Distance Education Update - 20 February 2026

DISTANCE EDUCATION UPDATE Bradley Whale

As we reach the conclusion of Week 4, it is wonderful to see how our community has settled into the rhythm of the new school year. I would like to again welcome returning students and their supervisors back for another year of Distance Education (DE). We also extend a warm welcome to the new families joining us at Australian Christian College (ACC) Marsden Park.

As we progress through this term, I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 4:9 ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.’ We are excited and blessed to have the opportunity to partner with you in this educational journey, working together to support our students as they grow both in their academic pursuits and in their personal character.

Understandably, there was a significant amount of communication during the first fortnight of term. For those who may have missed it, please refer to the 2026 Start of Year Letter that was emailed to DE families, which contains essential information for the 2026 academic year.

Building Connections Over the course of these opening weeks, we hope you have had the chance to meet your teachers and mentors and begin building connections with our staff. These relationships are the foundation of a supportive learning environment. Additionally, we hope students have had the chance to begin connecting with their peers through these opportunities, as well as DE Chapel and JOLT, fostering a sense of belonging within our virtual community.

Sporting Highlights and Upcoming Events Earlier in Week 2, we held our College Swimming Carnivals for both Primary and Secondary students. We thank all those families who travelled to attend. Our staff thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to connect in person with those who were there to compete, as well as with the families who made the journey to support their peers. 

We warmly invite all of our students to our future College Carnivals occurring in Term 2:

• Primary Cross Country - Wednesday 22 April

• Secondary Cross Country - Wednesday 22 April

• Primary Athletics - Friday 15 May

• Secondary Athletics - Wednesday 3 June

Looking ahead to Week 6, we are very excited to host a special online event for our Year 7 students and their parents titled ‘On the Same Page’. This webinar will take place on Thursday 5 March at 7.00 pm. We invite you to join an interactive and powerful presentation designed to help parents and students engage in those important conversations that can sometimes be difficult to navigate. We believe that by opening these doors of communication, we can better support our students' wellbeing and growth.

Please CLICK HERE to view the On the Same Page webinar flyer for more information OR click here to register. Please stay tuned to our Communication Hub for further notices.

Virtual Open Day Recently, the College held a Distance Education Virtual Open Day. This event allowed prospective families to find out more about ACC Marsden Park and ask pertinent questions regarding the DE model. If you have friends or family who are interested in our approach to learning, please refer them to our website to submit an enquiry.

Leadership Opportunities Finally, it is a very exciting time for our student body as we look toward the future of our College culture. Following our recent launch of Student Leader applications for Year 12, we are nearing the point of finalising the team. We are looking forward to announcing our DE Ministry Leaders as well as our Year 12 DE Leaders in the very near future. These leaders will have the opportunity to act as a student voice and help shape the DE experience for their peers, growing into roles of service and responsibility. Please stay tuned for these upcoming announcements.

We pray that your week ends well and we look forward to walking alongside and working with our DE families throughout the remainder of 2026.