Principal's Log

There was a great deal of energy as new Middle College students were welcomed into this next phase of their learning journey at the orientation day on Monday. The welcoming smiles and guidance of house members and pastoral care groups enabled parents and students to move smoothly into new experiences. These included pastoral care group time, a chapel led by the 2018 Captains with kindness as its theme, introductory activities and tours with Heads of House and different classes and activities in the afternoon. Welcoming messages hand written on morning tea wrappers provided by the College added an extra personal touch. In the evening, parents learnt about the Cultures of Thinking that embrace our approach to teaching and learning, our development of wellbeing and social and emotional capacities through the integration of Lutheran tradition with positive psychology and the range of co-curricular opportunities on offer. They then enjoyed the opportunity to connect with each other over light refreshments. Thank you to Mrs Rae Hall, Mr Brendan Delaney, Mrs Leanne Bevis and our Heads of House for their leadership of the day. We also thank our new students and families for the way they engaged and all of our staff and students who provided a warm welcome to our community.

After weeks of preparation designing and constructing a robot, our Year 10 team participated in the First Tech Challenge at Grace Lutheran College over the weekend. This was the first time the College had entered the competition and our team performed very well, coming sixth out of 13 teams, placing above teams who had experienced greater success in previous years. A great deal of learning took place and the team is already planning improvements for next year’s competition. Well done to Jackson Laverick, Joey Simpson, Charlie Nightingale, Jacob Cross-Pitcher, Laslo Martin, Nathan Heinz, Harrison Carde and Reuben Taverner who were variously involved in the construction, android development, programming and the competition day. Thank you to Mrs Janine Stone for her leadership of the team and to Mrs Emma Middleton for her assistance with coaching.

Congratulations to senior student Natasha Whiteley who was awarded the Young Sport Achiever of the Year at the Caloundra Community Awards last Friday. The annual awards aim to recognise the efforts of outstanding individuals and groups within the Caloundra Electorate. Natasha was recognised for her outstanding achievements in Judo, both nationally and internationally. Well done to Beau Blake, Kaylee McKeown and Haylie Powell who were also nominated for awards in this category and Mr Ian Barnes who was nominated for his very significant contribution to this community.

After many years leading our Outdoor Education program, Dr Peter McMahon has decided to transition from this area and focus on his role as Head of Bula House. Dr McMahon has done an outstanding job in leading a unique, progressive Outdoor Education program that provides increasing opportunities for young people to challenge themselves, grow and develop a fuller appreciation for the outdoors. These experiences have been highly valued by students, parents and staff and have made a significant difference for many. We thank Dr McMahon for all the outstanding opportunities he has provided over many years. We appreciate that Dr McMahon has already planned much of next year’s outdoor education program and will continue to provide support as the new Head of Outdoor Education transitions into the role. We will be advertising for this position this weekend.

We pray for our Year 12 students as they complete their final assessments and then engage in a variety of activities next week. We also pray for all of our students who are preparing for and completing their assessments over the coming fortnight. We pray that all members of our community have calm focus on each step, knowing that a loving and gracious God walks with them.

Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal