Torrens Valley Christian School eNewsletter

Annie, the Musical, is on this week and if you get a chance to see the performance on Thursday 6th or Friday 7th June, I know you won’t be disappointed.

One of the distinctives of schooling at Torrens Valley Christian School is our belief in holistic education - the education of the whole child. God has placed unique and precious gifts in each student and, in partnership with you as parents it is our desire to develop those gifts.

As a school we seek to train young people to use and develop their God given talents, so that they may be equipped to serve Christ as King in all spheres of life to the glory of God and the well-being of others. Whether students are gifted in academic areas or in other spheres, we are committed to providing a learning environment where these gifts are valued, celebrated and nurtured.

The Secondary Musical is a good example of this! I am always very proud of our school productions; the performances are of the highest quality and I am very proud of the cast, crew and all those who are involved.

Masterminds behind this year’s production are Fiona Clayton and Carolyn Gale and I commend them in the highest terms, along with the cast and crew who will be performing and supporting this magnificent event!

Big thanks to: Fiona Clayton as producer, Pam Watts as Director, Elisabeth Anderson and Olivia Grandison in Choreography, Musical Director Carolyn Gale, Rachel Batson as Assistant Director, Courtney Kernich as Stage Manager / prompts, Matthew Tucker as Backstage Manager / Props, as well as those assisting with media and publications, ticketing, marketing and communications, photography, costumes, as well as our teachers and administration team, with special thanks to Julie Dow and Rachel Batson for Front of House. That’s not to mention all those who are supervising classes, making costumes, doing sound and lighting, videoing, ushering, helping backstage…..! Thank you! Great job team!

I can’t wait to see it! See you there!

Yours in Christ’s service
Julie Prattis, Principal

PLEASE NOTE: This is a full day with normal finish times at 3:10pm in Primary and 3:20pm in Secondary.

Please see the approved Torrens Valley Christian School term dates for 2020.

Careful consideration has been given to ensuring that the starting date for 2020 aligns as closely as possible with other independent schools in the area.  This date also aligns with the Government schools and allows maximum tuition time for our Year 12 students.

Julie Prattis, Principal

The Class of 2014 5th Year Reunion was held Friday 24 May 2019 at TVCS. Past Scholars had a lovely time reconnecting and reminiscing.  After a time of catch up and short tour of the school looking at the changes that have happened in the last 5 years, the scholars were prayed over for their years ahead and then went out for dinner and continued the ‘I remember when…’ chats.  It was lovely to see them all.  We wish them well for their future and pray they travel their path that God places them on knowing he walks beside them.  We look forward to seeing them in another 5 years time for their 10 Year Reunion. 

Torrens Valley Christian School Reconciliation Action Plan Vision Statement

Torrens Valley Christian School is a Christ-centered community committed to honouring our First Nation peoples. As a school community, we are on a journey towards a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s history; past, present and future. We are moving towards a shared future, building authentic relationships and strengthening partnerships by listening to Aboriginal voices, celebrating diversity, improving access opportunities and a sense of belonging.

Over the past week, staff, students and parents have been involved in authentic and engaging activities in both the Primary School and Secondary School.

• Reconciliation South Australia’s National Reconciliation Week Launch Breakfast held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Monday 27 May. Students and teachers from Torrens Valley Christian School contributed to the morning’s program.
• Care Group and classroom activities have focussed on art, music and Kaurna language learning.
• The Primary School Assembly featured reflections by members of the RAP team and performances of Karuna songs.
• On Tuesday, Uncle Ivan Copley visited classes and worked with small groups of students from across year levels.
• And it all culminated on Friday with a casual dress day where our community wore red, yellow, black, or a combination of these colours in recognition of the Aboriginal Australian Flag.

As Christians, we are reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are reconciled to one another by sharing God’s love and forgiveness. In 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 God calls us all to join in his ministry of reconciliation.

