PRIMARY NEWS PRIMARY NEWS
A MESSAGE FROM MR JOHN LONGLEY
As I write this article, I am enjoying a great time away in Ballarat with our Year 5 students on their History and Adventure Camp. It has been wonderful to watch learning come to life as students explore Sovereign Hill and step back into Australia’ s gold rush history. While many students were excited to discover gold in the creek, the greatest treasure has been seeing the “gold” within one another. Whether taking a leap of faith on the high ropes course, soaring upside down along the 200-metre zipline, or encouraging a classmate to overcome a fear, our students have demonstrated growing independence, courage, responsibility and care for one another.
Thank you to our Year 5 families for entrusting us with your children as they continue to grow in confidence and take important steps towards greater independence. Back at the College, our Year 1 students enjoyed a wonderful Pyjama and Breakfast Morning as part of our Life Experiences Program.
Thank you to the Year 1 team for creating such a meaningful opportunity, and to the Secondary students who served so willingly throughout the morning Their joyful leadership and servant-hearted attitude were a wonderful reflection of our College community and the way we seek to honour Christ by serving one another.
May God bless you and your family too!
Mr John Longley Director of Primary
PRIMARY ASSEMBLY
Monday 27th July, 8:40am – 8:55am
Parents are invited to join the Primary School staff and students in the Courtyard to enjoy Primary Assembly together. Please be aware that Primary Assembly may be cancelled at the last minute if the weather does not allow us to meet outside.
Photos and videos of the students are not permitted at Chapel or Assemblies to protect the privacy of other students who may appear in the frame.
Please note that parents and pre-schoolers cannot access the Students ONLY toilets during Primary Assembly. Staff and Visitor toilets are located in the Administration Building (near Reception) or on Level 1 in the Pathway Forge Building.
Parents are not required to sign in at Reception for Chapel or Assembly. Please be aware that students must remain with their class and their teachers during these events.
PRIMARY CHAPEL REMINDER
Week A Only
On Primary Chapel mornings (Week A), any Primary student arriving at school after 8:55 am should be taken directly to Encompass Church, rather than to their classroom or the usual school entrance.
This arrangement applies only on Primary Chapel mornings (Week A). On all other mornings, students should continue to follow the normal arrival procedures. As Primary Chapel and Assembly alternate throughout the term, please check the weekly newsletter for reminders about each week' s schedule.
Thank you for your support in helping us ensure a smooth and safe start to the day for all students.
SECONDARY SCHOOL INFORMATION EVENING
Tuesday 28th July
The College is hosting an Information Night on Tuesday 28th July for families in Year 5 who may be interested to learn more about what Secondary School looks like at Northside Christian College.
Session time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Ground Floor, Pathway Forge
Speakers will include:
Mrs Rebecca Matthews - Director of Secondary
Mrs Serene Eng - Deputy Principal and Director of Inclusive Education
Mrs Lenna Waters - Director of Senior School Learning
Register your attendance here.
Year 5 students are also welcome to attend.
We look forward to seeing you and answering any questions that you may have.
PARENT STUDENT TEACHER CONFERENCES (PSTC)
Thursday 6th August
The PST Conferences will take place on Thursday 6th August Primary teachers will be located in the Discovery Centre and specialist teachers will be in the Pathway Forge. Please login to our online booking portal to arrange a time to meet with your child’ s teacher.
https://northsidechristianau.schoolcloud.co.uk/auth/parent
The portal will close at 4:00pm on Monday 3rd August. No further appointments can be booked after this time.
For more information, please refer to the SEQTA DM from Mr Chris Gatt sent out to all families this morning.
For your convenience, Camp Australia will be available for onsite full-day care on this day. If you would like to use this service, please register your child by:
Calling 1300 665 257
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Operation Christmas Child is a great way for our College community to come together and bless children less fortunate than us with a special gift for Christmas.
Each class has been assigned gift items to collect so that our gift boxes can be filled. Please refer to the attached flyer.
All items must be new and handed in to your child’ s Home Group teacher by Friday 31st July 2026.
5/6 STEAM OZHARVEST FEAST PROGRAM
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Greetings parents,
As part of the 5/6 STEAM program in Term 3 students will be participating in a program called FEAST (Food Education and Sustainability Training) where they will learn about food, food waste, nutrition and develop basic cooking skills.
The students are very excited about this unit of work after its huge success last year and are looking forward to learning all new curriculum and all new recipes that they are encouraged to try at home! There will be 5 cooking sessions in total - 4 that will take place every Week A Monday starting 3rd August until the end of term and a 5th session on Friday 11th September.
The practical nature of the cooking classes requires additional adult supervision. We are looking for 4-5 volunteers to assist with the cooking sessions each week.
If you are able to assist with all 4 classes you would be required from 10:40am until 3:15pm.
