Principal’s Message
Forgiveness is the key!
How many times has someone acted in way that has offended us, hurt us, or caused frustration or disappointment? For most people, the answer would be daily! If we add all these disappoints up, if we keep a tally, it would be all-consuming and damaging, so how can we deal with these things?
We will not find the answer in legislation, and we will not find it in business principles and applications. So where can we find the answer? I believe the ONLY answer is found in the Bible, and no less, from Christ’s own lips in which He said “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).
Of all that Jesus taught, He spoke of the importance of loving each other and loving our God, and of loving Him as He loved us. Jesus knew that our capability for love was imperfect because we make mistakes and sin against our neighbour and against God. He knew that for us to remain in this chasm of sin was the absence of love, not because God stops loving us, but because in such a state, we do not accept His love because of our sin.
It is for these reasons that Jesus emphasised the importance of forgiveness. Only through forgiveness can we re-balance a relationship to return to a state of love. Jesus often spoke of forgiveness and stated that as we are forgiven, so too should we forgive others. Jesus gave us these lessons through the parables, such as in the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35); the barren fig tree (Lk 13:6-9); the bent over woman (Lk 13:10-13); the lost sheep (Lk 15:4-7); the lost coin (Lk15:8-10); and the greatest forgiveness parable of all, the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32); and through His own example in forgiving others.
Christ even asked the Father to forgive those who crucified Him… “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). After His resurrection, Jesus spoke with divine and Holy compassion and said not once, but three times “Peace be with you” (John 20:19,21,26), despite the fact that Judas betrayed Him, Peter had denied Him, and His disciples had deserted Him. Even after all this, He only offered forgiveness and love.
Given the significance of what was done to Jesus — our Lord, our Saviour, and the King of Kings, and He still forgave, how can we ever deny such forgiveness to another who sins far less against us? Sadly, we do condemn others far too easily and do not readily forgive. To be clear, forgiving someone does not mean that they do not face the consequences of their wrong-doing, but rather that accountability and forgiveness are two completely separate things.
When we fail to forgive others with openness and love how can we ever expect forgiveness when we fail others? Note — it is when we fail others, not if we fail them.
In my time as a Principal, I have seen both the absence of love and forgiveness and its wonderful presence. Take for example, an incident in which one child has done the wrong thing and physically hurt another. On one side I saw the excuses, counter-arguments, and while there was some acceptance of wrong-doing, there were a myriad of excuses in an attempt to mitigate the sanction to be applied. On the other hand, I saw the parent of the child who had been hurt, seeking forgiveness for the child who was clearly in the wrong. They were dreadfully upset at the way their child was treated, but sought only forgiveness, and were in hope that the other child did not lose the opportunities offered by the school. They sought the child to be forgiven.
A truly beautiful example of love and forgiveness amongst pain and disappointment. It is here when I wonder, if only the other parents could show such love for the child who was hurt, and ensured there child was adequately sanctioned to never repeat such behaviour again. Sadly, the ‘love’ we have for our children is often dreadfully misplaced. A far greater love is not founding in mitigation and defending the indefensible, but rather in accountability, restitution, and change.
Loving our children, sometimes demands the tough conversation, sometimes admonishment, and sometimes corrective sanctions. Loving our children is about teaching them to grow as God had intended, and not excusing poor behaviour that only enables poor ongoing choices. Being a parent is truly the hardest role in the world, but loving your child, does not necessitate having to like their choices or behaviours, but does demand teaching them how to live and engage with others, as God had intended — with love and forgiveness.
Brian Grimes
Principal/CEO
Bayside Buzz Crew produce their First News Story!
Bayside Buzz is an extra-curricular program where students gain first-hand experience in the production of television news. Areas covered include:
- Questions and story writing
- Interview techniques
- Speaking in front of camera
- Using auto-cue (teleprompter)
- Camera operation
- Sound recording
- Lighting
- Editing
In their very first episode, Barracudas Head Coach, Mr Carter, is interviewed on the Highway Cup and we take a look at the Wide Bay weather forecast. Note: due to production timing, these events have now passed and are included here to show the talents of the crew.
Well done to the Bayside Buzz Crew:
- Charley, year 9
- Damien, year 9
- Gemma, year 5
- Isaac, year 9
- Jarel, year 7
- Jeshua, year 7
- Nevaeh, year 6
If you would like to be a part of Bayside Buzz, we are accepting applications from Year 5 to Year 9 students. Spaces are limited. Apply here: Bayside Buzz Application Form
Please check out the first episode of Bayside Buzz below!
The Highway Cup
Game 3 of the Highway Cup was played down at Victory College last Friday and the Bayside Barracudas came away with the Highway Cup for 2024.
The first game of the day was our u11/12 boys team and they put on a dominate display coming away with the win 22-6. The second game up was our girls team and after a very tough game with a low score of 8-14 Victory College winning our Barracudas girls showed some great heart in not giving up right till the final siren.
Last game of the day saw our u13/14 boys up against a strong Victory team and they were leading us by 2 tries at half-time. After the half-time chat the boys came back out firing with a dominate 38-22 win to finish the series off. Out of the 9 games played Bayside Barracudas won the series with 8 games to 1.
A big thank you to Victory College staff and players and even more the Barracudas efforts and respect over the 9 games. Also a massive thanks to the Barracudas staff.
UP THE MIGHTY BAYSIDE BARRACUDAS!
The Bayside Barracudas thank their Platinum Sponsor
Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!
Leadership is demanding, it is a burden, and it typically draws more criticisms, than it ever draws compliments. There is a plethora of writings, studies and research on leadership, far more than we could ever hope to read in a lifetime, and yet, despite all of the information so readily available, our world lacks positive, effective, and enduring leadership.
In the absence of strong leadership society squanders opportunities, we fail to unite and capitalise on all we should, and in the void of absent positive, effective leadership, we face other forms of leadership which aim to disrupt and self-serve.
Sadly, leadership is not a part of the standard Australian curriculum, and perhaps the reason it is not, is that again, it seems to be an ideal that escapes so many. Our hope for the future must not rest those of us already well into our adulthood, but rather our children. Each progressive generation suffers the consequences of the former, and it will be the same for our children. If we are to change this tide, we must develop in our young people the heart, head and mind to be positive and effective agents of change, and to develop the disciplines of leadership that can truly be taught.
With this in mind, I am pleased to announce the Senior College Leaders for 2025:
- Katelyn Juffs — Captain of College
- Jack Mitchell — Captain of College
- Mason Rodda — Vice Captain of College
- James Grant — Captain of Community
- Dyshart Morgan — Captain of Sport
- George Nikolovski — House Captain
- Taso Bekos — House Captain
- Ben Kelly — House Captain
- Cash Hanley — House Captain
Please join me in wishing these new leaders the very best for 2025.
Brian Grimes
Principal/CEO
Prep T Report
We have arrived at Term 4! Time definitely flies when you are having fun! Miss Gall and I could not be prouder of all the achievements, successes and growth from all Prep T students.
We have thoroughly enjoyed jumping into our Fairytales Unit this term. Prep T have discussed how Fairytales have a beginning, where the story take place (the setting) and the characters are introduced; a middle, when a problem occurs; and an ending when the problem is solved. To make things even more exciting, we have been creating our own alternative endings to the Fairytales!
We have participated in a range of hands-on games and activities throughout our math unit, including our subtraction bowling game, counting on game and sharing game.
We have discovered how various things move in our science unit, understanding that objects of different size, shape and material can alter the way they move. We have been busy in our construction area creating a variety of things that move.
Prep T have reflected upon how our bodies move and how participating in physical activity supports us in being healthy. The students participated in several Indigenous games including Kai — a First Nations People traditional game where students have to hit the ball into the air in the centre of the group and to keep it from hitting the ground.
Psalm 68:4–6. Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!
This term, Prep T have learnt ways we praise The Lord through song, dance, prayer and worship. They understand through doing this, we are respecting and celebrating who God is and what He has done for all of us.
A wonderful term filled with many cherished moments.
What’s been happening in Year 3
Wow, who can believe that we are in Week Six of Term Four and Christmas is about six weeks away?
This term year three have been busy learning about movement of the Earth and it’s Moon around the Sun, and how these movements create night and day, seasons and dictate our calendar with months and years. This has involved many demonstrations with world globes, beach balls and even pepper corns, with many students astounded by just how small Earth is in comparison to the Sun. Students have also enjoyed seeing vision of the Solar System taken by the Hubble Telescope over the last 34 years.
The classrooms, once again, were overtaken by craft materials as students designed and created wonderful sock puppets. Teachers and Mrs. Farrelly were regularly heard to be calling out ‘ouch’ as they used the hot glue guns to apply felt tongues, pompoms, goggle eyes and woolly hair. Students continue to work on their presentation of the Christian Creation Story, to be performed for younger students later in the term.
Other learning has included fractions in Maths, why we should care for God’s creation in Christianity and assertively setting personal boundaries in Health. In English students have been working on writing information reports. This has been combined with our HASS topic of ‘celebrations around the world’, culminating in students writing information reports on their chosen celebration. We’ve had fun learning about the history, traditions and particularly the food associated with the celebrations.
Trudy Herbert and Marianne Strange
Message from the Head of English
Beginnings and Endings in English
There is an interesting dichotomy to the writing of this update where on one hand it is the final term of 2024, and we all strive to finish strong while also, discretely, having one eye on the Christmas break, but on the other hand, for 9-12, this term brings their first foray into the next school year and stage of the curriculum. Beginnings and endings. On a personal note, it is my first term here at Bayside, adding another layer to this theme, while I work closely with Mr Maurer, who is clinging on to his final few weeks here at the College. Here is what we are up to in English this term:
Year 7 are deep into their final term of their first year in high school, a clash of beginnings and endings in itself! This term they take a look at a range of poems from different topics and styles and dig out their hidden meanings, while improving their own writing. They demonstrate what they’ve learned by composing their own narrative short story based on a poem they’ve enjoyed.
