Term 4, Week 9
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Celebrating Growth
As our school year draws to a close, we can often wonder where the time went. And sometimes even wonder what we achieved!
But if we take a step back and consider the growth that has taken place in our students’ lives over the last 12 months, we are reminded that our time has been well spent. Sometimes it’s hard to see growth when we’re in the middle of everything, but it’s there.
As students move from one year level to the next, and some from Primary to High School, or Middle to Senior School, there can be significant changes. The holiday period is a good time to talk with your children and young people about any concerns or worries they may have about the new year. They may simply need the opportunity to talk through their concerns with you as their parent or caregiver, and be reassured that teachers and office staff will be there to look out for them, and are available to talk through any questions or concerns that they may have.
We would again like to express our thankfulness to our school community for your support throughout the year, and pray that each one has a safe, restful and peace-filled Christmas break.
Around the Campus
In this final issue of Cedar News for 2022, Pastor Jeremy Wright reminds us of the gift of Christmas, we look at the Junior and Upper Primary celebrations, and the Year 6, Year 9 and Year 12 Graduations, as well as some important information for the start of the 2023 School Year.
Mr Peter Thomson, Principal
Calendar
All About Gifts
Pastor Jeremy gives some Christmas clues, and why it’s all about gifts.
Celebrations
Spectacular Junior Primary and Upper Primary Celebrations come with a message.
High School Graduations
Students celebrate academic results at end of Senior and Middle School.
Year 6 Graduation
A special Primary School celebration, as Year 6s move to High School.
The Front Page
All about Gifts
I’m happy to admit it, one of my favourite things about Christmas is the presents!
There’s an excitement about seeing a pile of gifts under the tree that hasn’t left me since I was a kid. Who are they for? What’s inside? I’d pick them up and feel them. Were they soft? Heavy? Did they smell like chocolate? I’d look for any hint that might reveal the mystery of what I was getting.
We give gifts at Christmas to display love to the people who mean so much to us. We hope that these carefully selected gifts will be well-received, useful, and just what they wanted. When that happens, it’s a special moment.
Like an excited dad, God was giving hints about the gift he had prepared for us centuries before the gift was revealed.
Isaiah 7:14 says, “The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son, and she will name him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 9:6 tells us, “A child has been born to us; God has given a son to us. He will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be Wonderful Counsellor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.”
Micah 5:2 says, “Bethlehem, you are one of the smallest towns in the nation of Judah. But the Lord will choose one of your people to rule the nation—someone whose family goes back to ancient times.”
It’s pretty obvious when you gather the hints together that he’s talking about Jesus Christ. God gave us all these hints (and many more) so that we would be excited for the Gift when he finally arrived! So that we would realise that Jesus Christ is just what we needed.
The Best Gift
Christmas has always been about gifts. On the first Christmas, Jesus Christ was presented with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But, of course, Jesus Christ is the ultimate gift. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Receive that gift. Enjoy that gift. Share that gift!
Pastor Jeremy Wright, Cedar College Pastor
Week 9 News and Notices
Term 1, 2023 Dates
Get Ready Day! – Thursday January 19, 8am – 5pm.
Term 1: Tuesday January 31 – Friday April 14
Student Free Day: Monday, January 30.
Student return for Term 1: Tuesday, January 31.
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop has our new Sports Shorts and Track Pants in stock, as well as a limited supply of the previous style Shorts and Track Pants at a discounted price, until current stock runs out. These prices will be displayed on Qkr! and in the Uniform Shop.
The Uniform Shop will be closed during the Christmas break, and will be open on Get ready Day! Thursday January 19 from 8:30am – 4:30pm and Monday January 30 from 8:30am – 4:30pm. Blazer fittings, for Year 10 students, are by appointment, parents of Year 10 students will be emailed with details.
Finalising 2022 School Fees
Thank you to our Cedar College families for finalising your 2022 tuition fees in a timely manner. The Finance Office will be available to take payments until Wednesday, December 21. All 2023 school fee statements will be emailed in mid-January.
If you have any queries regarding payments, please contact the Finance Office on 8261 3377.
School Office Holiday Closure
Please note that the School Office will be open until Wednesday, December 21, 2021. The Office will then be closed until Monday January 9, 2023.
School Reports
School Reports will be emailed next week, and a hard copy will be available to collect on Monday December 19, between 10am – 2pm, or on Get Ready Day! Students who are not returning to Cedar in 2023 will have their reports posted to them.
2022 Yearbook
The 2022 Cedar College Yearbook has been distributed to the youngest in family in Primary School. High School students may come to collect their Yearbook, with their Report, on Monday December 19, otherwise they will receive it on Get Ready Day! Additional copies may be collected from the Front Office Office, at a cost of $15 each (payment through the Qkr! App, under Office Payments). Year 12 students each receive their own copy.
Qkr! 2023
Before the 2023 school year begins, parents/caregivers will receive a notification from Qkr! to update their child’s details. This will simply mean updating your child’s year level and class to ensure that orders are correctly allocated.
Get Ready Day! 2023
In 2023, Get Ready Day! will be held on one day, rather than over two days as in previous years.
Get Ready Day will be on Thursday, January 19, with extended hours from 8am – 5pm. Get Ready Day! is the one-stop-shop in preparing for the new school year. On this day you will be able to collect your child’s stationery, see the nurse about any medical issues, buy uniform items, pay school fees and, for our High School students, collect items such as textbooks. Further information will be emailed to you in early January from our Business Manager, Mr Jeff Thorpe.
Primary School Book Lists
Primary School Welcome letter and book lists, outlining the details of new classes and contents of the stationery pack (to be collected on Get Ready Day!) will be available via our website next week. Please note that none of these stationery items need to be purchased. They are simply listed to help parents who choose to order/purchase book coverings during the holidays. If book covers are purchased through www.ezcovers.com, Cedar College receives a donation for each cover purchased.
Born is the King!
Sunday December 18 – join us at CityReach Oakden to celebrate the birth of Jesus – the King of Kings!
There will be two special Christmas services; one at 5pm and another at 7pm.
The Terrace Café will be open before and after each service, where you’ll be able to grab a coffee and some tasty treats. We’ll also have a photo booth in-between the services so you can get some special snaps with your family and friends.
All are welcome, so invite your family and friends to join us for this special event, held in the Main Auditorium, here on the Cedar Campus!
Calendar Information
TERM DATES
Term 1, 2023 – Tues 31 Jan – Fri 14 April
Term 2, 2023 – Tue 2 May – Fri 30 June
Three week break between Terms 2 and 3
Term 3, 2023 – Tue 25 July – Fri 29 Sept
Term 4, 2023 – Tue 17 Oct – Wed 13 Dec
UNIFORM SHOP
Regular opening hours during term:
Monday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Wednesday 3pm – 5:30pm
Thursday extended opening hours:
TERM 1 – Weeks 1 – 6, 3pm – 5.30pm
TERM 2 – Weeks 1 – 4, 3pm – 5.30pm
TERM 4 – Weeks 1 – 3, 3pm – 5.30pm
PRIMARY ASSEMBLY
Our Primary School Chapels and Assemblies are held on Fridays at 8:50am.
Chapels and Assemblies can be attended by invitation from the involved classes.
Parents/caregivers are able to sit in the allocated chairs at the back of the Auditorium.
Primary School News
Plenty of Celebrations
The Primary School has been abuzz with excitement, following two weeks filled with performances and graduations.
Junior Primary
The Junior Primary presented a Matinée and a Glorious Night of musical celebration titled “Joy to the World” during Week 8.
The Matinée performance was an opportunity for Grandparents and special friends to join us on campus for the first time in many years, much to the excitement of the Junior Primary students.
Through music and dance, the Reception students reminded the packed Auditorium about the joy of gift-giving, and that the best gift of all is Jesus! The Year 1s celebrated the Nativity and the birth of the King, while the Year 2s celebrated the many families at Cedar that have come from different countries around the world, reminding us that Jesus came for everyone!
The highlight of the evening was saved for the end, when the entire Junior Primary took to the stage to sing “O What a Glorious Night”. The spectacular finale concluded an exciting night for students and parents, turning thoughts to that first glorious Christmas night, when the Christ was born.
Upper Primary
The Year 3, 4 and 5 students held their celebrations earlier this week, with some exciting performances that, together, reminded us that with God in our lives, we can overcome the challenges that we face.
The Year 6s wowed the audience with their dance item “The Dragon”, which told the story of an enthusiastic video gamer who finds himself in a battle between the warriors and the dragon. While we may sometime battle the darkness, we can know that in the end, the enemy will be defeated once and for all. The stunning choreography was provided by Mrs Laura Carson, and we thank her for the time she gave to our Year 6s in order to produce this item.
In Year 3, the students delighted the audience with a bright, colourful “Happy Dance”, and the Year 4s followed this with the joy and hope that each “New Day” brings. The finale was presented by the Year 5 students, whose item, “Pandemic”, took us through the challenges of COVID and the importance of trusting God and leaning on each other. All three items were choreographed by Cedar’s Performing Arts Teacher, Mrs Amy Webster.
Graduation News
Graduations
Graduation events were held for Year 6, Year 9 and Year 12 students over the last four weeks, as students were presented with their respective Bronze, Silver and Gold Principal’s Medallions.
Year 12 Graduation
The Year 12 Graduation, which followed their Formal evening, marked the conclusion of school for our 75 Year 12s, with 28 students completing their R-12 schooling at Cedar. It was exciting to have so many parents and friends attend the evening, which recognised academic achievements, character growth, sporting achievements, as well as specific curriculum and distinctive awards.
We wish all of our Year 12s, and their families, the very best as they take new steps into Tertiary education and the workforce, and look forward to hearing about, and celebrating, their SACE results in the coming weeks.
Year 9 Graduation
Students in Year 9 celebrated the conclusion of their time in Middle School at their official graduation ceremony in Week 8.
The transition from Middle to Senior School is a significant step for students as their time in Middle School draws to a close.
The Middle School graduation featured performances by two Year 9 bands, who took us back to the 80s with their renditions of well-known classics “Take on Me” and “Sweet Child of Mine”. Students’ creativity in poetry and Visual Art were also highlighted on the night, which ended with the presentation of the Dux, Academic and Character Awards.
As each of the Year 9s were presented with their Principal’s Silver Medallion, they were reminded by Pastor Jeremy that this was a significant marker along the road, and to make the time to enjoy the journey ahead as they move into Senior School in 2023.
Year 6 Graduation
The final graduation was held this week, marking the end of Primary School for our 56 Year 6 students.
The week before graduation, the Year 6s held their Celebration Luncheon as they counted down the final days of life in the Primary School. Monday evening was a time to reflect on those years, as they were presented with their Principal’s Bronze Medallion.
The Years 6s also presented their dance item “The Dragon”, as well as work from their STEM elective, and had the opportunity to look back over the year’s events with mixed emotions as they begin to prepare for the new journey ahead. Cedar’s Director of Middle School Student Development welcomed the Year 6s to Middle School, and the evening concluded with a burst of celebration!
Thank you to all of our parents and families for celebrating with our Year 6s, we look forward to continuing to connect with you during the years ahead, throughout your High School journey.
Previous Newsletters
Read all the news from our previous issues
