Term 4, Week 9
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Growing Excitement
It has been wonderful to see so much excitement around the campus during the last few weeks!
Students in Junior and Upper Primary excited to perform on stage for their families, Year 6s excited to finish Primary School, Year 9s excited to finish Middle School, and everyone excited for holidays and Christmas!
We love celebrating with our students and the Cedar community, recognising achievement and character growth, and we love enjoying the performances and graduations at this time of year. But what has been particularly encouraging, amid the excitement and many events of the last two weeks, has been the focus on Jesus. The first Christmas was an exciting time. Angels, shepherds and wisemen were all excited to find Jesus, and it is our prayer that each person in the Cedar community would experience the excitement of discovering Jesus this Christmas.
Around the Campus
In this, our final issue of CedarNews for 2021, we look back at events and celebrations in the Primary School, the Year 6 and Year 9 graduations, say some farewells, and begin preparing for 2022!
Wishing you all a safe, restful, and exciting Christmas and new year.
Mr Peter Thomson, Principal
Calendar
The Front Page
Time for Family
The last few weeks at Cedar have been a blur of graduation nights, matinee celebrations, and awards evenings.
Each graduation and performance was a moment for families and staff to come together to honour and celebrate our students. Sitting there, hidden behind a facemask, I found myself getting emotional a number of times. There’s grief in saying goodbye to graduates. There is admiration and pride in seeing young people shine. There is something really sacred and special in seeing children dance together to point to God’s goodness.
Something that hit me over and over is the importance of family. It’s wonderful to see the way each family rallies around their children. It’s wonderful to see how the Cedar staff family rally around each other to make these events happen. Family is a blessing.
And now we’re all heading off into holidays and Christmas – to spend time with our own families. To rest, recharge, celebrate, and wonder with our families. The centrepiece of this season is the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is the moment where God Almighty became a small member of an ordinary human family. What an amazing event! And he did it all in order to invite us into his heavenly family.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world… Some people did accept him and did believe in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God. – John 1:9, 12
What a mind-blowing thing – to accept God’s invitation to be his family!
Pastor Jeremy Wright, Cedar College Pastor
Week 9 News and Notices
Finalising 2021 School Fees
Thank you to our Cedar College families for finalising your 2021 tuition fees in a timely manner. The Finance Office will be available to take payments until Friday December 17, and will be back from January 11. Your 2022 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 Friday December 17, 2021. The Office will then be closed until Tuesday January 11, 2022.
School Reports
School Reports will be emailed next week, and a hard copy will be available to collect on Monday December 13, between 10am – 2pm, or on Get Ready Day. Students who are not returning to Cedar in 2020 will have their reports posted to them
2021 Yearbook
The 2021 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 13, otherwise they will receive it on Get Ready Day. Additional copies may be ordered from the Primary School Office, at a cost of $15 each. Year 12 students will each receive their own copy.
Qkr! 2022
Before the 2022 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! 2022
In 2022, we will be trialing running the Get Ready Day! on one day, rather than over two days as in previous years.
Get Ready Day will be on Thursday, 20 January with extended hours from 8am – 5pm. For our new parents, 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 detailed 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.
Holiday Swim/Sports Programs
The college has been notified of some holiday programs for school-aged children. Please note that Cedar College is not affiliated with these programs in any way.
- Royal Life Saving South Australia Holiday Swim program in over 35 locations throughout South Australia. The programs are held between December 2021 – January 2022. Cost of $35 for five days. For more details, download the flyer.
- Woolworths Cricket Blast is a fun and active program for kids of all abilities – whether it’s your first time with a bat or you’re a backyard cricket star! For more information visit play.cricket.com.au
Christmas Eve Services
Friday December 24
– held at CityReach Church (Cedar Main Auditorium)
You are warmly invited to share in CityReach Oakden’s Christmas Eve service at either 6pm or 7:30pm!
There will be Christmas carols, a nativity play and a photo booth. Everyone is welcome. We’d love to see you there!
A Chinese-language Christmas Eve service will also be held in the Cafeteria. Click here for further details.
Calendar Information
TERM DATES
Term 1, 2022 – Tues 1 Feb – Thu 14 April
Term 2, 2022 – Tue 3 May – Fri 1 July
We will continue to have a three week break between Terms 2 and 3
Term 3, 2022 – Tue 16 July – Fri 30 Sept
Term 4, 2022 – Tue 18 Oct – Wed 14 Dec
UNIFORM SHOP
Regular opening hours during term:
Monday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Wednesday 3pm – 5:30pm
Thursday extended opening hours:
TERM 2 – Weeks 1 – 4, 3pm – 5.30pm
TERM 4 – Weeks 1 – 3, 3pm – 5.30pm
PRIMARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
Our Assemblies and Chapels are held on Fridays at 8:50am.
Chapels and Assemblies are currently not able to be attended by parents, due to restrictions.
Should guidelines for large gatherings change, parents/caregivers will be informed.
Primary School News
Time for Celebration
It has certainly been a whirlwind couple of weeks in the Primary School, with plenty of activity and excitement, as the year draws to a close.
Junior Primary
The Junior Primary were excited to present the musical Lights, Camel, Action 2! – The Sequin, in Week 8, after many months of rehearsals during their Performing Arts classes.
The musical was a sequel to 2019’s performance, set in the middle of a talent show where the star-studded cast of nativity celebrities put on a spectacular show to celebrate the birth of Jesus and retell the Christmas story.
The Year 1 students danced and hustled in their Roman costumes, along with the marching centurions, while the Year 1s appeared as shepherds and angels, delighting the audience with their dance moves. The Receptions had a chance to shine, as ballet dancing stars, and jigging shepherds, before the all-in finale of Oh What a Glorious Night.
It was wonderful to have parents and friends able to attend the matinée and evening performances, with many more watching online.
Upper Primary
The Year 3, 4 and 5 students had their opportunity to take the stage this week, and they presented items themed “Finding Hope”.
Each year level presented an amazingly choreographed performance, as they reflected on what finding hope, in any circumstance, looks like. The Year 3’s colourful rendition of Image of God showed that each person is uniquely made by God with a special purpose. The audience couldn’t help but Smile, during the Year 4’s performance of the same name! Combining drama and dance, the item was a reminder to remember, and be thankful for, God’s many blessings. The final performance, by the Year 5s, featured spectacular synchronised movement and actions, to the song Help Is On The Way, as an encouragement to look to God for help.
Year 6 Graduation
Held as a separate event, the Year 6 Graduation was a special time for families as they watched their children finish their time in Primary School, and prepare for the step into Middle School.
The evening began with a dynamic performance by the Year 6 dance elective students, with breathtaking choreography to the song For God is With Us. Filled with flips, lifts, jumps and lights, the students highlighted that the reason for our hope is Jesus.
The Year 6s, who had celebrated together at their luncheon a week earlier, were presented with their Principal’s Gold Medallion by Mr Thomson. Following reflections from the Year 6 teachers and prefects, the celebrations concluded with a colourful bang at the end of the evening.
We would like to thank all those who worked hard to ensure these events were a success, particularly Mrs Amy Webster for her amazing work with both the Junior and Upper Primary throughout Term 4. Thanks also goes to Mrs Laura Carson, who choreographed the Year 6 performance, to all of the Primary School teachers, and to the team who worked to bring the sound, lights, media and livestream together for each performance.
Thank you also to our parents and families for your understanding and patience regarding the attendance limitations. It was a joy to have you attend and celebrate these events with us this year.
Sports News
Year 5 Zoo Visit
The Year 5s of 5JW enjoyed a day at the Adelaide Zoo thanks to SA Commissioner for Children and Young People, Ms Helen Connolly, and Year 5 student, Skye!
Skye won a colouring in competition where she also had to say in 25 words or less why it is important to hear the voices of children. Skye won 30 passes to the zoo and got to meet Ms Connolly! Skye wrote:
“It is important to hear children’s voices because they can feel alone, forgotten and sometimes sad. Children are the future and are equal to adults.” – Skye (Year 5, Cedar College)
It was a glorious day and we had a lovely time! Thanks Skye for sharing your prize with us!
Read more about Skye’s winning entry on the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s website.
Mr Jeremy Wilson, Year 5 Teacher
Event News
Staff Farewells, 2021
The year 2021, like 2020, has been an unusual year, with many challenges to work though and to overcome. We can only hope for a more settled 2022!
As we come to the end of Term 4, I would like to mention a farewell to some of our High School teaching staff. First of all, I would like to farewell Mr Steve Blucher, who has been with the College since 2017.
Mr Blucher has been a core part of our Mathematics, and our Design, Technology and Business Faculty; leading the faculty since the start of 2018. His flexibility across a number of subject areas has been appreciated. Mr Blucher leaves with our blessing as he undertakes a role in IT Leadership at Thebarton Senior College in 2022.
Mrs Trudi Wynn also departs us at the end of this year. Mrs Wynn has been with us since 2011 as an integral member of the Mathematics, and the Design, Technology and Business Faculties for the past 10 years. Her passion for the Technology area has been a hallmark of her time here, as has her ability to coach our staff in Canvas related matters. Mrs Wynn also leaves with our blessing as she undertakes a new position at Sunrise Christian School in Whyalla.
We will inform you of new staff undertaking these positions, in addition to some further internal staff changes, in the new year.
Mr Andrew Lock, Head of High School
The Primary School is also saying farewell to some much-loved staff at the end of 2021.
Firstly we would like to acknowledge and give thanks for Mrs Joanne Thorpe, who is leaving us after a wonderful 25 years at Cedar in varying roles, including Instrumental Co-ordinator and CLIC Admin Co-ordinator. As a member of one of the school’s pioneering families, Joanne was a part of the Cedar community from Day 1, back in 1997, and has been instrumental (pun intended) in a wide range of programs and activities throughout the school.
Lauren Butler, who has been with us in multiple roles for the past 10 years, is moving on to pursue further study. Lauren has a passion for teaching technology-based subjects, which has been greatly appreciated at Cedar, and we wish her God’s blessing as she starts the next chapter in her life.
Nurse Tegan Bengtson is moving interstate with her family. Tegan’s vast nursing and ICU experience has been a wonderful asset to our Health Centre, applying her skills to the care of both students and staff.
All will be greatly missed, and we wish them well for the next chapter of their lives.
We will be welcoming a number of new staff to the Primary School in 2022, and look forward to having them as a part of our team.
Mr Nigel Austin, Head of Primary School
Middle School News
Middle School Graduation
Students in Year 9 celebrated the conclusion of their time in Middle School at their official graduation ceremony in Week 8.
Marking the transition from Middle to Senior School, the night was a significant step for students, many of whom have been at Cedar since Reception.
The evening featured the presentation of the Academic and Character awards, as well as a number of learning insights from throughout the year. Snapshots of learning areas included Digital Technology, Drama, Art, Music, English, and Health & Wellbeing, as well as memories from the camps held earlier in the year.
Following the presentation of Academic and Character awards, the Year 9 students each received their Principal’s Silver Medallion from Mr Peter Thomson.
We would like to congratulate each of our Year 9 students, and look forward to their continued growth, as they move into Senior School in 2022.
Previous Newsletters
Read all the news from our previous issues
