23 July 2015 Issue No. 12

The story of Jesus feeding the 5000 has been topical in the Gospel readings for both last Sunday and also for next week. Is there something special or deeply significant about this story that makes it the only miracle account (aside from the resurrection itself) that occurs in all four gospels? When searching around for a thread of thinking to inform our daily operations in a Lutheran school, it struck me that in the three synoptic accounts - (Matthew 14, Mark 6, and

Luke 9), there was one word which stood out … the word YOU. As the crowds gathered and evening was closing in, we are told that Jesus had compassion on the crowd. The disciples initially raise the issue of food for the people, but Jesus replies ..."YOU give them something to eat." What a fabulous reminder to us … whatever our station or role … as staff or council members in a Lutheran school. Jesus puts the task of "feeding" the people intentionally right in OUR court. It is a resounding commissioning of ALL of us to do the job of getting the message through to the people ... so we don't leave it to the pastors, Principals, Christian studies teachers, ministry workers ... we are ALL called to the task of "feeding" the people around us ... and the amazing thing is, a very basic and seemingly inadequate 'food' supply is enough to get underway. It would appear that very little 'soul food' goes a long way ... and incredibly there is still a lot left over! May we be inspired by the Spirit and given the confidence and courage to take what we have ... our humble “home-packed lunch”... and share it with those around us!

Neville Grieger neville.grieger@levnt.edu.au

Assistant Director

LEVNT Networks is distributed fortnightly Please ensure that ALL staff and school councillors receive this communication

LEVNT NETWORKS

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LEVNT REGIONAL NEWS

Schools Assembly

Saturday, 05 September 2015 9.00 am to 3.00 pm

The Quality Hotel, Tullamarine Please note that the next Schools Assembly meeting to be held on Saturday, 05 September will have an extended duration from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. This timeframe will enable the Assembly to conduct normal business as well as engage in discussions about future directions for LEVNT. With the Schools Assembly By-laws passed last year we now have far more clarity regarding the role of the Assembly in the Region and therefore look forward to a stimulating and productive meeting. The objects of Schools Assembly are as follows:

Facilitate the cooperative work of the schools of the Lutheran Church of Australia within Lutheran Education Victoria New South Wales Tasmania to the Glory of God and for His mission in and through the schools;

To gather together Lutheran educators, school administrators and others from the school communities for mutual recognition and encouragement of a shared synodical identity and purpose;

Be a formal venue through which the LCAVic/Tas and LCANSW Districts and schools may interact and communicate bilaterally.

Full attendance of school representatives at the meeting is critical to ensure all school views are reflected so I encourage all schools to ensure they have the Principal, Business Manager and Council Chair in attendance.

Principal Meetings

During the next two months all three Principal Hub Groups will meet. The schedule for these meetings will be as follows:

Western Hub on 24 July at Nhill Lutheran School

Riverina Hub on 04 August at Victory Luthan School, Wodonga

Central Hub on 14 August at Geelong Lutheran College These meetings are a wonderful way for Principals to share best practice and support one another in a spirit of collegiality. These meetings will be particularly important as the LEVNT Regional Office seeks to engage in further discussions around important strategic initiatives. Agendas for these meetings will be distributed in the coming weeks via the Hub Chair. An LEVNT full Principal meeting day is scheduled for Friday, 04 September at the Quality Hotel, Tullamarine. This day will focus on instructional leadership. Further details will be distributed in the coming weeks.

Paul Weinert Director

paul.weinert@levnt.edu.au

WESTERN HUB SCHOOLS’ STAFF CONFERENCE The Western Hub schools: St John’s – Portland, Good Shepherd College – Hamilton, Tarrington Lutheran School, Holy Trinity Lutheran School – Horsham, St Peter’s Lutheran School - Dimboola and Nhill Lutheran School have made a commitment to schedule another staff conference day in 2015. This year’s conference will be co-hosted by the Tarrington and Hamilton schools on Friday, 21 August. The Principals have chosen to weave an IT focus into the day. A number of guest speakers have been engaged. On behalf of LEVNT we would especially like to thank the LEQ and LSA Regions for making available their IT consultants, Derek Bartels and Rod Wearne, as key note speakers for the day.

Neville Grieger neville.grieger@levnt.edu.au

Assistant Director

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LEVNT REGIONAL NEWS

TIAL NEWS St Paul’s College Opening Congratulations go to St Paul’s College in anticipation of the opening of their refurbished girls’ boarding facility next Friday. This revitalised facility is indication of the tremendous growth and expansion the College has demonstrated during the last three years. The new facility will be named the Elsie Grosse Boarding Residence, which has special significance for the LEVNT Office as Elsie Grosse is actually LEVNT Accountant - John Graetz’s Aunt, who spent many of the early years of the College working in the office as the Principal’s Secretary and also in the Girls’ Dormitory, which extended into the 1960s. The new facility will be opened by local member and Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley, MP, who has had a long standing connection with the College since her election as the local Liberal Party Member for Farrer in November 2001, including her son attending the College. Stephen Rudolph, LEA Executive Director, will also be attending and addressing the official opening.

