Issue 3 / 14 August 2015
From the Acting Principal ‘Educating Hearts, Minds and Hands’ St Andrews is about providing ‘more than just a good education – an education for good’. Like other schools academic growth and development is our core business but a St Andrews education is about so much more! It is about exploring and developing all aspects of oneself; academic, spiritual, physical, social and emotional, within a community where the Gospel is a lived experience. The practical expression of this varies from our Early Learning Centre; where play based exploration and learning abounds, to the inquiry models in the Junior School; our diverse Middle School electives program, through to our Senior School cohorts’ depth of study across learning disciplines. At every age and stage, teachers work to personalise learning through differentiating tasks and experiences and to connect deeply with students, foster a growth mindset, and a ‘personal best’ approach to learning and living in community.
This term we have continued to encourage students to set goals and to pursue them with an understanding that they are striving to do and to be their best not for themselves alone but also for the benefit of others. In Middle and Senior School students have been exploring the themes of “Love, Humanity and Justice” and the importance of forgiveness.
Service Learning Last Friday a group of Year 11 student volunteers and Mr Schache extended their service learning into action and spent the evening supporting Rosies. Rosies is a volunteer-based non for profit organisation that reaches out to those who are marginalised and homeless on Gold Coast streets. 95% of the work done by Rosies is funded through donations from the local community and irrespective of weather; volunteers including our students, socialise and provide support through offering a warm cuppa, something to eat, a smile and friendly interaction. Earlier this term the Year 11s held a fundraiser and sleep out on the top oval in support of Rosies and a number of students have now decided to volunteer with the support of Mr Schache. That our students are actively seeking to serve others through this initiative, our Leos program, Relay for Life, 40 Hour famine and other programs is a testament to their character and indeed the Gospel being a lived experience at St Andrews. NAPLAN Our students performed above, and in many cases significantly above the Queensland state average and the National average in every single NAPLAN test across every single year level this year. On average students placed +33 points above the State and +24 points above the National averages. Individual student results and summary tables of results have been posted home to families with students in Years 3,5,7 & 9 this week. On average, 98% of our students were above the national benchmark across the whole array of tests. This is an outstanding outcome and testifies to the level of excellence in teaching and learning that occurs at St Andrews.
These results affirm the College’s approach of focusing strongly on good teaching and learning, rather than a narrow focus on test taking procedures and prescriptive formulaic approaches to answering questions. I would like to congratulate our teachers for the high quality of instruction that occurs in our classes each day and the students themselves who have striven to achieve their personal best. Arts Week One of the many highlights of this term for the Junior School was the celebration of the Arts during Junior School Arts Week. Creativity flourishes within our students and it was simply wonderful to have a week of showcasing their talents and the opportunity for our Arts staff and Senior School students to mentor and help our students to extend their understanding and expression in Dance, Drama, Visual Art and Music beyond the scope of their normal weekly program.
These new offerings complement our extensive Arts program where students can study Music, Dance, Drama, Visual Art (including Photography) at a beginner and advanced level, as well as areas like Business and Economics, Food Technology, Textiles, Informational Technology, and Design Technology including Graphics and an all-girls workshop elective, through to Sports Excellence and single gender Heath and Physical Education electives. The Middle School continues to offer the opportunity for students to develop their passions and expertise and to study widely and deeply across a broad curriculum, exploring and trying new subjects they may not have experienced before. Middle School prepares students for the more specialised study of Senior School.
Middle School August is a particularly exciting month for students in Middle School as they showcase the diverse subject offerings for students in Years 7 – 9 at the Middle School Expo. The elective subjects in the Middle School are inquiry-based and some of the electives are vertical with students in Years 7 – 9 learning side by side; extending their interests, gifts and talents in their chosen subjects. The most recent additions to the elective program include: • STEM studies in ‘Full STEAM ahead’, an integrated study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Student engage in projects ranging from load-testing spaghetti bridges to building environmentally friendly and energy efficient housing. • Breaking Point, an engineering and design subject that looks at construction and forces that can lead to catastrophic events. • Roboshop, where creative design, programming and computational thinking combine and students transform data into real-world products. • Electronics, which looks at functional programming and the practical skills of soldering to assemble electronic kits.
Beyond their regular studies, this term our Year 10 students are preparing for their self-navigated City Experience trip to Brisbane to visit Universities, and some of our State Capitals’ Cultural and Historical sites. Year 11 students attended their leadership camp this week at Emu Gully, and later this term our Year 12 students will sit their Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test. These experiences are all important ‘rites of passage’ through a St Andrews education and along with our extensive Service Learning program continue to contribute to our aspiration to be a place where educating ‘hearts, minds and hands’ and the development of the whole child. Virginia Warner Acting Principal
Chaplains Chat The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. – Proverbs 9:10a This weekend is the College Service for our Year 4 students. During the service the students are re-enacting the great wisdom of King Solomon as evidenced when he first took the throne (1 Kings 3). It is written that at this great occasion God appeared to Solomon in a dream and gave Solomon the permission to ask God for anything he desired. You would think Solomon would have asked for a long-life, fame or fortune, but, instead, Solomon asked for wisdom – not wisdom generally – but the wisdom to govern the great number of people that formed the nation of Israel. He asked for such wisdom because he recognised that being a child, he didn’t possess all the skills and wisdom necessary to govern the people well. God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that it pleased Him to give Solomon both wisdom and the things he didn’t ask for – long-life, fame and fortune. I like this biblical account because it teaches us the importance of recognising what we do not have. Solomon didn’t possess wisdom, so he asked for it. In the same way, we are not given every gift and talent under the sun but we must rely upon others in a team, learn from our teachers, and, if we would like to, ask God for what we are lacking. From a biblical point of view, the most important thing in life is to recognise with humility that we cannot do it all ourselves and seek that which we need from God. The book of Proverbs puts this nicely by saying that the fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In other words, if we really wish to be wise – to seek and know what life is all about – then the first thing we need is an appreciation or reverence of God. At St Andrews we gladly promote the Christian faith and the knowledge of God because we want our students to be well-rounded and well-prepared citizens of the future. We know that this comes not only from academic pursuit but the teaching and experience of the Christian faith. May God continue to bless the College in this endeavour that we may bring wisdom to the children in our care and, who knows, maybe He will grant long-life, fame and fortune as well. Nathan Glover Pastor
Junior School News I recently had the pleasure of attending a Keynote address where the speaker, Dr Brenda Heyworth, used the analogy that school is the transition from home to the big wide world. She also went on to say that schools are set up in such a way that students in Prep and Kindergarten have teachers and educators who role model more of a home environment and as the students transition through the school and enter Year 12, the teachers role model the big wide world. A student who enters St Andrews in the Early Learning Centre will experience a number of significant transitions as they move through the College and graduate Year 12. Transition from the ELC to Prep, Prep to Year 1, Year 6 to Year 7, Year 9 to Year 10 and then finally Year 12 to the big wide world. These are all milestones that students will go through at school. At each stage, the student is given more independence and choice as they transition but the love and care given by the staff is evident the whole way through. A Prep or ELC teacher will be more like a mother hen gathering her chicks and giving the care and nurture that is needed at that age, while a Senior School teacher will give equally as much love and nurture, but in a form that is appropriate for teenage children. As students grow and develop, becoming more independent the student-teacher relationship for learning changes. Recently I attended the Middle School and Senior School Expos in my official capacity as the Head of Junior School and also as a parent of students in those stages of their schooling. The overwhelming message I received from these two nights was that the teachers and staff wanted to do all they could to help the students transition from Junior School into the subjects that were going to prepare them for life outside of school. There was a very genuine interest in the students as individuals and this reinforced to me that St Andrews is a College where ‘everyone is someone’. Some students, transitioning from one stage of their schooling to another, can experience feelings of anxiety. It is important as parents to acknowledge these feelings and also to reassure our children that it is an important next step in their lives as they prepare themselves for the big wide world. In my official capacity here at St Andrews as the Head of Junior School and as a parent, I see on a daily basis the love, care and concern that is afforded to all students of the College and this is one way that we help to prepare the students for their lives outside of the College. Darrin Schumacher Deputy Principal Head of Junior School
Performing Arts News Gold Coast Drama Festival Last Saturday we competed in the Junior section of the Gold Coast Secondary Schools Drama Festival with a production of Children of the Black Skirt. The students performed with maturity and confidence. Special congratulations to the following students who received Highly Commended Individual Awards: Lily Fleming Naithanial Thomson-Smith Samantha Todd Laetitia Sanderson
Zoe Cheesman Callum Ahern Kalindi Porter Ebony Pitchers
Special congratulations to Kalindi who also received Best Actor for her portrayal of the Black Skirt. Thanks also goes to Sophie Breach (Year 11) who was the Assistant Director on the production.
Animi Grade 4 won their section and our Middle School Song and Dance Troupe came 2nd as did our Middle School Elite Troupe in their respective sections. An outstanding achievement. Well done all!
Gold Coast Eisteddfod Dance Last Thursday several of our troupes competed in the schools section of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod Dance. All groups performed at a very high standard. A special congratulations to all students who performed and also to Tina Tanguy, her Animi staff and our talented choreographers Paula Guild and Kim Reynolds.
Student Achievements AMEB Exams The following students sat their AMEB exams in July and did extremely well. Elliott Pell - Grade 1 - A - Honours Callum Ahern - Grade 3 - A+ - High Distinction Harrison Craig-Ward - Grade 5 - A - Honours Gold Coast Eisteddfod Achievement Hannah Schooley and Ebony Pitchers Highly Commended Duet or Trio 15 yrs and Under (‘Friendship’) Saoirse Harding 1st Disney Solo 11yrs and Under (‘Cruella De Vil’) 2nd Popular Song 11yrs and Under (‘Price Tag’)
St Andrews Musical Auditions Audition Week Details Our Whole College Musical for 2016 is The Little Mermaid Jr and will be performed at the Gold Coast Arts Centre Term 2, 2016.
Rehearsals in Term 4 will be Rec Sport (Years 7-12) and Monday from 3-5pm (Junior School only). In 2016 Term 1 Rehearsals will be combined on a Monday after school - 6pm.
Auditions are as follows:
NB: Only those auditioning for leads are required to prepare anything. Monday 24 August 1st Break 11am: RBT Year 6 (please eat before you arrive) Lilah Thurbon 1st Popular Song 11 yrs and Under (‘Fairytale’) Highly Commended Disney Solo 11yrs and Under (‘Sister Suffragette’) Samantha Todd 1st Musical Theatre 12 and 13yrs (‘Shy’) Highly Commended Song from Walt Disney 12 and 13yrs (‘Into the Open Air’) Highly Commended Popular Song 12 and 13yrs (‘Pray’)
Lunch: RBT MS/SS Dancers After School - 4pm: RBT Leads (Year 7+) Students are to prepare a verse and chorus from a Disney or Music Theatre song that best demostrates their range. Tuesday 25 August 1st Break 11am: RBT Year 5 (please eat before you arrive) Lunch: RBT MS/SS Ensemble Wednesday 26 August Lunch: RBT Acting only auditions Years 7-12 only Thursday 3 September 1st Break 11am: RBT Year 4 (please eat before you arrive) 2nd Break 1pm: MPH Year 3 Cilla Scott Head of Arts
Sport News
1st Place and State Champion - 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1st Place and State Champion - 4 x 50m Obstacle Relay 1st Place and State Champion - 4 x 25m Brick Carry Relay 2nd Place - 50m Brick Carry
Cross Country Ethan Read, Will Atkinson, Lachlan Irvine and Abbie Hawkins represented South Coast at the State Cross Country Championships. Lachlan backed up from completing the Kokoda Challenge with the winning team to compete the very next day at State Championships. Well done to all of our talented runners. AFL Bailey Scott was recently named as Vice-Captain of the Queensland 15 Years AFL team. The National Championships were held in Geelong and Queensland finished 4th. Congratulations and well done, Bailey. At the National Pool Rescue Championships held at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre Misha achieved: 1st and Australian Champion - Line Throw 1st and Australian Champion - 4 x 50m Obstacle Race 1st and Australian Champions - 4 x 50m Brick Carry relay 1st and Australian Champions - 4 x 50m Medley Relay 4th Place - 100m Patient Tow Special Olympics Ex St Andrews’ student Jacob Williams was in Los Angeles recently competing in the Special Olympics. Jacob won a silver medal representing Australia as part of the sailing team. Amazing result Jacob! Soccer Jayden Sonter was selected to represent South Coast in the State School Soccer Championships at Berndale on Monday 27 July and Tuesday 28 July. His South Coast Team won the State Championship. Race Walking Katie Hayward won the 3km walk at the Down Under Meet last Friday at Griffith University. She also won the 5km walk at the Queensland Road Race walking championships on Sunday at Runaway Bay. Katie has also been selected in Queensland Athletics 2015/2016 Target Program Squad – a high performance pathway program. Congratulations! Rowing Jahron Pennant was selected to compete in the 2015 Queensland Schools Rowing Championship Series. Well done on your selection, Jahron. Pool Rescue Championships Misha Varley competed in the Queensland Pool Rescue Championships and achieved: 1st Place and State Champion - 100m Patient Tow
District Athletics We had a large team of talented athletes compete at the Hinterland District Athletics Trials last week. We are presently waiting on official confirmation but look like having quite a number of students selected in the District team for the Regional Championships in September. Students will be notified when we receive the official team list from HDSA.
a game on Metricon Stadium at half time of the Gold Coast Suns versus GWS Giants. The girls had an amazing experience and proudly represented St Andrews. Gold Coast Suns Cup Our Years 5/6 AFL Team competed in the Gold Coast Suns Cup competition at Coomera recently and played very well under the coaching of College parent Mr Shane Wilson. They played three games but missed out on the Finals.
SLAPS Athletics Selected Years 4-6 students will be competing at the Inter Lutheran Carnival on 2 September at QSAC, Nathan. The team will be captained by Flynn Atkins and Molly O’Brien. Basketball Our Senior Boys Basketball team will be heading to Mt Warren Sports Centre in late September to compete in the Champion Basketball School of Queensland Tournament. Under the experienced leadership of Mr Edwards, our boys should do very well. Touch We have College Teams playing in the All Hallows, SQBD and State Championships over the coming weeks. Mr Hibbs and his group of talented and dedicated coaches are doing an amazing job of organising and coordinating our representative teams.
Netball Our Senior Netball team recently competed at the Vicki Wilson Cup. After success at the QISSN Championships and in the AGCC Competition, it is great to see the progress that our netball squads are making under the leadership of Mrs Roper. Our Junior Teams will compete at the Mission Foods Primary Schools Cup soon. We also have the NetSetGO! program organised by Mrs Walker underway for Term 3. Equestrian Bianca Van Kampen was recently awarded runner up at the Queensland State Interschool Equestrian Championships in June. Bianca has now been selected in the Queensland Team for Interschool Nationals. Both Mikayla and Bianca Van Kampen are also competing at Equestrian Nationals in December.
Futsal Our teams have had success at Local and State Championship tournaments recently with our Senior Boys making it through to the Australasian Championships. Oztag St Andrews has seven Years 5 and 6 teams competing at the Queensland OzTag Primary Schools Challenge on 17 August at Mallawa Sports Fields. NRL Challenge Day Recently we had a team of girls compete at the NRL Challenge Day at Helensvale. Our team did a fantastic job and were once again outstanding representatives for St Andrews. Well done girls and thank you to Mrs Pett and Miss Webb for your work with the team. NRL Junior Gala Day Our Year 3 students will be attending the NRL’s Junior Gala Day at Helensvale later in August. They will all get the chance to play modified games against students from other schools under the guidance of NRL and Titans coaching staff.
Jessica Bramley recently competed in the Equestrian Special Olympics, winning the dressage category. From this event Jessica received two first place finishes and will now be competing in the National Video Dressage Competition later in the year.
Auskick Girls At Metricon Stadium Mrs Walker took a group of our Auskick girls to play
Andrew Manion Head of Sport
Dates to Remember Saturday 15 Relay for Life - Leos Sunday 16 Relay for Life - Leos Family Service - Year 4 MLTAQ Griffith University Speech Contest 10am-5pm Junior Touch Carnival Monday 17 National Science Week 17-21 August Years 5 & 6 OzTag Comp (selected students) ICAS Comp Maths Years 8B, 8D & 10 JS Concert Band - GC Eisteddfod, GC Arts Centre Tuesday 18 ICAS Comp Maths Year 8C & Year 11 Year 10 Ceramics Surfaces Incursion Years 8 & 9 Book Club Mini Musos - GC Eisteddfod, GC Arts Centre Wednesday 19 ICAS Comp Maths Year 10 Years 8-10 Netball Competition (selected students) Thursday 20 Concert Band - GC Eisteddfod, GC Arts Centre Percussion Ensemble - GC Eisteddfod, GC Arts Centre Friday 21 National Book Week QCS Prep Workshop with Mighty Minds Jazz Band - GC Eisteddfod, GC Arts Centre CBCA Book of the Year Winner
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Koalas Crossing We have been advised by Gold Coast City Council that two koalas were struck in separate incidents on a Saturday early evening in close proximity to the College’s entrance at the end of last month. Koalas are most active at dusk, so parents using afterschool care services or attending after school functions are asked to to keep an eye out for koala activity. The Gold Coast City Council is investigating koala awareness road signage for Tallebudgera Creek Road to assist with raising drivers awareness.
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