(School Days Only)
Mondays 8.00am – 10.00am
Tuesdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Thursdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Uniform Shop Location Address/Parking:
24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge Qld 4125 (located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest road).
For further information:
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Email: service@theschoollocker.com.au
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
/PCCUniforms
SHOP ONLINE @theschoollocker.com.au/schools/parklands-christian-college
The tuckshop will be open EVERY day this year, Monday-Friday!
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Please contact our Tuckshop Convenor, Marie Rushin, on 0422 637 370 or email tuckshop@parklands.qld.edu.au
A Parklands family has recently moved into full time ministry work and are taking a trip to Vanuatu in May to meet with the brethren there. They are looking for second hand children’s bibles and story books – if you have any that you would like to donate please contact Student Services for more information.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
Exodus 15:21a “And Miriam sang this song: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously…’”
My goodness this term has zipped by! We have welcomed our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow, and it’s so great to hear lots of music happening at school every day. We are grateful to have access to a bit more space this year, and it is certainly being well used – there has never been a better time to be involved with music at Parklands!
We are also planning to hold our first Music Day Camp in Term 2, for bands, strings & choirs – watch out for more details on the way very soon. Your children will not want to miss out on this!
We are thrilled to have our Junior Choir & Andante Strings joining the Worship Team at our Easter Chapels this year. This is a great opportunity for our students to be part of a larger group & contribute to the life of the College.
Term 2 contains two more performance opportunities for different Ensembles. In week 2, our choirs & Wind Ensemble will lead the singing at our ANZAC Day Service, and then at the end of week 6 you will have the chance to see and hear all our performances groups at the College Fete! Everyone is working hard to prepare for this amazing day, and of course we need a wonderful audience.
All Instrumental music lessons continue right to the end of term and then begin again right away in week 1 of Term 2 – it’s never too late to join in! We are happy to accept enrolments at any time during the year; simply download & complete the Enrolment form attached, then return it to Student Services & we will get your child started as soon as possible.
Choir & Ensemble rehearsals also continue right to the end of term, and we are excited to have our Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings rehearsals commence right at the start of Term 2. The students have been asking about it, so clearly they are excited to get together & play with their friends!
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule from Term 2:
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
| Wind Ensemble (Learning >1yr) 7:30-8:15am S6 |
GIAG Band (Yr4 & beginner) 8-8:45am S6 |
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| Junior Choir (Yr 2-4) 1:30-2pm S7 |
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| Petite Strings (Yr4 & beginner) 3:10-3:45pm S6 |
Senior Choir (Yr 5-12) 3:10-4pm Mr Goh’s room |
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| Andante Strings (Learning >1yr) 3:20-4:30pm S6 |
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| Worship Team (Fortnightly) 3:30-5pm Auditorium |
Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme and other beginners. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and string students continuing to have lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join ensembles; please contact instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au to enquire about which is most suitable for your child.
Our 2024 cohort of Give It A Go! students are having a great time so far! Students are beginning to become more comfortable on their instruments and will add Ensemble rehearsals to their weekly lessons next term – this is an exciting time in our Give It A Go! Music Programme! If you or your child are interested in joining in, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Some places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Weekly lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $36/30mins or $24/20mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & drum kit. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $23/30mins for a Group of 2 or $16/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
During Year 10 – 12 Christian Life Studies (CLS), students had the opportunity to select elective rotations to attend for a duration of 6 weeks. Among these, the “Voices for Change” rotation stood out for its focus on addressing pressing issues such as human trafficking. It’s sobering to consider that over 27 million people are currently trapped in slavery worldwide.
As Christians, we are called to seek justice and advocate for the oppressed. In Isaiah 1:17, we are reminded, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” This verse underscores our Christian worldview and emphasizes the importance of responding to injustice with action and compassion.
Through the “Voices for Change” rotation, students are equipped with the necessary skills to recognize exploitation, understand Australia’s role in combating human trafficking, and actively contribute to the abolition of modern-day slavery. It is our prayer that these young advocates will continue to raise their voices for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:8-9).
“Voices for Change” is a powerful call to action, inspiring students to become informed advocates for a world where every voice is heard, and every individual is free from exploitation. Education serves as the cornerstone of change – as Maya Angelou once said, “When we know better, we do better.”
I’m immensely proud of the dedication and creativity demonstrated by the students who participated in this rotation. Their efforts have culminated in the creation of educational posters that convey powerful messages. Special thanks to the talented Melinda Sampson for bringing their ideas to life through her artistic skills.
Please join me in congratulating the following students for their outstanding contributions:
Ella, Andy, Cody, Kai, Malachi, Marlon, Giselle, Pypah, Clare & JaimeAva
Your commitment to advocacy and justice is commendable. May you continue to be agents of change in our community and beyond.
As the echoes of the cost of living crisis reverberate through our community, the need for support becomes increasingly urgent. Families facing financial strain turn to local initiatives for assistance, seeking relief from the burden of putting food on the table. In response to this pressing need, the Parklands Care Pack Ministry has emerged as a beacon of hope, extending a helping hand to those in need.
Central to the operations of the Parklands Care Pack Ministry are the dedicated efforts of our Year 10 Active volunteering students. These young individuals, driven by compassion and a desire to make a difference, have once again stepped up to volunteer their time. Their mission: to pack 50 Care Packs, each containing a week’s worth of non-perishable grocery items.
This initiative not only addresses the immediate needs of struggling families but also serves as a profound educational opportunity for our youth. By actively engaging in community service, these students gain firsthand insight into the challenges faced by their neighbors. They witness the reality of hardship within our own backyards and, in doing so, cultivate empathy and understanding.
The impact of this experience transcends mere acts of charity; it fosters a sense of responsibility and empowerment among our youth. Through their involvement in the Parklands Care Pack Ministry, students learn that they possess the capacity to effect positive change, to be the solution to the challenges confronting their community.
Over the past three years, the Parklands Care Pack Ministry has emerged as a pillar of support, distributing over 900 Care Packs to those in need. Each pack represents more than just sustenance; it embodies solidarity, compassion, and the collective spirit of a community united in the face of adversity.
As we navigate these uncertain times, let us draw inspiration from the unwavering dedication of our youth and the transformative impact of grassroots initiatives like the Parklands Care Pack Ministry. Together, through acts of kindness and service, we can nourish not only bodies but also spirits, creating a brighter, more compassionate future for all.
Mrs Amanda Young
It’s been a busy month for sport. Our students have been competing across multiple sports (touch football and futsal) in weekly competition with the USL, as well as travelling away to compete at the CSSAQ Futsal and Swim gala days. We’ve had a number of students making huge strides in trials for Netball, Swimming, AFL and athletics, with some of those gaining state honours to represent QLD at Nationals next month. A special shout out goes to Riley Tinson, who swam at the Met West trials earlier in the term (Coach Walker sends his sincere apologies to Riley for missing him from last month’s newsletter). Volleyball was the order of the day for our first Students vs Teachers match and despite an early lead to the students, and in what has been touted as the greatest comeback of all time, it came as little surprise that the teachers came away with the win.
Thanks to all our students who have competed, parents who have supported, and teachers and staff who have coached, Parklands sporting spirit is alive and well.
Mums and dads, we love to hear about your child’s sporting exploits. Please email sport@parklands.qld.edu.au when you have news or updates on their progress. We’d love to hear it!
Thank you to all the staff, students and parents who supported our last day BBQ. It was a great success. We look forward to seeing you all at the cross country BBQ on 17 April where will once again be selling sausage sizzle, egg and bacon rolls and drinks.
The Fete is coming around quickly, and we are looking forward to having a cake decorating competition, photography competition and art competition, which will including a variety of age groups and the entry fee is $2. Check out the brochure below for more information and to register your name for these competitions. Donations of chocolates and drinks can be brought into school from beginning of next term for the Lob a Choc and Ring Toss. So look out for those sales and start buying up if your keen and able to donate for this event.
