Compass No 424 - June 2016

From the Principal

Rest, An Important Part Of Growth

Finding time on a regular basis for disconnected rest is thought to be an important part of personal wellbeing and brain development. A commentary on research in this area highlighted the importance of time for reflection, imagining and daydreaming for the enhancement of academic performance and the development of social emotional capacities, including the development of moral thinking and reasoning. When truly at rest, the research indicates that the brain moves into a default mode, which develops different capacities to when we are engaged in activity. The research would suggest that the inwardly reflective and outwardly active development of the brain is interdependent. Finding time to disconnect and allowing the mind to wander is important for people of all ages. Connection with nature has also been found to have significant benefits for our physical and emotional wellbeing.

Rest is a key theme in the Bible. At the very beginning we read that ‘on the seventh day, God rested’ and in the New Testament we read of Jesus going into the desert, out in a boat or up onto a mountain to rest and pray. In the bible we are encouraged to rest on the seventh day of our week and to create space for reflection about our relationships with God, others and the world. An emphasis on inner peace and rest flows through the New Testament, captured in the passages such as, “Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest”. We read too of the encouragement to leave our worries with Him, confident in the assurance that God will provide for us just as He does for nature. 

Source: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/rest-is-not-idleness-reflection-is-critical-for-development-and-well-being.html, sighted June 23rd, 2016.
Principal's Log

As we come to the end of the semester, it is important that we all stop and recognise the great gifts that have been given to us. There have been gifts of learning and enjoyment in the academic, sporting, cultural and spiritual dimensions of our lives. There has been learning and nurturing of growth in the understanding of ourselves and connections to others. There have been times of service, where we have both served and been served. There have been times of laughter, fun and joy. There have been times of forgiveness, where we have forgiven and been forgiven. There have been times of challenge and times of success. We say thank you to God for the fullness he has given to our lives as part of this community. We say thank you to our staff for your caring, encouraging and passionate professionalism and commitment to the learning and growth of our young people and each other. We say thank you to our parents for your support, leadership and commitment in so many different areas of your children’s lives as part of our College community. We say thank you to our students for your goodwill, energy and engagement that make this community thrive.

At our closing chapel this morning we were able to thank Mr James McLellan for his 13 years of service as a member of College Council including more than four years as Chair. Mr McLellan brought considerable professional expertise, excellence in leadership and a passion for the ongoing development and enhancement of the College. We thank Mr McLellan for his very significant contribution to the shaping of this community.

We wish Mr Darren Hooper, Mrs Amanda Empson and Mr Terry Clark times of joy, safety and invigoration as they take long service leave next term. Mr Kurt Jones, Mrs Belinda Vivash and Mr Scott Massie are looking forward to taking up these contract positions and have been working with the Physical Education, Year 6 and Year 4 classes respectively over this past week.  

We look forward to welcoming back our Year 10 students from their Outdoor Education camp tomorrow afternoon. By all accounts the students have experienced a rich time of growth. We thank Dr Peter McMahon for his outstanding leadership in the organisation of this experience, teachers Mr Nico Prinsloo, Mr Ben Dutton and Miss Alisha Janssen, Outdoor Education instructors Mr Dean Turner, Mr Troy Petersen and Miss Ashlie Nobilo and past students Miss Bronte McMahon, Mr Josh Grimley, Miss Jess McMahon, Miss Eliza Dreves and Miss Maddi Bell for their leadership of the groups. We also thank past staff member Mrs Sharon Middleton who performed the important of role of being the central base person and the staff of Outward Bound for their leadership of activities.

We trust that all members of our community will find times for rest in the change that school holidays bring and that there are times where we all can be immersed in nature and connected with others. As a conversation starter, perhaps even mowing the lawn could be regarded as a restful brain moment wandering in nature! I know my garden will love the attention it will receive over the coming break. 

May God give all members of our community times of deep rest and relaxation and the confidence that He will continue to provide for our needs.

Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal

From the College Pastor

Time At Home

One of the many sights I enjoy witnessing at Pacific are the Pastoral Care Groups (PCG), which meet in the mornings. On some mornings, these PCGs of Year 7-12 students intermingle in classrooms to play games. By games, I mean those old fashioned games like Connect Four, Jenga, Uno, Cards and Scrabble. It is a delight to witness students communicating with one another over something other than a laptop or mobile device. Kids spending time with each other with no structured outcome other than having fun is not just good but also necessary. Spending time with one another and enjoying the moment through the simple play of a board game is good for us in all sorts of ways including our social and emotional intelligence.

It is a good thing for families to do too. Time at home where family members can just hang out, away from the distractions of our busy lives, is precious. Time is the most valuable, non-renewable resources we have. Lost time with our children and families due to work or other commitments can never be regained. This is one of the regrets I have heard, particularly from fathers. Making time to spend with our loves ones, having fun and deepening our relationships with them is worth far more than anything we can earn. Creating those special family moments so that we can go back to them when we hit the rough times is important.  

God has created us to be in relationship with one another. He has given us the gift of time to spend with our loved ones. Over the school holidays this winter, when the weather is wild and woolly outside, why not spend some time playing with your family, enjoying their presence and soaking up some quality time at home? Why not play one of these old fashioned games together?

Pastor Tim Jarick, College Pastor

Student Reports

Accessing Student Reports

Student reports for this semester will be made available for download from the Parent Lounge, which is accessible through the ‘My PLC’ portal on our website: http://pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au/my-plc. When the reports have been completed, a SMS will be sent to all families advising that they are available for download. If you have any questions regarding the download of student reports over the holidays, please contact administration.

From the Director of Students

Building Emotional Intelligence

Linda Lantieri has written a new book, Building Emotional Intelligence: Practices to Cultivate Inner Resilience In Children. In the book, she writes about establishing new rituals and routines as a family that can help children to keep calm and focus the mind. According to Lantieri, the more children can begin to experience moments of quiet and stillness, the more they will feel an inner balance and flow, which offsets the overstimulation that is so abundant in life. She suggests the following rituals and routines:

  • Have a dinnertime quieting ritual. Around dinnertime, light a candle and have a few moments of silence as everyone focuses on the flames of the candle.
  • Create a peace corner. A peace or calming corner is a special place that you set aside at home. Members of your family can go there whenever they need calm and stillness, in order to regain their inner balance and flow.
  • Use calming music. The sound of soft, slow classical music can really help stressful transition times such as when children are getting ready for school.
  • When driving children in the car, have a few minutes of silence and ask your children to notice what they see, hear and feel during that time.
  • Honour nature and provide opportunities to be outdoors. A relationship with nature is like any good relationship. It needs to unfold over time, moving towards intimacy and respect.

Finally, we wish all our families a happy and safe holiday.

Mr Brendan Delaney, Director of Students

From the Head of Staff and Students P-5

End of Term

This term has been particularly busy and exciting for all students across Prep – Year 5. Thank you to all parents and guardians for your support and involvement in the many and varied aspects of life in the Foundation and Junior College this term. Your support and involvement is greatly valued and welcomed by both the children and staff. We wish all children and their families a relaxing and enjoyable break together. 

P-2 Cross Country

On Wednesday, the Prep – Year 2 Cross Country Carnival was finally held under almost blue skies. Thank you to the many parents and family members who attended the event to support the students. A special thank you to Mr Darren Hooper for coordinating the event and all P-2 staff for their support and supervision of students on the day.

Mr David Druery, Head of Staff and Students P-5

Student Awards

Stars of the Week

This Week Monday 20th June

Prep:  Ben Greenough, Luca Francesconi Silveira, Joshua van Staden and Flynn Johnson.

Year 1:  Arjuna Suseno, Alexa Karavolas, Noella Finney and Isobel McKeown.

Year 2:  Hannah Miller, Cayley Slevin, Katie Holman, Kyle Bradford and Maddy Walsh.

Year 3:  Bella Lumkes, Austin Lauritzen, Jay Ricotta, Alexandra Schlotterbach, Ashton Haas, Jada Baker and Toby Creamer.

Year 4:  Sarah Timperley, Matthew McKenzie and Rhys Veizer.  

Year 5:  Sofia Aronsson, Jewel Jamieson, Gabby Rattey, Sam Jones, Eamon Mahoney and Class 5C.

You Can Do It Awards

This Week Monday 20th June

Confidence:  Joshua Cockburn, Lily Parkes, Hazar Pearse, Tyler Jacobs, Mitchell Cannon, Faolan Shearer and Finn Jones.

Persistence:  Abbey Christie and Keira Hickey.

Organisation:  Gabbie Maynard.

Getting Along:  Ruby McKibbin and Charlie Ford. 

Other Awards

This Week Monday 20th June

MultiLit:  Alex Monroe and Mia Hetherington. 

Food for Thought

How to protect our children from inappropriate internet

Thirty years ago, children were taught never to accept sweets from strangers, but the equivalent modern message, about staying safe online, doesn't seem to be getting through. For all its positives, the online world is full of potential hazards to young people. Sexting, bullying and sexual approaches from strangers are online dangers modern teenagers routinely face. And adults' knowledge of what young people are doing online is often vague and complacent.

Some parents feel their only recourse is to restrict internet access, but James Diamond, of parenting and technology website Quib.ly, says, "A big reason that children don't tell parents about abuse is that the default reaction of parents is to take the internet away from them". Internet safety needs to be taught, with specific ground rules and open communication between generations.

Encourage your child to come to you or another trusted adult if he or she encounters inappropriate material. Install blocking, filtering and monitoring software in order to block pop-ups, restrict access to sites with adult content and see which sites your children visit. To find out more, visit: https://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/tools-and-tips/4-apps-to-help-keep-your-children-safe-online/.

Ms Annie Williams, College Counsellor

OCEANfest

OCEANfest Update

The following local businesses have come on board to support OCEANfest this year! We thank the community for their continued support and greatly appreciate the assistance local businesses provide in bringing this event together.

Anytime Fitness

At Anytime Fitness Currimundi, we fit your busy schedule and on-the-go lifestyle. At our health club, you can exercise anytime of the day or night using your own security-access key/card! That’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Talk about no more excuses! Plus…one membership, thousands of clubs. As a neighbourhood-style fitness club, we are right where you need us. Workout near home or work. We've got you covered. Unlike most gyms, your Anytime Fitness membership allows you to visit thousands of clubs worldwide, at no extra cost. Talk to our team NOW about how we can help you work out with the use of our cutting-edge strength training and cardio equipment. Phone: 5341 8120 or visit: http://www.anytimefitness.com.au/gyms/AU-1097/currimundi-qld-4551.

Harmony Landscapes

Harmony Landscapes is a well renowned family owned and operated company. It was founded in the Sunshine Coast hinterland and has nearly 40 years of experience on its side. For more information, visit: http://www.harmonylandscapes.net.au.

TFH Hire Services

TFH Hire Services is an Australian owned and family operated supplier of the most comprehensive range of temporary fencing systems available throughout Australia. To find out more, visit: http://www.tfh.com.au.

 

OCEANfest 2016 Committee

Junior College

School Hearing Program

Parents are reminded about the Hearing Program offered to ELC, Kindy and Prep students on 3rd, 4th and 11th August this year. Information and consent forms have previously been emailed to parents, however copies can also be obtained from the main administration office and through Mrs Julie McCosker in the ELC.

If you wish for your child to have his/her hearing screened, please return consent forms by Friday 15th July.

“Early intervention can have a significant impact on a child’s overall speech and language development and educational outcomes. Research has shown that early detection and intervention can influence a child’s speech, sound development, expressive and receptive language development and even their literacy skills such as reading comprehension.” – UQ Health and Rehabilitation Clinics Audiology Department

Ms Sharon Dean and Mrs Maree Hooper, College Nurses

Secondary College

Queensland Training Awards: Well Done Lily!

Year 12 student, Lily Brown is currently undertaking a Certificate III at the Caloundra RSL. She has been nominated as a finalist in the School Based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year category at the upcoming Queensland Training Awards. The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday 6th August. Congratulations Lily on this fantastic achievement.

Mr Ian Learoyd, Head of VET

From the Head of Career Development

Upcoming Career Events

Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) University Experience
Places are filling fast for this event, which will be held in the school holidays on Thursday 7th July. If you are currently in Years 10-12 and are considering tertiary study in the future, University Experience provides the perfect chance to explore your study options by living a day in the life of an ACU student. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.acu.edu.au/97108.

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Australia Gold Coast Open House
NYFA invites students interested in filmmaking or acting to its Open House event at 12.00pm on Saturday 9th July. A parent or guardian must accompany students under 18 years of age. For further details and to register, visit: https://www.nyfa.edu.au/nyfa-events/.

Central Queensland University (CQU) – Noosa Arts After Hours
Interested in creative pursuits? CQU Noosa campus invites you to extend your knowledge and experience in writing, visual arts and printmaking, guitar orchestra or life drawing. The sessions will be held on the second Monday of each month, commencing on 11th July, from 5.30pm – 7.30pm. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.cqu.edu.au/calendar/event-items/social/noosa-arts-after-hours6?SQ_CALENDAR_DATE=2016-07-11.

Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO) Brisbane
This is an important event for students in South-East Queensland. It provides an opportunity to talk to representatives from Queensland and interstate universities, TAFE Queensland, private colleges, the Defence Force, the Queensland Police Service, Gap Year programs and other education and training organisations about their courses and career pathways. The expo will be held from 10.00am – 4.00pm on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane. For more information, visit: http://www.careersevent.com/tsxpo/.

University of Melbourne in Brisbane
Staff from the University of Melbourne will be attending the Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO) in Brisbane (details above) to answer your questions. Visit: http://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/explore/events/victoria_and_interstate/interstate/qld/tertiary-studies-expo-tsxpo-brisbane.

Sunshine Coast Daily Careers Expo
The Sunshine Coast Daily Careers Expo is the region's most comprehensive careers, employment and training expo. It offers visitors the latest information on tertiary studies, further training and employment opportunities. You can participate in ‘hands on’ and interactive activities and also go in the draw to win an Apple watch. The expo will be held on Tuesday 19th July. To find out more, visit: http://www.careersevent.com/sunshinecoast/

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Art Museum Programs

Open Studio Visual Arts
Year 11 and 12 students interested in further study in visual art are invited to participate in a contemporary workshop developed and delivered by QUT Visual Art staff. The workshop will be held from 10.00am – 3.00pm on Saturday 27th August. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/schools/index.jsp.

Pathways
Pathways is a series of free panel discussions for Year 10-12 students who are interested in a career in visual arts, design and fashion. The panels are made up of QUT students, graduates and lecturers who are available to answer any questions.

  • Design: 6.00pm, Tuesday 16th August at the QUT Design Studio, Gardens Point.
  • Fashion: 6.00pm, Wednesday 17th August at the QUT Fashion Studios, Kelvin Grove.
  • Art: 2.00pm, Saturday 27th August 2016 at the QUT Art Museum, Gardens Point.

Visit: http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/schools/index.jsp for more information and to book a place.

University of Queensland (UQ) News and Events

Engineering Futures Evening
UQ’s Women in Engineering program will host this evening for female students in Years 10-12 who want to explore a career in Engineering. The event will be held from 4.30pm – 7.00pm on Thursday 21st July at UQ’s St Lucia Campus. For details and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/engineering-futures-evening-tickets-25217601525.

Robotics Holiday Workshops
UQ offers holiday workshops for Year 7-12 students in Introduction to Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. RoboGals workshops for girls are also available. For more information, visit: https://www.eait.uq.edu.au/secondary-schools and click on ‘School Holiday Robotics Workshops’. To register for an activity, please contact Gail Smith on (07) 3365 3853 or email: schools@eait.uq.edu.au.

Careers That Shape The World
This event will be held from 8.30am – 3.00pm on Tuesday 12th July (Week 1 of next term) at the St Lucia campus. View the program at: http://www.uq.edu.au/shapeyourworld/. Several of the sessions are already fully booked, so students are encouraged to book now if they would like to attend.

Young Scholars Program
Applications are now open for the UQ Young Scholars Program. This program, open to current Year 11 students, is designed to nurture and develop future leaders and to expose them to the UQ environment. Program fee waivers and travel bursaries are available for students who are able to provide evidence of financial hardship. The due date for applications is 12th August. For more information and to apply, visit: https://young-scholars.uq.edu.au/.

Engineering and Technology Careers Evening
Do you want an exciting career, qualifications that enable you to work around the world and the skills to solve both local and global challenges? Find out how you can have all this and more with a career in Engineering and Technology. UQ invites you to attend the annual Engineering and Technology Careers Evening on Thursday 18th August.

You will have the opportunity to:

  • Hear from recent Engineering and IT graduates about their experiences in the industry;
  • Talk to academic staff and current students about the study options available at UQ;
  • Ask engineers and technology innovators about job opportunities available in industry; and
  • Discover why UQ provides students with the best foundation for careers in Engineering and IT.

The full program will be available online closer to the date of the event. For more information, visit: www.engtechevening.eventbrite.com.au.

Career Information Bulletin

Click here to download the latest Options Career Information Bulletin.

Mrs Natasha Purcell, Careers Counsellor 

Club Sport

Pacific Soccer
  • Round 12
  • Canteen Assistance
  • Raffle Winners
  • What Happens If Training Is Cancelled?
  • What Do Kids Want From Us?
  • Encouragement Awards
  • Challenge Cup - 9th July
  • Holiday Camps
  • Looking Ahead...
  • Pacific Soccer Contacts

Click here to download Pacific Soccer's newsletter for this week.

Mr Ian Barnes, Pacific Soccer President

Uniform Shop

Opening Hours and Online Ordering

The Uniform Shop is open from 8.00am to 9.30am every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Orders can be placed online via www.flexischools.com.au and will be delivered to your child the following day.

Mrs Peta King, Uniform Shop Convenor

Church News

St Mark's Lutheran Church Caloundra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Pastor Ray Morris, St Mark’s Lutheran Church Caloundra

General Notices

Census Field Officers

The Australian Bureau of Statistics is currently recruiting Field Officers (FOs) for the 2016 Census, particularly in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland region. For more information, click here.

Entertainment Books

Pacific Lutheran College is fundraising with Entertainment™ again this year. The NEW 2016 | 2017 Entertainment™ Book and Digital Memberships are available now and are packed with thousands of up to 50% OFF and 2-for-1 offers. From every Membership we sell, 20% of the proceeds go towards our fundraising for Pacific Lutheran Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre! Click here to order your book or digital membership: https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/230p536

Upcoming Dates

June
23 K-12 Chapel
  Year 7-8 Vaccinations
  Year 4-6 Foundation Cup
  Term 2 Concludes
24 Year 10 Camp Returns
27-1 Year 10-12 Mt Barney Hike Expedition 
July
11 Student Free Day (Kindy Open)
  Staff Day
12 Term 3 Commences
  Year 8 Camp Information Evening (6.00pm)
13 Year 10 2017 Subject Selection Evening (7.00pm)
  Year 8 and 9 Kathmandu Gear Night (5.00pm - 7.00pm)
14 Voices on the Coast (Years 8-12)
15 Voices on the Coast (Years 5-7)
  Year 9 Camp Preparation (12.15pm - 2.15pm)
  Javelin and 1500m Athletics Events (Years 8-12)
16-17 TSXPO Careers Expo - Brisbane (10.00am - 4.00pm)