Issue 13 - 2024

Advent calendars as most of us know them today bear little relation to the Christian faith. The season of Advent, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, is a time to reflect on the coming celebration. It is the start of a new Christian year which begins not with birth, but with the expectation and waiting that always comes before a birth.

This waiting time helps us to understand that we are always waiting, looking forward, and making choices about which path to follow. Advent uses images such as light shining in darkness, the rising of the sun and the gradual unfolding of God’s plan for humanity.

Candles and stars speak of hope and guidance, as well as God’s light which has shone into the world through patriarchs and matriarchs, prophets and forerunners to Jesus, such as John the Baptist and Mary, and ultimately in Jesus himself.  Our new Advent banners show the four candles of the Sundays of Advent, and the star that guides us in to the Christmas season. Purple is the colour of preparation and of kingship, to remind us that Christ is the coming king whose rule and kingdom is in our hearts, and he comes among us when we call on him, not just at Christmas, but eternally.

Advent challenges us not to start Christmas early, not to spoil our fun but to use the waiting time before December 25 to be prepared, so the celebrations have a rich and exciting meaning. Preparation for Christmas is something many of us will hold in common, in terms of decorations, gift buying, preparing food and organising to spend time with friends and family.

Advent preparation is less about these material things and more about the heart. The message God sends in Jesus is that God has a solution to the world’s problems. God is the source of perfect peace, justice and righteousness, but does not impose them on us. God reveals them to us as a vulnerable, homeless baby who grows up to go around not as warrior but as servant, and give his life for others. This is what perfect peace, justice and righteousness look like, and we are challenged to make room in our hearts and lives for God’s answers, God’s solution, God’s plan.

Just as Mary was asked to bear God into the world, as the mother of Jesus, we are asked to bear that same truth and light. Christmas celebrates this light coming into the world, and the hope this brings of a brighter experience of life. But it can only work if we accept it, letting the light shine in our darkness, and filling us with joy and peace.

My prayers and blessings to you and your families for a holy Advent and a joyful Christmas.

Fr Toby
School Chaplain

Advent Prayer

Almighty God,
give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came among us in great humility,
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen

Christmas Prayer

Good and gracious God,

who gave us your Son, the Lord of the universe,

wrapped in swaddling clothes, the Saviour of all, lying in a manger:
Draw us into the mystery of your love;

Join our voices with the heavenly host, that we may sing your glory on high.

Give us a place among the shepherds
that we may find the one for whom we have waited,

Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever. Amen

Drama and Dance Classes for 2025

To broaden the opportunities in the Performing Arts, we are excited to announce that Drama and Dance have been added to the range of specialist subjects taught in Pre-Primary to Year 6 classes from 2025. We look forward to seeing the skillset in these subjects developed in the students across the year levels.

It’s a Wrap - 2024 Ends

This year has brought many wonderful learning experiences and great adventures for our students, ranging from carnivals, excursions, incursions, buddy activities and camps. The list goes on! However, these last weeks have felt like one big celebration. Year 6 students presented an outstanding Celebration Service where their singing, confidence and artwork were on show for their families to see. The Pre-Primary Christmas concert was a huge success, and the Kindergarten Nativities warmed the hearts of the audience members. There was an Early Years Celebration assembly to show the highlights of the year for Pre-Primary to Year 2. At the Presentation Ceremony for Years 3 to 6 Academic Achievement, Learner Profile Allrounder, School Values Allrounder, Leadership, and the Principal’s Exceptional Achievement awards were presented to very worthy recipients. The 2025 Primary Student Leadership team was announced as well. The year culminated in a Fun Day and everyone wished each other a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Pre-Kindergarten students and their families had a wonderful time at our Christmas Coffee and Craft Afternoon. They made special Christmas decorations, sang Christmas songs and enjoyed some delicious afternoon tea with their loved ones.

Pre-Primary students had a fantastic time when Bunnings came to visit Swan Valley Anglican Community School. Students enjoyed constructing and decorating Christmas trees. The children were able to let their creative talents shine in this festive craft. Thanks again Bunnings.  

Year 1 students took a step back into the past during their history excursion at Whiteman Park. They visited the Revolution Museum where they tried on olden-day clothing and explored olden-day modes of transportation. The children took a ride on a heritage train and enjoyed a play in the playground. It was so much fun exploring history

Year 2 students have thoroughly enjoyed their last weeks of Year 2, spending time with their special elf visitors! They have had a blast exploring Christmas traditions from across the globe and creating wonderful crafts to represent this special time of year. Students have made and decorated baubles, bags, Christmas trees, and personalised cards for their family and friends, and have sung their hearts out to some fun Christmas carols along the way!

Year 3 students have enjoyed their final weeks of learning in preparation to move into Year 4. Although the students were devasted to return their laptops they enjoyed a sewing project to create a Christmas bauble. The students displayed a lot of patience and perseverance and they should be proud of the final product.

Year 4 students have been busy designing and sewing their Christmas stockings, demonstrating incredible creativity and determination. In addition to perfecting their stitching techniques, they also proudly published and shared their imaginative 'Ology' books with the Year 3 and Year 6 classes, impressing everyone with their hard work and creativity!

Year 5 students have been learning about the viscosity of liquids in our Chemical Science Unit. The students were tasked with designing their own experiment to test how long it took different liquids to slide down a 70-degree angle. It was fair to say the results were flowing!

Year 6 students have enjoyed their final weeks of Primary School celebrating with their families and friends. The Celebration Service was an exciting time for our students. This service was quickly followed up by their experience within the Secondary School as they met new teachers and peers to prepare for Year 7. A fond memory was Outback Splash, as the students enjoyed a fantastic day with their friends. All the best Year 6 students!

Italian - E`arrivata la neve! It is snowing at SVACS! During the last few weeks of Term 4 the Primary School students learnt about Italian Christmas traditions and celebrations. They were delighted to get a taste of Pandoro, the most famous and popular Italian Christmas cake. Pandoro is shaped like a mountain covered in snow - la neve – at Christmas time in Italy.

Health and Physical Education - To finish off the year in Health and Physical Education, our Year 3 students refined their throwing, striking, and one-handed catching learning how to play tee-ball. Our Year 4 students learned how to play volleyball and had a blast trying to maintain rallies with some game modifications. The Year 5 students displayed their understanding of rules and different roles in sports by playing, refereeing, and facilitating games of dodgeball. Our Year 6 students finished off the year by developing their understanding of attacking and defending space in invasion games and had a great time learning all about the game of ultimate frisbee.

A sincere thank you goes to our students and families for supporting our Primary School in 2024. I wish everyone a wonderful holiday, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a safe return to school in February.

Mrs Shirley Steel
Head of Primary School

Mountains of donations were received from our recent Christmas Giving appeal. Year 11 students collected and sorted and packed 30 ‘Back to School’ backpacks, and three boxes of extra items for Anglicare. They also packed 30 Christmas food hampers and boxes of staples for distribution by the Ellenbrook Food Pantry.

During the seniors miniconcert and morning tea for visitors from local parishes and the community, Year 11 students enjoyed enriching conversations with our guests over morning tea sharing life experiences and prospects for the future. Thanks to the Early Years, Junior Years and Senior Choirs who joined Year 11s to perform. Following the concert the Year 11s demonstrated the process of packing Christmas hampers and Back-to-School backpacks for local charities.