Brisbane’s Education Guide
Kelvin Grove State College’s mission to nurture globally competent learners, leaders, and citizens
Churchie’s goal to grow skills and develop talents in the field
with former Nudgee College student and US football rising star Paddy Lynch
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it” – Malcolm X
Welcome to the third annual edition of THRIVE – Brisbane’s Education Guide. Showcasing the very best of Brisbane’s learning and education opportunities for your child, now you can confidently field the city’s finest schools and co-curricular activities.
I n this year’s edition, we take a glance at the bigger picture and what Brisbane’s schools are implementing to set themselves apart from the rest. With an emphasis on mission and values at the crux, our schools’ cutting-edge advancements are the cherry on top.
F r om Churchie fostering confidence in technology use, to Mt Alvernia introducing their Futures Hub to nurture aspirations in their students, you can gain an insight into Brisbane’s brightest schools.
Wi th a rich history of producing successful and ambitious alumni, we decided to look at what contributes to moulding a triumphant future. We spoke with an educational and developmental psychologist about academic stress, a past student who’s kicking goals in the United States, looked at the top places for cultural immersion in the city, and listed the benefits of having a pet in the home.
Following an unconventional commencement to the school year, we want to shine a light on the fantastic opportunities our schools have to offer so you can have a brilliant 2022.
5. DISCOVERING A WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
Churchie fosters technology confidence 6. FUTURE IN FOCUS
Mount Alvernia introduces their Futures Hub 8. STRESS LESS
An educational and developmental psychologist talks the ‘S’ word
9. WHY SCIENCE SAYS YOU NEED A PET Five benefits of having a furry friend
10. NURTURING GLOBALLY COMPETENT LEARNERS, LEADERS, AND CITIZENS
Kelvin Grove State College takes a holistic approach to learning 14.
TAKING THE PUNT Nudgee graduate talks about goal kicking
Technology is ubiquitous in learning, work, and everyday life – here at Churchie we’re fostering and nurturing these skills and preparing our boys for roles in this globally connected world.
When you reflect on the computer labs at schools in the 80s and 90s, you’ll likely recall rows of bulky PCs, Mac computers, glitchy colourless screens, and perhaps an electric typewriter or two. These labs allowed students to use machines that were largely inaccessible for the average family. They sought to build computer literacy and awareness, from basic typing skills to advanced software and programming. Eventually, students had access to the internet and gained greater experiences and technological skills that prepared them for technologybased careers. These labs were the gateway and training ground for the digital future we experience today. Technology is now ubiquitous in learning, work, and everyday life, transforming what is required in terms of skills and mindsets to become successful adults.
Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) students are now preparing themselves for roles in a globally connected world. Many of today’s students will be moving into jobs that don’t yet exist, and they must gain the necessary skills they need to respond to this uncertainty.
Churchie’s Preparatory School plays a key role in helping boys develop these skills. Our teachers embed design and digital technologies into their curriculum units of inquiry, keeping boys engaged, motivated, and interactive. Using humancentred design processes, our students learn to solve complex problems and find useful solutions to non-linear problems.
Our discovery space, The Hive, provides great opportunities to make learning more authentic and effective for the students as they benefit from integrating different forms of technology into their lessons. This specialist teaching area is available to all students from Reception (Prep) to Year 6. In The Hive, students have been introduced to the stimulating world of robotics, programming, film and television, 3D printing, and design. Boys can collaborate on projects with their peers, both within their class and with other schools
around the world. They can learn at their own pace, review difficult concepts or skip ahead if they need to. Our teachers also benefit from the world-class facilities and resources at their fingertips, enabling them to provide students with exciting and engaging learning experiences.
The Hive allows boys to actively contribute to the creativity, culture, and wellbeing of the school and develop transferable skillsets that will be valuable beyond the classroom. Using technology and their creativity, boys learn to take risks, and in turn, become more resourceful, innovative, enterprising, and capable.
To experience this learning space for yourself, visit Churchie’s Open Day on Wednesday May 4 from 10am to 1pm. Learn more and register at www.churchie.com.au/openday.
