Compass No. 589 October 2020

The talents, abilities and gifts of Pacific Lutheran College students are staggering. Every week I learn something new about the skills and abilities of our students. In this newsletter, in staff briefings and at assemblies, parents, staff and students can recognise the accomplishments of our talented student population. The breadth of potential in our young people is immense as well as the opportunities for them to grow and develop, especially through all the curricular and co-curricular activities that Pacific offers. But as well as the talents, abilities and gifts of students that are obvious, there are those students that are in the background, waiting to emerge, with a little confidence and encouragement. School camps are often places where young people’s hidden talents and behind-the-scenes leadership skills begin to emerge.

The Bible reading used in chapel and devotions this week is one of the resurrection stories of Jesus. Jesus comes across a widow who has experienced the death of her only son. In the ancient world, this would have meant disaster for the mother, both economically and socially. Jesus knows this and with great compassion, He miraculously brings the son back to life. Something only God can do. At this moment of bringing the dead to life, Jesus powerfully says to the young man; “I say to you, arise”.

Similarly, for us, the children and young people in our lives are looking for opportunities where they can arise, stand up and bring life to the world. Young people can certainly bring energy, passion and vision to all that they do. These are some of their great gifts to the community. Sometimes though, adults can downplay the role of young people in society and in decision-making. But young people need to be given agency and efficacy. Their voice needs to be heard as they are encouraged to be creative, inquisitive, critical thinkers and contributing members of society. How can we encourage the students in our College to get up, arise and use all the energy, gifts and abilities God has given them?

Pastor Tim Jarick, College Pastor

For thousands of years humans have participated in various rites of passage associated with cultural, spiritual or physical milestones. These key moments in an individual’s life are celebrated by those in the community to which they belong. Likewise, at Pacific, we acknowledge the importance of our Year 9 students participating in their own rite of passage through the learning that takes place through their Rite Journey program. There are a number of aspects to the program; what it means to be male or female, the transition to young adulthood, the influence they have on their peers and strategies to cope with change. Underpinning this program of instruction, discussion and action, is the intentional embedding of knowing what it means to be responsible. Fundamentally, we desire for our students to take appropriate courses of action in their world that demonstrates a profound sense of responsibility. This is reinforced daily across all year levels.

One of the key milestones in the Year 9 student calendar is their two-week Outdoor Education experience. We wish them well as they take part in a range of activities tailored to encourage students to think deeply about the foundations on which their decisions are made that affect themselves and their groups. We thank Ms Kim Wood for her leadership of this program and also thank the staff attending at various times; Ms Marg Gunn, Mrs Emma Lendrum, Mrs Ceilidh King, Mr Chris Bartlett, Mr Duncan McNee, Pastor Tim Jarick and Mrs Natalie Campbell. We pray that all staff and students stay safe and that young people delight in the opportunity to grow in this stage of their Rite Journey.

Year 5 into Year 6 Tours

I was most impressed with the maturity and genuine interest and excitement on display by Year 5 students during the small group tours I conducted last week. I know that the same could be said of the tours that our Head of Middle College Learning Mrs Rae Hall conducted. We thank the Year 5 teachers, Mrs Shelley Hogan, Mrs Lu Pollard and Mr Scott Crompton for their organisation and preparation of students for this important first step in their rite of passage to Middle College next year. We also thank parents for taking time to speak with Mrs Hall and I last week; we hope that these mini conferences provided further comfort for you and your child. A Zoom conference meeting for families will take place on Monday 2nd November from 5.30pm for both new and continuing students entering Years 6 and 7 in 2021 and their parents. Further details will be advertised closer to the time.

Ponytail Project

On Tuesday 27th October, Year 11 students Cosette Winter and Georgie Jones will be running the Ponytail Project in support of the Cancer Council. Both students have demonstrated their capacity to lead and most importantly raise awareness and much needed funds for cancer research. Every ponytail chopped will make a difference in the lives of people affected by cancer.

Mr Ben Ryan, Director of Students

Every year in Term 4, we have the privilege of opening our doors and welcoming our grandparents and special friends into the College. The gym is always filled with smiling faces, beaming with pride. This year, our celebration will look slightly different but the sentiment remains the same. When I reflect on my own experience of spending time with my grandparents, the memories are slightly grainy but I am instantly taken back to a special time and place, usually with extended families and always being made to feel you’re the only thing that mattered. Grandparents seem to have a particular ability to impart love unconditionally and knowledge in a way that way that is wise but unthreatening. The role that extended family play in our young people’s lives cannot be underestimated. The support and care they provide enriches our community and the lives of the students in it. Even though this year you will be unable to partake in the delicious catering that is usually provided, or learn side by side in our learning spaces, we celebrate your importance. Our Junior College has been busy preparing keepsakes and our Prep students have been tasked with preparing the Grandparents’ Day Chapel, which will come to you virtually. We look forward to welcoming you back on campus in the future.

Day for Daniel

Next Friday 30th October is Day for Daniel. As parents, we are all familiar with Daniel’s story and appreciate the great work his parents have done through the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. This day reminds us of the need for gentle conversations around child safety and to remind students to take care when travelling to and from school. This message is centred around reminding students not to get into cars or go with strangers. There are excellent resources available online to support this important message of child safety, a few of which are listed below.

• http://www.danielmorcombe.com.au/
• http://www.napcan.org.au/
• http://www.mychildsafety.net/stranger-danger.html

Events

On Wednesday I was fortunate to attend Pacific’s annual junior surfing competition, the Pacific Pulse, which involves six schools from our local area. The Pulse provides a unique opportunity for students to represent their school in a team environment but with a focus on personal competency and improving skills. Surfers are not eliminated during the day and are able to surf two heats for their school, building points for their team as well as personally. This competition has been running for 15 years and was a great success again this year. Thank you to Mr Darren Hooper and Mrs Natalie Campbell for their leadership and organisation and to all staff who assisted on the day.

Next Wednesday our Year 3 students begin the first of their many Outdoor Education experiences through the College. They will leave for two days and one night at Alexandra Headlands. We wish them all the best for their inaugural camp and we thank Head of Outdoor Education Ms Kim Wood for her preparation and dedication of learning in the outdoors. We look forward to hearing about their adventures on their return.

Water Bottles

Parents are reminded that students need to bring a named 1-2 litre water bottle for use throughout the day as the bubblers are still turned off.

Mr Damian Davis, Head of Staff and Students P-5

HeadStart is hosting a half-day workshop for girls aged 8-12 on Saturday 7th November. The workshop will assist girls to evaluate situations effectively and make good decisions, offering practical skills and strategies for them to use.

Click here for more information. There are only a limited number of places, so parents are encouraged to register their daughter as soon as possible.

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor

Join PLC Community Connect

A reminder that PLC Community Connect is now live on the College website. Community Connect is an initiative of Pacific Lutheran College and Friends of Pacific, which aims to unite, build and strengthen connections within our community. We hope this resource will cultivate a strong culture of supporting local community businesses.

To connect with businesses in our community, visit: https://www.pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au/.

As a past or current family of the College and a business owner, we encourage you to list your business in our free online directory. To be part of PLC Community Connect, simply visit the above link.

Mrs Jenny Lee, Friends of Pacific Chairperson

At the start of Book Week on Monday, the winners of the Book of the Year awards were announced by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. The winners were:

Older Readers – ‘This is How We Change the Ending’ by Vikki Wakefield

Set on the fringes of society, Nate McKee is a vulnerable sixteen-year-old trying to keep himself afloat. With a dangerous father at home and his friend Merrick dragging him into fights on the street, Nate's life is tough. Add to this that Nate has never forgiven his mother for leaving. But Nate is a warrior and a writer and he puts his thoughts to paper in secret at the local youth centre, a centre that has just been threatened with closure. This is a story about beating the odds that will have you cheering for Nate.

Younger Readers – ‘The Little Wave’ by Pip Harry

When a Manly school sets out to bring a country class to the city for a beach visit, three very different kids find each other and themselves. Noah is fearless in the surf. Being at the beach makes him feel free. So where does his courage go when his best mate pushes him around? Lottie loves collecting facts about bugs, but she wishes her dad would stop filling their lonely house with junk. She doesn't know what to do about it. Jack wants to be a cricket star, but first he has to get to school and look after his little sister. Especially if he wants to go on the class trip and see the ocean for the first time.

Early Childhood – ‘My Friend Fred’ by Frances Watts and Anny Yi

A picture book about a friendship between an exuberant but loveable dachshund and his more retiring, tidy housemate. My friend Fred eats dog food for breakfast. I think dog food is disgusting. My friend Fred howls at the moon. I don't know why. He does a lot of funny things. But even though we are different, Fred is my best friend.

Book Week Celebrations

Thank you to everyone who helped make Book Week a great success. We loved seeing all the wonderful costumes and feeling the buzz of excitement around campus. Our petting zoo for Kindy to Year 2 children was also a lot of fun, with goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and chickens for the students to pat.

