Esther

Ruth Thompson, Enrolment & Communications Manager

Last week, Vanessa Cheng, the CEO of the Australian Association of Christian Schools (AACS), attended our Association General Meeting to speak on Partnering with Parents to Protect Christian Schools.

AACS is a national advocacy body representing the interests of over a hundred Christian schools in all states and territories and approximately 42,000 students, including Christian Education National (CEN) schools like Kuyper. The organisation provides member schools with a ‘voice in the public square’ and representation to State, Territory and Federal Governments, supporting Christian schools on issues that impact our capacity to continue delivering authentic Christian education.

While it is not mainstream news, the Christian school movement is currently one of the fastest growing in the independent school sector, and attitudes in the broader community strongly support religious schooling in Australia. A recent national poll by AACS and affiliates on Attitudes to Christian Schools showed:

• Three out of four Australians support the right of a religious school to employ teachers and other staff who support the clearly stated values and beliefs of the school
• Over two-thirds of Australians believe that Australian laws should protect the right to hold and practice religious beliefs
• 70 per cent of younger voters (18-24) support this right, an 8 per cent increase from previous research released in June
• A majority of voters without any religious faith also support this right

What may be even more surprising to many is that this majority support is consistent across all political affiliations.* Read more.

This is in stark contrast to some of the polarising policies currently being tabled and reviewed by State and Territory governments which seek to curtail the rights of parents to educate their children in a school that upholds Christian values and beliefs, and the right of Christian schools to employ Christian staff across all roles.

Often, when we talk about partnering with parents in the education of their children, the discussion focuses on supporting parents’ right to choose the education they want for their children, reflecting a consistent set of values at home and school, or mutual involvement in the learning journey. In a very real sense, independent schools also rely on parents’ support to sustain the viability of this education choice, and not just by the payment of school fees (although this is an important part of the mutual partnership).

In a cultural environment of negative press and government pressure to secularise education, your voice in support of Christian education is a genuine way to partner with your school so that, together, we can continue to provide authentic Christian schooling that puts Jesus in his rightful place at the centre of education.

Staying informed about matters affecting Christian schools in Australia is a valuable first step, and also writing to our local members where appropriate. The AACS website and Facebook page are helpful resources about current issues, as is the Freedom for Faith think tank.

In addition, parent and student stories about the value of our school community are a powerful counter-message. Your simple conversation with a friend or neighbour about your lived experience as a Christian school family is a refreshing voice in a negative space and one that many parents are keen to hear. We will be celebrating all the wonderful aspects of our Kuyper community at Limelight next week. We look forward to sharing this time with you and encourage you to invite a friend or extended family member.

In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:4-5

As Christians, we have a message of the greatest joy to share. We invite you to partner with us to keep this wonderful message available for all to hear.

Source: Vanessa Cheng, Australian Association of Christian Schools 2020, Australian Association of Christian Schools website, accessed 29 November 2022, <https://www.aacs.net.au/>

* Vanessa Cheng, Australian Association of Christian Schools, 16 November 2022, New Data Shows Strong Support for Religious Schools, AACS, accessed 29 November 2022, <https://www.aacs.net.au/new-data-shows-large-support-for-religious-schools-and-legal-protections>

Merrilynne Shaw, Primary Teacher

For History, Year 5 & 6 have been learning about Australia’s Gold Rush. If you’re a bit rusty on the details, Australia’s Gold Rush began in 1851 when Edward Hargraves and his mates discovered gold near Bathurst. This was not the first time gold was discovered in Australia, but it was the first time an Australian government would pay someone for gold, so the rush for quick riches began.

In the third week of this term, Stage 3 went on the Good as Gold Camp to Bathurst to be immersed in Gold Rush history. Here are what some students had to say:

After a bit, the bus stopped at our first destination. We arrived at Katoomba and had a big bush walk, we even got to see the Three Sisters. After all that walking, we hopped back on the bus. We were on our way to Bathurst. We arrived at our second stop, to eat some food and meet some new friends. Uncle Merv and Miss Sarah introduced themselves to us and then asked some people to put on a play. I was chosen to be Gregory Blaxland. The play was about how the area became Bathurst.

