Compass No 686 - June 2023

On Wednesday 24^th May, Prep to Year 2 staff had a very informative Professional Development Session with Greg Clement who was principal at Clayton South Primary School in Victoria. Greg is currently an Educational Consultant and instructor in the Science of Reading.

What is the Science of Reading?

The term “Science of Reading” refers to more than two decades of research that reading experts, especially cognitive scientists, have conducted on how we learn to read.

It provides robust insight into what skills are involved, how those skills work together, and which parts of the brain are responsible for reading development. It’s also helped inform an evidence-based approach to teaching foundational literacy skills.

What are the key tenants of the Science of Reading? How is it different from other methods?

Thousands of research studies in classrooms and clinics have repeatedly shown that virtually all kids can learn to read — if the instruction approach aligns with what science has proven about how our brains work.

The science of reading says six essential components are necessary for effective reading instruction:

•          Phonological awareness – awareness of the sound structure of words

•          Phonics – correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters

•          Fluency – accuracy, rate and expression while reading

•          Vocabulary – the body of words a child has learned

•          Reading comprehension – the understanding and interpretation of what is read

•          Oral Language

A science of reading classroom follows a structured sequential curriculum, heavy on phonics. Students spend a great deal of time learning sounds, blends, phonemes, and more. This enables them to quickly decode any word they come across.

Hands-on practice and repetition are key. Students also see fluent reading modelled for them, then try it on their own. They read one text multiple times, focusing on different elements. For instance, a first read-through might be about decoding: saying the words out loud. The next might focus on vocabulary. And a final read could tackle overall comprehension of the meaning of the text.

The Science of Reading has proven that a Structured Literacy approach is an important foundation for reading success. As teachers at Pacific, we are committed to continuing our education to support the learning of every student.

Mrs Sue Zweck, Head of Teaching and Learning K-5

Career Clusters in focus (Years 10-12)
This is the fourth part in a 6-week series of articles, where I will be overviewing one of the 6 Career Clusters each week. Senior College students have access to information about the Career Clusters on the PLC Careers Hub and will have an opportunity to learn about the Clusters in their PD lessons.

So far, we have looked at Makers, Guardians and Coordinators.

This week’s focus cluster is Innovators.

Innovators design, innovate, and create the things, tools, places and systems we use to live our lives; and work with cutting-edge technology to protect, develop, solve, and maintain technological systems. Innovators design everything from buildings to aircraft, vaccines, and software, and their creations are used in every industry.

In addition to their technical skills, important transferable skills for Innovators include Innovation and problem-solving, Digital literacy, and Communication. Does this sound like you? What jobs do you know that fit within this cluster?

 

Trade Training Centre open for enrolments for 2024 (Years 9, 10 and 11)
The Sunshine Coast Technical and Trade Training Centre runs a range of Vocational Certificate courses, exclusively for school students in Years 10, 11 and 12. Courses range from traditional trades like Carpentry and Plumbing to Aviation (Drone Pilot) courses and Beauty courses. Details of all their course offerings for 2024 are in the attached Course Guide booklet.

Dates have been announced for the first three information nights for students interested in doing a course at the Trade Training Centre in 2024. They will be held on Wednesday 7^th June, Thursday 3^rd August and Tuesday 22^nd August. Further information on evening dates will be released later in the year. Interested students and families must register to attend one of these information evenings by emailing the Centre. All details are on the attached flyer.

Please note that Aviation and Retail Cosmetics Information Sessions will be held separately and later in the year – dates for those sessions are yet to be advised.

Courses at the Trade Training Centre are run on a one-day-per-week basis. Students attend the Centre for a full day each week and will therefore miss a day of school each week. They use one of their electives for their Trade Training Centre course and therefore have a study line in their timetable, which releases time for them to catch up on the work they miss on the day they are away from school.

To avoid this situation, the Trade Training Centre is trialling the possibility of offering some courses outside school hours in the evening. This would allow students to take a vocational course at the Centre without disrupting their school timetable. When students submit an expression of interest for a course at the Centre, they will be asked whether they would prefer day or evening classes. Evening classes will only run if there is sufficient interest.

First-round applications for courses at the Trade Training Centre will close at the end of this Term, with offers of placement being made in July. The expression of interest form is attached here.

 

Screen Industry Careers event (Years 10-12)

TAFE Queensland Mooloolaba Campus, 8^th June, 4.30pm to 8.00pm

Join a conversation with Screen Industry professionals about the skills valued by the industry and the many associated career opportunities.