Victory Lutheran School – Wodonga LEVNT would like to welcome John Thompson as Principal of Victory Lutheran College, Wodonga, who was officially installed on Monday, 13 July. Prior to his appointment, John was serving as Deputy Principal of Faith Lutheran College, Tanunda, South Australia. John has had a significant career in Lutheran schools, having previously held leadership roles at Unity College, South Australia (Physical Education Coordinator) and St Peters Lutheran College, Springfield, Queensland (Deputy Principal). We are confident John’s broad P-12 school experience and passion for Lutheran education will bring many blessings to the Victory Lutheran College

community. We look forward to John’s contribution at Victory Lutheran College.

Lutheran Primary School – Wagga Wagga After a distinguished career in Lutheran Education, both in Australia, the USA and Canada, the Board of Lutheran School Wagga Wagga and Dr Ken Albinger have announced his immediate retirement as Principal. We acknowledge the significant contribution that Dr Albinger has made to Lutheran School Wagga Wagga in his (almost) three years at this school. On behalf of all in Lutheran Education, we thank Ken for his faithful and dedicated service to our schools and we wish him every happiness for his retirement. Our thanks and acknowledgement are also extended to Ken’s wife Audrey and their family for their support to Ken during his time of service with Lutheran Education. We are pleased to inform you that Mr Peter Weier has accepted the positon of interim Principal at Lutheran School Wagga Wagga until the end of 2016. Peter, who will commence at Wagga Wagga on 24 August, has served in Lutheran schools throughout south east Queensland during a career that has spanned 34 years and has included being a Principal at two primary schools. Prior to this year, Peter had been Principal at Grace Lutheran Primary School Redcliffe, for 11 years. We look forward to Peter joining us in this Region.

St Peter’s Lutheran Primary School - Dimboola Ms Verona Wauchope has announced her resignation as Principal of St Peter’s Lutheran School Dimboola. Verona and her School Council had been discussing matters for some time and Verona has confirmed that she will not be returning to Dimboola for Term 3. We thank Verona for her time at St Peter’s Lutheran School, Dimboola and wish her well for her future endeavours.

Mrs Lois Kube, an experienced teacher and educational leader from Queensland, has agreed to act as Principal at Dimboola until the end of the 2015 school year. Prior to Lois’s commencement at Dimboola on 20 August, Jeff Gork, Principal at Holy Trinity Lutheran School Horsham will oversee the Dimboola operations. We are again extremely grateful to Jeff for his willingness to provide this support and the Horsham School Council for making this possible. We also look forward to Lois joining us in this Region.

Paul Weinert Director

paul.weinert@levnt.edu.au

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REVISED DATES FOR EQUIP 2015 Due to the scheduling of the National Conference for School Pastors, Chaplains and Ministry personnel (August 26 – 28) and other unforeseen circumstances, we have had to re-schedule EQUIP modules for the remainder of 2015. Please note the revised dates below as well as in the LEVNT Calendar attached to this edition of the Newsletter. EQUIP participants have been part of the re-negotiation of the dates.

Module 9 Friday, July 31 The Quality Hotel, Tullamarine Thursday, August 6 (TBC) Riverina (venue TBA)

Module 2 Friday, August 7 Riverina (venue TBA) Friday, November 6 The Quality Hotel, Tullamarine

Module 10 Monday, October 5 Good News Lutheran College, Tarneit Friday, October 9 The Quality Hotel, Tullamarine Friday, October 16 (TBC) Riverina (venue TBA)

Liz Pietsch

Education Officer liz.pietsch@levnt.edu.au

CURRICULUM LEADERS Western Hub curriculum leaders are meeting in Hamilton on Tuesday, 04 August. If you are a curriculum leader outside the Western Hub and are interested in attending, please let me know. RSVP, as well as any further suggestions for agenda items, can be forwarded to me at vicki.schilling@levnt.edu.au.

