CONNECT
Every learner reaching their God-given potential
A NOTE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL
Term1 2025 marked an important milestone in the history of our College as we celebrated 40 years of providing Christian schooling in Ballarat. The celebration service and carnival day held recently provided a wonderful opportunity to reflect upon the College’s history and remember the pioneers who heeded God’s call upon their hearts and put in the hard yards to make the vision a reality. In my address at the celebration service, I reflected upon the desire of parents at the time desiring an education setting that honoured God first and aligned with the biblical teaching taught at home and in the church. Our school was one of many that were birthed around that time, and 40 years on, it is interesting to note that the Christian school sector is the fastest growing school sector today.
It was wonderful to welcome back many past students and staff who joined our celebration day. Looking back over old photographs brought back many memories and reminders of what was accomplished across four decades, with thankfulness to God for His blessing and enabling. For some of us, it also provided tangible evidence of how much we have aged!
2025 brought saw another milestone reached in our story, as we exceeded the 400-mark for enrolments for the first time. We continue to field a constant flow of enrolment enquiries, which in turn is creating a planning challenge as we seek to manage this growth. I take this opportunity to remind parents that enrolments for Prep and Year 7 2026 close on 30 April 2025 and for all other year levels on 30 June 2025. The earlier closure dates are necessary to allow time for the College to plan for the additional buildings and staffing required to accommodate the growth.
I wish you and your family a restful Term 1 break and safety on our roads if you’re travelling during the holidays. May we all take time to reflect on the reason for the Easter season, that God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die upon a cruel Roman cross, thus paying the penalty due to us as sinners, in order that we could be released from the bondage of sin and made heirs of God’s kingdom for eternity. If we reflect deeply upon this truth, it helps to prioritise what is really important (and also not so important) in our lives!
Blessings!
Ken Nuridin Principal
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
(NIV)
NEW SIGNAGE
Our summer holiday works program commenced as soon as students left on break. With one of the first projects being the installation of College Values banners and House team pennant signage in the Kerry Hutton Centre (KHC).
Thanks to the team at Signarama for taking our designs and creating a spectacular visual display in our KHC.
STAFF PD DAYS
Our staff took part in two days of professional training at the start of the new school year, along with First Aid, Child Safety, Diabetes and Anaphylaxis training led by the team from First Aid Training Group.
Pastors Chris and Jess Groszek from one2one Church of Christ led staff in worship on the first day. Throughout the two days staff also heard from our Executive team. We look forward to an exciting year in 2025 – our 40th Anniversary year.
FIRST DAY
PREP & YEAR 12 WALKAROUND
Our Prep students started their first morning of school with a walkaround the College with their Year 12 buddies before sitting down to chat and get to know one another. The Preps and Year 12s will catch up at Homeroom every few weeks and at the end of the year the Preps will walk the Year 12s into their graduation assembly.
ECCO KUPPA
Café 6:8 now has Ecco Kuppas for sale. The individually packaged 350ml size cups sell for $6.00 each from Café 6:8 during opening hours.
The BPA free reuseable cups are a beautiful sleek design with a double wall belly that helps keep your hands cools and your drinks hot, along with a detachable lid that allows for easy cleaning, large and small drink hole options, insulated thermal double wall, a splash proof band, twist lid and a ridge surface for comfortable handling and dishwasher safe.
Café 6:8 is open Thursdays - Lunch 1 and 2. Students from Year 5-12 and staff are welcome to purchase (cash or card) from Café 6:8. Items may vary from week to week and are available until sold out. The menu is displayed at Café 6:8 and dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options are available upon request.
Café 6:8 food service is provided by Secondary students under the direction of teaching staff.
JOB CAMP
At the start of Term 1 our Year 9 students took part in the Micah 6:8 Job Camp.
Launched at the start of 2021 our Year 9 Micah 6:8 program runs alongside the core curriculum and is designed to build resilience and life skills. The program encompasses subjects such as Careers and Health & Physical Education (HPE), as well as tying in with the requirements for The Duke of Edinburgh AwardBronze. During the program students focus on areas such as resilience, mental health, life skills, voluntary service, and physical recreation skills. The program runs one day each week and involves
the Year 9 students working in groups to run Café 6:8, helping in the Canteen, mentor Primary students, work in the College Garden, and participate in outside work.
Within the program students also have the opportunity to attend three exciting camp opportunities:
• Job Camp - a three-day incursion providing training in Food Safety, First Aid, Resume & cover letter creation, Job Application & Interview skills, and Barista & Café skills and run by Short Courses Australia.
• a five-day coastal camp
• a four-day high-country camp
TEAM BUILDING
At the start of Term 1 our Upper Primary students had the exciting opportunity to engage in a team building excursion (Strengthening Ties) designed to kickstart the school year on a positive note, fostering teamwork and unity among the students.
The excursion saw the students walk to the Yuille’s Wetlands for an exploration of the local flora and fauna as part of their Science focus for the term. Then on to the Sebastopol Library, where they took part in literacy-based activities before heading on to a game of lawn bowls at Sebastopol Bowling Club and then a stop at Sebastopol Water Play Park for a water play activity.
CAMPUS UPDATES
At the start of Term 1 we opened our new classroom modular in Lower Secondary. The modular has two classrooms, split system heating and cooling, new furniture and a staff office space.
The Year 9 and 10 classrooms received a fantastic upgrade with brand new tables and chairs. A big thank you to our Maintenance team for assembling and arranging the furniture, not just in the Year 9 and 10 classrooms, but also in the new modular classrooms in Lower Secondary.
STUDY RETREAT
At the start of Term 1 our Year 11 and 12 students headed off on a three-day Study Retreat at Adekate Campsite. During the retreat the students took part in worship sessions, ziplining, laser skirmish, orienteering, trivia games and bushwalks. Additionally, they engaged in informative sessions covering topics on maximising study, study resources, obtaining a driver’s license, and understanding taxes. They also heard from representatives of Australian Catholic University and Apprenticeship Support Australia, as well as BalCC Staff.
SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Theweather was absolutely perfect for our 2025 BalCC Swimming Carnival, held at the Eureka Aquatic Centre in the middle of Term 1. The sun was shining, creating an ideal atmosphere for a day of fun and friendly competition. Students and staff embraced the ‘Let’s Party’ theme, going all out with creative and colourful outfits. It was a fantastic way to bring everyone together and from the poolside cheers to the lively costumes, it was a memorable day.
Each year, it has become a tradition for our Year 12 students to perform a dance at the BalCC Swimming Carnival. The 2025 Year 12 cohort selected a song from High School Musical for their routine, energizing the crowd with their lively performance.
A huge thank you to all the House Captains, student helpers, and staff members who played a vital role in making the 2025 BalCC Swimming Carnival a success. This carnival is a major event in our annual calendar, and it wouldn’t have been possible without your dedication and hard work. Your contributions are truly appreciated!
COLLEGE CAPTINS POW SERVICE
College Captains Freya and Gibson, accompanied by Head of Secondary Scott McKenzie, represented BalCC at the 21st Anniversary Service of the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War, held in Ballarat on Sunday 9 February. During the ceremony, they laid a wreath in honour of the prisoners of war, recognising the sacrifices and suffering they endured.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Molly Skoblar
Congratulations to Year 11 student Molly Skoblar on being awarded the 2025 Highlands LLEN VET Cluster VETDSS Award for Excellence at the 2025 TAFE Awards for Excellence Celebration. Molly attended the awards ceremony and received a certificate and $500 cash prize.
Molly has been undertaking a Certificate II in Engineering Studies through the Highlands LLEN VET Cluster and recently commenced a school-based apprenticeship working as Aircraft Mechanic and undertaking a Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Mechanical). Molly plans to complete the apprenticeship and eventually do a degree in Engineering with the hope to one day work in The Royal Australian Air Force as an Aerospace Engineer.
Congratulations also to 2024 Year 12 student Elouise Bartlett on winning an Award for Excellence for her Certificate II in Cookery studies.
