an epic journey to Perisher last weekend - and it was an absolute blast! With a crew of twenty-five fearless students and staff, we hit the slopes with an unquenchable thirst for adventure and awe-inspiring experiences.

Embracing God's creation, our theme was all about being considerate to one another - living the spirit of Philippians 2:3-4 in every action we took. The bond of friendship and support on this trip was unparalleled!

Learning a whole new lingo, our daredevil students quickly mastered the art of 'carving,' 'pizza-ing,' and conquering those pesky 'moguls.' But it wasn't just about the perfect run; it was a journey of growth and perseverance. Trying, failing, and trying again - our champions showed true grit and determination!

And oh boy, we had a mind-blowing staff talk that left us inspired and ready to face the world! 'Keeping the faith after you leave school' - powerful words that touched our hearts and ignited a spark in each one of us.

We captured every heart-pounding moment, and the memories will last a lifetime! Check out our stunning photos below.

Words can't express the fun and excitement we shared on this unforgettable trip. From the exhilarating runs to the heartwarming camaraderie - this was a weekend for the books!

A huge thanks to everyone who made this adventure possible! Together, we discovered the joy of the slopes and the beauty of supporting one another on this remarkable journey.

Mr Rob Spreitzer

Learning Technologies Coordinator

Philippians 2:3-4 says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."