Today we are coming to you 'live' from our Class Parents’ morning tea. All of our Junior School classes and Secondary School Year groups have volunteer Class Parents assigned. The aim of today’s gathering is to get to know one another, to be introduced to the Deputy Principals and to cement parent partnership relations.

Our Class Parent program is an informal way of creating a community that has been valued and appreciated in the past and we hope and pray will be beneficial in the coming year.

We encourage you to connect with your class parent/s. They will be communicating to you in the coming weeks via the school’s email.

We are keen to hear from you if you have any questions regarding this program or from the recent Information Evenings or any other school related matters.

From the Prayer Group

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Phil 1:6 (ESV)

For Prayer and Praise

Praise God that the beginning of salvation, the ongoing work in our lives and the fulfilment of our salvation is by grace alone.

Prayer suggestions:

• Give thanks and pray for Years 9–12 students and their teachers.
• Give thanks for the many in-person opportunities happening this term in sport, music, dance and other after school activities.
• Pray for support from our politicians to continue to peacefully provide Christian education to train children in the knowledge of the Lord.
• Pray for the number of Covid cases to continue to decline.
• Pray for teachers to manage well teaching both the students in school and at home.
• Pray for God to sustain families who are in isolation.
• Pray for those who are unwell (esp. those with long-term illness) or recovering from operations, and for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones, that they may rest in the certainty of God’s love for them, founded on what Christ has done for them.

Pray for events this week:

Friday 25 February: Secondary Swimming Carnival

Prayer Group meets on Thursdays at 9am online. Come and pray with us for our school community. Email us at prayergroup@covenant.nsw.edu.au if you would like to come, receive the prayer notes or would like prayer.

Mustard, our voluntary lunchtime discipleship group, is back in person! After many months of connecting with students through videos and emails, the Leadership team, comprised of Year 12 students, ran their first in-person group last Friday. Students from Years 7-10 were encouraged as they shared food, played games, and thought about ‘Practical Christianity’ from the book of James. Zach Heasman encouraged us as he spoke on James 1:1-8, focusing on the encouragement through trials section in verses 2 and 3:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

This became a reality as students braved the wild weather to consider why sometimes trials could be considered joyful. In small groups, students discussed the certain hope we have in Jesus and that dealing with hard circumstances can grow us in faith because we have a God who is consistently faithful. I was personally encouraged by both the Year 12 leaders and the Years 7-10 students who attended, as well as by the scriptures themselves. Please join me in praying for the leaders and students who attend Mustard, thanking God for their encouragement of each other, and asking that they would continue in pointing each other to the Lord Jesus.

Jason Marriott
Knowing God Coordinator

At Covenant, we are keen to see that our students wear their uniform with pride. The uniform helps to foster a sense of community and to establish a sense of purpose and tone as students come to learn.

On the whole, the uniform is worn well and we are thankful for the way in which parents have worked in partnership with us to support the guidelines which have been developed.

As a school, we aim to have positive conversations about Christ, about education, and about your child’s wellbeing.

Because of this, over the next few weeks, we will be looking at particular areas of the uniform and asking students to wear the uniform well in order that we can focus more on the positive conversations above.

Next week, we will be keeping an eye out for jewellery for both male and female students.

Our uniform requirements (which can be found in the School Diary) for jewellery are the following:

• Girls may wear one single pair of small studs in the lobe of the ear.
• Boys are permitted to wear one clear keeper in one ear.
• No other piercings are allowed.
• Wrist watches are permitted.

Year 11 and 12 students are also permitted to wear a single chain around the neck. This may have a small cross attached.  

Please keep partnering with us with your young people at home in this area so that we can continue having positive conversations with them at school.

Dan Apin
Director of Student Wellbeing

Class parents play a vital role in our Covenant community as we strive to partner with our parents in the education of our students. On a beautiful sunny morning this week, we held an off-site morning tea for the 2022 class parents. It was a great time of engagement and an opportunity for the parents and senior staff to meet each other, catch up with friends and look to the year ahead.

Thank you to all those taking on the role of Class Parent and we trust that 2022 will be full of blessings.

On Thursday 10 February, Years 3-6 descended on the Warringah Aquatic Centre for our annual Primary Swimming Carnival. Students, staff and parents were excited to be there. What a privilege to be able to have sports events again.

The students cheered loudly and many had fun competing and doing their best.

It was special to have parent spectators watching from a separate stand and we once again thank those parents for their understanding and cooperation with those changes and restrictions.