The Highlands LLEN VET Cluster is a longrunning partnership between a cluster of schools (over 30 secondary education providers within Ballarat and surrounding regions including Ballarat Christian College) and the Highlands Local Learning and Employment Network (HLLEN) and provides a diverse range of programs for Year 10, 11 and 12 students, that are nationally recognised and Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) approved. VET programs give students the opportunity to learn from industry experts and allows students to study and make friendships with like-minded peers from the cluster of schools with the HLLEN region.
BalCC runs the Certificate II in Apparel, Fashion and Textiles from our Trade Training Centre.
To learn more about VET courses, please visit: https://www.highlandsllen.org/vet-cluster/
SCIENCE IN MOTION
In Term 1 our Year 9/10 Physics is Fun elective class continued aeronautics following on from their paper plane flying to investigate flying the drones. The students set up in the KHC to use the small remote-controlled drones and began to become familiar with flying the drones and learning how to control them.
LUNA PARK
During Term 1 our VCE Physics class went on an excursion to Luna Park’s VCE Physics Day, a day designed by teachers to provide students with practical examples of some of the concepts covered in Physics, particularly the topics on motion in the units 2 and 3 of the VCE Physics Study Design.
During the VCE Activities Days Luna Park provided Victorian Schools with exclusive access to the Park where they could utilise the study materials with a program of enjoyable activities, including all amusement rides, designed to engage and inform. Study materials were developed with specific relevance to Luna Park and the motion of amusement rides and provided to all students.
The educational purpose also included ‘How is motion understood’ for Area of Study 1 of unit 2 Physics and ‘How do Physicists investigate questions?’ in Area of Study 3 of Unit 2 Physics.
QUESTACON SCIENCE CIRCUS
InTerm 1 our Primary students took part in the Questacon Science Circus shows, a science outreach program run by The National Science and Technology Centre. The shows are a fun and engaging way for students to explore and get involved in science, test out their ideas, and spark a curiosity in science that they can take away with them inside and outside of the classroom.
The Questacon presenters guided the students through the stimulating one hour show with students given the opportunity to participate, all while following relevant concepts being taught in the curriculum. The Questacon vision is that Australians are inspired by science and technology and the opportunities it creates for the future. https://www.questacon.edu.au/
BALLARAT TECH SCHOOL
InTerm 1 the Year 12 Biology students took part in a DNA Manipulation Techniques workshop at Ballarat Tech School (BTS).
Students had the opportunity to have hands-on experience in modern molecular biology techniques. They worked with a plasmid containing the insulin gene fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP), under the control of the arabinose operon.
This program enables students to investigate the process of bacterial transformation as they introduce the GFP containing plasmid into E.coli and select for its presence using an antibiotic. They also investigated gene regulation in bacteria as they induce expression of GFP by way of the inclusion of arabinose in the growth medium and fluorescence by excitation under UV light.
Students also set up and ran a controlled scientific experiment that clearly demonstrated the relationship between independent and dependent variables.
To learn more about Ballarat Tech School and their programs, please visit:
https://ballarattechschool.vic.edu.au/ ‘Discover Today – Design Tomorrow’
BALCC SOCIAL CLUB
TheBalCC Social Club held its first lunch event for year during Term 1 with staff being treated to a spread of iconic Aussie dishes with the highlight being the “decorate your own slice of pavlova” station. With a variety of toppings to choose from everyone personalised their sweet treat. It was a perfect mix of delicious food and Aussie spirit, making it a memorable start to the club’s year of events.
The BalCC Social Club was established in 2022 with the aim of promoting staff wellbeing, strengthening relationships among colleagues, and creating a positive and supportive work environment. It is great to see our team come together and enjoy a meal together.
HARVEST & COOK
DuringTerm 1 the students from the Micah 6:8 program worked in teams to harvest vegetables from the College Garden and then cook the produce in the College Canteen. Students came up with recipes for some delicious dishes from the day’s harvest, as well as preparing slices for the Café 6:8 weekly food service.
