Newsletter november issue 4 2015

Issue 4 / 6 November 2015

From the Principal Junior School Redevelopment & Refurbishment 2016 will again see physical development and improvement of the College Campus. The focus will be on a refurbishment and redevelopment of Junior School facilities. The Junior School buildings were among the first built when the College was established, and so it is an opportune time to refresh and rejuvenate them.

Among the projects planned are the building of new classrooms for the Year 1s in the space under the Early Learning Centre, refurbishment of the classrooms in A Block (currently Years 1-3), and enlargement of the Year 5 and 6 classrooms in B Block. The Year 4s will move out of their current location in the modular building and into A Block. The modular building (C Block) will be converted into a Music Facility with large rehearsal and teaching spaces, as well as additional PAT lesson spaces. The building of a specialist S.T.E.A.M room for the Junior School under B Block will also be a feature. (S.T.E.A.M stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths). The Junior School Library will effectively double in size, creating an exciting learning hub. Student Services and Japanese will also have their learning spaces enhanced. The old Junior School Music building will be demolished and converted into an attractive amphitheatre.

As you can see there will be a lot going on next year.

Essentially there are a number of smaller projects, within this larger overarching project. The sequence that the projects will occur in has been carefully planned and thought out in order to minimize disruption to the learning program. However, there is likely to be some disruption to physical movements around parts of the campus for periods of time next year. The end result will be worth the inconvenience with the benefits being greatly enhanced learning spaces and facilities to meet the learning needs of our students. It is hopeful that the first of the projects will get under way over the December-January vacation period.

Independent (Private) Schools & Academic Outcomes In recent years the media has made much of Australia’s so-called decline in the world rankings in terms of academic educational outcomes on international testing.

So it is most pleasing, particularly against this background of the occasional negative press, to share with parents this document entitled, ‘Australian Independent Schools are Top Performers’. This document reveals that independent (private) schools across Australia, of which St Andrews is a member, perform extremely well academically when compared to other nations around the world. Using raw average scores from the OECD’s 2012 PISA Testing, Australian independent (private) schools rank among the top academic performers in the world. Specifically, Australian independent (private) schools are second in the world in Scientific Literacy, second in Reading Literacy and sixth in Mathematical Literacy.

While as a school, and as a nation, we seek to be ever better, this is a timely and cogent reminder of the value of an independent (private) school education and that our young people can be confident in their preparation to make their way in the global community.

Preparation for the Next Phase of Life One of the things that is often banded around is that schooling is preparation for real life. I sometimes get frustrated by this, as for our children and young people, schooling is real life - their life. A better description might be is that schooling is preparation for the next phase of life. As our Year 12s enter the final weeks of their life here at St Andrews it is apparent that they are ready for the next phase of their life. Along with the help of their families, the College has played an important role in this. Programs such as ‘The Edge’ and the ‘City Experience’ do a great deal to develop independence, good decision-making and open our students’ eyes to a world of possibilities. The Career Counselling and the ‘Destinations Program’ (Careers Program) provided help senior students to get on a pathway appropriate to the next phase of their life. The teaching and learning in our classes, where it isn’t just about the content, but rather skills of being able to be a lifelong learner and critical thinker, position students well for

their next phase. Some of the cutting edge opportunities that the College provides around STEM, Robotics, Programming and ‘Maker-spaces’ gives students a grounding in some of the more future oriented aspects of society. In many respects the ultimate measure of a school is not the ‘score’ a student receives at the end of Year 12 - rather it is the type of person they are in 10, 20 or 30 years after they graduate. The recent 10 year reunion of the class of 2005 provided tangible evidence of a St Andrews education. The graduates of 2005 were young men and women of character, who were good husbands and wives, good fathers and mothers, decent hardworking people who were using their gifts and talents to make a difference in their communities. It was obvious they had been well prepared for the next phase of their life.

Students constructing models and conducting experiments on design features of modern sustainable housing

are also good at the ‘one-percenters.’ In the context of St Andrews, ‘one-percenters’ are those behaviours that make an impact on achievement, reputation, climate and culture but may not be readily seen and appreciated.

