TERM ONE WEEK NINE

www.acc.qld.edu.au ph 07 4725 2082 enquiries@acc.qld.edu.au

Today the SRC wanted to encourage everyone by writing scripture verses all over the ramp in

G-Block.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19.

We are praying that you and your family stay safe during this time of uncertainty.

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from the principal Welcome to Week 9 of 2020. It certainly has been a week like no other. Despite

the rapid changes, we believe that this is a time for us all to draw closer to Jesus

and to become more deeply connected to Him and each other. We recognise

that many in our community find themselves with a great deal of uncertainty

and we want you to know that we are working overtime to ensure that

‘Learning from Home’ will work well and that your children will have lots of work to do.

I’d like to sincerely thank all my staff who have worked very hard these past few weeks

preparing this work and for their efforts for next week’s Student Free Week. I would also like to

thank our staff who have been cleaning throughout the day and night to ensure that we are as

safe as we can be from this infection. For the many people praying for our school leadership

team and their families I would also like to acknowledge you and say thanks. Throughout the

recent weeks our staff have been calm and supportive under the pressure – we are truly blessed

here.

Our students have been wonderful at washing hands and maintaining good hygiene practices.

It was hard at first but I see more of this happening as usual practice throughout the day. I thank

everyone involved in reminding their children to wash their hands regularly. We are very

appreciative of those who also responded to the eform to let us know which people in the

essential services sectors needed their children supervised next week. Suitable care will be

provided to these children as well as ensuring staff are given time to prepare for term 2 and our

“Learning from Home’ Program.

It certainly is an exciting time to see the creativity, ingenuity and lateral thinking of our staff in

these trying times. I hope that this time of rest will give you the opportunity reconnect with your

families and friends (by computer or telephone). Please continue to pray for our Year 12s. We

are working very hard to help them with their final year of secondary schooling.

‘1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will

say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”’ (Psalms 91: 1-2

(NIV))

May the God of hope and love bless and protect you all. Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Shalom,

Andrew Jones

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From the Head of Primary Term One has been a completely unique term like no other we have ever experienced, and

one that has had an ongoing stream of changes and updates, as circumstances change,

locally and globally. It is reassuring in these times of rapid change and heightened levels of

uncertainty, to remember that our Lord and Saviour promises us that He is the same

yesterday, today and forever, and that He will never leave us nor forsake us – Hebrews 13:8

Many of the learning packs have gone home with students this afternoon or have been

collected from classrooms by parents and caregivers. If your child was away today and you were not able

to collect the learning pack this afternoon, they will be available from the Main Office from Monday. If you

now have your child’s learning pack, but are an essential worker, and bringing your child to school next

week, the pack will need to come back to school so that your child can use it at school.

Next week, Primary staff will be working collaboratively all week at school to ensure that our online learning

platform (CANVAS) continues to be developed in order to be utilised for student learning in Term Two.

CANVAS is an interactive online learning management system with a wide variety of usages to complement

and assist students’ learning both, remotely and on campus.

Essential workers’ children will be supervised next week at school so that our essential workers can continue

their important work for the community. If you are and essential worker needing your child to be at school

next week, and have informed the school that your child will be in attendance, but then change your mind,

please let the school know via the following email address: lateabsent@acc.qld.edu.au

Our Year 6 Canberra Camp, information from last week has not changed and is included again below.

Whilst our Canberra Camp is not until 9th August, which is some way off in terms of time, it is still only a short

time frame, given the gravity of the current pandemic situation. We are currently in contact with relevant

companies involved in the Canberra Camp, to make a more informed analysis of available options, with a

more detailed understanding available early next term. Regarding monies paid thus far by parents, it is only

the deposit of $190 that has been paid already to third parties. Any subsequent money paid by parents is

held by the College and not required by the third party companies until the end of June. A decision

regarding the viability of our 2020 Canberra Tour will be made well in advance of that date, and monies

paid over and above the $190 would be refunded should the Tour be cancelled. The College is currently

investigating the possibility of a refund of all, or some of the $190 deposit should the Tour be cancelled.

Annandale Chess Club was on hold last week and this week for both lunch times and after school to help

provide a little more social distancing in school over this

time, and also to allow us time to sanitize our chess

pieces and chess boards. I would like to remind parents

of the chesskid.com app that has been advertised in the

newsletter previously, and which many of our students

currently use. As well as being an excellent means of

learning chess interactively, it could also be a useful

addition to worthwhile learning activities for temporarily

learning from home.

