Grandparent’s Day

“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3

Parents and carers are given great responsibility by God to love, protect, teach, train and discipline their children. Families are important and we thank Him for being gracious in blessing all the families of the earth through the birth of children from His original creation.

Grandparents are a special part of families as they spend time with their children and their children’s children offering loving advice and at times comfort. The research indicates that a healthy link between grandparents and their grandchildren help children to achieve their best at school. Grandparents. have a vital and important role in helping children to grow up as individuals who will contribute positively to our wider society.

On Friday 7th August 2026, over 100 grandparents and friends of students were welcomed to CCS. Students were excited to have their grandparents come along to see them at school, view their work and introduce them to their class teacher.

Grandparents also enjoyed watching the Primary assembly and Book Week parade. They were then welcomed into the classrooms to look at the work the children have been doing this term. A wonderful morning tea followed.

At CCS the school recognises that Jesus is the most famous of all grandchildren. As the verses contained at the front of the Thrive reveal God promised blessing to all peoples on earth through Abram. The promise has been fulfilled in Jesus who God has exalted to the highest place and given the name that is above every name.

‘that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord for the Glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:10-11

We thank all the Nans and Pops, Poppys and Nannas, Grandmas and Grandpas, Grandads, Pas and Mas, Mummas, Nannys, Mims, Mimis, Omaes, Grans, Grannies, Grumps, Gramps, Boompas, Nannas, Nonnos, Nonnus, Poppies, Nonnas and other grandparents who made this day special by their presence among us.

Dare2Drift: An Inspiring Day with Taylor Forward

Our students were given a fantastic opportunity to hear from Pastor, professional drift driver and Dare2Drift founder, Taylor Forward, who visited Casino Christian School to share his powerful story of resilience, faith and purpose.

Taylor spoke openly about how his life was dramatically changed at just fourteen years of age following a horrific accident. Rather than allowing this experience to define his future, Taylor shared how his journey ultimately led him away from drugs and alcohol and towards a life of following Jesus. Today, he combines his passion for motorsport with his ministry, travelling and racing around the world while encouraging young people to make positive choices.

The students were captivated as Taylor brought his story to life, sharing real experiences and practical encouragement about dealing with peer pressure, making wise decisions and discovering their God-given potential. His message challenged students to consider what it means to have courage, resilience and purpose, and to “dare to drift” away from the traps that can hold young people back.

Following the presentation, students had the opportunity to ask Taylor questions and hear more about his experiences as a professional drift motorsport driver and pastor. There was plenty of excitement as students then got to see his professional drift car up close, with some even having the opportunity to sit inside it!

The day was a wonderful combination of an exciting motorsport experience and an important message about faith, belonging and living with purpose. Taylor’s story reminded our students that our circumstances do not have to determine our future, and that with the right choices, resilience and a relationship with Jesus, we can pursue a life filled with meaning and purpose.

We are very grateful to Taylor for taking the time to visit our school and invest in the lives of our students. We pray that the message he shared will continue to encourage our young people to make wise choices, stand strong in their faith and dare to live differently for Jesus.

School Photos Update

At this stage, we have been advised that school photos will be delivered later this term. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the photography company directly.

Once we receive the photos, we will ensure they are sent home with students as soon as possible.

We apologise for the delay and appreciate your patience and understanding.

A Note from The School Photographer…

This year marks a very special milestone for The School Photographer as we celebrate 40 years of proudly serving Australian schools and families. For four decades, we have remained committed to providing exceptional photography, quality products and outstanding customer service, and we are incredibly grateful for the trust schools have placed in us throughout that journey.

As part of our ongoing commitment to improving the experience we provide, we have invested in a significant new production and workflow system. This upgrade has been designed to deliver faster turnaround times, improved efficiencies and an even better service for our schools and families well into the future.

 While we are confident these improvements will provide substantial long-term benefits, the transition has unfortunately presented some unexpected challenges. As our team has been learning and adapting to the new system, we have also experienced several unforeseen technical issues, including a major telecommunications outage and a printer failure, which have further impacted our delivery timeframes.

 We understand that waiting longer than expected for your school photographs can be disappointing, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.

 Please be assured that our entire team has been working tirelessly to resolve these issues, increase production capacity and ensure orders are delivered as quickly as possible. We are already seeing significant improvements as the new system becomes more established and are confident the investment we have made will result in a much faster and more efficient service in the future.

 We would be sincerely grateful for your patience and understanding during this period of transition. Our commitment to delivering quality photography and exceptional customer service remains as strong today as it was when we first began 40 years ago.

 We would also like to thank our partner schools for their ongoing support and ask that this message be shared with families, so they understand the reasons behind the current delays and the improvements being made for the future.

On behalf of everyone at The School Photographer, thank you for your continued trust, support and understanding. We look forward to continuing to serve your school community for many years to come.

Amanda Bryant

Aftersales – Northern Rivers

T: 02 6628 0511

Book Week Parade & Grandparents Day – Friday 7th August

On Friday 7th August, we were delighted to welcome our beloved CCS grandparents for a wonderful morning of entertainment, activities, and fellowship as we celebrated the special role they play in the lives of our students.

The celebration was made even more memorable as it coincided with our Primary Book Week festivities. Students proudly dressed as their favourite book characters, embracing the 2026 Book Week theme, “Symphony of Stories.” Their creativity and enthusiasm were on full display during the vibrant Book Week Parade, which was showcased as part of the morning assembly. It was a joy to see our students confidently sharing their costumes with such a supportive audience of family and friends.

One of the highlights of the morning was the surprise appearance of Gru and his cheeky Minions, who brought plenty of laughter, excitement, and smiles to everyone in attendance. Their visit added an extra touch of fun to an already joyful celebration, delighting both students and grandparents alike.

Thank you to all of our grandparents who joined us and helped make the morning so special. We also extend our appreciation to our staff and students for their efforts in creating such a warm and welcoming event. It was a wonderful celebration of family, reading, and the joy of sharing stories together.

Science Week – Monday 10th August – Friday 14th August

This Science Week, our Food Technology students discovered that science isn’t just something that happens in a laboratory — it happens in the kitchen too!

Our Year 9 students explored the chemical reactions of baking soda as a leavening agent, investigating how a simple ingredient can produce gas and help baked goods rise. Through practical cooking, they connected concepts such as chemical reactions, gas production and changes in matter with the foods they create and enjoy every day.

Meanwhile, our Year 7 students got hands-on with oobleck, exploring its fascinating non-Newtonian behaviour. By mixing simple ingredients and experimenting with force and pressure, students discovered that oobleck can behave differently depending on how it is handled — a fun and memorable way to explore the science of materials!

From chemical reactions to non-Newtonian fluids, our Food Technology classrooms have been full of curiosity, experimentation and discovery this Science Week.

NSW SCHOOL VACCINATION PROGRAM

Wednesday 19th August

As part of the NSW School Vaccination Program 2026, the following vaccines will be offered free of charge at school:

Year 7 students: 

diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine – 1 dose
human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine – 1 dose

Year 10 students: 
meningococcal ACWY vaccine – 1 dose

To have your child vaccinated at school, you need to give your permission (consent) either online or by filling out and returning the paper consent form.

These vaccinations are also available to Year 8 and Year 11 students who have missed previously.

To do 
Read the school vaccination program information. Translations are available. Please refer to the NSWHealth webpage: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx

2.Sign the consent form — you can do this online or on a paper consent form.
3.Return the consent form back to school as soon as you can.
4.Talk to your child about getting vaccinated. Information for students.

5.To give consent online visit: https://engage.health.nsw.gov.au/engage

You will need: 
1.Medicare card details for you and your child
2.Name of the secondary school your child will attend in Year 7 or Year 10
3.Your Service NSW login details (this is the same account you might use to renew your driver’s license)
4. If you don’t have a Service NSW account, you can create one by visiting

https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/services/myservicensw-account/how-to-create-an-
account

More information 
For detailed steps on how to provide consent, please watch the How to Provide  Consent  Video or refer to the NSW Health webpage

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/online-consent-school-vaccination.aspx

Zone Athletics Carnival – Thursday 13th August

What a wonderful success it was for our Primary and Secondary students at the Zone Athletics Carnival held at C.ex International Stadium in Coffs Harbour!

We are incredibly proud of all our students who represented Casino Christian School throughout the day. In beautiful sunshine, our students gave their best, encouraged one another and demonstrated wonderful sportsmanship, resilience and determination.

A special congratulations goes to the following students who have qualified to represent CCS at the State Athletics Championships in Sydney:

Primary: Leo B, Sias B, Makenzi B, Felicity D, Victoria K, Harry M, Eli W and Jasper W.

Secondary: Torah C, Lucia F, Rachel G, Mikael R, Hannah R and Zamira W.

This is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful reward for their hard work and commitment.

Primary State Athletics — Friday 21 August
Secondary State Athletics — Thursday 27 August

We wish our Primary and Secondary representatives all the very best as they compete at State. We will be cheering them on and praying for safe travel, enjoyable competition and continued success.

Well done to all our students who participated at Zone. We are so proud of the way you represented our school and lived out our values through your encouragement, perseverance and sportsmanship.

Congratulations CCS! Go well at State!

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 Week Guessing Competition

A huge congratulations to Vali (Year 3) and Zeke (Year 6), who tied with an impressive guess of 94 lollies!

The correct number of lollies in the jar was 93, making Vali and Zeke our closest guessers! Congratulations to you both!
As our winners, Vali and Zeke will each receive a book prize.

Well done to everyone who had a guess, and thank you for joining in the Book Week fun!

Week 6(B) – 24th – 28th August

Sunday 23rd Aug – Friday 28th Aug

Year 9 & 10 Ski Camp

Monday 24th

K-3 Swimming at GSAC

Tuesday 25th

K-3 Swimming at GSAC

Yr5/6 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr7/8 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G2/3

Yr11/12 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime A12

Wednesday 26th

K-3 Swimming at GSAC

Yr3/4 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime YR3 Room

Yr5/6 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr9/10 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G1

Thursday 27th

K-3 Swimming at GSAC

Secondary State Athletics

Maths Help at Lunch in G2

Yr3/4 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr4 Room

Friday 28th

K-3 Swimming at GSAC

Week 9(A) – 14th – 18th September

Monday 14th

HSC Maths Revision

Tuesday 15th

HSC Maths Revision 

Yr5/6 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr7/8 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G2/3

Yr11/12 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime A12

Wednesday 16th

Yr3/4 Boys Bible Study – Lunchtime YR3 Room

Yr5/6 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr6 Room

Yr9/10 Mixed Bible Study – Lunchtime G1

Thursday 17th

MMAD Night 

Maths Help at Lunch in G2

Yr3/4 Girls Bible Study – Lunchtime Yr4 Room

Friday 18th