For example; polished shoes are a one percenter. Polished shoes show that you care about your appearance and that you are prepared to look after your belongings. Thanking a teacher at the end of the lesson is another one percenter. When students thank a teacher when they’ve enjoyed the activity and learnt something new shows that they are reflecting on their learning and can appreciate the efforts of others. Attending a Musical Concert at the College is another one percenter. By doing this it shows that you consider yourself as part of something bigger and that you are loyal and appreciative of the efforts of your friends and classmates.

Saying hello to someone as you pass them is another one percenter. This small act is significant in helping to make people feel welcome. Using impeccable manners in all interactions with members of the College community, including volunteers, parents, and staff is a one percenter that helps to build a positive community.

One percenters also make a difference to whether or not students achieve their academic study goals. One percenters that have a positive impact on student learning include: • arriving for class on time • asking questions in class • having the correct equipment for class • recording homework and study requirements methodically at the end of each lesson • handing in a draft of an assignment early to maximise feedback opportunities • engaging in the learning activity and completing the tasks set These one percenters not only raise the individual’s academic performance, they help to lift the learning of the whole College.

One Percenters At the recent Middle/Senior School Assembly I had the opportunity to talk with students about the idea of ‘one percenters’. ‘One percenters’ is a term that coaches use in Australian Rules Football. They represent small, often unrewarded, often overlooked behaviours that help out the team performance as a whole. They may include spoils, smothers or off-the-ball work such as shepherds. Coaches in Australian Rules Football discuss positive team culture in terms of individuals recording more ‘one-percenters’ to help out the overall standing of the team. Great goal kickers, spectacular marks or heroics on ground get all the headlines, but good team players, like the recently retired Adam Goodes

We often don’t comment when one percenters are done, but when they aren’t done it is noticeable and obvious. When they aren’t done, the tone, culture, climate and learning of St Andrews suffers. When they are done the overall health and achievement of the St Andrews achievement rises. The cumulative effect of these one percenters on the St Andrews Community is potentially extraordinary - and help to make student learning and well-being great.

My challenge to our students was what are the one percenters they need to be doing on a daily basis for the remainder of this term to make this happen?

Tim Kotzur Principal

Chaplains Chat 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (NIV) It’s not happiness that leads to gratitude, it’s gratitude that leads to happiness. I came across this statement while bringing together ideas for Middle and Senior School Chapels. Proponents of Positive Psychology have shown through objective research that there is a direct link between us experiencing well-being and being grateful for aspects of our life. In pondering this idea, the question arose – what is the opposite of gratitude? In simple terms it is ingratitude but the concept of ‘entitlement’ became an idea that reared its ugly head in considering the antithesis of gratitude.

Entitlement… the idea that we deserve all that we have in life…. The idea that we have a right to all the positive aspects of life in the 21st century and that if we are missing out there is something wrong and someone better do something about it for us because we are entitled to the same as everyone else and more. It is this attitude that brings arrogance into our world.

The cure for this condition is to recognise that none of us have directly done anything to deserve the immense material wealth we share here on the Gold Coast. None of us were able to choose to be born here rather than in some obscure village in a third world country where there is drought and lack of basic human needs.

Christian belief holds to the fact that all people have fallen short of God’s requirements of right living and that none of us are deserving of anything due to our own inherent goodness or right behaviour. We are all beggars before the God of the universe who holds all creation under His control. It is from this understanding of reality that each of us are able to view all of life as a Gift from our loving God. As we see life in this manner, God works humility and gratitude in our hearts and minds – the very opposite of the curse of

entitlement that pervades our society today. Our connection with God is the very basis from which gratitude naturally flows. It is through an authentic relationship with God that we can be thankful at all times, even in the direst of circumstance. May each of us be open to God’s claim on our life, it is the greatest gift we can receive and source of all blessing that we can be eternally grateful for.

Graeme Schache Chaplain

Middle & Senior School News ‘It’s human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice, really; it’s an imperative.’

- Michael Collins, Gemini and Apollo astronaut Last weekend I went to see The Martian, a movie about astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who while on a manned mission to Mars is presumed dead and left behind by his crew. On a hostile planet with few supplies he has to rely upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to both stay alive and to find a way to contact Earth. Without giving away too much of the story, the narrative of the film captivated my attention and as I sit to write about the Secondary School there are many parallels between what we are working to foster in our students and the storyline of resilience, problem solving, persistence and grit that intrigued and inspired me as an educator.

