Charlton News

2015, Term 2 - Issue 6 - Friday 1st May

LOVE | INTEGRITY | FAITH | EMPOWERMENT

From the Principal

Some of you may still be without power and thus will pick up this Newsletter later. For you I feel the pain. It’s a long haul to go without power these days. We are all wired up for sound, light, entertainment and communication.

However, in the midst of the blackouts some families spent a lot more time together and went to bed earlier. They talked and laughed and played Board Games. We may even have some extra enrolments in about five years’ time???

In the Midst of the Storm

To those of our parents and staff who suffered sub-stantial damage in the storms, please accept our acknowledgement of your difficult situation and let us know if you need a working bee at your place. We’ll be there to help. Be in touch if we can help in any other way. I know meals are being sent out to families who still have no power or who just can’t catch up with life.

It’s important to understand that a trip to a coun-selor can be helpful if any of the family have been traumatized by the events of the last two weeks.

School suffered damage as you may have seen on Facebook. We had a number of trees fall down and some, which looked potentially dangerous, have been removed. A tree and power pole were down across the road between the station and school. We have had some damage to the fences and the basketball court cover was shredded. A couple of shade sails were also damaged.

The biggest problem was when the smoke vents over the MPC Stage lifted up during the night when the compressor lost its power. It rained dur-ing the night and the beautiful polished stage is ruined and will have to be replaced.

There were two times when Jesus’ disciples were in a storm.

Firstly: John 6:19-21 The Voice

19 After rowing three or four miles[a] through the stormy seas, they spotted Jesus ap-proaching the boat walking mysteriously upon the deep waters that surrounded them. They panicked.

Jesus (to the disciples): 20 I am the One. Don’t be afraid.

21 They welcomed Jesus aboard their small vessel; and when He stepped into the boat, the next thing they knew, they were ashore at their destination.

Secondly: Matthew 8 The Voice

And then Jesus got into a boat, and His disciples followed Him. 24 Out of nowhere, a vicious storm blew over the sea. Waves were lapping up over the boat, threatening to overtake it! Yet Jesus was asleep. 25 Frightened (not to mention confused—how could anyone sleep through this?), the disciples woke Him up.

Disciples: Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!

Jesus: 26 Please! What are you so afraid of, you of little faith?

Jesus got up, told the wind and the waves to calm down, and they did. The sea became still and calm once again. 27 The disciples were astonished.

Disciples: Who is this? What sort of man is He, that the sea and the winds listen to Him?

PRAYER POINTS • Praise God for general relative safety for the school

community and property over the last week.

• Pray for families who have been badly impacted by the storms and for those who are still dealing with trauma and big clean up tasks from the storm.

• Pray for Nepal after the devastating earthquake. Praise God the Schwarz family have returned home safely. Please pray for them as they recover and work through the trauma of all they have seen and experi-enced first hand.

• Pray that staff and students all start the new term well.

DO YOU HAVE A PRAYER REQUEST?Would you like someone to pray for you, your family or a friend?

Would you like someone to stand with you in faith to believe for a breakthrough?

Email our chaplain, Matt Stackhouse: m.stackhouse@charlton.nsw.edu.au or phone (02) 4959 9111.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

Verse for the Week: Proverbs 10:9

FROM THE CHAPLAINThe cornerstone for this term is integrity. The Bible gives us God’s best advice. Integrity is such a fundamental quality. We love it when we see it and we crave it when we know people are being dishonest. God has given us a deep longing to have integrity yet when we’re honest with God, we have to acknowledge that we’ve all ‘taken crooked paths’. The truth of the Gospel is that while we’ve been ‘found out’, God still loves us and wants a loving relationship with us all.

Continued...

It’s hard to be in a storm and lose our light and power and even our house. But the Bible tells us that God is with us in that storm, and that no mat-ter how scary things can be, He is beside us and will give us a sense of peace in the midst of the winds and the waves and the unknown.

Thank you for being a part of the Charlton Community. It is good to have you with us.

