Principal's Log

Welcome to the start of Term 3 and particularly the new families and students who have joined us this term. We also welcome new staff members Mrs Christine Doyle (Head of Teaching and Learning Years 3-5), Mrs Suzie Naidu (Year 1), Mrs Karen Costa (Year 2), Ms Jane Lillingstone (Dance and Drama teacher), Mr Gus Gillespie (IT) and nurse Ms Sophie Morton. We wish all members of our community every blessing as we move forward into a new term of learning together.

During the holidays, all families will have received a letter that summarised the progress of the College over the past 12 months. I encourage families to celebrate the part they have played in our growth as you read this letter. Over the next fortnight an email will invite all families to provide feedback, which will then be used in planning processes by the staff and College Council. 

Staff and students strengthened their understanding of and connection to Japanese culture through their biennial visit to our sister school Seishin Gakuen over the holidays. Students took advantage of the opportunity to extend their Japanese language skills and learn about daily life in Japan as they enjoyed the hospitality of their Seishin families. Visits to Hiroshima and other cultural sites also deepened their understanding of our common human story. We thank Mrs Michiko Hauser for the organisation and leadership of the experience and also Mr Brendan Delaney, Mr Mark Hauser and Mrs Virginia Schlotterbach for their assistance. We congratulate the students on the way they engaged strongly with the people and places of Japan to build stronger connections and deeper levels of mutual understanding and respect.

Over the holiday period, a group of Pacific staff attended the Australian Conference on Lutheran Education, which had over 1000 delegates. The theme, People, Planet, Purpose, set the challenge for Lutheran schools to continue enhancing contemporary approaches to learning for people across all dimensions of their lives including the development of social emotional skills to equip young people to thrive within a rapidly changing world. Professor Tim Flannery encouraged schools to explore understandings of ways in which individuals, groups and communities could minimise their environmental footprint and even enhance our natural world. On the final day we were challenged to contemplate ways in which we could strengthen the sense of purpose we gain as we live empowered by the generosity of God’s grace. The team of Mrs Sue Zweck, Pastor Tim Jarick, Miss Kim Stone and myself were invited to lead a workshop that focused on how people grow through immersion in a rich integrated culture of leading and learning at Pacific. 

Earlier this week, over 20 staff from St James Lutheran College Hervey Bay visited the College to learn about our approach to teaching and learning that aims to foster a culture of thinking across the College. They were impressed with the opportunities for different staff to collaboratively contribute to the shaping of a rich culture of learning as staff have developed new understandings through their day to day interactions with children as well as through accessing external research and examples of good practice. The integrated and wholeness of culture was valued. Thank you to Ms Sue Arahill and Mrs Marg Gunn for their leadership of this tour.

May God equip us to live graciously and generously in relationship with each other, in our families and in community.

Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal