Compass No. 560 February 2020

Love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return…Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:3

The thread this week and these words above from Jesus are about integrity. Often we view integrity through the lens of honesty. We think of a person of integrity as being a person of honesty. But integrity involves more than truth-telling. A person with integrity talks the talk as well as walks the walks. What you believe correlates with what you do. This view of integrity is sometimes spoken of as doing the right thing even when no one is looking, even when it is not the easiest or most popular decision. Famous figures in history like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa might come to mind when we imagine people of integrity. 

But another view of integrity encompasses consistency and wholeness as well as truthfulness. 

This view of integrity is not surprising when you discover that our English word comes from the Latin, which means whole and complete. So being a person of integrity requires an inner sense of wholeness and consistency of character. When you are a person of integrity, people visibly see it through your actions, words, decisions, methods and outcomes. When you are whole and consistent, there is only one you. You bring that same you wherever you are, regardless of the circumstances. You don’t leave parts of yourself behind. You don’t act and speak in a certain way at work that is different from who you are at home with family as compared to socially with friends.

In these Bible verses from Luke, Jesus views a person of integrity as someone who loves their enemies, does good to others freely without any expectation in return and shows mercy. Christians are often viewed as people who do good or at least are meant to do good as Jesus teaches. But the whole point of Jesus words here is that we can do good in the world, we can be people of integrity as we use our personal power and agency to bring change in the world without strings attached. God can use ordinary people in the world to do good without hoping to get anything in return. Real personal power is when we are freed to do good in God's name, not expecting anything in return, yet blessing others with our words, actions and very presence.

Pastor Tim Jarick, College Pastor

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Year 7 Outdoor Education Program at Camp Somerset. I say privilege because it is a rare thing to be amongst a cohort of students for such a concentrated amount of time and witness first hand some of their endearing qualities that ordinarily might be missed during the school day. Indeed, tapping into the personal resources to deal with the pouring rain whilst sleeping in tents is not something our young people would need to do at school. Similarly, too, working together as a team in the twilight to ensure a full stomach is the outcome from preparing a meal from scratch is not something that prior to this program they would have had done.

Likewise, the capacity to interact with one another in a calm, considered and purposeful manner, was called upon throughout the program. For many students this would have been the longest time that they have been away from the comforts of home. Incredibly they survived without the online world too! On any given day too, it was clear to see the Lutheran values being enacted by students. However, the real measure of success will be witnessing the skills and qualities they developed on program transferring back into the school environment. It is these moments I most looked forward to seeing this year.

The theme of ‘connections’ was strong throughout the program and I hope these continue to grow this year. We thank Ms Kim Wood for her leadership of this program and Mr Andrew Block, Mrs Leah Croke, Mr Alex O’Connor, Mrs Melissa Ousley, Pastor Tim Jarick and ancillary staff for their care of students.

On Tuesday we installed the newest cohort of House Leaders from Years 6 and 9. The ceremonial nature of this assembly is rightly so as it is important to recognise those students who will commit to a year of service to the College community in a range of domains. Importantly, all students in attendance were reminded of the nature of leadership at the College as the following words were read out, “Wear your badge as a symbol of your office and as a reminder that your role is one of service.” We congratulate and pray for these students as they undertake their leadership roles this year.

‘Together for a better internet’ was the theme for this year’s Safer Internet Day, endorsed by the eSafety commissioner. Whilst every day we should be acting with integrity when considering our choices online, it is an important first step to start the conversation in school and at home. I encourage all members of the College community to browse the resources available at: https://www.esafety.gov.au/safer-internet-day.

Mr Ben Ryan, Director of Students

Home learning is an expectation for our students. The nature of the activities will vary so it is best to discuss expectations with your child’s teacher. All educators agree that reading is the most valuable home learning a child can do and should become a daily habit. Parents can help children develop sound study habits from a young age which include establishing a predictable routine, encouraging effective use of time and helping them to be organised. No new content will be given for home learning, it will be work that has been taught and done in class.

• Establish a predictable routine. If home learning is done at the same time each night, getting started is usually less of an issue.
• Make home learning time as enjoyable as possible. When sharing a book, make yourself comfortable, be involved in the story and enjoy yourself. Don’t make reading a test.
• Establish a good working environment for students. Make sure they have a quiet area (away from distractions) that is well lit and with good ventilation. A table or a desk makes a good study space.
• Encourage children to work reasonably quickly and efficiently. Have a set time limit which they should stick to. A little work each night is more productive than packing it all into one weekly session.
• Encourage children to become organised by planning home learning around their extra-curricular activities. A weekly planner or diary will help older students to organise themselves.
• Keep explanations simple and practical when helping a child. If they become upset or frustrated and the atmosphere becomes tense, stop helping.
• If your child has a problem, talk about the best way to find a solution. Perhaps between the two of you it can be worked out.
• Be realistic and don’t expect to solve all home learning difficulties. When in doubt send a note to your child’s teacher letting him/her know the problem. They will appreciate being informed.

