Torrens Valley Christian School eNewsletter

 “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” - Jeremiah 6:16

God is doing amazing things at Torrens Valley Christian School.

This year, in particular, is a time of growth and development as we seek to develop young people to believe, belong and become all that God has created them to be.

As a school community we are Standing at the Crossroads, considering where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to go in the future. And it’s exciting!

Over the past few years we have built a financial platform for redeveloping our facilities to move forward strongly into the future. So here are some things to look forward to:

Master Planning: The school have engaged an architectural firm to draw up a Master Plan for the development of the School facilities. This will precede a staged rolling building program for the development of our facilities.

Strategic Planning: The Board are currently prayerfully considering God’s directions for the school in the years ahead and will work with the members of the Association to consider: Where have we come from? What are the opportunities? What milestones will we celebrate? Where is He leading next? Part of this will be….

Community Health Audit: As part of the cycle of continuous improvement in the school, our Board commit to undertake a sentiment survey process with parents, Association members, students and staff every five years. The responses will be used to assist in our forward and strategic planning.

A Culture of Continuous Improvement: We are committed to a process of continuous improvement as we evaluate the programs we offer at the school. Here are some new innovations:

Education: We create and advance excellence in teaching and learning for our students through transformational learning experiences. We are developing flexible, learner-centred initiatives to enhance student engagement.

Wellbeing: We are enhancing wellbeing programs and structures to better support student development, including the possible introduction of a Therapy Dog.

ICT: Recent developments include a software refresh including upgrading of video editing capabilities for students and the introduction of student ID card facilities.

Facilities: The Library looks very different this term! There is a new help- desk and storage area for library staff. And just look at the collaborate study space for Year 12!

Sustainability: TVCS is committed to suitability at all levels. A Wipe Out Waste program has been established this year… and energy efficient systems are being introduced.

We have strong foundations on which to build! They are the foundations built on the unchangeable, dependable, Sovereign promises of God as revealed to us in His Word… and heritage laid down for us by our forefathers, our Board and Association.

Thank you, Lord for your hand upon our school! We humbly acknowledge your goodness to us as a community and thank you for your abundant blessings!

Yours in Christ’s service
Julie Prattis, Principal

Our aim for ITEC19 is to bring glory to God by actively seeking to engage all of our member schools and others into transformational experience that enables all to re-imagine the practice of their teaching, supporting, leading or governing.

Reimagining Practice

Our International Transforming Education Conferences ask questions about the transformation of educational practice in Christian schools and other places of learning. They also seek to ask questions of Christian education’s effectiveness in transforming the heart, mind, and life of every student. ITEC19, on the banks of the Torrens River in Adelaide, Australia, is no different. It seeks to ask, “How can we use our God-given creativity and imagination to consider better practice in the classrooms, playgrounds, staff rooms, and board rooms of Christian learning places?”.

Christian education finds itself in a cultural moment characterised by an accelerating push towards a humanistic and self-autonomous framing of life and world. Are our current practices best placed to support students to navigate learning about themselves and their world in this context? What creative reimagining of practice would it be timely to consider, and reconsider?

Through God’s common grace, we see exciting innovation across the educational landscape towards deeper learning and a subsequent willingness to reimagine educational practice. There is a growing enthusiasm for innovation in teaching and learning. As secular education breaks free of the institutional shackles of modernity, Christian education must be willing to critically embrace pedagogical innovation and challenge traditional structures and practices.

It is our desire to provide a space for optimistic and biblically critical dialogue at this pivotal moment. We commit this conference to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ through our desire to transform education and reimagine practice; this is our deep hope.

(ITEC19 2018, ITEC19 Reimagining Practice, viewed 30 July 2019, <https://itec.org.au/>.)

Our entire staff community and Board members from Torrens Valley Christian School engaged in an incredible three days of Professional Learning and fellowship at ITEC19 during the school holidays. The International Transforming Education Conference 2019 was held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on July 15th-17th with over 1000 national and international delegates.

World class keynote speakers included: Dr David Smith, Steve McAlpine, Jefferson Bethke, Dr Patricia Weerakoon, Dr Rod Thompson and Dr Nick Latinga. We also had exceptional strand speakers from Canada, United States, New Zealand, South Korea and Australia.

We are very proud of our school community for their participation in sessions and our staff volunteers who served in many ways.  

A very special mention and huge thank you to our Student Ushers who gave up some of their holidays to serve. It was fantastic to see their smiling faces as they welcomed and guided delegates around the Convention Centre.

Torrens Valley Christian School also hosted the National Institute for Christian Education – Master of Education Intensive after the conference.

So much to be thankful for, so much rich learning, so much to ponder and embed in our practices. Praise God for Christian Education and the opportunity to be involved in this incredible event.

Emily Brookes, Director of Teaching & Learning

Primary students and teachers enjoyed a performance by Christian singer/song writer Sean W Smith at our assembly in Week 1 of this term. We sang and danced along to the music and were reminded that God loves us and that He is the rock on which we should build our lives. To listen along at home, you can find Sean’s songs, videos and more on his website: seanwsmith.com. 

Lara Aldridge, Reception Teacher

On Wednesday, 11 Year 7 and 8 students represented TVCS at ACTS an exciting and stimulating Christian Schools leadership day. 

Year 7:

• Erin 
• Hannah 
• Elizabeth 
• Kaniesha 
• Elijah 
• Toby 
• Chloe 
• Olivia 

Year 8:

• Lucy 
• Nigel
• Isabelle

Students were challenged  by several speakers to identify issues and support transformation through the example of Jesus. The brainstorming sessions identified several great initiatives. Watch this space!

Craig Bowyer, Teaching & Learning Coordinator for The Arts and Technology

Dr Patricia Weerakoon has been a sex educator, researcher and therapist in America, Sri Lanka and Australia for more than 25 years, author of several books many that can be found at Koorong like “Teen Sex by the Book” and “Growing up by the Book”.  She was guest speaker at the ITEC19, and TVCS on Tuesday, July 23rd-24th speaking with staff, parents and students from year 6-12. Visiting schools and churches all around the nation, Dr Patricia at 72 years of age is an engaging and humorous speaker specializing her sessions on the development of the brain and body.

Margaret Garland, School Chaplain

A reminder that Daniel Crook and myself in the Library are running a “BookFace” Competition for Bookweek. This involves lining up your face or body with a book cover that has a matching body part and taking a photo - please see example of Jude taking part in it!

Entries open from now until Tuesday, 20 August.

Winners announced at the Book Parade which is held on Wednesday, 21 August.

Entries to be emailed to – Heidi.barden@tvcs.sa.edu.au

Heidi Barden, Library Assistant

Congratulations to Danny, who won the Under 9 Little Athletics State Cross Country event on Sunday, 21st July. This is the culmination of an amazing winter season for Danny, who ran in 10 races and finished with 9 first places and one second. What an amazing achievement!

Andrew Loechel, Yr 6-10 PE