Dates to RememberNovemberMonday 27 Report Writing Day (Student Free) Week 8 BMon 27 – Fri 1 Dec Year 9 CampTuesday 28 Orientation Day HeadStart Program BeginsThursday 30 School Dental VisitDecemberFriday 1 Presentation EveningMonday 4 Week 9 A Whole Campus Assembly, Prep – Year 2Tue 5 – Fri 8 Years 5 & 6 CampFriday 8 Year 10 Celebration EventMonday 11 Week 10 B Thank You Morning Tea & Assembly Year 6 Graduation EveningWednesday 13 Last Day for StudentsFriday 15 Last Day for Staff

Thursday 23 November 2017

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Years 3 and 4 students had an awesome time at Camp Coolamatong!

Whole School NewsMission, Values and VisionThe last time I wrote in the newsletter, I shared the mission of Chairo Christian School – to provide excellence in Christ-centred education, in partnership with families, within a caring Christian community.

Knowing, understanding and constantly coming back to this statement allows us as a school to be very clear and intentional about why we exist.

As part of the Board’s strategic planning process, they have also been able to consider and confirm the values of our school. The Oxford Dictionary defines values as ‘principles or standards of behaviour; one’s judgement of what is important in life’.

This definition beautifully sums up how we would want our values to be thought of: as the things we consider important, and would want to be seen and experienced right across our community.

This means we want our values to be more than just words on a page or poster, but to be lived-out qualities that we see and expect in each community member.

The Board has confirmed the following seven values for our community:

• Christ-like character: this speaks to each person in our community being transformed daily through God’s word and Spirit, as both individuals and a community

• Biblical foundations: as a community we are committed to maintaining an uncompromising biblical foundation in all that we think, do and say

• Partnership: we exist to partner with parents as they seek to fulfil their God-given responsibility for the nurture and education of their children

• Relationship: we work at growing relationships that express the love and rule of Christ

• Achievement: we seek to provide an educational environment in which students and staff members are nurtured toward reaching their potential through and for Christ

• Uniqueness: we endeavour to celebrate and respond to the uniqueness of each individual as an image-bearer of God

• Stewardship: we seek to steward well all that God has given us for the cause of Christian education

I trust that these are qualities that you not only value, but also experience and exhibit as a member of Chairo.Simon Matthews, Executive Principal

Significance of Marriage Law Survey ResultsWe now know the result of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, with 61.6% voting Yes and 38.4% voting No to the question: ‘Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?’. In our federal seat of McMillan, the result was almost identical to the national percentages (62.7% and 37.3 %).

Chairo is a member of the AACS (Australian Association of Christian Schools), an advocacy body that works closely with our state and federal politicians. In correspondence since the announcement of the postal vote result, AACS has provided some thoughts about how we as a Christian community might respond to this outcome:

• As members of a pluralist (many views) democracy, we respect this decision of the Australian people

• We celebrate the outstanding measure of participation (nearly 80%) and what has been, in the main, a respectful and peaceful period of difficult debate

• We want to be a voice for respecting the rights of all people (and schools) to freely express their viewpoints and beliefs, within appropriate boundaries that are acceptable to the vast majority of Australians

• We have an opportunity to call upon our political representatives to back legislation that provides adequate protections for freedom of expression and freedom of religion

The federal political parties (and because this is a conscience vote) have agreed that the best way to consider new ‘marriage’ legislation will be via a Private Members Bill. There are two such bills that have been brought forward under the names of two Senators—the Dean Smith Bill, which has been available for some months and, in the past few days, the James Paterson Bill.

The Dean Smith Bill was introduced in the Senate on Wednesday 15 November and will be debated by the parliament over the coming weeks. There has been a public desire by all sides to have new legislation introduced by Christmas.

As a school, we are encouraged to follow the debate, and outcomes of the debate, over the next few weeks. We are also encouraged to contact our federal members and express our support for the rights of Christian schools to freely teach and uphold their religious viewpoints. I will be doing this on behalf of Chairo.

Please do not hesitate to contact Caroline Weatherhead (cweatherhead@chairo.vic.edu.au) if you would like a copy of the letter sent on behalf of our school.Simon Matthews, Executive Principal

From the Senior ChaplainAs we end 2017—the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation—let’s reflect one last time on the wonderful truths that Martin Luther and others re-discovered from the Bible.

