The Bible says of Jesus… ‘For by Him all things were created, things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:16-1

At Casino Christian School, we believe life is not an accident or coincidence. As Christians, we understand we are created in God’s image.

Parents partnering with Christian teachers can help children discover and understand the truth about the world around them. Rather than removing children from the real world, Christian schools help them see it clearly. The very first sentence of the bible is ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ Genesis 1:1.

That God is the Creator is a basic belief for Christians. What we believe about God, Jesus Christ, and the origins of life influences how we act on a daily basis. These beliefs have a dramatic impact on how a school conducts itself.  The beliefs of school leaders determine what priorities are set, what is important and therefore what should be measured and reported on.

Secular education typically believes history and the world around us can be understood without reference to God or the Bible. By leaving these out, curriculums don’t become neutral.

Families are the first place where children learn about the world around them. Schools then help children understand more about the world

In the home, parents and carers can help control what is taught, how much, and by whom. The home and family life give a child a framework of reality. Parents and carers naturally want to protect, nurture, feed and strengthen their children. Over time, parents and carers expose their children to more age-appropriate ideas and experiences.

In the same way, Christian schools seek to work with parents and carers as an extension of the family home. Rather than providing a different or even inconsistent environment, Christian schools aim to reinforce what is taught at home. It is up to parents and carers to decide which environment they desire for their children outside of the home. Do we believe this is God’s world? A supportive environment where God and Jesus Christ are seen as relevant to daily life helps prepare a child for the realities of life.

Age-Champions

Here are our Casino Christian School Athletics Age Champions for 2026:

Junior Primary Girl: Rosa Young

Junior Primary Boy: Eli Skinner

Senior Primary Girl: Makenzi Bosch

Senior Primary Boy: Jasper Webb

Junior Secondary Girl: Lucia Formaggin

Junior Secondary Boy: Patrick Coulter

Intermediate Secondary Girl: Bella Mines-Salvat

Intermediate Secondary Boy:  Ezekiel Behan

Senior Secondary Champion Girl: Hannah Robinson

Senior Secondary Champion Boy: William Rankin

CIS Cross Country – Thursday 25th June 2026

Congratulations to Myburgh, Lucia, and Hannah on their selection in the CSSA Cross Country Team!

This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to their hard work, dedication, and outstanding performances throughout the season. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the way they have represented our school.

We wish Myburgh and Hannah all the very best as they compete at the next level. Run strong, enjoy the experience, and know that the entire Casino Christian School community is cheering you on!

From The Principal…

Commencing Sunday 5 July and continuing 12 July is NAIDOC week, which will see Indigenous Australian communities, as well as government agencies, schools, local councils, workplaces and the community more generally celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.

NAIDOC week has its roots in the 1938 Day of Mourning, becoming a week-long event in 1975. A short biography of William Cooper, one of the founders of the Day of Mourning, is included in the Thrive newsletter.

William Cooper initiated the Australian Aborigines League to protest injustices that were wrought upon his people by the Australian state. He was energised by his Christian faith.

WILLIAM COOPER – A Biography

William Cooper was an Indigenous elder who stood up to Hitler, the Prime Minister and the King — then left a final challenge to Australian Christians.

On the morning of December 6, 1938 — a year before war broke out with Nazi Germany — the streets of Footscray were unusually windy and cold. Yet outside a cottage on Southampton Street was one of the very few bright moments of that violent century. Immaculately dressed in suits and hats, a dozen men and women, huddled together, oblivious to the fact they were making history. All they knew was they had to march to 419 Collins Street. And quickly. They were scheduled for an 11.30am meeting with Dr Drechsler, Consul General to the Third Reich.

The marchers had decided on their message. These few resolved to protest “the cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi Government of Germany and asking that this persecution be brought to an end.”

In recent days, stories had filtered through about Kristallnacht – 24 horrifying hours that saw Hitler’s brown shirts rampage through the streets of Germany looting, burning and smashing Jewish stores and synagogues. In just a few hours, nearly 100 Jewish people had been killed and approximately 30,000 incarcerated in concentration camps. William Cooper identified strongly with the Jewish people and opposed anti-semitism.

