Middle/Senior School Bulletin Issue 14 / 28 October 2016 Middle & Senior School News QCAA Update Last week the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) advised that the new system for senior assessment and tertiary entrance which was previously scheduled to come into effect in 2018 for Year 11 students (our current Year 9 cohort) will now commence in 2019 for Year 11 students (our current Year 8 cohort). This extension is well received news as it provides adequate time for teachers to have sufficient support and to become completely familiar with the new ATAR system. Attached to the end of this bulletin is a guide for parents regarding the new assessment and tertiary entrance systems in Queensland, published by the Department of Education and Training. https://det.qld.gov.au/programsinitiatives/education/ Documents/sate-fact-sheet-parent-guide.pdf Cultural Awards Night Cultural Awards Night was held at the College on Wednesday 19 October and it was a stunning showcase of the talents of our students. With the support of our very dedicated Arts staff, these performers continue to thrive and flourish. The musicality of the vocalists, including the choirs and music ensembles continue to be nothing short of inspired. This year has also seen our Dance program grow significantly with multiple troupes forming. The finale at the end of the evening was a testament to how beautifully our musician, dancers, and vocalists work as one big family in the area of Performing Arts. In Visual Arts, our students continue to showcase their work in a diverse array of exhibitions. Thank you to Miss Scott (Head of Performing Arts) and the Arts team for their ongoing work with our talented young people.
J Block Update At Cultural Awards Night, Mr Kotzur announced that the building works in J block are on track for a handover of the East Wing and the Upper West Wing for the start of next year. The upgrade to these facilities will be an absolute blessing to come out of this unfortunate event. New areas for Business and Entrepreneurial studies and flexible learning spaces for our Senior Students along with the expanded and purpose built dance studio and a state of the art music hub will enhance our programs greatly. Perhaps most significantly, the updated Theatre and performance space will continue to see our students flourish through being able to showcase their talents in a very special performance space. Our architects have created virtual tours of these spaces and while some of the fit outs and furnishings might differ slightly, by following this link you will get a real sense of what is in store for these spaces in 2017. https://roundme.com/@salc/tours The Power of Parent Connections Over the past two weeks I have spoken to a few groups of students about some concerning pushing of boundaries and carelessness in actions and words, inside and outside the physical spaces of the College. Before I go any further, know that I sincerely believe our students are thoughtful, kind and appreciative in full measure but like the rest of us, flawed and sometimes influenced by the pressures of these identity forming years and modern society. Discussing choices and consequences openly at the College and at home helps us to ensure St Andrews continues to be a community that values ‘more than a good education... an education for good,’ and in our daily walk, we continue to be a place where we focus on the development of the whole person. As adults, I believe the most powerful thing we can do is to stay connected. Stay connected with your child by being open to talking through your boundaries and expectations and also their ideas and thoughts around independence, trust and their world in general. As much as possible stay connected to their online world. Stay connected to one another. If your child is wanting to spend time with peers or to sleep over at another family’s house and you are feeling uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the family, call the parents and talk about your boundaries and expectations and their boundaries and expectations. Adolescents often use generalised statements like, ‘everyone is going’, ‘no one else’s parents are calling’ or ‘don’t you trust me’ to push boundaries and to become more independent. The balance of how much freedom/ independence afforded a young person is a difficult juggling act for parents and very dependent on the individual, the family values and context. From personal experience, I know how challenging that balance can be. Finally, please stay connected with staff at the College. We are here to help and while there are limits and complexities to how we might
be able to offer support, we will always take a restorative and Gospel centred approach and do our best to help. My hope and intent in raising this is that it might prompt family discussions at home and/or conversations amongst staff and parents. The Edge Program Last week our Year 9 boys returned from GOOGA camp and commenced their Service Learning activities and for them, the Edge experience culminated with the family barbeque held last night. Our Year 9 girls are currently half way through the GOOGA camp experience. The Edge is about so much more than simply attending a school camp. It is an essential part of our program and our students journey through St Andrews. It is about expanding students beliefs around their abilities; facing trials and tribulations and experiencing discomfort, problem solving, community building and developing an understanding of self and community. Character development, resilience, grit, persistence and an awareness of the needs of others and self are the ultimate aims of this important rite of passage. I’d like to congratulate our Year 9s on their approach and journey and thank Mr Tanguy and the other staff, Mr Grehan, Mr Nelson, Ms Bible and Ms Dockstader for their involvement in this program.
Community Outreach Last week we held the final Mufti Day for 2016 and raised $1266.75 for Cancer Awareness. This term our Seniors continue their support for Rosies and give of their time to connect with disadvantaged Gold Coasters through this outreach support.
Presentation Nights Presentation Nights continue to be a highlight in our annual calendar. These are compulsory evenings for all students in Years 4-12. During the evenings we will acknowledge the work of our students throughout the year and celebrate who we are as a community. • • •
Senior School (Years 10-12) Wednesday 16 November 2016 at 6.30pm to be held in the Theatre at Jupiters. Junior School (Years 4-6) Monday 28 November 2016 at 6.30pm in the Multi Purpose Hall at St Andrews Lutheran College. Middle School (Years 7-9) Wednesday 30 November 2016 at 6.30pm in the Multi Purpose Hall at St Andrews Lutheran College.
Year 12 parents should have received information regarding booking seats and Jupiters Theatre, Gold Coast. All other seating for parents will be done on arrival and students will sit with their teachers. Valedictory Dinner The Valedictory Dinner and presentation of diplomas will be held at Bond University 6.30pm Thursday 17 November. Invitations and seat booking information were sent home in early October. Students are asked to wear their formal school uniform on this occasion. End of Term Dates Year 12 Last Day Our Year 12 students finish school on Friday 18 November with a farewell chapel starting at 8.50am in the Worship Centre. Year 12 parents are welcome to attend this service. Students in Years 10 and 11 will be finishing the school year on Tuesday 29 November. Years 7-9 students finish on Friday 2 December. We look forward to continuing to celebrate your child/ren and their learning over these very important events. Please contact me should I be able to offer any assistance in the days ahead. Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School
I look forward to receiving many nominations from our current Year 8s.
Chaplains Chat Since I have retired I hope I can be excused by starting with a grandpa story. My granddaughter goes to preschool and is told by some of the older children that she can’t play with them because their game is only for big girls (5 year olds not 4 year olds). Because she has two younger siblings and her dad is frequently away because of work in the evenings she is told by her mum she is a big girl. After the incident at preschool she went home very distressed. “I am a big girl!” Her view of herself had been challenged. The incident is probably the first of many things in her life that will challenge her sense of self – her self-image. We develop a sense of identity as we go through life. It is formed in the cradle of our families. It is shaped by our experiences both positive and negative. It is influenced by the attitude of others toward us. It is sometimes a fragile thing damaged by judgments and criticisms of others and our own successes and failures. If our self-image is determined solely by these opinions and experiences then our sense of self is like riding a roller coaster – lots of ups and downs with both pleasant and nasty surprises. It doesn’t have to be this way. When our image of ourselves is reinforced by the unconditional acceptance of a loving and forgiving God, our sense of identity is lifted beyond the changes and chances of life. God wants for us to be sure of our identity in Him, our worth and value beyond the sum total of our successes and achievements. St Paul reassures us: God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Colossians 3.12 (CEV) Here is the basis for a healthy view of ourselves and also for engagement with the world and ourselves. Terry Unger Chaplain
Middle School News Leadership 2017 In the coming weeks Mr Smith, Mr Tanguy and I will begin talking with the Year 8 students about opportunities for leadership roles in 2017. Over the past few years we have been modifying what is expected in these roles and the best way to allow students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate leadership at a time in their lives when it is sometimes difficult to place oneself out in the community in a leadership role. Initially we will call for students interested in the following roles: Middle School Captains, Sporting Captains or Cultural Captains. Following expressions of interest we will ask interested students to seek support for their nomination from staff. Speeches and voting will then occur and finally an interview with Mr Tanguy and myself.
Electives 2017 In the next week I will be publishing the electives for 2017. It is clear that many students have sought to repeat electives undertaken in previous years. The elective program serves two main aims; firstly, to allow students an opportunity to study subjects within their areas of interest, but secondly, to experience a broad education before the inevitable specialisation in senior years. The online subject distribution program used by the College now removes the ability of students to repeat electives. Consequently, there are a number of students in Years 8 and 9 who will need to see me to reallocate choices. As always please contact me should you wish to discuss anything further tomc@salc.qld.edu.au Tom Casey Head of Middle School
Student Development How Might we Support Service and Deepen Learning? Students across the College are given opportunity during Pastoral Care, within their curriculums and through connections to extra-curricular organisations and service teams to experience the challenge of serving others. In these experiences they may find opportunity to love others, to serve community needs, to make vital connections into the life of others and find meaning in their own lives. But to some students, much of service may seem bland, repetitive or even useless. It may be that learning to reflect with others and within ourselves before God that we will find what is meaningful and worth learning – despite what some of our initial reactions, prejudices or shallow observations are. As parents you might encourage a deeper reflection which builds a habit or disposition within your children to find the meaning in these experiences. “What do we learn when we serve others? What do we have to confront when we see needs in the community? What learning will lead us more willingly into the service of others? How might we support others involved in vital service provision in the wider community?” And sharing some of our own challenges as we put this important value into action. As examples of service our Year 10s and 11s are finding joy and deeper relationships as they read and encourage Junior School students; many reflecting on the best learning experiences they had in Primary School. Some German students are making new connections as they teach Year 6s and the Year 9s are completing the Edge program. Last weekend some families made connections with Disabled Surfing Queensland. As a community we are willing to keep giving effort to these important opportunities for development and sharing. Ms Tania Stewart’s article gives further information about service opportunities in our community.
Hopefully these practical tips will give our parents an opportunity to talk with students about developing and promoting a Growth Mindset and the benefits of it to enhancing learning, achieving personal bests, building hope, becoming academically tenacious and developing resilience. Service Opportunities in our Community When our young people get the opportunity to give back to their communities it can have a lasting and resounding impact on their own wellbeing. Our students have the opportunity to do this during Year 9 Service Learning Projects, through groups like our LEO Club and when our Year 11’s do their service projects in CS.
James Nelson Director of Student Development
Senior School News Flourishing in the Senior School Working on our Mindset – A Focus in the Senior School What is a mindset? A series of self- beliefs people hold about themselves. They determine our behaviours, outlook and mental attitude e.g believing you are either ‘intelligent’ or ‘unintelligent’. At this College we promote a Growth Mindset but our students are aware that we can also have a Fixed Mindset. By knowing about the two mindsets, you can start thinking and reacting in new ways. One of the benefits of a Growth Mindset is that it shifts our attitude to challenge, failure and setbacks. That is, setbacks, problems and experiencing difficulty are not negatives but opportunities for growth. The brain is like a muscle and can be trained to grow so that we use more of our grey matter, yes we actually get smarter. However, to do this we must stretch it, test it and struggle a little bit. Recognising that we can make simple changes that will help us approach our learning in a more positive light and can also help to bring hope. Hope is one of our strengths that are in focus this term as we work on the virtue of Transcendence. We have focused on the Strength of Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence and in coming weeks will turn our attention to Hope, Humour, Gratitude and Spirituality.
With this in mind a couple of opportunities to get involved in some service projects have come to our attention and we would like to promote these to you. 1. Beach Care - Saturday 29 October at Tugun from 9-11am. See below link for the exact meeting places and further dates in other areas that may suit better. https://www. griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/773441/ PlantingDays_16.pdf 2. Surfing for the Disabled - Over the next 2 months Surfing for the Disabled needs volunteers to help young people who aren’t as fortunate as our students experience the freedom of riding the waves. This occurs on Sunday morning from 9am at Len Wort Park, Flat Rock Beach, Currumbin. Attached is a link with a little bit more about this very worthwhile organisation and dates for involvement. http://disabledsurfers.org/qld/gold-coast-branch/ Last Friday I took a group of Year 10 boys, along with our Leo club members, to the Aged Care. It was wonderful to see our young, vibrant and caring students engaging so meaningfully with the elderly.
Practising a Growth Mindset 1. Stretch your brain with this twister - There are six eggs in the basket. Six people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket? 2. Try this Daily Reflection to challenge our mindset - What did I learn today? What mistakes did I make that taught me something? What did I try hard at during the lesson? 3. Practise a Growth Mindset through Self-Talk - Below are some things to say to yourself while completing tasks: • • • •
I worked really hard on that part! I have all these skills, I just need to be able to _________. I’ve gotten this far, I’m not stopping now. When I can _________. I will know I have understood it.
This will help with developing a growth mindset.
If you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me on tanias@salc.qld.edu.au Tania Stewart Head of Senior School
Performing Arts News Cultural Awards Evening Last Wednesday we held our annual Cultural Awards Evening where we celebrated the year in the Arts and acknowledged the outstanding achievements of our students in the Visual and Performing Arts. The highlight of the night was undoubtedly Viva La Vida featuring our Senior Choir, Combined Dance Troupe, String Ensemble, Brass Section from our Concert Band and soloists Elliott Baylis and Jonathon Aiello. Congratulations to all involved and thanks to our amazing Arts Staff for ensuring the night was such a success.
End of Year Concerts As we approach the time of year when we showcase Individual PAT students in our End of Year Concerts, we are trialling some new formats. Some of our younger performers will feature in First Break Mini Concerts and our MS/SS Vocal Students will present in a Twilight Concert in the Staff Common Room in the Main Administration Building overlooking the valley. The dates for concerts are as below:
Student Achievement Kiara Freeman played a pivotal role as Young Lyndal in the feature film “Don’t Tell”, the true story of a child abuse survivor. Kiara recently walked the red carpet for the premier of “Don’t Tell” with cast members Jack Thompson, Rachel Griffiths, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Sara West. “Don’t Tell” will be in theatres in March 2017.
Vocal PAT Vocal - First Break Concerts Thursday 17 November - JS Students - Linlee/Tiffany’s students Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 November - Kristine’s JS Students NB - These will be held in JS Music Room (TBC) Middle and Senior PAT Vocal Twilight Concert Tuesday 8 November 5pm in the Staff Common Room. Speech and Drama PAT Speech and Drama - First Break Concert Series Wednesday 23 November - Years 1 and 2 Friday 25 November - Year 3 NB - These will be held in JS Music Room (TBC) Years 4 - 11 Speech and Drama Concerts Tuesday 22 November in the MPH Year 4 and 5 - 3.30 - 4.15pm Years 6 - 11- 4.30 - 5.45pm Notes regarding the details of these concerts will be sent home via your PAT teacher. Cilla Scott Head of Arts
Science News During the last week of the September holidays, I had the opportunity to be one of 160 Year 11 students from around Queensland who attended a STEM Camp at the Gardens Point QUT Campus. During the six-day camp we focused on a group project while also having extra evening events. During the Camp we were each allocated one of ten projects to work on for the week: The Robo-Butler Picking challenge, UAV Medical Aid Delivery challenge, Biofabrication – Biomedical 3D Printing is Hear, Invisibility Cloaks – Science Fiction or Reality?, Feeding the Future – Effect of Drought and Salinity on Legumes, Organic Electronics, Cold Case, Robotic Surgeons, Mathematics for Imaging and Virtual Reality and Pharmacy Zombie Busters. Each project provided opportunities to use equipment and do things that we would not have the chance to use at school. I was in the Mathematics for Imaging and Virtual Reality Group and as such we had the opportunity to use 360o cameras and then use the images to create immersive virtual reality environments. Each project was run by two academics and two student ambassadors. This allowed us to talk to professionals in the fields we were interested in as well as allowing us to talk closely with QUT students and get to known their perspective on QUT and the courses on offer. As well as our group projects, there were a range of evening events including a panel focusing on “The World in 10 Years”. The panel consisted of four guest speakers: Queensland Chief Scientist Dr Geoff Garrett, Hewlett Packard’s Chief Technologist of Innovation – Asia Pacific & Japan Roger Lawrence, Associate Professor Mia Woodruff and 16 year-old Taj Pabari, CEO and Founder of Fifty Six. We also had a “Future Studies and Careers Fair” where we were able to personally talk with current QUT students about courses and general life at QUT. The STEM Researchers Talk allowed researchers in a wide range of fields were able to share with us what they did, the possibilities we had and how what we were doing connected to the work they were doing. At the STEM Camp Showcase Breakfast on the last day, where we were able to show what we had done, we also had guest speaker Dr Catherine Ball, the “Dame of Drones”. There were also a number of extra activities that allowed us to get to know the other people attending the camp. Some of these activities were the STEM Camp’s Got Talent, a movie on the largest interactive display screen in the Southern Hemisphere, “The Cube” and a show by a group called “Street Science”. Overall, the camp was an amazing experience that allowed me to have fun while getting to know other like minded people around the state, learn more about QUT and life at university, see how the subjects we enjoy at school are used in the real world and take our interests to the next level. Amara Butterfield Year 11 Student
Maths News Mathematics Competition Results 2016 Results from the various Mathematics competitions that students of the College took part in throughout Term 3 have recently arrived. Both competitions (Australian Mathematics Competition & ICAS Mathematics Competition) have hundreds of thousands of students entered throughout many countries and are designed to be very difficult, often asking students to extend concepts above their present year’s understanding. Students from St Andrews performed extremely well and all students are to be congratulated for their efforts. Australian Mathematics Competition: High Distinction: Callum Ahern (Year 8) Distinction: Jett Andrews (Year 7) & Jaimie Ahern (Year 10) Credit: Sara Allan (Year 7), Caitlin Gabriel (Year 9), Harrison Craig-Ward (Year 10) and Amara Butterworth (Year 11) Proficiency: Samuel Kerr (Year 7) ICAS Mathematics Competition: Year 11 Distinction: Amara Butterworth Credit: Alexander, Lachlan Coote, Olivia English, Ava Gardner, Zak Kouaider, Rory McLynskey & Keely McVay Merit: Flynn Bergman, Emmeline Best, Emily Burnell, Shane Futcher, Sophia Hill, Brady Holland, Danielle Hoskins, Abbey MacTaggart, Molly Schaefer, Patrick Silveira, Charlotte Sutherland & Mikayla Van Kampen Year 10 Distinction: Ben Allan & William Dower Credit: d’Artagnan Barnard, Khai Bowie, David Braid, Harrison Craig-Ward, Jake Harrison, Lilli MacDonald, Nicholas Osborne, Jack Sturgeon, Matthew Valentine, Hayden Verschuure & Finlay Wardrop Merit: Joanna Loudon, Emily Nieass & Jarrod Yates Year 9 Merit: Caitlin Gabriel Year 8 Distinction: Callum Ahern & Alexandra Bugeja Credit: Aston Ralph, Noah Broeckx, Kalindi Porter, Peter Thomas, Abbey Bates, Stephanie Clark, April Dower, Bronte Good, Kenzie Hoskins, Soham Kale & Mariel U’Ren Merit: Kaleb Lowrie, Alexandra Clark, Luca Odisho, Alexander Armstrong, Aiden Campbell, Kayla Laming, Tristan Marais, Lucas Nash, Annabel Rytenskild, Freya Sambain & Jarod Shannon Year 7 Distinction: Joe Hayes Credit: Samuel Kerr Merit: Amber Chalmers & Laura Mackenzie Shane Edwards Head of Mathematics
Year 7 Creative Writing News During September 2016, many of our students at St Andrews Lutheran College entered a national short story and poetry writing competition titled, “Write 4 Fun.” In particular, many of our Year 7 students chose to enter self-devised poetry that had been composed during their recent English unit. Congratulations to all students who entered, and in particular to the following students who have moved through to the final round of judging, as well as having been selected to have their poetry published in a book titled ‘Word Zone,’ due for national release in March, 2017.
Benjamin Long Bianca Trewin Samuel Kerr Deni Engels Daniel Craig Sam Naylor Sasha-Lee Kuzmanov Isabella McDonald Elly Batchelor Isabella Cox Jazmin Lopez Kiara Freeman Kayla-Jane Murray Amy Dignan
Matthew Gabriel Benjamin Johnstone Oscar Burrell Molly O’Brien Thalia Simpson Tyrone Wright Saoirse Harding Zach Nussey Blake Menrath-Bonham Emily Martin Katie Scott Isaac Thorpe Sara Allan
through the school sport system and not necessarily those accomplishments reached at a club level. Queensland Champion Schools Olympic Weightlifting Titles On Sunday 12 November eight St Andrews students will represent the College at the Queensland Champion Schools Olympic Weightlifting Titles. Here the students will compete in either the under 15’s or Opens competition in their weight division. Each lifter needs to perform 3 snatch and 3 clean and jerk lifts. The students have all been training very hard under the guidance of Mr Linzey Beister from Gold Coast Weight Lifting Club. Linzey is one of Australia’s best lifting coaches in the country and we are fortunate to have him here at the College on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 7-8am.
Louise Thorpe Year 7 Teacher
Sport News Sports Awards Breakfast Our inaugural Sports Awards Breakfast will be held on Wednesday 2 November in the MPH. All parents whose children are receiving an award have been emailed an invitation and requested to RSVP with numbers so catering can be arranged. The breakfast will start at 7:30am and go through until 9am. Students receiving an award should wear their school uniform. Awards which will be presented on the morning will be: • • • • • • • • • •
Bronze Awards Silver Awards Gold Awards Middle School Sports Star Awards Senior School Sports Star Awards Griffith University Award Mackenzie Walker Award Koala Koaches All Rounder Award Individual Sports Awards Team Sports Awards
It is important to remember that the main criteria for the majority of these awards relates to achievements obtained
Queensland Schools Track and Field I want to congratulate all the St Andrews students who competed at the recent Queensland School Track and Field Competition where they represented South Coast. One outstanding result in particular came from Katie Hayward a current Year 11 student. Katie won the 5km Race Walk, setting a new State and Australian record with a time of 21.39.03mins. This time puts Katie as number one in the world for the Under 18 5000m Race Walking Women Division. Libby Wood Secondary School Sports Coordinator
Netball News On the weekend of October 15 & 16, nineteen enthusiastic and talented netballers travelled to Ipswich to compete in the annual Primary Schools Cup. The girls from Years 5 and 6 have been training since the beginning of Term 3, after selection trials were held in Term 2.
Boots for Fiji Football Boots no longer required? Don’t throw them out! The weekend was very successful with the A team only losing one game. Unfortunately, the way the draw was constructed the girls were unable to compete for the overall premiership. This team won their divisional section on Sunday after a hard fought, come from behind win. The B team also competed strongly over the weekend. They lost a few close games on Saturday which placed them in a lower division on Sunday. This enabled them to win their Sunday games very easily. Confidence grew and they thoroughly enjoyed all games. A special mention must be made of two Year 10 girls, Zara Morrison and Emilie Robins who coached these teams. Giving of their time every Wednesday morning and then travelling to the carnival is a big effort. Both girls enjoyed their time with the younger students and already want to do it again next year.
With this group of young netballers coming through the College, St Andrews netball is going to go from strength to strength. Lisa Roper Netball Coach
Why not donate them to those who don’t have the opportunity to own football boots? Boots will be cleaned, relaced and donated this year to underprivileged children in Fiji. Simply drop your boots into one of the collection boxes in either Middle School or Senior School Administration Offices or drop them in to Mrs Atkins in E6 (Middle School). For further information: visit the Bond Pirates Rugby Union Facebook: www.facebook.com/bondpiratesrugby/ or send an email to Mrs Atkins at: bootdrive@bondpirates.com.au
All students who intend to travel to or from the College via Surfside Buslines using a bus pass in 2017, need to apply for one now. A fact sheet is available from Main Reception or by contacting the College Registrar, Mrs Janette Jestrimski. For further information on the School Transport Assistance Scheme, the Code of Conduct for School Children Travelling on Buses and Timetables visit: www.translink.com.au Please note this notice does not apply for the three College (Koala Koaches) run bus routes.
