Newsletter (10 March, 2023)

by Gillian Heintze, member, Lutheran Church of Australia International Mission committee

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6).

Jesus was with his disciples in the upper room celebrating the Passover. He had washed their feet, an evening meal had been served, and the Lord’s Supper (as it is now known) celebrated. Then Jesus tells his disciples that he will be betrayed by one of them and that he is going to die. The disciples become distressed and, to comfort them, Jesus says these amazing words, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’. Jesus’ words are striking and memorable. He doesn’t say, ‘I am a way, and a truth, and a life’.

Very directly he says that he is ‘the one and only way’ to salvation; for all people to get to the Father. Jesus died on the cross at Calvary where his shed blood and selfless sacrifice broke the barrier between sinful us and the holy God.

Jesus Christ is ‘the truth’ who opens up our understanding of God and gives us knowledge of God – a truth that has parts that seem silly to our so-called ‘wisdom’. Jesus not only teaches the truth, but he is the truth, as he is both God and man when he took on human form more than 2000 years ago.

Jesus Christ is ‘the life’ who breathes his own resurrected life into our fallenness, through faith. Every person is born spiritually dead in trespasses and sin, incapable of saving themselves or of communicating with a holy God. But Christ is the source of all spiritual life and in him is eternal life for all who trust in him. As we are reborn in holy baptism and granted the gift of faith in him, we are made a new creation in Christ. It is by faith in him that the Spirit of God lives within us now and throughout eternity.

Jesus said ‘No one comes to the Father except through me’. There is no other way to God; no other truth about God; and no other life apart from God, than that which is revealed in Jesus.

So, how can we know ‘the way, and the truth, and the life’?

Be in daily prayer with God.
Daily read his word and make it a part of our lives.
Seek out Christian fellowship.

The above is like taking medicine – do it daily and your spiritual life will be nourished.

Lord of the Harvest, we pray for LCA International Mission committee, as they promote awareness of, interest in, and support for, the work of LCA International Mission. Amen.

Camps this week coming

This Tuesday at 6.30am, our Year 6s will leave by bus to Melbourne for their stay at Urban Camp. I know they will relish the opportunity to learn about city life.

The next day on Wednesday, the Year 4s will be off to Creswick Log Cabins for their adventure with classmates. Both groups will arrive back on Friday.

Both camps I’m sure will inspire many moments of good humour, as well as some moments to be brave, to persevere with new learning and try new things!

Thanks to all Year 4 and 6 parents who appreciate our camps program by sending their children along, as it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn out of the classroom with your classmates! At HTLC, we are very lucky to have one of the best camping programs I have witnessed in my 20 years in schools!

Ride to School Day

A reminder to plan for Friday, 24 March, where we encourage Junior School students to ride to school for National Ride2School day. Parents are encouraged to ride with their children to support them to select a safe route and develop safe riding behaviours. All participants are encouraged to meet at the helipad from 8.20am and we will ride up the Trinity Drive bike path together by 8.40am.

Looking forward to it, Mr Busbridge.

Extra-Curricular Activities

It is exciting to see students engaging in activities outside of the classroom after disruption in previous years to our extra-curricular programs. I sincerely thank all of the staff who provide these opportunities for our students.

HPV: Again this year, students are in the process of having the opportunity to try out for the Holy Trinity Racing teams. We wish them all the best as they prepare for coming events.

Chess Club: Students have been invited to enter a Chess Tournament in the library at lunchtimes on Mondays.

RoboCup: Mr Engert is working with students on selected lunchtimes to prepare for a RoboCup competition in May.

Junior Red Cross: JRC is a lunchtime service club that prepares stalls and fundraisers to raise money for the Australian Red Cross. Students from years 3-6 are invited to come along at lunchtimes on Tuesdays.

Aerobics: Training has started for our Energetix team.

Gardening Club: Students are able to assist with our school vegetable garden at lunchtimes.

Lego Club: Students are invited to participate in the Lego Club at lunchtime.

Chapel

Last week the students of 4R presented on the theme of kindness with some plays. Mr Borgas then did a cooking show (preparing fruit salad) to remind us that it is better to eat fruits together than just have one by itself. In the same way, kindness by itself is not so attractive, but better seen when put together with goodness, self control, peace, joy, and other positive dispositions.

Today we saw the new Foundation students receive their faith bags, as a beginning of their journey here at HTLC discovering that word faithfulness. It is great to be reminded of the fantastic opportunity our students get to learn about faith and spirituality and how to grow those dispositions, no matter the religion that our students and families may be involved in!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS WEEK'S AWARD WINNERS!

FJ: Devine U, Lewis H FL: Linc D, Caleb O 1H: Arlen F, Anna D 1P: Ariana R, Oliver S 2I: Edith B, Ryan R 2S: Oscar A 3B: Imogen G, Felix F 3D: Rylie P, Angela K 3F: Jack S, Max L 4B: Valeria SM, Evie K 4R: Alex N, Lachy E, James P 5D: Audrey J, Spencer K 5H: Rafa S, Jasper D 5M: Olivia C, Everleigh C 6N: Payton-Rose P, Ameika E 6V: Charlize vZ, Tayla S Chinese: 6V, 5M, 5H, 3D Digital Technology: Isobel D, Emily R Performing Arts (F-2): Leyton H, Amarlee C, Eve J, Zetta B, Ted S, Ava H PE: Leyton H Library: Amarlee C, Eve J Tiger Award: Jack A Cub Award (F-2): Alfie A Cub Award (3-4): Jacob C

Blessings on your week,

Adam Borgas, Head of Junior School

Year 9 Rite Journey Parent Information Evening and Calling/Departure Ceremony

On Thursday and Friday of this week, the Year 9 students and parents/carers participated in the Rite Journey Calling and Departure Ceremony. The evening commenced with a Parent Information Session led by Mr Przibilla and Year 9 Coordinator Mrs Thomas. At the conclusion of this session, the students and parents/carers joined together to participate in the Departure Ceremony - a ceremony which acts as a ‘letting go’ moment for adolescents and their carers. This moving ceremony allowed families time to reflect on their life journey so far before setting goals for the year ahead.

Once the parents and carers said goodbye, the Year 9 students bunkered down for the night in their Year 9 Hub before an early start saw them trek to the summit of Mt Arapiles for their Calling Ceremony, a service which officially calls the students on their journey throughout this year. The students heard a number of reflections from the Teacher Guides before taking some time to watch the sun rise and reflect on the year ahead.

Once students arrived back at HTLC, they enjoyed a breakfast which was cooked and prepared by Leaders of the College (thank you Mr Borgas and Mrs Friberg). I would like to also thank the parents and carers of our Year 9 students for actively engaging in this important event on the Year 9 calendar, Mrs Thomas for her efforts in coordinating events and activities for the night, and the Teacher Guides (Mrs Schneider, Mrs Przibilla, Mrs Penny and Mr McLoughlin) for their involvement in the night and constant support of the Year 9 students.

The Year 9s have made a positive start to their Rite Journey and we look forward to sharing with you many more memorable moments throughout the year.

Wimmera Machinery Field Days

It was great to see the Wimmera Machinery Field Days back this year. The HTLC booth was a popular site for new and existing families and was voted Best Indoor Site by the field days committee.The SRC sold drinks with many of the student leaders spending time in the drinks stand or working on the College booth. It was great to see the community coming together to support such a fantastic event.

Rock and Water Program – Year 8

The Middle School Pastoral Care program intensively focuses on assisting adolescents as they move from childhood to adulthood, equipping them with skills and knowledge to help them navigate their changing minds, bodies and the world around them. In order to effectively do this, the College implements specialised programs at each year level. In Year 8, HTLC students engage with the Rock and Water program.

“Rock and Water is a course that is delivered over a number of lessons to students in high school. A series of exercises and games are practised to develop confidence and self-reflection. The games are martial arts based, and students learn to negotiate using “rock” or “water” verbal approaches, walk away from a fight, consider alternatives to aggression, and develop understandings about who they are, their intuitive feelings and their personal direction.”

rockandwater.com.au/about-rock-and-water/

This year, the Rock and Water program will be delivered by trained instructors. Once a fortnight, students will engage in practical sessions with an emphasis on developing techniques for girls and boys to face confrontation by either using a ‘rock’ or ‘water’ strategy, with the focus being on working to a peaceful outcome. I look forward to sharing more about this program throughout the year.

Year 8 Melbourne Excursion

The Year 8 students will participate in an excursion to Melbourne next week where they will involve themselves in a number of cultural activities and experiences which include:

Watching a live performance of Mary Poppins at Her Majesty’s Theatre
Salvation Army Street Walk and Seminar
African Drumming and Dance Workshop

This popular excursion allows a great opportunity for our students to experience a variety of cultural and social experiences while learning about how to behave and interact in different environments. All the best to the staff and students involved in next week’s excursion.

Mr Jason Przibilla, Head of Middle School

College Ball 2023

Planning for the 2023 College Ball is underway and all going well this year, our scheduled date will remain as Friday, 14 July at the Horsham Town Hall (Term 3 Week 1). Thank you to those parents who have expressed an interest in being involved in the decorations committee, information has been forwarded regarding the first meeting.

Horsham Regional Art Gallery Excursion

Last week, 13 VCE students who are currently studying Artmaking and Exhibiting, Media or Visual Communication Design, joined with other Horsham-based and regional school students to participate in the VCE Arts Day run by the Horsham Regional Art Gallery. Students participated in creative critical thinking, art careers and sessions specific to each of their creative VCE subjects. In their subject-related sessions experts provided information and tips about how to perform well in their chosen Arts subject area. We are very fortunate to have such a great event here in our local area as usually we would have travelled to Melbourne to access such information.

Edrolo

Edrolo is a valuable resource for students to use to support their revision of content. This is available to all students who are currently undertaking Unit 3 & 4 studies and for selected Unit 1 & 2 studies. Students are strongly encouraged to access this resource in support of their home revision and study.

VCE and Vocational Major Information evening

An information evening for parents and students will be held on Wednesday, 15 March in the Senior Centre agora. During the evening our VCE Coordinator, Mrs Elsbeth Schneider, will outline important policies and procedures that accompany the undertaking of a VCE course for any students in Years 10-12.

Mr Wayne Bandel, our Applied Learning Coordinator, will provide information for our current Vocational Major students and their parents regarding the year ahead, completion of tasks, work placements and management of workload.

All families with students involved in either of these courses of study are strongly encouraged to attend.

Mrs Sally Kuchel, Head of Senior School

The social dynamics of the adolescent world are fraught with challenge and delight. We know that stable, reliable friendships will support an adolescent during their ride to adulthood. It is a major protective factor in terms of resilience. Friendships help develop social skills, modify the dark moods of adolescence and enhance moral development.

Through friendships, adolescents learn unspoken codes of conduct that they will take with them throughout life.

This does not mean all friendships are plain sailing. Being sanctioned by your peers is one of the fastest ways to create the catalyst for an adolescent to change an unhelpful behaviour or uncaring communication. Friendships can make or break an adolescent in many ways.

Positive friendships are a powerful, protective factor that can help adolescents avoid unlawful or risky behaviour. Negative friendships can do the reverse and can lead teens into delinquent or risky behaviour. It can be hurtful when your teen no longer wants to go on family outings because he or she would prefer to hang out with friends. However, it is a sign of healthy adolescent development as they unknowingly prepare their own future tribes.

