Manning Valley Anglican College (MVAC) Principal Darren Parks is departing at the end of 2024. He provided this recap of another successful year and shared his plans for the festive season.
As I prepare to leave MVAC to return to Brisbane to be closer to our respective families, I look back with pride in what has been achieved over the past three and a half years.
This year has been a stellar one for MVAC. We’ve had many highlights, with our students achieving amazing outcomes across all spheres of schooling.
Our Year 12 academic results are the strongest ever, with our largest number of students receiving early entry offers for university.
Culturally, the production of ‘Grease’ was an amazing success, with our students shining like beacons in their brilliant performances. Our teams have consistently dominated HRIS and local competitions. Their impressive performances have exceeded all expectations.
Our cattle team won its first riband at Wingham Beef Week. Our dance groups, artists, and musicians continue to shine with their performances.
Many strategic projects have been started to modernise the school. These efforts have transformed it from a small institution into an inspiring medium-sized regional school.
A different vibe
Christmas means family, food, and fun.
The Parks family is currently going through a transition as we have three young adult children, one of whom will be working on Christmas Day as an Emergency Department (ED) nurse.
No more toys and no grandchildren yet, so it’s a very different vibe to when our kids were young, and we would do the drive from Townsville to Brisbane with the car laden with hidden presents.
We usually do some presents before we go to church. We then do the rest of the presents before lunch. Christmas gives us a chance to slow down and reflect upon the amazing gift that God gave us through his son Jesus Christ.
Christmas also means a time to stop work and truly find time to shut down the computer and do family events. Most importantly, Christmas means the chance to be with your loved ones.
I hope that our students will gain an understanding of the greater meaning of Christmas via our chapel services, Christian education lessons, and through our community service to the Blue Cross Shop. If they can learn that Christmas means doing something for others rather than just yourself then we have helped them learn something important about the giving theme of Christmas.
MVAC is once again partnering with Saint John’s Anglican Church in Taree in support of their Blue Cross Emergency Relief program.
Each of MVAC’s three houses will be competing to see which house brings in the most tinned goods, toiletries, and other non-perishable items. We happily donate these items to Blue Cross Emergency Relief, named after the iconic blue cross on top of Saint John’s belltower. Each week, these donations are distributed to families in the Manning Valley and Great Lakes areas.
MVAC is proud to support the caring ministries of Saint John’s Anglican Church throughout the year.
However, we particularly focus our efforts during the Advent and Christmas season for Blue Cross Emergency Relief. This year continues our cherished tradition, and we are excited to make a positive impact together.
Our students really enjoy the Christmas-themed out-of-uniform day. By turning it into a food drive, we help them understand the importance of celebrating Christmas with empathy, generosity, and kindness.
MVAC is an inclusive educational environment for every student regardless of race, colour, religion or sexual and gender orientation. We encourage everyone to enter Christmas with an open heart for those who may be alone or have different experiences.
MVAC is a welcoming and enjoyable setting. I will always look back on my time at MVAC with fond memories.
From our MVAC community to yours, we wish you peace, happiness and hope this Christmas.