Launched at the start of 2021 our Year 9 Micah 6:8 program runs alongside the core curriculum and is designed to build resilience and life skills. The program encompasses subjects such as Careers and Health & Physical Education (HPE), as well as tying in with the requirements for The Duke of Edinburgh Award - Bronze. During the program students focus on areas such as resilience, mental health, life skills, voluntary service, and physical recreation skills.
The program runs one day each week and involves the Year 9 students working in groups to run Café 6:8, helping in the Canteen, mentor Primary students, work in the College Garden, and participate in outside work.
40TH ANNIVERSARY SIGN
Next time you’re passing through the BalCC Administration Foyer check out our 40th Anniversary sign on the stairway balcony.
Thanks to BalCC parent, Pete Heinrich from Remember Neons for bringing our design vision to fruition. https://rememberneons.com/
HALLS GAP
Inthe middle of Term 1 our Year 7 students had an incredible time at their three-day camp at Halls Gap. The camp program was packed with exciting and adventurous activities, giving students the chance to step outside their usual routines and learn new skills. The Year 7s took part in archery, art sessions, bush cooking, navigating through orienteering challenges, and enjoying fun games and laser skirmish. Alongside all the action, students took part in insightful discussions, learning valuable life skills and building strong friendships. It was a wonderful opportunity for growth, adventure, and making lasting memories!
BIKE EDUCATION
Our Upper Primary and Year 7 students participated in a bike education program at BalCC in Term 1. The program covered:
• Training to complete an ABC Tight Bike Safety Checklistdesigned to help riders ensure their bike is safe to ride.
• Importance of helmet wearing and correct fitting.
• Adjusting seat height.
• Basic bike maintenance.
• Bike Skills - pedal ready, signalling, riding in a straight line, looking behind and over your shoulder, swerving to avoid ‘dooring’, roundabouts, u turns, slow riding, traffic signs, road and off-road riding and many more.
• Each student also watched bike safety clips and completed road safety and bike riding quizzes.
Students finished each session with a TRY-Athlon, which included riding laps around the oval. Students are now completing a road safety or bike promotion poster, which could win them a prize.
Thank you to parents for transporting bikes and supporting this initiative. To BalCC Staff Ian Manton, Mathew Knights, Melissa O’Hara and volunteer, Pastor Toby McIntosh for their expertise and help with running the program. We also acknowledge the support of Di Nevett from Transport Victoria and Central Highlands - Vic Roads for providing the bike trailer.
PRIMARY OPEN CLASSROOMS
It was fantastic to see so many families join us for our Term 1 Primary Open Classrooms! The students were thrilled to showcase all the hard work they’ve done this term and give their guests a tour of their classrooms. A big thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to be a part of this special event!
BIG STEPS LITTLE FEET
During Term 1 our Prep class was featured in The Courier’s ‘Big Steps, Little Feet’ feature, which showcases photos of Preps from various schools across Ballarat and nearby areas.
HARMONY DAY
InTerm 1 we held a whole College Harmony Day. Students and staff came dressed in traditional national costume or in orange. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication, meaningful conversations, and encouragement of mutual respect.
For Harmony Day students made a gold coin donation to SPARSH Academy, a non-profit educational institution that operates in the Tehri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand, North India, at the foot of the Himalayas. The founder is Brother Francis Robinson, a graduate of Doon Bible College, who had a desire to provide an education facility for the children who live in this mountainous region. SPARSH Academy focuses on Education, Community Development, Health and Hygiene, Child Development, and Literacy programs.
Ballarat Christian College partners with SPARSH Academy to support underprivileged children through educational and nutritional projects. Our financial assistance to SPARSH Academy is through fundraising by BalCC students and staff, and donations from parents and supporters.
Thank you to the guests who generously took the time to visit our classes and share insights about their countries
This event ran concurrently with Ballarat Harmony celebrations Ballarat Harmony Fest | City of Ballarat.
For more information, please visit: www.harmony.gov.au
On40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Saturday 22 March we held our main 40th Anniversary celebrations – a Thanksgiving Service followed by a Carnival and Picnic Day.
The day began with a Thanksgiving Service where we heard from Rev Chris Duke and Pastor Liz Bailey, both of whom have strong ties to BalCC from its early days, along with current Board Chair, Randall Dreger and Principal Ken Nuridin. Our Primary and Secondary Combined Chapel Bands performed Praise, Cornerstone and In Christ Alone, with the latter being adopted as the College anthem in 2007.
Thanks to the team from Word of Life for running the carnival games and activities, which provided endless fun
for everyone. Special thanks also to Café 6:8, Deja Brew Xpresso, and The Hippie Whippy for keeping us refreshed with delicious food and drinks throughout the day.
Our College Captains had the honour of cutting the celebratory cake, and guests enjoyed informative tours of the College campus, led by our College Registrar.
A heartfelt thank you to all the guests who celebrated this milestone with us, and to our current and past students, families, and parents for the invaluable contributions they’ve made to BalCC over the past forty years. As we look ahead, we are filled with excitement for the future and eagerly anticipate many more years of growth and community together.
BalCC Celebrating 40 Years 1985 - 2025
40TH ANNIVERSARY STAFF MORNING TEA
As part of our 40th Anniversary celebrations we held a morning tea for BalCC Staff. Principal Ken Nuridin, Head of Secondary-Scott McKenzie and Head of Primary-Bianca Francica had the honour of cutting the 40th Anniversary celebratory cake.
We thank all our current and past staff for the contributions they have made to BalCC over the past forty years.
SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
During Term 1 selected Secondary students had the honour of representing the College in the CSEN Secondary Swimming Championships. For half of the athletes this was their first time representing the College in this competition. We are so proud of all their efforts and great sportsmanship they showed all day.
TOP ACTS EXCURSION
Towardsthe end of Term 1 the Year 9/10 Music class together with our VCE Music students, led by Sarah Rodwell, Briony Kenneth and Arthur MacRae, took the train into Melbourne and to see the VCE Music Top Acts at Melbourne Recital Centre.
The VCE Music Top Acts are students that in their previous year received top marks in their VCE Music performance. Our students were able to see performances in multiple VCE Music subjects, namely VCE Music Repertoire Performance, VCE VET Music, VCE Contemporary Performance.
The excursion was a fantastic way for students to see such performances of a high calibre in a wonderful venue and having this opportunity has created a chance for the students to aspire for excellence in music.
BALCC MERCHANDISE
We have for purchase via the College Administration Office 40th Anniversary teddy bears ($15) and notebooks ($5). Along with the blue BalCC teddy bear ($15) and Café 6:8/BalCC Ecco Kuppas ($6).
All items are available for purchase during office hours: 8:30am-4:00pm Monday-Friday. The Ecco Kuppas are also available via Café 6:8 during Lunch 1 and 2 Thursdays during term.
PORTLAND CAMP
Our Year 9 students have enjoyed perfect weather on their fourday Portland camp. On their way to Portland the Year 9s walked around the rim of Mount Elephant, a dormant volcano before a lunch stop at the bakery in Camperdown then a stroll around Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve and some time exploring Port Fairy Lighthouse.
The Year 9s took a ride on the Portland cable tram and visited the Portland Maritime Discovery Centre. They also took part in an 8km walk from the Blowholes lookout to Cape Bridgewater Kiosk.
FIRST PERFORMANCE
At the end of Term 1 our VCE Music classes had their first performance SAC for this year at Rise Christian Church, Delacombe. The students had an opportunity to perform two pieces of their choice, and it was fantastic to see their skill set and confidence grow.
This performance is part of Area of Study 1 Performing in both Year 11 and 12 Music, which states “students perform regularly in a variety of contexts and use these performances to explore and build on ways of developing technical skills and interpretation approaches relevant to the style(s) of the selected works.” (VCAA VCE Music Study Design)
The students and families that attended were a wonderful audience which encouraged the students, especially our new Year 11 students. A special thank you to Mrs Julie Gall and Mr Tim Weatherstone who helped with the set up and Mrs Sarah Rodwell -VCE Music teacher.
WHATEVER YOU DO, WORK AT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AS WORKING FOR THE LORD, NOT FOR HUMAN MASTERS.
