Education feature 100217

EDUCATION PROMOTION

EDUCATION FOR LIFE

IT’S SERIOUS BUSINESS

Year 7 Teacher Tanya Bliss instructs Year 7s on how to use their new Surface Pros

The Sunshine Coast has more than 400 training institutions and more than 70 public and private schools catering to a population of 61,000 students.

The education and research industry is a major component of the regional economy, contributing around 696.9 million to gross regional product in 2013–14. It’s no surprise that Sunshine Coast Council has identified this as one of its seven high-value industries.

According to the council, the education and research sector is expected to grow more than 50 per cent and become the region’s second largest employer by 2033.

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SMART STUDY TIPS Encouraging your children to study can be a difficult task at times. Here are some tips: Home space: Choose calming colours, comfortable furniture and a quiet area.

Follow the clock: Establishing a routine and sticking to a timetable will help students better manage their time.

Encouragement: Praise children for studying well and show interest.

t Immanuel Lutheran College, children are taught that anything is possible. Striving for personal best, whether it be in an academic, sporting or cultural pursuit, is the message communicated to the College’s youngest learners through to Year 12 graduates. “Immanuel offers a seamless education from pre-Prep to Year 12, with students working within a pristine rainforest environment. It’s the perfect setting to do what we do best – create confident, well-rounded learners who will be creative, competent and capable of making a positive contribution to their community,� says principal Colin Minke.

In a rapidly changing world, staff are committed to helping students realise the importance of being lifelong learners. “We’ve evolved from the traditional cookie-cutter model of education to a version that talks about life-wide learning: resilience, relationships and reflection. As these traits develop, students become

independent, confident and self-reliant. “Literacy and numeracy skills are fundamental but there is so much more to offer and equip our young people for,’’ Minke adds.

Part of Immanuel’s ‘education for life’ philosophy is the College’s acclaimed

The lessons taught at ‘Binga’ build resilience and teamwork, encourage reflection and cement relationships. But Mt Binga is only one part of Immanuel’s learning program. “From pre-Prep to Year 12 we are a connected and engaged community.

Academically, students are engaged through activities that are relevant, authentic and life related,� Minke says. “Our Innovation@Immanuel strategy provides students with ready access to flexible learning spaces with iPads, Surface Pros and other devices in a blended learning environment. “In the classroom, students attend lessons but also engage virtually with their teachers when gaining feedback and completing online workbooks. “Our learning management ecosystem provides teachers with information about each student’s academic, social and emotional progress that allows staff and families to work together to promote positive outcomes for each student.’’

“We’ve evolved from the traditional cookie-cutter model of education to a version that talks about life-wide learning�

$9 MILLION UPGRADE Immanuel Lutheran College is undergoing a $9 million-dollar facelift.

The transformation will create a series of new, flexible classrooms that will be multidisciplinary and communal, allowing students to work together in new and creative ways.

Interested parents are invited to attend an open morning on March 2 to find out more.

Applications are now also open for scholarships for Years 6 to 12 in 2018 for academic, music, sport or arts (dance, drama, visual art, film and new media).

Visit Immanuel.qld.edu.au.

outdoor education experience at its Mt Binga Outdoor Education Centre, a four-week residential program which all students embark on in Year 10.

126–142 Wises Road, Buderim Phone: 5477 3448.

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201A8pply Now GROWING PEOPLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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Contact: Chris Henschke, College Registrar on 5436 7321, Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains 4551

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DO SCHOOL DIFFERENTLY

Get a feel for your future career and study TAFE at school

TAFE QUEENSLAND EAST COAST IS REPORTING AN INCREASED NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT APPLICATIONS IN 2017 WITH MORE EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST EXPECTED WHEN CLASSES COMMENCE IN EARLY FEBRUARY. TAFE is the largest and most experienced provider of vocational education and training (VET) in Queensland.

Students who study TAFE at school are able to not only JDLQ D QDWLRQDOO\ UHFRJQLVHG TXDOLĆ&#x201E;FDWLRQ ZKLOH VWLOO DW school, but also kick start their careers by gaining valuable 4&( FUHGLW SRLQWV WRZDUGV WKHLU VHQLRU FHUWLĆ&#x201E;FDWH TAFE Queensland East Coast School Engagement Consultant Carly Forrest said applications have increased by 61 per cent across the region compared with last year, which means around 1,100 students will be studying TAFE at school in Semester One, 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Notably, Sunshine Coast High School students represent around 44 per cent of our total applications with around 480 students from over 35 local schools set to study TAFE at school this year,â&#x20AC;? Ms Forrest said.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The three most popular TAFE at School courses this year RQ WKH 6XQVKLQH &RDVW DUH &HUWLĆ&#x201E;FDWH ,, LQ 6DORQ $VVLVWDQW &HUWLĆ&#x201E;FDWH ,, LQ (OHFWURWHFKQRORJ\ &DUHHU 6WDUW DQG &HUWLĆ&#x201E;FDWH ,, LQ +HDOWK 6XSSRUW 6HUYLFHV r â&#x20AC;&#x153;The program is successful because students who study TAFE at school get a taste of tertiary study at the same WLPH DV FRPSOHWLQJ WKHLU VHQLRU FHUWLĆ&#x201E;FDWH r

According to Ms Forrest, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been a better time to start studying TAFE at school with increased access to the State Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student funding options now available. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Funding is available for eligible students in a range of study DUHDV ZKLOH WKH\pUH VWLOO LQ VFKRRO ZKLFK UHPRYHV Ć&#x201E;QDQFLDO barriers to training,â&#x20AC;? Ms Forrest said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Additionally, when students graduate High School they can apply for particular courses funded under the Fee Free for Year 12 Leavers program. This is a great pathway into further study and employment, or the opportunity to get a TXDOLĆ&#x201E;FDWLRQ GXULQJ \RXU JDS \HDU EHIRUH XQLYHUVLW\ r

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

STUDYING TAFE AT SCHOOL IN 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Life after school is an exciting prospect for all High School students, but at the same time it can also be really overwhelming. There are so many important choices to make and it can be hard to know where to start.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students have an opportunity to try things out and get a feel for their future career without getting stuck studying for 3 or 4 years, not enjoying it and working everyday doing something they hate because they simply donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to let anyone down,â&#x20AC;? she said.

While students typically study on campus one day a week in an adult learning environment, TAFE can also work closely with schools to train groups of students. q:H SDUWQHU ZLWK D QXPEHU RI VFKRROV WR SURYLGH Ć&#x2026;H[LEOH training options delivered at school,â&#x20AC;? Ms Forrest said.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;TAFE Queensland now also offers university degrees in partnership with the University of Canberra, giving students the theoretical side of a university degree combined with practical hands on learning. The introduction of degrees in addition to TAFEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hundreds of courses means students have more options than ever before,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she said.

School students have the opportunity to try things out and get a feel for their future career without getting stuck studying for years and not enjoying it.

Whether you dream of a career in music or media, beauty or business, health or hospitality, childcare or construction, TAFE Queensland East Coast can help you to do school differently and kick start your career.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our school partnerships ensure all students can have DFFHVV WR Ć&#x2026;H[LEOH DQG LQGXVWU\ UHFRJQLVHG WUDLQLQJ ZLWKRXW interruption to their regular timetable,â&#x20AC;? she said.

STUDY TAFE AT SCHOOL

1300 656 188 | tafeeastcoast.edu.au

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EDUCATION PROMOTION

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GROWING PEOPLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

ith more than 15 years in the education industry, Pacific Lutheran College has established itself as a leading K–12 learning community that is innovative, dynamic and progressive.

Firmly underpinned by the values and traditions of excellence of Lutheran Education in Australia, students have achieved outstanding success in the academic, sporting and cultural dimensions of their lives.

Pacific has a strong academic culture based on the Harvard Teaching For Understanding framework and provides students with unique opportunities through outdoor education, pastoral care and personal development programs, which include the integration of learnings from positive psychology. Learning enrichment pathways are also provided in academic, sporting and cultural areas.

Pacific is committed to enriching students learning in all aspects of their education, offering a range of scholarships.

Applications for academic, music and general excellence scholarships in 2018 are now open. Students entering Years 6–11 next year are eligible to apply.

For more information, visit pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au/2018scholarships.

Collaborative learning between students and teachers

TERTIARY OFFERS FLOW After receiving their OP results in December, Pacific Lutheran College’s 2016 graduates are looking forward to the next phase of their learning journey.

Of the cohort of 75 students, 76 per cent were OP eligible and of these, 72 per cent achieved an OP 1-15. Further, 100 per cent of these students have received tertiary offers.

Engineering, law, journalism, IT, science and property economics are just some of the areas of study that the 2016 graduates will be

embarking on this year.

2016 College Dux, Bailey Hockam, achieved the highest honour, an OP1.

“I was really happy with my result as it allowed me to get into my first preference at university, a dual degree in engineering and science at the University of Queensland (UQ),” he says.

“I’m looking forward to the freedom and independence this year will bring and think the course will be really interesting.”

Gaining employment is a top priority for

Bailey, as well as seeing the world.

“After completing my degree, I would like to work and maintain a job in the engineering field and hopefully have the chance to travel,” he said.

2016 College Captain, Jack Bange, received an OP4 and has been accepted into a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)/ Bachelor of Information Technology dual degree at UQ. “At the beginning of Year 12, my OP target was a 6, which was roughly what I needed to get into my preferred course. I was very relieved that my extra efforts paid off and I received an OP4,” Jack says.

“My last year at Pacific was a personal highlight for me and that is largely due to a great senior cohort, a cooperative student leadership team and caring and supportive staff.”

Jack is hoping to work in the IT/ electrical engineering field once he has completed his degree.

“At present, I’m leaning towards a career in data system design and architecture and am hoping to spend a period of time working overseas, ideally in Europe,” he said.

Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains Phone: 5436 7321.

Anything is

Possible Connect@Immanuel

Open Morning

2 March We understand that each child is unique

immanuel.qld.edu.au

Our focus is on discovering what makes each child special, and encouraging them to develop their own personality. We surround them with an environment that embraces their individuality and allows them to explore new and innovative ways to look at the world.

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EDUCATION PROMOTION

EMBRACING A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES

M

atthew Flinders Anglican College is committed to providing a wide range of learning opportunities across all areas of the curriculum and to developing each individual student’s talents and interests, instilling a genuine passion for learning.

Academic excellence, co-curricular achievement and the formation of character in a nurturing environment are an integral part of the Flinders ethos.

Although Flinders’ academic standards are high and individually students are motivated to produce high quality work, there is no ‘typical’ Flinders student. Each student, however, shares a common desire to be part of a community of learners, united by a set of core values centred on supporting one another in their collective and individual learning.

Furthermore, talented teaching staff inspire intellectual curiosity by bringing to the Flinders learning community their own strengths and commitment to their areas of expertise. Lifelong learners themselves, they are passionate about fostering the love of learning.

To learn more about the range of opportunities on offer at Flinders, including our comprehensive Scholarship Program, please visit www.mfac.edu.au/opportunities

TOP OP SCORES Flinders’ outstanding academic achievements continued in 2016 with eight students achieving an OP1.

Another eight students achieved an OP2, and 13 students an OP3, with 22.3 per cent in the OP1–3 range out of an OP-eligible cohort of 130 students.

A total of 72.5 per cent of Flinders students achieved an A or B in the QCS Test in 2016.

Matthew Flinders Anglican College has a strong reputation as the top achieving school on the Sunshine Coast.

2016 Flinders OP results: OP1: 6.15 per cent OP1–5: 39.23 per cent OP1–7: 60 per cent OP1–11: 83.08 per cent.

OP 1-15 – 96.92 per cent

Hard work, creativity and determination are supported by highly-skilled teachers and a culture that encourages every student to become the best they can be.

Stringybark Road, Buderim Phone: 5477 3200.

MAKING A SPLASH More than 600 students from St Andrew’s Anglican College participated in 320 races at Noosa Aquatic Centre recently.

St Andrew’s Director of Sport Steve Robson says the day was hot but full of fun, quality swimming and most importantly, amazing house spirit.

“The support and cheering did not stop.

The involvement was superb,” he says.

“The day is owned by the students who myweeklypreview.com.au

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make it what it is and it was terrific.

Year 9 student Alek Taylor broke an 11-year-old freestyle record in the 15 years age group, setting a new time of 24:14 seconds.

Meanwhile, Year 10 student Jayden Morrow broke a seven-year-old freestyle record in the 16 years boys age group.

Peregian Springs Drive, Peregian Springs. Phone: 5471 5555.

If you want to learn more about our school of opportunities, please visit

www.mfac.edu.au/opportunities

Scholarship applications now open #proudtobeflinders | (07) 5477 3260 My Weekly Preview | February 10, 2017 43

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