Hillcrest News

To our JLC Community,

As we have come to the end of the school year I am, once again, in awe of the culmination of the terms units and learning on display in each of the classrooms. It is always a joy to feel the buzz of excitement as students work together to finalise their work and participate in festive activities.

This is a special time of the year, and it was wonderful to see each class celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Recognising the birth of Jesus and its significance, the importance of togetherness, service and giving amidst all that is going on in the world at the moment.

On Monday of Week 8, the JLC classes including our new Prep students had the opportunity to experience their year levels for 2022. It was wonderful to see the joy, and anticipation of the day and our students excited for what the next year holds. We finished the term with a Celebration Day on Friday, the students loved our combined Gathering and Assembly and planned activities throughout the day. It was a day of togetherness and final farewells as they departed for the year.

It is truly a privilege to be involved in the JLC community. The learning and experiences the students have been part of this year could not have occurred without the constant strength, skills, and devotion of our JLC staff. I just wanted to say well done to an incredible group of educators who nurture and care for the students daily.

I also want to say a big thank you to all our students for their hard work throughout the school year. As final reports go out, it is wonderful to see the growth and dedication each child has applied to their learning this year. Our prayers are with the Year 4s, whom we will miss greatly but are excited to see them flourish as they journey into the MLC.

Lastly, I wanted to thank the parent community for entrusting us with your children this year. Merry Christmas and may God bless you richly throughout this holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

May God’s blessing be yours this Christmas.

Christy Gittins
Head of Junior Learning Community

Year 4 Fossil Visit

Recently some lovely fossil collectors, Mr and Mrs Kronk visited Year 4 and shared their amazing knowledge of fossils even showing some of their extensive collection which included large limbs off a woolly mammoth, dinosaur teeth and skulls of different creatures. In Term 4, Year 4 has been studying geology, fossils and Noah’s flood to not only understand natural geologic processes but also gain an understanding of how Biblical events synchronise very well with the evidence of the current geological world. The students should be able to compare understandings of both a Biblical and evolutionary worldview in order to understand more of this amazing and possibly even young world in an age appropriate manner. Mr and Mrs Kronk were able to provide insights from a Biblical and archaeological point of view and some amazing facts were learned, for example, it is not just meat eaters that have razor sharp teeth, the giant panda has been designed beautifully with razor sharp teeth perfect for eating bamboo. God’s design is evident in the large and small of life.

JLC Buddy Program

On Thursday 18^th October, nine excited MLC students arrived at the Castle, ready to meet their JLC buddies! It was wonderful to watch them get to know each other over fun games and creative activities. Having enjoyed an engaging, interactive training session the week before, it was exciting to watch our MLC Buddies put their mentoring skills into action.

The aim of our Buddy program is to provide peer support, encouragement and positive role modelling for some of our youngest students, while simultaneously developing compassionate leadership skills in the older ones. The buddies will spend time together at a regular time each week, supervised by our JLC Chaplain. We look forward to seeing these new friendships grow, as they provide another significant personal connection between our school communities.

‘Black Belt’ Musicians (Yr 4 Recorder)

This year, students in Year 4 have been learning the recorder in Music. The recorder is one of the most accessible ways for JLC students to learn to read music. It is an excellent way to introduce them to playing a musical instrument in a group situation and provides the opportunity for students to express the elements of beat, rhythm and pitch in a practical way. The recorder program at Hillcrest is based on earning coloured belts – like in Karate. Students have been practising throughout the year, and have been earning belts as they pass each level. This has been very challenging for the students as they have had to play with accurate beat and rhythm, while also using correct technique and fingering. It has been amazing to see the musical development in the students as they have participated in this program during 2021. A special congratulations to the students who have achieved their ‘Black Belt’ in recorder this year: Maxim Chistyakov, Vincent Potts, Anna Hook, Chloe Hook, Avery Rackemann, Nia Rush and Audrey Schuurs. Well done!!

P-2 Christmas Concert

Flare I-Time

Flare i-Time students were recently involved in Design Centred Learning that focussed on recycling. Will Ireland, in 3/4 Lumos was an inspiration with his student-led recycling initiative program which he presented to Flare students. SECRET Skills were used as students researched, collected, created, recorded and shared their findings. Some of the inventions were: toys, games, car tracks, waterproof hats and more.