We thought it would be helpful to list the parents from each grade that are in the friendlies, so if you want to contact them for queries, suggestions or helping out, the names are as follows. You can email the friendlies and if it’s grade specific or if you prefer to contact a specific person, list the contact you would like to contact and I can forward it to them. Alternatively if you know the parent feel free to walk up say hello and have a chat.
Prep-
Year 1 – Kristie Hodge and Kate Harbourn
Year 2 – Susie Meddleton
Year 3 – Vicki Kello
Year 4 – Susie Meddleton
Year 5 – Christina Keilar
Year 6 – Kelly Gray
Year 7 – Josephine Blanford
Year 8 – Kate Harbourn
Year 9 – Tanya Tonges
Year 10- Tanya Tonges and Kate Harbourn and Kelly Gray
Year 11 – Josephine Blanford
Year 12 – Kate Harbourn
The Friendlies team wish your all a safe and happy Easter.
Term 1 for our Connections Crew has been a super busy one but our Hospitality students have stepped up and worked extremely hard to make the Cafe a warm and welcoming space for everyone to vibe with.
Our wonderful team of Teachers are dedicated to each and every student and we all work together to create this much loved morning ritual become the start of an enjoyable school day!
We thank everyone within the Parklands community who visits Connections and supports us, not to mention the many parents who allow their children $$ for a treat!
Next term, we will be back open in Week 2, so keep an eye out for specials coming into the cooler months.
With love & blessings for this Easter period,
from the Connections Crew xx
On Friday 1st of March, The Rite Journey celebrated our first event of the year, the Calling and Departure Ceremony!
Starting at school, the year 9 students arrived at the BSC and played some games, before boarding buses headed to Mount Tambourine. Excited cheers and gasps filled the buses as we arrived at the grassy lookout, where students enjoyed dinner on the hill. Once everyone had finished, they formed groups, competing in a group task, about on the stages of the Rite Journey, and what each represented. Students then formed a circle, listening to Mrs. Smith and Mr. Braun, as they shared passages about the role that mother and father figures can play in a young person’s life, as well as the importance of gratitude and appreciation.
As the sun set, students broke off individually and reflected on their lives so far, as they chose one childish behaviour they would like to leave behind. Once they had shared this decision with their rite journey group, Mr. Kong and Miss Stevens led the group in prayer, reading from Jeremiah 29:11, followed by ‘The Dash’.
Upon arrival, parents and families met their child, before gathering around the fire, to start the Departure Ceremony. As Pastor Warman prayed over the cohort, Mr. Braun lit the fire for the teachers to burn the student’s paper form the Calling Ceremony, signifying their commitment to get rid of these behaviours.
The families then moved off into different areas across the senior school, where students presented letters of gratitude, surprising a number of our parents.
In return, families revealed the items they had brought from their student’s childhood, sharing memories and hopes from the past and what the future holds for their child. To end the evening, students introduced their families to their Rite Journey Teacher, discussing their choice of behaviour, as they embark on the next stage of their journey, into adulthood.
On behalf of the Rite Journey staff, we would like to thank the families, the bus drivers, the additional Parklands Staff and the Active Volunteering students, who made this evening so memorable for our students and community.
And that’s a wrap! As part of their Unit 3 studies in Human Centred Design, Term 1 of 2024 saw students researching the experience of volunteering in their local community. To gain first-hand information and witness for themselves the volunteering experience, students participated in a street outreach excursion with Rosie’s ‘friends on the street’ so that each student had the opportunity to serve at Logan and Beenleigh outreach locations through the mission of Rosies. Rosies aims to offer friendship and unconditional acceptance to those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or are experiencing social isolation or loneliness. Just as you would offer a cup of tea or coffee to a friend who was visiting your home, we do the same for our friends on the street. “In our home of hospitality, love, joy, peace and friendship, we welcome those from every corner of society with unconditional acceptance. Like Jesus, we invite all to the banquet” (Fr. Joe Antony OMI).
The youth engagement placements were conducted over a series of weeks this term, under the direction of Mrs Dennys, Mr Greentree and Mrs Wallis who also volunteered their own personal time for the experience. Observational data was collected about the user experience to inform students’ creative responses to the Design IA2 folio topic about improving the volunteering experience. Duties conducted on the outreach included: Assist the team in packing van; Preparing tea/coffee/food in readiness for outreach; Serve tea/coffee/noodles/other food on street outreach; Pack-up, cleaning and other duties after each outreach; Participate in a pre-briefing and debriefing process; Observe Health and Safety practices; reporting to the Team Leader any hazards or incidents during outreach and exemplifying the values of Rosies at all times. Boy did our students live up to the challenge!
Given this social inclusion experience was piloted at Parklands Christian College for the very first time this year, we are absolutely thrilled with the success of the rollout of this program and in particular, the very positive feedback! Students have expressed how appreciative they are to have been able to participate in serving food to patrons on the street and most are saying they can’t wait to go back to serve again. Our hope here at Parklands is that our young adults of the future will cherish this unique opportunity to empathise with, show care, respect and dignity to people who are less fortunate than themselves. And how timely it is that in this holy season of lent, that our young people are working in the spirit of Jesus Christ our lord’s second commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). In reflecting upon this on the eve of Jesus’ crucifiction, we rejoice in the opportunity to deepen our connection with God and to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Rosies – Friends on the Street provides community, connection and friendship for people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage, hardship and social isolation across Queensland. Their team of 1600 volunteers are out on the street every single night of the year thanks to the support of the communities where they operate. Should you wish to show your support of Rosies today, this will go to help people in need tonight. To understand Rosie’s connection and why we chose their organisation, check out this video link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvyUhI6Dgjk
As we enter into the reflective season of Easter and enjoy the school holiday time, it’s a great time to also reflect on our own connection and communication at home with our families. Holiday’s give us and our children an opportunity to take a breather without the pressures of homework, tests/exams, school lunch prep, sports practices and often, offer a more relaxed routine. If we as parents are working, our children still feel the release of expectations sometimes associated with the school term.
The school holidays are the perfect time to engage, re-engage and have fun with your children.
As our children grow they will have different expectations around connection and as they stretch their muscles of independence, the way we connect with them changes. It’s helpful to gauge the needs of our children and what fills their tank. Check out the 5 Love Languages website and do the quiz with your children if you are unsure https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language
We do not need to take a holiday to another location in order to connect. There are many ways we can communicate and have fun whilst being at home or in our local area. Connection and fun are good for our children’s mental and emotional health. Having strong, healthy and stable relationships are a key factor in the development of good mental health. On top of that, finding activities away from constant phone and screen use that engage the body and the mind is good for our wellbeing.
Road trip – pack some food and head on an adventure to somewhere you have never been. Check out a local walking track, picnic spot, waterfall or beach.
Game time – put technology away and get the cards and board games out. Head to Kmart as a family and pick out a new game you could play over holidays. Some of our team favourites include Monopoly, Rummi-Kub, Sequence, Balderdash and Cluedo. We also love card games including Monopoly Deal, Phase 10, Uno, and Skip Bo. Make a day of it, snacks are compulsory!
Get active – Go and kick a ball around, take a trip to the local park, take a fitness class together or head to the local swimming pool for some water fun.
YES-DAY – We suggest watching the Yes Day movie first. Then decide on a budget and a few ground rules. Hand the reigns over to your kids and let them design a Yes Day – they might plan your outfit, your activities and what food you will eat – and you cannot say no! It’s a lesson in self-control for us as parents but the kids will enjoy planning it, enjoy your constant Yes and remember for years to come.
Art Club at home – time to get messy! Get an old sheet or tarpaulin, some paper and all the craft equipment you have at home. Allow for messy play, gluing, painting and making wonderful creations.
Wheel-athon – take your scooters and bikes to the nearest skate park and create some fun challenges for the kids they need to tick of while they are there
Baking Day – younger children love to support with measuring, mixing and taste testing. Older children can lead the process – maybe you could be the baker’s assistant and then enjoy the muffins, brownies and bread that are created!
Fort building – get all your chairs, sheets, blankets and pillows togerther and allow your children to go wild with their imagination, building a fort, or castle, or reading nook. Leave it up for a couple of days and encourage using it to read, imaginative play and even for sleeping!
