Berwick Year 12 student Daniel Sandvik has been making the most of his time at home. Our talented music scholar is currently working on a 9-movement, 29-minute orchestral arrangement of music from the soundtrack of the anime/visual novel CLANNAD and CLANNAD: After Story.

Admitting that he usually goes a little stir-crazy when not working on some musical passion project, Daniel was inspired to undertake this particular work because as a long time fan of anime CLANNAD: After Story stands out to him thanks to its musical score, which manages to be simultaneously both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. 

Being self-taught in arrangement and composition, Daniel has had ongoing support from his teachers Dale Condon and James Hampton, who have continued to enthusiastically support the the project over Zoom.

Daniel hopes to one day have the arrangement performed by a symphony orchestra that he himself will conduct. 

This year ANZAC Day is very different. We didn’t hold dawn services with thousands of people standing quietly in the dark. There were no marches down the streets to thank all those who have served our country in times of war and in peace.

However, there were lots of people standing in their driveways at 6am this morning, holding a candle and if they could, playing The Last Post – calling us never to forget the sacrifice paid by the men and women of our defence forces so we can live in peace.

Most of us now have no recollection of the men and women who served in World War 1. We didn’t meet them, touch their faces, know their voice. The only evidence we have for them is the journals, scratchy photos, and worn artefacts. If we are lucky, we may have some medals passed down the generations that we can wear as a proud tribute.

But we have other evidence of these lives. We have our lifestyle, our values, our freedom – we have peace in a democratic country. We are free to express ourselves, to fight for causes, to stand for justice, to believe in whatever idea of God we wish, or not.

The irony of ANZAC Day is that as we get further from the events that triggered it in the first place, the more important it is becoming. The less we know about the individuals who fought for our sake, the more we value their achievements, even though we will never meet them, never touch their faces, never know their voice. And this year when we cannot do what we are used to doing, we have found new ways to acknowledge them.

This year we are in a different war – not a war with guns and tanks with a clear and present danger. This is a war against an invisible force that goes by the name of COVID-19. Like wars in the past, some nations have been hit harder than others. Some people are more at risk than others. We all pay a price.

So it is appropriate on this different ANZAC Day to give thanks for all those who are now fighting for our freedom, our way of life, our very existence, even though we will, for the most part, never meet them, never touch their faces, never know their voice.

The Bible passage often quoted on ANZAC Day comes from John’s Gospel. It’s very late in Jesus’ ministry and he is preparing his disciples for his imminent death. Jesus says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is a clear foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the cross, which we have just commemorated at Easter. He acknowledges that his relationship with them is not one of master and slave, but of friends. The whole purpose of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is to bring us back into friendship with a loving God so we might truly live in peace.

This year, as we stand in our driveways, like those waiting for loved ones who never came home from war, we hold our candles – light that cannot be overcome by the darkness, a light that offers a beacon of hope, a light that reminds us even when we are apart we are still a community, a light that speaks of sacrifice – on the cross and on the fields of war so we may have freedom and peace.

Lest we forget.

Revd Steve Terrell is College Chaplain at the Berwick Campus and is also Chaplain to 31 Battalion, Australian Army Cadets.

Tomorrow marks the start of the Beaconhills College home learning program. It’s a new endeavour for our College. We are all adjusting to a very different routine in a bid to collectively fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are just a few starter tips from Beaconhills eLearning staff and the Australian Government’s eSafety Commissioner.

Mental and physical health

• Current circumstances are not just about physical health, there are social and emotional impacts as well. Students may be feeling isolated or anxious, or observing family members in distressed states. Ensure students know that they can still contact teachers and other support people at the College.
• Remember it is not healthy to sit at a computer, or use a tablet, for extended periods of time without a break.
• Although the College will ask students to attend their scheduled virtual classes, the lessons are likely to be much shorter than at school and work may be set to be completed later
• Encourage children to enjoy physical exercise and play while at home and to interact with family members.

Chat about expectations and boundaries

• It’s not possible to be at your child’s side every second of the day, so it’s important to talk with them about online safety issues to help develop their critical thinking and ability to make good choices. Set boundaries about when they can use devices

Parental controls

• Parental controls can help block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions. But beware! You can’t always rely on them and they should be used in combination with other online safety strategies.

Be alert – know the signs

• It’s important to keep an eye out for cyberbullying. It can include mean posts, comments and messages, as well as being left out of online group activities.

Some handy links with many resources for parents:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog/covid-19-online-safety-kit-parents-and-carers

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog/covid-19-keeping-schools-and-learning-safe-online

10 top tips from Beaconhills College Senior Chaplain, The Revd Peggy Kruse, on how to remain hopeful and calm during challenging times.

1. Take a deep breath – and just breathe in calmness and peace.
2. Take time every day to pray or to meditate.
3. Practise spirituality in looking for the meaning in situations and in our relationships.
4. Live more soulfully – recognising what is most important in life – and that is – love.
5. Think of all of the small mercies in our life – that is, all that we have to be thankful for.
6. Keep communication up with our friends and families – even if it is through FaceTime or Skype.
7. Go out into nature (without the crowds) and breathe in the fresh air and really notice the beauty around you.  Listen to the song of the birds, the rustle of the leaves on the tree, sit in the green grass and watch the clouds go by, smell the fragrances around you.
8. Stop and look at a sunset or a sunrise – or even a rainbow.
9. Bake something in the house that smells delicious.
10. Tell all the people who you are close to – that you love them – and why.

Sensational swimming today from Pakenham students at the annual Middle School Swimming Carnival.

Students in Years 5-8 took to the water at Noble Park Aquatic Centre with enthusiasm, and were proud to wear their House colours in the spirit of the day.

Thanks to our dedicated staff for a wonderful event.

Prep students (and their families) received a warm welcome for their first day of school at Beaconhills College. 

After some initial nerves, students settled quickly into their classrooms thanks to a warm greeting from teaching staff.

Today we also welcomed students from years 5, 7 and 12 back to the College, for the start of what is set to be a wonderful 2020 school year.

Wurundjeri elder Murrundindi was a special visitor to Little Beacons recently to help our five-year-olds name their Early Explorers space near the centre.

He named the space ‘Yukatoon’ (meaning happy) and talked about how the hill in that space looked like Bunjil. He said whenever Bunjil (a creator deity, often depicted as an eagle) is around, people are happy.

Murrundindi (centre) is pictured with Little Beacons children, College staff and (l-r) Senior Reconciliation Captain Imogen Atkins and Year 7 Wurundjeri student Isabella Cameron-Dukes.

Beaconhills College now has its own rose.

The Beacon of Hope rose is grown exclusively for Beaconhills College by Rankins Nursery, Garfield North and sold through the College’s online shop.

Proceeds from rose sales will go to Beaconhills’ Relay for Life campaigns, along with other Citizenship and Service projects.

The beautiful yellow rose comes in a 20cm pot and costs $25. Orders can be collected from the College Shop each Thursday, with your collection date advised once the order is completed.

Order through the College Shop

A very warm hearted thank you to all who visited our Berwick campus this week.

Our Junior School students were just tickled to show their proud grandparents and special friends what they have been learning.