Chinchilla Christian School Annual Report
2011 School Year
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Please call and speak to the Principal, Mr. Dennis Lockhart if there is anything at all in this report you wish to discuss further or email me direct at principal@chinchillacs.qld.edu.au.
GOVERNANCE and STRUCTURE
The School is a member of Christian Education National – CEN www.cen.edu.au , an organization of over 80 schools in Australia and Independent Schools Queensland – ISQ www.aisq.qld.edu.au
A School Association made up of Christian Parents and other Christians from the community own and run the school. From the Association, a Board is elected to carry out the duties of running the school.
The Principal works under the authority of the Board and is responsible to the Board for the implementation of policy and the management of the School.
Staff of the School is firstly responsible to the Principal.
OUR VISION
"Our vision is to grow, educate and inspire students to be the light of the world, giving glory to our Father in heaven."
MISSION STATEMENT
"To shine as a vital caring community, providing quality Christ-centred education, nurturing students towards a life of discipleship and service."
SHARED VALUES
To the glory of God and in total dependence on Him we value …..
The Lordship of Christ over all creation and the responsibility we have to take care of it.
The God-ordained role of parents in the raising of their children.
A school community where parents, students, staff and association members empower and support one another in their roles.
Prayerfulness and effective communication.
Teaching of quality programs that enable students to achieve their God-given potential.
Enabling the staff to teach from Biblical perspectives.
The uniqueness of each student.
Equipping students to become like Christ; to act in service to others and share God's life and hope in the world.
Faithfulness and excellence in everything.
MISSION
Our mission is to ensure that Chinchilla Christian School is a magnificent learning and teaching community:
providing quality, Christ centred education;
bringing out the best in our children;
maintaining and strengthening Christian beliefs as a basis for all action;
encouraging and enabling students to shine in their local community; and
growing from the bottom up at a rate of up to 22 students per year to a total of up to 130 students by 2011.
CORE OBJECTIVES
GOVERNANCE
Strengthen the association and its membership and ensure effective, transparent biblical principles and accountability in all aspects of governance and operation.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Develop and sustain high quality learning and education from a Christ-centred perspective through curriculum, staff development and suitable facilities.
STUDENT WELFARE
Enrol, induct and assess students; seek to meet their individual and communal learning needs and provide a safe, healthy and effective learning community.
PEOPLE RESOURCES
Provide a biblically based work environment in which employees, parents, students and others in the school community love, support and care for each other and make an optimal contribution.
PARENTS IN PARTNERSHIP
Maintain among everyone in the school community a passion for and commitment to the special place of parents in the nurture and education of children.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Increase awareness and availability of Christian education throughout the region as 'salt and light', operating a warm and welcoming school community; represent the school to government, other agencies and organisations and the wider community.
FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Maintain an infrastructure base to ensure the necessary facilities to enable the school community to pursue the association's purpose and mission.
BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Ensure provision, sustainability and responsible management of the association's finances and other resources across all association and school activities.
School Culture
Staff Development:
Priorities for this year included: daily devotional times for staff to pray for the school and its students; in-service training in association with the CEN, ISQ and the State Government Education Department; continued development of the Preparatory Year; upgrading of Senior First Aid certification for staff as required and annual CPR training for all staff.
Parental Involvement:
Staff at Chinchilla Christian School, see the school as an extension of the Christian home and therefore welcome parents into the classroom and playground and value this involvement of parents in their children's learning. As well as this, parents are involved in many other aspects of the school including the Parents and Friends Association which organizes fundraising events and other social activities for school families; organized working bees; various school outings and activities; assisting with reading groups; and tuck-shop.
DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION
School Focus
We endeavour to make the classroom an extension of the Christian home. Existing high values and morals that are upheld at home are reinforced. The school works at helping parents to fulfil their God-given responsibility in educating their children. This provides an opportunity for maximum learning through a secure and stable classroom environment.
Curriculum – Playgroup to Year 7
The curriculum used at Chinchilla Christian School has been carefully selected and adopted from other like-minded Christian Schools. It is a quality curriculum that has its foundations in Scripture and thoroughly equips the children for all future educational experiences, wherever they study.
Staff
Staff at Chinchilla Christian School is carefully chosen by the Board of Directors, in the light of the following criteria:
Christian faith in practice
Professional competence as a teacher
Ability to communicate with parents and staff
Registered to teach in Queensland
This ensures commitment and stability within the school. The Board of Chinchilla Christian School works toward an open and honest relationship with staff. The staff are supported and encouraged in a positive way to ensure that the overall running of the school is carried out smoothly.
