Co-Curricular
Our co-curricular programs and learning areas are designed to enrich and encourage exploration and personal development alongside our core curriculum.
Co-Curricular at SHCS
Performing & Visual Arts
God created people to experience, enjoy, and respond to His creation. Imagination, fantasy, creativity, and aesthetic appreciation are among God’s gifts to us. Through the Arts programs students are able to respond with opportunities to develop their individual gifts and talents and to learn to appreciate God’s gifts in others.
The Arts program includes:
- Visual Arts – weekly lessons experimenting and using a variety of materials, techniques, technologies and processes to produce artworks. Students also prepare work to display in the School and in the wider community, eg. Art Shows
- Music – weekly lessons involving singing, choir, learning about and playing different styles of music, understanding basic theory, learning to play untuned and tuned instruments, particularly instruments from other countries
- Drama – puppets, short plays, reader’s theatre, mini and full musicals
Students have the opportunity to perform in short plays, choirs and instrumental ensembles in assemblies, at school events, preschools and at other community events, such as Carols in the Park. Students also have the opportunity to be involved in a whole school musical every second year.
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation provides the inspiration, information, professional development, and support for educators to deliver pleasurable food education to children and young people in Australia.
All classes engage with our Learning Garden in some way throughout the year and it is our Upper Primary class that undertake the full Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. Students engage in a 45-minute lesson each week planting, harvesting, and maintaining our vegetable garden. Students then have a 90-minute lesson once a fortnight learning how to cook and create amazing Stephanie Alexander recipes using produce from the garden and other seasonal vegetables and coming together around a table to enjoy the food and conversation. It has been a real success and elements of the program are expanding into other grade levels within the School.
Leadership
Training young people to be the leaders of tomorrow is a very important part of what we do at Swan Hill Christian School. Some of the opportunities involve:
- Within classes, teachers encourage students to take leadership roles and responsibilities in both classroom tasks as well as in learning team activities. These may include being library monitor, line leader or manager of a Science group.
- Student Managers – Grade 5/6 students apply for these positions at the beginning of each year. These students have the responsibility to look after different aspects of the School, e.g. Sport shed and borrowing of equipment, Technology, Library, Arts.
- Grade 5/6 students apply for a position as Student Leader at the beginning of each year and 6 students are chosen to represent the School at special School events and in wider community events, such as ANZAC Day ceremonies. They are involved in giving leadership at assemblies and in peer mediation in the playground. They also organise fundraising activities for a community project and a charity each year.
Sport & Physical Wellbeing
Life is a precious gift from God. Studies in Health, Physical Education and Sport promote understanding of food, nutrition, fitness, health and safety. Students learn the importance of maintaining and caring for their bodies. They develop knowledge and understanding needed for making wise choices that will lead to a healthy and active lifestyle now and in the future. It is important that students learn what may influence the choices they make now and in the future. Developing good habits in their health and fitness is an important part of being good stewards of the life that God has given them.
Our Health Program involves at least 1-3 lessons a week using a range of different resources. One of the key components of our Health program is the Grade 5-6 students’ involvement in the Stephanie Alexander National Kitchen Garden Program, which involves growing their own produce, cooking it and learning how to enjoy food together with others.
Our Physical Education and Sport Program includes:
- Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) for Grade F/1 students
- Fitness
- Fundamental Motor Skills development for Grades F-4
- Dance
- Skipping (Jump Rope for Heart every second year)
- Bike Education
- Badminton and Table Tennis
- Gymnastic Program
- Swimming Program with swim instructors at the Swan Hill Leisure Centre in Term 4
- Ball skills and games
- Specialist clinics (eg. hockey, cricket)
- Athletics and Cross Country
- Bocce Biennial Bout (Gr.3/4) and Lawn Bowls (Gr.5/6)
- Other team building games and sports
Students have the opportunity to participate in district fun days, and district/divisional summer, winter, cross country and athletic competitions. There is also an opportunity for students to represent the School in the local Futsal competition.
Technology
The use of technology is being progressively integrated across most subject areas. Coding is also taught from Grades F-6 as part of our Life Skills program.
Students engage in programs about cybersafety and students are reminded of the School Internet usage protocols at the beginning of each year. Grades 2-6 students and their parents also sign an Internet Usage Agreement at the start of each year.
Camps
Grade F/1 students: Stay late at school in Term 4
Grade 2 students: Sleepover at school in Term 4
Grade 3/4 students:
Two-night camp at Billabong Ranch in Echuca (Year A)
Two-night camp at PGL Adventure Camp at Kyneton (Year B)
Grade 5/6 students:
Four-night camp to Canberra (Year A)
Two-night camp at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, which includes the costumed school and Aura Light and Sound Show (Year B)
Book a Tour
Make a time to visit our beautiful school only 5mins from town.
Enrolment Enquiry
Submit an enquiry and our team will get back to you shortly.
Request Application
Request an application form to begin your journey with us at Swan Hill CS.