Water days – older children with water safety awareness who love being outdoors might enjoy a morning kayaking or an afternoon on a stand up paddle board. These build strength, balance and support good mental health by being outside in the fresh air and getting the body moving.
Ice cream adventures – do some research and find some of the most delicious, whacky and fun ice creams in the city. Take a trip into town and visit the one that suits you the best. Maybe enjoy a walk through the city with your ice cream and take some photos to remember!
Learn something new – Find a local art or fitness class and go together to learn a new skill. It might be pottery, cooking, Muay Thai or macramé! Perhaps they could design a business to sell their new creations and pitch their business plan to their family.
Library adventures – visit a bunch of local libraries in your city – explore and discover new books, reading nooks and make a list of the things you loved about each one so you know which ones to visit next time.
Visit the local art gallery and discuss the themes and creative perspective.
Golf – head to the local driving range for a hit out – a great way to focus on a target, have fun and release some stress.
Movie marathon: pick a movie series, stock up on snacks and stay in your pyjamas – sometimes it’s nice to relax and take turns predicting what’s going to happen next!
Camping – you don’t have to go far, even if it’s the local camping ground or your back yard, enjoy an evening or two as you roast marshmallows, cook up some damper and sit round the fire.
Go on a DATE – children appreciate uninterrupted time with just you! Whether it’s a Starbucks frappe, sushi or walking the dog together, take time individually for each child in the holidays – they will cherish those special times that they had you all to themselves.
Our local community is filled with wonderful activity ideas. If you prefer something more structured or focused on something specific, take a look at the following ideas for workshops, locally run activities and social/emotional programs:
Lemonade Kids: https://www.lemonadekids.com.au/programs/
KRANK Logan: https://www.logan.qld.gov.au/krank-school-holiday-program-2
Standing Strong: https://standingstrongclubs.com/
Logan library activities: https://loganlibraries.org/whats-on/
Logan Art Gallery: https://www.loganarts.com.au/venue/logan-art-gallery/
The heart behind all of the above ideas is relationship and connection. Children thrive when they are known, loved and understood. Take this time to get to know your child more. Find out what makes them tick. Acknowledge the ways they have changed and grown already this year and enjoy having FUN these holidays!
As we come to the end of Term 1 it has been such a privilege to share with the kids the most important event in the Christian calendar. Easter is the time of year when we stop and reflect the sacrifice that was made for each and every one of our sins. It’s so important for all of us young and old to really appreciate the significance of Easter.
The kids loved making palm branches that we used to retell the story of Palm Sunday. We celebrated that Jesus is alive through our song and had fun playing pass the parcel to unveil that the greatest gift is Jesus’ love for us. We wore crowns to remember our king and all He has done for us.
Our verse for this month is one I’m sure everyone is very familiar with:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
If you would like to know more about the fun things we get up to in Kid’s church contact Angela Marsh via amarsh@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Angela Marsh
The Preppies wrapped up the term with a delightful range of activities. Our families and beloved teddy bears joined us in the prep playground for a Teddy Bears’ picnic! We immersed ourselves in all things bear-related including painting sessions, constructing cosy homes for our bears, reading bear-themed books, crafting cute bear ears, and sharing delicious treats. The Evergreen puppet show introduced us to the wonders of rainforest animals and taught valuable lessons on how to care for this special place. To complement our Term One theme, ‘God Made Me Special’, we shared stories about our families, talked about our talents and made photo albums to show how we have grown and changed. We loved listening to Easter stories and celebrating Jesus by making wonderful Easter crafts and decorations for our families.
Amidst all the excitement this term, we explored numbers and sounds and are even starting to read and write words and sentences! We are so proud of how much the preppies have learned this term, and we can’t wait to continue this amazing journey with our friends and families next term. We wish you all a safe and happy Easter!
As we bid farewell to Term 1, we can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had together. From our inaugural Year 1 chapel to the mesmerizing puppet show exploring the wonders of Australian Rainforests, each moment has been nothing short of magical.
