March 2 - Week 5 Term 1 Newsletter 2018

Prefect Team Camp

During Week 3, our prefect team went away to Batchelor for their annual

retreat. The students enjoyed leadership development sessions with Mr Joel

van Bentum as well as outdoor activities with the Batchelor staff. Mrs Rebecca

Dimmick led the group in devotion time and it was wonderful to have our School

Chaplain, Nicole Davis, pop in for a visit.

Many of the prefects overcame challenges as they accomplished new skills in

rock climbing, high ropes and mountain bike riding. Encouragement, fun and

lots of laughter helped to strengthen relationships and solidify the group as a

leadership team. Our night game involved some hilarious moments as each

team rallied to collect the most glow sticks while dodging a spotlight. For me,

the highlight of the retreat was to watch the interactions between our prefects

as they developed new friendships, demonstrated thoughtfulness and spurred

each other on in working together towards their goals for 2018. It was a real

privilege to spend time with these young people and soak in their positivity, their

great attitudes, their willingness to serve and their desire to love God and love

others.

Mrs Nat Dungey – Prefect Coordinator

Diary Dates-

Dear Parents and Friends,

Have you ever had the experience when somebody describes a certain behaviour they have observed in people and

you realise that it is not only true, but something that you do too? I had this happen to me recently. I was listening

to Josh Shipp who was describing how people test the lap bar in a roller coaster after it has been lowered and the

ride staff have come along and locked it into place and tested it. I do this – do you? Anyway, the point Josh goes on

to make is that when people do this they are hoping not that they will discover that the bar will fail, but rather that it

will hold firm.

He uses this story to remind us that teenagers do the same thing to us as their parents and carers. Teenagers will

push us and pull us, they will squirm and test us not because they want to see us fail but because they want to

know that we will hold firm. That we will be there, consistently holding firm during a time in life that often very much

resembles a roller coaster.

I don’t think that this behaviour is restricted to teenagers, I think that children of all ages (even adults) from time to

time test us, seeking confirmation that the important people in their lives will hold firm. I think too, that we do this in

our spiritual lives. We want to know that Jesus will hold firm for us.

The good news is that in Matthew 14:22-33 we find encouragement that Jesus will hold firm. The story opens with

the disciples in a boat caught in a storm scared and afraid. As they begin to panic and lose their composure, Jesus

comes to them walking on the water and calls them to take courage and not be afraid. Jesus then invites Peter out

onto the water. This counter intuitive challenge begins well, until Peter beings to doubt and starts to sink. When this

happens, Jesus reaches out his hand and catches Peter and returns him to the safety of the boat.

We are reminded in this story that Jesus will hold firm. Not only will He be there when we need Him, but he will not

let us sink, even when following Him makes no sense at all. We can panic, lose our composure even be afraid and

doubt. In these moments, He wants us to know that He will be there, consistently holding firm in His promises.

So be encouraged. Yes, raising children is challenging sometimes. They will test us and we will find this frustrating. But

we must stand strong and firm because life (particularly for teenagers) can be uncertain, unstable and unpredictable.

But as Josh Shipp reminds us, it is our role to be certain, stable and predictable in these times in our children’s lives.

Together, I believe we can ensure that every child can know that there are adults in their lives who care and through

Jesus they can discover somebody who will be certain and stable and love them for a lifetime.

Josh Shipp is an author, blogger, and speaker who is a passionate youth advocate. The link to the video that I have

referred to is https://youtu.be/m51Qf8fc4UA It is worth a look regardless of how old your children are.

Blessings,

Andrew Manning - Principal

Diary Dates-

Wednesday 7th - Friday 9th Year 11 Camp

Monday 12thAUSTSWIM lessons begin

for Years 1-6 Monday to Thursday for 2 weeks,

finishing Thursday 22nd

Monday 12thMission Trip Info Night

7.00-8.30pm

Tuesday 13thLarapinta Parent Info Evening

Thursday 15th Year 7 Immunisations

Tuesday 20thLarapinta Training Walk #1

Monday 26thCross Country Carnival

Thursday 29thWhole College Easter Assembly

Friday 30thGood Friday

Monday 2nd Easter Monday

Thursday 5th Parent Teacher Conferences

Monday 9thGeneral Council Meeting - 6pm

Tuesday 10thParent Teacher Conferences

Thursday 12th Boarders Fly Out

Monday 16th - Friday 20thSchool Holidays

March

April

A word from our Principal...