If you would like to find out more about a Churchie education for your son, phone (07) 3896 2200 and ask to speak to our Admissions team or email admissions@churchie.com.au.
MARK WYER
HEAD OF PREPARATORY SCHOOL
ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
OAKLANDS PDE, EAST BRISBANE P 3896 2200 CHURCHIE.COM.AU INFO@CHURCHIE.COM.AU
Career aspirations have soared to new heights with Mount Alvernia’s brand new Future’s Hub facility.
We sat down with Program Leader, Melissa Loveday, to hear about how Mount Alvernia is helping students unlock pathway options they never thought possible.
“Our goal here in the Future’s Hub is to ensure every student leaves Mount Alvernia futureready, confident in their pathway decision, and determined to succeed,” Melissa says.
With the worldwide changes over the last decade, the way we live and work has been dramatically altered by factors such as globalisation, COVID-19, the rapid increases in technology, and significant demographic shifts, a fact that Melissa understands all too well.
“Here in the Future’s Hub, we make it our mission to always be informed of
Choosing a career path can be daunting, which is why Mount Alvernia College is helping students to be aspirational and intentional in their post-school transition plans. 2022 Open Day
labour market trends to ensure we’re offering students aligned career options that will set them up for long-term success,” she says.
“In an environment where individuals are likely to transition between a variety of life, learning, and work roles, they need to be empowered to design and manage their careers.
In an environment where individuals are likely to transition between a variety of life, learning, and work roles, they need to be empowered to design and manage their careers.”
“Many young people don’t know how to manage their careers, because no one has ever assisted them to.”
It’s within this context that Mount Alvernia College has taken charge to ensure all students are well-equipped to manage their careers.
Students at Mount Alvernia College are supported to be aspirational and intentional in their post-school transition plans, with the college undertaking career immersion days, university visits, University Lunch-Box Sessions, and career profiling.
With its new interactive Future’s Hub, this department is paving the way for the successful transitions of college graduates moving on to their next chapter in life.
College alumnae from the class of 2021 couldn’t agree more with one saying the pathway management from the Future’s Hub was “exceptional”.
“They encouraged me to complete a diploma during Year 11 and 12, and I was fortunate to receive an early university offer into my first preference course,” the former student says.
“I feel miles ahead in my degree as I already had the foundational knowledge from my diploma.”
Opportunities are made possible through diverse subject offerings across the senior years. This includes a range of general, certificate, and diploma courses, as well as partnerships with Mater Health, Barrington’s College and Binnacle Training.
“There’s a world of opportunities at Mount Alvernia College, and a host of experienced and qualified staff members eager to help students aspire to success beyond the school gates,” Melissa says.
MOUNT ALVERNIA COLLEGE
CREMORNE ROAD, KEDRON P 3357 6000 MTA.QLD.EDU.AU MTA@MTA.QLD.EDU.AU
Mount Alvernia College
Sunday 22 May 10.00am - 1.00pm
As an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Michael is well-versed in the nature of stress in youth and how it can manifest. Here, he gives us his take on its impact on students.
How can stress be kept at bay?
How do you see stress present itself in students?
Stress will present in different ways for different students. While little people may lash out or become irrationally upset at small incidents, older students may become more irritable, reduce their social interactions including school refusal, or change their dietary habits. Some students may harness their stress, in-turn studying longer or harder in a bid to reduce their stress, whereas others may simply put it into the ‘toohard basket’ and distract themselves by doing something more enjoyable.
What are some ways stress can be managed?
Zooming out and taking a macro perspective is key in managing stress. In most cases the task itself is not the primary stressor. Instead, the combination of a looming deadline with competing priorities, as well as a sense of losing control, is what’s pushing us from the ‘sweet’ to ‘stressed’ zone. By taking a big picture view, students can identify and prioritise the steps needed to complete the task. This can be done by breaking down a large task into more manageable bite size pieces. Once the student completes the first piece of this puzzle, they begin to wrestle back control and as the process continues, they increase this control until they ultimately finish the task. Parents of young teenagers would be encouraged to adopt this scaffolding early on in their child’s academic journey so when they reach the business end of the season, it becomes second nature.