Our students embraced challenges head-on when exploring physical and chemical changes through S’mores in a solar oven, melting ice blocks and making popcorn. The students later on in the week put their learning, creativity and problem-solving skills into action as they constructed and tested boats from recyclable materials. Amidst the excitement, we delved deep into the world of numbers, mastering counting up to 100 and honing our skills in skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s.
Term 1 was a testament to the enthusiasm, curiosity, and dedication of our students and staff alike. As we look forward to the adventures that await in Term 2, let’s carry forward the spirit of exploration and learning that made Term 1 truly fantastic!
Year 2 has enjoyed a splendid second half of term 1!
Our biggest highlight was our visit to Wolston Farmhouse. What a treat it was to head out on a bus and visit a historic landmark. The farmhouse took us back in time to the 1800’s and we got to experience first hand what life was like and how different technology was long ago. The children were fascinated by all the various items and especially liked washing the clothes!
Along with our day to day school work, we have enjoyed taking a closer look into the meaning of Easter over the last couple of weeks. The children have come to appreciate God’s greatest gift, His Son, and have been learning about how we can continue to share God’s amazing love with others. It is always such a blessing to see our kiddos demonstrating kindness to one another daily and working hard to bring smiles to others in our school community.
Year 2 would love to send big blessings out to all our families this Easter. Enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing you all in Term 2!
Take care!
from Year 2!
Year 3 has had an exciting and super busy March! A major highlight for us this month was our Science incursion. Students entered a cosmodome and were able to consolidate and continue learning all about how God made day and night and also how shadows change. It was a fun way to end an engaging and hands on Science unit!
We also all loved swimming! Students get to travel together to the pool and have some time learning to swim and having fun together in the pool. We also learnt about water and bus safety during this time. It is always fantastic fun, despite it being tiring!
3B had a super special time with having a Preservice Teacher, Miss Forbes for the last 5 weeks. It is always great to have another teacher to love and another way to learn and 3B was super blessed to have Miss Forbes for all of March. We want to say a big thank you to Miss Forbes for all her hard work and for bringing something extra special to 3B during her prac at Parklands, we will all miss you!
Year 3 also had a fun time writing their persuasive flyers and presenting their persuasive speeches to their classes, trying to convince their peers (and the staff) that they should be class captain. In line with our HASS unit on democratic decision making, the students then voted for who they would like to be class captain! It was great to see their presentations and we look forward to our class captains serving our classes for the rest of the year!
Harmony Day this year was really fun (and busy). Students were able to wear orange and year 3 completed a collaborative colouring about belonging and how we are all made in God’s image – all different and all wonderful! The highschoolers also put on some special activities during break times with face painting and hand print art. It is always great to celebrate difference.
We hope and pray you all have a blessed, safe and relaxed Easter and holidays. We can’t wait to have all the students back rested and ready to start Term 2. Thanks to all the parents who have helped this term, especially with swimming but also in many other ways.
This month our students have consolidated their term’s learning while creating Easter cards for local Nursing home residents, celebrating Harmony Day and engaging in our clubs and other whole school activities such as our World Environment Calendar. Congratulations to William and Blake, whose entries have been submitted as our Year 4 winners! The students have worked exceptionally hard this month finalising their digital portfolios in Maths as well as completing other assessments.
The students had so much fun at our Camp/ sleepover with exceptional participation and best behaviour. We are so proud of how they bravely engaged with each new activity.
Overall, it has been an awesome term. The Year 4 team prays you have a wonderful break, enjoying all the blessings God gives to us daily.
Blessings, Miranda, Julie, Janine and Alicia.
Term 1 has been a term of “new things” for Year 5, we have had new experiences, new responsibilities, our first camp, a new classroom, our first online NAPLAN, and new iPads. We are discovering just how difficult it can be, being responsible for our own devices, our own homework, and our own Math Modules. Yet we have grown and leaned to shoulder these responsibilities with dignity.
With Easter just around the corner, we have hunted for Easter Eggs filled with scripture relating to the Easter Story, we have coloured Easter Cards and images, we have made Easter crosses and completed Easter activities, and we have remembered the real meaning behind Easter. We have remembered all that Jesus sacrificed on the cross for us and worshiped Him because He first loved us. We look forward with excitement and anticipation to the remainder of our year and wonder what “new things” still lay in store for us!
Easter is a special holiday that we celebrate to remember that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to save us from our sins. We are all sinners because we have disobeyed God. God is holy and just. He cannot let sinners enter Heaven. God sent Jesus Christ, His Son, into the world to live a perfect life in our place and then to die in our place, to take the punishment for our sins. Jesus did that because he loves each one of us. If we believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we can be saved from our sins and look forward to spending all of eternity in Heaven with God. We should celebrate because Jesus has conquered the grave and given us new life!
Happy Easter
From Mrs Edwards & Mrs O’Callaghan
PCC Cubing Club has started with a bang this year! We have 4 different clubs in 2024 and Cubing fever is starting to spread all across PCC! Tuesday mornings we have Staff Cubing Club from 7:30am-8:15am. During second break on Tuesdays we have Primary Solvers Cubing Club for those Primary students who can already solve a 3×3. Wednesday morning we have Secondary Cubing Club as well as Parents Cubing Club from 7:45am-8:20am. During second break on Thursdays we have Primary Learners Cubing Club.
We always love seeing new faces at our Cubing Clubs. If you are a parent, staff member or Secondary student, you do not need to sign up, just show up at the correct time. If you are in Primary and you would like to join a club, please sign up on TASS or email Mrs Dayna Davis (ddavis@parklands.qld.edu.au) so your name can be added to the wait list (if the club is full). All PCC Cubing Clubs are held in the 3B Classroom in the new Primary Area (look for the Cubing Club signs).
PCC Winter Championships will be held on Friday 10th May 2024 from 3:20pm-6pm in the BSC. Students, staff and parents are all welcome to compete at this competition. We will also have a BBQ on the night where you can purchase an easy dinner and/or have a snack while you watch others competing. Please register for Winter Championships 2024 at the link below to compete in this competition. I can’t wait to see all of the skills students, parents and staff have learnt at this comp!
https://forms.gle/pvUBpfvcNoqa6fc16
A big thank you to all parents of cubers for your support. I love to see the interest, skill and fun levels increase in our school with Speedcubing!
Dear Parklands Community,
What an Amazing Start to the Year!
As we conclude the first term of the 2024 Academic Year, I find myself in awe of the achievements we’ve made in 2024 so far. As I reflect on all that we have done this year, I am incredibly proud of our collective efforts as we navigated a range of different challenges and disruptions. I have appreciated the community support and encouragement as we started up our year amidst less-than-ideal circumstances. Please allow me to take a moment to celebrate our collective achievements and the incredible journey we’ve embarked upon this year.
Our year kicked off amidst some daunting challenges, including unexpected building cost overruns and several delays. Yet, our commitment to providing our students with contemporary learning spaces never wavered. Despite starting the year with builders still on site, we commenced the 2024 Academic Year on a strong note, which is a testament to our collective commitment, grit and determination.
The opening of our Primary Village marked a significant milestone, offering an amazing learning environment for our youngest learners. This achievement underscores our commitment to providing spaces that inspire curiosity and foster growth as our students become all that God wants them to be. The journey doesn’t stop here though. We are already drawing up plans for our next Primary Village build.
We embraced the Australian Curriculum v9, embarking on a journey of curriculum enhancement to ensure our teaching remains relevant and impactful. Furthermore, our strategic pedagogical discussions have laid the groundwork for innovative teaching methodologies that will take advantage of our new classroom designs, setting the stage for future educational excellence.
Our achievements extend beyond the classroom, from the opening of the Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) to the construction of our lower primary playground, fences, and the greening of our spaces with new turf and trees. These developments have brightened our school environment, making it a more fun and vibrant place for our students to learn and play.
Our commitment to providing diverse and enriching experiences for our students has seen us send numerous students on various camps, including the introduction of a new Year 8 camp. We love camps, and these experiences have not only fostered a sense of adventure among our students but have also been pivotal in their personal growth, resilience and development.