This term we have continued to embed our Learning and Teaching Framework, Dimension of Learning, with a focus on Dimension 3 – Extending and Refining Knowledge. Teachers have been exploring thinking, processing and reasoning scaffolds with classes and prompting students to think deeply; to develop academic risk-taking and resilience and to seek to extend their understandings and reflect on the process of their learning. That in itself is hefty endeavour. By being intentional and working to encourage students to opt-in and to do tasks that stretch their thinking, staff are assisting students to become better problem solvers and creative solution seekers, focused on developing knowledge and insights about the subject matter as well as learning itself.

At the end last term I had the pleasure of travelling to Canberra with our Class of 2020 (current Year 7s) and also watching them tackle and create solutions for a Maths/Science ‘marble drop’ design challenge using recycled materials. Students had to design a structure that would ensure the marble would follow a path from start to finish which took precisely 10 seconds.

Last week, Mrs Polentas hosted a Robotics and Makerspace professional sharing opportunity for 25 educators from Brisbane and Gold Coast schools, before accompanying students to the Griffith University ICT Challenge. As the youngest participants, our boys placed 3rd in what was a very challenging competition.

and or negative feedback on work is also something that can be nurtured through acknowledging that failure is one of the best ways to learn. Thomas Edison’s 1000 attempts at developing the lightbulb is a testament to academic resilience and a growth mindset.

Our Year 9 students have been working through ‘The Edge’ program this term and it was a pleasure to listen to the boy’s reflect on their learning and growth last Thursday night. The common themes of appreciation, teamwork and pushing through fear to grow as young men reinforces the importance of this significant rite of passage through their schooling years at St Andrews. This experience; beyond the activities, was about building resilience and self-belief, pushing through boundaries and taking a break from the things of the material world, like technology. With a focus on; service, pushing through perceived limitations, and community, the Edge experience is both unique and essential to our program here at St Andrews.

As we approach the end of 2015, I find myself wondering what life will be like in 2050, when our current Year 7s approach middle-age (if the life-expectancy is as it is today) and feeling thankful for the wonderful staff at the College who continue to embrace change, inspire minds and with intentionality focus on developing young people of character with inquiring minds who look forward to the challenge of hard work.

Attempting challenging tasks requires academic resilience and while that isn’t something we can teach in specific lessons there are endless opportunities for framing experiences which promote the development of a resilient mindset. A mindset of mental toughness, positive persistence and the view that successes and failures are a result of effort, strategy and work, not a fixed reflection of ability. Simple and subtle changes make a real difference here. For example, reframing praise from, ‘you are so clever and you did very well on the test’ to ‘you obviously worked very hard and should be pleased with your results’ helps students to shift their thinking. The ability to bounce back from a poor mark

For our Year 12s this term marks the final chapter of their journey through St Andrews and as they enter their final exams I’d like to acknowledge them both as a cohort and individually. The class of 2015 has been a pleasure to work with and continue to inspire us all. In Christian Studies sessions this term the Year 12s have been focussed on Good Leaving and reflecting on the legacy they leave at St Andrews. We are thankful for the gifts, talents and contributions of each one of them.

Junior School News This year the Junior School introduced “Words Their Way” as our spelling program and many parents in the Junior School may be familiar with the word sorts that have come home for homework. It is a program that focusses on explicitly teaching the spelling rules and patterns within a word. Earlier this year the staff were trained on how to use the program and we conducted a number of parent information sessions.

Each child is tested on a set of words and marked by the teacher. As the teacher is marking the spelling he/ she is looking for the errors that have been made within the word, not simply marking it correct or incorrect.

Teachers are assessing students’ pattern knowledge rather than their ability to memorize single words.

Based on the types of errors made, the teacher can set word work that is centred on the student’s current knowledge.

All classes have been using the program and the results have been very good right across the board. The results from some of our focus groups have shown a good amount of growth amongst the students, with some students demonstrating multiple years of growth in their spelling ability in one year. One of the other benefits has been that the students with dyslexia have also shown significant improvement as well.

Last week, Mrs Julia Boulton conducted enrichment activities for students in the Junior School around ‘Maker Spaces’ that involved student hands-on learning about Robotics. Across the week, students from Year 1 upwards had the opportunity to extend their design and problem-solving skills through the use of Robotics. The students, under the guidance of Year 6 ICT mentors engaged with Bee Bots, Sphero and Cubelets to come up with solutions to the different challenges. The creativity, ingenuity and higher order thinking that students showed, together with the communication and collaboration skills they needed to demonstrate in order to solve the challenge in their groups was excellent.

The field of Robotics and ‘Maker Spaces’ is gaining increased importance amongst governments in terms of future priorities, and so it is pleasing to see our students having these opportunities right from the start of their education here at the College.

Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School

Darrin Schumacher Head of Junior School

take all of PAT Speech and Drama in 2016. We wish Cassie all the very best and also thank Miss Morgan Garrity for her work this year with Cassie’s students.

Performing Arts News Term 4 Dates As we look ahead to an exciting and busy Term in Performing Arts. Below are some key dates to pop in the calendar.

Tuesday 10 November

Evening of Song (2 Sessions)

RBT

Saturday 14 November Animi Dance Concert

RBT

Thursday 19 November Piano Concerts (2 Sessions)

MPH

Tuesday 24 November

Speech and Drama (2 afternoon concerts)

RBT

Friday 27 November

Band Soiree Afternoon

RBT

**Further details will be available soon.

PAT 2016 As we start to look forward to 2016, a few reminders about PAT Tuition.

Unless we receive a Cancellation Form all existing PAT Students will roll over into 2016 timetables. If you do not wish for your child to continue – please complete the online form on the website. Please do not just tell the PAT Tutor as this information is not always passed on to Anne (Performing Arts Teacher Aide) who is doing the timetables. Alternatively you can email performing arts@salc.qld.edu directly.

Students in Year 3 Strings and Mini Musos are reminded to return their forms that were sent home last week to ensure they are timetabled in for 2016.

If you are considering enrolling in 2016 – please complete the application form this term as we are starting the timetabling process towards the end of this term. We do have finite places in our programs and it is a case of first in best dressed.

PAT Staff Update We welcome this week John White who will be taking Kate Oakley-Grant’s piano students until the end of the year, as Kate has accepted a part time classroom position (NB Kate will remain with Strings and String Ensemble). We also welcome back Mr Paul Roberson who will teach MS and SS Guitar. Paul was with us many years ago and we welcome him back to the PAT Team.

In additional PAT news, Mrs Cassie Zorko (our PAT Speech and Drama Teacher who has been on maternity leave in 2015) has decided not to return and Louise Delaney – who has been with us for over a decade will

Cultural Awards Friday 23 October saw our annual Cultural Awards Evening – a wonderful showcase of the year that has been in the Arts and an opportunity to acknowledge our exceptional young performers. Congratulations to all Awardees!

Cilla Scott Head of Arts

Natalie Roberts came 4th in the 200m Final, 8th in the 100m Final and her team came 1st in the 4x100m Relay.

Sport News Sports Awards 2015 A reminder that this year, all of the St Andrews Lutheran College Sports Awards will be presented at the respective Junior, Middle and Senior School Presentation Evenings. There will not be a ‘Sports Awards Evening’ as such.

Achper Women In Sport Breakfast A small group of Senior girls travelled to Brisbane to attend the annual ACHPER Women in Sport breakfast in October. Katie Hayward, Cassie Crowe, Sophie Butler, Molly Schaefer and Kara Batchelor listened to a variety of highly successful female sportswomen speaking about their training, commitment and sports careers. It was a very motivating morning with these inspirational elite athletes.

Lachlan Irvine came 2nd in the 5000m Final and 2nd in the 1500m Final and qualified for the National Championships.

Katie Hayward won the 3000m walk in a new Queensland State Record Time and qualified for the National Championships.

Hockey Tim Hornsey has been selected in a special hockey program run by ex-Olympian Brent Livermore. The program is called the Brent Livermore 25 rising stars. 14 boys and girls who have shown promise, have been selected to participate in a training program. It is a great opportunity for Tim to be coached by one of the best in hockey.

Oztag Nationals Emily Richards, Hannah Schooley and Cassie Crowe played at the National Oztag Titles on the 16 & 17 October this year. Hannah is also currently refereeing games for our Friday afternoon Years 5 and 6 Inter School Sports Competition at Mallawa Sports Fields.

Taekwondo Luke Workman recently won Gold and became National Champion in the Cadet Red, 12-14 years, 33-37 kg category. Luke won this title in Adelaide at the STA Taekwondo National Championships which were held from 2-4 October.

Outstanding Track and Field Results at State Championships St Andrews had 6 students compete at the State Track and Field Championships recently. Fraser Eller also qualified but was unable to compete.

Ethan Read came 7th in the Final of the 800m, Bailey Scott came in 6th in his 800m Heat and Charlotte Chant came 4th in her Heat of the 400m.

Swimming Misha Varley recently swam at a State Qualifying event and has qualified for 2 events for the State Titles which will be held in December.

Soccer Flynn Charters and Jayden Racette from Year 6 recently went on a European Soccer Tour with their club team.

They went to Madrid, Barcelona and London where they played some great games and were coached by some professional coaches from Real Madrid, FC Barcleona and the West Ham Academy. They also got to watch some of the biggest stars in the game like Ronaldo and Messi! It must have been a fantastic experience for them. Nice work boys.

Matthew Gabriel competed in the National Schools Futsal championships as part of the Queensland City U12 team - achieving third in the 16 team national competition. Matthew has now also been selected in the Australian U13 team to travel to Barcelona in 2016.

Jenna Mobberley also competed at the National Futsal Titles and was selected for the Under 18 Australian Futsal team to travel to the USA and compete in 2016.

Gymnastics Congratulations to Thomas Kilmartin who has been competing over many weeks at gymnastics competitions and was successful in qualifying for the States and Nationals. National Clubs is where all top gymnasts compete for the title of ‘Best National Club’, which is held in Bendigo, Victoria. Thomas will also compete for the individual State title in Brisbane in the following week. He’s now competing at level 5 and trains for 12 hours every week at Gold Coast Gymnastics Club in Miami.

Andrew Manion Head of Sport

Futsal Miles Blanchard, Hugh Clayfield-Hoskin and Jake Petie were chosen to represent a Queensland team in the National Schools Futsal Competition that was held in the last week of the September school holidays. All 3 boys trained really hard with the Queensland White team leading up to competition giving up a lot of their time on the weekends. Even though their team did not make the finals it was still a fabulous week of competition. All of the boys certainly improved and grew as players with this experience. Hugh Clayfield-Hoskin was also selected for the Australian Schools Futsal team to travel overseas.

Leilani Frost played in the Under 14’s for Brisbane City in the National School Futsal Championships in the holidays. They missed out by a point on getting to the finals but she had a great time and it was a great learning experience for her.

Dates to Remember Saturday 7 Year 11 U16 Australasia Futsal Years 5-6 Primary All Schools Touch Year 12 Graduating Art Exhibition 30 Oct - 15 Nov Sunday 8 Year 11 U16 Australasia Futsal Monday 9 Year 9 Girls Service Learning 9-13 Nov Year 12 Exams 9-13 Nov Tuesday 10 Mufti Day – Cancer Awareness, wear pink and yellow JS Assembly, MPH, 1.40pm Years 8 & 9 Book Club An Evening of Song, 4.00pm Ruth Butler Theatre Triple P Parenting Program Night 2, 6.30pm CRC Wednesday 11 Remembrance Day Year 6 Parents Coffee Morning, Plantation House after drop off Year 11 BM Excursion Year 11 and 12 Music Excursion Years 8-10 Netball Competition (selected students) Friday 13 Men’s and Women’s Assembly Animi Dance Rehearsal (selected students), 3.00pm RBT Saturday 14 Animi Concert Years 1-4, 4.30pm RBT Animi Concert Years 5-9, 6.30pm RBT

IT News

P&F News

Parent CYOD (Choose Your Own Device) Portal The College is pleased to announce the launch of our new online portal to purchase technology for students.

AGM (Annual General Meeting) This year’s AGM is on Wednesday 25 November 7.00pm in the CRC (Cecile Ryan Centre).

The College has partnered with “The School Locker”, a division of Harvey Norman, to provide education pricing on student IT devices available for purchase through an online portal.

The School Locker and the College have been negotiating with a range of vendors to setup a Parent “Choose Your Own Device” portal to assist in purchasing devices for their children. These devices have been preselected to meet the requirements for learning in the classroom.

At the meeting all current positions are declared vacant and a vote will be taken for the positions from the nominations received.

Participation in this program is voluntary. The College is simply providing an online option for parents who may be looking to purchase a new device for their child/ren and require assistance.

The School Locker will be running the program and delivery of devices for parents will be directly through The School Locker as the provider. Payment can be made online via credit card or with Flexirent finance options available. The finance options available can be beneficial when combined with accidental damage protection. The College is simply promoting this as a service to make decisions and purchasing easier for families and is not involved in the contract of purchase and supply.

Students/Parents need to register with a student advantage card to be eligible for these discounts online. These cards are available from Junior, Middle and Senior Administration areas or the IT Department in the Cecile Ryan Centre.

The College will be holding an information session for parents on Thursday 12 November at 5.00pm in the Cecile Ryan Centre. The devices available on the portal will be on site for parents to view and test. We will have representatives from The School Locker onsite also to assist with any queries you may have. The student advantage cards will also be available for collection on this evening.

Please indicate your intention to attend this information session by registering through the link below.

Information Session registration www.trybooking.com/168515 Portal link http://theschoollocker.com.au/schools/st-andrews-lutherancollege We hope you find this portal of assistance in purchasing your child a device.

Jo Schaefer IT Manager

All nominations must be submitted 30 days before the AGM to the President. The nomination form is available on the College website under the P & F section.

The office bearer positions are as follows: President Currently Daniel Renneberg (daniel@austplan.com.au) Vice President Currently Julieanne Andrews (julieanne6@optusnet.com.au) Treasurer Currently Michelle Brown (michelle@brownslawyers.com.au) Secretary Currently Nicole Ainger (bidwill16@bigpond.com) Grants Officer Currently Kim Allan Fundraising Officer (Currently Vacant) Most of the current office bearers are unable to commit to a further year on the P & F due to full time employment and family commitments and are unable to re-nominate.

Please consider taking on a role on the P & F. It is a very rewarding position to hold, allowing you to be involved in a meaningful way in your child/ren’s school. If you would like further information on the duties of any position please feel free to contact us at pandf@salc.qld.edu.au P & F general meetings are held once a term and everyone is always welcome.

P & F Commitee

STUDENT ADVANTAGE BEGINS HERE Dear Parent/Carer Your child’s school has joined our exclusive Student Advantage Card program, allowing students to recieve educational benefits.

Your Student Advantage Card is attached below. This is your key to unlock educational pricing and exclusive special offers at The School Locker stores!

Present your card each time you shop for uniforms, technology, footwear, stationery, sport and music equipment and your school recieves a rebate.

Valid at The School Locker and Harvey Norman stores.

ACTIVATE YOUR CARD Visit www.theschoollocker.com.au and click on the Student Advantage Card icon to activate your card. All you need is a few contact details and your unique Student Advantage Card number located on the back of your card.

CURRENT SPECIALS Visit theschoollocker.com.au/studentcard to see our current offers for Student Advantage card holders

UNLOCK SPECIALS LIKE THESE WHEN YOU ACTIVATE YOUR STUDENT ADVANTAGE CARD: OFFERS BELOW ARE ONLY EXAMPLES

10% OFF

all sheet music includes Standard of Excellence series: Beginner to Advanced!

Buy any Spirax school book and receive a free gift with purchase: a document wallet!

Great for school assignments!

15% off all technology accessories

Kick off with

20% OFF all football gear

includes footballs, guards and accessories!

Students can also write their name on the back of their card.

Raises funds for your school each time you shop at these stores!

For more information about your card please contact The School Locker: www.theschoollockercom.au service@theschoollocker.com.au ph: 1800 826 155 Terms and Conditions apply.

For full details visit our website