We have seen that we are saved by grace alone, and that our salvation comes to us through Christ alone. We have also seen that we find out about God and His salvation ultimately through the Bible alone.

The fourth and final great truth that the Reformers re-discovered is that we are saved by faith alone. ‘Faith’, in the Bible, simply means ‘trusting God’ or ‘relying on God’ to save us, through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When I am explaining ‘faith’ to students, I often take them to John 3:14–15. Jesus says: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Jesus is referring to the account of God’s people in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4–9). God’s people had rejected God and God sent venomous snakes to punish them for their sin. But when the people cried out for mercy, God delivered: The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. (Numbers 21:8–9).

Jesus is comparing Himself to that bronze snake. To save their lives, God’s people in Moses’ time simply had to look at the snake, and live. To save our lives today, all we have to do is look to Jesus, and live.

We look to Jesus to save us. We look to Jesus to deliver us from our sin. We look to Jesus to give us access to God and His powerful, fatherly love.

That’s what faith is: looking to Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)Medon Loupis, Senior Chaplain

Leongatha NewsFrom the PrincipalSchools are inherently busy places, but this feels all the more real as the end of the year approaches. This week, we had Years 3 and 4 students away on camp at Coolamatong. Yesterday, we celebrated National Agricultural Day with a sausage sizzle generously provided by WFI (West Farmers Insurance). Special thanks to Simone Dodge, mum of Campbell, and her team who put it on. In the coming weeks, the Year 9 students will be on camp, as will Years 5 and 6.

On Friday, we farewell our departing Year 10 students who now move onto continuing their studies; the vast majority of them are transferring to the Drouin Campus to undertake VCE or VCAL. It’s fantastic that Christian education is available to students from South Gippsland right up to Year 12! Please join us in praying for our departing Year 10 students, and that the change would be a positive step and a smooth transition.Anthony Collier, Principal

Orientation DayOrientation Day will be held on Tuesday 28 November and run for a full day for students in Years 1 to 10. All students will move up into their 2018 classes for the day. Prep students will come to school from 8.55 am to 12.40 pm.

Great at MathsCongratulations to the following students on their achievement in the Australian Maths Competition:

• Jonathan Bishop (Year 8) – Distinction, Top 13%• Toby Gale (Year 8) – Distinction, Top 8%• Joshua Zheng (Year 8) – Distinction, Top 11%• Natasha Hibma (Year 8) – Credit• Eva Sande (Year 9) – Credit• Megan Gale (Year 5) – Credit• Levi Boucher (Year 6) – Credit• Rebecca Lunn (Year 6) – Credit• Elsie Steenholdt (Year 6) – Credit

Careers at ChairoCurrent Vacancies:Drum Tutor (Pakenham)Learning Support Assistant (Leongatha)Caretaker/Cleaner (Traralgon)chairo.vic.edu.au/careers

WantedIf you have any old gumboots lying around, we would love to take them off your hands (or feet!) They are needed in Term 1 2018 for the Farm World Painting Competition. Trudi Prue, Secondary Art

MissingWaterproof coat with ‘Victoria Rysko’ on the label.

Secondhand Uniform for SaleSize Item Qty Price5M Shorts 2 –6M Shorts 1 –6M Shorts as new 1 $307M Pants belted 1 –12 Shorts belted 1 -14 Shorts belted 1 -14 Track pants 1 –14 Pants belted 2 –16 Shirt s/s 1 –18 Shorts belted 1 –M Sports top 1 –

Community News

Friday 1 december7.30 pm pioneers Hall

You, your family and friends are invited to thank Godfor and celebrate our students’ achievements in 2017.

All students must be dressed in full summer uniform.Students will be seated in classes & supervised by their teachers. Quiet activities for young children will be available in the foyer.

Presentation Evening

Friday 1 december7.30 pm pioneers Hall

You, your family and friends are invited to thank Godfor and celebrate our students’ achievements in 2017.

All students must be dressed in full summer uniform.Students will be seated in classes & supervised by their teachers. Quiet activities for young children will be available in the foyer.

Presentation Evening