Scale Drawings
Mark Ramsay, Assistant Principal
Recently, in Year 8 Mathematics, students created a scale drawing of the footprint of the Kuyper Hall. For many students, their first effort was a rectangle. Then the extra rooms on the side and back of the Hall were added (which I like to call the “sticky-out-bits”). Finally, doors were added to the drawings as well. Each stage in this process made the scale drawing that little bit more accurate and reflective of reality. And if the students had more time, I’m sure they would have been able to produce some amazing scale drawings. They have been exploring similar skills in other subjects. In Technology classes, some of the Year 8 students have created digital models that represent the 3-dimensional nature of buildings.
However, as good as it is, no drawing is able to properly replicate the actual Hall; the Hall is real and has a function. A drawing, or even a scale model, can only ever represent the reality and the function; it can help us understand what the real Hall is like, but it cannot do what the real Hall can do.
Early in the Old Testament, God asked His people to make a Tabernacle where they could meet with Him. Later, God asked King Solomon to build a Temple in Jerusalem to replace the Tabernacle. This is documented in the Bible, in the book of 1 Kings. Both the Tabernacle and the Temple, though, were only models of a profound reality. The reality is that God meets his people in Jesus. In John 1, the writer says that Jesus “tabernacled” with people. In John 2, Jesus refers to himself as the Temple. Therefore, the Tabernacle and the Temple can help us to understand what Jesus is able to do. Jesus allows us to come face-to-face with God. Jesus deals with our sin problem. Jesus opens a way for us to have eternal life.
It would be such a shame if I treasured the scale drawing of the Hall and ignored the real Hall, where I can enjoy Celebrations, and sport, and Seussical! It would be even more of a shame if I treasured temples and church buildings, but ignored Jesus. Only in Him can we enjoy meeting with God, experience forgiveness, and look forward to eternal life.
Reminders
- The Parent Portal and Kuyper App will be the primary vehicle for day-to-day communications between the school and parents in 2023. The School Calendar, weekly news, event advice and other essential functions will only be available in the Parent Portal and Kuyper App. At least one parent/carer from each household where your child resides needs access to the portal or app. If you are not already using the App, or need assistance resetting your user account and password, call 4573 2999 and we will assist you to connect.
- Nurture Magazine has been sent home to each family via their eldest child. Look for an article by our very own Ruth Thompson on page 20.
- Lost Property is over-flowing. Please come and check if any of it is yours, as lost property will be discarded or re-sold at the end of the year.
- Parents are reminded to continue testing for COVID and advise us if there is COVID in their household. If concerned, we encourage students to wear a mask at school for their own and others’ protection. In line with NSW Health recommendations, we also ask that close contacts wear a mask indoors and on public transport (including the Kuyper bus) and test regularly. We still have a good supply of RAHT kits. Contact the Office if you would like some sent home.
- Reminder to parents to ensure that all fees are paid by the end of year. Contact the Office if you have any concerns.
- Families who rely on the Busways service need to know that there have been some changes to the timetables until the end of term. Use the buttons below to access the temporary timetables for Term 4.
Prayer & Praise
- Praise God that he continues in his sovereignty through all circumstances. Praise him that he is “the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Timothy 1:17), and that he loves us.
- Give thanks for holidays, breaks and changes in rhythm. Pray for connection, peace and safety for all our families during these school holidays. Pray for connection and community to grow for all at Kuyper Christian School, particularly at Limelight!
- Pray for school families and staff families who are coping with illness and accident: Faithfull, Hill, Eastlake, Armstrong, Gubbins, Huxley, Daly. Pray for good rest, connection and healing for all our families, staff and students.
- Give thanks for our Government and those in authority. Pray that they would be led in wisdom and truth to lead our country for the future good of all. Pray that “every person be subject to the governing authorities.” Give thanks that our government has been “instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).
- Give thanks for our Board and Executive team as they interview potential new staff members. Pray for one-ness of purpose for our staff, Board, Executive team, and Association as they plan, prepare and budget for 2023. Praise the Lord for His provision to us all the time.
News & Notices
National Day of Mourning
Ian Shaw, Principal
In line with our Prime Minister’s announcement this week, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Kuyper Christian School will observe the National Day of Mourning on Thursday 22 September 2022. The School will be closed on this day and re-open for classes on Friday 23 September, our last day of Term 3. Please join us on Friday for Parent Connect at 2:00pm and Celebration Assembly at 2:30pm in the Hall.
Friday will also be a non-uniform day. Students who wish to wear non-uniform need to bring a gold coin donation and are encouraged to wear the colour green. Funds raised will support the people of Pakistan, where over 33 million have been displaced from their homes by floods, and many have died. Please join us in praying for Pakistan.
Non-Uniform Day
On Thursday this week, the last day of Term, Kuyper will hold a non-uniform day to raise money for Operation Christmas Child. Usually we fill shoe-boxes, but as we were unable to do that this year, we will support the delivery of other people’s shoe-boxes to their destinations.
So, on Thursday, wear non-uniform and bring a gold coin.
Drama Camp
If drama is what you’re expecting these school holidays, we have a solution!
Announcing the first ever Three-Day Drama Camp @ Kuyper Christian School. Designed to build confidence and cultivate performance skills, participants develop active listening as they work together towards a shared goal. The program covers improvisation, character development, and script work. Over three days, students learn how to develop confidence in voice, movement, and stagecraft as they build towards a live performance on the final afternoon. Here they will demonstrate their new skills by giving premiere performances of newly devised scenes to an audience of family, and each other.
The program is led by Meg Lloyd-Johnson, whose professional experience as a teacher, improviser, performer, voice-over artist, producer and production manager ensures a memorable and enriching time for participants.
- Camp Dates: Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 September
- Camp Times: 9.00am to 3.00pm
- Performance: Wednesday 28 September, 3.00pm to 3.30pm
- Cost: $180 per student, which includes tuition and course materials
Working Bee, this Saturday 15 October
Our Term 4 Working Bee will be held this Saturday 15 October. Come along between 8am and 12 noon. Morning tea will be provided. You are welcome to attend part or all of the time; any help is welcome! Children may attend, but they are the parents’ responsibility.
Please register your intention to participate by emailing admin@kuyper.nsw.edu.au and bring along your gum boots, shovels, whipper snippers and safety gear. We need you!
School Tour Morning, this Saturday 15 October
We are looking forward to our School Tour morning this Saturday for non-Kuyper families. Classrooms will be open and staff will be hosting tours any time between 9:30am and 1pm. We will also be serving free barista coffee for anyone curious about Kuyper Christian School or interested in enrolling.
We encourage our Kuyper community to join us in inviting their friends and colleagues to come and see the school for themselves. You can download or share the brochure.
RYDA
Next term, our Year 10 students participate in the RYDA Road Safety program. RYDA is a highly engaging and memorable one-day workshop designed specifically for Secondary students which aims to provide young people with the skills and strategies they need to stay safe on the roads. The workshop sessions are led by a team of trained facilitators including Police, driving instructors and other community sector specialists.
Kuyper students have been participating in this program for a number of years. It is a valuable contribution to their knowledge and maturity, with many of them looking forward to obtaining their provisional license in coming years. More information is available here.
Primary Swim School
In Term 4, all Primary students will have the opportunity to participate in a professional Swim School at our local pool. Richmond Swimming Centre is a Premium AUSTSWIM Member swim school with qualified instructors. The Kuyper Swim School is a safety course and differs slightly from the standard after-school Learn to Swim programs. Beginner classes introduce water familiarisation in shallow water, progressing to buoyancy, propulsion, then deep water and distance, in accordance with students’ current and emerging skills. The emphasis is on safe swimming skills.
Hawkesbury City Council manages the pool, and all staff (teachers or otherwise) must comply with the Council’s Child Protection Operational Management Standard, including a mandatory Working With Children Check. As part of its AUSTWIM affiliation, Richmond Swimming Centre ensures safe teacher-to-pupil ratios and provides two fully qualified and equipped Pool Lifeguards with First Aid training.
Kuyper has been running the Swim School in partnership with Richmond Swimming Centre for four years, and the improvement in the aquatic ability of students, now in their second and third year of attendance, is noticeable. Our Swim School is funded through the federal government Sporting Schools program. We are grateful for this support, which enables us to foster water safety and competency in our students from Kindergarten through to Year 10. If you have any specific questions about the Swim School, please don’t hesitate to speak with your class teacher.
Last RAHTs
By the end of this week, all students should have received one last RAHT kit. Please use them as necessary, when symptomatic, and also before returning to school next term. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 now needs to isolate for 5 days, instead of 7, and wear a mask for a further 5 days upon their return to school. If you need extra RAHT kits, please contact the Office and we will send more home.
NSW Health advice also confirms that if a student is unwell and has any symptoms they should always test for COVID-19. If the test comes back negative for COVID-19, the student should still not return to school until either:
- they no longer have any symptoms, or
- a medical certificate is provided to the school confirming that symptoms are explained by another diagnosis (such as hay fever).
It is still important that students do not attend school if they are unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19. It is also important that families follow NSW Health self-isolation and close contact guidelines if someone in their household has tested positive to COVID. If a person in your household who has tested positive cannot isolate from other family members, those family members should not attend school during the 5-day isolation period.