Flare Maths Games Competition

This year, Year 4-6 FLARE Maths and Lumos students participated in the Maths Games, developed by the APSMO Team (Australian Primary School Mathematical Olympiads). Students practised for the competition by using George Polya’s problem solving model: SEE PLAN DO CHECK. This links with the SECRET Skills of Exploring a Question and Evaluating Evidence (SEE), Plan-Do-Review (PLAN), Find Solutions and Go for it, Finish it (DO) and Reach Conclusions (CHECK). In recognition of their participation, students were awarded certificates and our top students received trophies and pins. All Prep-Year 3 FLARE Maths students were introduced to George Polya and engaged in solving problems using this method.

Years 3-6 Christmas Card Competition

Each year all southern Gold Coast students from Years 3-6 are invited to participate in a special Christmas Card Drawing Competition. Winners could have their artwork featured on the official Christmas Card of Karen Andrews MP. This year’s theme was “Christmas on the Gold Coast.”

Karen Andrews came to Hillcrest in Week 6 of Term 4, to personally present students with their awards. Well done to all students who entered the competition.

Channel 9 Films Year 4 Christmas Choir

Channel 9 news filmed our Year 4 and 3/4 Lumos classes as part of their build up to Christmas. Students were very excited to sing although by the third take some were glad to finish singing. Thank you to Nerida and our teachers for their support. While we have requested an airing schedule please watch Channel 9 Gold Coast News for your chance to hear our students sing.

Year 3-4 Awards Ceremony

Congratulations to our Years 3-4 award recipients from this year’s Awards Ceremony. This time of celebration acknowledges the hard work from students throughout the year. Awards were given for academic achievement and effort. This year, a new award, the College Shield Award, was presented to a Year 3 and Year 4 student who embodies the College values and aspirations. It was also a time to honour the Year 4 students as they transition to the Middle Learning Community in 2022.

Year 6 Half Point Dinner

The end of Term 2 was the halfway point of the Year 6’s academic journey; 6 ½ years down, 6 ½ years to go. Unfortunately, the organised dinner had to be postponed and replanned for Term 4 due to COVID restrictions. The students were looking handsome and beautiful as they stepped out of their cars, often into the excited embrace of their equally excited friends.

The dinner was quite unique with the students able to choose a range of 15 meals from three food trucks, festival style. The fried chicken burger with fries was a hit with both students and staff. Mr Suter and Mr Rackemann presented what life was like for students 6 ½ years ago and compared it to what life might be like in 6 ½ years and beyond. After the meals had settled a little, the dancing began. Best on the dance floor was a close call with Mr Hager eventually taking the title, for the second year in a row.

It was a special evening for the students who truly deserved a night to celebrate and remember. Congratulations Year 6 for making it halfway there.

Paper Recycling at Hillcrest

This semester, our 5/6 Sustainability Club has been researching school waste and strategies to improve sustainability across the College.

Madelyn Berkowitz, Isla Jaques and Poppy James launched their “Paper Recycling Bins” across the College last week. We now have yellow bins located at every major photocopier in the college and they will be emptied by the club in our new Gold Coast City Council Paper skip bin.

The Sustainability Club were extremely excited to get this initiative off the ground and look forward to can/bottle recycling and energy saving initiatives in 2022.

Year 5 Board Games

Year 5 has designed and created board games demonstrating their HASS knowledge about the Gold Rush this semester. They used the Makers Empire program to design their tokens and dice for their board games and then printed them on 3D printers. The Year 4 students were invited to come and test out the board games. A fun afternoon was had by all.

Makers Empire

Last week 10 Year 5 students represented Hillcrest at the Makers Empire Queensland showcase. The students answered questions about their projects and had the opportunity to see other schools’ designs too. They also learned more about the exciting future of manufacturing. Hillcrest was selected as the showcase winners. We are so proud of all the students!

MLC Awards Assembly

Our final two MLC assemblies of the year have been filled with celebration as we recognise and celebrate the achievements of students in both their co-curricular and curricular activities.

Co-curricular Awards

In the co-curricular awards assembly, we recognised students who received commendation awards and colour awards for their commitment and success in their co-curricular activities. Commendation awards recognise students who show leadership, commitment or diligence in improving themselves and their team members. Colour badge awards, including Junior Colours, Half Colours and Full Colours, are awarded respectively to students who won a College-organised inter school sport or local activity, who came second in a College-organised inter school sport or local activity and who are involved in activity at an exemplary level, such as a state championship.

Domain Awards

In Week 8’s Domain Awards assembly, students were recognised for their effort and their achievements in the IQ (Intellectual domain), GQ (Global domain), EQ (Emotional domain) and SQ (Spiritual domain).

The IQ (Exemplary Effort) Award celebrates students who have received exemplary effort ratings on their Term 3 and 4 reports across at least 80% of the subjects studied. The IQ (Academic Excellence) Award recognises the top students in each year level who have received the highest number of A grades on their Term 3 and 4 reports.

The GQ Award recognises students in each year level who demonstrate the SECRET Skills, positive engagement with DCL tasks and innovative thinking when solving problems.

The EQ Award celebrates students who build positive relationships with others, support the wellbeing of others and exceed community expectations.

The SQ Award recipients highlights students who exemplify Hillcrest’s mission and values through their Christ-like characteristics, servant-hearted actions that put others first and leadership within the MLC.

Congratulations to all the award recipients for their phenomenal achievements and contributions to the MLC community this year!

Years 3-6 Christmas Card Competition

Each year all southern Gold Coast students from Years 3-6 are invited to participate in a special Christmas Card Drawing Competition. Winners could have their artwork featured on the official Christmas Card of Karen Andrews MP. This year’s theme was “Christmas on the Gold Coast.”

Karen Andrews came to Hillcrest in Week 6 of Term 4, to personally present students with their awards. Well done to all students who entered the competition.

Write a Book in a Day Triumph

In 2021 Hillcrest ran two Write a book in a day sessions, with over 100 students participating in writing an illustrated children’s book over the course of 12 hours. In conjunction with this, the teams raised almost $5000 for the Kids Cancer Project. One of our books was shortlisted for the overall awards and the Jade Jaguars team were awarded Highly Commended in the Upper School category for Queensland. This means they were awarded runners up for the senior division in Queensland. A tremendous achievement by this team. Please congratulate the following students as they received their certificates from Mr Day:

• Samara Ballinger
• Kassia Nathan
• Brienita Murphy-King
• Emily Schwabe
• Zoe Henderson
• Jasmine Scott

Year 12 Graduation

In Week 7, the Year 12 Class of 2021 came to school as students for the last time. After a big year filled with hard work, achievements, celebrations and triumphs, they came to school with their parents and loved ones to close this significant chapter of life, and equipped to step into the next.

They started the morning with the Valedictorian breakfast with speeches from students, staff, the class nominated parent, Brian Johns, and Valedictorian, Jack Roper. This was followed by the Graduation Ceremony where the whole SLC attended to share in this celebration. Year 12s finished with the traditional guard of honour created by Prep to Year 11 students that winds around the school, symbolising their journey from Prep through to Year 12. Congratulations to our Class of 2021 and thank you for sharing your time with us, your learning, but most notably each of your own special personalities which make up the Class of 2021.

Year 12 International Students Farewell

The SLC International Student End of Year Dinner is a Hillcrest tradition where we bid farewell to all our international students leaving the College: some graduating, some returning home to finish high school, and some completing their Year 12 at a university Foundation Program here in Australia. It’s also a time we welcome Year 8 international students to the SLC. As requested by the students, several of our staff members were also invited including the Heads of Houses, Year 12 Life Group teachers, and a select few, student-picked teachers who have impacted the students during their time at Hillcrest. During the night, Year 12s  shared their plans for life after Hillcrest and we also heard from a HCC international alumnus who’s studying Sports Science at the University of Queensland. But the most precious moment of the evening was when the students read Scripture out loud to all the guests, first in English and then in their native tongue. Ricky Cai, Year 9 read in English, Alex Zhou Year 12 (2021 International Captain) read in Chinese, Leia Chang Year 11 (2022 International Captain) read in Korean, and Nene Oya Year 11 read in Japanese. They all read the following in their given language:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10

Year 12 Originals Gathering

Each year Hillcrest acknowledges our Hillcrest Originals; students who have completed their entire schooling journey at Hillcrest. An Originals Gathering is held where students reflect on their journey throughout their schooling with guest appearances from old favourite teachers from their younger years, followed by receiving gifts presented to them from current Prep students. See below video of this special Gathering.

The Hub – Update

As the year comes to an end, The Hub would like to thank you for your support throughout 2021. We truly consider it an honour to serve and provide the Hillcrest community food each week. We particularly want to thank you for being so flexible and adapting in our temporary space.

We’re excited for 2022 as we will be rolling out a brand new menu and commencing our renovations within The Hub. Our new menu will have a variety of fresh, healthy, and nutritious options including specific dietary requirements for gluten free, dairy free and vegan to ensure there’s something for everyone.

The students have been providing us with fresh produce from their very own maintained garden. Their herbs and tomatoes have been a great addition to our weekly salads. We will continue to use their fresh produce next year and incorporate it into our menu planning.

Have a wonderful Christmas and we look forward to raising the benchmark for food quality across the entire College in 2022.