This is a two-part process. The most effective way to keep stress levels at a minimum is to have a solid, well-organised assessment schedule. By mapping out assignment deadlines and exams, students can schedule and maximise their study efforts. A common oversight I see with most schedules is the lack of ‘downtime’. To perform at their best, we need to make sure students are at 100%; including time to recharge with fun and friends is important. Similarly, building in some flexible time with these schedules is always beneficial as unexpected curveballs may come the student’s way such as being sick or having to isolate in our current climate. The second part, which is the more difficult of the two, is keeping students accountable to their schedule. Keeping students on-track well before exams and assignment deadlines is a tedious but crucial factor.
What can parents do to help their kids when stressed?
This is a balancing act! At times parents’ own stress or anxiety can influence them to act impulsively or “fix it” for their child, which prevents the child from a resilience-building opportunity. If a parent has identified their child is stressed, speaking with the child is always the best first step. A non-judgemental, open-ended, oneliner is a good place to start such as, “I noticed you’ve been quite frustrated today, is everything alright?”
Most times the young person will
deny the frustration or say “it’s fine” but the secret sauce in these interactions is leaving space for the young person to come back to you. So, when this rebuttal is delivered, I would encourage parents to acknowledge the young person’s point of view but then re-iterate they are available for anything and everything, and then start the waiting game. While this can sometimes test the patience of parents, I find being assertive in these scenarios is likely to turn interactions into conflict which doesn’t help stress levels at all. To perform at their best, we need to make sure students are at 100%. including time to recharge with fun and friends is important.”
There’s a slew of benefits evident in studies that suggest some puppy loving will do a world of good to those who live with pets. Not only can cohabitation strengthen immunity to ward off asthma, allergies, infection, and illness through the increase of antibodies, but the cardiovascular system can reap the benefits, too. Exercise, while not only essential for the animal, residually impacts our wellbeing as well. By taking your pet for their daily walk(s), you can lower and maintain healthy blood pressure levels in yourself.
Say hello to happy hormones! Interaction with the family pet can reduce loneliness, increase companionship and offer a whole lot of comfort to a child. And what’s more are the psychological benefits in tow. Raised oxytocin levels and subsequent serotonin production proves to help those with autism, mental health challenges, and phobias manage their symptoms more effectively day-to-day.
For kids who experience learning difficulties and those on their way to becoming avid bookworms alike, educators agree that the presence of a dog can help hone academic skillsets. By reading aloud to a trusted, beloved, and judgement-free pal, children have improved their literacy repertoire and gained confidence in the classroom.
When riding the emotional rollercoaster into the teenage years, a family pet can prove to be the common thread that enables a tight-knit bond amongst the clan. Improved communication and connection with your loved ones can be fostered through washing, grooming, feeding, walking, and cuddling your furry friend together.
Development of empathy aside, the wonderful sense of responsibility and achievement offered from pet ownership is second to none. Nurturing the family pet and meeting its many (and often complex) needs allows for greater comprehension of the demands that come with life.
With a vibrant patchwork of cultures blanketed across the city, it’s no surprise that the arts scene in Brisbane is bursting at the seams. Students have never been so privileged to be within close proximity to an enviable array of galleries, music, theatre, and art. From SparkLab to the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, it’s all here. Pleasure and enjoyment from Brisbane’s offerings aside, immersion in art and culture has time and time again been a source of inspiration for young people to develop their identity, confidence, and self-expression. And, with a vast selection of immersion-based syllabuses which begin in primary schools and stem into elite programs, like Kelvin Grove State College’s collaboration with the Queensland Ballet, Brisbane students are among the most cultured kiddos in the country. Broaden your young one’s horizons with the best of Brisbane from our round-up of the biggest and brightest in the city.