CCS Philosophy & Aims
Philosophy:
The foundations of an organisation set the direction in which it goes. This may grow, develop and even change as time goes on but the basics of the foundation remains with that organisation and continues to guide the overall direction of it. Chinchilla Christian School was founded in 1983 by Christian parents, for Christian families, sharing a common desire to have their children educated from a Christian view, supporting the Christian beliefs taught in the home, in a biblical manner, based totally on the Word of God.
Chinchilla Christian School exists so that children can be taught from a Christian World view, for children to excel in education and life skills and to develop and maintain strong foundations that will sustain them through all life's journeys and its challenges. Our desire is to nurture and develop children in their spiritual heritage and academic abilities which are based on an acceptance of the Lordship of Christ and an acceptance of the Bible as the revealed Word of God. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Aims:
These aims are set within the framework of the principles and beliefs outlined in the Memorandum of Association and the Confession of Faith. The aims are primarily philosophical in nature and provide the broad aims upon which specific educational goals may be implemented. Their purpose is to give direction to all the activities of the school. The aims have been organised into three main areas, reflecting the school's mission statement: "To shine as a vital, caring community, providing quality Christ-centred education, nurturing students towards a life of discipleship and service."
These aims support the Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century, which are also grouped into three main areas.
In relation to fully developing the talents and capacities of all students (nurturing students towards a life of discipleship and service):
To assist the children in their growth to Christian maturity (1.3) *
To encourage the students to love God with their whole hearts, minds, souls and strength
To enable students to think from Biblical presuppositions (1.3)
SCHOOL SECTOR: CCS is Independent
SCHOOL'S ADDRESS:
PO Box 242 CHINCHILLA QLD 4413
88 Oak Street, Chinchilla 4413
Phone (07) 4668 9777
Fax (07) 4668 9770
Mob: 042 7 746 042
www.chinchillacs.qld.edu.au
Email: admin@chinchillacs.qld.edu.au
ENROLMENTS TO THE END OF 2006 28 children
ENROLMENTS TO THE END OF 2007 47 children
ENROLMENTS TO THE END OF 2008 85 children
ENROLMENTS TO THE END OF 2009 97 children
ENROLMENTS TO THE END of 2010 133 CHILDREN
ENROLMENTS TO THE END of 2011 144 CHILDREN
ENROLMENTS NOW (16/4/2012) 160 children
EXPECTED TO THE END OF 2013 195 children
EXPECTED TO THE END OF 2014 213 children
YEAR LEVELS OFFERED – the 144 children above (in the 2011 year) are from Prep to Year Seven. As mentioned we also run on the same campus a Playgroup for parents with younger children – approximately 20 to 25 attend each Thursday morning. Once these children reach four years of age they are invited to be enrolled into Pre-Prep where we provide a safe and structured learning environment until they are old enough to enrol in primary school. There are 34 children currently attending our Pre-Prep.
CO-EDUCATIONAL OR SINGLE SEX – CCS is a co-educational school.
DISTINTIVE CURRICULUM OFFERINGS – Here at CCS we strongly support the ideal that 'everyone has a right to a fair go'. All children no matter what challenges they might face are wholly integrated into mainstream classrooms. We offer all the usual KLA's, all with a Biblical Christian Worldview. Below are outlined more distinctive curriculum options available:
MUSIC
Music is a major focus at CCS and we utilise the gifting of our students and staff by showcasing them at various performances throughout the year, these include several visits to the different aged care facilities in our local area; local eisteddfods; school functions and events.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
Students at CCS are involved in the various levels of Athletics in our region. For the first time, Chinchilla Christian School held its own Athletics Carnival. From there successful athletes can then go on to participate at a District Carnival, the Regional Carnival and then if good enough State and National competitions. The local schools combine to enable a District Soccer and Rugby League competition. Swimming is our major summer sports activity with our main focus being to have all Prep to Year Three children water confident.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT:
God has given parents authority over their children to guide and direct them in the way of righteousness. While parents may invite others (e.g. teachers) to share with them in the nurture of their children, the foremost responsibility and privilege for this nurture always remains with the parents who determine the character and spiritual direction of their children. He calls on children to love, honour, and respect and obey their parents in the Lord.
CCS has a very active Parents & Friends Association with their own executive who meets monthly to oversee the effective running of our School Tuckshop and various fund-raising activities held throughout the year.
Parents are essential to the overall operation and success of many areas of the day-to-day operation of the schools educational programme. They are actively involved in the daily delivery of the Early Years Perceptual Motor Programme; the different sports electives, especially swimming; classroom rosters for reading and other general assistance, in art etc.
STAFFING INFORMATION:
Qualifications of all teachers.