Prefect Induction Assembly

Our Prefect Commissioning took place during our Whole College Assembly last week. Mr Joel van Bentum, Principal of NT Christian College, spoke about

the true nature of Godly leadership. As part of the induction, Mrs Rebecca Dimmick and Mr Andrew Manning demonstrated leadership by washing the feet

of our prefects. The assembly concluded with a morning tea for the newly-badged prefect team and many of their parents.

Our 2018 prefect team consists of: our College Captains, Leah Beissel and Digby Williams, and our Vice Captains, Katie Farnsworth and Isaac Dimmick,

together with Hayley Twartz, Bethany Dole, Liam Craighead, Mikaela Sager, Dominique Carbone, Jemima Fernandes, Thomas Palmer, Joshua van

Bentum, Jeriel Onofre, Jessica Marquez, Kyana Thorpe, Raylene Rankin, Keziah Dimmick, Caleb Schatz, Ella Vateitei and Emily Jo DeVirgilio.

Mrs Nat Dungey – Prefect Coordinator

What’s Happening Around MCC?

Contact usMCC 08 8920 2000 • NTCC 08 8920 2006 • www.mcc.nt.edu.au

admin.mcc@ntschools.net • PO Box 84 Karama NT 0813 combined campus of NT Christian Schools

The College is participating in the 2018 Coles Sports for Schools' program. Anyone from our College community who shops at Coles can collect vouchers and bring them to school. For every $10 spent at Coles, customers will receive one Sports for Schools voucher. The rewards are a choice of educational equipment and rescources for use by the whole College, so let's start collecting for the benefit of our students!

Return boxes are available at the Front Office and Coles Casuarina.

Please be advised that as part of the Terms and Conditions signed upon enrolment, we require 10 term weeks written notice if exiting students from our College. Failure to comply will render parents liable for 10 weeks school fees, however, extraordinary circumstances will be taken into account. If you feel you have extraordinary circumstances, please include this with your exit form. Exemption is given at the discretion of the Principal.

If you would like to obtain an exit form please see front reception.

Sports for Schools

Exiting Students

Introducing Our College Vice Captains

ISAAC DIMMICK

Hi, my name is Katie and I am serving as a Year 12 Vice

Captain on the prefect team this year.

I am excited for this year and what the prefect team has

in store. I look forward to getting to know the new prefects

and serving beside them.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, catching up on a TV

series or chilling with friends. If I can, I love going camping

or fishing and relaxing outdoors. I find it helps me to clear

my head and allows me to feel free.

I plan to make the most of this year and rise to the

challenge of being a leader in our school.

KATIE FARNSWORTH

My name is Isaac Dimmick and I am one of the Vice Captains

for 2018. I have been at Marrara since Year 6 and been a

part of the prefect team in Year 10 and 11.

Some of my interests include music, rugby (both kinds)

and film going. However, my favourite pastime is hanging

out with my friends. I go to Darwin Baptist Youth Group on

Fridays and really enjoy watching both youth and my fellow

peers come to learn about Christ and the wonderful world

He created for us.

I’m really excited to be a part of the prefect team again this

year as it enables us to associate with the whole school and

build relationships throughout all grades. I’m keen to see

what this year brings and hope that the work we do will have

a positive effect on the entire school community.

NT Christian College News

Research ProjectThe following students have been granted advanced standing for

one of CDU’s Academic Literacy Units in recognition of the work

done in their subject Research Project, which they offered for Year

12 last year.

They have also done exceptionally well in their presentation in front

of the panel of lecturers at the university and have received a lot of

positive feedback. Most of these students have achieved distinctions

for both their written and oral presentations.

They were recognised and awarded certificates in an award

ceremony held recently at Charles Darwin University, which was well

attended by the university staff, parents, teachers and students.

Congratulations and well done! We are proud of you all.

Terese Kadirgamar - Senior School Teacher

Brenton Vaastra Bethany Dole

Hayley Twartz John Mavros

Sarah Cox Daniel Watson

Chris Cafirma

Where are they now?

SOPHIE CAMPBELLMy name is Sophie and I completed Year 12 at Marrara in 2016.

In 2017, I moved to NSW to do a Diploma of Outdoor Recreation.

This qualification allows me to commercially guide hiking, sea and

flat water kayaking and lead climbing and abseiling groups. The

year long course was a lot of fun, a great chance to see more of

God’s amazing creations and grow spiritually and mentally.

In 2018, I moved back up to Darwin to begin training as a

Constable in the Northern Territory Police Force.

This photo is from a snow camp that we went on in September

2017. We cross country skied out from Perisher, made snow

caves and camped out in the snow overnight.

What's Happening In The Community?

