Caloundra Christian College
| Caloundra Christian College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
|
7 Gregson Place South East Queensland Caloundra, Queensland Australia  | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent, Co-educational, Day school |
| Denomination | Christian |
| Established | 1983 |
| Principal | Mr Mark Hodges |
| Grades | Kindergarten - 12 |
| Enrolment | ~250 |
| Houses |
Bilyara (Yellow), Matumba (Green), Pinyali (Red) |
| Website | www.calcc.qld.edu.au |
Caloundra Christian College is an independent Christian school located in Caloundra on the southern end of Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
The school has a student body of approximately 500 students, from prep to grade 12. The school was established in 1983 and was founded by Caloundra City Life Baptist Church. It is affiliated with Independent Schools Queensland and Christian Schools Australia.
History
The School was originally started as a non-denominational educational institute, by the founding headmaster Allan Mullaly.
In June, 2013 the school celebrated 30 years of operation. In recent years several new facilities have been built, including:
- the Early Learning Centre located at the entrance of the College
- an Undercover Sports Area, used for sports such as basketball, volleyball, netball and indoor soccer
- new and refurbished Science facilities
- refurbishment of the Home Economics kitchen into a fully functional commercial Hospitality kitchen
- a new three-storey general learning to house the Colleges Middle School students
- a new Tuckshop and Health and Physical Education Centre, adjacent to the Undercover Sports Area
- a new double-storey 21st Century Library
- multiple undercover links and a new undercover bus bay
Academic Information
Caloundra Christian College separates its student body into three parts: Primary School for Prep to Year 6 students, Middle School for students in Years 7, 8 and 9 and Senior School students in Years 10, 11 and 12. In the Senior School, Year 10 students undergo work experience and create "Senior Education and Training Plan", which leads students to set their direction, i.e., choose a career area. Senior students have the opportunity to complete school-based traineeships and complete TAFE level certificates, imbedded in several subjects, including:
- Certificate II Business
- Certificate II Network Administration
- Certificate I Hospitality (Kitchen Operations)
International Student Program
Caloundra Christian College runs an international student program which sees multiple groups of schools students visiting the College each year, as well as hosting several international students to complete there studies at the College - some for multiple years.
Houses
The school has three sporting houses which the students are divided into. They are as follows:
- Bilyara (yellow)
- Matumba (green)
- Pinyali (red)
Music and performance
The College has a Secondary choir for students in Years 7 to 12 and a Primary Choir for students in Years 4 to 6. In addition to the choirs the school also has a band for each sub-school, which plays at Chapel every week and at school events as well. The College also offers an instrumental music program for students interest in playing instruments such as violin, guitar, bass, piano or drums.
Several performances are undertaken throughout the year, including a Primary School Concert, which is performed by all the students from Prep to Year 6 and also a Year 12 Drama Production.
Several Senior students from the College have also formed a band, called "No Mercy Marg", which plays at various music concerts and won the December 2009 Sunshine Coast Battle of the Bands. The group is named after the Colleges Tuckshop Manager, Margaret Thompson.[1]
Sport
The College has a sporting program which allows for all students in the college to compete in a sport against other schools every week. Students in Primary and Middle Schools are also required to undertake Health and Physical Education lessons every week. The College has out of school teams in Rugby, Netball and Basketball.
Discrimination Case
On the 1st of May 2012 it was reported that kindergarten teacher Jess Davidson, a teacher at a Sunshine Coast Christian College, claimed that she had been fired for breaking the "lifestyle agreement" part of her contract by having a child out of wedlock. brisbanetimes.com.au obtained a copy of the Lifestyle Agreement and reported that it claimed: "it is a genuine occupational requirement" that nothing in the deliberate conduct of the staff "should be incompatible with the intrinsic character of their position, especially, but not only, in relation to the expression of human sexuality through heterosexual, monogamous relationships, expressed intimately through marriage". Jess has had external advice that she should not talk to media. Principal of Caloundra Christian College Mark Hodges has stated "These beliefs are set out in College policies and documents, including the agreement under which all staff are employed This requirement is also made clear to staff prior to appointment".[2]