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Dear Parents and Caregivers

As I scribe this week’s edition of The Week Ahead, it has dawned on me that we are already halfway through Term 4. The students must be congratulated on the energy, enthusiasm and perseverance which they have brought to their daily school journey so far, while the staff need to be thanked for their commitment, work ethic and patience as they guide and scaffold our students every day. Concordia, what a great place to be part of and come to work and learning every day!

The Junior College students and families must be acknowledged for their overwhelming generosity which has been evident in the Christmas for the Bush appeal. Yesterday’s blessing and chapel service must be one of the richest and most inspiring school services which I have attended for a long time. Thank you to our Year 1 students, Mrs Lee-Anne Millett, Mrs Angela Norley and their support staff for planning and putting together a wonderful message about sharing the love of God. It’s so affirming to know that many farming families out west are going to be so abundantly blessed this coming Christmas.

Last Tuesday afternoon and overnight into Wednesday, I had the privilege to visit our Year 9 students at their camp in Googa with our Head of College, Mr Anton Prinsloo. We were able to spend the evening with the boys around the campfire and then the next morning we hiked for a few hours with several boys and girls groups. Apart from the beautiful - and for once green - landscape around Googa, what stood out to me was how the students worked together in their groups, how they kept an eye out for one another, and how they worked to overcome challenges and solve problems (which way to take, how to find the next part of their path, when to stop, etc).

These four weeks away from the comforts of home and routines of school are formative for our students, and it appears the Year 12s consistently rate this as a key experience of their years at Concordia – no matter whether they enjoyed camping or not.

We are looking forward to seeing the members of our College community come together for our annual Presentation Evening for Years 6 to 11 on Monday 22 November at The Empire Theatre.

In the past, our Presentation Evening has been held for Years 7 to 12, but given the Year 12 students now leave much earlier in Term 4 and have a special service in their honour, we have changed the Presentation Evening to include Years 6 to 11.

We are looking forward to a wonderful evening with dance and music performances on stage from students from across Years 6 to 11. Important awards will be presented on the night, including the Year 6 major awards.

In recognition of the importance of sporting achievement, the sports awards for 2021 will also be presented at The Empire Theatre at 22 November. The Sports Breakfast taking place on Friday 5 November will not have awards presented as they will be presented on 22 November at our Presentation Evening.

Seating at The Empire Theatre must be booked in advance however the ticketing is not yet ready. We will send a notification to all families when it is available.

If you have any questions regarding this, please contact me.

Mrs Bianca Coleborn
Director of Marketing & Enrolments

World Teacher’s Day today was a time to recognise the extraordinary work our teachers do at our Junior College. We are blessed to have a team who give so much of themselves every day, to support the students in their care. Our teachers were treated to a special Morning Tea this morning with apples being the theme of the day. As the poem says below, God created teachers not only to help our students learn, but to also make it a better, wiser place. Happy World Teacher’s Day, Junior College Teachers! 

Parents of Years 3-6 students have been emailed detailed information regarding the Music Showcase and are requested to acknowledge your child's attendance via Parent Lounge > Events & Payments >  Junior College Yr 3-6 Music Showcase 2021. 

Please  to register your attendance. Thank you

We can now confirm the new date for the JC Year 5 St Helena Island Excursion will be on Thursday 4 November 2021.

As part of our Humanities and Social Sciences Curriculum, we have organised an excursion to St Helena Island for our Year 5 students to develop their knowledge and understanding of prison life experiences. Please click on the  for more information. 

Thursday 28 October was our chapel service at Stephen Street Campus to present our Christmas for the Bush donations to Bill and Melissa Close from Care Outreach. The Year 1 students led the special service reminding us how God uses ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things. We presented our donations and the money we raised yesterday dressing up as farmers and hoped that with these gifts, God will help the farmers in extraordinary ways!

On Thursday 11 November the HSC Parent Connect are providing a meal deal for students at the Swimming Carnival and those students at their Campus. Meal Deals will be delivered to the pool at 10.30am, HSC at 10.45am and to WSC at 12.45pm for the longer break.

Orders are through My Student Account and close on Monday 8 November 2021 at 3pm.

Please note: This meal deal will replace Tuckshop in Week 6 for both WSC and HSC

Meal Deal details are below.
Cost: $8.00 with Gluten Free Options available

Option 1 - Wrap, Fruit Salad and Drink Choose from Chicken, Ham or Vegetarian Fruit Salad Drink - choose from Water or Chocolate/Strawberry Milk or Apple/Golden Pash/Orange Popper

Option 2 - Sushi, Fruit Salad and Drink Choose from Chicken Teriyaki or Tuna and Mayo Fruit Salad Drink - choose from Water or Chocolate/Strawberry Milk or Apple/Golden Pash/Orange Popper

At HSC, tuckshop is held on a Thursday. All orders are to be completed online at by 3pm each Wednesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Thursday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. 

Please note: There will be NO tuckshop on Thursday 11 November. Instead, there will be a meal deal for all students.

On Friday 5 November 2021 the Hume Street Campus will be holding a movie night from 5.30pm. The movie, The Secret Life of Pets 2, will be screening from 6pm with food and refreshments available.

For more information please see the flyer below. To register your attendance please . 

On Friday 15 October, students from Years 3 to 6 will commence their swimming lessons at the Concordia Aquatic Centre. Each of these classes will participate in eight lessons over Term 4.  for the swimming timetable.

Please ensure that students have the following:

• Dressing gown - this is great for the students to wear to and from the pool as we don't know what the weather is going to be like;
• Thongs
• Swimming togs - it would be great for Years 5 & 6 to wear their togs to school as they will be leaving straight after assembly on Fridays
• Goggles
• House swimming cap
• Towel

To avoid any lost items, please clearly label all of your child's items including their shoes, underwear and uniform.

At WSC, Tuckshop is held on a Wednesday. All orders are to be completed online at by 3pm each Tuesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Wednesday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. Tuckshop will finish in week 7.

Please note: There will be NO tuckshop on Thursday 11 November. Instead, there will be a meal deal for all students.

Students from Years 3 to 6 have commence their swimming lessons at the Concordia Aquatic Centre. Each of these classes will participate in ten lessons over Term 4.  for the swimming timetable.

Please ensure that students have the following:

• Swimming togs 
• Goggles
• House swimming cap
• Towel

To avoid any lost items, please clearly label all of your child's items including their shoes, underwear and uniform.

Today, as we celebrate World Teacher’s Day, I think that Malala Yousafzai eloquently summarises the value of education when she wrote, “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” This is so true. Research tells us that the greatest impact on a student’s progression in their learning is inextricably linked to the teacher in the room. As teachers, we are acutely aware of this and daily strive to clearly understand our students and how they learn and to know our content and how to effectively teach it. 

One of the pure joys of teaching is the satisfaction that flows back to us as we are inspired by the young people in our community and the vision they hold for the future. This generation of students, having studied their way through a global pandemic has become strangely well-equipped to take advantage of the growth and opportunities that we will see into 2022 and beyond.

Hello to you all!

I hope you are all well and looking forward to the end of the term. Yes, that’s correct, four weeks to go then Christmas is around the corner!

Our Year 12 boarders have been preparing themselves for their exams with some having already completed three or four. Some waiting  in anticipation. Nervously pondering how it will be...    

We have had some deliveries of beautiful flowers with best wishes to daughters and adopted boarder daughters for their pending exams.