Have you ever heard of the Broken Window Theory? It’s the concept that an abandoned house or a car can stand in full view of the public for a long time without anything happening, but as soon as one window is broken, all the windows will be vandalised within days.

The Broken Windows Theory was first described in a 1982 article titled 'Broken Windows: The Police and Neighbourhood Safety' in The Atlantic Monthly. The authors, James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, used the image of a single broken window as a metaphor—if it’s left unrepaired, it sends a message that no one cares and soon more windows are broken. What begins as neglect can quickly get out of hand. While the theory is sometimes criticised for oversimplifying the causes of crime and not offering long-term solutions, the metaphor still holds some truth.

In a school setting, we see a similar pattern. When small things, like uniform expectations or punctuality, are overlooked, they can quickly spread within a friendship group and beyond. That’s why we aim to address the small things early and consistently—not to be strict or to frustrate students, but to build a culture of care, integrity and growth. We all have opportunities to learn from our mistakes. Sometimes that’s not easy. I know for myself, there have been times when my own stubbornness to admit a mistake has stopped me from moving forward.

Our foundation, 'Improve: We learn by failing forward', encourages us to do just that. We can’t move forward if we don’t first take responsibility for our actions. Growth begins when we recognise where we’ve fallen short, seek help, from God and from others and take steps to make things right, moving ahead with humility and courage.

When we follow up on the small things, we do it with care and in relationship. Correction is never about catching students out. It’s about helping them grow. Our heart is always to see students flourish, not to fault-find.

As a Christian community, we see this as part of reconciliation—restoring what’s been broken and helping students understand that mistakes aren’t the end of the story. 

'Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.'  Proverbs 28:13

God bless you

Vince Wakefield

Soaring into Term 4

This term in Primary, our Foundations for Life and Learning — Courage and Improve — have been at the heart of everything we do. We’ve been encouraging our students to stretch beyond what feels comfortable, to have the courage to try and to see every mistake as a stepping stone toward growth. Our focus scripture, 'Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles' (Isaiah 40:31), has been a beautiful reminder that true strength comes not from striving, but from trusting in God.

We’ve been unpacking together what it really means to soar like an eagle. When storms approach, eagles don’t flee—they fly directly into the wind, using the warm updrafts to lift themselves high above the clouds. The storm doesn’t destroy them; it strengthens them. This image has captured the hearts of our students. We’ve reminded them that the glory isn’t found in the storm itself, but in how God uses it to lift us higher. He doesn’t always remove life’s challenges, but He equips us with the courage, strength and wisdom to rise above them.

In class devotions and discussions, we’ve explored how God calls each of us to face difficulties with faith rather than fear. When we place our hope in Him, He renews our strength and gives us the perspective to see beyond the chaos—to rise above it and shine as living testimonies of His grace, love and mercy. It’s been wonderful to see students grasp that courage isn’t about never feeling afraid; it’s about choosing to trust God even when things feel uncertain.

Through this lens, our learning community has been growing in perseverance, maturity and self-discipline. We’ve seen students tackling tricky maths concepts with determination, showing care and pride in their bookwork and learning to take responsibility for their choices. Our PeaceWise Kids program has continued to help students develop peacemaking skills, resolve conflict respectfully and strengthen friendships. We’ve been reminding them that to shine for Jesus, we need to be examples of kindness, humility and grace—people who build up rather than tear down, who seek understanding and who bring peace wherever we go.

Another highlight of the term has been celebrating the many achievements of our children, both inside and outside the classroom. Whether it’s success on the sports field, creativity in the arts or acts of compassion in the community, we love recognising the unique ways our students reflect God’s light. These moments remind us that learning doesn’t stop at the school gate—it continues through every opportunity where courage, commitment and care are shown.

As we look ahead, Term 4 promises to be filled with moments of joy and celebration. Our Creative Arts Festival, Year 6 Graduation, Presentation Nights and end-of-year celebrations will give us many opportunities to honour the effort, growth and faithfulness shown by our students throughout the year.

Our shared focus for this final term is simple but powerful: to try our best, finish strong and keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, who renews our strength daily. Like the eagle, may we continue to rise above life’s storms, trusting that God is using every moment—every challenge, every success—to shape us into people who bring glory to His name and hope to the world around us.

Blessings

Julie March

Being Kind to Our Minds for Wellbeing

In Term 4, our students are focusing on the Foundations of Improve and Courage. At our Mega Launch, College Captain Natashya shared a powerful scripture from Paul in Romans 12:2:

'Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.'

By courageously seeking continual growth and challenging our own thinking, as well as the messages we receive from the world, against the truth found in God’s Word, we can gain wisdom to discern what is true and good. Recognising what is true, loving and of God helps protect both our minds and hearts from influences that can harm our mental and spiritual wellbeing.

This term, as we explore the themes of Resilience, Self and Potential, our hope is that students will deepen their understanding of themselves and grow their self-care toolkit, supporting their development of healthy, resilient minds.

Celebrating the Year 12's Final Term of College

This is the final chapter of the schooling journey for our Year 12 students. The Secondary team is holding them in prayer as they prepare for upcoming external exams and complete their final assessments in the weeks ahead.

Remember, your teachers are here to support you — don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help! Also, don’t underestimate yourselves and what you can achieve when you put your mind to it over the coming weeks! 

Isaiah 40:30-31 - 'Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.'

Recognition of Student Success

We ‘Launch’ every week with a celebration of student successes. Of note was recognising the good efforts and outcomes of our students with our Term 3 Awards. Congratulations to all of our award recipients! Whether it was for exceptional academic outcomes, demonstrating the College Foundations or achieving over 95% or 100% attendance, every success is amazing and we encourage our students to continue to aim high in their learning and development of character.

Congratulations to Sabelle H in Year 7 for qualifying for Nationals in swimming. She will be representing Queensland at the 2026 Australian Age Championships on the Gold Coast — in the 50m Breaststroke.

Compassion with Operation Christmas Child

Secondary Connect classes are filling their Operation Christmas Child boxes in the spirit of service and compassion for others. Our students are including heartfelt letters from themselves in the boxes made during their Connect classes. We hope that this is just one of the ways they can find their voice at CalCC and advocate for others through compassion.  

1 Timothy 4:12 - 'Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.'

May God bless the term ahead for our staff, students and their families. Term 4 is a wonderful time for celebration and we are looking forward to sharing our student’s successes with our CalCC community! 

With blessings,

Dr Amber-Lee Donahoo

Head of Secondary Learning Community 

Term 4 Catch the Reading Wave at the Scholastic Book Fair

Term 4 is underway and our College Library has been transformed into a Summer haven where students can 'Catch the Reading Wave'. Scholastic Book Fair will be visiting our College Library during Week 3.

Students will be able to browse the collection and take home a wish list slip to their parents on Monday 20 October. Sales will be open between Tuesday and Thursday during Week 3. We are looking forward to seeing students add lots of books to their home libraries. It’s wonderful to be able to promote reading to our young people and for them to associate buying a book with joy and excitement. The Book Fair
helps make the process of buying a book rewarding for students and this joy transfers to Library staff when we see student excitement. A bonus is that every purchase helps to earn books for our College Library. Parents are also welcome to visit the Book Fair before school (8:00 am - 8:30 am) and after school (3:00 pm - 4:00 pm), Tuesday 21 October to Thursday 23 October. Payments can be made with cash or card at the library circulation desk or with the preferred pre-paid receipt slip on the back of the wish list.

The Benefits of Wide Reading

Reading regularly and across both fiction and non-fiction, has a powerful impact on students’ learning and wellbeing. Research shows that students who read for pleasure every day achieve higher results across all subjects. One particular study, published in the International Journal of Inclusive Education, examined Year 3 students across various schools in Australia to discover their enjoyment of reading (both fiction & non-fiction), how often they read and their achievement on national reading tests. The results showed that students who read more frequently and reported higher enjoyment of both fiction and non-fiction texts scored higher on reading achievement tests.

Encouraging your child to read a wide range of books, from imaginative stories to informative non-fiction, helps build vocabulary, empathy and critical
thinking skills. Even 10 to 15 minutes of reading a day can make a big difference to your child’s confidence and success at school. You can find a range of fiction and non-fiction books in our College Library and for purchase at our College Book Fair during Week 3.

God bless

Sarah Porter

Meet Mahalia Steel, who serves in Student Services.

Can you tell us about your role here at CalCC?

Student Services Receptionist, the go-to person for all student enquiries during break times and throughout the day.

Tell us a bit about yourself such as where you are from, what attracted you to CalCC and Caloundra? I am a Caloundra local. The reason why I was drawn to CalCC is because I wanted to work alongside like-minded staff who model integrity, compassion and faith.Working in a Christian school is not just a job, but a ministry and being able to share that is wonderful.

What did you do before CalCC?

Worked in Local Government for eight years across many different areas.

Which of the foundations for life and learning resonates with you the most and why? 

Faith resonates with me the most as I trust in God, believe in His promises and have confidence in his love and plan for my life. In times of grief, fear or change, faith helps bring peace and reassurance in our lives.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about serving others and doing that well, humbly helping and caring for them and putting their needs above my own. I hope to leave everyone with a smile.

What is on your bucket list?

Take my family to New Zealand for a holiday.

What is your favourite bible verse and what does it mean to you?

So hard to choose only one! 

I chose this verse because it beautifully reveals how wonderfully and intentionally God has created each of us. It reminds us that He knows us completely - every detail, every thought and every part of who we are - showing the depth of His care and purpose in our creation.

Psalm 139:13-16

'You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.'

What is your favourite sport/hobby? And why?

I enjoy spending time outdoors, fishing, camping and swimming.

Receptionist - Student Services

A simple shoebox, filled with love and thoughtful gifts, has the power to make an eternal difference. Each box carries hope, joy and the message of Jesus to children around the world who need it most. Will you join us this year in packing a shoebox and sharing His love beyond our borders?

Collection Date

Please return all filled boxes to College Administration by Wednesday 22 October.

College Administration

Open: 8:00 am-3:45 pm
Phone: 07 5436 6777
Email: general@calcc.qld.edu.au

Absentee Lines

Phone: 07 5436 6767
SMS: 0418 986 308
College App: Go to app store, search for Caloundra Christian College and download
Bus: https://cloud.itmprojects.com.au/studenttracking/

Uniform Shop

Open term time only.
Tuesday - 8:00 am-9:30 am and 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
Thursday - 8:00 am-9:30 am
Online ordering available through MSA

Outside School Hours Care

Before School Hours: 7:00 am-8:00 am (term time)
After School Hours: 3:00 pm-6:00 pm (term time)
Vacation Care: 7:00 am-6:00 pm (holidays)
Phone: 0422 843 760

Flourish Early Learning Community

Open: 7:15 am-6:00 pm
Phone: 07 5436 6777

International Program

Mark Spencer - Program Manager
overseas@calcc.qld.edu.au

Complaints Handling Policy