4.30pm to 6.40pm:  Panel discussion moderated by Jon Coghill, Sunny Coast Showdown

Panellists:

•          Heather Macfarlane: Film and Television Producer

•          Daniel Munday: Head of Unscripted at Matchbox Pictures/NBCU

•          Gerry O'Leary: Training Manager, NEP Broadcast

•          Liam Whitehouse: VFX artist and Unreal Engine V Instructor at FXPHD

•          Finley Cameron: Games and SQ Hub Co-ordinator Screen Queensland

6.40pm to 7.15pm: Unreal Engine workshop with Liam Whitehouse - limited seats available

6.40pm to 8.00pm: Industry Expo

Exhibitors: Goat Track Theatre, NEP Broadcast, Stuffit Film Festival, FXPHD, The Screen Collective, TAFE Queensland, Screen Queensland, Sunny Coast Showdown, Huxley’s School of Makeup and more

Register here.

 

Design and Visual Arts portfolio workshops at the Queensland College of Art in June (Years 10-12)

Griffith is running design and visual arts workshops from 26^th to 27^th June (South Bank) and 29^th to 30^th June (Gold Coast). In these two-day workshops, tailored to those in Year 10 and above, students will create a piece of work in their chosen field.

Registrations are now open.

 

Griffith Film School Experience week from 26^th to 30^th June and 3^rd to 7^th July (Years 10 to 12)

Registrations for Griffith Film School Experience Week are now open. Participants will follow their passion for filmmaking, games development or animation while creating a piece for their portfolio. Two sessions will be held over the school holidays, from 26^th to 30^th June and 3^rd to 7^th July.

Registrations are now open.

 

Griffith Sports College elite athlete workshops on 19^th and 25^th July (Years 10 to 12)

After the Siren is a free program, hosted by Griffith University, that offers students in Years 10 to 12 the opportunity to learn first-hand about life as an elite athlete. Participants will meet current industry professionals and discuss how to achieve success on and off the sporting field.

•    Wednesday 19^th July, Nathan Campus

•    Tuesday 25^th July, Gold Coast Campus

Email Laura Adric to register via this link.

 

University of Queensland FEAST program (Years 11 and 12)

FEAST - expressions of interest open
Future Experiences in Agriculture, Science and Technology (FEAST) is a 4-day residential program for students in Years 11 and 12. They'll have the opportunity to explore agriculture, animal and plant science at our Gatton campus and test drive what it’s like to be a UQ student by taking part in hands-on workshops run by current students and staff.

Dates: Sunday 25^th - Wednesday 28^th June

Discover more here.

 

University of Queensland experience program (Years 9-12)

Experience UQ Skills

Experience UQ Skills is a full day of hands-on, interactive workshops at UQ Gatton for Year 9-12 students considering vocational study in agriculture, animal care or rural operations (including VETiS, certificates, diplomas and traineeships). RTO: #1511

Date: Thursday 6^th July

Discover more here.

 

Defence Work Experience Program (Years 10 and 11)

The following table shows all Defence Work experience programs available for the remainder of 2023 in South East Queensland. Students are advised places are limited and are strongly encouraged to submit complete and considered applications as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The DWEP Unit works alongside ADF Units to bring students a valuable experience with serving personnel and therefore unforeseen changes to operational commitments may result in a placement being changed, postponed and/or cancelled at short notice.

Please monitor the DWEP website for updates on the program and to apply. Any questions regarding the work experience programs within South QLD can be forwarded to the South QLD Work Experience Program email address /Users/bdolling/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/ORMGETYP/sqld.workexperience@defence.gov.au">sqld.workexperience@defence.gov.au.

 

myfuture Insights | Managing career uncertainty and anxiety: the power of career conversations (for parents and carers)

Wednesday 7^th June 2023

Career uncertainty has been defined as the inability, as a teenager, to articulate a career ambition or occupational expectation for adult life. As transitions from school to further education, training or work have become more unpredictable, and employment markets more competitive and fluid, career uncertainty in young people, both in Australia and internationally, is increasingly common.

In this webinar, Dr Jo Gleeson (Monash University), lead author of the forthcoming myfuture Insights Paper ‘Managing career uncertainty and anxiety: the power of career conversations’, will talk about the findings of her research in this area, and share a questionnaire that can help you to facilitate career conversations with your child.

Find out more here.

 

Mrs Wanda Hayes, Head of Career Development

Raising sensitive issues with young people can be challenging. It’s important that young people feel comfortable and supported to talk about their mental health.

Here are some things you can do to encourage this:

•          Think about how you can talk about and manage your own feelings. Often young people are worried about their parents being upset, anxious, overwhelmed, shocked, angry, blaming, etc. If young people can see that their parents might be able to respond calmly and listen, they are more likely to begin a conversation. If you’re not sure how to respond you can contact support services to seek advice about how to do this.

•          Be available without being intrusive.

•          Spend regular time with them – even doing just one activity a week together can help to keep the lines of communication open.

