As it has been discussed during the year, in 2021 HTLC began a journey of finding a Learning Management System (LMS) for use by our school community. The need for an all-in-one LMS was driven by our desire to connect, communicate, and collaborate with parents, teachers and students. In supporting a need to maintain a connected and collaborative community, the college wanted to provide staff and families with the ability to be informed about student progress, nurture academic growth, engage with extracurricular activities, and further enhance student wellbeing - focusing on the development of the whole student. In establishing an LMS that was able to meet these goals, it is with pleasure that today I emailed families with details of our new LMS - The Hub.
Today, parents would have received an email from myself with details about our new system, along with login credentials that will allow personalised access to The Hub. I encourage parents to read these emails and take the time to log on and explore the platform. If individuals haven’t received any of these emails, I ask that you contact the Main Reception for support.
Over the coming months additional emails and notifications will be sent via this platform to further support families as additional elements of The Hub are released. It is hoped that with the development of The Hub, it provides a valued platform to support the teaching and learning, wellbeing and engagement of individuals within our school community. As we are now ready to launch The Hub, I give thanks to those staff members who have been integral in making this a reality and I look forward to our journey in making The Hub reach its full capacity during the school year.
A reminder to families that this term will finish next Friday 8 April. Our closing service will conclude the day, with students being dismissed at 2.20pm.
The Camps Sports and Excursion Funding (CSEF) is still available to eligible families of our college. Details about the application process can be found on the CSEF website.
And [Jesus] took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them (Mark 10:16).
This well-known story of the disciples turning away parents and children from Jesus is one of the few times we hear of Jesus interacting with children. The attitude of the disciples does not impress Jesus. At best, they were over-protective of Jesus; at worst, they were overly dismissive of the parents and children. They felt they had the power to decide who came to Jesus. The life expectancy of people in biblical times was short. Children were particularly vulnerable to diseases that no longer pose the same threat to children in modern times. The view of childhood has also changed over time. Our culture tends to sentimentalise children. Two hundred years ago, children were considered mini-adults, and even earlier, in the time of Jesus, they were seen as less important than adults. They held a very low status in a community where status was quite significant. This recount of Jesus blessing the children in Mark’s Gospel comes not long after the disciples had argued over who would be the greatest. Jesus reprimanded them by telling them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all’. The concept of status seems to be an ongoing issue for the disciples. The children are the most vulnerable of all the people mentioned in this short encounter. They are described as ‘little’ children and are certainly small enough for Jesus to take in his arms. And by taking them into his arms, Jesus is doing what he so often did. Jesus is showing compassion for the powerless and the vulnerable. Again, he shows us that everyone is important to him, including those who are not valued by others. These little children were also young – too young to come to Jesus by themselves. Jesus removed all barriers created by the disciples so that he could receive them and bless them. So perhaps when Jesus said, ‘anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it’ (verse 15), he is also telling us that we cannot come to him through our own efforts. We are vulnerable, helpless like a child, and in our childish humility, Jesus is there to hold and bless us. It is through love from Jesus – not through our own efforts – that we are blessed.
Lord God, we thank you for embracing us with your love, and we ask that you help us share that love with all of your children. Amen.
Sub Schools News
Junior School News (1 April 2022)
Crazy Hair and Free Dress Day
We love Crazy Hair Day! What a joy it is to see students' excitement as they arrive at school and greet their friends on this special day. Thank you to everyone for your participation, donations and creativity! Funds raised will be donated to the Leukemia Foundation.
HPV Mt Gambier
Last weekend our HPV teams competed in the first event in the HPV Super Series for the year at McNamara Park near Mt Gambier in South Australia. In total, 50 students participated from HTLC, in 6 teams. All teams had podium finishes including a first and second place finish for our primary school aged teams. Congratulations! A special mention goes to Ellua Boyd who recorded the fastest lap time for the S1 category! Thank you to Miss Davis, Miss Heinzel and Mr McLoughlin who coordinated the teams and parents who assisted, marshaled and travelled to help make the day a success. I commend our students for your conduct throughout the event.
Year 6 Camp
The Year 6 students and teachers had a wonderful experience in Melbourne on Tuesday and Wednesday. Some of the highlights were:
“It was the best experience ever! We went to Bounce, Museums, galleries and really enjoyed it. I think we all enjoyed the Planetarium at Scienceworks, it truly was awesome. The cabins were superb with surprisingly clean bathrooms. A really cool camp after the last two years of lockdown. Amazing teachers and caretakers came along, a big thanks to them. Although it was only a night, we made the most out of the experience.” - Soren Foster
“Camp was amazing! We went to the Eureka Skydeck and the view was magnificent! Then we got to Chinatown and we all learned a lot. After we unpacked at Urban Camp we got to go to Bounce at 8:00pm. In the morning we went to an Islamic museum and also learned a lot. Then we arrived at Scienceworks which was very interesting. There were two shows that we went to. The first one was where we watched video clips of outer space and we saw the lightning one as well, where we saw electricity travelling in the air. My favourite place where we went was Scienceworks and Bounce.” - Arabella Schirmer
Holy Week
HTLC will be recognising Holy Week next week. During the days leading up to Easter we remember the significant events that lead up to Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection. Our College Chaplain, Mrs Polack, has prepared age appropriate resources for morning devotions and worship each day.
Cross Country
The Junior School Cross Country will be held next Wednesday morning from 9.15am until recess time. Parents are welcome to attend. All students are to wear their sports uniform (with correct socks) with a t-shirt in their house colour. Good luck to all students!
Chapel
This morning Year 4M led our Junior School Chapel, with a message focusing on our need for forgiveness. The Bible verse was Matthew 18:21-22. Next week students will be attending Closing Worship before departing for school holidays. Please encourage your child to bring a small offering.
God bless,
Mrs Fiona Friberg, Head of Junior School
Middle School News (1 April 2022)
Year 9 Rite Journey Parent Information Evening
Thank you to all the parents who came along to support their children’s commencement of the Rite Journey Program by attending the Information Session and Departure Ceremony on Thursday night. It was a real highlight to watch the interactions as parents shared and discussed items of significance form their child’s younger days. The letters of gratitude were well received and goals for the year discussed before the parents said goodbye for the night. After a sleepover in the MPC and library, the Year 9 students rose early Friday morning before trekking to Mt Arapiles for the ‘Calling’ Ceremony. As the sun rose over the Wimmera, students took time to reflect on their journey thus far, focusing on their life up until this point before looking forward to the future and all the possibilities that await them this year. The Rite Journey is the significant Pastoral Care program of the Middle School and every year offers opportunities for students to reflect on what it means to be a healthy man or woman. I look forward to sharing more details about the program throughout the year.
Athlete Development Program
Selected students in Years 7, 8 and 9 have commenced the Athlete Development Program for this Semester. The ADP aims to give students the knowledge and skills they need to improve their athletic performance, with a focus on strength and conditioning training in the college gym and also the development of theoretical knowledge. The initial induction sessions focus on introducing students to the different equipment used in the gym and how to use it safely and effectively. Attention will soon turn to fitness testing which will then allow individual programs to be developed for students to work on their fitness, strength and conditioning.
Interim Reports and Parent/Teacher Interviews
Interim reports were sent home with students on Thursday. Parent Teacher Interviews will be held next week on Tuesday 5 April (3:30-8:00pm) and Thursday 7 April (3:30-6:30pm). Parents will have the choice to book a face to face or virtual interview. Parents who are coming on site are reminded to follow covid safe practices.
End of Term Details
Next Friday is the last day of Term 1. A reminder to families that school will conclude at 2:20pm with Closing Service held after lunch.
Mr Jason Przibilla, Head of Middle School
Senior School News (1 April 2022)
Pre-service Teachers
At the beginning of next term we will welcome two pre-service teachers to our school community from ACU in Ballarat. These students will be completing their first placement and will be with us for four weeks. We look forward to welcoming them into our school community.
Interim Reports
Parent teacher interviews will be held next Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Parents have the option of booking either a face to face interview that will be held on the College campus, or an online interview. This is a valuable opportunity for parents to discuss their child’s progress throughout the first term. All senior parents are strongly encouraged to attend with their child. Bookings are now open and may be made online according to the instructions provided with student reports. Bookings close on Monday 4 April at 5:00pm.
Early Entry Guide for 2022
Some universities have programs that allow you to apply earlier in the year. You could receive a conditional (or guaranteed) offer before you’ve sat your final exams. The Early Entry Guide for 2022 has been released and students are encouraged to check the websites of institutes to which they are considering application for further information.
College Ball
Photo order forms are to be returned to the College by today so that times for appointments may be scheduled for Friday 6 May. Payment may be made online directly to Creations by Andrew and Misty or in cash with the return of order forms. Cash payments should be provided to the College in a sealed envelope as they will be forwarded directly to the photographers.
Mrs Sally Kuchel, Head of Senior School
Sports News
Junior Sport News (1 April 2022)
Please find upcoming sporting dates below for your calendar;
School Junior Cross Country - Wednesday 6 April
HPCSSA (Interschool) Cross Country, City Oval - Wednesday 27 April
Greater Western Regional Tennis, Ballarat - Friday 6 May
Junior Athletics Days
At Monday’s assembly we plan to announce results of the house winners from our two Junior School Athletics Days along with the much-awaited Age Champions. Medals will be presented to those relative individuals and the shield to the winning house.
A huge appreciation and thanks to those who were involved in these days. It was the contributions of so many individuals that helped pull off two very successful days. The weather was kind and the support and vibe were amazing. A huge congratulations to all participants for an amazing carnival!
Cross Country - Wednesday 6 April at HTLC
The program for next weeks Cross Country has been released on the school app. Please feel free to come along and support, encourage all participants on the day. Please be mindful of the marked track areas. Feel free to watch from the shade sails at the top of the levy bank that looks over the Junior School oval for the best view!
Yours in Sport!
Mrs Hayley Thomas, Junior Sport Coordinator
Secondary Sport News (1 April 2022)
HTLC held our second major carnival for the year, the Athletics Carnival at Dudley Cornell Park on Friday 25 March. With perfect weather, the carnival was a fantastic day for all staff and students involved.
With Wimmera out to continue their success from the recent Swimming Carnival championship, the students were ready to perform. The 100m heats kicked off the events, with all students participating to get early points on the board for their house. Following on from the heats, the track and field events were underway. Students battled it out across all events, with several lead changes throughout the day between Mallee and Wimmera.
The final spectacle of the day was the highly anticipated HTLC Gift. Students with the 12 fastest 100m times, spread across all ages and genders, competed in a winner-takes-all handicap stakes. With an impressive line-up, Phoebe Whittaker was able to come out victorious, edging out a fast finishing Seb Le Roux. Congratulations Phoebe!
The overall result was a close finish between all 3 houses, with results coming down to the final 4 x 100m relay results. Mallee managed to edge out Wimmera to make it 2 consecutive Athletics Carnival wins. Congratulations to Miss Kelly and Mallee!
Congratulations to the following students who performed at an outstanding level all day and were awarded with age champion medals:
12-13 years - Emma Streeter & Edward Jones
14 years - Eva Drendel & Leti Temesgen
15 years - Kyah Livingston & Jude Borlase
16 years - Sophie Pietsch & Seb Le Roux
17 years - Angela Rudolph & Jordan Friberg
18-20 years - Racquel Deckert & Ryan Pfitzner
Congratulations to the following students who won the Spirit of House Awards:
Wimmera - Libby Kiley
Mallee - Silvie Hahn
Lowan - Matthew Reichelt
COMING EVENTS
Term 2
APRIL
HTLC Cross Country
28 - State Swimming Championships
29 - Black Ranges INT & SNR Girls Football
Mr Jesse Kuchel, Head of Sport and Coaching
Wellbeing News
What to talk about with your children
This week, the biggest news event wasn’t war in Ukraine, floods on Australia’s East Coast, or even COVID surges. Instead, it was a story of an angry celebrity (Will Smith) storming the Oscars stage and hitting the comedian (Chris Rock) who made an inappropriately targeted joke at the expense of the angry man’s wife (Jada Pinkett Smith). And everybody is talking about it. Including our children.
What to talk about with your children
The Smith/Rock saga offers an amazing opportunity to have real conversations with your kids about big questions we all face. But I think we can go a little deeper. Rather than talking to your kids, now’s the time for some really fascinating and important questions.
One of the most powerful ways that we build resilience in our children is by helping them to discover their identity. And we do that by asking them questions. In the wake of this incident we could ask questions so our children can learn about the kinds of people they are. We can ask them questions about violence, like:
“Why do you think Will Smith hit Chris Rock?”
“Should he have done that?”
“When is it ok to hit someone and when is it not ok?”
“Should anyone ever hit anyone?”
We can ask them questions about humour, like:
“Is it ok to tell jokes at someone else’s expense?”
“How should we respond when someone tells an unkind joke?”
“What kind of humour is really funny, and what kind of humour isn’t?”
“Why do you think so many comedians make jokes at the expense of other people?”
We can even ask questions about honour, and feminism, like:
“Does a man have a responsibility to defend his wife or those close to him if someone offends them?”
“How might he defend them best? With fists? With words? Or in some other way?”
“What does this tell us about gender stereotypes? Women have to have beautiful hair? Men are strong and can hit people they disagree with or are offended by? Women are helpless?”
“Why is it more offensive to joke about a woman who has lost her hair than it is to joke about a man who has lost his hair and is bald?”
Teaching empathy and humanity
Regardless of your views, or the views of your child, this incident also gives us the chance to teach empathy for both Smith and Rock. For example, if you or your child think Smith did the wrong thing, ask,
“Have your emotions ever gotten the better of you?”
“Was he trying to ruin the night for everyone?”
“Why did his brain flip its lid?”
(Smith has said that “when I was nine years old I watched my father punch my mother in the side of the head so hard that she collapsed… I saw her spit blood… that moment in the bedroom, probably more than any other moment in my life, has defined who I am.”) Without excusing Smith, that moment and his inability to stop his father has probably played a part in what he did.
Empathy is feeling someone’s emotion in your heart. This conversation allows us to have compassion for the perpetrator and the victim.
And Chris Rock was just doing what decades of comics have done before him - picked on rich, successful people in the room. In poor taste, but can we have a sense of the humanity of both people without excusing them?
When we ask these kinds of questions, with curiosity and openness, we do a few important things for our children: We build trust into our relationships. Our children know we are interested in them, their views, and their values. They see that we’re not trying to impose ideas. We’re real conversation partners. They belong with us, are safe sharing with us, and can learn with us.
We show them we believe in them. This fosters a sense of competence and capability. They learn to articulate their views, feelings, and reactions. Moreover, if we take our time and respond with gentle questioning, they learn that challenging topics can be broached respectfully, and ideas can be shared, even if the people in the conversation don’t completely agree with one another.
We teach them, specifically, about who they are. This happens because as they share their ideas, they’re tapping into their values. They’re shaping what they believe as they speak their words. It empowers them to continue talking, and continue discovering values that build identity.
Importantly, asking these questions of our children - and hearing their responses - opens them up to hearing our reactions, our values, and the ideas that make us who we are.
And finally: Will Smith apologised. Eventually. Via his publicist. Talking with your children about what makes a good apology might make for a very useful family discussion.