Contact usMCC 08 8920 2000 • NTCC 08 8920 2006 • www.mcc.nt.edu.au

admin.mcc@ntschools.net • PO Box 84 Karama NT 0813 combined campus of NT Christian Schools

Australian Apprenticeships NT are seeking applicants for the following

Gateway Vacancies (as at 23/02/2018)

If you require additional information or assistance, please contact the Gateway Team on (08) 8935 8200 or email gateway@aannt.com.au

Apprenticeship/Traineeship

Qualification Hours Region

Apprenticeship Certificate III in Automotive Light Vehicle Full Time Darwin

Apprenticeship Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Full Time Darwin

Apprenticeship Certificate III in Electro-Technology Full Time Darwin

Traineeship Expressions of Interest Certificate III in Horticulture Full Time Darwin

Apprenticeship Certificate III in Carpentry Full-Time Darwin

Traineeship Certificate III in Retail Baking Full-Time Darwin

Apprenticeship Expression of Interest Certificate III in Electrical Full-Time Katherine

For more information on the below positions and to apply, please visit Apprenticeships Central at - http://www.apprenticeshipcentral.com.au/

Parenting is always challenging, but perhaps never more so when you are undergoing change yourself.

Recently I spoke to staff at the General Motors Holden in South Australia about how they could help their families navigate the imminent plant closure, and subsequent loss of jobs. Change of this magnitude generally impacts on everyone in a family, bringing an added layer to parenting. Essentially the job of these parents was to help their children successfully navigate changes rather than isolate or protect them from the changes that will occur.

From a child’s perspective, it’s not the change itself but how parents react to adjustments that is most significant. Change tests individual and family resilience, but managing it well builds resilience. While most people yearn for certainty and consistency there will always be times when circumstances change – people shift jobs, families relocate and parents split up. These situations are difficult to manage at the time but inevitably people adjust and more often than not, end up with a better situation – a job that they enjoy; a better lifestyle or finding family peace.

While change is not easy to endure, there are some things we can do as parents to help our children cope and hopefully grow from those changes.

The following five ideas will help:

1. Acknowledge feelings

Every difficulty or challenge we face is accompanied by uncomfortable feelings such as sadness, anger and disappointment. When feelings aren’t acknowledged, children will either act out or act in. That is, they will either become aggressive, agitated and hurtful or become moody, anxious and depressed. Give kids permission to talk about emotions by talking about your own feelings and your emotional reactions to events. Help children of all ages verbalise their feelings by asking children how they feel in response to different events. “How do you feel about this?” is a great way to initiate conversations on an emotional level.

2. Look after yourself (and your partner)

Change is usually stressful for adults. Feelings of anxiety are common in times of uncertainty. “Will life ever return to normal?” is a common question. Self-care is essential in times of change. It’s hard to parent well when you are stressed, anxious or depressed so do all you can to stick to the building blocks of well-being. That is,

We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au

insightsParenting kids through the challenges of changeby Michael Grose

RESILIENCE

sleep well (life’s always better after a good night’s sleep); get some exercise (to release the feel-good endorphins); actively maintain your support networks (talking about difficulties is therapeutic); get some relaxation (it’s important to take your mind of your worries for a time) and pursue at least one interest that you enjoy (fun and play is an antidote to depression).

3. Stay optimistic

Optimism is characteristic of resilient people. I’m not suggesting that you take a Pollyanna-ish attitude that ‘everything will be all right’. Instead project the attitude that the current situation may be difficult or that life at the moment may be difficult but you will get through this. “This too shall pass” is a powerful resilience concept for kids to experience and learn.

4. Maintain consistency and routine

When disruption appears in your life try to keep things as normal as possible for children. In particular, stick to regular mealtimes; keep bedtimes regular and keep the traditions that kids enjoy and bring your family together. This type of familiarity is comforting for kids, helping them maintain feelings of control, which is something they crave in times of change.

5. Stick together

Resilience is best practiced as a family or community, rather than as an individual so look for ways to bring your family together. Family mealtimes; shared enjoyable experiences and simply hanging out together are the types of activities that build strong families. In times of change and upheaval what we need most is each other.

Life is full of changes. Some are welcome and some aren’t. It’s human nature to resist change, particularly when it’s unwelcome. But change also presents opportunities for growth and development. Helping kids cope with change, even when it happens to you, is a chance to build their resilience, which will be tested many times throughout their adult lives.

Michael Grose

Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 10 books for parents including Thriving! and the best-selling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It, and his latest release Spoonfed Generation: How to raise independent children. A trailblazer in the parenting and educational scenes Michael regularly appears in the media throughout Australia in programs including The Project, The Today Show and ABC radio.

We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au