Principal - Dennis Lockhart B.Ed. Primary.
Elisabeth Kirby B.Ed. Primary.
Helen Drew B.Ed. Early Childhood
Linda Weyer B.Ed. Primary
Andrea Hockaday B.Ed. Primary (part of the year)
Matthew Stoner B.Ed. Primary
Matthew Owen B.Ed. Primary
Cheryl Barnes B.Ed. Primary (part of the year)
Natasha Brooymans B.Ed. Primary (part of the year)
Karen Haak/Schoff B.Ed. Primary – Learning Support Teacher (part-time)
Kathy Hubbard B.Ed Early Childhood – Kindergarten Teacher (part of the year)
Roslyn Heywood M. Early Childhood – Kindergarten Teacher (part of the year)
Ancillary Staff:
Kaye Lockhart School Administration
Sara Ussher Accounts
Sue O'Donnell Administrative Assistant (Part Year)
Ann Mitchell Special Needs Aide
Cheryl Hart Teacher Aide – Primary
Vanessa Druce Teacher Aide - Primary
Brianna Welsby Teacher Aide - Primary
Sandra Bruggermann Kindergarten - Teacher Aide.
Shaun Mitchell Cleaner/Grounds & Maintenance
Terrie Ruby - Grounds & Maintenance
Professional Development
CCS teachers and staff members participated in a variety of Professional Development activities to further develop and enhance their various gifts and talents, these included:
| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY | STAFF PARTICIPATION | |
| Seven Steps to Writing | 2 | |
| NAPLAN Teaching & Assessing Writing Course | 1 | |
| EDUSS Interwrite & Easiteach Next Generation Workshop | 9 | |
| CPR & Senior First Aid | 9 | |
| Barbara Brann - PMP | 9 | |
| LEM Phonics Training | 9 | |
| Return to Teaching Course | 1 | |
| "Teachers as Brain Surgeons" | 1 | |
| ASA - Autisim | 1 | |
| PPE | 2 | |
| Origo Maths Training | 9 | |
| Era 4 | 1 | |
| Transforming Education Conference - Darwin | 5 | |
| Total No. Teachers: | Total Exp. Teacher P.D. | Avg. per Teacher |
| 9 | $16190.42 | $1798.94 |
Staff Attendance
Chinchilla Christian School employed a total of 14 full-time staff and 8 part-time staff. The school recognizes and deeply appreciates the patience, perseverance and ongoing commitment and dedication of every member of the school staff to the cause of Christian education and CCS in particular. The average attendance rate or average number of days attended per teaching staff member was 166 days out of a possible 194 days = 85.6%, which re-iterates the dedication of the school staff.
Retention of teaching staff
The proportion of teaching staff retained from the previous year was 7. We employed 2 new teachers.
KEY STUDENT OUTCOMES:
Student Attendance
The average attendance rate (percentage) for students was 92.5% for 144 students enrolled full time in 2011.
Reading, Writing and Numeracy Results
Reading, writing and numeracy benchmark results for those students who participated in the National Year 3, 5, 7 tests can be found on the My School website http://www.myschool.edu.au/.
COMMENTS: The School's NAPLAN results continue to be positive and reflect a huge effort by all staff considering the amazing growth CCS continues to be blessed with. We have grown from a school of just 6 students at the end of 2004 to a healthy and vibrant community of 144 children by the end of the 2011 school year. Keeping our benchmark percentages high across all KLA's continues to be a priority, but it has its obvious challenges with such rapid growth.
Written Student Reports:
The school produces two formal written reports on student progress throughout the year, provided at the end of semester 1 and 2. An Interim Report is issued at the end of Term 1.
Parent/Teacher Interviews:
Parent/teacher interviews occur at the beginning of Term 2 and the beginning of Term 3 each year. Parents can decline an interview or reschedule the allocated timeslot if required.
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT 2011
Greetings in Christ's precious name to our invited guests: to our Board Members and to all Association Members. Greetings also to you our parents, grandparents, friends and students.
The year began with the floods and there was no doubt that we, as a community, and as a State, had been through truly tough times. As we look around us today there is no doubt that we are still in tough times. A great preacher once said, 'When times are troubled we cry 'God, give us men to match our mountains, tall strong men'. In reply, God gives us children and says 'Here, these little ones are your building materials."
Parents, we're expected to nurture our children so they develop into men and women we will be proud of, men and women of God. Men and women who will know how to live and work together, who we'll be proud to see leading and guiding others into the future. And we have those children here amongst us today; there is no doubt in my mind about that. But I need to note here that we need to be especially mindful and very, very careful that we are working together as one and not showing our children a double standard that will confuse them and cause them to doubt and question our actions.