Social distancing, and the different forms that it might

take, have been a constant reminder of late in the

media. Below is a link to a 2 minute video clip which

your younger children and you might enjoy. Holding

your control button on your keyboard and clicking your

mouse will open the clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA_SsZFYw0w

There will be undoubtedly be ongoing updates from our

political leaders with guidance for us as a nation, state

and our city. College staff will also update our school

community accordingly to help us all be informed to

ensure that we have a continuity of learning for our

students during this current time of upheaval. Thank you

for your prayers and your commitment to the

Annandale Christian College community.

Rod Lane

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From the Head of Secondary After what’s been quite a tumultuous week, it was such a blessing to come to school this

morning to find members of our Student Representative Council writing on the G-block

pathways encouraging messages of God’s protection and promises to His people. I

have been encouraged by how well our students are coping amidst the turmoil around

them- praying together, looking out for one another and getting on with the job of

learning when underneath it all they must surely have anxieties like we all do. I am of

course concerned about COVID19. But just turning 51 this week , I’m not in the high risk group just yet. So

I’m glad I have a job to go to today when millions don’t, and that I can do my ‘bit’ to allow so many

health workers (especially at our school) to keep going to work and care for those who need it. The time

may come where we do have to work from home, but until then I’ll do what I can to help as many as I

can through this difficult time.

Assessment relief for Senior Students

Yesterday, schools received notification from the QCAA about measures they will be taking in response

the disruption to teaching and learning caused from the COVID 19 pandemic. They have decided to

remove one internal assessment from the total of four prescribed in each syllabus. This will provide some

relief for students as they contend with uncertainty and disruption while working towards their

Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) in 2020. It will also support teachers to manage reduced

classroom time. In the next few weeks, the QCAA will provide schools with direction on how they should

adjust what is taught and the nature and timing of other assessments. There will be some flexibility to

accommodate the specific needs of subjects — both General and Applied — but across-the-board

adjustment is necessary to ensure the assessment experience is as equitable as it can be for all

students. Students can be assured that they will still receive fair subject results based on fewer than the

four assessments mandated in syllabuses. Our Heads of Department, in consultation with teachers of

senior subjects will be reviewing due dates and arrangements in response to this advice and will

communicate with parents and students in due course.

Preparing for Online Learning

Even before the announcement of the Students Free Days next week, our Secondary teachers had

already started planning activities on the online CANVAS Learning Management System (LMS). This has

included some impromptu trails of the Webinar/Conferencing features of CANVAS with Mrs Broadley

and Mrs Quayle running web conferences with their senior classes whilst they were confined to home. It

has proven to be quite successful already.

As you would be aware, we have also an online test in CANVAS for students to complete at home so

that we can ensure that every secondary student has access to online learning at home. Computer

Works have made us aware that they have a few good quality second hand computers (ex education

– Dell desktops with 20” monitors, I5, 8gb ram, 500gb HD, Win10) for sale (with 1 year warranty) which

families are welcome to take advantage of - an inexpensive IT solution for $300inc. If you are interested

in accessing one of these computers please contact the Secondary Office.

If your child is having difficulty accessing Canvas at home please email twelsby@acc.qld.edu.au or

contact the IT Department for assistance by calling 47252082 in office hours.

Progress Reports

Term 1 Progress Reports are due to be mailed and emailed to families on Friday 3rd April. These reports

are not comprehensive reports on student achievement which we issue each semester. Rather, they

are designed to give general feedback about your child’s academic progress so far and to alert you of

any concerns early on so that necessary steps can be made. It also provides information about your

child’s effort, attitude and behaviour in class. Although parent-teacher interviews have been cancelled

next term due to COVID 19 concerns, if a teacher ticks ‘requested’ for an interview, arrangements for a

phone interview can be made. To schedule a phone meeting with a teacher, please email them first to

arrange a mutually suitable time.

Mal Schneider

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Chappy Corner

A Thought to Ponder … As we all begin to put into place the restrictions we need to apply because

of Corona Virus I just wanted to remind us all that …

Encouraging each other is not cancelled.

Conversations together are not cancelled.

Singing is not cancelled.

Relaxing is not cancelled.

Reading is not cancelled.

Kindness is not cancelled.

Wisdom is not cancelled.

Love is not cancelled.

Self-Care is not cancelled.

Forgiveness is not cancelled.

Respect is not cancelled.

Truth is not cancelled.

Listening to truth rather than letting ourselves be overwhelmed by negative, and often

completely untrue, social media is important because this can lead to thoughts and anxieties

about things we can’t control. Anxiety happens when we think we need to figure everything

out but bravery is showing up for each other and caring for each other. This all takes

discernment and wisdom.

Let’s remember again that God has promised wisdom to those who seek Him. This situation is

not a surprise to Him, He will give us what we need as we walk through this health crisis. He

never leaves us or forsakes us and He alone can breathe life and hope into the worst of

situations.

There is a long way to go, but maybe as we go through this difficult time we could be looking

for those little ‘divine appointments’. Situations where we can be His hands and feet by

showing grace, speaking hope and acting with love and kindness within our own spheres of

influence each and every day.

We may come out the other end of this crisis very different, we will have been through

something we’ve never experienced before, but may we not come out bitter and selfish, but

better people. The truth is that this too shall pass in time.

From the Chappy Office

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The start of this year has been so much fun in M1.

We began the year with the unit called God

made me special where the students learnt and

discovered how God had made each of us

unique. We looked at what gifts Gods has given

us and how we can use our gifts to bless others.

We also interviewed our peers to find out about

their strengths.

Our next unit was called Spot the Difference

where we learnt about changes that occur

all around us. In Science, children predicted

and observed how certain materials change

when heated or cooled, making informed

predictions and comparisons. We looked at

an icepack, spaghetti, chocolate, popcorn

and

bread.

We got

to melt chocolate, cook popcorn and make spaghetti

towers as well as spaghetti art. In English, students read

texts and discussed how characters and events

developed and

changed. We

looked at how

authors use words

and text to show

how a character

has changed from

the beginning of a

story to the end. In

History we looked

at the similarities and difference of life in the past

compared to now.

We look forward to continuing on into the year and

discovering more! Please uphold us in your prayers.

M1 FUN!

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https://www.acc.qld.edu.au/enrolment/initial-inquiry-

form/

Name: Andrew Jones

Role: Principal

When did you start at the College? 26 July 2015

What do you think makes ACC a great place to work? Teaching the whole person from a

Christian worldview. I also love the atmosphere and the staff.

What is God doing in your life right now? Challenging me in every aspect of my life – he’s shak-

ing me out the things that I know!

Where were you born? Goroka, Papua New Guinea

What would we find you doing on the weekend to relax? 60km Bicycle Ride

What is your secret talent/skill/ability that not too many people know about? I can smell the

scent of a flower or a cigarette from over 100 metres away. Sunshine makes me sneeze!

What is your ‘Deep Hope’/ goals /dreams for 2020? Allowing God to use me beyond whatever I

could imagine possible and to build on the work of the Pioneers.

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G’Day schools,

At the request of a number of parents and teachers and in light of the upcoming school

holidays, lockdowns and social distancing I have something to help to keep budding, young,

creative writers busy for a little while at least.

Easter Writing Club for kids includes an exclusive story writing competition as well as 6 brand

new creative writing challenges.

There will also be an opportunity to join live Q&A sessions where I will be answering questions

sent to me by participants, about creative writing and being an author.

For more information about Easter Writing Club, click HERE

The discount code for our students is ACC

When people enter the code during checkout it will automatically include the discount.

For the Creative Writing Master Class, the discount reduces the program from $97 to

$47. That’s more than a 50% discount.

For The Easter Writing Club the discount reduces the program from $24.95 to $14.95.

I am also developing a number of other engaging, online, creative writing activities that I will

launch in coming days through www.juniorwritersclub.com.au .

Kind Regards!

Ian McIntosh

0402 907 333

EASTER WRITING CLUB

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PRAYER POINTS

Thanksgiving for our amazing staff who have stepped up and

exceeded all expectations in the last few weeks.

Prayer for wisdom and discernment for our country’s leaders. Give

them strength to sustain them through this time.

Prayer for our College leaders, that they would continue to find

peace in the knowledge of God’s presence and for guidance in

decision making.

Pray for our students and their families – for protection from illness,

guard them from fear and give them peace.

Prayer for the Student Free week – that the teachers would be able to

complete the tasks required so that they can have peace of mind

and much needed rest in the holidays.

The best place for you to get the latest information from the federal

government about the virus and how you should respond as a school is best

found on the Department of Education and Training website

https://www.dese.gov.au/news/coronavirus-covid-19?12=