Newsletter - Holy Trinity Lutheran College

I would like to acknowledge and keep in our prayers all the students and staff who depart tomorrow to travel to the Philippines. May their journey be safe, enriching, and filled with wonderful experiences. The College has developed some strong relationships in the Philippines over many years, and we pray this time would be impacting for not only our participants, but for all those they interact with. We look forward to hearing about their adventures on their return.

I also want to extend heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in the Cookie Dough Fundraiser in support of our Parent, Teachers, and Friends Association. It is exciting to anticipate the delivery next week! Your contribution will go a long way in enhancing our College community and creating memorable experiences for our students. Thank you for your continued support. We have an exceptional PTFA, who are generous in their time behind the scenes to make a difference that we all appreciate. There is always room to contribute to this wonderful association.

As previously communicated, we recently conducted an emergency drill, specifically a lockdown drill, as required by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority requirements for schools. The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff are of utmost importance, and these drills help us ensure we are well prepared in case of any unforeseen events. On Tuesday next week, our emergency provider will supervise two additional drills to further enhance our emergency preparedness. Our dedicated Wellbeing team has been working closely with teachers to provide support to those students who have personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs). Moreover, our teachers have access to alert tones, enabling them to prepare their classes and individual students for emergency situations.

This Sunday’s Gospel reading comes from Matthew 18:15-20. This passage is used by Christians often to remind us of the importance of open and respectful communication to resolve conflict. It encourages individuals to approach one another with humility, acknowledging their own faults and seeking reconciliation with a spirit of empathy and forgiveness. This can be a tough mandate for all of us at times, but God challenges us all to consider how we bring empathy, forgiveness and reconciliation to all we interact with.

As we approach the final week of Term 3, let us all continue to make a positive difference in the lives of everyone in our College community.

I pray that you all have a wonderful and refreshing weekend.

Mr James Phillips, College Principal

by Pastor Stephen Abraham

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12)?

Popular culture is absolutely rife with resurrections. Mr Spock is resurrected in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Neo dies and comes back to life in The Matrix, Superman comes back to life in Zack Snyder's Justice League, and Gandalf the Grey transforms into Gandalf the White in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Even here on Australian TV, the award-winning fictional ABC series Glitch follows seven people from different eras who mysteriously burst out of their graves in perfect health in rural Victoria but only have some of their memories and must recover them. Resurrection is an accepted trope in science fiction. Director James Cameron famously said when asked about bringing back characters who had died for the sequel to his film, Avatar, ‘In science fiction, nobody’s ever really dead!’

I find the preoccupation that secular culture has with resurrection and the afterlife fascinating. For Hollywood writers, ‘Christian faith might not be in vogue, but we sure won’t let go of our firm hope in the afterlife!’ Resurrection is the in thing! As the people of the Resurrected One, I think this is a point of connection we have with popular culture – something we can connect with and use as an example as we share our faith with others. At some point in our lives, we will find ourselves sharing one of the primal tenets of Christianity: we will rise again from the dead just like Jesus did!

We will examine what Paul says to the Corinthian church (and indeed all of us) about bodily resurrection. Obviously, some in this church community were wrestling with this issue, and Paul tackles it head-on here!

Paul is firm on this point throughout the chapter; it’s not just the soul that goes into heaven or a person’s disembodied spirit released from the body. We don’t die and become Casper the Friendly Ghost floating around! It is the resurrection of the dead – nekros – a lifeless corpse coming alive again. Resurrection is a physical life being restored. And Paul underscores it with that beautiful symmetry: bodily death came through Adam, and bodily resurrection through Christ Jesus.

So next time you are at a worship service and say the Apostles’ Creed, take note of the second to last phrase we say: ‘I believe in … the resurrection of the body’.

Risen Lord Jesus, firstborn of the dead, we celebrate your resurrection – your victory over death and the sign that we, too, will rise to life with you when we die. Thank you for my salvation. Help me share this joy with others. Amen.

2023 Adolescent Success Conference

Last week Mrs Przibilla and I attended the Adolescent Success Conference, held at St John’s Anglican College in Brisbane. Adolescent Success is the association dedicated exclusively to the education, development and growth of young adolescents. The conference theme was ‘Reimagining learning and working in the middle years’ and provided opportunities to hear from keynote speakers who delivered insightful and informative presentations on a range of topics including:

Today’s learning for tomorrow’s world
Research and practice in partnership
Strengthening your core: the 4Cs as a foundation for coherence in Middle Schooling
Reimagining learning and working in the middle years with AI

These presentations were delivered by doctors, professors and experts in Middle School teaching and leadership.

Apart from the keynote addresses, there was also an opportunity to listen to concurrent workshops where leaders and teachers shared personal experiences from their Middle Schools. These workshops provided insights into programs and initiatives which have proven to be effective in the context of their schools.

Some of the workshops Mrs Przibilla and I attended included:

A journey towards belonging: beginning a Middle School
Student coaching and mentoring
Encouraging student agency
High impact strategies for successful Middle Schools
Cultivating leadership skills
A values approach in the Middle School
Neuroscience and adolescents
Making wellbeing practical in the middle world
Reimagining learning in the middle years

The conference provided much inspiration and a range of ideas which will help to shape the future direction of the Middle School.

Week 9 Spirit Of Luther (SOL) Award winners

Lizzie H - for always asking if she can help and assist, even staying behind after netball training to help pack up
Ryan C - for his willingness to share his knowledge with the class and his cheerful, helpful and respectful attitude
Brodie McI – for his application to the ESSI Money Economics Game in Humanities – earning him first place in Victoria

Interim reports

Interim reports will be sent home with students on the Thursday of the last week of school. Parents will have an opportunity to meet with staff for an interview during Week 1 of Term 4. Further details on how to book these interviews will be provided with the reports.

End of term

Parents are reminded that next week is the last week of school. School will finish early with the final bell sounding at 2.20pm.

Mr Jason Przibilla, Head of Middle School

Philippines International Service and Learning Tour

This weekend, a group of 12 Year 10 and 11 students will travel to the Philippines to renew relationships that have been established for many years with the staff and students of San Agustin Elementary School, Pampanga State Agricultural University and Andre Luciano High School. The group will stay in Clark and travel out into the country to Magalang each day. It is our aim in undertaking programs such as this, and providing rich, experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom, that our students will gain an insight and increased understanding of the vibrant Filipino culture that is informed by thousands of years of history and customs.

The students will return to Australia on Tuesday, 19 September and we look forward to hearing of their experiences during Term 4.

Parent-teacher interviews

A reminder that interim reports will be sent home in Week 10. Online booking details and other important interview information will be included with your child’s report.

Interviews will be held in the first week of Term 4 on Tuesday, 3 October and Thursday, 5 October.