At CCS our vision is to "grow, educate and inspire students to be the light of the world, giving glory to our Father in heaven." It is a privilege and an honour to be partnering with you, our parents, in this quest. I believe if we are faithful to our Lord God He will be faithful in equipping these children assembled here today, to be future leaders in our community and beyond. I'm especially proud of our graduating Year 7's, 19 young men and women who have the world at their feet, but who need God to be able to overcome the battles that await them out there. I'm proud of them but I'm also aware that it isn't getting any easier to make their way out there, especially if they turn their backs on God.
The year may have started a bit tough, and we certainly were left wondering how everything was going to turn out. However, as we have gotten on with our lives, everything has picked up pace and the year has almost passed by. It has been a huge year and I have to admit that personally, I have wondered how I would keep up at times, but I've known now for many years that it's not up to me. If it were up to me then it would have all gone pear-shaped a long, long time ago. I can honestly testify to you today that without our Heavenly Father's help and guidance then everything that has happened in the last eight years here at CCS would not have been possible. Everything that has happened during this year would not have been possible, and I want to publically give thanks to our Lord God for His help throughout this past year.
So, what has happened during this year? Well, to start we had planned another Opening Ceremony for the new classrooms and the refurbished administration building, but had to cancel because of the flooding. Our staff began with the now-traditional week of PD before
the school year started. During this time we prepared our planning for the year ahead. Our planning focused on lifting the bar regarding the expected outcomes especially with Language and Mathematics for students generally, but especially for our junior school students. Their classroom teachers planned lessons using the National guidelines for language and maths and we are very happy with how well this has gone as we now look back over the year that was. There have been many other opportunities for ongoing training throughout the year but the one experience that stands out for me, and I'm sure for the others who were able to go, was the Darwin conference in July. We were together with over 1,000 other teachers and school leaders all focused on learning more about how our Lord God wants us to work together to glorify Him in educating His little ones; ensuring we are doing the very best we can in serving Him and you, our parents. All teachers have to put in a total of 30 hours of Professional Development every year. The Board encourages and promotes our staff in this financially each year in regard to travel and accommodation. We also promote various opportunities here in Chinchilla by having instructors come to us, First Aid and CPR training for instance. Our teachers are working in beautiful surroundings with exceptional equipment and training, enabling them to give our students the very best start possible on their educational journeys.
Other major events during Term 1 included a visit from the Brisbane Lions, our Parent information Night and the amazing Melon Festival. Does everyone remember how hot it was? Wow! What a day - the melon and ice cream just flowed out of our stall. The now famous CCS Concert Band also started up and held their first public performance. Haven't they - hasn't Mrs Maria Cousins just been magnificent throughout the year! Can we just pause there and give Mrs Cousins a round of applause. The work she has been doing with the band has just been outstanding. Thank you Mrs Cousins, I'm truly looking forward to what the Concert Band will achieve in 2012.
Following this, we saw some of our young people working with Moving Opera once again and were super-impressed with the fantastic performance they could put together in the few days spent with each other. Our Year sevens headed up to the Bunya Mountains for a leadership camp; we welcomed the Sparkle Clean team on board and have been blessed with the cleanest classrooms in the district since, I'm sure. The 2011 CCS Swimming Carnival was won by Shadrach and pretty much wrapped up Term 1. We then decided to finish up a week earlier than the State School and use the last week of the term for more Professional Development for staff.
Term 2 started out with ANZAC DAY falling during the break and then we were straight into the CCS Cross Country Competition, which was an outstanding competition between the 2 sports houses, won narrowly by Meshach and seeing some of our exceptional young athletes going on to the regionals and Harrison Burke all the way to the State Competition. NAPLAN fell in amongst all the Sporting events this year but it didn't faze our students who were well prepared, as later results would show. The CCS Athletics Carnival was won by
Meshach this year and although it was very early in the term, which cut down on our preparation time, our sporting representatives were not troubled and competed admirably at the District Carnival at Jandowae. Despite this being our second year competing under the CCS banner our students represented us magnificently to be narrowly beaten by St Joeys as the outright winners of the carnival. The final phase of the current Master Plan commenced early in May and it was very exciting to see the new prep classrooms taking shape. This project would see the completion of the COLA and most of the covered walkways (finished in Term 3), and so with the business of the building project and end of Semester 1 testing we finished the first half of the year and enjoyed a well-earned rest.