Sue

“Please accept our acknowledgement of your difficult situation and let us know if you need a Working bee at your place. We’ll be there to help. Be in touch if we can help in any other way.” Sue

Staff Professional DevelopmentRETREAT FOR A CAUSE - Monday 20th April - Fort Scratchley

On the day before students were supposed to be returning to school, watching the storms roll in over the Pacific Ocean, the Charlton Staff met for their annual Retreat at Scratchleys next to

Fort Scratchley.

We were there to hear our guest speaker, Chief Inspector Gary Raymond APM,OAM (Rtd) speak to us about life in the Police Rescue Squad and as a Christian in what was sometimes a death

defying workplace. He has written a book called “Top Cop” revisiting some of the places he rescued people, such as after the Granville Train disaster, or from the top of a Sydney Television

mast. He faced death on a number of occasions, but as in everything he was at peace with God even when he had a rifle pushed against his chest. His talk was both encouraging and

inspirational.

We also heard what is happening in each of the Schools in regards to ‘best practice’ in education. It was good for all sections of the school to hear about the others.

But the best part of the day from my point of view was the building that took place. Ten flat pack bookcases, and bedside tables with drawers, were divided between all staff members. They

had to work together in small groups to turn the flat back into a real piece of furniture. They had no idea as to why they were building these pieces of furniture. Of course Mr Stackhouse

”lost” his screws and other vital pieces of equipment needed to put the drawers together. We thought he would lose his marbles too as he searched high and low for the missing pieces.

Eventually they were found under a bookcase. Was there a thief or a trickster in our midst? We will never know. However, his group still wasn’t the last to finish. We won’t dob in the last

ones home.

The best part of the event was the lovely response from staff when I told them that these tables and bookcases were for the Women’s Refuges at Toronto and Swansea. These women

often have nowhere to store their few belongings and this small contribution to make their rooms a bit more comfortable would be well received. Two women who help to supervise the

refuges talked to us about their work and some of the stories about women and children in need of urgent assistance.

In all, it was a special day, helping to build stronger bonds between all members of the Charlton Staff Community and helping us to look outside of our workplace into the lives of other

people in real need, and to thank God for those who help them.

Sue

ANZAC DAY Thank you...

SATURDAY 25 APRIL @ GOFFET PARK TORONTOWe wish to thank the 35 students (and their parents) who made the effort to attend the ANZAC Day march and service last Saturday, despite us not being able to give the normal reminders and notes etc, due to the school closure last week. It was so lovely to have such a good number to represent our College for this special centenary event. This was a great opportunity for children to be actively involved in citizenship and to learn about important aspects of our history and nationhood. The students looked lovely in their full winter uniform and did our school proud with their wonderful behaviour as well. Thank you to all!

Charlton Senior School Leader Nathan Smith and College Captain Tom Roberts were also involved in the ANZAC service held at Speers Point Park on Sunday 19th April. Other students were in attendance selling poppy’s and ANZAC pins. It was great to see our students represent the College in this way and we are very proud of them.

INSIGHTSBuilding parent-school partnerships

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As adults we all want our children to live carefree lives and keep them from the pain and even horror of tragedies such as natural disasters. In reality we can’t do this.

Help your children make sense of

natural disastersRecent natural disasters wreak incredible havoc on so many people’s lives and will no doubt leave an indelible imprint on our collective psyches. Graphic images have been brought into our living rooms via the media over the last few weeks, and will continue to do so in the immediate future.

As adults we all want our children to live carefree lives and keep them from the pain and even horror of tragedies such as natural disasters. In reality we can’t do this.

So what is a parent, teacher, or other caring adult to do when the natural disasters fill the airwaves and the consciousness of society? Here are some ideas:

1 Reassure children that they are safe The consistency of the images can be frightening for young children who don’t understand the notion of distance and have difficulty distinguishing between reality and fiction. Let them know that while this event is indeed happening it will not affect them directly.

2 Be available Let kids know that it is okay to talk about the unpleasant events. Listen to what they think and feel. By listening, you can find out if they have misunderstandings, and you can learn more about the support that they need. You

do not need to explain more than they are ready to hear, but be willing to answer their questions.

3 Help children process what they see and hear,particularly through television Children are good observers but can be poor interpreters of events that are out of their level of understanding.

4 Support children’s concerns for others They may have genuine concerns for the suffering that will occur and they may need an outlet for those concerns. It is heartwarming to see this empathy in children for the concerns of others.

5 Let them explore feelings beyond fear Many children may feel sad or even angry with these events so let them express the full range of emotions. They may feel sadder for the loss of wildlife, than for loss of human life, which is impersonal for them.

6 Help children and young people find a legitimate course of action if they wish Action is a great antidote to stress and anxiety so finding simple ways to help, including donating some pocket money can assist kids to cope and teaches them to contribute.

7 Avoid keeping the television on all the time The visual nature of the media means that images are repeated over and over, which can be both distressing to some and desensitizing to others.

8 Be aware of your own actions Children will take their cues from you and if they see you focusing on it in an unhealthy way then they will focus on it too. Let them know that it is happening but it should not dominate their lives.

9 Take action yourself Children who know their parents, teachers, or other significant caregivers are working to make a difference feel hope. They feel safer and more positive about the future. So do something. It will make you feel more hopeful, too. And hope is one of the most valuable gifts we can give children and ourselves.

Children’s worlds can be affected in ways that we can’t even conceive of so adults need to be both sensitive to children’s

needs and mindful of what they say and how they act in front of children.

In difficult times, it is worth remembering what adults and children need most are each other.

Mothers’ DayReminders

Mufti Day - Friday 1st May (please bring a gold coin donation)

Mothers’ Day Stall - Monday 4th May Gifts will be sold for $5 each

Please bring a plastic bag for your purchaseGift items also available for Nanas

Mothers’ Day - Sunday 10th May (a day to spoil your mum, grandmother,

aunty or other significant role model)

PUT THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY!

OPEN DAYFriday 22nd May from 9am to 12noon

Open Classrooms

Tour the College

Speak with Executive Staff

Visit our facilities

Spread the Word!

The girls attended a workshop presented by 3 musicians currently working in the Music industry. Here they shared insight on subjects

such as song writing, gigging, performance and honing your craft.

In the evening the girls competed against 5 other bands for a place in the finals. Unfortunately they did not make it into the next round.

However, they performed admirably as the youngest and only girl band in the entire competition. An outstanding achievement FLEK!

Youth Rock 2015Well done FLEK! On Friday 17th April at 7am, Fallan, Layla, Erica and Kayla travelled down

to Sutherland Entertainment Centre with Mrs Perrim for a full day of ‘Youth Rock.’

Senior School Pizza Day is now on Wednesday 27th May (recheduled from Wednesday 6th May)

Year 6 Environment Excursion is now on Thursday 4th June (recheduled from Friday 1st May due to storm damage)

Winter Uniform has started! (Seniors are to wear blazers and ties)

We hope that you were able to stay safe during the storm now that the worst has passed. This may not be true for your home.

The aftermath of such a storm could have left the exterior of your house and your outdoor area with structural damage in need of immediate repair.

Whether you need help with electrical repairs, unblocking drains, repairing broken pipes and damaged windows or removing fallen trees we have emergency Electricians, Plumbers, Window Repairers and Tree

Removalists who are able to help you straight away!We also have tradies who are ready to help with other areas of your home that may need damage repair

including your Roofing, Guttering and Garden.

FIND A TRADIE

On Friday 24th April, I went to Glenwood in Sydney to represent CSSA in football. The team consisted of players from Green Point, Mamre, Northern

Beaches, Southern Highlands, Sutherland and Wyong.We played 4 games and won all our games. The scores were SASSA 2-1, IPSHA

1-0, NCIS 13-0 and ASSISA 1-0. CSSA came first overall.I had lots of fun meeting my team mates and playing with the team.

Bailey Snowden

CSSA Football

Georgia Dodson: Athletics, Jasper Offen: Football, Clara Gill: Athletics, Dana Gill: Athletics, Joshua Low: Football, Luke Gibbons: Athletics

These guys are off to Nationals!