COLOSSIANS 3:23
WILDLIFE PARK
In Term 1 our Lower Primary students have had ‘Happy Campers’ as their class theme. During the term the students have learnt about Australia, the states, man-made and God made special features, such as Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef and Uluru, as well as enjoying lots of books about Australia and our native animals. The have also talked about how amazing our country is with beaches, deserts, rainforests and mountain ranges. To finish off the theme the students went on an excursion to Ballarat Wildlife Park to visit the animals.
CREATIVE ART PRACTICE
Inthe last week of Term 1 our Year 12 Art Creative Practice students explored the colourful life of 20th century artist Frida Kahlo. The students travelled to the Bendigo Art Gallery to discover the influences, life and practice of Kahlo. This included a viewing of her vast collection of elaborate apparel, garments, and traditional indigenous attire.
EASTER CHAPEL
Inthe last week of Term 1 we celebrated our annual Easter Chapel. The event featured performances by the Primary students and Year 7-12 Bands, along with a fun wiggle break led by the Preps and Year 12s.we celebrated our annual Easter Chapel. The event featured performances by the Primary students, Year 7-12 Bands, along with a fun wiggle break led by the Preps and Year 12s. The Upper Primary students acted out parts of the Easter story during the service and there was an ‘I Believe’ presentation to Primary students by Primary Chapel Coordinator, Melissa O’Hara. Pastor Toby McIntosh shared an inspiring Easter address, and the Primary Choir brought the service to a close with a beautiful blessing song.
LAWN BOWLS
Year10A and 10B students took part in a lawn bowls session as part of their Health & Physical Education classes during Term 1.
The Year 10s took had a 60-minute lesson with BalCC Staff and members of the Sebastopol Bowling Club. It was great to see the club members sharing their lawn bowls knowledge with our students.
PHOTOGRAPHY ELECTIVE
Our Year 9/10 Photograph elective students were tasked with photographing an Easter decoration Around campus resulting in some interesting compositions. We look forward to seeing more of their photographic compositions in Term 2.
Ava Maxwell
Addison Croton
Catherine Wilson
Paige Paterson
Lily Miller
Sara Jones
Ruby Johnson
Lily Britt
Ellie Duke
Student Representative Council 2025
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
Middle Primary A Captains
Middle Primary B Captains
Primary C Captains
Upper Primary A Captains
Primary B Captains
Primary C Captains
Every learner reaching their God-given potential
Upper
Middle
Upper
Oliver Davison
Elodie Horton
Rory Stabek
Elsie Prince
Jed Weir
Miranda Cook-Fordham
Caleb Hewitt
Emma McKenzie
Mateo Marin Garcia
Jamal Akintunde
Josephine Muthukattil
Senate
Senate
SENATE
Lyla Gellert
Dyon Ranaweera
Year
Esther Anish
Sam Renfrey
Year
Isaac Rodwell
Saxon Miller
Alexandra Mitchell
Daniel Chacko
Harjas Makkar
Luciana Barlow
Xavier McGrath-Fry
Hadley Fletcher
Christopher Vann
Tasman Goddard
Alejandro Lopez
Freya Manton
Gibson Paxman
Eleisha Retallick
Melody Samuels
David Rodwell
Unity Genesis Genesis Slessor Slessor Unity 2025 House Captains
Hannah McIntosh
Alejandro Lopez
Samuel Jones
James Howard
William Loader
Alice McIntosh
2025
BalCC Swimming Carnival Age Champions
James Hawkes
Abby Burnett
Isaac Just
Margaret McIntosh
Tripp Trezise
Zara Mitchell
Codey Farquhar
Alice McIntosh
Gibson Paxman
Jessica Rodger
EASTER AROUND CAMPUS
Easter has brought a wonderful buzz to campus! Our Year 11 students enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt during Homeroom, while the Primary students engaged in creative craft rotations. The Middle Primary A class crafted Easter baskets in their Maths session, honing their skills with rulers.
As we head into the Term 1 break, we wish all members of the BalCC community a restful holiday and a joyful Easter season, reflecting on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life.
We look forward to welcoming students back for Term 2 on Wednesday, 23 April 2025.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10