•          Show that you are interested in what’s happening in their life and try not to focus on things that you think are a problem.

•          Take their feelings seriously – show empathy, listen carefully, and don’t judge (it can be more useful at times to say nothing than to jump in with answers or solutions).

•          Encourage exercise, healthy eating, regular sleep and doing things they enjoy – this will help their physical health as well as mental health.

•          Encourage and support positive friendships.

•          Let them know that you love them. They may not always admit it, but this is likely to be very important to them.

•          Think about a good time and place to talk about sensitive subjects. For example, would they find it easier to talk while driving or going for a walk? Would they prefer to be out of the house with no interruptions? Would they prefer to have someone else there for support?

Good mental health is about being able to reach one’s full potential and live life in a satisfying way. It includes things like being able to work and study, cope with day-to-day life stresses, feel connected to others and be involved in the community.

A young person who has good mental health is more likely to have better emotional and social wellbeing and be able to cope with change and challenges.

 https://headspace.org.au/dads/

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor

Thank you!
Thank you to the many volunteers who spent time helping at the FoP BBQ at the Athletics Carnivals over the last couple of days. Not only did you help to feed many, but you also brought joy and laughter and great fellowship. Your time and effort are very much appreciated.

FoP BBQ at SCISSA Gala Day
We will be operating a BBQ at the SCISSA Gala Day, being held at Meridan Fields next Thursday 8^th June. If your child is participating at this location, they are welcome to purchase the sausages, drinks and snacks we will have available.

It is not too late to register to volunteer at our SCISSA Gala Day BBQ. If you’ve completed the volunteer training and have some time to spare next week, we’d love to see you! We promise you’ll have fun – please email fop@pacluth.qld.edu.aufor more info.

Pacific Together
Pacific Together is a care-based service offered by Friends of Pacific to College families in times of need. If you, or someone you know within our College community, needs extra support during the year, the Pacific Together care group may be able to help in some small way or offer a care package. Please contact PLC Chaplain Ms Holly Gricks - hgricks@pacluth.qld.edu.au.

We were never meant to do life alone. We need the love and care of others, especially in times of need. If you would like to support the continuation of this care-based service through a financial contribution, we invite you to contact Pacific Together via email: fop@pacluth.qld.edu.au. Your contributions ensure that we can provide a care package for those in our community when the need arises.

Next FoP Meeting
We’d love to see you at our next meeting, on Tuesday 20^th June at 6.30pm in the College Library. You can RSVP by emailing fop@pacluth.qld.edu.au. All agenda items should be submitted via email by Friday 9^th June. Come along, meet some new people and find out how you can help connect our community.

Click here to follow our Friends of Pacific Facebook page.

Mrs Carly Lovell, Friends of Pacific Chairperson

Wednesday 24^th of May was National Simultaneous Storytime and the school had many avenues of participation. The idea is that to promote reading, all teachers and students across the nation stop at 11.00am (or some part of the day) to read the same book. This year it was “The Speedy Sloth” by Lauren Young, and it was such a fun read.

Activities in the library at lunchtime on Tuesday and Wednesday involved making your own sloth with moving arms. Library staff got in on the fun with our talented Library Technician, Lily, crocheting beanies for the staff!

What a fun day and thank you to all teachers that found time in their day to participate and read.

Ms Gina McPherson, Teacher Librarian

Rugby

Well done to our U14 Boys Rugby team for making it through to the Division 1 Semi-Final on Wednesday night. The boys played their best game all season and showed bravery and commitment in the defensive efforts, unfortunately, they went down to Sienna 25-12.

This brings our U14 boys’ season to a conclusion and I would like to thank the strong commitment and support of the players and parents throughout the season.

I look forward to the continued growth and development in our upcoming 7’s seasons.

Mr Cameron West-McInnes, Head of Sport

Sharing a common mission and ministry with Pacific Lutheran College

“Growing in faith and sharing God’s love with others”

Weekly worship services are held at 14 Bombala Terrace Caloundra at 9.00am. We are thankful that we can meet together each week for worship. As we do this, there are still physical distancing, and hygiene requirements we need to follow to ensure the health and safety of everyone in our community.

Our worship services are intergenerational with a blend of traditional and contemporary.

You’re welcome to follow us on Facebook and visit our Church webpage.

All are welcome at any of our services.

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

1         Years 3-6 Athletics Carnival

2         Caloundra Show Day

8         Year 4-6 SCISSA Gala Day 2

13       Year 11 2024 QCE Information Evening

15       Ensembles Concert

17       Year 12 Retreat (Returning 18th)

20       Friends of Pacific (6.30pm)

21       P-2 Cross Country Carnival

21       Term 2 Concludes