Kuyper

It was lovely to see so many of our families at Limelight last night. I was also thrilled to see some of our new 2024 staff and families in attendance. What a wonderful way to celebrate the many ways God has blessed and continues to bless our school community.

As this year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank some of our staff who will be moving into new seasons in their life in 2024.

In addition, the Hill family will be making a big move to far north Queensland at the end of this year to be closer to their extended family. The Hills joined us in 2018 when Joseph started in Year 1. Tracey commenced as a teacher’s aide at the end of 2020, and not long after, Ken joined our School Board. 

Tracey’s joyful energy, enthusiasm and creativity have been evident in every aspect of her work and relationships at Kuyper. Her capacity to get alongside and motivate students has been a great asset to our support team, and we are particularly grateful for her commitment to establishing a regular parent prayer group. 

In addition, Ken’s faithfulness and wisdom have been a significant asset to our School Board. His prayerful and godly approach has been an influential example in our school community and a great encouragement to both board members and staff.

As a family, the Hills have made a tremendous contribution to our school community, and we will miss their partnership and encouragement. We thank them for their commitment and pray that God will continue to bless their family in this new season.

We also say farewell to Mr Gareth Thompson, who will be moving into a new role at another Christian school in 2024. Gareth is a long-standing member of the the Kuyper community, joining as a parent in 2009, when he and Ruth enrolled their two youngest daughters. He was a member of the Board that initiated the commencement of our Stage 6 program, and one of his daughters was part of our first HSC cohort. Gareth stepped down from a Head of Department position at another Christian school to join the Secondary staff team as our first Mathematics teacher in 2017. His experience as a Maths teacher, HSC marker and HSC judge has been invaluable in establishing our Stage 6 Mathematics program and teaching our HSC Extension Mathematics courses. He was also a part of the team that commenced and established our Vanuatu partnership.

We are particularly grateful for Gareth’s extraordinary understanding of, and excitement for, mathematics and learning, as well as his willingness to serve. His Heave Hoe service team have transformed a section of the bushland behind the library this year, removing invasive weeds to create access to Redbank Creek for our classes and revealing the beauty of the rock wall and ferns along its bank. 

We will miss Gareth’s passion for all things mathematical, sharp sense of humour and commitment to the growth of our school community. We thank him for his dedication to Kuyper and pray for God’s blessing on this next season in his life.

In this season of change, we are grateful for God’s faithful provision for Kuyper over many years and can be confident in His ongoing provision in the years to come.

In Christ
Ian Shaw
Principal

We are very excited to announce the principal character roles for Shrek Jr!

Shrek: Isaac Fitton
Princess Fiona: Matilda Maunder
Donkey: Leo Huynh
Lord Farquaad: Cameron Clarke
Dragon: Alyssa Thornton
Captain of the Guard: Hamish McAlpine
Gingy: Alaura McCaull
Pinnochio: Nathan McAlpine
Teen Fiona: Evie Clarke
Storytellers: Jessica Kassis, Astrid Hamilton, Sean Lloyd-Johnson

Congratulations to all these students.

We would like to thank everyone who had the courage to prepare and attend this year’s auditions. The standard was amazing! It was a tough decision for the production team. We have so many gifted musical students in our midst.

We now look forward to auditioning for the rest of the cast during our first Saturday rehearsal on 17 February 2024.

A full rehearsal schedule will be available early next year in the Shrek Google Classroom, where all information is posted and maintained.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens

Ecclesiastes 3:1

At the end of this year, we will be farewelling several Kuyper staff as they move into new seasons in their lives.

Dr Shareen Liggins will be joining her children at St Paul’s Grammar School in 2024, a move that will be of significant assistance to her family. Shareen joined our secondary staff team in 2018, bringing a wealth of experience to our fledgling Stage 6 program.

We will also be farewelling longstanding staff members Mrs Julie Wilson and Mrs Sue Stuut as they move into well-earned retirement.

The Stuut family also have a long Kuyper history. Sue & Steve first enrolled their children in 1997, and Sue joined the Kuyper staff in 2001 as a Library Assistant.