Thank you to our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Team for guiding us through a great week of discussion and activities as we seek to gain a greater understanding our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

Yours in Christ’s service

Julie Prattis, Principal

Primary School

The Primary School had a fantastic week marking Reconciliation Week. We enjoyed a visit from Trent Hill, who gave each class a very interesting, hands-on Aboriginal Artefacts lesson. We were also visited by a friend of our school, Kaurna elder Uncle Ivan Copley, who showed the students pictures from the past and told stories of how our nation’s First Peoples lost their culture, and how we can all be a part of Reconciliation. Together we made a paper chain with words and symbols of Reconciliation that the children had brainstormed, which is now on display in the library. Our visitor was touched by the thoughtful responses of the children. Class 1K ran the Reconciliation Week assembly, and depicted the famous Dreamtime story of Tiddalick the greedy frog in a play. It was a great week of learning and reflection.

Priscilla Keneally, Yr 1 Teacher

Reconciliation Week Breakfast

Reconciliation Week started early for a group of 12 TVCS students, staff & family members.  We joined 2000 others at 7am at The Convention Centre for the NRW launch!! We enjoyed breakfast whilst being challenged & inspired by keynote speaker Dr Chelsea Bond and experience a variety of performing artists. We also had time to connect with others, appreciate/purchase amazing indigenous artwork and dream about the future.

Middle School

On Wednesday 29th May there was a sense of community in the Middle School as students participated in a variety of electives including Indigenous games, Top End artefacts, Kaurna language learning, local music artist, damper making, craft and harmony garden design.  The morning was topped off with warm damper and jam in the Middle School undercover area, thanks to some wonderful student and staff volunteers. 

Students grew in their skills, knowledge and understanding, and gained more awareness of what reconciliation means. We would like to thank our guest presenters and volunteers: Don and Rhonda Loechel, Vonda Last, Mike and Rosemary Last and Pam Jowitt.

The Year 7 curriculum has an Indigenous focus this term and at lunch time, it was wonderful to see community continue to be fostered, as Year 7 students painted Indigenous designs on hands and faces of Primary School students.

Thank you to all staff involved in our day, especially Trevor Coward, Fiona Partridge, Andrew Loechel, Jo Robertson and Coby Beames.

Rachel Jowitt, Yr 8 Core Studies Teacher

On Tuesday and Friday of Week 5 firstly then the senior Year 11 then the Year 9 German class had the opportunity to indulge in a delicious German tradition of Kaffee und Kuchen - Coffee and Cake.  However this year only the Year 11 class got do the coffee part.  The Year 9 class only ate the cake.

On the different days we all met at lunch time to try some very famous German cakes – Year 9 class had the “Schwarzwälderkirschtorte” Black Forest Cake and the Year 11s enjoyed the “Bienenstich” (Bee-sting) and “Apfelstreuselkuchen” (Apple Crumble Cake).

Once again the reason for this activity was to bring a small piece of the German culture to TVCS, give the students to chance to practise their German and to have a taste of Germany! The tables were all decorated with small German trinkets like calendars or artefacts to give the feel of a real German Café and of course each student had to order their cake in German!!

Thanks to Mrs Stentiford who fetched the cakes from the bakery and who helped serve.

The students enjoyed the experience and here are some of their comments.

Frau Allen, German Teacher

Year 9:

I had a great time hanging out with my classmates on German Cake Day. The SchwarzwälderKirschtorte was delicious and I loved the chance of tasting their culture. - Jacinta

I thought that German Cake Day was fun because we got to try new cultural foods. It was also fun because we used our German vocabulary to get a piece of the cake and earn it. I really appreciate all the hard work and effort that Frau put into the day, thank you. - Belle

Year 11:

Cake Day was a great day as I got to re experience eating German food. The cakes were amazing and was a fun time. - Claire

Cake day was a great experience. - Jai

I loved the cake day and the cakes were tasty and reminded me of when I had cake in Germany with my host family. - Brad  

