A Word from Ian Shaw
It is with great sadness that we say farewell to Mrs Scanlan, one of Kuyper’s long-standing teachers. Mrs Scanlan, who is currently on long service leave, has served Kuyper over 18 years of her 40 year teaching career, making Kuyper her most significant term.
At Kuyper, Mrs Scanlan has been our resident Visual Arts, History and English teacher, as well as serving in leadership as the Secondary Coordinator. Mrs Scanlan’s breadth of skill has been invaluable for the growth and development of the School. In particular, her work on curriculum has been excellent, pointing students to an understanding of life with a biblical foundation. Mrs Scanlan has been instrumental in shaping Kuyper to be the wonderful place it is today and our School will not be the same without her. We pray that her move to the country, supporting her husband’s new role, will be blessed. Mrs Scanlan will remain as a potential casual teacher from time to time, in addition to working as a consultant with academic reporting.
It is with joy that I also report that the Kuyper Board has appointed Mrs Clarke as Assistant Head of Secondary School for the remainder of the year. This role will support Mr Shadie as the Head of Secondary School, whose job has grown over the years as the School has grown. Mrs Clarke’s focus will be on student welfare in Years 7-12. We congratulate Mrs Clarke on this new appointment and look forward to the additional ways she will support students at Kuyper.
A new term brings new challenges for our community. Last term, here in NSW, we were very thankful that after the COVID-19 lockdown we had managed to avoid an escalation of infection from the pandemic. This side of the holiday break, we can see how easily the situation can change. Our neighbours in Victoria, who arguably were tighter with their initial restrictions than NSW, have lately incurred a greater infection rate which is having far reaching consequences.
I raise this matter as a reminder that we need to be vigilant and deliberate with our actions, taking precautions to care for others in the way we live. As a school, we continue to ask that parents only come to school for essential needs and business and demonstrate physical distancing in and around the school grounds. We miss having our large events and seeing parents in assemblies. Please be patient with this. What a joy it will be when we can be fully reunited.
Speaking of unification, Galatians 3:28 says…
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Being united is also a global issue at present. Much unrest is evident as people struggle to come to agreement and restoration between nations and people groups. Many wrongs have been perpetrated over generations. Hope can only come from the ultimate unifying action that the gospel brings to all people. Signs of disunity are visible in young students too. Teachers and parents know this very well. At Kuyper we seek to foster a restorative approach to conflict. The gospel reminds us that we are all sinful people and that Jesus Christ has made a way for us to be forgiven, to replace hurtful actions with actions of peace, forgiveness and restoration. As Christians we know we are now at peace with God and one in Jesus. A wonderful image is given in the book of Revelation in the Bible, of a day in the future where God will end our current struggles and bring together all His people from every corner of the world for the ultimate unification assembly of those who know Jesus as Saviour.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
Revelation 7:9-10
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
What a great day that will be!
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
Kuyper Pioneers Series #3: The Early Days
Commitment, sacrifice and faithfulness underpin the foundation of Kuyper Christian School. Continue the journey through some of the challenges and joys of the early days in the third of a series of five videos exploring the commencement of our School.
Homework Insights #3
Show them that Homework & Education are Important, by Bill Rusin
If children see that parents care about education and homework, they are more likely to take on that attitude themselves. Here are some ways that you can communicate this:
- Set regular times. Try to ensure that homework is not seen as something that fits around the edge of family life, but that it has a high priority in terms of time. Some children work best in the afternoon whilst others work best after dinner. Sometimes outside activities, such as sport or clubs, need to be dropped so that they do not crowd a child’s life too much. Develop a timetable with your children so that they know what is expected of them. Put the timetable in a high priority position in the house, (e.g. the fridge door), so that both you and your child are aware of the timetable. Setting time guides for completion of work is important. This dissuades children from rushing their work so that they can get to the TV or computer games.
- Have a defined place where homework and assignments are to be completed. This may be in the bedroom, but it can be at the living room table. If they have their own space, decorating it and having their study materials around is helpful. It should also be well lit.
- Remove distractions. TURN OFF THE TV! Even if you are missing something you like to watch, this sends a powerful message to your children. Background music is OK, but loud music is a distraction. It doesn’t matter what the music is, but it must not be loud. Be careful with earphones, as you cannot monitor the volume!
Return & Earn for Vanuatu
Our Return & Earn fundraising for Vanuatu continues. Please deposit your aluminium cans and plastic bottles in the lime coloured recycling box in the sails area, or place them alongside in a labelled bag. All donations need to be clean, whole (not crushed) and eligible for the 10c recycling refund.
Term Dates 2021
Employment at Kuyper Christian School
Applications are invited from Christians of Reformed persuasion who identify with the School ethos and can demonstrate their Christian faith in Jesus as a priority in their life.
Bus Driver
This is a temporary part time position, 5 days per week – split shift. The successful applicant will be responsible for bus driving duties which will include, but not be restricted to, morning and afternoon school bus runs, excursions and sporting activities during school terms, to commence in Term 1, 2022.
Requirements:
- MR driver’s licence
- Working with Children Check
- COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate
Administration Support
This is a temporary part time position, 2 days per week, during school terms, to commence in Term 1, 2022.
Duties:
- Supporting the Administration team
- Administering First Aid
- Managing a busy reception, serving staff, parents, and students
Requirements:
- Working with Children Check
- COVID-19 Vaccination certificate
- First Aid certificate
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills
- Strong organisation skills, and flexibility
- Competent computer skills including MS Office and Google
- Ability to prioritise and work independently
Desirable:
- MYOB
- Edumate
- Adobe
All applicants must complete an application form which can be found on our website https://kuyper.nsw.edu.au/employment/
Applications close 5:00pm Friday 24 December, 2021.
Please send your application, including CV, to Ian Shaw: ishaw@kuyper.nsw.edu.au