Our lunchtime activities were very popular, particularly the virtual reality and the dark room, where students had to guess which curious creatures were inside. Students made monster bookmarks and animal head bands, sculpted creatures out of clay and had their photo taken in the photobooth.

Ms Nell Keen, Head of Library

Basketball

There are only two more rounds to go before finals matches this season, so we wish all teams the best of luck this week.

There were some close games last Friday and a special mention must go to the Junior B Boys who went down by two points in a final second thriller! The boys played well as a team and clawed their way back into the game, but just fell short in the end.

It was also great to see the rest of our Junior and Intermediate teams coming along well and enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, the Intermediate A Girls have to forfeit their game this week due to the Year 9 camp but are aiming to be back for their final game of the season next Friday.

Soccer

Both the Junior Boys and Girls played Good Shepherd Lutheran College this week. Well done to the Junior Boys who had a great 8-2 win in their game, with Angus Friend named MVP. The Junior Girls continue to improve with each week’s game. Unfortunately, they went down 2-6 in yesterday’s game but put in a strong team performance.

Rugby 7s

Our Under 13 and Open Boys and Girls teams played on Wednesday night in the SCISSA Rugby 7’s competition with the Under 15 teams having a bye.

Results from the night were as follows:

• Under 13 Boys – Played three games, winning two.
• Under 13 Girls – Had the opportunity to play on the main Sunshine Coast Stadium field where Melbourne Storm have been playing their games, which they were very excited about. They played three games and had two close losses and a draw.
• Under 18 Boys – Recorded a very strong win against Nambour Christian College, before pushing Sunshine Coast Grammar all the way to go down by one try in their second game.
• Under 18 Girls – Played well on the night but unfortunately were unable to record a win in their three games.

Pacific Pulse Surf Contest

On Wednesday, we once again hosted the Pacific Pulse Surf Contest at Currimundi Beach. The contest has been running for 15 years and is a highlight on the surfing calendar for many primary school surfers from around the Sunshine Coast.

Surfers from Pacific, Buddina State School, Talara Primary College, Caloundra State School, Our Lady of the Rosary and Good Shepherd Noosa all participated on the day. The standard of surfing displayed was exceptional with state and national ranked boys and girls tearing up the 2ft conditions.

The contest is both a team and individual event, with points awarded to each school based on the results from each surfer’s two heats and individual prizes given out to the top surfers in their age group.

Congratulations to Sienna Fioraso (Under 11 Girls Winner) and Indie Hooper (Under 10 Girls Runner Up) from Pacific who were winners for their age divisions. Congratulations to Buddina State School who were once again crowned the champion school for the sixth year in a row.

Finally, the contest could not have happened without the generous support of the following sponsors who contributed either financially or with product prizes.

• Souls Thongs
• Beach Beat Caloundra
• Rob Williams Real Estate
• Bread and Barrels Accounting and Financial

Water Polo – Queensland Premier League

Well done to senior student Cosette Winter who is currently playing for the Sunshine Coast Women’s Team in the Queensland Water Polo Premier League. The first two rounds were held earlier this month where the Sunshine Coast team faced the strongest teams in the competition, both of which include a number of Olympians and Australian players! While the Sunshine Coast team lost their first two games, there were many highlights, including Cosette scoring a goal against Olympic goal keeper Gabby Palm.

Also on the Sunshine Coast team is Pacific Alumni Karla Lowe, who graduated in 2018! The next two rounds of the competition take place this weekend and we wish Cosette and Karla all the best for their next two games.

Mr Darren Hooper, Head of Sport

We are pleased to announce that we will move forward with fortnightly public worship services at 14 Bombala Terrace on the first and third Sunday of each month. Our care is for the vulnerable and wider community with the resources we have at one location.

Bookings are now available by clicking here, or follow us on Facebook and visit our Church webpage. Please contact Janelle on 0488 556 150 for booking assistance.

Weekly online worship for St Mark’s is also available at our Church webpage or Facebook page.

All are welcome.

Pastor Ray Morris, St Mark’s Lutheran Church (0429 856 532 or lutherancaloundra@gmail.com)

Pacific Lutheran College is fundraising with Entertainment™ again this year. Order your Entertainment™ Books and Entertainment™ Digital Memberships today and 20% of the proceeds will go towards Pacific Lutheran Early Learning Centre. For a limited time, when you purchase an Entertainment™ Book, an additional $10 or $20 will also be donated to our Early Learning Centre.

To order your book or digital membership, visit: https://www.entertainment.com.au