RICHMOND CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

After watching Felipe Toledo, Word Surfing League’s number 3 in the world, win his final play-off under extreme pressure I heard him interviewed and asked how he managed to stay calm and produce such a high scoring wave to win. His response was simple and yet profoundly difficult at the same time.

Toledo stated that he just focussed on enjoying the process. He enjoyed paddling around in the water, waiting for the waves, the ocean, even the competition. He just wanted to enjoy each moment for what it was worth. Then, when the opportunity came, he wanted to enjoy the process of surfing the wave, without worrying about anything else.

His advice is so true for us now, especially during so much uncertainty.

When giving his most famous sermon, The Sermon on The Mount, Jesus echoed similar words of encouragement to those who were also facing pressure or difficulty. Jesus encouraged people to not worry about the future or material needs, but rather be more concerned with the things of God and the moments of today, for today is enough (Matthew 6:25-34).

Such advice brings peace in a time where it is difficult to know what is right and wrong, who to listen to and what information is valid. Focusing on the simple processes of knowing God, sharing God and loving one another, brings perspective and peace to the urgent confusion.

Similarly, successful education is much more than a grade or an outcome. It is the process of developing the whole child through experiences that establish foundations of love and truth which enable students to enjoy the processes of life, no matter how hard. This way they can have a positive impact on their world.

For this reason, I am so grateful for the staff of RCC who are instrumental in achieving this end. I am so thankful for our parents who passionately work alongside us to provide for our children. I am blessed by the way our students continue to contribute to a culture others desire to be a part of; feeling safe and valued, challenged and excited.

To this end, it is with an excited, yet heavy heart that I wish to inform you that Vanessa Miller, our Head of Primary, has decided to step down from her role of Head of Primary at RCC. Mrs Miller has been instrumental in propelling RCC into its current state where staff and students alike are excited to grow and learn, where they feel safe and valued and where they can truly mature into the person God has handcrafted them to be. Mrs Miller has instilled a clear passion for all things education, from its formal quest for light and truth to its joyous, chaotic and quirky rigour. For this reason, she leaves the primary school on an exciting precipice that looks to a future of building children founded on identity, purpose and hope.

It is our hope that Mrs Miller’s journey with RCC will continue in other capacities, but for now it is important we bless her here, there or anywhere. We encourage her to continue in her work of loving others and sharing the good news of Christ in everything that she does. As it is with our students, our higher purpose for Christian education is bigger than this moment, or this school. We desire to instil a biblical foundation of identity, purpose and hope that leads to successful contributors in our world. So, with Mrs Miller, we look beyond our school and seek the same for her, encouraging her to take this opportunity to do all that God is calling her to do.

Praying that you have a very blessed school holiday and can enjoy the gift of each day and the process within.

Good tidings…

 Jonno

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.    1 Corinthians 13:13

To truly let go of someone or something you love is difficult. In his book, The Road Less Travelled, Scott Peck draws on his own professional experience as a psychiatrist and suggests that “Love always requires courage and involves risks.”

Yesterday, I announced to staff that after prayerful consideration I will be resigning from my position as Head of Primary at the end of this year. In my 30 years of experience in primary, secondary and tertiary settings I have never experienced a team of people who care for each other so deeply. This is a true reflection of Jonno’s fine leadership and faith in Christ. It is an honour to work with the staff team and serve the RCC community.

RCC is an exceptional Christian School. My experience of leading and teaching at RCC has helped me to reconceptualise my understanding of the role of education as a process of formation and holistic development of teachers and students – head, heart and hand. It has extended my thinking and understanding of grace-shaped models for classroom discipline, management and welfare. Most importantly, teaching in a Christian School has shaped my understanding of the need to base our identity, purpose and hope in Christ.

For this reason, I am prayerfully seeking God’s guidance and wisdom on my future direction. This may lead me back to RCC in a different role, or in a Christian tertiary setting where I can work with preservice teachers to teach Christianly, to build their spiritual formation as an integral part of their work as teachers, and to help equip teachers to translate this reflection into practice.

Henri Nouwen, Dutch priest, professor, writer and theologian wrote –

“Patience is a hard discipline. It is not just waiting until something happens over which we have no control: the arrival of the bus, the end of the rain, the return of a friend, the resolution of a conflict. Patience is not waiting passively until someone else does something. Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. Let’s be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand.”

I thank God for the opportunity to care deeply for the staff, students and families at RCC and for serving under Jonno’s leadership and the leadership of the Board. The cycle of school life remains a constant in the ever changing and dynamic life of the RCC community. I am praying that as we enter this time of rest and refreshment over the holidays you will find moments of joy in the small things and peace in the stillness. Thank you for being such a blessing to me, to my family, and to the staff.

Blessings

Vanessa

Wednesday 6 October

———————----------------

Wednesday 8 December

---------------

RU OK Day is celebrated on September 9 each year as a reminder to spend time with the people we love and care for, and to check our family and friends are okay. This year, during Learn @ Home, students in Pre-K - Year 3 were invited to participate in a colouring-in competition.

Congratulations to these students on their winning entries:

Pre- K   Taylah Strachan
Kindergarten  Rania Ali
Year 1  Brianna McGrath
Year 2  Gideon Cobb
Year 3  Caitlyn McKenzie

Students in Year 4 - Year 6 were invited to design a poster that responded to the theme “How to support a friend in need”. Winning posters best reflected the design criteria by demonstrating creative flair, vibrancy, a clearly communicated message and link to the design these. 

Congratulations to these students for their winning entries:

Year 4  Attalia Pelc
Year 5  Zoe Hanna
Year 6  Jwenil Chahwala

BALLINA PLAYERS presents Disney’s Moana  Jr from 14-23 January 2022. 

AUDITIONS will be on the 25th September 2021 at Ballina Players Theatre, 24 Swift St Ballina. Rehearsals are on Monday & Wednesday evenings.The age is limited to 8-17 years of age as at 14th January, and is open to both boys and girls. All details can be found on our website, ballinaplayers.com.au and clicking the image of Moana Jr.