Vicki Schilling Assistant Education Officer vicki.schilling@levnt.edu.au

LEVNT CALENDAR 2015 Please note the following dates in the LEVNT Calendar 2015, which is attached to this Newsletter:

Principals Day scheduled for Friday, 04 September is for Principals only (was previously advertised for Principals and Business Managers)

Business Managers Day, scheduled for Monday, 26 October is for Business Managers

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Details of ISV VIC Professional Development for 2015 can be found at: http://www.is.vic.edu.au/services/professional-learning/calendar/index.shtml

Details of AIS NSW Professional Development for 2015 can be found at: https://www.aisnsw.edu.au/CoursesEvents/Pages/default.aspx

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LEA NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MINISTRY IN LUTHERAN SCHOOLS

10 VERY good reasons why every Lutheran school in our region should be represented at this conference (and there are more!)

A rare professional learning and networking opportunity

A chance to focus on ministry to young people and families in our schools

Consider, and be challenged, about matters of spirituality, particularly relating to the young people in our schools in this complex world of the 21st century

World class keynote speakers plus Q & A sessions

Over 15 elective topics to choose from

Dinner speakers

Coming together in worship

Opportunities to be personally “revived” through quiet reflective sessions

Opportunities to spend time sharing with colleagues

Exceptional retreat venue in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges

REGISTER ONLINE NOW

https://www.regonline.com.au/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1723351

Christine Paech

Conference Coordinator dcpaech@optusnet.com.au

or SMS 0413 299 340

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‘THE SPOTLIGHT’ NHILL LUTHERAN SCHOOL

Community As part of the curriculum, our students are learning the Karen language. Since early 2010, Karen refugees from the Thai-Burma border have resettled in Nhill and the Karen community now comprises over 10% of the Nhill population. Our students are learning all about the Karen culture, language and developing core values such as social justice, care and compassion. Our school now cares for an orphanage school in Maw Per Koh, Myanmar. Throughout the year, students have been participating in a range of activities to raise awareness and funds for the orphanage school. Our senior class are currently illustrating and writing Karen books that will be published for families in the local community. Last term our students sponsored our language teacher Plaw, who participated in the Act for Peace ration Challenge which raised awareness of the rations a Burmese refugee receives living in Mae La Refugee Camp on the border of Thailand and Burma.

Get ‘em Going Playgroup We are very grateful to the Parents’ and Friends’ Association who have just purchased new equipment for the school to implement A Perceptual Motor Program. Our school believes that the learning of basic motor skills is important and is part of the totality of the

curriculum. It helps develop memory skills, language skills, confidence, problem solving skills and Physical Education skills. The PMP program

will be used primarily for Years P-2 students, the Pre-Foundation program, kinder visits, and the recent addition of the ‘Get ‘em going’ playgroup. PMP is not just another Physical Education program, but where language is the key factor which enhances a child’s ability to cope in the classroom.

The school believes that putting resources into the early years at school will eventually benefit the whole school. The school will be offering the Perceptual Motor Program to preschool children in the community every week. The PMP playgroup will be called, “Get 'em going” with the aim of providing experiences to children that will benefit their learning physically, academically and socially. Our Year 5 and 6 students will also play an active role in the playgroup by helping setting up resources and assisting with activities.

Tara Pritchard Principal

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LEA News for school leaders 22 July 2015

_____________________________________________ LEA Executive Director [Stephen Rudolph]

LEA branding The Board for Lutheran Education Australia has resolved to rebrand LEA as outlined above. This new LEA brand will be phased in from August onwards and follows the rebranding of LESER to LEVNT in 2014 as follows:

It clearly reflects the closer alignment of LEA and the regions as we unite in support of all Lutheran ECEs and schools across Australia.

LCA General Synod The LCA General Pastors Conference was held in Hahndorf recently. This conference focused on Women and the Call to the Office of the Public Ministry. Click here if you wish to read the materials from the Pastors Conference discussions

LEA is invited to provide six Principal delegates to General Synod. These Principals are nominated via the regions (two each) and we are pleased to confirm the 2015 LCA General Synod Principal delegates as follows:

Shane Jurecky (Good Shepherd College, Hamilton Vic)

Thomas Brennen (Sunshine Christian School, Sunshine Vic)

Heather Vogt (Endeavour College, Mawson Lakes SA)V

Steven Wilksch (Faith Lutheran College, Tanunda SA)

Janelle Turner (Peace Lutheran Primary School, Gatton, Qld)

Jodie Hoff (LORDS, Ormeau Qld)

During Synod, LEA will present three 15 minute breakout sessions. In advance, we wish to acknowledge Jenni Krenske (Principal, Redeemer Lutheran College, Biloela Qld) and her team for preparing a video based on her school’s ministry and worship programs. Dr Neville Highett (BLEA chairman), the six Principal delegates and I will also present briefly on key aspects and developments in Lutheran education.

CoD NLT: more than a name change Many Principals may have worked with Steve Atkinson (Atkinson Consulting) in the development of the LEA Leadership and Formation Framework or in regional planning exercises. Last year Steve began working with the College of Directors (CoD) in both strategic planning and team building exercises. His support continued into 2015 and has resulted in a significant CoD recommendation to the Board for Lutheran Education Australia at its June 2015 meeting when the Board resolved to ‘endorse the name change from College of Directors to National Leadership Team and the change of approach to the leadership of Lutheran education’. In making this recommendation the four directors considered the following:

for Lutheran education to be an effective system it needs to put individual interests aside and work together nationally as a whole

it is the right time for NLT to play a proactive leadership role in designing and creating an inclusive national strategy for Lutheran education – something that has not existed before

the directors felt that a new approach was needed, starting with providing clarity on what NLT actually stood for and did. The group determined that it (CoD) should be re-named to reflect its new collective national focus

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Now CoD is called NLT. What does this mean? NLT’s purpose is:

strategic and future focussed – co-create cohesive and integrated strategy at national and regional level

drive strategy, excellence, mission and Lutheran education (LE)

ensure effective mechanisms and tools (such as policies, practices, protocols and templates) for operational decision making and initiatives are created and working well.

Ensure strategy is executed in the most effective, equitable way – this includes ensuring regional strategies and agendas are clear and transparent, ensuring accountability across the LE system (including taskforces and national reference groups), executing strategy in the most effective, efficient way possible – including identifying and addressing duplication and waste. Holds accountability for taskforces

NLT also recognises that there will be numerous occasions when key resource people will be invited to join NLT for a specific project or discussion. This broadening of NLT will enable a broader base of expertise and improved inclusiveness for key people to enhance our support to Australian Lutheran education.

Living Faith Lutheran Primary School, Murrumba Downs Qld Find a link below to a recently released video By LFLPS supporting the Agile Learning Plaza at Living Faith Lutheran Primary School https://vimeo.com/131736929

Lutheran Tract Mission (LTM) LTM have produced 48 new resources which may be of interest to schools – 21 new leaflets, 2 new postcards, 16 text cards and 9 bookmarks. There are ten new Christmas resources including:

Keeping ‘Christ’ in Christmas … leaflet of ideas for families to share in Christmas

God’s Gift… Christmas greeting leaflet

God’s Christmas gift for you ... Christmas greeting leaflet

Hosanna in the Highest … large print Christmas greeting leaflet

Jesus … Christmas Postcard

Jesus: God is with us … Christmas Bookmark

Jesus is born …. Christmas Bookmark

All creation rejoices … Text card

Christmas child’s drawing … Text card

Peace on earth ... Text card … and 17 other leaflets covering varying topics including:

Daily Bible Readings for 2016 ... follow the church year through daily Bible readings

Wishing you birthday blessings … large print leaflet celebrating birthdays

Have an exciting Birthday ... birthday tract for boys

Get Well Soon ... large print for those who are sick

In His hands ... New look for a popular tract

Visit the LTM website to find details of all resources LTM have available

LEA Assistant Director: Leadership [Shane Paterson]

LDP a) LDP participants across the three regions are in the process of beginning their

second unit, offered by ALC, Education and Theology in Dialogue. This unit

challenges the participants to explore and reflect upon how Lutheran theology

(theology of the cross / glory, creation theology, and law and gospel) impacts on

decision making process in schools. The workshops have also included a number of

school leaders who are completing this unit to gain their leader accreditation (Al).

b) With the release of results from the first unit, LDP participants are now able to claim

25% of their course cost ($475) from their school. Participants will need to supply the

school with a copy of the course result and receipt for fee payment (alternatively the

confirmation email from LEA should suffice). Please contact LEA if there are any

questions around this.

Valuing Safe Communities As mentioned previously the VSC modules are currently being adapted so that delivery incorporates both online and face to face delivery. The volunteer module (which will now also cover relief staff) is nearly finished and we are looking for schools to trial this resource. If you are interested in trialling this with some of your volunteers or relief staff could you please contact me. We also require some Principals / VSC accredited trainers to trial this as well. If trialling you will be expected to provide the working group with feedback. This module is entirely online and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Upon successful completion a certificate will be issued (downloadable) as proof of completion.

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LEA Business Manager [Stephen Kroker]

LEA levies 2016

For school budgeting purposes, please be aware that the proposed LEA levies for 2016 are:

National office $37.30

Safe school liability fund $ 0.50

Sick leave emergency fund $ 2.50

Transfer fund $ 2.00

LEA federal news

AITSL eNews [24 June 2015]

The June AITSL eNews includes articles on:

How do we know someone can teach?

Initial Teacher Education Reform

Interactive Leadership Profiles – a new online resource for school leaders

Be a better leader – School Leadership eCollection … and much more Read the June eNews