Middle/Senior School Bulletin Issue 1 / 5 February 2016 Middle & Senior School News Learning to Flourish! At St Andrews we have a strong focus on developing young men and women of character within an environment that promotes flourishing. Learning is relational and how we learn and live in community, in accordance to our College values; Faith, Grace, Learning, Personal Bests, Community, Service, Growth and Integrity is truly what encourages us to seek to do and be our best selves; to flourish.
I was also very pleased to award our first ‘Spirit of St Andrews Award’ for 2016 to Year 12 student, Elliott Baylis who selflessly shared his talent over the weekend performing for an Aged Care home. When Elliott was offered remuneration he declined and said it was reward enough just to have been able to brighten the day of the residents. This encapsulates the ‘others-centredness’ we are trying to foster in our students.
This week I had the pleasure of accompanying our College Captains and Middle School Captains on a visit to the Early Learning Centre where they enjoyed working with our youngest children.
Celebrating Excellence This year we will continue to be committed to the pursuit of academic excellence and success. Success being defined as a measure of achieving personal best performances while actively stretching to reach goals for growth. On Friday our OP 1 – 5 graduates from 2015 joined us for our Senior School Awards Assembly where we celebrated academic achievement, improvement and effort in Semester Two 2015. Past student, Luke Butterworth gave some very sage advice to Senior School students about goal setting, maintaining a balanced approach to the demands of your studies and striving to achieve your personal best. The implementation of Dimensions of Learning as our Learning and Teaching Framework, with a focus on ‘Habits of Mind’ and ‘Using Knowledge Meaningfully’ will continue to be a focus for us in 2016. There are 16 Habits of Mind that encourage us to make well-considered (intelligent) choices when faced with challenging problems. The Student Diary has a list of all of the Habits of Mind and teachers are using techniques to encourage students to develop these habits. Parents might like to reinforce these habits at home. Further information about this framework can be found on the College Website: www.standrewslutheran.qld.edu.au/senior/curriculum/
Parent Information Evenings Thank you to all of the Middle School parents who attended our Parent Information Evening this week. If you were unable to attend, the materials covered can be accessed through Parent Lounge next week. Senior School parents and students are reminded that next Tuesday 9 February is the Senior School Parent Evening which starts at 5.00pm and is compulsory for students. Students are asked to wear their College uniform.
Feel Good February This year across the Secondary School we will continue to embed the wellbeing model of PERMA (Positive Emotions, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment). In support of the ‘Feel Good February’ campaign, this month we will also be encouraging students to ‘pay it forward’ and to look for simple, thoughtful ways to make others feel good by being a ‘good finder.’ This aligns with the 3 good things exercise we ask students to complete in their diary.
New Staff During each Bulletin this term a new member of staff will be in focus. Mr Mark Petch is working with Mrs Polentas classes while she is on leave. Mark started his teaching career in Victoria working primarily in the areas of English, History and SOSE. Through time spent in industry and private enterprise, Mark developed his skills and knowledge in the field of Information Technology. Upon his return to teaching, Mark served in a number of schools as an IT leader, teacher and network manager. After 8 years as the Head of IT at the Australian International School in Jakarta, Mark is enjoying getting reacquainted with living and working in Australian Schools. Apart from IT, his educational and co-curricular interests include debating and public speaking, film studies, story and song writing, current affairs, history, digital graphics and animation, plays and musicals and anything outdoors. When not at school Mark is busy travelling, cooking, playing music, watching movies, computer gaming or hanging out at the beach.
Individually and as a community of young people, I pray that our students continue to seek opportunities to ‘pay it forward’ and to make significant contributions within and beyond our community with a sense of purpose and wellbeing during ‘Feel Good February’ and beyond.
Important Dates Weeks 3 – 6 As mentioned above, next Tuesday 9 February is the Senior School Parent Evening. Friday 12 February is the Middle School Awards Assembly (8.30am in the Worship Centre) and our Secondary School Disco (7.00 – 9.30pm) will be held at the College in the RBT. Friday 19 February is our Year 12 student’s first QCS preparation workshop for 2016. The Year 7 Orientation Camp is being held Wednesday 17 February and Thursday 18 February. This is an important ‘community building’ camp.
‘Feel Good February!’