Mrs Sue Zweck, Head of Learning K-5

Chess Mates specialises in teaching chess to children of all age groups and skill levels. Younger students are taught through songs and stories, while older or more advanced students are taught openings, strategies and forward planning. Chess Mates is about making new friends and having fun while learning!

Classes are held at Pacific on Tuesdays from 3.00pm to 3.45pm and will begin in Week 4 on Tuesday 18^th February in the Year 4 building. The cost is $14 per class. If you have any questions about the classes please either email info@chessmates.com.au or call Ash on 0415 256 452.

Mr Damian Davis, Head of Staff and Students P-5

For young people, building an online identity can be both liberating and challenging at times. With so many influences and platforms to use it can be hard to work out how to be yourself online and feel accepted. Offering young people tools to navigate this process can help keep their digital growth online healthy and positive. For more information, visit: https://www.internetmatters.org/safer-internet-day/.

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor

Swim Carnivals

Thank you to Mrs Allyson Sarvari who kindly organised the refreshments for the volunteers and teachers at the Year 3-6 Carnival last week and the Year 7-12 Carnival this week. It was very much appreciated!

Mooloolaba Tri Volunteering Opportunities

Want front row tickets to the Mooloolaba Tri? Pacific is volunteering with the Mooloolaba Tri on Sunday 15^th March and we are looking for 20 parents and Middle / Senior College helpers who would like to join the Pacific / FoP volunteer team. It’s a six-hour commitment at Mooloolaba and promises to be a rewarding experience. Volunteers receive a t-shirt and food. Pacific will receive a donation for every volunteer we provide on the day. If you would like more information or can commit to helping out, please contact Mrs Allyson Sarvari on 0402 276 988 or email: fop@pacluth.qld.edu.au.

There are two volunteer timeslots available on the day:

• Sunday 15^th March – 4.45am start till 11.00am (15 people)
• Sunday 15^th March – 6.00am start 11.00am (5 people)

Invitation – All Welcome!

Our first FoP meeting for 2020 is fast approaching. Please join us on Tuesday 18^th February at 6.30pm in the College Boardroom, located in the Main Reception building. This is your opportunity to meet other parents at the College and be kept in the loop with upcoming events.

Quote of the Week

“One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” – Anonymous

Click here to follow our Friends of Pacific Facebook page.

Mrs Jenny Lee, FoP Chairperson

First Tech Challenge 2019 – National Event

In December last year, three Year 12 students participated in the National First Tech Challenge Event.

The event included more than 30 teams competing from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and even Tonga. It was professionally run and showcased the amazing technical abilities of senior high school students around the country and our close neighbours.

This was our first involvement at a national event and though we did not place, it was a great learning experience. The team worked well together, modifying code as they went. They capably performed in the competition with a win in one of the five rounds! It was a fabulous effort by all and we hope 2020 is even more successful.

Robotics in 2020

The Robotics Club is up and running again this year. We meet on Thursdays after school in L10 from 3.30pm – 5.00pm. This year, the Club is open to Year 5-12 students and we are looking forward to having a larger representation of girls as well as younger students for the upcoming sumo competition.

The Cooran Sumo competition will be held on 21^st March. It features several sumo events across primary, middle and senior school divisions as well as an open sumo event. We have two Middle College teams who will represent Pacific in the Sumo event. We are also looking to build three more Year 5-9 groups for these events. A team consists of four team members.

The major event for the Sunshine Coast this year will be the first Australian based RoboRave, which will be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast from the 22^nd – 24^th May. It is exciting to have a competition like this in our local area and there is huge interest from many schools in our immediate and extended region.

At the moment, we have three senior teams who are registered to compete in the MegaBall robotic challenge at the event. Two teams will be running Rev robots and the third team will be running a Tetrix robot. These robots are mechanical and fit inside a 40cm cube. The autonomous task this year is already online for teams to begin building and tailoring robots to the task and coding the autonomous program. These robots will also compete in the First Tech Challenge later in the year.

If you are interested in robotics and think you might enjoy a challenge, come along on Thursday after school and have a look!

Esports

Due to senior student interest in online games, this year we are running Rocket League as an Esport at the College. Rocket League competitions are held throughout Australia and the world. Hopefully our teams will be able to represent the College at competitions in the State. We are looking at becoming members of the Australian Esports League when it begins this year.

Rocket League is a soccer style game between two teams of souped up cars where the cars battle on a huge arena. Strategies and team play are important to succeed. Students create local lobby games within our network and compete using joysticks to control the cars.

Currently we have four Middle College and seven Senior College teams. Senior practice games are held in L10 during Monday lunchtimes and middle team practice games are held during Tuesday lunchtimes. There are a few openings for Middle College students if you are interested in coming along. You need a team of three. Practice can also be done at home.

We will also run a competition to design a College logo for Pacific Rocket League later in the term.

Mrs Janine Stone, Robotics Club Coordinator

USC’s Headstart program allows students to study a university subject for one semester. The best time to participate in Headstart is during Semester 2 in Year 11. Please note that students who do Headstart will have to attend classes at USC outside of school hours and complete all assessments for their subject (the assessments will be exactly the same as for the university students who are doing that subject).

If you are interested in doing a Headstart subject, students and parents should attend the Headstart Information Evenings on 19th March. If you would like to discuss whether Headstart is right for you, please make an appointment to speak with Mrs Wanda Hayes. Learn more about Headstart at: https://www.usc.edu.au/.

Year 11 and 12 students are invited to attend QUT’Get Ready for Uni Day on 17^th  April (during the Easter school holidays). Students can explore the courses offered at QUT, talk with current students about what it's like to study and have the option to participate in a leadership or career planning workshop. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.qut.edu.au.

The Maroochydore office of Defence Force Recruiting holds information events throughout the year. The following events are coming up in the next few weeks. There is a linked information flyer for each event below. If you are interested in attending any of these events, please click on the link to register, or contact Defence Force Recruiting, using the contact details on the event flyer.

• 17^th February from 6.00pm – 8.00pm: Health Careers (Defence Force Recruiting Centre (DFRC) Maroochydore)
• 24^th February from 6.00pm – 8.00pm: ADFA Networking Forum/Info Session (Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters)
• 27^th February from 6.00pm – 8.00pm: Trade Careers (Oaks Oasis Caloundra)

Mrs Wanda Hayes, Head of Career Development

At assembly on Monday, the age champions and runners up from the Year 3-6 Swim Carnival were presented. Click here to download the full list of awardees. Congratulations to all these students.

We also congratulate the following students who broke records at the carnival:

• Emily Lengenberg – 11 years 50m butterfly (38.53s) and 50m backstroke (41.19s). The 50m backstroke record had been held since 2008. 
• Tobias Moore – 8 years 25m butterfly (24.10s).

Mr Darren Hooper, Head of Junior Sport

WE WANT YOU!

Want to keep fit and have fun with your friends? Teams are filling fast for the 2020 season, but we still have opportunities in the following age divisions.

• U6 x 6
• U9 x 2
• U12 x 3
• U13 x 2
• U14 x 2
• U15/16 x 2

Find out more at www.pacificsoccerfc.com.

Teams will be released shortly. Every team needs a game day coach and manager. Your team cannot join in the fun without these key positions being filled. Your Club and Association provide lots of support and training for these roles, so don't be shy – jump in and help your kids enjoy the game even more!

Please note that due to weather, the Family Fun Day has been postponed to next Saturday 22^nd February from 4.00pm to 6.00pm at the Soccer Canteen at Pacific Lutheran College.

Mrs Rita Williams, Pacific FC President

The Uniform Shop is open from 8.00am to 9.30am every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Orders can be placed online via www.flexischools.com.au and will be delivered to your child the following day.

Mrs Peta King, Uniform Shop Convenor

Sunday Worship Times St Mark’s Church @ Pacific 9.30am Pacific Lutheran College (Entry via Red Cedar Drive, Meridan Plains) Google Maps St Mark's Lutheran @ Pacific   Are you looking for a friendly church where young people, old people, children, families and singles are appreciated, empowered and encouraged to grow as Christians? Everyone is welcome! Get in touch: Pastor Ray Morris 0429 856 532 ray.morris@lca.org.au www.stmarkslutherancaloundra.net

Pastor Ray, St Mark's Lutheran Church

The LLL has a variety of savings accounts: personal and joint accounts; guardian accounts for children; and Business accounts, including self-managed super funds and not-for-profit organisations.

LLL Savings Accounts have many features, including:

• A great interest rate;
• No fees or charges at all;
• Internet banking;
• No minimum balance or deposit requirements;
• No ‘bonus’ interest hurdles; and
• Your money is available to withdraw at any time.

For further information regarding the LLL, visit the College’s Business Office or www.lll.org.au.