Geelong Lutheran College
It’s already been a busy and exciting Term 1 at both Geelong Lutheran College campuses: St John’s Newtown and Armstrong Creek. Here’s an update of what our students, staff and community have been up to so far this term:
Welcome Picnics
It was wonderful to have so many families enjoy a picnic dinner and chance to explore our campuses at our Welcome Picnics held early in the term.
Students were keen to show their parents and carers around their classrooms. At the GLC Armstrong Creek campus, there were new or moved facilities to explore, with ‘Investigator’ now home to our Year 6 classes and dedicated Primary STEM, Art and Music spaces, and the brand-new Year 11 & 12 Centre, Ngarrwa.
Welcome to Landy!
Last month, the GLC St John’s Newtown campus officially welcomed golden retriever, ‘Landy’ at assembly in his role as a certified therapy dog. Landy will be based at GLC St John’s Newtown on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Our Prep students have already had their first meeting with Landy, which was very exciting.
Ngarrwa Official Opened
While students have been using ‘Ngarrwa’ since the start of term, on Friday 8 March, the ribbon was officially cut on Ngarrwa, Geelong Lutheran College Armstrong Creek’s new Year 11 & 12 Centre, by Parliamentary Sectary for Education Darren Cheeseman and GLC Executive Principal Ms Sue Ellis.
The opening ceremony, which featured a blessing by Pastor Lester Priebbenow, District Bishop Victoria and Tasmania, Lutheran Church of Australia was held upstairs in the campus’ first two-storey building, following a tour of the facility for Darren Cheeseman by our two College Captains, Jessita and Zach.
The $8.7 million project was jointly funded by the GLC local community and the Victorian State Government, with $2.8 million funding from Round 4 of the Government’s Non-Government Schools Capital Fund. The College was grateful to receive a bequest from John and Iris Bowen, which also contributed to the new build.
Executive Principal Installed
Following her commencement in the role at the start of the year, Ms Ellis was formally installed as the College’s Executive Principal following the Ngarrwa ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday 8 March.
Presented by outgoing Chair of the GLC Board, Dr Craig Tischler, Ms Ellis was installed by Pastor Lester Priebbenow, District Bishop Victoria and Tasmania, Lutheran Church of Australia. Assisting in the ceremony, were four of Primary Captains from GLC’s St John’s Newtown and Armstrong Creek campuses who helped present Ms Ellis with her tokens of office: an academic gown, stole, bible and cross. It was lovely to have a number of fellow Lutheran Principals and members of the St John’s Lutheran Church congregation in attendance for this special event.
Funding Support for SEMATICS Teams
Our two GLC Armstrong Creek SEMATICS robotics teams were excited to show off their LEGO robots to local Federal Member of Parliament Libby Coker MP earlier this term.
With the teams preparing to travel to international competitions in Houston and Sydney in the coming months, GLC is very grateful to the Australian Government for their funding support through the Sponsorship Grants for Student Science Engagement and International Competitions 2024. Ms Coker MP also provided the students with flags and booklets to decorate their competition stalls.
Together with sponsorship from businesses, Powernet, GHD Advisory and smith+tracey architects, this funding will enable our students to compete on the world stage doing something they love.
Running Laps Around Term 1
Term 1 has given our GLC St John’s Newtown Year 3 - 6 students plenty of opportunity to get active, with the annual Athletics Carnival and Cross Country recently taking place.
At Geelong’s Landy Field Athletics Track, our students rotated through hurdles, sprints, long jump, shot put, discus and high jump, earning points for their houses and cheering on their peers.
The following week, the Year 3 – 6s were off on a bus again, this time to Eastern Park for Cross Country. We loved having so many families come along to watch their students. Everyone gave it their all, and it was great to see them cheering and encouraging on their classmates, no matter which House they belonged to.
Splashing into inter-House Sports
It wasn’t just the primary students at the St John’s Newtown campus who have had sporting competitions this term, our Secondary Students at GLC Armstrong Creek took to the pool last month for the 2024 Secondary Swimming Carnival.
There was a fantastic atmosphere at Kardinia Pool for the campus’ first big house sporting event of the year, as students took part in heats and finals for each stroke, as well as in a number of novelty races. Well done to all the students who competed and cheered on their classmates in the pool.