Each student has to raise their own funds to compete. Please support them through our Pie Drive and give yourself a night off from the kitchen.

ORDER FORMS WITH

After School Sport at Charlton in Term 2Sporting Kids will be continuing on Friday afternoons from 2.55pm to 3.55pm offering:

1. Dance in the Hall

2. Touch Rugby on the Oval

This is mainly aimed at K-4 students (though they have taken Year 5/6 students in the past)

Register: www.sportingkids.com.au or www.danceoz4kids.com

Cost: $65 when you register before 10th April.

Total Football Academy are back with Josh Rose from the Central Coast Mariners running a running an After School Football (soccer) program for K-4 students.

During the 6 week program games will be played inside an inflatable soccer field, which captures the imagination of students, giving them a great soccer experience. Training will take place inside a skills square focusing on different skills each week, such as dribbling, turning and shooting. As part of the program players can also purchase a soccer kit (top and shorts).

Dates: Monday 4th May, 11th May, 18th May, 25th May, 1st June, 15th June

Time: 3.15pm to 4.15pm Cost: $99

Register: www.totalfootballacademy.com.au | phone: 0439757718.

PAYMENT ARE DUE BACK MONDAY 4TH MAY. PIES CAN BE COLLECTED 11TH MAY.

Tutoring at CharltonCHARLTON CURRENTLY HAS A RANGE OF CURRENT AND EX-STUDENTS WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO TUTOR YOUR CHILD AT SCHOOL. ANY INTERESTED PARENTS SHOULD CONTACT MRS CASEY AT THE COLLEGE ON (02) 4959 9111 TO OBTAIN THE RELEVANT DETAILS.

Nepal hit by earthquakeTransform the Nations Ministry update.

“We have all been impacted by the devastation of the 7.9 earthquake that tore apart Kathmandu on April 25th. This update is to inform you that the 13 remaining April Team Missions members are reported as safe and well. Other good news is that the children in our care are also reported as safe. We are immensely thankful for this as much of the city and surrounds has suffered incredible damage.Many of us were part of the April team and some of us flew out just days before the quake hit. Which has made being away a double edged sword, thankful to have missed the frightening ordeal, but desperate to be able to help the peoples you have been engaged with and like many of you very keen to hear accurate first hand reports.Currently the Nepali disaster relief agency has officially listed injuries in excess of 6500 people with more than 3500 people killed in the devastation. As rescue efforts continue these figures will undoubtedly rise.In a nation built around relationship disasters like this hit hard with a huge community outpouring of grief as people begin the tasks of starting over. So many people have nothing, and now they have less. This will make our presence and support even more vital in the coming years as we work with families, communities, author-ities, and government to help the people begin again.Communication is difficult with those in Nepal so please continue to pray for their safety as after shocks are still happening. I doubt they will have electricity which will mean water, food and other basics will become increasingly hard to secure. There is no confirmed word on the use of the airport for vessels other than relief and armed services at this stage. So we wait to hear on departures etc. The Educate Nepal facebook page is posting any information that gets through and is a source of first hand information to keep your prayers current.Thank you for standing with the ministry in this difficult time.”

On a more personal note, an ex-school family were on the ground in Nepalwhen the earthquake hit. They are safe, but we would appreciate you keeping the Schwarz family in your prayers when you pray for the people of Nepal.

To make a donation click here

Now available: ‘Soul Surfer’ series, ‘Heaven is for Real’, bibles, ‘Go Fish’ and memory verse card games, ‘This is Living’ and ‘Ultimate Collection’ CDs and more!

If you’d like to place an order, please take your completed Order form with payment to the College Office by Friday 29th May 2015.

Mrs Ruth Everett

KOORONG KIDS CATALOGUES...

43 Fassifern Road Fassifern, NSW 2283

Tel:(02) 4959 9111 Fax: (02 4959 9188

www.charlton.nsw.edu.au

2 Praise our God! His deeds are wonderful, too marvellous to describe. 6 Let every living creature praise the Lord. Shout praises to the Lord!

Psalm 150:2 and 6 (CEV)