Summer, Year 6

I learnt how to throw a boomerang. There is a certain way as you must tilt your hand on an angle before you throw. There are different types of boomerangs too. One can break the legs of a kangaroo which Aboriginal people used so they could catch their food. The returning boomerangs were used to frighten animals out of hiding so they could be ambushed. Returning boomerangs were also used for sport. We got to paint our own boomerangs, but these are no good for throwing as they are for decoration purposes only.

Cara, Year 5

For devotions, Mr H talked about the Greatest Treasure. The largest alluvial gold nugget they uncovered was called the Welcome Stranger. It was found in 1969 in Victoria, only 3 cm below the surface, near the base of a tree. It weighed 97.14 kg when it was removed from the ground and would be worth approximately $12 million today. Imagine finding it! Many of us would think that all our troubles were over. Like the Gold Rush of the 1800’s, many still seek earthly riches and forsake the greatest treasure of all – Jesus. Anything we can imagine on Earth is nothing when we compare it to God’s kingdom, not even the Welcome Stranger. God’s Kingdom is a treasure. When we follow Christ, the gift of eternal life exceeds anything of earthly value, and is worth everything we have.

Jo Kean, Primary Teacher

When Sesame Street came onto our TV screens in the early 1970’s they played a game called “One of These Things”. It had a catchy song about four items, one of which wasn’t like the others. The game helped children to find similarities and differences in common items.

During the last school holidays, my husband and I visited family in Tasmania. One morning we were out for a drive between Kettering and Cygnet on a winding country road. We were driving through apple orchards in bloom and green country views. As we came around a corner, in the middle of nowhere, I was surprised to see two big roosters walking along the edge of the road. One was jet black and the other was brown. They had their heads held high as they wandered along. We continued driving, puzzled as to where they had come from and what they were doing. It is true that roosters belong in the countryside, but wandering down the side of the road? Not really. The image has stayed with me, and I have been pondering its meaning for me.

Often, I feel comfortable and at home here on earth. However, that is not what my walk with Christ should be. As Christians, we are sent into the world, but we are not of the world. We are to be actively serving Christ. We are to be loving others and being Jesus to those we meet, even if it is uncomfortable, because this place is not our forever home. We are being prepared to be with Jesus in heaven for eternity. Like the unexpected roosters, we are different and our lives are meant to reflect this.

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

So let’s take our lives, and not fit in. Let’s change the culture around us by being like the roosters. It may not be comfortable, or safe, but we will be obediently following our Saviour Jesus and being prepared for eternity. K/1 had the privilege of singing at the Year 12 Graduation Assembly. We sang “Be Strong & Courageous” by Colin Buchanan. One student asked me, after the item, if the words were “be strong and outrageous”! Maybe they could be, because we need to be outrageous for Jesus.

Elizabeth Porter, Secondary Teacher

Spring has finally sprung! Officially, Spring began two months ago, but the weather didn’t match our expectations. It’s taken its time to warm up this year, and after cooler temperatures and so much rain, flowers are blooming. Jacaranda blossoms, characteristic of November, are starting to fill our skylines.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4

This time of year is quite significant for some of our students. It is the end of one season and the dawning of another. In a few days we will be hosting Year 7 Orientation, then Orientation mornings for Prep and Kindergarten. It’s “a time to plant”. Soon, Year 6 will be finishing Primary School. These occasions are milestones for parents, as much as their children.

For our senior students, the HSC examinations concluded last Friday and on Thursday this week, Year 12 will have their Graduation Assembly in the morning and their Graduation Dinner in the evening. It’s “a time to dance”. From here, they step out of Kuyper and move into the next chapter of their lives. This could be “a time to uproot”, but perhaps it is more of a transplant because we hope they are already “rooted and established in love” (Ephesians 3:17).  We trust that our students will not only love their school enough to come back and visit us, but that they will carry with them what they have learned here and allow it to impact their worldview and their decisions. For our Graduates, we say farewell with some sadness, but also with excitement, as we see how they have matured. We anticipate God’s leading of their futures.

Today and tomorrow, the majority of our Year 10 and 11 students are participating in the inaugural Kurrajong Programme Orientation Week camp, as they become our new Year 11 and 12. Students will participate in a series of activities, including an Amazing Race, a sleepover and several teaching sessions designed to prepare them for Stage 6. Then, a new set of compressed Stage 6 Elective courses begin, with students choosing from a variety of face-to-face, VET and Distance Education courses. As exciting as this is, what is most important is our students’ personal and spiritual growth. We hope, pray and encourage all Kuyper students to develop the desire to follow Christ closely, view the world through the lens of the Bible, and seek resilience, wisdom, faith and compassion that will be reflected in action as they serve their communities. Through the Kurrajong Programme, each student will have a staff mentor. As well as growing learners, the Kurrajong Programme is about inspiring leaders. Students will discover new opportunities for service and leadership, in a range of activities, over the next year and beyond. We are very excited to be planning our trip to Vanuatu for 2023. This experience enables students to bring joy to children in a country which does not have the same creature comforts or opportunities as we experience, and yet, can teach us something about contentment, lifestyle and materialism.

The Kurrajong Tree (Brachychiton populneus) is the logo of the Kurrajong programme. This tree is native to our area, has bright flowers and a beautiful shape, providing shade. Its water-retaining capabilities make it drought resistant and hardy. Similarly, Kuyper aims to nurture well-grounded students who have developed the qualities they need to flourish and mature in a variety of situations.

a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace… He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:6-11

For 35 years, Arthur Stace wrote the word “Eternity” in chalk around Sydney, provoking people to think about life after death. Deep down, we know that Creation must have been made by a Creator, and there is a desire in our hearts for a peaceful eternity, free from suffering. In this special season of conclusions and new beginnings, let us celebrate His promises and His timing.

Mike Hottinger, Chaplain

In my studies at Anglican Youthworks College, we were taught that one three-day camp was equivalent to an entire semester’s worth of youth group. The connection and relationships that are fostered on camp through sharing meals and activities, as well as reading the Bible together, are invaluable to the relationship between leaders, kids and classmates.

At church, we battled to get as many kids as possible on camp in order that they would hear the gospel, have fun and bond with other kids and Christian leaders. Here at Kuyper, it is not a battle. For this reason, I make it a priority to volunteer for as many camps as my strength will allow. The relationships that are built and deepened on these camps cannot be underestimated.

I was on the Stage 5 camp to Dubbo during Week 1 of this term, and have just returned from the Stage 3 Bathurst camp. So many aspects of these camps were amazing: visiting the “Dish” at Parkes; panning for gold; Western Plains Zoo; Wellington Caves; singing students’ favourite songs on the bus. But by far the greatest blessing is my job as Chaplain, because I lead devotions on these camps. I was able to speak with almost every student in Year 5, 6, 9 and 10 about Jesus, according to their age and stage.

Year 9/10 Dubbo Camp

After visiting the Parkes Telescope, we discussed Genesis 1:14-19 and Colossians 1:15-20; God’s greatness in creation, and worshiping none other than him. Creation was brought into being through, for and by Jesus himself. After our trip to the zoo, we discussed Revelation 5; Jesus is both the lion of Judah and the sacrificial lamb of God. He is not to be trifled with, but worshiped for his loving sacrifice on the cross. This is the responsibility of anyone calling themselves ‘Christian’. After our visit to the caves, we discussed 1 Kings 19 and Hebrews 1:1-4; God ‘turning up’ in a still small voice to Elijah as he cowers in a cave. Although he can use other means, God promises to speak to us through his Word and by his Son.

