Term 4, Week 9
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Make Time for Christmas
As we reflect on the year that was, it’s astounding how swiftly time has flown throughout the school year.
Those Reception students who arrived for their first classes in Term 1 are now ‘seasoned’ Year 1s, our Year 6s are heading into High School, and our Year 12s will soon receive their SACE results and head into their tertiary education and career pathways. From the first day of classes to the myriad of events, achievements, and challenges that unfolded, each moment has contributed to the growth and development of our school community. It’s a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students, faculty, and staff.
I encourage each member of our school community to take a moment to appreciate the achievements, both big and small, that have shaped this year. Whether it’s academic accomplishments, artistic endeavors, or the kindness shown towards one another, every contribution has played a part in creating a vibrant and supportive learning environment.
Now, as we approach the much-anticipated Christmas break, it’s time to pause, reflect, enjoy time with family, and celebrate the birth of Christ. I wish each family a joyous and safe Christmas, and look forward to the continued growth and success that the new year will undoubtedly bring.
Around the Campus
In this issue of CedarNews, Pastor Jeremy reminds us of the best Christmas gift, we take a look at all the photos and excitement of our Primary School celebration Events and Graduations, revisit the Summer Soulstice, and enjoy even more photos from our High School events and Year 9 Graduation. We’ve also outlined some changes to our Child Safe Environments Policy, and there’s also some important information to help you prepare for the 2024 School Year – once you’ve enjoyed the Christmas break, of course!
Mr Peter Thomson, Principal
Coming Events
April 2024
Saturday April 13 – Sunday April 28
- SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Sunday April 28
- WEEK 1 >>
Monday April 29
- STUDENT FREE DAY
Tuesday April 30
- Students Return for Term 2
May 2024
Thursday May 2
- HS SACSA Athletics Carnival
Friday May 3
- PS SACSA Athletics Carnival
Sunday May 5
- Week 2 >>
Monday May 6
- 3:30 pm – 8:00 pm
- HS Learning Conversations
Tuesday May 7
- Reception to Year 6 I Wonder Event
- 11:35 am – 12:35 pm
- Yr 7E Excursion
Wednesday May 8 – Friday May 10
- Year 11 Camp
Friday May 10
- 8:45 am – 11:55 am
- Yr 10 Excursion
Worth the Wait
You don’t have to wait any longer to receive the best gift of all this Christmas.
Christmas Wrap-up
Vibrant performances, and the Year 6 Graduation, wrap up the Primary School year.
High School Awards
Awards Assemblies and Year 9 Graduation – one chapter ends, and a new chapter begins.
Summer Soulstice
High School music festival sees the sun set on another year of Creative Arts.
The Front Page
Worth the Wait
When I was in Middle School, my mum took on a job that had her working on Christmas Day.
That Christmas Day job meant extra money for the family. But it also meant that we couldn’t open our presents until she got home after Christmas lunch. The waiting killed me. I’d go out into the street and see the other kids with new bikes, toys, cricket bats, radio-controlled cars. Christmas had come for them and they were enjoying their gifts. Not me though. I had to keep waiting.
The weeks leading up to Christmas are called Advent. It’s a time of expectant waiting. When we wait expectantly for Christmas, we join in with those people at that first Christmas who were waiting expectantly for the gift of a Saviour. Christmas celebrates the moment Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born into the world!
Waiting in Hope
The people back then bravely waited in hope. This was their song: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)
They waited through all sorts of troubles (and well past lunch time!) But we don’t have to wait. The day has arrived. Jesus is here! He is the Lord who strengthens hearts. That’s just one of the many gifts he brought to us that first Christmas. This gift is ours when we receive Jesus Christ like a gift: joyfully, expectantly, and with all our hearts. Jesus is real. Get to know Him and the gifts he has for you – every spiritual blessing.
Merry Christmas. Enjoy the waiting, knowing that the real wait is over and the gift of Jesus is ours right now!
Pastor Jeremy Wright, Cedar College Pastor
Week 9 News and Notices
Term 1, 2024 Dates
Term 1: Tuesday January 30 – Friday April 12
- Get Ready Day! – Thursday January 18, 8am – 4:30pm.
- Student Free Day: Monday, January 29.
- Student return for Term 1: Tuesday, January 30
Public Holidays Term 1:
- Monday March 11 – Adelaide Cup Holiday
- Friday March 29 – Good Friday Public Holiday
- Monday April 1 – Easter Monday Public Holiday
School Fees 2024
Thank you to our Cedar College families for finalising your 2023 tuition fees in a timely manner. All 2024 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
The School Office will be closed from 4pm, Wednesday, December 20, 2023. The Office will re-open on Monday January 8, 2024.
School Reports
School Reports will be emailed on Friday December 15, and a hard copy will be available to collect on Monday December 18, between 10am – 2pm, or on Get Ready Day. Students who are not returning to Cedar in 2024 will have their reports posted.
2023 Yearbook
The 2023 Cedar College Yearbook has been distributed to the youngest in family in Primary School. High School students may come to collect their Yearbook, on either Thursday December 14 or Monday December 18, otherwise they will receive it on Get Ready Day! Additional copies may be pruchased from the Front Office Office, at a cost of $16 each (payment through the Qkr! App, under School Payments).
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop will be closed during the Christmas break, and will be open on Get ready Day! Thursday January 18 from 8:30am – 4:30pm, and also on the Student Free Day, Monday January 29, from 8:30am – 4:30pm.
Qkr! 2024
Before the 2024 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! 2024
Get Ready Day will be on Thursday, January 18, from 8am – 4:30pm. 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, Jeff Thorpe.
Primary School Book Lists
Information about the 2024 School Year, including the Primary School and High School Welcome letters, and the Primary School 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.
Saviour of Heaven
Sunday, December 17, from 4pm
CityReach Oakden is excited to present SAVIOUR OF HEAVEN, a special Christmas production coming up on 17th Dec at 6pm! There will be beautiful music, a Nativity, a message from Pastor Carl Robinson, a photo booth, coffee, treats and more!
There will also be lots of fun, exciting, FREE activities for families from 4pm including soft serves, jumping castle, petting zoo and more!
Christmas Eve
Sunday, December 24, 2023, 10am
CityReach Baptist Church invites you to a special family Christmas Eve Service, here on the Cedar College Campus (Main Auditorium).
We would love to invite you to our Christmas Eve service at 10AM, which will feature a range of Christmas Carols, a fun Children’s Story and a special Christmas message from Pastor Lyndon Beasy.
Calendar Information
TERM DATES
Term 1, 2024 – Tue 30 January – Fri 12 April
Term 2, 2024 – Tue 30 April – Fri 28 June
Three-week break between Terms 2 and 3
Term 3, 2024 – Tue 23 July – Fri 27 September
Term 4, 2024 – Tue 15 October – Wed 11 December
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.
Assemblies can be attended by invitation from the involved classes, and parents/caregivers are welcome to attend our fortnightly Chapels.
Parents/caregivers are able to sit in the allocated chairs at the back of the Auditorium.
Primary School News
A Christmas Wrap-Up
As we wrapped-up the 2023 School Year, the Primary School once again held a series of spectacular events for parents, caregivers, grandparents and friends to enjoy and celebrate.
Junior Primary Celebration
In Week 8, our Junior Primary students took center stage with a dazzling Carols Celebration Matinée performance, especially for grandparents and special friends. The dance performances, which were choreographed by some of our talented High School students, were then presented once again for parents and families at the Celebration Evening. Year 2 students began the evening with the upbeat “Go Tell It”, followed by a sparkling Year 1 performance of “It’s Christmas”. Reception students, adorned in red and white, then delighted the audience with “Christ the King of Christmas”. Christmas carols were also sprinkled throughout the evening, and the Grand Finalé “Christmas Time Is Here” presented by the entire Junior Primary, was a fitting end to the night by reminding us that “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came down for you and me”.
Year 6 Graduation
The final chapter of Primary School unfolded with the graduation of our Year 6 students on Monday evening, following their Celebration Lunch in Week 8. The evening marked the presentation of the Principal’s Bronze Medallion, along with class and curriculum awards, showcasing the Year 6s’ achievements. The Year 6s began with a spectacular dance item “I Know You Can”, choreographed by Year 10 student, Madelyn Birch. The dance was followed by a STEM presentation, as well as many memories from the Year 6s’ journey through Primary School. Director of Middle School Student Development, Mr David Webb, then welcomed the Year 6s to the Middle School, as they continue their time at Cedar.
Upper Primary Showcase
The final event of the year saw our talented Year 3, 4, and 5 students take the spotlight with their inspiring dance performances. Each of the Upper Primary year levels had been working hard with Mrs Nel Blackeby, and their High School student choreographers, under the theme “Overwhelming Joy” – a celebration of our awesome God. The Year 6 students opened the night with “I know You Can”, followed by the Year 3s vibrant “This is Living”, celebrating the freedom and joy that we have in Jesus. The Year 4s followed up with the dance celebration “Praise”, followed by the Year 5s’ acrobatic presentation of “Me Without You” – a powerful reminder of how God rescued us and gives meaning to our lives. The evening was punctuated with the presentation of awards celebrating the efforts of the Upper Primary students, and the announcement of the Primary School Sports Captains and Prefects for 2024.
