Welcome to Term 2

Dear Families and Friends

I bid you a warm welcome to the beginning of Term 2 2021. Yesterday (Tuesday) was an exciting opportunity for all Emmaus staff, ELC to Year 12 across both campuses, to come together as one body in Christ. Emmaus is one-school, one-vision and mission, and collectively serving the same one-true and loving Father. Yesterday’s whole of College Pupil Free day provided us the opportunity to continue our collective work further consolidating Emmaus’ distinctly Christian approach towards raising (educating) our precious children. At Emmaus, Christian education is much more than just the utilitarian transfer of declarative knowledge for vocational outcomes. It is paramount that it also captures the development of character, modelled on a Christ-likeness, for our children to be truly impacting on the world.

Consistent with the above words from Psalm 92, yesterday we launched a Christian professional development program for all Emmaus staff called “Flourish” which we will journey through together over the next 18 months. The Flourish program has been developed by VOSE Seminary (now part of Morling College nationally) to assist Christian Schools explore what key elements make education distinctly Christian. It is a tool to assist Christian schools focus on the role of education through God’s vision for the world. This program focuses on the four elements of VISION, CULTURE, FAITH, and PRACTICE within a Christian setting. Collectively the goal is to further fortify Emmaus’ distinctly Christian approach towards education deepening a community where young people will flourish into all God has planned for their lives.

Since the end of last term I would also like to share with you a number of new staffing appointments made, please make the below new staff feel welcome when you have the opportunity:

Emily Sanders has been appointed part-time Early Childhood Teacher at our ELC. Emily is an experienced teacher who has been Foundation to Year 2 Coordinator at Portside Christian College. She has a Master of Education and Bachelor of Education from Tabor Adelaide.

Kelsey Barnes has been appointed full-time Early Childhood Educator. She has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and has several years of experience as an Early Childhood Educator at Goodstart Early Learning Centre and Edge Kids Life Early Learning Centre.

Jessica Lang has been appointed part time Middle/Senior Art Teacher during Term 2, 2021. Jessica has a Bachelor of Education (Tabor) and Bachelor of Visual Arts (UniSA) and will be covering Ben Squire’s classes while he is on leave during Term 2.

Morgan Venter has been appointed the Year 1 Teacher for the remainder of 2021. Morgan and her husband relocated from NSW where she has been teaching Junior Primary classes at Pymble Ladies College. She has a B.Ed in Early Childhood Development and Foundation Phase from the University of Pretoria.

Jordan Wheatcroft has been appointed Student Wellbeing Counsellor for 1 day per week during Term 2, 2021 to cover Ben Squire’s role during his leave. Jordan is an Old Scholar and has a Bachelor of Education (Primary) Bachelor of Arts and is currently completing a Master of Education (Wellbeing and Positive Mental Health) as well as teaching part-time at Coorara Primary School.

With respect to College staffing, you may be aware that Emmaus is in the midst of recruiting a new Head of Junior School for our Brooklyn Park Campus. Much faster than expected growth of the new campus has brought plans for a new dedicated Brooklyn Park Head of School forward significantly. This is a rare and exciting senior leadership opportunity leading a rapidly growing campus based in the heart of the western metropolitan area. Applications for this unique leadership role close the beginning of Week 3 Term 2, and details are in the recruitment section of the College website. As a community I ask that you pray fervently into this important appointment process for the College.

Finally, I feel it would be remiss of me not mentioning at least something in relation to COVID-19 before I conclude! Although life in Australia generally (and SA more specifically) has seen us somewhat insulated from the COVID impact many others in the world have experienced (and many still are), caution and diligence remains paramount. At the time of writing I see the largest COVID era crowd in the world amassed at the MCG (ANZAC day footy match) while at the same time Perth is again going into a hard COVID lockdown! Somewhere between these vast and quickly shifting extreme’s schools need to operate! Although I crave the time when we can once again welcome parents back into the class rooms to read to their children at ‘drop-off’ time, I do not feel comfortable we are at that time yet at the beginning of Term 2! As such we will commence Term 2 under the same COVID rules as we concluded Term 1. I look forward however to a further relaxing of these rules when appropriate and safe to do so.

Blessings,

Andrew Linke
Principal