Year 5/6 Bathurst Camp

The theme of this camp was ‘Treasure’. We discussed Matthew 13:44-46 and Isaiah 40:11; what do you treasure and why? God treasures you above all else and he showed this by dying for you!

Through each of these devotions, inspired by what we had learned and experienced that day, I had the opportunity to convey, as best I could, the glory of Jesus Christ. Each of us is on our own journey with the Lord. We are all learning and growing in our relationship with him. It is my prayer that the students who were able to enjoy “camping” this term would be moved forward in their journey towards the true and living God.

Mark Ramsay, Assistant Principal

During the recent term break, I had the great privilege of visiting Vanuatu. Kuyper students will be returning to Vanuatu next year and I was able to reconnect with Jim and Charlotte (and their four children under five) who run the Scripture Union campsite at Pango Point. I was able to revisit and reconnect with friends I had made in the local businesses and market, and with the school I had visited five times previously, while working at another Christian School.

I was reminded of the beauty and joy in reconnecting. The people of Vanuatu have experienced many of the same disconnections that we have during the last few years. Most shops had signs on the front door asking people to keep a distance of 1.5 metres, and to wear masks whilst inside the shop. Schools in Vanuatu were closed for many months earlier this year (just like our long lockdown of 2021) and students were forced to learn from home. Many businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors have not yet reopened, and some of them never will. The people of Vanuatu, just like many in Australia, are hoping to leave the disconnection behind as they enjoy reconnecting with others.

This should come as no surprise to us. The Bible tells us that God made people to live in the connection of relationships. We see his design in the opening chapters of Genesis. Our desire to connect is seen throughout the Bible; indeed, it is also seen throughout history. If the last few years have taught us anything, it is that messing with the connections people have with each other can have some pretty serious consequences. Hopefully we are all treasuring the connections we have in our lives. More importantly, I hope we are all treasuring the connection with God that is offered through Jesus.

Next year, the reconnecting that I did in Vanuatu will lead to more connecting, this time by students in the Kurrajong Programme* with people in Vanuatu. I look forward to seeing the joy and blessing that connection brings to the lives of all involved.

*The Kurrajong Programme is for students in Years 11 & 12 at Kuyper.

Anna McQueen, Primary Teacher

During Science last term, Year 3 explored the weird and wonderful behaviour of heat, light, and electricity. We conducted a few interesting experiments:

I was personally struck by just how much we NEED light. Many objects that are hot emit some form of light. Who knows where we would be without the sun shining on us each day and a light in our house each night. In the same way that we need light, we need Jesus. Actually, we need Him more.

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

John 8:12

Jesus illuminates the brokenness in our lives. Jesus shows us that He is the only solution to the problem of sin. Jesus reveals God to us so that we can live in deep friendship with Him forever.

As we enjoy the light and warmth of another day, as we flick on a light when dusk begins, as we admire the vast array of stars in our night sky, may we give thanks to Jesus, for being the light of our world.

Alexis Clarke, Head of Secondary – Wellbeing

The word ‘wellbeing’ has increased in usage over the last decade and is now a familiar buzzword. It was used frequently by the media during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in relation to mental health. However, unlike other fashionable words coined by transitory events or cultural fads, ‘wellbeing’ may be here to stay.

So, what does wellbeing actually mean?

In the 1600s, the Italians used the word ‘benessere’ to refer to one’s mental and physical health. Although it has been widely accepted that this is where the concept of wellbeing originated, Greek philosopher Aristotle’s idea of ‘eudaimonia’, coined in the 4th Century BC, can also be translated as ‘welfare’ or ‘happiness’. Both words refer to mental and physical health; however, if you google the definition of wellbeing today, you will discover a variety of synonyms. Wellbeing is not just about mental health, nor is it about feelings. It encompasses more than just physical wellness. It is about recognising how we manage our emotions from day to day and about developing the resilience required to deal with difficult times. It can be concluded that wellbeing is subjective, complex, and contextual.

Over the past couple of years, I have been reflecting on where and how wellbeing fits at Kuyper. The importance of wellbeing is not a new idea to God’s people, or to Kuyper. As Christians living in a fallen world, our approach to wellbeing is Christ-centred and framed by a Biblical worldview. We understand the importance of spiritual wellbeing, as we foster and encourage our relationship with Christ and each other. And over the past 40 years Kuyper staff have been committed to providing for and addressing students’ wellbeing, not only spiritually, but also physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially, using a variety of resources and tools.

This year, we shifted terminology and focus from ‘welfare’, which often has negative, reactionary connotations, to ‘wellbeing’. We feel this better reflects our core values and the important role we play as parents and teachers of young people. This change has been timely, given the events of the past few years. Recent evidence confirms the benefit of openly discussing and actively promoting spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual and social health and wellness.

At a recent Wellbeing Symposium, I was reminded of research into the impact of organisations, such as schools, on a community’s wellbeing. When community organisations are intentional and proactive in addressing wellbeing, community members learn the skills they need to regulate their emotional responses and build resilience.

At Kuyper, wellbeing has always been part of our culture. We already do so much in this area. As we adjust to a new outlook post-COVID, it is essential that we model and teach our students the ways in which we care for our own wellbeing and that of others. Doing this openly will encourage a generation to approach wellbeing from a Christian perspective, by including spiritual health and wellness and imitating Christ by considering the wellbeing of others above their own. As scripture teaches us:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

But also:

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Romans 15:2

Mark Ramsay, Assistant Principal

Recently, in Year 8 Mathematics, students created a scale drawing of the footprint of the Kuyper Hall. For many students, their first effort was a rectangle. Then the extra rooms on the side and back of the Hall were added (which I like to call the “sticky-out-bits”). Finally, doors were added to the drawings as well. Each stage in this process made the scale drawing that little bit more accurate and reflective of reality. And if the students had more time, I’m sure they would have been able to produce some amazing scale drawings. They have been exploring similar skills in other subjects. In Technology classes, some of the Year 8 students have created digital models that represent the 3-dimensional nature of buildings.

However, as good as it is, no drawing is able to properly replicate the actual Hall; the Hall is real and has a function. A drawing, or even a scale model, can only ever represent the reality and the function; it can help us understand what the real Hall is like, but it cannot do what the real Hall can do.

Early in the Old Testament, God asked His people to make a Tabernacle where they could meet with Him. Later, God asked King Solomon to build a Temple in Jerusalem to replace the Tabernacle. This is documented in the Bible, in the book of 1 Kings. Both the Tabernacle and the Temple, though, were only models of a profound reality. The reality is that God meets his people in Jesus. In John 1, the writer says that Jesus “tabernacled” with people. In John 2, Jesus refers to himself as the Temple. Therefore, the Tabernacle and the Temple can help us to understand what Jesus is able to do. Jesus allows us to come face-to-face with God. Jesus deals with our sin problem. Jesus opens a way for us to have eternal life.

It would be such a shame if I treasured the scale drawing of the Hall and ignored the real Hall, where I can enjoy Celebrations, and sport, and Seussical! It would be even more of a shame if I treasured temples and church buildings, but ignored Jesus. Only in Him can we enjoy meeting with God, experience forgiveness, and look forward to eternal life.

Rob Weule, Head of Primary 3 – 6 (on behalf of the Seussical Production Team)

It was September 2018 when the Production Team started thinking about staging a musical. We planned the performance for Term 4 2019 … then September 2020 … then May 2021. After re-auditioning many parts and applying for yet another date, we were so pleased and excited to (finally) present the August 2022 production of Seussical the Musical Jr to five sell-out shows.

The patience and understanding of the cast has been astounding, as we navigated our way along the COVID journey. We acknowledge the ‘original’ cast members, who rehearsed and committed to the show but were unable to bring it to an audience. Thank you for launching the musical, and being wonderful examples of leadership for our final cast.

There will be a moment, before the overture begins. A moment of deepest silence – between breath, between thought and between sound itself.

Ed Ayres 2021 “Whole Notes” page 3

In this moment, the performers, both on and off stage, gathered their bravery and every rehearsal memory and they brought it all to you, as audience members. They brought the story to life. The young people who performed on and behind the stage are precious and unique. Well may Dr Seuss say, Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You. We praise God for every single one of these students.

Thank you for clapping, laughing, crying, empathising, and enjoying with great enthusiasm because the story they presented to you is not just Seussical. It is their own story as well; their doubts, fears, flair, talent, celebration and struggles were on show for all to see. We appreciate the cast, crew and volunteers deeply. We, as a production team, have been blessed throughout this whole adventure.

It truly was a 110% effort. And so …

That’s a wrap!

Jason Shadie, Secondary Coordinator

Interaction between people and their environment can be both helpful and hurtful. Our students will develop an informed perspective on local and global issues. It is our aim to nurture our students towards peace with their Creator, other people and the environment. Geography presupposes the responsibility people have in caring for the earth and submitting to God’s will for both our individual lives and the created order. In the context of God’s existence and the creation being subject to His rule, people are to find purpose in coming to grips with what our task on earth is.

This is an extract from the introduction of the Stage 4 and Stage 5 Geography curriculum documentation. To care for God’s creation, we must better understand God’s creation.

Year 9 is nearing the end of a unit called ‘Sustainable Biomes’ which has been a rich learning experience. We focussed on understanding different biomes, including large ecosystems such as deserts, rainforests, and tundra. Students have worked hard to understand the different characteristics of biomes and the climatic conditions needed to sustain these environments. Of particular interest has been human interaction with, and impact on these environments, both positive and negative.

Some of our discussions have been confronting. Inevitably, many of the questions have complicated, and often uncomfortable answers:

• Why are so many animal species threatened, endangered, and on the verge of extinction? More than 10% of the land mammals known to have lived in Australia in 1788 are now extinct.
• Why is there so much food wastage in the world? An estimated 14% of the world’s food is lost between harvest and retail, and an estimated 17% is wasted in retail and at the consumption level. This comes at a time when 811 million people go hungry (https://www.unep.org/).
• Can the earth’s biomes sustainably feed future world populations? Australia’s population in 2017 (24.6 million) is projected to reach between 37.4 and 49.2 million people by 2066 (https://www.abs.gov.au).

Of course, part of our discussions focus on finding solutions for these problems. As a school, we encourage students to be creative, critical and discerning thinkers. An example of this problem solving can be seen in recent work Year 9 completed in the area of food wastage.

You may already know that there is a staggering amount of food that is wasted or lost within the production process in Australia. It is estimated that 20%-40% of fruit and vegetables are rejected before they reach a supermarket, based solely on the way they look. Ugly vegetables? Odd looking fruit? The idea seems ridiculous, but unfortunately it is the reality we face. Year 9 were given the opportunity to create a business that worked to mitigate food wastage in society. I was encouraged by their creativity and enthusiasm to take on this challenge. Food wastage is so problematic worldwide that there is an International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (29 September 2022).

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

Genesis 2:15

It is important that students have a safe place to wrestle with local, state, national and global issues, and that they do so within a Christian framework. My prayer is that Year 9, and the rest of our students at Kuyper, mature into discerning, caring, servant-hearted adults with a love for God and His creation. We should never forget that sustainability is about caring for people. The wellbeing of future generations relies heavily on the integrity of stewardship of God’s creation here and now. God calls us to be good stewards of creation, and in doing so, demonstrate His love for people.