Otherwise we would love your help for a 2 hour slot, either with:
Year 5s from 10:45am to 12:45pm
Year 6s from 1:15pm to 3:15pm
The dates are 03/08, 17/08, 31/08, 11/09, 14/09.
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During the lesson you will be required to do the following:
Wear enclosed shoes (no thongs, sandals or high heels) and suitable clothing such as long pants and a comfortable top
Arrive 15 minutes prior to the lesson starting to help set up
Lead a small group of 5 children through preparing their set recipes and make sure they are being safe and handling all food properly
Monitoring safe food handing and working conditions including; trip hazards (power cords), knife safety and hygiene
Electric fry pans must be supervised closely
Assist with clean up and re-packing all equipment
If you are able to Volunteer, you must have completed the School Volunteer Induction which involves having a current Working with Children Check.
Please DM Mrs McDonnell through SEQTA indicating the dates and times that you would be able to help us out. On behalf of the students, your assistance in helping this program be a success is greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Gillian McDonnell STEAM Teacher
BOOK WEEK & COSTUME SELECTION
Friday 28th August 2026
As we look forward to celebrating Book Week together, we are excited about the opportunity to encourage a love of reading and creativity across our school community. This is a special time where students can bring their favourite characters and stories to life through costume and imagination.
This year ’ s theme is Symphony of Stories, and we encourage students to explore books that inspire courage, curiosity, and character-building journeys. As we prepare for this fun and meaningful event, we would like to remind families of a few important guidelines to ensure that our celebration reflects the values of our Christian ethos:
Costumes should be positive, respectful, and in keeping with our Christian Values We ask that students choose characters who embody traits such as kindness, bravery, honesty and compassion.
Please avoid costumes that are scary or inappropriate, including witches (good or bad), wizards (good or bad), demons, vampires, zombies, or any that involve blood, gore, or horror themes. These can be upsetting to our younger students and are not in line with our school values.
Weapons of any kind, such as swords, guns, or other imitation weapons are not permitted.
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Students should be dressed modestly and appropriately, with costumes that allow for safe play and participation throughout the school day. Closed-toe footwear is required.
Children who come dressed in costumes that do not align with these guidelines may be asked to change into their school uniform (parents may be contacted if there is no change of clothes available).
We strongly encourage creative, home-made costumes that reflect beloved characters from books and stories. If you are unsure whether a costume is appropriate, please speak with your child’ s Home Group Teacher ahead of time.
Thank you for your continued support in making Book Week a joyful, inclusive and values-aligned event for all students. We look forward to seeing the wonderful ways our students bring books to life through their costumes and imaginations!
WHAT’S ON : COMPETITIONS
COLOURING COMPETITION
Competition entries due Friday 28th August
Students are welcome to start collecting colouring sheets from the Library Once completed, please return to the Library for your chance to win
THE GREAT BIBLE HUNT
Running @ recess and lunch on Friday 28th August
Collect your clue sheet from the Library to search for teachers dressed as Bible characters or Bible objects around the College. Use the clues to help find each teacher Submit completed sheets to Mrs Drowley by the end of lunchtime. The team with the most correct answers in the fastest time wins
PRINCIPAL’S CHOICE AWARD
Dress Up Parade Friday 28th August @ 8.55am
Join us in the courtyard as we all come together to celebrate our favourite books in costumes
Be dressed up for your chance to receive a ribbon from Ms Munro. A large number of students and parents will have the chance to receive a ribbon
WHAT’S ON : EVENTS
MONDAY 24TH AUGUST @ LUNCH LEAP, FOLD AND SHARE
Come to the Library and make origami frogs sitting on lily pads.
TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST @ LUNCH STORY SCULPTORS
Create air-dry clay characters inspired by the shortlisted CBCA books in the Library
WEDNESDAY 26TH AUGUST @ LUNCH LILY PAD LEAPS
Make your way to the oval to participate in relay races.
THURSDAY 27TH AUGUST @ LUNCH NOTES TO NONNO
Write a special letter to a grandparent in the Library, inspired by the book My Nonno Loves.
FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST @ LUNCH
WATERCOLOUR WONDER
Join our art teachers in the art room to create beautiful watercolour paintings inspired by the book Dawn
FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST @ RECESS & LUNCH THE GREAT BIBLE HUNT
Collect your clue sheet from the Library to search for teachers dressed as Bible characters or Bible objects around the College Use the clues to help find each teacher Submit completed sheets to Mrs Drowley by the end of lunchtime The team with the most correct answers in the fastest time wins.
THE PREMIERS' READING CHALLENGE
The Premiers' Reading Challenge is finishing on Friday, 4th September. Please ensure that all books read are uploaded by Tuesday, 1st September.
This allows our Library staff time to verify the books students have read, so that students don’t miss out on receiving their official certificate!
Thanks for being part of the Premiers' Reading Challenge. We can ’t wait to celebrate students' reading success!
COLLEGE HOUSE POLOS
The College is currently reviewing the quality of a number of uniform items and is aware that many sizes of the coloured College House polo tops are currently out of stock.
During this review period, students are welcome to wear their red Sport polo tops instead of their College House polo tops on specified days.
Please contact your child’ s Home Group teacher if you have any questions.
UNIFORM FOCUS
A reminder for families - ties must be worn with long sleeve shirts.
Ties are available for purchase from Academy Uniforms.
2028 PREP APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
Families with a sibling born between 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2023 are invited to apply now for 2028 Prep entry. Applications are received online.
ATTENTION YEAR 6 PARENTS: CHROMEBOOK PROGRAM
Students in Year 7 next year will need a College-approved device.
The Secondary ICT Device Program means that parents no longer need to source their own device We will provide you with further information about this Program shortly. Please do not purchase a device for Secondary School
COLLEGE UNIFORM UPDATE
WARDROBE SUITE
The new approach to our uniforms is to have a “Wardrobe Suite” This means that on cooler days, students can wear warmer uniform pieces, and on warmer days students can wear lighter uniform pieces, irrespective of the time of year.
Alongside this, families have received an updated Uniform Policy and a visual Uniform Wardrobe Guide to support clear expectations.
As you consider uniform options, please be reminded that the Sport uniform can only be worn on allocated Sport days
Please be advised that the new shirt with the black piping is for girls only.
If you are buying a boy’ s shirt, please ensure there is no black piping.
Further details, including key expectations and visual examples, can be found by clicking below:
WEEK 3B
Monday 27th July:
IMARY EVENTS
Monday 27th July - Friday 31st July
Primary Assembly - 8:45am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting)
Years 5/6 Teeball Training
Tuesday 28th July:
Secondary School Information Evening for Year 5 families
SSV 5/6 Netball Division
Wednesday 29 July: th
SSV Years 5/6 Teeball Division
Thursday 30 July: th
Years 5/6 Netball Tryouts
Friday 31st July:
Prep 100 Days of School
SSV Years 5/6 Hooptime District Day
Running Club
WEEK 4A
Monday 3rd August:
IMARY EVENTS
Monday 3rd August - Friday 7th August
Primary Chapel – 9:00am in the Encompass Auditorium: Year 1 Item
Wednesday 5th August:
Principal’ s Day
Thursday 6th August:
Student Free Day - Camp Australia available for full-day onsite care
Prep – Year 12 Parent Student Teacher Conference (PSTC)
Friday 7th August:
Running Club
WEEK 5B
Monday 10th August:
Monday 10th August - Friday 14th August
Primary Assembly - 8:45am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting)
Friday 14 August: th
Running Club
WEEK 6A
Monday 17th August:
SCIENCE WEEK
IMARY EVENTS
Monday 17th August - Friday 21st August
Primary Chapel – 9:00am in the Encompass Auditorium: Musical
Production Focus
Science Week Dress-Up Day
Friday 21st August:
Hot Chocolate Sales for Bundoora Extended Care Fundraiser
Running Club
WEEK 7B
BOOK WEEK
Monday 24th August - Friday 28th August
Monday 24th August:
Primary Assembly - 8:45am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting)
Wednesday 26th August:
Bundoora District Primary Athletics
Thursday 27th August:
Year 1 Traffic School Excursion
Friday 28th August:
Book Week Dress-Up Day
Running Club
WEEK 8A
Monday 31st August:
IMARY EVENTS
TEACHER AIDE APPRECIATION WEEK
Monday 31st August - Friday 4th September
Primary Chapel – 9:00am in the Encompass Auditorium: Year 2 Item
Friday 4th September:
Parents and Friends Father’ s Day Stall
CSEN Primary Athletics Championships
WEEK 9B
Monday 7th September -
Friday 11th September
Monday 7th September:
Primary Assembly - 8:45am in the Courtyard (Weather Permitting)
Thursday 10th September:
Year 2
Sleepover and Breakfast
WEEK 10A
IMARY EVENTS
Monday 14th SeptemberFriday 18th September
Monday 14th September:
Whole School Chapel
Tuesday 15th September:
Footy Colours Day
Thursday 17th September:
Prep – Year 2 Athletics Carnival
Last Day of Term 3
To see Term 3
Primary events, click HERE to access the family calendar
NEW OUTERWEAR SOFT SHELL JACKET
KEY BENEFITS
GENERATIONAL DESIGN
One jacket for Prep-Year 12 No need to buy new colours (red/ black) for Primary and Secondary
SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
DESIGN FEATURES
Designed for superior warmth, comfort and a durable modern fit Makes passing jackets to siblings simple
WHEN TO WEAR
PRIMARY STUDENTS
SECONDARY STUDENTS With Sports uniform only. With Formal & Sports uniforms.
