Principal's Log

A common theme as I have talked with parents, students and staff is how quickly this year has gone. In a year that has presented many opportunities for doing things differently, this article provides a summary of how we have conducted the Year 12 2021 Information Evening and how we will be conducting our end of year celebrations. As we engage with different formats, there is a strong focus on community celebration of what we have achieved together.

We held our Year 12 2021 Information Evening online on Monday evening as the Year 11 students have now commenced their Year 12 studies. The presentation has been recorded and will be made available to families. We encourage all Year 12 2021 families to ensure they watch the presentations over this next week to ensure they are making the most of their learning and career guidance over the coming 12 months. By the end of this year, all Year 12 students of 2021 will have completed a substantial component of their Unit 3 course work. For many subjects, the first assessment for Unit 3 learning will occur very early in the new year.

We look forward to the 2020 Year 12 students completing their exams next week and being able to farewell and thank them as a community. The Graduation, Final Chapel and Formal are all ticketed events, which will enable parents and invited family members and friends to be part of these important celebrations and yes, there will even be dancing at the formal!

Last week, we recorded the 2020 Ensembles Concert, which will be presented as a Zoom event with the Pacific community on Monday 23rd November. The concert will be a wonderful celebration of talent and the growth that has occurred in our Music Department this year. Thank you to Mrs Aleisha Tuaine, Mrs Helen Williams, Mr David Simpfendorfer and our instrumental tutors for their work with our music students this year.

Kindergarten – Year 5 students enjoyed recording their Christmas Carols this week, which will be shared online with the community on Friday 27th November. This will provide opportunity for the event to be shared with a broader range of family and friends this year and we look forward to this celebration. Thank you to Mr Damian Davis, Mrs Sue Zweck, Pastor Tim Jarick and Mr David Simpfendorfer for their coordination of the recording.

This year, we will be holding a Year 3-5 Awards Service on Friday 27th November from 8.30am – 9.00am in the gym. Parents of award recipients will be invited to attend. This event will be a ticketed event.

The Prep – Year 5 Closing Service on Monday 30th November will be held in the gym, with the Year 5 students and their parents present. The remaining Prep – Year 4 students will watch the Closing Service from their learning spaces via a private livestream.

The Year 6-11 Closing Service will be held at the Caloundra Events Centre on Tuesday 1st December at 6.30pm. All Year 6-11 students are expected to attend. Year 9 students will be presented with their certificates to celebrate their completion of Middle College and transition into the Senior College. We will need to know exact numbers to plan for seating. The event will be live streamed with limited seating available for parents. This will be a ticketed event.

The Sports Awards will be conducted in the gym over Thursday 19th November, with separate events for Years 4-6, Years 7-9 and Years 10-12. Parents will be able to attend these events and attendance will be ticketed.

The Rite Journey will be conducted in the gym on Thursday 26th November and Year 9 parents will be invited to attend. Again, this will be a ticketed event. This is an important celebration for our Year 9 students as they make the transition into the Senior College.

Further email communication will be sent in preparation for each of these events. We ask that all families check their emails on a daily basis and respond as soon as possible so that we are able to effectively plan for each of the events. We appreciate your patience as we work to create as much opportunity as possible for parents to celebrate with their children.

We farewell Mrs Gina McCarthy as she and her family look forward to the arrival of their new baby. We thank Mrs McCarthy for the very professional way she has supported staff and students in the Middle and Senior College and wish her and her family every blessing.

We say a prayer of thanks for the service of our Defence personnel and that God would hold all those affected by war in His care. We pray that we have the capacity as individuals and community to be grateful for what we have been given and make the most of our opportunities.

Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal