Compass No 678 - March 2023

Throughout the term, a major focus of what we have been talking about in the Middle College is “being part of community”. This term has had a wide range of opportunities for all students to take advantage of, that allow students to be heavily involved in the PLC community. When we are immersed in a community through involvement in all that it has to offer, that is when our friendships, learning and engagement truly flourish.

Primary and Middle College Disco

It was great to come together as community last week at the annual PLC Disco event. This year it was held in the gymnasium for students in Years 4-9 and was very well attended, with more than 250 students turning up to dance, participate in games and dress up in their best 80s/90s gear. It was a great night for all and a special thank you to our Year 12 College Captains and Year 9 leaders for their organisation and running of the evening. There were also 14 dedicated staff who gave up their Friday night to supervise and help out throughout the night. At the end of the night, we had raised more than $1100 to go to the Australian Lutheran World Services foundation, to help them with their work overseas in places such as Turkey and Syria. Thank you to all who supported this event.

Cross Country

The Cross Country is scheduled for the last day of the term. This is a great event for the Pacific student body to come together, compete and show house and school spirit. It is expected that all students will attend the Cross Country Carnival and remain until the end of the day before we all start our holidays. For anyone who cannot attend, parents are asked to please let their Head of House know well in advance. There will be more information regarding the carnival on student notices and assemblies throughout next week in the lead-up to the event. We look forward to seeing everyone participate and may the best house win.

Finishing the term as community

As we come to the last week of a busy term, all families are reminded that our usual College expectations still remain. This is particularly important in relation to our social interactions, focus and attention to academic learning and attendance at school each day in the final week of the term.

It feels like the start of the year was a long time ago, and it is easy to forget how many things were available to us over the past nine weeks. Aside from the above events that occurred in the last week, we have also had swimming carnivals, International Women’s Day breakfast, New Families breakfast, Year 12 & 2 connections, a range of sporting competitions, NAPLAN, assessments, musical preparations, music camps, Year 8 camp, Clean Up Australia day activities and subject excursions just to name a few. It has been pleasing to see how well-supported all of these events have been and I look forward to the involvement of more students throughout Term Two at the ANZAC Day March (in Week Two), Open Day (in Week Three) and more afterschool sporting events. I hope that all have a great end to the term and enjoy a well-deserved holiday break.

Mr Mark Hauser, Director of Students

What is writing?

Writing is a process of using letters, words and sentences to communicate thoughts and ideas. Even though it might look simple, it requires the synthesis and application of many understandings and skills. Even when writing a note to a friend, the author needs to consider the ideas to be communicated, the structure and sentences that suit the purpose, the correct letters and sounds, how to form the letters and where to include punctuation – all to make sure that the message is communicated effectively.

Why is it so important?

Writing provides an important way to communicate our ideas, and in doing so we can entertain, inform and persuade others. As we write, we sort our thoughts and learn new things. It is a way to express what we have learned but also a way to express who we are, our interests and our ideas. It makes our thinking visible and at school and throughout higher education, writing is used by others to judge our understanding of topics.

What does learning to write look like?

The best way to learn to write, or to become a better writer, is to write. In the early years of school, this is done through real-life and life-like situations as children experiment with drawing and writing, and build their confidence.

Each term students are supported to create a specific written text as part of their English unit of work. For example, they might create a poster persuading others to read their favourite picture book, construct a written retelling of a familiar fairy tale, or write a description of a favourite place. Students are also provided with an opportunity to create texts of their own choice during Daily 5 Café activities, focusing on creativity, artistry, fun and enjoyment.

How do we know that children are progressing?

Teachers analyse samples of writing at the beginning (pre-test) and end of each English unit, as well as providing feedback throughout the learning phase. Teachers provide feedback in relation to Writing scales and criteria sheets, developed specifically for each writing task. In this way, teachers and students know the ‘next steps’.

What can you do to support writing at home?

• Draw attention to writing in the world (e.g., signs, posters, notes, advertisements, labels).

• Find everyday opportunities to tell and share stories (e.g., after visiting relatives, when something funny happens), encouraging some ‘tall tales’ and exaggerated events.

• Play with language, sharing your ideas and encouraging everyone to participate (e.g., silly rhymes and puns on words, new poems or stories with characters from your family).

• Find everyday opportunities to write (e.g., shopping lists, birthday cards, postcards, drawings, diaries, notes in lunchboxes, and writing games where everyone writes a part of a story).

 • Use a range of writing implements to build confidence and strength in young writers’ hands (e.g., pens, pencils, chalk, whiteboard pens, paint, coloured paper, scissors, glue, and stickers).

Mrs Sue Zweck, Head of Teaching and Learning K-5

Beyond Pacific is live – submit your claims now! (Years 10-12)

Have you been wondering when you can submit a request for Beyond Pacific points? You can do it anytime! Just go to the Beyond Pacific NAV page, and submit your claim. If you’re still not sure how Beyond Pacific works, there is information there to help you. Please note, you can only claim for Beyond Pacific points in the current year, so you can only submit claims for your activities this year. And if you are involved in an activity that runs for a long time, you should wait until the end to apply for points, because the more time and commitment you give to an activity, the more points you can get.

 

Fast-track Certificate II in Health Support Services (Years 10-12)

Connect ‘n’ Grow are now offering a Certificate II in Health Support Services Holiday Program. This program is specifically designed for Year 10 to Year 12 students who:

• Are on an ATAR pathway and want to gain this qualification to support future careers in a Healthcare profession.

• Want to gain qualifications in health support services without having to drop a subject at school.

• Are not completing a Health Cert III this year.

The program offers unique opportunities for students to gain practical experience and valuable skills in healthcare. Here's how this program works:

1. It is a combination of both online learning and onsite career workshops.

2. The online learning starts in week 5 of Term 2 (15^th of May 2023) and will span over a period of 5 weeks.

3. Students will be required to have a reliable laptop and access to wifi to work independently through online course materials over the 5 weeks.

4. The onsite health career workshop is a 10-day learning experience that will be held during the June/July School holidays.

5. The locations for this workshop include Sunshine Coast.

6. Students are required to attend this career workshop to successfully complete the program.

For more information, see the attached flyer, which also includes a QR code you can use to register.

 

Tell me about… University (Years 10-12)

Are you contemplating university study when you finish school, but are mystified by how it all works? Do you wish you knew the difference between a major and a minor? Do you know whether you should choose a Bachelor’s Degree or an Honours Degree? Are you concerned about how and when to choose your specialisation and/or your major for your university degree? Help is at hand! Come along to this year’s first “Tell me about…” session, and get all your questions answered.

Tuesday 18^th April, at 4.00pm (online)

Click here to register.

Can’t make it to the session? Register yourself anyway: only people who have registered will be given access to the recording.

 

UniMelb 101: A webinar for QLD students (Years 10-12)

Tuesday 28^th March, 2023

Always wondered what it’s like to study at the University of Melbourne? Excited to live and learn in Australia’s cultural capital?

If you’re from Queensland, this is your chance to learn what life is like at UniMelb and how to navigate the move from interstate. In this specially designed information session we’ll cover:

• How our Melbourne curriculum supports you to explore your passions, follow your curiosity and find your path through our wide range of breadth subjects and majors

• Our University Accommodation options and student life initiatives to support you in making Melbourne your new home and feeling welcomed by our community

• How you can take advantage of opportunities in and out of the classroom, such as concurrent diplomas, work-integrated learning and internships, exchange programs, and our competitive scholarships

• Access Melbourne, our special entry access scheme that offers guaranteed entry to eligible students from rural and regional areas, and those with a disadvantaged financial background.

You’ll also hear from some of our current students who have made the move from Queensland to Melbourne and be able to ask them questions about their experience.

Find out more here.

Mrs Wanda Hayes, Head of Career Development

Young people might have a lot of fun playing online games, but parents and carers need to make sure they empower their children to make wise decisions and help them manage the risks. Numerous games can help your child become more coordinated and adept at problem-solving and multitasking, and help them develop social skills through online interaction with other players. However, it’s also critical to comprehend what may go wrong and what might be harmful to your child. Carers need to play an active role in understanding and being aware of what their young person is playing online and who they are interacting with. For more information click on the link below.

Online Gaming | Pacific Lutheran College (schooltv.me)

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor

SCISSA GALA DAY BBQ

If you have completed your volunteer induction and have a couple of hours to spare next Thursday 30^th March, we’d appreciate some extra hands to help out at the Gala Day BBQ at Meridan Fields. If you’re available for an hour or two from 8.30am, please email fop@pacluth.qld.edu.au – we promise you’ll have fun!

Carpark Raffle

Have you seen the reserved carpark in the Junior Carpark and wondered who gets to park there? Well, that could be your reserved spot for a term! Keep an eye out for some information in the next week about the Carpark Raffle!

OCEANfest 2023 – One World

It’s still not too late to join the OCEANfest Steering Committee to assist with the planning and organisation of OCEANfest in August. This committee will meet in the coming weeks. If you are interested in joining the OCEANfest Committee please contact Ms Samantha Barrass, Community Liaison and Communications Coordinator, sbarrass@pacluth.qld.edu.au.

There’ll also be sponsorship opportunities as well as other ways you can showcase your business, including donating raffle prizes. If you’d like to express your interest, please contact Ms Samantha Barrass, Community Liaison and Communications Coordinator, sbarrass@pacluth.qld.edu.au and we’ll send more information soon.

Volunteering

After next week’s Gala Day, we’ll begin preparations for Open Day on Sunday 7^th May. We’ll be calling for volunteers to help with the BBQ from approximately 10.30am – 4.00pm. If you’re available to help for an hour or two, we’d love to hear from you!

All volunteers need to have completed the Volunteer Induction for 2023 and have their volunteer lanyard. If you missed the Volunteer Inductions earlier in the year, please email Belinda Dawkins, Human Resources and Compliance Officer, hrofficer@pacluth.qld.edu.au to register your interest and she’ll be able to send you more information.

Next FoP Meeting

We’d love to see you at our next meeting, on Tuesday 18^th April at 6.30pm in the Library. You can RSVP by emailing fop@pacluth.qld.edu.au. Come along, meet some new people and find out how you can help connect our community.

Click here to follow our Friends of Pacific Facebook page.

Mrs Carly Lovell, Friends of Pacific Chairperson

On Friday 17^th of March, we celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day in the library with an activity for Junior College students. They were encouraged to make a Shamrock Hat complete with decorative band and shamrock, organized by Mrs. Smith, who guided the students. It wasn’t easy but the results were well worth it.

I’m sure the students left the library feeling more glamorous than when they arrived! Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. 

New LibGuides

Two new libguides have been added this week to support the Year 12 English novel study. The password is plc.

Never Let Me Go https://libguides.pacluth.qld.edu.au/never_let_me_go

Schindler’s Ark https://libguides.pacluth.qld.edu.au/schindlersark

Ms Narelle Keen, Head of Library

Sharing a common mission and ministry with Pacific Lutheran College

“Growing in faith and sharing God’s love with others”

Weekly worship services are held at 14 Bombala Terrace Caloundra at 9.00am. We are thankful that we can meet together each week for worship. As we do this, there are still physical distancing, and hygiene requirements we need to follow to ensure the health and safety of everyone in our community.

Our worship services are intergenerational with a blend of traditional and contemporary.

You’re welcome to follow us on Facebook and visit our Church webpage.

All are welcome at any of our services.

Pastor Ray Morris, St Mark’s Lutheran Church (0429 856 532 or lutherancaloundra@gmail.com)

27       Year 5 Camp departs (Returning 30th)

31       Year 7-12 Cross Country Carnival

31       Term 1 Concludes

April

18       Term 2 Commences

18       Friends of Pacific (6.30pm)