DE Newsletter February 2025

Dates for the Diary

From the Principal's Pen

It was wonderful to hear and see the connections made during our Term 1 Connect Days. It truly is a time of fellowship, relationships and learning. It was really encouraging to hear current parents sharing hints and ideas with our new families. If your family has not yet experienced a Connect Day, please consider joining in during Term 2 - check out our photos further in this newsletter.

Feedback

Thank you to all the parents who have provided feedback on the curriculum. Your input is invaluable and helps us to continuously improve the quality of the curriculum we provide.

Please continue to share your suggestions for improvement or notify us of any errors by submitting your comments to the link below or by emailing support@jubileecc.qld.edu.au

Click here to provide curriculum feedback.

Mission

Preparations for our 2025 mission trip to Kluthuthu Christian College in Weipa are well underway! With the trip scheduled for Week 10, Term 2, we’ve been focusing on fundraising efforts, team bonding, and finalising logistics. Plans for Gospel-centered service and sharing—including gospel delivery, dramas, songs, and crafts—are being refined, ensuring we bring meaningful engagement to the students and staff at Kluthuthu Christian College. Our student mission team has been finalised - and at the current count - we have 14 students ready to serve in Weipa! Praise God! While the final touches for the trip - such as transport, logistics and fundraising initiatives are finalised, our mission team is united in purpose—excited to step out of our comfort zones, grow in faith, and serve others through this life-changing experience.

First Aid

South Queensland students aged 15 and over are invited to enroll in a First Aid course, to be held on Wednesday, 2nd April from 8:30 AM–3:00 PM at the Caboolture Hub. The cost of the course is $60.

This course provides essential life-saving skills and increases confidence in responding to emergencies in various settings. It is a valuable addition to any resume and may enhance future employment opportunities.

For further information, please email seniorphase@jubileecc.qld.edu.au

Joyfulness

Our students have been actively participating in our character matters program, which is the central focus of our Christian Studies curriculum. During the first three weeks of the term, the theme of "Kindness" was explored, and it was great to hear how children and families where unpacking the theme of kindness. Our current theme focuses on "Joyfulness," drawing inspiration from the biblical example of Paul and Silas in the book of Acts. Despite being imprisoned, Paul and Silas chose to sing praises to God, demonstrating the profound joy they found in Christ even in the midst of their trials. Through studying this example, our students are learning valuable lessons about finding joy and maintaining a positive outlook even when faced with challenges.

- Dr. Chris Radcliffe

Spiritual Development

Where are you sharpening your tools?

Imagine how joyful life can be when everything you do lines up perfectly with God's plan and timing. This is a lesson the Israelites, a group from the Bible, struggled to learn. Take King Saul, for instance. Instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel as God instructed, he made a sacrifice on his own. His anxiety and impatience led to his downfall. If Saul had trusted and waited, God would have supported his rule. Instead, David was chosen to become the new king.

The story continues with the Israelites facing an enormous Philistine army. To their dismay, only two swords were available in the entire camp of Israel: one with King Saul and the other with his son Jonathan. This issue did not happen overnight; it resulted from negligence and a lack of strategic foresight. The Philistines, however, had a strategy: by eliminating blacksmiths, they weakened the defences of Israel. "Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel," stated in 1 Samuel 13:19, because the Philistines declared, "Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears."

Spiritually, the devil employs a similar tactic today. By removing 'blacksmiths' – truth-keepers and preachers – God’s army remains weak. Ironically, Ephesians 6 refers to the Sword of the Spirit as God’s Word. This principle is what drove the Reformation – returning the Bible to the people and the people to the Bible. This call persists today; we must consistently study God’s Word to sharpen our understanding of truth.

However, this was not the end of the narrative for Israel. Not only were the blacksmiths eliminated, but the Israelites also lost their vision of their existence and survival. Rather than apprenticing a new generation of blacksmiths, they chose the easy route by going down to the garrisons of the enemy to sharpen their tools and then paying them for their services. But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man's plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 1 Samuel 13:20

The Philistines were content as long as they held dominion over the Israelites. In the same fashion, today's adversaries remain content as long as they can maintain us in a state of weakness and under their humanistic rule. When we prioritise peace with our adversaries over achieving triumph through the Lord, we will find ourselves living a life of weakness and defeat, a place we are not meant to inhabit, which raises the critical question: Where do you go to have your tools sharpened? Where do you hone your skills? Where do you seek guidance on parenting? To whom do you turn when addressing your children's behavioural issues? Where do you search for truth regarding contemporary topics such as gender and sexuality?

If you rely on the "adversaries" for answers, they will continue to hold you captive within their oppressive ideology. J Gresham Machen, a prominent writer from the 1900s, stated, “The enemy has not really been changed into a friend merely because he has been received within the camp.”

In his book Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who walk with God, Voddie T. Baucham Jr. says this about letting the enemy sharpen our tools,

"We cannot continue to send our children to Caesar for their education and be surprised when they come home as Romans."

Parenting children God’s way is about following His guidance and relying on His grace. It is about apprenticing young ‘blacksmiths’ who will boldly proclaim the truth of God and His Word. However, this only occurs when godly parents follow the advice from the Psalms:….

We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. Psalm 78:4

Prep - Year 9

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority

QCAA has partnered with psychologist and teacher, Dr Judith Locke, who has provided some wonderful insights (video format) into caring for the growth of your children and supporting them in the many transitions of academic and social life. Her expertise cover all the years, from primary students and teenagers, to high school and career life. 

To view the videos, please click here or view the link below. 

From our SWAN Team

Reading with your child.

Every parent knows that it’s good to read to kids when they’re little. It helps build spoken language, to recognize letters and words. It builds concentration, improves memory and teaches them about the world outside of their home.

Reading with your child shouldn’t stop just because they can read by themselves. This time together builds the bond between you, helps you know their interests by the topics they choose to read about and it is telling your child that reading is important and that you want to spend time with your child.

If you choose the reading material sometimes, you can expand their view of the world, challenge their comprehension level in a safe way, improve their empathy through discussion of what is happening to characters and much more.

There is a broad range of reading material out there. It also comes in different formats now. Before we just had menus, recipes, newspapers and books. Now we have eBooks and Google, as well as social media reading. Today, we should be reading these areas and discussing critical thinking about these texts. Is it fact or opinion? How does that fit into my ethics or am I just going to agree? Don’t believe everything you read and the only way to better understand is to read a variety of texts.

If you have more than one child, they can take turns choosing the reading material. A picture book one time, a chapter book that may take several days, a comic book or graphic novel that may be a couple of times. As a parent you must make the judgement of appropriate content for younger readers and discuss this with your older child.

Reading with your child is a wonderful time to relax and enjoy spending time with your child!

Reference:

https://www.understandingboys.com.au/why-you-should-never-stop-reading-aloud-to-your-son/

https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/early-literacy-development/articles/reading-your-child

https://www.learninglinks.org.au/resources/benefits-of-reading/

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/10-reasons-you-should-read-aloud-to-big-kids-too

The Careers Corner

Jubilee Service Team

Community Events

Regional Connect Days

Students from Prep to Year 9 took part in exciting regional science events exploring electronics and circuits with lightbulbs. The younger children used playdough to create simple circuits and then made robots. Older students experimented with more complex designs, building their own dimmer switches to control the brightness of their lightbulbs. There was a buzz of concentration as students tested their creations, adjusting connections and troubleshooting their designs. The thrill of success was clear on their faces when their circuits lit up.  After a Light Bending session, the day ended with Tower Building, with some gravity-defying structures. It was also a wonderful opportunity for new students and parents to get acquainted, and old friendships to be refreshed. 

South Brisbane/Gold Coast

Gympie/Sunshine Coast

Toowoomba

North Brisbane

Far North Queensland

Jubilee School Polos

If you would like your children to have their very own JCC school polo, we have you covered! These are perfect for wearing to connect days, awards nights or simply doing the weekly school work at home. Please fill out the form linked below by the 14th of March to receive your child's uniform. 

Student Representative Council

Meet your 2025 SRC members, Levi, Emily, Jenny, Millie, Micaela, Jonathan, and Zoe. Read a short message from our members below!

Hi! I’m Emily. I’m in grade 12. This is my first year on the SRC, so I’m looking forward to working to improve the senior phase experience. I’ve been with Jubilee my whole life and I will definitely miss it when I graduate. My hobbies are writing, reading, art, gardening, birdwatching, and singing (I have too many interests!). 

Hello! I’m Micaela, and I’m in grade 11. I love to read, write and create art, and my favourite subject is drama. This is my second year as an SRC member, and I am so excited to work with my fellow members again! I hope that your opinions and interests as students can be voiced through our efforts, and that we can help make a positive impact upon our school together.

Hi everyone! My name is Jennifer Anderson, and I'm in grade 12. I was on the SRC in Grade 10, and I'm so pleased to be able to serve you again this year. A little bit about me; I'm the youngest of 5 children, live in central Queensland and have been homeschooled all my life. I love to do Scouts, boxing, writing, embroidery, sewing and more!

Hi! My name is Levi Bursle, I am a grade 12 student, and this is my third year as being a part of the Student Representative Council. During my free time I love to go motorbike riding, train Chocolate Labradors, socialise with my friends, and play instruments, the piano and didgeridoo. I am looking forward to another great year with Jubilee, and with you all. God bless!

Hi everyone! My name is Millie, I am in year 11 and this is my first year being on the SRC and second year of Distance Ed. My hobbies are running, reading, listening to music and spending time with family and friends. And I also just love spending time outside. I can’t wait to help you guys out this year, I hope I am able to answer any questions that you guys have and feel free to reach out at any time! 

Hey! I’m Zoe, I’m in year 10, and this is my first year on the SRC. I’ve been with Jubilee since grade 7, and I’m so blessed to have the best teachers and classmates! My hobbies are reading, writing, dancing, photography, arts, and basically anything that involves being creative. As a fellow student, I know what it’s like to get stumped on an assessment, spend late hours studying, and work on how to manage my time, so you’re not alone! As the teachers say, we’re the student voice, so if you have any feedback or something you would like to see happen in the school, please reach out to us! We’d be more than happy to help. Let’s make 2025 the best school year ever!

Gday, I’m Jonathan! I’m in grade 11. I just joined the SRC this year and hope that the SRC can help make the school better! I like photography, computers, cars, mowers, motorbikes and the outdoors. I wear a black Driza-Bone hat almost 24/7. (It's like an Akubra).

The SRC runs a chapel in Senior Phase twice a term. Last week, we had a short message on Joy, as we have all been studying Character Matters. Please open the link below to view. 

The SRC values your input! If you have any ideas, suggestions, or feedback on ways to improve Senior Phase, we'd love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out via email at src@jubileecc.qld.edu.au

Art Corner

Some of our students enrolled in Mrs. Hauser's art class have some true talent when it comes to painting, drawing and general creativity. Here are a few samples from the past month. 

Student Activities & Achievements

Inspiring Young Talent: Isabelle and Benjamin Shine at the National Bend the Air Finals

Two extraordinary Jubilee Christian College students and young athletes, Isabelle and Benjamin, recently competed at the recent National Bend the Air Finals competition on the Gold Coast, showcasing immense strength, skill, and talent in the world of aerial arts.

Isabelle, a 14-year-old powerhouse, competed alongside aerialists several years older than her, with some of her opponents being up to 4 years her senior. Despite the age gap, Isabelle’s performance was nothing short of impressive, securing second place in  both her solo aerial hoop routine and her doubles aerial hoop performance. Her determination and poise on stage were a testament to her hard work and dedication.

Benjamin, only 8 years old, also took on the challenge of competing against athletes much older than himself, making waves as the only male competitor in the entire competition. His fearless approach and innovative moves demonstrated a rare blend of strength and creativity, earning him a well-deserved place in this high-level competition. Benjamin’s participation alone was ground-breaking, setting a new standard for young male aerialists.

Both Isabelle and Benjamin proved that age is no barrier to talent. Their incredible achievements at such a young age are an inspiration to all who dream big and work hard.