Term 3 was shortened to enable many of our staff to attend the CEN Transforming Conference in Darwin as mentioned earlier, but once back it was all on again: a BGA visit to consider our proposal for a new Multipurpose Music Auditorium; Parent\Teacher interviews; and our second Concert Band performance in preparation for the Dalby Eisteddfod. Mrs Cousins again did a wonderful job with the students, with the band taking out first place in their section and students winning places for their individual performances. To top it all off little Anna Dallmann was invited back to Dalby to play her solo piece in the selected Winners Concert on the Monday night. It was just an all-round brilliant effort by Mrs Cousins and her students.
The Music Programme has been made possible this year with a special injection of money for what we call CAP funding. We would not have been able to provide this wonderful opportunity for our students without this funding - made available to us through this State and Federal Government Funding arrangement.
The Years 4 to 6 then went to Columboola for their camp and came back tired but having enjoyed a wonderful time together. Soon after the Preppies and Years 1 and 2 enjoyed a Friday afternoon together, culminating in the Year 1 and 2 sleep-over. The Year 3 cohort finished off our camping programme this year by travelling out to Ballon where they spent two nights camping out under the stars and enjoying various team challenges.
Term 3 came to an amazing end with the arrival of those fantastic young men and women from Emmanuel College to help us stage our Musical and move into the new prep room and shuffle some classes around. The CCS Musical was without doubt a sensation. Mrs Deacon was exhausted by the end of it, the teachers were stressed out but it was a wonderful night of top entertainment. If I can just pause here and savour that moment again would you please help with a round of acclamation for Mrs Deacon? I loved it so much I wanted to do one every year, but those who did all the work have suggested it will be a biannual event. Thank you again Mrs Deacon and other staff who worked so hard to produce this memorable event.
Term 3 ended a little sadly for the teaching staff as we farewelled Mrs Andrea Muller and I would like to congratulate them on the safe arrival of their little man, Levi. Andrea's leaving meant we were in a spot as we struggled to find a replacement for her and I would like to
publically thank two of our supply teachers Mrs Burke and Mrs Prentice who have done a brilliant job fill the gap in our Year 3 classroom throughout Term 4. Thank you both; ladies you have done an amazing job working together to provide a seamless end to the Year 3's studies. Please give these ladies a round of applause also.
The other focus for the last semester has been sporting events. We've had Little Athletics (which was mainly organised by Mrs Burke), Backyard Rugby League, Tennis, and possibly the favourite of most students, the dancing with Dan and Kate from Dance Fever. The recent dancing demonstration and dance-off was a wonderful event to round off our sporting calendar.
The Opening Ceremony that was to take place at the beginning of the year was just recently held along with our annual Year 7 Graduation Morning Tea. Senator Hogg officially handed over the plaque to our Board and the morning concluded with a time of happiness sprinkled with tears of sorrow as Mrs Kirby sang our graduates into the next episode of their journey.
And so here we are at the end of another amazing year, full of amazing memories. These amazing things though don't just happen - they have all been perfectly planned and put onto action by our amazingly dedicated staff and school Board. I can't put into words the pride I have in the people that make this school the brilliant place it is, from the front office to Year 7 room, down to the back of that long winding pathway. We have a team of staff here at CCS who consistently perform beyond their assigned roles to bring a quality of educational excellence that see our children nurtured and prepared for that which they will encounter in their journey through life.
People often praise me for the role I play here at CCS but I can tell you that there is more going on behind the scenes that most people realise. The people elected to your Board of Directors are the ones responsible for the planning and implementation of what makes our school the wonderful learning place it is. Many of you possibly don't even know who your Board is and I would like to just stop and publically give them recognition and thanks for their hours and hours of late night meetings where the really big decisions are made. Perhaps the Board might like to stand up as we show our appreciation with a round of acclamation. Representing you on our Board we have Mr Rod Feldhahn the Board Chairman, Mr Bruce Uebergang the Vice-Chairman, Mrs Jan Darr the Company Secretary, Mrs Tammie Feldhahn the Minutes Secretary, Mr Lee Dallmann and Mr Kenny Bruggemann. Thank you ladies and gentlemen of the Board. I know your work isn't finished yet this year.
For our teachers and cleaners - while the children and parents are all enjoying the break, there is still more to do before we can start all over again in 2012. I have a feeling that 2012 is already shaping up to be even bigger and every bit as busy for you all as 2011 has been. We expect to be able to unveil a new, exciting playground early in 2012, and there will possibly be more buildings to erect and so on. I'm looking forward to sharing more of what our Lord God is doing for us, as we wait on Him and serve Him in all He has for us here at CCS.
Thank you and bless you for all your hard work this year.
Thank you for your time and for the privilege you have allowed me in serving you in this wonderful school community.
Yours in Christ
