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Issue 4 / 20 March 2015

Middle/Senior School Bulletin

Middle & Senior School News Positive Community: Tomorrow is Harmony Day, a day which celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity, inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. It’s a day about living in community, something we do really well at St Andrews. Our students and staff feel a strong sense of belonging and I witness the values of respect, appreciation, tolerance and love each day as I interact with students who show genuine concern and support for one another. I’ve just returned from the CRC where I was incredibly impressed with the Year 12 Study Session and the mentoring of Middle School students that was happening. Last week, the lunchtime basketball tournament that was being held in the COLA was another fine example of the support and togetherness of this community. As I drove to work this morning, I came across two Kokoda teams training, students involved in running club and I arrived to see Mr Ivett’s netball training and to the sounds of our wonderful concert band rehearsing. At lunch I met with the Year 7 & 8 Debaters to plan our strategy for our next debate. It is simply superb to see so many students and teachers taking the opportunity to engage in such a wide range of activities.

ers Agreement which covers all members of our community. Most importantly, I reminded students that photos and comments made online are not private, regardless of privacy settings, and that they are morally and ethically accountable for what they post. Their digital footprint stays with them even after they reconsider and remove an image or comment. Relationships, online and in real-life, can sometimes be challenging and as a community we need to remind ourselves that it is our differences as well as our shared experiences that make this a special community. We all share the responsibility for making St Andrews a safe and supportive environment for learning. While most online issues arise outside of school hours, online aggression and bullying impacts on our students’ wellbeing and ability to learn. As parents, you can support your child to develop positive relationships and resilience by reminding them of two things: 1. Each of us faces different challenges that encourage us to develop resilience and the ability to cope but none of us need to tolerate being treated poorly. 2. In all our relationships, and in our decisions, we need to be mindful and respectful of others. As a College we have high expectations and clear policies that are aimed at safety, wellbeing and being a positive community. Parents are encouraged to contact the College if they have any concerns about bullying or relational aggression involving their child. Today was our last Years 7-12 Assembly for the term and the College Captaincy team talked to their peers about the importance of showing good judgment, valuing perspective, wisdom and empathy. It was a powerful message about making sure we all do our part to make this a place ‘where everyone is someone.’ The message was clear; at St Andrews we treat one another with care and respect and when things go wrong, as they occasionally do, we work together to promote positive choices and relationships.

One area of concern of late has been the careless and inappropriate misuse of Social Media by some students. As a community we need to be as caring and supportive in the online world as we are face to face. I wonder sometimes if students simply don’t understand or forget how hurtful and ‘viral’ their posts, images and comments, can become. I addressed the students this week about our expectations and we revisited the Social Media Policy and ICT Acceptable Us-

Easter Service Parents are warmly invited to join us for the P-12 Easter Service on Wednesday 1 April at 8.45am in the Multi-Purpose Hall. As a Christian community, it is fitting that we come together to reflect on God’s blessings at this important time in the Christian calendar year. Cross-Country Carnival The Cross-Country Carnival is being held on Thursday 2 April at Schuster Park. The Years 4-6 events will be held in the morning, to be followed by the Years 7-12 events from 12 noon. We wish all of our competitors every success as they

each strive for personal excellence in this area of their physical development. A detailed note outlining arrangements for the day will be sent home from our Sports Department but students are reminded to bring a water bottle with them, along with a healthy snack, appropriate running shoes and a hat. Every blessing for the weeks ahead. Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School virginiaw@salc.qld.edu.au