There were many solid performances and congratulations especially go to our Age Champions for 2022:

• 8yrs – Willow
• 9yrs – Mia and Matthew 
• 10yrs – Jacinta and Ronan 
• 11yrs – Emma and Dylan 
• 12yrs – Ester and Henry

FINAL POINTSCORE:

• 4th – Lewis  266 points
• 3rd – Ten Boom  284 points
• 2nd – Aylward  460 points
• 1st – White  475 points

Congratulations to White, who edged out Aylward, to be the winning House.

And well done to everyone who swam their best and encouraged others throughout the carnival.

Special thanks to the staff, parent helpers and student helpers for doing their jobs so enthusiastically and efficiently.

Those students who qualify for Zone (on March 3) will receive a note with details soon.

Please click on the following links to view the live sessions held on Tuesday 15 February.

General Session

Year 7 Emma Collins

Year 8 David Tatzenko

Year 9 Jennifer Staj

Year 10 Louise Gardner

Year 11 Ben Cochrane

Year 12 Jennifer Pienaar

What are you looking forward to about your new role at Covie?

I’ve been a Covie parent for a number of years now and I feel very blessed to be joining as a staff member! I love seeing God work in amazing ways among his people and I look forward to sharing Covenant's stories as we encourage one another. 

I am keen to establish great connections with parents, staff, alumni, Association members and local churches as we seek to build the Covie community in a deep and authentic way. 

I hope that as you see God working, you would be challenged to pray big prayers to a God who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Why do you love Covie and why did you choose it for your kids?

My wife, Bronwyn, and I are committed to training our children to walk humbly with God and to grow in their knowledge, love and faith in God. In Proverbs 22:6 we are taught to 'Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.'  And so we sought out a school that holds the same Christian faith and worldview that we hold and one which would assist us in the nurture of our children. 

We did not fully appreciate, when our son Moses started at Covie, the extent of the authentic Christian community that we would experience, especially through the staff and other parents. This has already been a tremendous blessing to our family, and I hope and pray that you share similar experiences as part of this amazing community. 

What things do you love?

I love the ocean, family, friends and playing music. I praise God for being able to share the simple joys in life with my young children, Moses (7), Esther (3) and Rachel (11 months). Last weekend we climbed trees, rode bikes, and learnt about Jesus feeding the five thousand – what a joy! 

What would be your ideal day?

My ideal day would start with a coffee and then a family boat trip, catching fish and swimming. We would round out the day with a home-cooked dinner of freshly caught fish with chips, and a salad made by Moses. 

Let’s catch up!

As I begin the role next week, I’m keen to hear from you and connect with as many parents as possible – so please say "hi" if you see me and get in touch at jcastle@covenant.nsw.edu.au.

If you are interested in contributing PIP hours working in the school canteen, please email Tam Khong, Canteen Manager tamkhong@live.com. A normal shift is from 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday during term time.

Dear Parents 

Please update your child’s/children’s dietary requirements and allergies in Edumate. This will greatly help staff as they plan Hospitality lessons and plan for the upcoming school camps.

If you are unable to update your child's details on Edumate, send an email to  schoolnurse@covenant.nsw.edu.au.

Sally Antcliff and Kym Bridges
School Nurses

All parents are invited to a morning tea.

• Date: Thursday 24 February 
• When: 9.45am onwards
• Where: Tasting Deck (Forestway Fresh Café), 2 Myoora Road, Terrey Hills

RSVP: if you’re coming, please email prayergroup@covenant.nsw.edu.au or text 0416420995, so we can reserve a spot for you.

The Covenant Prayer Group meets weekly during term to give thanks to God and to pray for the needs of our school. Our group is getting together for a coffee after our prayer time this Thursday. You’re welcome to come along and meet other parents in our community over morning tea and find out how you can be praying too.

At Covenant, we love to take photographs and videos to document school life and share with our Covenant Community and also provide a photographic journey of your child/ren at school.

In order for us to do this, we require the Image Consent form to be completed, which helps us determine how you would like us to use photos of your child/ren. 

We have some outstanding forms that need to be completed and we would be grateful if they were returned as soon as possible: 2022 Image Consent Form.

Monday 14 February letters:

• Year 12 Biology all day incursion
• HSC Dance Sydney Opera House Excursion

Wednesday 16 February letters:

• Year 7-10 Future Problem Solving Team (for new students)
• Year 5 Outdoor Camp

Friday 18 February letters:

• Year 12 Kitchen Operations Cafe Covie Service Letter
• Year 6 Camp
• CSSA Secondary State Hockey Gala Day
• Year 5 Outdoor Camp (updated)