Principal’s Log

We celebrate the achievement of our Future Problem Solving Team where fourteen of our Middle and Senior College students were selected to represent Queensland at the national championships in Melbourne. We congratulate all students and particularly Jessica Cronin who was named as the Champion in the Community Problem Solving Individual Middle College Division and Amy Richards who came 2nd in the Global Issues Problem Solving Middle College Division. Both students have been invited to compete in the International Conference in the United States next year. We congratulate all of the students involved and thank our staff of Mrs Linda Sydes, Mrs Jo Belchamber, Mr Rob Belchamber and Ms Adelle Byerlee for their leadership of our Future Problem Solving Teams.

We also congratulate our Year 5 and 6 Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers Team who have been selected to represent the region. They have been invited to compete in Brisbane against 13 other schools from across the state on 31st October. We congratulate Emma, Scarlett, and Louise and wish them all the best.

Our Arts students continue to be recognised for their talent. Four students had their works selected to be part of the North Coast Southern Exhibition of the 2024 Creative Generation Visual Art competition. This competition occurs across the state with 40 works being chosen to be part of the Creative Generation excellence awards in Visual Art exhibition at GOMA. Four works were selected from the Sunshine Coast Region to be part of the GOMA exhibition and then one student was awarded the Regional Encouragement Award and others received commendations. We congratulate Luca Buttrose on being awarded the Regional Encouragement award, and Erin Lacey and Ayrisa Jones for having their works selected to be part of this exhibition. Families can enjoy the exhibiton at the Cooroy Butter Factory Gallery until Sunday 27th October.

At this time of year, we have dual focus on finishing strongly as learners and celebrating the achievements of 2024 and looking forward to 2025.

The tender for the extension of the gym has now closed and we are in the final stages of working with architects and our project manager to confirm compliance of the tenders with the requirements of the project. Families may like to view the fly through of the new facility which will include 2 additional indoor courts for netball, basketball, and volleyball, a dance space, fitness gym and staff area and will function as a high quality sports stadium as well as a gathering place for our community for chapels, assembly and Information Evenings. We look forward to confirming changes that will come with this exciting new construction, as the building contract is finalised.

As we look forward to 2025, we are very pleased to announce that Mr Andrew Doyle will be the Head of Mathematics from the start of 2025. Mr Doyle has extensive experience in teaching all levels of mathematics across Years 7-12 including leadership experience in leading Mathematics educators within Education Queensland. We also look forward to welcoming new staff to our Mathematics and Science team. Mrs Wydell comes to us from St Monica’s Catholic College, Cairns and is a QCAA Endorser for Chemistry and an External Marker for Chemistry and Maths Methods. Mrs Wydell also led the establishment of ‘Radical Maths’ which were short preparation programs for Year 11 and 12 Maths Methods students offered through James Cook University in Cairns. We also look forward to welcoming Mrs Jana Sajtos-Hobbs who has been Head of Mathematics at the Grace Lutheran College Caboolture and is a QCAA Confirmer and Marker for General Maths and Mr Adam Burton from Caloundra City Private School who has previously been a member of a QCAA Maths C panel. We look forward to the leadership and contribution of these very passionate, capable, and experienced educators to our College community.

As a new role we will also be appointing a Head of Student Engagement Senior College from the start of 2025. This role will have the focus on supporting senior student engagement, connection and leadership. The role will include supporting the growth of social emotional and leadership capacities and encourage the optimisation of engagement with all dimensions of College life. This new role will absorb and extend the role of Head of Senior School Students currently held as a dual role by our Director of Students. From 2025 the Director of Students role will be redefined as the Director of Student Engagement. Ms Finter as Director of Student Engagement will have a more strategic focus on the development of programs to enhance leadership, connection, engagement  and development of students as per our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.

We congratulate and celebrate the appointment of our 2025 House Captains. We wish them all the best as they take on roles of student leadership with their houses this term and into 2025.

We celebrate the strength, capability and commitment of our staff to providing best possible opportunities for our young people. We thank our staff for their generosity of spirit and heart for young people and thank God for the many blessings they bring into our lives and this community. We pray that God would continue to hold them in his care and give them a sense of joy.

Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal