Msss bulletin 6 2015

Issue 6 / 24 April 2015

Middle/Senior School Bulletin

Middle & Senior School News “…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward.”

Philippians 3: 13-14 A warm welcome back to all families. Philippians 3 seems fitting for the start of term and serves as a reminder that life is about looking forward to new challenges and setting new goals for personal achievement, striving to be the best we can be in all aspects of our lives confident in God’s love.

Over the break your child’s Term 1 Report was posted home and I hope you were able to find some time to sit with your child and to offer both praise for good work and some encouragement for further progress. Setting goals for learning in Term 2 that are both aspirational and realistic, and a plan for action that is both intentional and specific, is the recipe for achieving personal best results. Teachers will spend time this week working with their students on establishing and refining their goals and action plans for the term ahead.

Parent Teacher Interviews – Tuesday 28 April (3.30pm – 8.00pm) Parent Teacher interviews will be conducted for Middle School and Senior School students on Tuesday 28 April 2015 from 3.30pm to 8.00pm. I strongly encourage parents to come along to meet with their child’s teachers. Students are encouraged to attend with parents. Appointments can be made through Parent Lounge up until 9.00am on Monday 27 April. Parents are asked not to make multiple bookings to see the same teacher. (Eg. If your child has Mrs Roper for Mathematics and Science, please only book one interview.) Please note that there will be no interviews held for Mrs Rebekah Hill’s and Mr Bob Grehan’s classes as they are both on leave in Term 2.

ANZAC Day March All students from St Andrews are invited to march behind the College banner in the Burleigh Heads ANZAC Day March on Saturday 25 April. Students who would like to join us are asked to wear their full school uniform (including hat), and meet me on the corner of James and West streets by 9.00am, in preparation for the march which begins at 9.30am. We will then sit with other schools for the service at the Cenotaph, which should conclude by 10.30am.

Cross Country Wednesday 29 April (Re-scheduled) Due to the rain washing out our Cross Country carnival at the end of last term our Inter-House Cross Country carnival has been rescheduled for next Wednesday 29 April, commencing at 12.45pm at Schuster park.

Staffing Updates Mrs Cindy Christie, LOTE teacher, has joined our teaching team to replace Mrs Rebekah Hill in Term Two and Mrs Audrey Woodhouse, Senior Mathematics teacher, has joined our team to replace Mr Bob Grehan while both teachers are on leave this term.

College Fete The College Fete is only a month away (Saturday 16 May) and the P & F are looking for donations and the support of volunteers on the day. Please make sure the date is marked on the calendar at home. It is a highlight in the College calendar and a day not to be missed as we celebrate together and raise funds for projects funded by the P&F. Please email fete@salc.qld.edu.au if you are able to assist with an event on the day, or consider dropping in donations at the bus shelter or P&F office on a Wednesday morning.

Ride passes can be purchased through the College website and raffle books and monies raised are to be returned to Reception.

Key Calendar Dates Parent Teacher Interviews Tuesday 28 April 3.30-8.00pm Cross Country Carnival Wednesday 29 April 12.45-3.10pm Years 7 & 9 NAPLAN Testing 12 – 14 May Year 8 Camp 11 – 13 May Fete Saturday 16 May A reminder that a full term calendar can also be accessed on the College website.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should I be able to offer assistance or if you have feedback on any aspect of College life.

God bless.

Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School virginiaw@salc.qld.edu.au

Chaplains Chat

Middle School News

The Beauty of Easter Easter has come and gone for another year and I trust that it was a blessed time for all of us. It is always a special time in the life of our College as it is one of only two occasions where we all gather together as a P-12 community. We celebrated the wonder and beauty of Easter on the last Wednesday of term. Our worship time incorporated aspects of Good Friday where Christ was unjustly put to death and this was observed through a simple re-enactment of the event as recorded in the Bible. It was followed by the miracle of Easter Sunday and we celebrated this through an ‘interview’ conducted with Jesus, reflecting on all that he won for us through his actions during the first Easter weekend 2,000 years ago.

Partnerships for Learning Our first Partnerships for Learning evening this term will occur on Wednesday 13 May from 7-8pm in the CRC. The topic for discussion on this evening will be ‘Marks, Marking, NAPLAN and other assessment’. These evenings are quite casual and aim at providing some information around topics relevant to parents of middle school children, as well as allowing opportunities for discussion on relevant topics. No rsvp is necessary.

My experiences of Easter have varied down through the decades. It has ranged from very traditional church observances in the Adelaide ‘Lutheran Cathedral’ to family camping expeditions where we joined small rural congregations to observe Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The last three Easters have been spent in Toowoomba at Easterfest. On all these occasions, the same story has been retold and celebrated and it may seem that surely it has all been said and done before but this is not the case. Every year a new insight is shared, a new way of seeing the significance of what was achieved through Christ’s death and resurrection is experienced. The wonder and beauty of Easter is just as special in 2015 as in all the centuries gone by.

It continues to inspire amazing love across our world and it is encouraging to hear how God is active in peoples’ lives as they place their trust in what was accomplished at Easter.

This same love that brings about transformation in peoples’ lives in the four corners of the world is available to each of us too. This love is able to change everything in our world.

In the end, it is the only thing that will truly change things.

As we leave another Easter behind may each of us move forward trusting that God’s love for us is stronger than any other force in our world and may this fact bring peace and joy into our life.

Graeme Schache Chaplain

Term 2 Goals and Homework Students are always very enthusiastic at the start of new terms and are often armed with clear goals for the upcoming weeks. As I have written before it is pertinent to sit with your son or daughter and ask them what they can do (in a small way) on a daily basis which will see them be able to step closer to achieving their goals for the term. One of the most important areas is the organisation and preparation of homework. I remind parents of the importance of checking the diary in order to see that your son or daughter is keeping an accurate record of their homework or study. Often a motivating tool in itself is merely creating a daily checklist and being able to tick off small jobs once they’re done.

Cool Weather and Uniforms Just a reminder that as the cooler weather descends upon us through this term that students should not be mixing their sporting and formal uniforms. Please ensure that your son or daughter leaves each day with the appropriate jumper for their daily uniform.

Tom Casey Head of Middle School tomc@salc.qld.edu.au

Student Development Building Social Intelligence Throughout this term students will have opportunities to explore and develop Social Intelligence. Many students will build their understanding and repertoire of socially intelligent behaviours through this explicit focus at home and in their year levels. Social Intelligence develops as part of natural maturing as brains develop and also through what young people learn from us as parents, teachers, peers and their interpretations of reality. As such, it makes good sense to bring a few skills into focus and to practice them this term.

Parents may wish to support the College’s efforts in creating opportunities for ‘Active Constructive Responding’, by asking their child to describe to them what they think this means and also by structuring some conversations and reflections at home around this technique. Active Constructive Responding as part of the art of conversation offers young people the opportunity to practise and value of patience,

building connection and trust through engaged listening, improved self-awareness, clarify other people’s strengths, and build positive emotion through stronger connections.

Year 8 students head to ‘Camp Kindness’ next month and will have some specific training on building conversation skills, teamwork and conflict resolution as they develop in their maturity and as a cohort. Year 10 will be preparing for ‘Work Experience’ this term which will provide an opportunity for professional and adult conversations. Year 11 students will work in Christian Studies to structure a ‘Service Project’ which will engage other students and the wider community, as such they’ll be active in practicing forming new connections with people and working towards common goals.

nected to whatever it is that you are doing at the time. It could be as simple as enjoying the smell, heat, taste of your morning cup of tea or coffee, admiring the amazing sunset as you walk along the beach, being truly focused on the research you are doing for your Modern History assignment or participating in some Mindful Meditation. In our modern world we are tempted every day to let our minds race away and to be full of lists, facts, figures, jobs to do, jobs we didn’t do, information from the internet and music buzzing around so next month we will be encouraging students to be ‘mindful’ instead of ‘mind full’. Students are also welcome to join the Mindful in May event (http://www.mindfulinmay.org/) which is a 30-day meditation challenge and funds raised go towards helping developing countries produce clean drinking-water.

James Nelson Director of Student Development jamesn@salc.qld.edu.au

Senior School News Flourishing in the Senior School This term our pastoral care program in the Senior School will focus on the Virtues of Humanity, Love and Justice.

The related Character Strengths that centre on tending to and befriending others include; love, kindness and social intelligence and also relate to citizenship, fairness (equity) and leadership. All of these Character Strengths are relevant to the College’s goal of developing and focusing on Positive Relationships and building wellbeing for our students and staff. The words of a Swedish Proverb read, “friendship multiplies joy and divides grief” and the importance of connectedness and a sense of belonging leads to students being happier, more resilient, and engaged in their learning which in turn helps them to reach their goals and flourish.

Over the term we aim to help our students develop their social and emotional skills and to encourage strong relationships including their relationship with self. It is important that our young people understand that giving themselves compassion and forgiveness is just as important as it is to give to others. Some skills and areas of focus include, active-constructive responding, that is, really listening and responding with interest to another person’s story, emotional intelligence, gratitude and kindness. Students will complete an emotional intelligence quiz to identify their strengths and further develop their understanding of self. If parents are interested in ascertaining their own Character Strengths or Emotional Intelligence they can go to the following links to complete the Questionnaires. https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/ http://www.arealme.com/eq/en/ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ei_quiz/ Mindful May As part of our understanding of self and how to enhance our own wellbeing we will be focusing on being Mindful in May. Mindfulness is about being in the moment and con-

Congratulations to: »» Leos Jon-Ross Gordon and Danielle Hoskins who assisted our Tallebudgera Lions Club to work the Bunnings BBQ over the holidays and raised $200 in the process.

These funds will be allocated to a charity after our next meeting. »» Cianne Carter in Year 10 for her efforts to raise awareness of children affected by family separation. She has been involved in direct action demonstrations throughout the school holidays as part of #21fathers, which is an organization promoting public awareness that 3 fathers per day (21 each week) commit suicide due to family access & child support issues. Well done Cianne for your efforts to contribute to the community and raise awareness for this issue.

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

UNIFORM SHOP NEW HOURS Monday 8am - 9.30am Tuesday 8am - 9.30am Wednesday 8am - 9.30am & 2.30pm - 3.30pm Thursday 8am - 9.30am Friday 8am - 9.30am

Performing Arts News New PAT Vocal Tutor We are very excited to welcome to the PAT team, Miss Emily Hosking, who will replace Eliza Fish from the start of Term 2.

Emily has graduated with a Bachelor of Popular Music from the Qld Conservatorium and also has her Certificate of Completion (High Distinction) through Australian Music Examinations Board. Emily has worked as a vocal tutor at several schools on the Gold Coast as well as Sheridan’s Studio 1 and Celisa Urech’s Singer’s Studio. Emily’s performance highlights include playing Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz (Arts Centre Gold Coast), the National Media Tour of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and Cabaret where she played the lead role of Sally Bowles. She has also been a featured vocalist at The Greenroom Project and most recently performed at Warner Bros Movieworld’s Fright Night and Carnivale seasons.

Fete Entertainment Stage At our College Fete Saturday 16 May, many of our talented performers will provide entertainment throughout the day.

From 10.30–11.30am in the MPH we will present a Dance Showcase and from 10am–4pm on the Main Stage there will be a range of performances.

10.15am String Ensemble

10.30am Concert Band

11.00am Junior School Concert Band

11.30am Jazz Band

12.00–1.00pm Talent Quest 1.15pm Percussion Ensemble 1.30pm Vocal Set

2.00pm Senior Music Class

2.30pm Yasmin and Natalie 3.00pm Nathan Lindsay 3.30pm The Polaroids Students who are performing are required 20 minutes prior to their performance time.

Jazz and Shiraz - Fundraising for Cancer Research Saturday 30 May 7pm RBT This very special concert will feature our Senior School Choir, Jazz Band, Senior Music Students, staff, past students and guests. There will also be a silent auction of art works. All funds raised from this evening will be donated to The Cancer Council. Come and join us for an evening of wonderful music. Tickets are limited and can be purchased via the College website.

Cilla Scott Head of Arts

Careers News Careers Newsletter A regular Careers Newsletter is sent via email to each Year 10, 11 and 12 student and can be accessed by parents via Parent Lounge.

Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test 2015 Community Representatives - Applications are now open for members of the community to apply for these positions.

To maintain the accountability, security and proper conduct of the 2015 QCS Test, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) invites applications from community members for the positions of chief community representative and community representative.

A test centre is a secondary school, or another place approved by the QCAA, where students sit the QCS Test. All test centres are located within Queensland and have a chief supervisor to administer the test.

This year the test will be held on Tuesday 1 September and Wednesday 2 September. Applications close on Friday 22 May 2015.

Anyone interested should contact Mrs Wrigley in the CRC or via email at christina@salc.qld.edu.au or visit the QCAA website for more information about the positions and applying at https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/memos/15/019-15.pdf The QCAA can be contacted via email on qcs.admin@qcaa. qld.edu.au or by phone (07) 3864 0396.

Christina Wrigley Head of Learning and Teaching

P&F News Fete – 16 May 2015 - It is Fast Approaching!!!

The biggest event on the P & F calendar is this term. The Fete is less than 4 weeks away and we need your support.

The P & F appreciates all the help we have had so far, however we still need a number of Stall Convenors. We need more volunteers to help out with stalls and will be looking for volunteers to help on the Friday afternoon and the day of the Fete. We will also need assistance to pack up on the Sunday.

The next P & F meeting will not be held until after the Fete on Wednesday 10 June.

Junior School students will be sent home early on Friday 15 May to allow for Fete set up. If you can spare a few hours to help out in the afternoon to help set up – it would be appreciated.

Fete meetings will now be held every Wednesday afternoon 3.30pm in the Junior School Staffroom, until the FETE. 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.

Raffle Tickets Raffle tickets have gone home; and 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 – so get selling to your family and friends.

Dates to Remember - April/May APRIL Tuesday 28 Gold Coast Suns Cup Girls’ Comp - Selected Year 8, 9, & 10 girls MS/SS Parent Teacher Interviews Wednesday 29 Years 11 & 12 Visual Art Excursion - QLD Art Gallery Years 7-12 SALC Cross Country Fete Meeting, Junior School Staffroom – 3.30pm Thursday 30 Year 7 Incursion - Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary MAY Friday 1 Year 12 QCS Prep Workshop Years 7-12 Assembly - 8:30am Wednesday 6 Years 11-12 Geography Field Trip - Nerang River Catchment Year 12 BCT Excursion - Royal Pines Resort Fete Meeting, Junior School Staffroom – 3.30pm Thursday 7 Northern Rivers Futsal Titles Friday 8 Northern Rivers Futsal Titles

Books and money are to be returned to Main Reception, if you require more books to sell, they are available from Junior Administration. Please get behind selling these tickets, it will really boost the Fete profits, all of which go back into the College.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS HAVE ARRIVED!!!

Digital or Book Memberships Available Cost is still only $55.00 $11.00 from each membership goes directly to the College Fundraising efforts!

www.entbook.com.au/14404l5

Fete – 16 May 2015 - it is fast approaching!!!

The Junior School students from Prep to Year 4 will be sent home early on Friday 15 May to allow for Fete set up. If you can spare a few hours to help out in the afternoon to help set up – it would be appreciated.

It has been decided we will not be running a second hand clothes stall – so please no more clothes to be donated. What we already have will be donated to charity.

Fete meetings will now be held every Wednesday afternoon 3.30pm in the Junior School Staffroom, until the FETE. 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.

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

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.

We need CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE! We have about 200 but please keep them coming. The kids really love this stall and we need MORE CHOCOLATE to keep this stall going for the whole day.

Raffle Tickets Raffle tickets have gone home; and this year’s prizes are worth $6,000. At only $2 a ticket, they are really worth buying. If every family sells one book, this will ensure the raffle is a great success – so get selling to your family and friends.

Books and money are to be returned to Main Reception, if you require more books to sell, they are available from Junior Administration. Please get behind selling these tickets, it will really boost the Fete profits, all of which go back into the College.

WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR BUSINESSES AT THE SCHOOL TO DONATE to the Cent Auction. Anything is appreciated. Please support the businesses who have donated: Air Factory – Burleigh Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Titans Family Pass x 2 Currumbin RSL vouchers Gold Coast Suns tickets Multifunction machine – Konica Minolta Aranyani Bison Park – One night accommodation Golf at Hope Island Golf at Coplicks Billabong prize packs x 3 Wax Hands Party Face Painting Party Beauty Bar Burleigh Chevron Yoga Tablet – donated by Gisler Group Positive Change Purses Holiway Skateboard Thermomix Tupperware Miami Stainless – Tools Eco Oasis – 2 nights accommodation – Valued at $650 Caltex – Gift Hampers Cold Rock Ice Cream 2 B Kids Plantation House Café Piece Style and Design Mrs Red’s Art Room Woodbox Café Madison Jane Mode Voyage Tea Therapy Wicked Beans Barbers on Swan Lane – One free hair cut Kaisercraft – 2 x $20 gift vouchers John Ahern – Author

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 Michael Grose

Do less, not more,

for your kids

With school-aged children we can find ourselves making lunches, getting kids out of bed and cleaning out schoolbags rather than giving these basic tasks of living over to them.

The basic task of parenting, whether you

Frustrated being the go-between I made

have a two year old or a twenty-two year

sure he had contact details and let him

old, is to work yourself out of a job at the

know that it was his job, not my job, to

first possible chance.

connect with his sister.

REDUNDANCY should be the aim of the game! We never become redundant in a relationship sense – the emotional connection between our children and us is never severed.

In a practical, physical way we need to make children less, rather than more, reliant on us.

Developing independence is really about stepping back to allow children in. Doing less rather than more!

We develop greater independence in our kids one job at a time. Recently I gave my 22 year old son a job that I had been

WE EASILY TAKE ON CHILDREN’S RESPONSIBILITIES It is easy as parents to take on the jobs and responsibilities that really should belong to our children. With toddlers it is so easy to dress, feed and clean up after them rather than give these jobs over to them.

With school-aged children we can find ourselves making lunches,getting kids out of bed and cleaning out schoolbags rather than giving these basic tasks of living over to them. And as I discovered, it is easy to still do the basics of life for adult-aged children.

and I had taken on the job of being the

TIP NO. 1 for developing independence:

connector between him and one of his

Like children, every teacher is different

sisters, who lives in the UK. It had been my

with their own specific expectations, goals

job to pass messages on between the two

and interests. Get to know your child’s

via telephone and emails. I would update

teacher and gain an understanding of their

each of them about how the other sibling

approach and aspirations for your child’s

was going.

class.

doing for a while. He lives in North America

TIP NO. 2 for developing independence: Never be more worried about a child’s job than they are, otherwise it becomes your job, not theirs.

This mum remained very clear that it was her job to wash the clothes but not to place them in the washing basket. She would remind kids about washing night, but never nag them to put clothes in the basket. She knows that as soon as she keeps reminding them, it becomes HER job rather than her children’s job to put the washing in the clothes basket.

The school holidays provides a good opportunity to reflect on the whole notion of job-sharing. It’s also a good time for kids to increase their job load when they are not burdened with schoolwork and extracurricular activities.

Here’s my challenge for you: Think of a job that you regularly do for your child that he or she can do for him or herself. Then step back and enable your child to do that for themselves on a full-time basis. Do less not more for your kids.

If you do that, then you can congratulate yourself as you have moved one step more toward REDUNDANCY.

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

parentingideas.com.au