Julie and Sue’s commitment to our school community over so many years is a testament to both their dedication and God’s faithful provision of His people for Kuyper Christian School. We praise God for all the wonderful staff he has blessed us with over the past forty-two years.

Following this, I am pleased to share that we will welcome some new staff in 2024.

In this season of change, we are grateful for God’s faithful provision for Kuyper over many years and can be confident in His ongoing provision in the years to come.

…everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.

Ecclesiastes 3:14

Welcome to Term 4

I trust you have enjoyed some quality extended time with family over the last two weeks and a refreshing time away from the usual routines of school. I hope our students are excited and ready to finish this year well. That is my plan, too. After what will be forty years in schools, this is my final run to the finish. I am looking forward to all that Term 4 will bring as we approach the graduation of our wonderful Year 12 students, special assemblies and, let’s not forget, Limelight on the 5th of December.

I hope to speak personally with many of you before the end of the year. As always, you are welcome to speak with me anytime for small matters or contact the Office to schedule a longer chat. Please stop by to say hello. I will miss this community greatly next year but look forward to being a keen Kuyper grandparent.  

The Bible talks about life being a race. I think it focuses more on the persevering rather than the winning. Persevering through the obstacles, challenges and joys that life brings. I commend to you the following passage from Hebrews. May it inspire you as a parent. Being a parent can be tough. Raising children is not for the faint-hearted. The key is fixing our eyes on Jesus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Hebrews 12:1-3

Ian Shaw
Principal

Due: Monday 23 October

As in previous years, Kuyper will be providing the opportunity for our families to participate in Operation Christmas Child. Shoeboxes are available from school, or you can purchase your own directly from Samaritan’s Purse. Once you have filled your shoebox, return it to the Office. You are welcome to donate the cost of shipping the boxes, however, we will be holding some fundraising events at school to cover the cost of both purchasing and shipping the shoeboxes.

If you wish to receive some boxes from us, please contact the Office. Shoeboxes, either full or empty, are due to the Office by Monday 23 October.

Visit the Samaritan’s Purse website for more details on how to pack your box. You can also volunteer to help pack and pray over boxes by following this link.

Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on way for Australians to bless children in need around the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and other fun gifts. Operation Christmas Child collects the gift-filled shoeboxes and distributes them to children in over 100 countries in the Name of Jesus Christ.

After receiving a shoebox gift, many children have the opportunity to enrol in The Greatest Journey – a dynamic, 12-lesson Bible study course that guides children through what it means to faithfully follow Jesus Christ.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Due: Tuesday 24 October

This year, we have again been invited to participate in Robyn Preston’s Hawkesbury Christmas Card Competition. Entries are invited from all schools in the Hawkesbury, and the winning entry will be featured as the cover for Robyn Preston’s 2023 Christmas card, which is mailed to local residents, businesses and organisations. The image featured in this post is by Kuyper’s Bethany Pennings, whose entry was “runner up” in the 2021 competition.

Students in Kindy to Year 6 are invited to submit an entry to the Kuyper Office by Tuesday 24 October, using this entry form. Please ensure that the form is complete and signed by a parent.

Wednesday 20 September

Students in Prep – Year 12 are invited to participate in Non-Uniform Day during the last week of Term 3, on Wednesday. Wear non-uniform and bring a gold coin for Operation Christmas Child, to help with the cost of packing and delivering our shoe-boxed gifts.

Tuesday 19 September
11:00 AM – 1:45 PM

Grandparents are a blessing, and Grandparent Day is an opportunity to show our love and appreciation for the special role they play in our families and school community.

We warmly invite grandparents of students in Prep to Year 6 to join us on Tuesday 19 September, for a morning of fun-filled activities. We will commence with Morning Tea at 11 AM in the Hall and conclude with a Picnic Lunch under the gum trees.

Families are asked to provide a plate of nut-free food to share for morning tea. Students should bring this to the Hall on arrival at school.

Visiting grandparents & parents should bring their own picnic lunch and something to sit on.

Students who do not have grandparents who are able to attend on the day may invite a special adult friend instead. We look forward to spending this special time with you!

Wednesday 6 September
10:30 – 11:00 AM

Parents, carers, grandparents and special friends of Prep to Year 6 students are invited to join us on Wednesday 6 September, for our Book Week Parade commencing at 10:30 AM on the Primary Hard Court.

This year’s Book Week theme is “Read, Grow, Inspire”. Prep to Year 6 students are encouraged to dress as their favourite book character.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

From the Board Chair

The Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Mark Ramsay as the new Principal of Kuyper Christian School to commence in January 2024.

Mark is a highly experienced Christian educator, having served for over twenty years in Christian education, more than half of these in senior leadership positions, including Deputy Principal at Nepean Christian School, Penrith Anglican College and most recently here at Kuyper. 

Mark is a relational leader, a strategic thinker and has a heart for service learning. His vision for Christian education aligns strongly with Kuyper’s mission to foster a learning environment that enables each student to flourish with the gifts our God has given them. Mark is well acquainted with our parent-governed Christian school model and is committed to working alongside our staff and parents to build on Kuyper’s reputation for parent partnership and care for all students.

The Board is grateful for the assistance of Christian Education National with the recruitment and selection process. We were delighted with the level of interest shown in the position by a number of highly qualified candidates, which is an indication of Kuyper’s standing in the Christian schooling sector.

The Board would like to congratulate Mark on his appointment and assure him of our support as he takes up the challenge of leading our growing school in the years ahead.

As you are aware, Ian Shaw will be retiring at the end of this year, and the Board would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge his enormous contribution to the Kuyper community over the past eight years. There will be a number of occasions in Term 4 to recognise Ian’s work and acknowledge the significant growth of our school under his wise and steady leadership.

We thank the Kuyper community for your prayerful support during the selection process. We are grateful that God has provided a Christ-focused, missional and visionary leader for our school. We are excited to see how God will use Mark as he leads Kuyper in this next season.

Wayne Speirs
AKCEA Board Chair

A Word from Ian

I am thrilled with the appointment of Mr Mark Ramsay to the role of Kuyper Principal commencing in 2024. Having worked alongside Mark here at Kuyper and in another Christian school, I am confident that Mark is an excellent choice to lead our wonderful Kuyper community when I retire. I know Mark has a servant heart and will lead by example in ways that model Christ. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with him over the next five months to ensure a smooth transition, and trust our community will gather around and support him in this new adventure.

Praise God for His ongoing provision for our school.

Ian Shaw
Retiring Principal – 2023

A Word from Mark

I am humbled that God has granted me the opportunity to lead Kuyper Christian School in this new season. Getting to know our wonderful school community over the past eighteen months has been a joy, and I am excited about what lies ahead in Kuyper’s story. I am committed to continuing Kuyper’s strong foundation on God’s Word and delivering education in the light of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is my privilege to continue working alongside Ian over the next five months as we prepare for his retirement.

I look forward to serving you as Principal of Kuyper Christian School in 2024.

Mark Ramsay
Incoming Principal – 2024

Wednesday 23 August

Parents and grandparents are warmly invited to join us on Wednesday, 23 August, for a showcase of HSC Major Works and a spectacular Whole School Celebration Assembly featuring the Kuyper Concert Band.

1:10 PM – 1:45 PM: HSC Music Performance Showcase, in the Hall

1:45 PM – 2:15 PM: HSC Design & Technology Major Work Showcase, in the Music Room (opposite the Hall, across the Village Green)

1:45 PM – 2:15 PM: Barista Coffee, on the Village Green

2:15 – 3:25 PM: Whole School Celebration Assembly featuring the Kuyper Concert Band, in the Hall. Fresh from their tour through Western NSW, our Concert Band will entertain you with some of the items that thrilled audiences at schools in the Blue Mountains, Dubbo, Orange, Parkes and Wellington.

Special Guest: Susan Templeman, our local Federal Member.

Join us for an afternoon of celebrating our students as they bless us with their God-given talents.