Every blessing Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School virginiaw@salc.qld.edu.au
Middle School News Welcome back to the start of a new school year. I hope that the traditional Christmas break afforded everyone an opportunity to participate in those things which bring us joy. The start of a new year allows us the chance to establish fresh goals, to make new acquaintances and to experience new areas for learning. To all families joining the Middle School for the first time at St Andrews I look forward to meeting you throughout the coming term and I hope that your children grasp the experiences in front of them with relish and delight. To those families who continue their journey through the Middle School I look forward to renewing our acquaintance and continuing to support your children along their journey. Over the past few years the College has adopted the principles of Positive Psychology and, through Years 7 to 12, the Dimensions of Learning pedagogical framework. It is worth taking a moment at the start of the school year to discuss these paradigms with your child and to ask them to explain how they are experiencing them daily in their time at the College. I look forward to an exciting year ahead and wish you all the best for 2016. Tom Casey Head of Middle School
Senior School News Positive Education In the Senior School we continue to work closely with our students and staff to assist them to develop the skills that will help them to flourish, that combination of feeling good and doing well through increasing positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning and achievements or what the experts call PERMA (Seligman). In the Senior School Pastoral Care Team we believe that “it is possible that schools could teach both the skills of well-being and the skills of achievement” (Seligman, 2011). Our core purpose is to encourage our students to achieve their personal bests, create opportunities where they develop the skills for life and learn the value of serving either at school, the community or in their family unit. We aim to ensure that our students are cared for, that they are challenged and that they grow (academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually). One way to do this is through the regular setting of Term goals that are SMART. Please check your child’s diary and Term 1 goals. Goals should be specific and set clear targets for both GPA and EPA scores. Year 12 Retreat The 2016 Year 12 cohort enjoyed last Thursday and Friday at Burleigh Christian Youth Camp for our annual Retreat. We were blessed with some wonderful weather, enthusiastic students and passionate staff members. Thank you, Mr Nelson, Mrs Washington, Miss Yeo, Mrs Rudd, Mr Schache, Mrs Wood and Mrs Warner for your contributions to make a really solid start on 2016 – Our Best Year Ever. I look forward to working with the Years 12’s as leaders and am sure that it really will be a great year for them and the College. As Mrs Washington said, “they are a credit to their parents and the College. It will be a honour to serve them.” During one of our reflections we established the goal for all 79 seniors to “create a community of honour and respect in the Senior School where all students have the opportunity to flourish and the Year 12’s leave a legacy of care, growth and challenge.”
Leos Welcome from the 2016 Executive “On behalf of the Leo Executive I would like to say hello and welcome to the 2016 school year! I am the Leo President and along, with the vice-president Keely McVay and executives Jasmine Sheers and Hayden Verschuure I would like to offer you the opportunity to be involved in our Leo Club in 2016. I’m sure you’ve probably heard of the St Andrews Leo Club over the last three years and 2016 is the perfect time to take some action and get involved. So maybe you’re asking… what is Leos? Leos is the youth sector of the Lions Club devoted to community service and giving back to the people who deserve it most. Leos stands for leadership, experience, opportunity and service which is at the very core of the club itself. Over the course of the year we run and participate in many different events including Bunnings Warehouse barbecues, beach care, Relay for Life, charity runs, visiting the Aged Care, fundraisers and much more. We meet every second Friday at 8am, including this week at 8am in Seminar Room 1 in the CRC (Middle and Senior Library). As a leadership team, the executives, senior Lion’s members and I will be presenting upcoming events, which we will organise some Leos to attend according to availability. What you put in to your Leos experience is what you get out of it, so it’s up to you. The warm, fuzzy feeling you get from participating in Leos is something that is so special and will live with you for your entire Secondary School experience. This year is going to be another exciting year in the Leos Club, so we hope you can help us make it our biggest and best year yet. Come and join us on Friday 19 February in Sem Room 1 in the CRC at 8am. Whether you’re a seasoned Leos member or a budding Leo-to-be, we cannot wait to see you.” - Leos President 2016, Olivia English (Year 11) Congratulations to: • College Captains: Tia Lightbody, Izak Schache, Vice Captains: Ben Beggs and Khali Robins who attended Enthuse Leadership Camp in the last week of the school holidays. This is a wonderful opportunity for our student leaders to meet, share ideas and forge networks of support that will help to sustain them over a very busy and demanding year. Our leaders always come back from Enthuse saying it was one of the best weeks they’ve experienced, that it was life-changing and so great to meet other like-minded people. • Olivia English, Keely McVay, Hayden Verschuure and Jasmine Sheers who have taken over the Leo Executive for 2016. Our Installation of all Leos will be on Friday 19 February at 3.30pm in the Main Reception. Some General Housekeeping - Please ensure that: • Your child has a lock on their locker; • Uniforms are worn and if there is an issue, an email or note would be appreciated; • Hair is neat, tidy and boys have a conservative hair style (as per the uniform policy p33 of Diary) – hairstyles where the hair is all one length and/or the fringe is long and hanging in the face is not considered conservative. 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
Chaplains Chat Warm greetings to the St Andrews community! We have begun a new school year and I hope that, like me, the newness and freshness of the year remains for you and your children. I would like to take this opportunity to let you know what our Year 8 and Year 10 students are studying as part of Christian Studies this term. Both year levels are engaged in a unit of study specifically to do with Jesus, yet pitched at different levels. Whilst you may think that Jesus is always discussed as part of Christian Studies – and you would be right – these units of study are designed to give greater depth and understanding of Jesus himself who is, of course, the central figure of Christianity. In these units of study students are given the opportunity to explore who Jesus is without any assumption of prior knowledge and neither any need to subscribe to a set of beliefs about him. I love being involved in the teaching of these units because it provides students the opportunity to research answers to their own questions, to consider historical accounts and to learn what is being said about Jesus today. I believe it is important for students to have a safe environment in which to learn about Jesus because there is a lot of misinformation out there and a general feeling amongst some that Jesus is outdated or irrelevant. At St Andrews we believe the Christian faith is fundamentally important to life and it therefore underpins our values, ethos, culture and learning. We believe students benefit from learning about Jesus and so we gladly teach about him. In my own life I cannot describe how wonderful it is to know and to be known by Jesus, who listens to my prayers and gives me renewed purpose, focus and forgiveness each day of my life. Some days I try to do it all in my strength but the best days are when I do it with His.
Student Development Dispositions The beginning of a year offers opportunity for students to turn over a new leaf and practise improved habits. Witnessing the growth of young people as they develop these habits and dispositions through the year is one of the great joys of teaching. What can be most vexing personally is witnessing the limitations our children/students might set for themselves. Our hope for each of our students is that they would have certain dispositions toward staying open minded to learning, persevering when learning gets hard or relationships get shaky, giving effort and striving to achieve personal bests, maintaining integrity between what they say and do, showing grace to others as they have also been shown grace through faith in God, being interested in service and community and not just themselves. These values or dispositions will set young people up for growth as individuals, in community and in relationship with God. These will become characteristics which help them be resilient. But the frustration often comes in the fact that our children don’t hold these values in their lives. As we begin our year I encourage parents to continue to speak with teachers and children regarding the shared values we have as a community and how we can best encourage each other to grow in these dispositions. Students have already begun using their diary to organise their work, reflect upon areas of service and kindness, practise gratitude, set goals for personal bests and we implore parents to maintain dialogue with students about the active and thoughtful use of the diary for the development of these dispositions for learning. The diary is worth having a read through and being familiar with as a parent, there’s a small activity at the end of each week worth practicing and sharing with the family. James Nelson Director of Student Development
May God bless you and your family in 2016 as we live and learn together. There are many things we will learn and many things we will do in the year ahead, but perhaps none is more important than the study of Him who gives life, fullness and wholeness to those who seek it. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… in it the righteousness of God [Jesus] is revealed. Romans 1:16-17 (ESV) Nathan Glover College Pastor
REMINDER: TO ALL PARENTS Please ensure all Tours/Excursions are accepted via the Parent Lounge. This is a requirement for the beginning of each year.
Sport News District Sport Carnivals And Trials All 10 to 19 year old St Andrews’ students now trial via the HINTERLAND DISTRICT. This applies for Carnivals (Swim, Cross Country and Athletics) and Sports Team selection trials. Don’t forget to email or see me if you are interested in competing at District Sport Carnivals or attending District Sport Trials in 2016. All of the dates are listed on the College Website and on various notice boards around the College. Reminders will be in student notices and College Bulletins as trial dates approach, but it is every students’ OWN responsibility to research the dates and contact me if they are interested in such events.
experienced coaches at Running Club, the Acceleration staff will be conducting Acceleration’s Physical Performance Sessions at the College Gym starting Week 3 (Monday 8 February) of Term 1, 2016. The sessions will be held from 7-8am Monday and Wednesday of each week for a total of 6 weeks, with the final session being on Wednesday 16 March. These sessions are perfect for improving your Strength, Power, Stability and Performance for your sports coming into 2016 Seasons. These sessions are free to students in Years 8-12 but you must visit the Acceleration website via the link below to register.