Remarkably, these protesters were Christians. And yet, Yad Vashem, the world’s leading research centre on the Holocaust, says their protest was the only one of its kind. It didn’t happen in France or Britain or even America. It happened right here in Australia. And it was Aboriginal Australians who weren’t even recognised citizens at that time. They were led by a 78-year-old man from Bangerang country, named William Cooper.

When William Cooper  was born in 1860, much of the fertile country along the Murray River north of Echuca, had all but been taken from the Aboriginal people. Amid this violence around the river, William Cooper found one place where he knew he was safe. It was on an old sacred site, called Maloga. His sister had taken him there when he was 14, and he’d met a towering white man with a long black beard, called Daniel Matthews. Here he learnt to read and write – and the great stories from the good book from an ancient people who had become slaves, and whom God, the Creator of the world, would rescue. All it took was a leader brave enough to confront Pharaoh and say, let my people go.

Following a church service in January, 1884, Cooper approached Daniel Matthews and said “I must give my heart to God….” He was the last of his brothers and sisters to become a Christian. But from there, he began a lifelong work to speak for “the least of these”, to confront governments when they were unjust, and to demand to be heard at the highest levels, from the Premier, to the Prime Minister to the King.

Cooper’s long campaign for Aboriginal rights, especially land rights, began with the Maloga Petition in 1887. One of eleven signatories, it was addressed to the Governor of New South Wales. The petition held that Aboriginals of the district, “should be granted sections of land not less than 100 acres per family … always bearing in mind that the Aborigines were the former occupiers of the land.” This was 100 years before Mabo.

But it was well into his 70s, when Cooper really hit his straps. He moved to Footscray in western Melbourne in 1933. Here he found his calling as an activist, an organiser, and a relentless letter-writer.

At first this was in an individual capacity. But by 1935 Cooper had helped establish the Australian Aborigines League. As its secretary, Cooper circulated a petition seeking direct representation in parliament, enfranchisement and land rights. Knowing that (while not considered Australian citizens at the time) all Aboriginals and Islanders were British subjects, he made up his mind to petition King George V. Over several years, he and his team collected 1814 signatures, despite active obstruction from the national and state governments of the day. It informed His Majesty that:

“Whereas it was not only a moral duty, but also a strict injunction included in the commission issued to those who came to people Australia that the original occupants and we, their heirs and successors, should be adequately cared for; and whereas the terms of the commission have not been adhered to, in that (a) our lands have been expropriated by your Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth, (b) legal status is denied to us by your Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth…”

Cooper was effective in securing face-to-face meetings with governments. 1935, he was part of the first Aboriginal deputation to a Commonwealth minister and in 1938, the first deputation to the Prime Minister. But there was little result.

And so, Cooper’s Australian Aborigines League joined forces with Jack Patten and William Ferguson from the Aborigines Progressive Association to shame white Australia. They arranged a Day of Mourning to commemorate the sesquicentenary of colonisation, on Australia Day, 1938. The event, which was watched by journalists and police, was held in Australian Hall in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, was the first combined, interstate protest by Australian Aborigines.

By the time of his death in 1941. William Cooper had achieved almost none of the goals he had set for himself. He saw into the promised land but he did not enter it. The land he had entreated from the NSW government was at last given to his people, and his relatives live there today at Cummeragunja. His protégé, Pastor Doug Nicholls, would drive the next great Indigenous organisation, and they achieved the monumental outcome of the referendum on May 27, 1967, enabling the Commonwealth to recognise Aboriginal people as citizens.

During William Cooper’s lifetime, National Aborigines Day was established. It was first celebrated in 1940 across the Protestant churches. This was achieved through his partnership with John Needham of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. It was first known as “Aborigines Sunday” and was celebrated on the Sunday nearest to Australia Day.

We still celebrate it today, although no longer in January, and it is known as NAIDOC Week.

When you trace the Indigenous justice movement in Australia back to its roots, it comes back to one man: William Cooper. It may surprise many that this hero of Indigenous activism drew so heavily on his Christian faith. Equally, it may be a surprise to many that this man, who loved the great redeeming God of the Book of Exodus, thought it his Christian duty to demand political reforms for the benefit of Aboriginal people.

