The last day of school is an exciting time. Not only does it trigger the commencement of the Christmas holiday season, but it often results in us simultaneously thinking about the year that was and the year that is to come. Let’s give thanks for this.
The Year That Was…
Personally, in my role as Acting Principal, I have certainly found myself reflecting on this for some time before the last day of school. As I expressed at our End of Year Celebration evenings, one of the many joys of being Acting Principal at Heathdale Christian College’s Melton Campus involves getting out of the office and facilitating school tours. I often highlight to our visitors that Melton campus is a phenomenal workplace: it is not only a place that contains vibrant and purposeful classroom and outdoor spaces, nor just a place that hosts passionate and committed staff that want to help students achieve their best successes. But it is more than that – it is a place where Christ works too, and He is nurturing our Christian culture and identity, which is helping us grow for our future.
God is at work in Melton; He has established a thriving Christian school community named “Heathdale Christian College”. I give thanks to God for this.
I give thanks for the staff who work alongside Christ. Whilst they are all spectacular in their own way, I want to recognise the service of six individuals who will be departing the College at the conclusion of 2023: Mrs Cathryn Templeton, Mrs Cathy Duncanson, Madame Tafadzwa Gwamba, Ms Danita O’Loughlin, Ms Gigi Horne and Mrs Sue Grace. All six of these people have contributed to the moulding and shaping of our student body in their own unique ways. I wish them all the best as they embark on their next adventure with Christ by their side.
I give thanks for the students at Melton. These students have grown in their understanding of what it means to be image-bearers of God. They are valuable; they create things of value, and the most important of these is the creation of a school community that both ensures the safety, dignity and belonging of their neighbours, and strives to achieve their God-given potential. I pray that all the students who are departing the College this year continue to be blessed in their travels with Christ by their side.
And finally, I give thanks to the community of Melton for supporting the College throughout 2023. Thank you for continuing to partner with us daily. In 2024, we will be celebrating our 10 Year Anniversary in Melton, which I think will be a lovely opportunity for us to come together and give thanks to God for His gracious provisions. I hope you look forward to this!
The Year to Come…
And, with saying this, we look forward to several changes that will take place in our Anniversary year. First and foremost, we will welcome the appointment of Mr Iain Belot as Principal of the Melton campus. When Iain has visited Melton throughout Term 4, he has expressed an eagerness to get to work. He will be a fantastic addition to the College community.
In addition to Iain, we will be welcoming 10 new staff members to the teaching team. In 2024 we will finally conclude the expansion of Primary as it becomes a double-streamed school across Prep-Grade 6. Furthermore, we will introduce the VCE at Year 11. Having spoken with all our new staff, they are very excited about their next adventure as they join Heathdale in Melton. We look forward to welcoming them at our campus assembly on the first day of next year.
And, aside from the addition of new staff, we anticipate the refurbishment and redevelopment of several different buildings and spaces on the campus. The Secondary Stadium is one of these that has already gotten underway this term. We look forward to it, and many others being completed in 2024.
Finally, I look forward to seeing how God works in Melton next year. There are certainly many ways we can see His work already. But, there are many things we cannot see as Christ walks before us. Just like we typically anticipate the Christmas season, I encourage you to extend that anticipation out beyond Christmas and into the day-to-day of 2024.
It has been a pleasure to serve you in my role as Acting Principal for the last few weeks. I pray that the Christmas season is a blessing to you.