Each of our students is an image-bearer of God. Our challenge, and our responsibility, as educators and parents, is to build an environment for each student which is transformational; a place where all want to learn, in which the gifts bestowed uniquely on each one of us can be explored enthusiastically through empowerment and enabling.
This is no small challenge – and, as a community, we turn to Christ, the embodiment of God’s grace extended to each of us, to see what he would say we should do. As a community, we gather around God’s word, the Bible, whilst leaning into our own faith journey experiences, to create these surroundings for our children.
From the day each girl or boy enters Prep, to the day when their VCE finishes, we want Donvale Christian College to be a place where students can learn how to ask, and how to seek answers, to the big questions: “What truly matters?” “What can I do to help?” “What is our common ground?” “I wonder if/why/what/when/how?”. And, in moments of genuine uncertainty, “Wait, what?”
As a College, when we do this, we will be different to other places of learning. That’s because at Donvale Christian College, we seek to be God’s people together, seeking to glorify Him in all we do. Jesus lived a life that contradicted life’s norms. We will follow his example, in love and obedience.
For example, we obey Jesus’ command, as expressed in Luke 9:46-47. “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me … For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
As a place of learning, obedience will undoubtedly involve deep questioning. Jesus’ example in the Gospels was that he asked many more questions than he answered. Through Jesus’ questions, he modelled the struggle, the wondering, the thinking it through that helps us draw closer to God and better understand, not just the answer, but ourselves, our calling and our place in God’s plan.
As a community, we talk, listen, cheer, learn, create, play, study, “muck around”, are in teams or classes or houses or home rooms, ensembles; whether we go solo or are in a social group; there are a myriad of possibilities. Enjoy the reflections that this magazine brings from all our activities this year. My prayer is that everything documented in this magazine has helped us each day, as individuals and as a community, to know our creator God a little more closely.
Tim Argall
Executive Principal
educating 4 life, too 
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