William Cooper encouraged Christians to pray that all Indigenous people know the gospel, that we become deeply aware of all the issues they face, and that we lift up our Aboriginal brothers and sisters before the world. He had a heart and compassion that all people should be treated equally under God, which meant his own and all other people groups.

Save the Date – Year 12 Formal!

Suns Vs Hawks Game – Friday 19th June 2026

On Friday 19th June, a group of CCS students and staff enjoyed an exciting trip to the AFL match between the Gold Coast Suns and Hawthorn Hawks. The game provided a fantastic opportunity for students to experience elite-level sport, witness the skill and teamwork of professional athletes, and enjoy time together outside the classroom. The atmosphere was electric, with plenty of enthusiasm from both teams’ supporters, making it a memorable experience for everyone involved. Thank you to the staff who attended and helped make the evening such a success.

Zone Basketball Tournament (Port Macquarie)

Wednesday 29th to Thursday 30th July 2026

We have selected an Under 15 Boys Basketball team to represent Casino Christian School at the North Coast CSSA Basketball Championships, held at Port Macquarie Indoor Stadium on Thursday 30th July.

Accomodation

Students will stay overnight at Heritage Christian College, Port Macquarie. Excellent behaviour is expected at all times during the trip.

Transport & Cost:
The total cost is $125, which includes:

• Hire and use of a 12-Seater Hertz bus,
• Competition and referee fees,
• Snacks on game day (e.g. muesli bar, Gatorade, chips, fruit)
• If going, students are expected to travel with the team.

Meals

All meals are the responsibility of students.

• Wednesday: Have a solid breakfast at home. Bring packed lunch and snacks. Dinner must be purchased by the student at Panthers Port Macquarie Club with their own money.
• Thursday: Bring money for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Forms & Payment

Please complete and return the Permission Note along with the $125 payment, to the school office by 9:30am on Friday 26th June.

Zone Basketball Note

New Uniform Orders: Just a reminder that Year 7 – 12 are required to wear a navy tie with their formal uniform. These are now back in stock and available to order.

Scan the QR code on your order form or visit www.teamspiritschools.com.au/school-shop. Enter the PASSWORD: uniform36

Regular fitting and collection days during school terms will be on Wednesdays, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Students can schedule fittings by emailing uniform@ccs.nsw.edu.au with their student’s name and year. Parents do not need to attend fittings; uniform staff will ensure they are correctly fitted and sent home with a list of sizes for each item.

We also have a limited amount of our current uniform stock available at 50% off (excluding hats). These items may be purchased directly from the Uniform Shop while stock lasts.

For more information about our school uniform requirements, please read our uniform policy.

Just a few notes regarding the uniform:

• We now have available to order two styles of girls’ blouses – the slimfit and a normal fit blouse. This will be clearly labelled on the new order forms, with the slimfit shirts in a red font. Please order according to the size indicated on the size sheet brought home from your child’s fitting.
• We have amended the girls’ uniform slightly so that during colder weather, navy opaque stockings can be worn with the skort or skirts, as an alternative to pants.

Book Fair – Monday 3rd August – Thursday 6th August

Book Week Parade/Dress Up – Friday 7th August 

Book Week – Monday 10th August – Thursday 13th August

Week 1(A) – 20th – 24th July

Monday 20th

Staff Development Day – No Students

Tuesday 21st

K-12 Students Return Today

First Day of Transition Program

Yr5/6 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr7/8 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G2/3

Wednesday 22nd

Yr3/4 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime YR3 Room

Yr3/4 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr4 Room

Yr5/6 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr9/10 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G1

Thursday 23rd

Yr11/12 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime A12

Friday 24th

Week 4(B) – 10th – 14th August

Monday 10th

Maths Help at Lunch in G3

Tuesday 11th

P & F Meeting – 6pm in Library

Yr5/6 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr7/8 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G2/3

Wednesday 12th

Yr3/4 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime YR3 Room

Yr3/4 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr4 Room

Yr5/6 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr9/10 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G1

Thursday 13th

Zone Athletics – Coffs Harbour

Yr11/12 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime A12

Friday 14th