There can be enormous volatility in friendship links between 12 and 15 years of age. Many parents have stories about the cruelty of certain friends and the devastating impact they had on their growing adolescent. Teens are particularly sensitive to the barbs and wounds of friendship conflict. Girls can be particularly brutal. When friends spread malicious lies that destroy reputations the damage can be fatal, demonstrated by the suicides of those who have been cyber-bullied.

We learn the value of friendship many times in our journey through life. True friendship is knowing you are never alone, and that right beside you is someone you can lean on, talk to and cry with. It’s also about knowing that there is someone to share the joy, laughter and achievements with. Even more importantly friends can help when life gets tough and when bad or sad things happen.

Friendship means everything to a teen. To be socially and personally acceptable they need to be seen to have friends. The biological urge to belong is so strong that adolescents will do anything to be part of the crowd. They can easily take up with a group engaging in risky or criminal behaviour, and many have come off the rails in such circumstances. Nothing is as threatening in the social network of adolescents as the loner. Being a loner occasionally is not unusual, but it is developmentally unhealthy to be alone all the time and to avoid hanging out with a friend.

So how can parents help if they have a teen who has no friends?

To change this inhibitive mindset here are some suggestions:

Find something that ignites the inner spark in your teen – no matter what it is! It can be something unexpected like growing flowers, herbs or chillies – maybe breeding guinea pigs, rabbits or chooks; maybe cooking wood-fired pizzas, home-made bread or ice-cream; making short movies, writing songs or painting and building things – cubbies, wrought iron things, wood boxes; maybe rowing, cross country running or environmental warrior things.
Find some form of service for them to do – helping at an aged care facility, recycling place, animal refuge or a charity. Helping others ALWAYS make an individual feel better about themselves
Use creative visualisation to help rewire the mindset – the best ones I have created are Accepting Myself, Flight Fantasy, Relax and Escape or Dare to Dream. They simply listen to the same track 3-4 times a week on their device.
Make an appointment to see their Year Leader/Facilitator – or a teacher your child likes – at your secondary school so that they are aware of your concerns.
Keep an eye out for new students who come to school or to your community and make them feel welcome.
Encourage making friends with different ages.
Keep trying to get them to join clubs and social happenings that they have an interest in – when their self-esteem improves, they may just be brave enough to take that step.
Work hard to keep your relationship warm and caring as parent support is enormous!
Find a lighthouse to be an adult ally in their life, they can often do more social engineering than mums and dads.
Help them find an online friend or circle of friends (however advise them about how to do this safely.) When social media is a positive experience it can help lonely teens feel connected however if it is toxic and destructive it can make things much worse. Online games (when played moderately) can be a good way for kids to build wellbeing – especially when played with others, according to research out of Queensland University of Technology. The research says playing games with others increases a person’s brain activity, improves their social wellbeing and helps them feel more connected with others. Again, though, remember this is in moderate doses.

Friendship is one of the most wonderful rewards in this journey of life, and the experiences our young adults in transition have can set them down the road to the beautiful sunrise or down the road to the long dark night. Friends can offer care and support to each other which can give them the strength and courage to deal with each and every challenge that life has to offer, positively.

If you would like to read the full article please follow this link: https://www.maggiedent.com/blog/friendless-teens/

About Maggie:

Commonly known as the ‘queen of common sense’, Maggie Dent has become one of Australia’s favourite parenting authors and educators. She has a particular interest in the early years, adolescence and resilience, and is an undisputed ‘boy champion’.

Maggie’s experience includes teaching, counselling, and working in palliative care/funeral services and suicide prevention. Maggie is an advocate for the healthy, common-sense raising of children in order to strengthen families and communities. She is a passionate, positive voice for children of all ages.

Maggie is regularly featured on parenting blogs, podcasts and news sites, as well as being heard on commercial and ABC radio around the country. She also appears regularly on national TV. Maggie is the host of the award-winning ABC podcast Parental As Anything.

She is the author of nine major books, plus several other e-books and a prolific creator of resources for parents, adolescents, teachers, early childhood educators and others who are interested in quietly improving their lives.