As a community, we can be proud of the way our Year 12 students finished school in such a very warm, dignified and energised way last week. This was a celebration of their immersion in a rich culture shaped in partnership with staff, students and parents. We thank our parents for their continual encouragement and support, teachers who have worked hard to grow the learning of our young people and our support staff who enable so much to happen through working behind the scenes. Thank you to everyone involved in the activities of last week, including our Heads of House, Pastoral Care Group teachers, pastoral leaders, teachers and academic leaders who have been busy finalising results, Music and Hospitality staff, our Pastor, office staff, ground staff and Year 12 parents. A job well done by everyone! A particular thank you to Miss Kim Stone and Mrs Leanne Bevis for their leadership of the final activities well supported by Mr Brendan Delaney and to Mrs Rae Hall and Ms Rebecca Ross who have kept all academic processes moving smoothly.
We celebrated the ‘Homecoming’ of the Rite Journey where each Year 9 student shared some aspect of their journey publicly with their peers and parents. Parents enjoyed presenting the students with their blazers as a symbol of their transition into Senior College. The highlight of the afternoon was to see the students dance with each other and then with their parents. Thank you to Mr Duncan McNee, Dr Peter McMahon and Mrs Toni Fisher for their leadership of the Rite Journey groups and to parents for their support over the year.
The Year 3 and 4 String Ensemble performances on Tuesday afternoon highlighted the growth of our string program under the leadership of Mrs Helen Williams. Parents also enjoyed listening and celebrating with our Junior College ensemble groups on Wednesday afternoon. We thank Mrs Aleisha Tuaine, Mrs Helen Williams, Mr Adrian King, Miss Karlee Hutchinson, Mrs Jenna Woodforth, Mr Nelson Oakley, Mrs Annette Fowler, Mrs Jennifer Maggs and Mr Basil Barletta for growing our students musically.
Last week, Head of Mumba House Mrs Melissa Evans and Middle College Leading Teacher Mr Damien Evans presented at Pearson’s National Teaching and Learning Conference in Melbourne. Educators from Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia attended the annual Conference. Mr and Mrs Evans’ presentation, titled ‘There’s An App For That’, showed how mobile technology could be used effectively in classrooms through the use of ‘tried and tested’ apps. This was a great opportunity and we congratulate both Mr and Mrs Evans on their success.
We look forward to the Carols Night on Friday evening, the P-5 Closing Service on Monday morning and the Year 6-12 Closing Service on Tuesday evening. These are all important community events where we celebrate the very significant contribution of parents, staff and students, the growth of our young people and the many blessings that God has given us. We look forward to sharing these events with students, parents and friends of the College.
At the end of year we will farewell contract staff that have been replacing staff who have been on long service and maternity leave. We thank Mr Luke Dutney who has very capably taught senior Biology, Science and Vocational Mathematics, Mrs Nicole Schirripa who has also capably taught Middle College students game design and robotics and Mr Darren Lawrence who has taught Physical Education and been generous with his time in coaching a variety of afterschool teams. We thank Mrs Karen Costa who has been a very effective and committed teacher of Year 5 students this year and Prep students last year. We thank Mrs Rae Hall and Mrs Rebecca Ross for the calm and effective way they have fulfilled the Acting Director of Teaching and Learning and the Acting Head of Senior College Studies roles this term. We look forward to welcoming back Ms Sue Arahill, Mrs Gisela Hohls and Mrs Kirsty Ridley next year.
Last week, we farewelled Teacher Aide Mrs Jenny Hoffman, who has moved to the Gold Coast to be with her family. Mrs Hoffman very successfully supported students with needs to engage positively in the classroom. There are a number of young people for whom Mrs Hoffman has made a significant difference through her high level of skill in this area. We wish her well for her new path.
At the end of this year we will farewell Mrs Toni Fisher who has made a significant contribution to the engagement of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through her passion for STEM education. We also congratulate Mrs Melissa Evans on her appointment as the Head of Middle College Students at Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Noosa from the start of next year. We have appreciated Mrs Evans warm, professional support of students in her role as Head of Mumba House and her innovative and creative thinking in the teaching of English and SOSE across the middle years. We also celebrate with Mrs Tanya Crooks her appointment as the Principal of Redeemer Lutheran College from the start of 2017. As Pacific’s Director of Staff, Mrs Crooks has led the formalisation of the College’s appraisal process, the enhancement of staff leadership and has supported the increasing role of support staff in the administration of the College. We wish all of these educators every blessing for the next phase of their journey and thank them for the very significant contributions they have made to the College and the lives of individual students and staff.
Next year, Mr Mark Hauser will be taking on the role of Head of Mumba House. We thank Mr Hauser for his outstanding contribution as Head of Sport. He has inspired both staff and students through his passion for sport and continued to build the tradition of providing excellent sporting opportunities. We thank Mr Hauser for his generous service, dedication, enthusiasm and energy. Mr Brett Kersnovske, who is currently Head of Sport at Grace Lutheran College Caboolture Campus, will be taking on the Acting Head of Sport role for 2016 at Pacific. As previously announced, Ms Margaret Gunn, who is the current Dean of Co-Curricular at Brisbane Girls Grammar, will be the new Director of Staff in 2017. In other staffing appointments, we look forward to Mr Stuart Pohlner continuing as a Year 4-7 teacher and welcoming Mrs Emma Middleton who has taught Information Technology in the United Kingdom, at International Schools and more recently in Queensland, Ms Ceilidh Peers who will be teaching English and SOSE and Mrs Emma Lendrum who has had extensive experience teaching Hospitality and PE in Canberra.
Thank you to all parents, students and staff for the very significant contribution you have made over the year. Thank you to our students for your positive approach to each other and to learning as part of this community. Thank you to our staff for your commitment and considerable expertise and to our parents for your support in so many and varied ways. Together we have nurtured a culture that challenges people to grow deep.
May the peace of Christmas fill you with joy. We trust that all those who have holidays, are rejuvenated through enjoying time with family and friends and times of relaxation and leisure.
Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal
On Tuesday this week, the Year 6 students and staff worked with the Sunshine Coast Council to plant 300 trees in the Kawana Forest area. The positive way students engaged in the task and their genuine concern for the environment was really impressive. The students I spoke with during the experience had a real sense of community service and the need to care for our fragile environment. In the coming years, Pacific will continue to work with the Sunshine Coast Council in their tree planting projects. Well done to the staff and students involved.
Last Wednesday we held our final Code Club for the year. A number of parents came along to have a look at what their children had been creating and learning. Students had fun playing with Ozobots, coding a Lego Mindstorms robot and using Osmos on the iPads, as well as snacking on pizza and soft drink. Code Club will start up again in the new year for students in Years 4-6.
To thank our library monitors for their service this year, the library staff took them on excursion this Wednesday. We went to Collins Books on Bulcock Street where students got to select a book for the library. These books will have a plaque inside them with the library monitor’s name on it.