P & F News Community Event Postponed Community event on Friday 28 October on the Village Green has been POSTPONED. P & F Annual General Meeting The P & F AGM will be held Wednesday 9 November at 7.00pm in the Cecile Ryan Centre. Everyone is welcome to attend and all positions will become vacant and elections will be held on the night. Nomination forms will need to be filled out and sent back prior to the night. These can be acquired from Nicole Ainger at naa@ingwersen.com.au Farewell Afternoon Tea - Monday 21 November A farewell afternoon tea for Mr Kotzur will be held on Monday 21 November 3.30-5.00pm on the deck near the Tuckshop. Parents and friends from the College are invited to join us all to wish Mr Kotzur all the best for his future and to thank him for his leadership and contribution to St Andrews. St Andrews Fete will be held 20 May 2017 We will require volunteers to help coordinate and make the fete a success. Please send through your contact details and any information which will help us to pandf@salc.qld.edu.au P & F Commitee
Dates to Remember Wednesday 2 Sports Breakfast, MPH – 7.30am Year 12 PVM Excursion (selected students) Year 11 Hospitality Class Buffet Dinner (selected students) Friday 4 Year 9 Girls Return from GOOGA Rosies Outreach Opening Night of Year 12 Graduating Visual Art Exhibition, Learning Hub – 6.30pm Monday 7 Grip Leadership Conference (selected students) Year 12 Exams (7-11 November) Year 12 Graduating Art Exhibition (7-16 November) Tuesday 8 An Evening of Song Years 7-12, Staff Common Room – 5.00pm Wednesday 9 P & F General Meeting and AGM, CRC – 7.00pm Friday 11 Remembrance Day SS Mens and Womens Assembly, 8.30am Year 9 Girls The Edge Presentation, Worship Centre – 7.00pm Saturday 12 Animi Concert, Kings Christian College – 6.30pm
Uniform Shop News Second Hand Clothing If you wish to sell second hand clothes and use the credit to purchase more uniforms in January, please submit your items before the end of term. All items must be clean & ironed (not damaged, stained, faded or showing excessive wear). Items may be submitted in January but, due to the back to school rush, any credit will not be available until mid February. Uniforms for 2017 See Flyer at End of this Bulletin for ‘What You Need for 2017’. Buy or layby your Uniforms now and avoid the January rush and any price increases. You are guaranteed to get the items you need and you can exchange sizes in January if needed (providing items are returned in a saleable condition). Email us your list by 8am the day prior so we can have it ready for you when you come in or order and pay online via www.flexischools.com.au Selling Senior Blazers The Uniform Shop will sell your blazer for you on consignment basis, providing it is in good condition and unmarked. Simply have your blazer dry cleaned as soon as you finish school and bring it to us with the receipt attached, preferably before the end of term. We will notify you as soon as it is sold. We already have a list of parents looking for 2nd hand blazers for next year, so the sooner you bring it in, the better chance you have of selling it. Prices paid range from $70 - $100. Sharon McVay Uniform Shop Manager
3.30-5pm on the deck near the Tuckshop
Parents and friends from the College are invited to join us to wish our College Principal Tim Kotzur all the best for his future and thank him for his contribution to St Andrews
Monday 21 November 2016
Farewell Afternoon Tea
New senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems in Queensland A guide for parents
Advancing futures New senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems in Queensland
New senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems in Queensland A guide for parents The Queensland Government is introducing new senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems.
The reforms are the biggest change to senior education in more than 40 years.
The new systems will commence for students who enter Year 11 in 2019 (i.e. current Year 8 students).
Why change the current systems?
Commencement in 2019 will ensure teachers, students and parents have time to understand and familiarise themselves with the new arrangements. Students and parents will be aware of new senior subjects and assessment arrangements as they plan their senior subjects and pathways.
What are the key changes? The new systems will include:
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• a new senior assessment model that combines school-based assessment developed and marked by classroom teachers, with external assessment set and marked by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA); and • a move from the current Overall Position (OP) tertiary entrance rank to an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), as used by other Australian states and territories.
The senior assessment system in its current form began in the early 1980s, and the existing tertiary entrance system was introduced in 1992. In 2014, a report by the Australian Council for Educational Research found that while the existing arrangements are serving Queensland students well, they will not be sustainable over the longer term.
What about current Year 9 students, who will now finish Year 12 under existing arrangements? Families with students who will be completing school under the current system can be assured that their subject results and OP ranks are fair and reliable. The existing systems will in no way be compromised by the changes occurring from 2019.
New senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems in Queensland A guide for parents
What will be different about senior assessment? Year 12 students typically complete up to seven final assessments in each Authority subject. Under the new system, students will complete four assessments for each subject, leaving more time for teaching and learning. In senior Authority subjects, three of these assessments will be school-based and one will be externally set and marked. External assessments are designed to give an extra layer of information about what students have learnt and can do in a subject. They will generally contribute 25% towards a student’s final result in most senior subjects. In mathematics and science subjects, they will generally contribute 50%. New processes will also be used to strengthen the quality and comparability of school-based assessment. For example, under the new system, all school-based assessments will be endorsed by the QCAA before being used in the classroom.
What will be different about tertiary entrance? Eligible students will be awarded an ATAR. The ATAR will replace the OP. ATARs will be calculated by comparing student results using a process known as ‘inter-subject scaling’, as used in a number of other Australian jurisdictions. The current Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test will be discontinued, allowing more time for subject-based teaching and learning. A broader range of learning will be able to contribute to the ATAR than the OP.
What’s the difference between the OP and the ATAR?
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The ATAR is a finer grained rank order of students than the OP and is commonly used in other states and territories. It’s a number between 0.00 and 99.95 with increments of 0.05, whereas the OP
consists of 25 bands. The ATAR will be more useful in selecting students in very high demand courses in which most applicants hold the highest possible OP rank (an OP1).
How will ATARs be calculated? ATARs will be based on five subjects, which can either be: • five Authority subjects; or • four Authority subjects, plus one vocational education and training qualification at Certificate III or above; or • four Authority subjects, plus one Subject Area Syllabus subject. Students will have to satisfactorily complete an English subject to be eligible for an ATAR, but their English result will not be a mandatory inclusion in the calculation of their ATAR.
How should students choose their subjects? As in the current system, students should choose subjects according to their learning goals, and what they enjoy and are good at. They should pay close attention to the prerequisite requirements of the courses they are considering for tertiary study.
Will the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) continue? The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) will remain as Queensland’s senior school qualification. All eligible Year 12 graduates will be awarded a QCE now and in the future.
More information More information about the transition to the new systems is available online on the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority website at: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au
Uniforms for 2017 What you need if your child is moving up to the next year level. ……..
Year 1
JUNIOR SCHOOL.
The Formal Uniform is worn 3 days a week. The Sports Uniform (same as Prep uniform) is worn 2 days a week. BOYS Formal Hat - $48 White Short Sleeve Shirt - $32 Navy Elastic Backed Shorts - $28 Navy Knee High Formal Socks - $ 8 Formal Jumper (to be worn with Formal Uniform) Wool $80-85 Poly Cotton $70 Black Leather Lace-up Shoes (not available from Uniform Shop) GIRLS Formal Hat - $48 Formal Dress - $70 White Ankle Socks with navy stripes - $ 8 Formal Jumper (to be worn with Formal Uniform) Wool $80-85 Poly Cotton $70 Black Leather Lace-up Shoes (not available from Uniform Shop) Navy tights (optional for winter with Formal Uniform)
Years 2 & 3 no changes Year 4 ALL Navy Sports Shirt - $35 (house shirt now worn one day/week) BOYS College Shorts with belt loops - $30-$34 Belt - $20
Years 5 & 6
no changes
MIDDLE SCHOOL. Year 7 The Formal Uniform is worn 4 days. The Sports Uniform is to be brought to school and changed into for PE. The Navy Sports Uniform is worn to/from school on Thursdays only. ALL Baseball Cap or Wide Brimmed Sports Hat $16 Sport Sockettes - $8 GIRLS Formal Blouse - $42 Formal Skirt - $55 Formal and Sports Sockettes - $8 each BOYS - Grey Trousers are optional in Terms 2 & 3
Years 8 & 9
- no changes
SENIOR SCHOOL. IMPORTANT - SCHOOL PHOTOS (WEEK 2) ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE THEIR BLAZER FOR PHOTOS. BOYS MUST ALSO BRING THEIR TIE AND TROUSERS.
Year 10 GIRLS Senior Girls Tie - $22 Blazer - $190-$195 BOYS Senior White Short or Long Sleeve Shirt (no tartan trim on pocket) - $32 The following items are required for Photos but are only worn in Terms 2 & 3 Senior Boys Tie - $22 Grey Trousers - $35 Blazer - $195-200
Years 11 & 12 - no changes
___________________________
Questions? Please contact the UniformShop on 5568 5933 or email uniformshop@salc.qld.edu.au Prices current until December 2016.
2nd Hand Uniforms may also be available.
INSIGHTS Building parent-school partnerships WORDS Michael Grose
What it means to be an emotionally intelligent parent So what does an emotionally intelligent parent look like? Here are five attributes that emotionally intelligent parents have in common. Ten year-old Elle liked to be active, but one weekend things got out of control. A jazz ballet concert, a game of netball, and a family visit to her cousin’s house meant no time to herself. And she let her parents know it with constant moaning, as well as a tantrum or two.
Giving a talk in front others can be nervewracking.”
Her father held his tongue for most of the weekend, but couldn’t help but give her some fatherly advice on Sunday night. “You’ve spent the whole weekend moaning about how busy you are. Maybe you need to drop one of your activities, if they are stressing you out so much!”
Elle’s dad focused on her behaviour and responded in kind (with well-meaning advice about her future behaviour), while her mother focused on the feelings that acted as a possible driver to her daughter’s behaviour. She took an emotionally smart approach, which turned out to be the right one in this circumstance.
Emotionally intelligent parents have the following five attributes in common. They will usually:
Emotionally intelligent parents don’t dismiss children’s behaviour and allow kids to do as they please. There are times that we need to focus on a child’s behaviour. A child who is rude in public should be reminded in no uncertain terms that poor manners are inappropriate.
to listen to their kids when emotions are
A tantrum followed…from Elle. Elle’s mum took a different tack. She had a hunch that something was bothering her daughter. “You sound like something is bothering you big-time. What’s up?” “I’ve got to give a talk at school on Monday in front of the whole school and I haven’t time to prepare. It’ll be awful and everyone will laugh.” Her mum replied, “You sound like you might be pretty nervous. That makes sense.
Elle dropped her shoulders, smiled and said, “You bet!” She was relieved because her mum understood how she felt. In fact, her mum had unlocked the problem for her and reflected back how she felt.
However, there are times when smart parents need to look beyond the obvious behaviours to get a good understanding of what’s happening to their child, and to help
a child better understand and manage their emotions. So what does an emotionally intelligent parent look like? And importantly what is the impact on kids, parents and families of this approach?
1 Listen more and judge less There is nothing better than being understood. Parents who operate from an emotionally-smart mindset are more likely high, trying to access what may be going on, rather than clamping down their behaviour or closing them down with well-meaning advice. Impact: Better, more open relationships.
more Grose2 Michaonel page
Want more ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient young people? Subscribe to Happy Kids newsletter, my FREE weekly email parenting guide at parentingideas.com.au. You’ll be so glad you did.
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© 2016 Michael Grose
INSIGHTS
2
Building parent-school partnerships
... What it means to be an emotionally intelligent parent ... 2 Accept strong emotions Anyone who lives with teenagers will know that emotions can run very high. They can say the worst possible things to each other and, at times, to you. Ten minutes after delivering a hateful tirade they can be cuddling up to the person who was the butt of their anger, frustration or anxiety. Emotionally intelligent parents know that feelings need to be expressed rather than bottled up, and allowed to fester. They also believe there is nothing so bad that a child can’t give voice to in a family, however there are behaviours that are not unacceptable. Impact: A healthy expression of emotions.
3 Focus on the present Most parents are rightfully future-focused. We focus on the homework that needs to be handed in tomorrow; the washing that needs to be done; the meal that needs to be cooked. That’s part of everyday life. Children generally focus on the here and now. That of course can be frustrating to a task-oriented futurefocused mother or father. However when we lower our gaze we are more likely to pick up how kids are feeling, and importantly help them understand and manage their moods and emotions. Impact: Happier families and less stress felt at home.
4 Use rules rather than their moods to determine discipline Some parents discipline according to their moods. If they feel good then they give children plenty of lenience. If they are feel bad then they pick their kids up on every little
thing. It’s better to stick to the family and house rules; that makes you more predictable, which kids really crave. Impact: More consistent parenting
5 Develop a language around feelings A family develops a vocabulary around the things that are important to them. Kids in a sport mad family will inevitably have a rich vocabulary around their chosen sport. The same holds for emotional intelligence. Families that truly value building emotional smarts will develop in kids a rich palette of words that will help them describe how they feel. This vocabulary will inevitably stay with them for life. Impact: Better relationships later in life at work and in their own families. At a time when anger and anxiety has never been so high in families, there is a massive need for a parenting approach that includes emotional intelligence. Many parents struggle in the area of helping children understand and manage their emotions because we’ve never had any training in it. We didn’t learn it from our parents, and more than likely haven’t learned it at work. Emotionally intelligent parenting can be learned. At Parentingideas emotional intelligence is central to the work we do with parents. We know firsthand that kids who have parents versed in emotional intelligence are more likely to raise kids with the skills to be happier, enjoy better relationships and experience more success at school.
Michael Grose
nt young people? Subscribe to Happy Kids Want more ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilie tingideas.com.au. You’ll be so glad you did. newsletter, my FREE weekly email parenting guide at paren
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© 2016 Michael Grose