Middle School News Involvement Beyond the Classroom One of the joys of being involved in a school is to see the number of students who throw themselves into activities beyond the realms of a six period day. Any morning of the week from about 7am there are students arriving at the College to participate in Running Club, Netball or Futsal sessions. The Bingojuwarra Challenge recently saw peer-developed basketball teams shoot off over a couple of weeks. Additionally, during lunchtimes there are students participating in Debating, Creative Writing, xTra Tech, the Lego & Chess Club or in a multitude of classrooms where teachers are offering opportunities for consolidation of curricular work. My particular favourite beyond the classroom activity happens after school on a Tuesday where (in the CRC) our Senior School students give up their time to assist Middle School students with their schoolwork. Sometimes students of middle-school age can default to the position that there is nothing on offer for them to do. While the time spent with peers at breaks is a very important element of adolescent development I encourage you to discuss with your son or daughter how they are making the most of their time at the College and what they might do to seek new opportunities or challenges in the middle years. End of Term Stress As I wrote in the last newsletter, the end of term stresses that may be brought about by looming assignment deadlines or exams can often be alleviated by some simple planning for the next few weeks by judicious use of the College Diary. It is worth sitting with your son or daughter to look at the next few weeks and assist them in how they might best plan their work in order to complete the requirements expected of them. Our holidays are three weeks away and will provide ample time for rest and recovery after a hectic few weeks. As always, should you have any questions about life in the Middle School then please feel free to contact me. Tom Casey Head of Middle School tomc@salc.qld.edu.au

Farewell Charmaine Smith

We were deeply saddened with the news that Ms Charmaine Smith, former member of College staff and current College parent, recently passed away after a long and courageous battle with illness.

Charmaine has worked as a volunteer and as our crossing lady for a number of years, and her passion, sense of fun and commitment to this community, made her a very special friend to many. Charmaine had a deep and abiding faith in the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and during her lengthy battle with her health, demonstrated to all around her the real meaning of faith in the face of adversity. Please keep her parents, Marie and Dennis, and her sons, Michael and Jon-Ross (currently in Year 11), the extended family and friends in your thoughts and prayers, as they mourn the loss of a special person. Charmaine touched so many other lives and will be missed by the St Andrews community. Families who are looking to offer support through practical means are asked to contact the Registrar, Janette Jestrimski enrol@salc.qld.edu.au

Chaplains Chat In Chapel Services last week we looked at the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which can be found in Luke chapter fifteen. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a well-known parable and a powerful example of the love Jesus has for us. In the parable the youngest son in a family demands his share of the inheritance ahead of time so that he can leave the family and never return. The father grants the request and the son famously spends all his money on wild living until he has nothing left to spend. The son reaches rock bottom when he hires himself out to a pig farmer and starts desiring the food he is feeding the pigs. At this point the son decides he will return to his father and ask to be treated like a hired servant, not even to resume his status as a son. When the son is still a long way off the father spots him on the road and runs out to meet him. The father had been waiting and hoping his son would return and dismisses the son’s request to be treated like a hired servant. Instead the son is welcomed back into the family and the father throws a large party to celebrate because in his words: “my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” The parable is a beautiful analogy of what has happened to humankind. The Bible declares that all of us have become “dead” even though we are living and that by nature we are lost – without God and without hope, meaning and purpose. At some point we hit rock bottom having been consumed by the darkness of the world.

Those that return to God are received with arms wide open and are fully reinstated as children of God. Just as there is rejoicing over the son who returned, so there is rejoicing in heaven when people turn back to God. At St Andrews our Mission Statement starts with ‘Celebrate the Gospel’ – the good news that we know a God who loves us, forgives us and waits for us – no matter what. He doesn’t want us to be “lost” and “dead” in this world – he wants us to be “found” and he wants us to be “alive.” There is nothing better than living in God’s household and receiving all his blessings.

8. Establish goals – it is important to know where you are headed. Most of our students have set their Term 1 goals and are well on the way to achieving them. For example improve my GPA/EPA, achieve an A/B in English. What is most important is that students have a plan as to how to achieve their goals (eg. attend tutorials, read for 20 minutes each night, start assignments as soon as they get them, go to the CRC 2 afternoons a week to work). For more information on Resilience refer to the link below http://psychology.about.com/od/crisiscounseling/tp/become-more-resilient.htm

Pastor Nathan Glover College Chaplain

Senior School News This time of term can be rather stressful for our senior students. As we know there will be times when our young people do not achieve their goals or do as well as they had hoped on an exam or assessment. While that is disappointing what is more important is how students deal with that setback. In the Senior School we have been focusing on developing resilience, the ability to bounce back and persist when faced with a setback. The following is a list of tips that we have been encouraging our students to take on board: 1. Build your self-esteem and belief in yourself (think positively about your own abilities & goals). 2. Find a sense of purpose – get involved in the life of the College and have a clear vision of your goals and what you would like to achieve. 3. Have a strong network of friends – a recent survey of our current Year 12’s revealed that those students who reported being ‘happy’ also reported being ‘wellconnected’ to others. 4. Embrace change – that’s what makes life exciting and challenging and is an important part of mindset. For example, a student is phrasing a challenge in a growth mindset when they say, ‘I find giving speeches challenging’ as opposed to, ‘I can’t speak in front of my class.’ 5. Be optimistic – it is important our students recognise that while exams and assessments are a part of school, the busyness of the term will pass and then they will be on holidays. 6. Nurturing self – growing bodies need between 9-10 hours sleep, regular exercise, good food and limited online/game screen time. 7. Develop problem-solving skills – those high order thinking skills can help students think laterally to overcome challenges. For example, if a student finds Maths/ English difficult than a solution should be to attend Maths/English tutorials at lunch on a regular basis.

Congratulations to: »» Katie Hayward (Year 10) who won her 3km Race Walk at the recent National Championships in Sydney, breaking the record by 15 seconds. Katie was thrilled that all her hard work had paid off. »» Will Atkinson (Year 10) who placed 15th in the 15-16 age group at the Australian Triathlon Championships. Will had a tough swim but he is back training to ensure he achieves his goals of placing in the top 10 next time. »» Natalie Roberts (Year 12) who attended the Australian Athletics Championships and is 7th in Australia in her age for the 200m. »» The Club Red Ambassadors (Chelsea Vermillion, Khali Robins, Keziah Veivers & Tia Lightbody – Year 11) – St Andrews has saved 39 lives through our donations in 2015. If you would like to donate please ensure you register your donation with St Andrews so we can add to our tally. Tania Stewart Head of Senior School tanias@salc.qld.edu.au

ICT News Roboshop Students have successfully built and programmed three exceptional robots using the NXT Lego Software. The Lego models are plugged into a computer which is then programmed to produce desired results. The current project involves building and programing a robot that explores its surrounding area then tries to detect obstacles before running into them. The robot should be able to turn its head left and right to determine which direction to move effectively. A protection bar in front will trigger a touch sensor that stops the robot, after which it then decides which way to turn. There is major engineering going on with this task!

Senior IT Classes Senior students are using the Arduino open-source software to design, develop and produce various interactive projects. LEDs are blinking, motors are turning, sensors are reading data left and right and display boards are exhibiting messages everywhere. Students will deliver an oral presentation to the class on their proposed final product that will be produced in Term Two. Engaged learning happening here!

E-Learning Students now have access to One Drive and can use the ‘Share’ link to send work to their teachers. This is especially handy in the event that they leave their iPad at home as they will be able to log onto their One Drive account in the Sky Drive through any computer at school. The Year 7’s are currently working on their ‘Keynote” presentations. There are many exciting transitions and animations happening in that APP. The Year 8’s are perfecting the conversion of data into graphs with the ‘Numbers’ APP. Production ICTs The software features in Adobe Photoshop have been helpful to the students in their production of postcards. The postcards represent who they are as people, showcasing their personal characteristics, including the use of spaceships, dogs, books, planes, surfboards and more.

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Performing Arts News

Sport News

Thank you to all of the musicians who performed at the P & F Picnic in the Playground.

District Sport Carnivals and Trials Students are reminded to email or see me if you are interested in attending District Sport Carnivals and/or Trials which are listed under Sport on the College website. Reminders will be in student notices and various College News sites as trial dates approach, but it is every students’ responsibility to research the dates and contact me if they are interested in such events. Cross Country The St Andrews Years 4-6 and Years 7-12 Cross Country Carnivals will be held on the last day of Term 1, Thursday 2 April. The Years 4-6 Carnival will be in the morning and Years 7-12 in the afternoon session. The venue will be Schuster Park as usual. More information will be circulated very soon. Student Achievement St Andrews’ students continue to achieve outstanding results in sporting events. AFL Bailey Scott has been selected in the South Coast 15s AFL team to play at the State Championships in Mackay in May. Congratulations Bailey and we look forward to hearing how the team goes. Race Walking Katie Hayward has continued to dominate her Race Walk events, winning Gold at the recent National Championships which were held in Sydney. Katie has been training extremely hard and is earning these outstanding results through her dedication to her sport.

Past Student: Surfing 2013 graduate Ellie Brooks had a big win recently in the Burton Automotive Women’s Classic in Newcastle. This was a World Qualifying Series event. These events are the next level down from the prime World Championship Tour events (such as the Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks). It is the biggest win of her career so far and the prize money was about US$2000.00 for the win. If you have any questions regarding sport, please contact me at: andrewm@salc.qld.edu.au Andrew Manion Head of Sport

P&F News

Tuckshop News

Our General Meeting was held last Wednesday 11 March and it was great to see so many at the meeting. That is the biggest meeting I have seen in a long time and everyone was so enthusiastic to find more out about our College community. Please come along, especially now as the Fete is getting closer, we need all the College community to be involved and want everyone to feel like they are making a contribution to this year’s Fete.

Cashless Cards Over the past couple of weeks we have introduced Flexi School cashless system. Students and staff are able to make purchases by using their student/staff cards on their Flexi Schools account. This service is only available to students from Years 7 – 12. Junior School will still need to bring cash for purchases. The procedure to have this service available for your child is as follows: 1. Have your son/daughter’s Student ID card associated with the photocopier (CRC). 2. Log into Flexi Schools www.flexischools.com.au 3. Add student ID number (this is located under your child’s name written in blue). 4. Once this is done (in this order ONLY) the card will be activated.

It was agreed at this meeting the P & F will provide the funds to put up a permanent shade and weather structure outside the Tuckshop where the tables are exposed. This will be completed sometime in Term 2. Our next meeting will be held in Term 2 on Wednesday 10 June. Picnic in the Playground The annual ‘Picnic in the Playground’ was held on Friday 13 March and it was a great success. I am still astounded at the talented musicians we have at the College and the P & F would like to thank the students for giving up their time to perform.

From here you will be able to set a daily limits and also view transactions online. If your son/daughter has any problems, please come and see me in Tuckshop during break and we will help them on their way. Did you know that we make many items here onsite? To see what items are available, check out the menu available on Flexi Schools and look out for the “Homemade” symbol. Volunteers Needed Volunteers are required at Tuckshop, if you have an hour to spare to restock fridges, freezer etc send us an email or drop in. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. Trina van der Kamp Tuckshop Manager tuckshop@salc.qld.edu.au

Dates to Remember - March/April MARCH Tuesday 24 GC Suns Cup for Girls, selected Years 8-10 Girls, Coomera Sports Park Years 10 & 11 Drama Performance 6.00pm - 7.00pm Wednesday 25 ALWS Awareness Day Excursion, Redeemer Lutheran College – 7.30am (selected students) Friday 27 QCS Prep Workshop with Mighty Minds APRIL Wednesday 1 ELC & P-12 Easter Service - All Welcome - Multi Purpose Hall - 8.45am Thursday 2 Cross Country Carnivals End of Term 1

Fete preparations are well underway and we are hoping this year’s Fete can be as successful as previous years, but we need your help. There is only 9 weeks until the Fete and we need more donations. Please see below for further details. The next Fete meeting will be held on Wednesday 1 April in the Junior School Staffroom at 3.30pm. All welcome! Every Wednesday from now until the Fete we will be collecting donations at the Bus Shelter from 8am and the P & F office from 7.15am. We need books, DVDs, CDs, toys and good quality clothes. So have an Autumn clean out and bring them to the College.

Fete Chocolate Drive Goal – 600 + blocks of chocolate WE NEED YOUR CHOCOLATE !!! we need a minimum of 600 chocolates to make this stall a success, so when they are next on special, please grab a few for the Fete. CHOCOLATE BED: A $2 coin toss game where you have the opportunity to win chocolate bars. Chocolate bars are spread over an old style metal bed and if your toss lands on a chocolate bar – you win that bar. Great fun for all ages.

