Where the Gold Coin Donations Go

It is so easy to send a child off to school with a gold coin donation for one cause or another without really thinking about the incredible cumulative impact of everyone doing this. Whilst $1 or $2 on its own may not seem significant, when added together it has the capacity to make a sizeable donation that any one individual family likely would never be able to do.

The money from Harmony Week combined to a total over $1,000. In a first, we made the decision to take this money and go shopping for donations for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, rather than simply transferring the money online. Three of our Social Justice Captains from Junior and Senior School, as well as one of our Year 11 students, spent time after school at Cranbourne Park shopping for specials and finding items that will be useful and appreciated by the refugees and asylum seekers who use this service. A big thanks to Lokavya, Bella, Sahej and Khloe for the compassionate and thoughtful way they went about the task of buying the donations.

On 2 June we are going to Dandenong to deliver them personally, which we are really looking forward to.

Grateful thanks to all families who contributed to this appeal, including Bazil’s Catering who supported it with their wonderful Harmony Week lunches.

An Artwork for our Whole School Community

Late last term our beautiful whole school ‘Wominjeka’ artwork was created. For those who have been at the front of the school lately you would have seen the plain white wall transformed into a colourful expression of welcome.

For those who are not familiar with this word, it is in Woiwurrung language and means, not only ‘welcome’ but asks those coming to the place to consider their purpose as well. The central birds are representations of the creator spirits for the Bunurong people, Bunjil, the Eagle and Waa, the crow. Within both are the house colours and around the outside are the school colours of red and blue. The blue also represents the water, nature and connection to country. The symbol is one representing strength of all kinds, something we hope our students will display. Around the outside are leaves growing, like our students.

We hope you enjoy seeing it as you go past.

Sharing Peace and Stillness in a Busy City

The Year 9s recently went on their city experience, finishing off with a Chapel service at Collins Street Baptist Church. This beautiful historic church was built in the 1860s, and for many students it was their first time in a Christian church. We took the opportunity to reflect on the week and pray for the city and the people in it, as well as lighting a candle for ourselves and others.

We shared the powerful verse from the Old Testament book, Amos. In it he writes, ‘let justice flow like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.’ May our city one day be a place where this verse is true for all.

Every blessing in the weeks ahead.

Monique Riviere-Pendle
Chaplain