District Swimming Trials The Hinterland Green Swimming Carnival for 10–19 year old swimmers is at TSS on Monday 22 February, 2016. Any students who wish to participate at this Carnival/District Trial must contact me to collect a selection application form. Successful students will be notified and further information will then be supplied.
Students in Years 4-12 are also encouraged to join our RUNNING CLUB which will again be coordinated by Ms Casey West and Mr Jordan McAllister. Running Club is also free to St Andrews students and parents and will be on the same dates and times as the Acceleration sessions so that Years 8-12 students may engage in both the Running Club and acceleration activities at various times throughout this comprehensive fitness and performance program.
St Andrews Swimming Carnivals Years 7-12 THURSDAY 25 February Years 4-6 FRIDAY 26 February To be held at Somerset College Pool. More information will be circulated soon.
This combination of training programs will be an excellent opportunity for students who wish to improve their performances in any of our upcoming Sports Carnivals, District and Regional Trials or Representative Sports teams, or for anyone who wishes to improve their general fitness and well-being.
St Andrews Futsal And Netball Trials Trials for these College Representative Teams have started already but it is not too late to join in. For dates of trials, please contact Mr Hibbs regarding Futsal and Mrs Roper for Netball or you can email Mr Manion.
Running Club registration forms for Years 4-12 students are available from Mr Manion and Ms West.
Inter Schools Tennis Competition The 2016 Gold Coast Tennis Inter-School Challenge is to be held at Queens Park Tennis Centre at the end of February. This competition will now incorporate Senior (Years 10, 11, 12) Middle (Years 7, 8, 9) and Junior (Years 4, 5, 6). Please email andrewm@salc.qld.edu.au for more details. Entries close on 19 February.
Acceleration Physical Performance Program Want to improve your athleticism to give you the edge in your sport? After a successful program during Rec Sport time in 2015, we are pleased to announce that there will be an expanded Acceleration Physical Performance Program in 2016 which will begin in Term 1. The College will once again be employing the services of ACCELERATION ESP. In conjunction with our qualified and
For more information and to register for the Acceleration Physical Performance Program, Years 8-12 students must go to this link: https://accelerware.com/enrolForm.cfm?form_id=4398 If you have further questions, please contact Mr Manion at St Andrews andrewm@salc.qld.edu.au Andrew Manion Head of Sport
LOTE News German Trip 2015 Thank you to Miss Bible for her work in leading the German Trip at the end of last year. A joint tour with Trinity Lutheran College, the students departed the day after classes finished for 2015. Below is a short excerpt from Year 11 student, Olivia English. A more detailed article will appear in the STAR magazine later this term. ‘15 girls. 2 teachers. 7 cities. 21 days. One incredible experience. Germany! Teaming with life and Christmas cheer, Hamburg became the highlight of the trip for many of us. Our homestay families welcomed us in to their homes and into their beautiful city. The following days also saw us attend school with our host buddies, desperately trying to figure out where we were and what subject was being taught. One week after we arrived we reunited with the girls from Trinity Lutheran College and our onwards travels around the country truly began. We had three vibrant days in Berlin before heading to Dresden, a town known for its music and incredible Christmas markets. Our next major city was Munich! We also visited Füssen… The town located on the Austrian Alps for the girl who loves a good fairy-tale. Staying in a little motel with beautiful views of the mountains and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Another long day of train travel brought us to our final destination, Rust! A quite town on the French-German border, it houses the second largest theme park in Europe called Europa-Park! This was the final bang in Miss Bible’s own words and it most certainly delivered. A full 40 hours of travel brought us all the way from the fun of Europa-Park to the heat of Brisbane. It was a unanimous verdict that we wouldn’t have traded those 3 weeks for anything. It gave us the opportunity to utilise our German language, explore the world and make the most amazing new friends. This is just the beginning for our international connections and I personally can not wait to return to Germany as soon as I can. Thank you to everyone, most particularly Miss Bible, who devoted so many hours, days and months in planning to make the incredible experience everything it was.’ - Olivia English - Year 11 Student
Dates to Remember February Monday 8 Little Mermaid Jr Rehearsals commence - RBT 3.30pm to 5.30pm Tuesday 9 Shrove Tuesday SS Parent Evening - RBT 5pm Wednesday 10 Ash Wednesday Years 7-12 Chapel - Tasman Jude Show Year 12 Visual Art Students Excursion Thursday 11 SS Assembly Year 12 Biology Excursion Friday 12 MS Awards Ceremony - Worship Centre 8:30am Year 12 Biology Excursion MS/SS Disco - RBT 7pm Monday 15 Little Mermaid Jr Rehearsals - RBT 3.30pm to 5.30pm Tuesday 16 Year 10 Visual Arts Excursion Wednesday 17 Year 7 Orientation Camp Thursday 18 Year 7 Orientation Camp Friday 19 Year 12 QCS Prep Workshop
St Andrews Lutheran College Production of
Music by
Lyrics by
Book by
Alan Menken
Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen Story and the Disney Film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written & directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. Licensed exclusively by Music theatre international (Australasia). All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.
SAturDAy 16tH APriL 2016 12.30PM AnD 6.30PM tHE ArtS CEntrE GoLD CoASt 135 BunDALL rD, SurfErS PArADiSE
tiCkEtS $20 ADuLtS ALL ConCESSionS $15 tiCkEtS AvAiLABLE froM tHE BoX offiCE. PH: 5588 4000 or WWW.tHEArtSCEntrEGC.CoM.Au
INSIGHTS Building parent-school partnerships WORDS Michael Grose
Making a smooth start to secondary school
Getting used to new subjects and new teachers, as well as forming new friendships, are just some of the requirements of this transition. Starting secondary school is a time of change and uncertainty, which places new demands on young people. Being at the bottom of the pecking order where they are unsure of the playground hierarchies is just one adjustment that they need to make. Some kids take these new experiences in their stride but it is natural to experience some difficulty, particularly when it’s accompanied by the potentially unsettling transition from childhood to adolescence. It’s no coincidence that many research projects indicate that children’s learning levels out in the transition year, presumably because the social tasks of adjustment take precedence over academic performance.
It helps to remember the Four P’s to help your young person settle in: 1 Promote friendships The quicker kids form new friendships the sooner they’ll feel comfortable in their secondary school surroundings. Encourage your young person to be open to forming friendships with all sorts of kids; to be accepting of others who may be different to them; to take social risks by joining in activities even though they may feel uncomfortable; and to be friendly, approachable and positive!
2 Practice patience Patience and understanding in the early weeks is essential. Brush up on your listening skills as you help your young person adjust. Talk to your young person about change and reassure them that it is normal to feel unsure or nervous in new circumstances. Let them know that many difficulties they face will be temporary.
3 Pursue a positive attitude Confidence is catching so make sure you see this transition time as an exciting challenge that your child can handle rather than an event to be feared. Ask them about the new subjects or interesting activities they are doing, and try to shift their focus to the positive aspects of school. Discuss settling in issues with the appropriate person such as a year level coordinator, but give your young person time to handle them on their own before seeking help.
4 Process their day Some young people may come home with fairly exaggerated accounts of secondary school and may not always paint a fair picture. They may become sensitive to things that they might have shrugged off in primary school. Listen without judgment and show a real interest in their new school, while providing
them with the space they need to get away for a while. Expect some behaviour blowouts as many kids let off steam in the relatively safe and stable environment of a loving family. If your eldest is starting, then secondary school will be a relatively new experience for you too. It will take some time for you to adjust to the school’s culture and communication methods. Although secondary schools may seem a little foreign for those used to the relative intimacy of primary schools, one aspect is the same – outcomes for students are maximised when schools and parents work together in the best interests of the student. One way to support your young person’s school is by actively promoting the school’s values. For instance, if respect is a prominent school value then you can discuss this in relation to the way your young person behaves around friends, relatives and family. Most importantly, talk up your young person’s new school, rather than talk it down, as kids of all ages take their cues from the most significant adults in their lives – their parents!
Michael Grose
e from Michael Grose. Join Stay one step ahead of your kids with great ideas & expert advic b.com.au. You’ll be so glad you did. Michael’s NEW Parentingideas Club today at parentingideasclu © 2015 Michael Grose
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