RIDE PASSES!!! Early bird ride passes are now available via Trybooking (link below) $25 for over 5 years and $20 for Prep and under 5 years. Prices on the day of the fete will be $30 and $25, so get in early! http://www.trybooking.com/HDBD Raffle Tickets Raffle tickets will be coming home over the next few weeks; this year’s prizes are worth $6,000 and at only $2 a ticket, really worth buying. If every family sells one book, this will ensure the raffle is a great success. The class that sells the most books will get a Pizza day, donated by the P & F – so get selling in the holidays.

We need CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE and MORE CHOCOLATE!!! We need a minimum of 600 chocolates to make this event a success, so when they are next on special, please grab a few to donate to the Fete.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR BUSINESSES AT THE SCHOOL TO DONATE to the cent auction. Anything is appreciated. So far some of the businesses who have donated include: Air Factory – Burleigh Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Titans 2 x family passes Currumbin RSL Gold Coast Suns tickets Multifunction machine – Konica Minolta Aranyani Bison Park – one night accommodation Golf at Hope Island Billabong Wax Hands Party Face Painting Party Beauty Bar Burleigh Chevron Yoga Tablet 7 inch Android Device - donated by a parent Positive Change Purses If you have any queries please contact the P & F at fete@salc.qld.edu.au

School Fete

Saturday 16 May

Bring everyone! 10am - 4pm

Rides *LIVE MUSIC* Showbags Coffee Chocolate Bed ART tattoos House of Horror

Talent Show

Cent Auction

Fairies & Pirates

Crazy Hair

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out for the different stalls that will be at the fete and donate to help create fantastic stalls & prizes. All donations are much appreciated.

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Please contact PandF@salc.qld.edu.au if you can help

INSIGHTS Building parent-school partnerships WORDS Catherine Gerhardt

Help your kids build their own ﬁrewall against online Nasties The online world provides endless access to inappropriate content for our kids. Filters can play a part, but as Catherine Gerhardt describes, it’s much better to have a fully rounded approach to tackling the issue. Fiction vs. reality. One of the biggest concerns I have as a parent at the moment is the relative ease with which children can have access to online pornography. Recent studies revealed that children as young as eight years old have seen it, and most kids have witnessed it before parents have even considered discussing it. For me, it’s about considering what the long-term effects are going to be on our children’s future relationships. With wide access to the internet, including mobile devices and gaming systems, it is too easy for even young children to reach inappropriate content. Most kids who have seen pornography know immediately that it feels wrong. They can feel ‘strange’ and their personal instincts kick in like an alarm system telling them something is not quite right. They may feel sick, embarrassed, confused. Some kids stumble across it (many porn sites know popular key strokes kids use), and others are exposed to it by friends or family. Is pornography really that big of a deal for our kids? The simple answer is yes. Pornography damages their brains

by tricking them into releasing the same pleasure chemicals that drugs do. “A child’s brain is more vulnerable as it is rapidly forming neural connections. Viewing pornography can reprogram a child’s brain and initiate an addiction that is often harder to overcome than drugs or alcohol,” says Kristen Jenson, author of Good Pictures, Bad Pictures. Pornography harms relationships. Youth are being exposed to pornography even before they have had the opportunity to experience a relationship. Teens tell researchers that they don’t like pornography but they feel pressured to watch it, and they even acknowledge that it provides a model for them to follow. When we start to think about kids getting sex education from pornography, we can start to understand why we should be worried about their future relationships. Viewing pornography is setting up unrealistic expectations and desensitizing sexual expectations. Pornography can distort a person’s view of what a healthy relationship should be, and devalues the principles of mutual respect, trust and love we expect our children to experience in the future.

What can parents do to build their child’s firewall? Be proactive, be preventative. Like most things it’s helpful for parents to begin the conversation before their child becomes interested in porn. Younger kids are more likely to see the parent as a dependable source of information; by the time they are teenagers peers become the reliable source and peer pressure and curiosity can lead them down a path of unrealistic expectations and perhaps, even addiction. Be open. Most kids won’t tell their parents because they know they shouldn’t be looking at that stuff and, worst of all, you might take the technology away from them. Be honest, for many of us that might be our first reaction. But in hindsight it only prevents kids from telling us about their online experiences later on. It’s okay to say, “Thanks for telling me, I’ve had that happen too”, or “Let’s look into that together”.