Year 9 are taking a look at social issues in the world around them and how some of these real-world issues are represented or challenged in film. They are then using this to build their persuasiveness to weigh-in on these big talking points with refined understanding. Don’t challenge any Year 9s to a debate this term, they’ll be ready.
Year 10 are reminiscing about classic children’s tales and their many adaptations. Can we still learn morals and messages from these stories, some of which are hundreds of years old? What challenges do director’s face when adapting these well-known and much-loved tales to new contexts and audiences, and how does this change their meaning (for better, or in some cases, worse)? Great questions, ask a Year 10 student.
Year 11 end the year by beginning their journey into senior school, a time that is a little scary, but (hopefully) mostly exciting. Essential English are brushing up on our workplace communication skills and how to navigate workplace protocols and procedures. They demonstrate this knowledge through the delivery of a TEDTalk on the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. General English are judging the glitz and glamour of the jazz age, in our close study of the cautionary tale, The Great Gatsby. They demonstrate their views on the many lessons from the novel in the form of an online literary essay. Does wealth lead to fulfillment? Is it possible to re-invent yourself and rise to a higher social class? What is the danger of building your future on reliving moments from the past? I know a couple of great essays in the works if you’re looking for answers.
Year 12 begin their final school year, the end is in sight! Essential English are looking at community and some of the social issues that are present, both locally and globally, and how perspectives on these issues can be shaped in texts. They will show their learning by creating and delivering a persuasive speech on a youth issue in the Fraser Coast community. So, if you hear any complaints about social issues in The Bay this term, you can tell them “don’t worry, Bayside’s Year 12s are onto it.”
English Literature are a little further from home, exploring the rural English countryside in the late 1700s through our close study of Wuthering Heights. If you want to know more about Victorian era gender roles, struggles with class, or the dangers of unfulfilled love in the moors, you know who to ask.
Lastly, General English take on the task of comparing Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with Greta Gerwig’s film adaptation of Little Women. What does a story of four sisters coming of age around the time of the American Civil War have to do with a gothic novel about a mad scientist accidentally giving life to a monster? You’d be surprised, but our Year 12s will explain it better than I.
We are already deep into a term full of learning, and whether we focus on the beginnings or on the endings, it is always important to take a second to reflect on the now, for “This is the day which the LORD hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24). If you cannot tell from my ramblings above, I love talking about what we are up to in English, so if you have any questions or want to know more, please never hesitate to reach out.
Mr Owen Whittaker
Year 7 English
This term, students have been reading and analysing a range of Australian poetry. Students have explored poetic devices as well as themes in poems to gain an appreciation for creative writing. Students are in the process of selecting one of the poems studied as stimulus for their own creative short story. Here we see students planning their short story. I’m excited to read their final stories in a few weeks!
Year 9 English
This term, the Year 9s have been looking at representations of social issues in film. We have studied some notable persuasive speeches like Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” and explored a range of techniques used in the art of persuasion. Students are planning their speech, conducting research into their chosen social issue, and exploring the representations of their issue in films.
Chappy Corner
‘’BUT GOD’’
A warm greeting to all our Bayside community. Wishing every one of you a sense of Joy and peace as we begin to enter this coming Christmas season. I was just meditating on the Christmas story of Mary and Joseph travelling by foot and donkey to a further afield town of Nazareth to register their names for the censor in the place of their birth.
You can imagine the hustle and bustle as crowds thronged the streets on the way to their destinations. As a result, the inns and hostels were all full with no vacancies. And Joseph was desperately trying to find lodging so his wife could give birth to the saviour of this world.
And the inn keepers’ words keep coming to my mind. There is no room here at the inn. And we know how eventually an inn keeper gave them lodging in a stable with a manger (animal trough) for a crib.
And the thought is this Christmas may we not turn away our saviour the Lord Jesus from abiding in our hearts. May we give him enough room in our hearts to be the Lord and king of our lives. Making time to spend with God in quietness, prayer and taking in his word the bible is a great start for giving Him the necessary room in our hearts.
Jesus lover of my soul Song of Solomon 6:3
Have a blessed Christmas everyone from Chappy Karl
Our first Ladies Brunch was a huge success!
Many lovely ladies came together to talk, laugh, support each other and most importantly, have fun! We would like to thank everyone for coming and look forward to hosting more Ladies Brunches next year!
Station Square Spelling Bee 2024
This year Bayside Christian College was well represented at the Station Square Spelling Bee, with seven teams competing across all age categories. All teams competed well, and we had four teams make it through to the semi-finals. Two teams successfully made it through to their grand finals, with our year 3/4 team winning the grand final and $450.00 worth of vouchers each. Well done, Alice, Scarlett and Hamish. As always competition was tight and the words (such as kaleidoscope, philanthropy, and juxtapose) were challenging. Many of the regular competitors were there representing schools from all over the district and a new team representing home schooled students.
A big thank you to all of the competing students, and their families. It is a wonderful community events and the students did Bayside proud. Well done to you all!