Cake day was an amazing day as I got to experience German food again. - Izak

I really enjoyed trying the German cakes Apfelstreusel and Bienenstich. German cake day is quite special, because it means that you can experience a little bit of German culture without having to leave the country, whilst eating something delicious. - Jozie

As part of the Veta Morphus course (Cert 111 in Christian Theology & Ministry) 16 of our students spent the weekend of May 17-19th in the city of Adelaide learning about the different services that are available to the homeless population.  They also participated in ministering to the homeless by providing hot drinks, food, clothes and gift bags.  The weekend also included times of prayer and our TVCS crew were selected to provide the music ministry for the Retreat of over 100 students from around the State.  This retreat is often a highlight for our students as they form a new awareness of the plight of homelessness within South Australia.

Margaret Garland, School Chaplain

We would like to again thank everyone who contributed to TVCS' Australia's Biggest Morning Tea on Wednesday, 22 May - we are excited to announce that we raised $784.00 towards the Cancer Council!

Well done!

This year, the TVCS school calendar has a student free day for Show Day set aside on Friday 13 September 2019. It has been drawn to our attention that the Royal Adelaide Show runs from 30 August 2019 - 8 September 2019 and will be finished before the allocated student free day for Show Day. As a result, the TVCS school calendar has been modified:

NOTE THESE NEW DATES

Thursday 29th August 2019   Student Free Day
Friday 30th August 2019         Show Day

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Julie Prattis, Principal

The Year 2's were working in the wood tech department last Friday to create some bee hotels to take home and/or place around the school surroundings.

A huge thank you to the Yr 11's and 12's for helping them with their project!

Emma Chalmers, Yr 2C

On Friday 17 May some of our year 4-7s spent the afternoon competing in beautiful blue-sky conditions in cross country events with some of our local South Australian Primary Schools at Bulkana Oval. Our students represented our school well, giving their events their best effort: Thirteen year olds who received 4th place or better qualify for Oakbank; other younger runners who placed 6th or better qualify for this event, which we be held  on Thursday 6 June at Oakbank. Congratulations to Eliana, Bryson, Elliott, Josiah and Elizabeth who have qualified.

Thanks to the parents who joined us there and simply supported our students.

Our next cross country event is the South Australian Christian Schools Association event at Carisbrooke Reserve, Monday 3 June.

Bryan Franklin, Teacher

Congratulations to our Year 6/7 Touch teams on their achievements at the recent SACSA Carnival. The boys finished the minor round 2nd in their pool, which meant they progressed to the semi-finals. They faced some tough opposition there, losing their first game and looking to be in real trouble in the second before rallying. Unfortunately, we left our run too late so lost the last playoff game 3-5, which meant we finished 4th overall. The girls were coached by Mrs Leah Falvey (parent) and improved with every match. They narrowly missed out on making the semi-finals but won their last game of the day to finish in 5th place overall.

On Monday 27 May, the year 8/9’s went to the Christian Schools Touch Football Carnival at the Parklands on Greenhill Road. They played under cold and windy conditions. Both the teams played well, slowly improving as the day went on. The boys managed one convincing win and played against Kings Baptist in the final for third place. They finished fourth overall. The girls, coached by Kathy, managed one win against Portside and finished sixth overall. A good day out for students representing the school. 

The girls team was Isabel, Cara, Aliyah, Elise, Gemma, Ebony, Shayla, Shayla, Kate, Maraand Abbey.

The boys team had a great day, finishing second in their pool and 4th overall. Great work team! The team included Emilio, Aaron, Luke, Joe, Jesse, Glen, Joshua, Isaac, Phillipand Josiah.

We’re excited to say that Woolworths Earn & Learn has launched!

Between 1 May and 25 June 2019 when you shop at Woolworths you will receive one sticker for every $10 you spend. Once you have collected your stickers, you can stick them on the sticker sheets which can be collected at the Front Office or your local Woolworths store.