Last Friday, 13 October 2017, special guests, parents and students in Years 5-10 participated in a thanksgiving ceremony for the opening of the new buildings.  Charlton has been greatly blessed and received various Australian Government Grants over the past seven years.

As a K-12 College, our work is centred on a desire for human flourishing and development.  Thus, you may be wondering why we take the time and effort to mark such things as openings of buildings; structures of brick, steel and mortar and aluminium. It’s a valid question. The answer is three fold.

Firstly, we want to give thanks to the Australian Government whose support has enabled education in Australia to be what it is today for all students across the country.

Secondly, we want to acknowledge our Charlton parents past and present whose investment beyond their taxes has made it possible for their children and those to come after them.

Thirdly, we want to give thanks for the facilities themselves and those who have designed and managed and undertaken their construction and fitting out, and for the benefit that our students, staff and parents and local community members have already and will continue to reap from them.

Finally, and most importantly, we want to acknowledge God as the ultimate provider of all things as these building are a tangible example of His provision.

It is too easy in the busy life of a College to move from one project, one task, one term or even year to the next and not pause to take stock and give thanks for the work and contribution of those who have sought the very best for our young people.

The fact that all the College’s projects have been completed at or below estimated costs is a credit to the work of architects, contractors and our Business Manager and Project manager John Kroon.  Special thanks too to our Head of Junior School Mrs Gunning who took the lead role in the design and fit out of the LIFE Centre.

The Minister of Education Senator Simon Birmingham, wrote to us last week to express his support and we were pleased welcome our Federal member for Hunter, Mr Joel Fitzgibbon for the opening.

Mr Mark Ash / Principal