At the helm (and home) of some our most prestigious and iconic cultural offerings is Southbank. QAGOMA, QPAC, and the QLD Museum house installations from a slew of locally and internationally acclaimed artists making it obvious why almost one million people flock to the architecturally inspiring precincts each year. With regular high-flyers, like the Queensland Ballet and the works from artists like Chiharu Shiota, frequenting the riverside scape students are spoilt for choice.
One of the more colourful pockets in the city, Fortitude Valley, nurses cutting edge and trendy artists from near and far. Spend a weekend getting lost in the Valley’s laneways and show local artisans some love. With contemporary works showcased across a string of galleries by likes of Mitchell Fine Art, Outer Space, and Art from the Margins, there’s no shortage of inspiration.
From riverbank to Mt Coot-tha, Brisbane is steeped in art and architecture new and old. Whether traipsing backstreets to seek out contemporary street art is up your alley, or if wandering along the beaten path to admire iconic Indigenous artworks and Expo ’88 installations is more your speed, the city has it all. Bask in what Brisbane has to offer, and in turn give your little ones an appreciation of the culture surrounding them.
Kelvin Grove State College is a globally connected, world-class, futures-focussed Prep to 12 College, leading the way in innovation and State education. Our just cause; ‘nurturing globally competent learners, leaders and citizens’ opens the future to endless possibilities for our students. We are always exploring future opportunities to ensure the enduring relevance of the offerings for our students – preparing them for tomorrow, not yesterday.
Enacting our college values where all members feel valued
Our Junior School provides students with a solid start to their formal schooling. Best practice Prep classrooms, in partnership with QUT, ensure that our students’ first year at Kelvin Grove State College will prepare them for future learning.
Our Junior School introduces students to the college values from Prep. Resilience, creative thinking, integrity, respect, responsibility, and diversity are all part of our daily language. By enacting these key values, the intended result is the college’s core value of ‘happiness’, where all our community members feel valued and important. Our social skills programs which encompass Kidsmatter, lunchtime clubs, and Prep Buddies, further embed these values and ensure that we are catering for the social and emotional learning needs of all our students.
At Kelvin Grove State College, we take a holistic approach to developing young people’s learning. Our curriculum is progressive, inclusive, innovative, and caring, while still incorporating the core elements of education that have traditionally been essential for success. The college has exceptional academic and university pathways, as well as futures-focussed industry partnerships and pathways. We have a reputation for academic excellence and deliver programs in visual arts, dance, music, English, sports excellence, football, golf, tennis and volleyball. We are also home to the Queensland Ballet Academy Program. Our specialised learning programs such as accelerated pathways to universities, particularly QUT with whom we share a geographic boundary, meet the needs of a wide range of students.
The Middle School plays a pivotal role in our Prep to Pathways philosophy and reflects the needs of our learners in the early years of adolescence.
Our Middle School pathway motto: ‘igniting our spark, being our best, ready for our future’, empowers our students and directs us as educators to meet our target for all students – seeing greater than a year’s worth of growth in a happy classroom. We believe that the key to a successful Middle School experience lies in our students becoming resilient young adults through learning in a range of contexts. In Middle School, we define resilience as the learned ability to adapt to change, develop character strengths, and approach challenges as opportunities for learning. Through building resilience, students create connections, foster positive relationships within the college, and contribute to their wider communities.
In the Senior School, we promote the concept of excellence in teaching and learning. Students are provided with opportunities to excel in academic, excellence, and vocational areas. We focus on collaboratively working to improve student engagement and to optimise student potential, allowing a focus on the importance of lifelong learning, encapsulating our Senior School pathway motto; ‘passion, performance, pathways’. Our goal is to foster and encourage talent through collaboration with industry experts, peak industry bodies, universities, and community connectivity. Delivering innovative, future-driven strategies and initiatives, offering rich, diverse, real-world education and training experiences for our students.
KELVIN GROVE STATE COLLEGE L’ESTRANGE TCE, KELVIN GROVE P 3552 7333 KELVINGROVESC.EQ.EDU.AU