Thank you to all of our Cedar families for joining us at our celebrations this year. We wish you all a safe and joyful Christmas time.
Student Achievement
Each year, a number of Cedar students undertake academic competitions run by the Australian Maths Trust – most notably, the Australian Maths Competition.
The Australian Maths Competition contains unique problems designed each year by leading educators and academics to challenge and extend students’ problem-solving skills.
This year, Year 4 student, Sarah, was invited to the Australian Maths Competition State Awards ceremony held at Prince Alfred College in October, in recognition of both her High Distinction and Best in School awards. Congratulations, Sarah!
Child Safe Environments Policy Update
Throughout the year, Cedar celebrated the arrival of some new staff in the Primary School, which was exciting, but we will also farewell some much-loved staff.
Cedar College is made up of many valued people who contribute to the life of the school and the lives of our students. One group who we value tremendously are our volunteers and parents who contribute in the classroom, through sport, on excursions or in various other ways. One common thread through everything we do is to uphold the safety and wellbeing of each of our students.
As a result, we would like to communicate to our College community that we have released an updated Child Safe Environments Policy (formerly Child Protection Policy). You will find this on the Policies page on our website. This is a comprehensive policy which reflects recent legislative changes, and agreements between the three primary and secondary education sectors in South Australia. This will be a policy which all those in our community should become familiar with, and those who work directly with our students will need to abide by. As parents, you need to know that your children are working with adults who have their safety and wellbeing as their main concern.
Volunteer Update
As a result, we have also updated and implemented changes for all those who desire to volunteer for the College and work with our students. Certain processes and documentation will need to be adhered to, including an updated and comprehensive Volunteer/Non-Staff Code of Conduct. This will be phased in from the beginning of Term 1 in 2024, for all non-staff working with children from Cedar College. College staff have their own specific Code of Conduct.
If you have any questions or queries related to our updated Child Protection Policy, please don’t hesitate to ask a member of the Leadership Team.
Mr Andrew Lock, Head of High School, on behalf of the Cedar College Leadership Team
High School News
Graduations and Events
On Thursday of Week 8, it was the Year 9s time to shine, as they celebrated the end of their time in Middle School at Cedar.
The Year 9s marked the conclusion of their Middle School journey with a memorable graduation ceremony featuring two music performances by Year 9 bands, a Visual Art presentation, and the highlight of the night – the presentation of awards, recognising outstanding achievements in academics and character.
To complete the graduation formalities, each Year 9 received their Principal’s Silver Medallion, marking a significant milestone in their educational journey.
A Life-Changing Book
At the end of the evening, Pastor Jeremy presented the Year 9s with a life-changing book – The Bible. Printed especially for the occasion, the Cedar College Bible will help our Year 9s continue to discover Jesus, display love and develop self. Pastor Jeremy encouraged the students to “Put (your Bible) on your bedside table. Put it on a shelf. Carry it in your bag all the time. Or stick it in a drawer. Just make sure you keep it. There will be days when you’re going to need the comfort, encouragement, and wisdom it can give you”.
This graduation signified the end of one chapter, but also the beginning of another. We are incredibly proud of our Year 9 graduates for their accomplishments and look forward to what they will achieve as they enter the Senior School.
Awards Assemblies
The final weeks of Term 4 were also opportunities to present awards to our Year 7/8 and Year 10/11 cohort, at their respective Awards Assemblies.
The Assemblies were an opportunity to recognise Academic and Character success, with the GPA (Grade Point Average) Awards and Dux Awards presented. It was a privilege to have many families attend the assemblies and recognise the efforts of students in each year level.
Congratulations to all of the award winners. We look forward to supporting and recognising your continued successes in 2024.
Summer Soulstice
Week 7 saw the return of our Summer Soultice music festival, featuring items from students throughout the High School.
The twilight event was once again well attended by families and students, kicking off proceedings with 80s classic ‘Jump’, featuring Keegan Jones, Alessio Rosmini, and Jonathan Aland. An evening of recent and classic hits followed, including ‘Shining Star’, ‘You Can’t Catch Me Now’, ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, and ‘Ghostbusters’.
The Year 12 band followed up their Formal and Graduation performances by rocking out a set that included ‘What Makes You Beautiful’, ‘Party in the USA’ and ‘Best Song Ever’.
As the sun began to set across the High School lawns, the musical evening came to a close with ‘Nutbush’ and an encore of ‘Jump’. Congratulations to all the bands and solo performers, and our thanks to all who contributed to the evening’s success, including Mrs Coleman, Mr Downton, Mrs Harten, Mr Rosmini, and our Maintenance Staff for their tireless work in preparing for the event.
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