Supporting faith and values at Ulladulla High School.
We are the local community board that funds the Special Religious Education teacher for our high school students. No head office. No paid administrators. Just local churches and local families keeping a trained Scripture teacher in our school.
The SRE Program
High school is when the big questions arrive.
Who am I? What do I actually believe? What kind of person am I becoming? Special Religious Education gives Year 7 to 9 students one period a fortnight where those questions are welcome, taken seriously, and answered properly.
Mentorship
A familiar adult who is part of school life year after year, knows students by name, and is not marking their work. For teenagers, that combination is rarer than it sounds.
Values-based education
Honesty, forgiveness, service and courage, taught from the Christian tradition and discussed openly. Students are invited to think, never pressured to agree.
Safe conversations
A room where a young person can ask something real without being laughed at. For some students, it is the only room like that they walk into all fortnight.
SRE is opt-in. It runs under the NSW Department of Education's Religious Education policy, it is taught by an authorised representative of the approved religious persuasion, and families who prefer the secular alternative can choose Special Education in Ethics instead.
Meet the Teacher
People give to people, not to boards.
Sarah-Jayne Knight
SRE Teacher, Ulladulla High School
Sarah-Jayne, or SJ to most people around here, has lived in the Milton-Ulladulla community for 19 years. She is married to Matt, and they have four children and two Labradoodles.
A trained teacher, SJ loves spending time with young people, hearing their stories, and sharing the good news of the Bible with them.
[ Placeholder quote from Sarah-Jayne about a moment that shows what the program does for students. One or two sentences is plenty. Specific beats general. ]
In Their Words
What it has meant locally.
SRE is in demand. Students from diverse backgrounds get a chance to learn timeless truths from the Bible. Here is what parents, students and teachers say about it:
[ Placeholder quote from a parent. The strongest ones are specific about a change they noticed in their own child, not general praise for the program. ]
[ First name ]Parent, Ulladulla High School[ Placeholder quote from a former student, now an adult. Looking back on what SRE meant during high school carries more weight than a current student saying they enjoy it. ]
[ First name ]Former student[ Placeholder quote from a partner church leader or a school staff member, on why the position matters to the wider community. ]
[ Name ][ Role, Church or School ]How to Help
We are funding a person, not a program.
Being straight with you about the money: this is a salary. Keeping a qualified SRE teacher at Ulladulla High School costs a real amount every year, and it only works if enough local people commit to something regular.
It costs $89,000 a year to keep an SRE teacher at Ulladulla High School.
That covers salary, superannuation, insurance and the approved curriculum resources. Every board member is a volunteer. There is no office and no paid administration.
Without the giving of supporters, this ministry would not exist.
$44,000 still to raise to keep Scripture at Ulladulla High in 2027.
$300 a year. Helps cover the approved curriculum materials and classroom resources Sarah-Jayne teaches from.
Give $25 monthly$600 a year. The level most local households choose, and the one the budget is built on.
Give $50 monthly$1,200 a year. Champions carry a significant share of the cost and are the reason the position is secure year to year.
Give $100 monthlyAbout 148 households giving $50 a month would fund this position for a full year. We are a little over halfway there.
Prefer a one-off gift, or a different amount? Give any amount by direct deposit. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.
Prefer to pay by direct deposit?
Tax deductible donations can be made straight to the UCEF account. Please put your name in the reference, and add a note if the gift is for something specific.
- Account
- UCEF, Westpac
- BSB
- 032 701
- Account number
- 122963
A tax receipt is available on request.
Not able to give right now?
That is fine, and there are two other ways to stand behind this work. Both of them already exist, and you are welcome at either.
Pray with us
UCEF prayer meets every Wednesday during school term, 1:15pm to 2pm, in Marty's Room at St Martins Anglican Church. Turn up. No need to tell anyone you are coming.
Get the Monday update
Every Monday we email prayer and praise points for SRE across the schools in our community. It is a short read and it is the best way to see what is actually happening week to week.
Partner Churches
Backed by the churches of Milton and Ulladulla.
The foundation is a combined effort. Seven congregations across the district stand behind the SRE teacher at Ulladulla High School, through giving, prayer and people. Different traditions, one teacher, one school.
About the Board
Local people, accountable locally.
United Christian Education Foundation Incorporated is a registered Australian charity, governed by a volunteer board drawn from the local combined churches. We have been operating since 2000.
- Servethe school through teaching Scripture and being involved in activities that serve the vision and values of the school.
- Representthe local churches in being a positive Christian presence in the school.
- Encouragethe school community to grow in following Jesus Christ in everyday life.
Our Vision
To see young people in our schools encounter the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, grow in faith, and live with hope, purpose, and love in their communities and the world.
Our Mission
To faithfully teach the Bible in an engaging, respectful, and relevant way, helping students explore the Christian faith, understand God's love, and apply biblical truth to everyday life.
We partner with local churches and school communities to support the spiritual development of students, encouraging them to ask questions, think deeply, and discover the good news of Jesus for themselves.
Registered charity
Registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission since 2012, and reporting to it annually.
Tax deductible
Endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient since 2000. Gifts of $2 or more are tax deductible, and a receipt is available for every gift.
Child safe
Our SRE teacher holds a current NSW Working With Children Check and teaches under Department of Education child protection requirements.
Contact
Talk to a real person.
Whether you want to give, pray, volunteer, or just understand what SRE actually looks like at Ulladulla High, get in touch. A board member will answer, usually within a couple of days.
For cheques and formal correspondence.