The repainting of Middle School classrooms and the management of car park congestion have significantly improved our school’s operational efficiency and aesthetic appeal. Additionally, the remarkable service provided by our Health Bay, supporting over 1000 students, highlights our unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of our community.
The launch of Parklands Little Learners and the introduction of new excursions, such as the Year 12 Design outreach experience, reflect our dedication to expanding educational opportunities and experiences for our students. I look forward to the day when our Senior Students are training in our Little Learners facility as we raise up the next generation of early childhood carers.
From conducting swim carnivals and cubing competitions to commencing early morning training sessions and afternoon USL competition, our students have had numerous opportunities to shine and participate in a variety of activities, fostering a spirit of community and sportsmanship and Parklands Pride.
As I reflect on these accomplishments, it is clear to me that our community is something to treasure and appreciate. Thank you to each and every staff member, students and supportive parent for your service, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to Parklands. I love being a part of the Parklands community and look forward to travelling together through the rest of this Academic year.
May God bless you this Easter Break.
Gary Cully
Principal
Health Bay at Parklands College is emphasising Allergy Awareness this month, focusing on the health and safety of our students and staff by addressing allergies and anaphylaxis. With a number of community members living with allergies triggered by various factors, it’s critical to maintain vigilance and support to ensure everyone’s well-being. Our approach includes:
Parents are reminded of the availability of ASCIA’s tailored “Allergy” plans for managing specific needs, encouraging discussions with healthcare providers. Together, we aim to foster a safe, inclusive environment at Parklands College. Thank you for your support in allergy awareness.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
What an amazing start to our new chapter in the Primary Village – a place where each and every staff member strives to care for students through quality Christian education that inspires them to flourish, to love God, and to love others as themselves. I sincerely thank our primary staff who have worked tirelessly in partnership with families, always striving to achieve this mission. Thank you families, for your ongoing support towards your children, staff and each other.
For the past twelve days, students in Prep to Year 6 have enjoyed an Easter Bible Scavenger hunt, as a fun way to learn about and reflect on the true meaning of Easter. All primary students have shared this message with the elderly at local nursing homes through the creation of Easter cards. Staff and some year six leaders personally delivered these cards, which were gratefully received. Reflecting with the students on the way back to school on the one visit I personally attended, my heart was warmed, listening to the year 6 students talk about how wonderful it was to spread kindness and to see the elderly faces light up.
While there will likely be Easter bunnies, chocolate and family get-togethers, I pray that amidst these celebrations, you find time to celebrate the significance of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection. Understanding Easter from a Christian perspective is important because without the belief of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection, there is no Christianity and no Christian Easter. I encourage all in our community to consider the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation and the hope this brings. If you are looking for somewhere to pause and reflect, I encourage you to join the Parklands Church congregation on Good Friday at 10am and again on Easter Sunday at 10am.
Thank you so much to the many families who took the time to connect with teachers for Parent Teacher Interviews. These meetings provide a valuable opportunity for open communication, mutual understandings and collaboration in supporting each student’s growth and learning journey. Thank you for partnering with us as we seek to nurture and empower our students so they strive academically, socially and spiritually.
What a privilege it was to spend the night with our year four students on their first school sleepover – and here in our five star Primary Village accommodation!! The students had a wonderful day building resilience and forging fabulous friendships through team building games, lego challenges, archery, mosaic making and so much more. A special thank you to Mrs Powel and Mrs Koplic, who planned this wonderful experience and also to Mrs Smith, Mr Goh, Mr Crawford, and Mr and Mrs Armanasco for giving up their Friday night to build relationships with our year four students and create happy memories that these students will treasure for life.
Firstly, thank you for supporting us in getting the collect and go moving more smoothly. We are getting there! We appreciate your patience and ongoing support as we refine this procedure. Unlike last year, this year we have had a number of wet weather pickups. If it is wet weather procedure we will continue to use the collect and go procedure, with students sitting in their Covered Outdoor Learning Areas (COLA) rather than in the quick pick up area. Thank you for your additional patience as the children walk from their classrooms down to the car. Alternatively, you are welcome to park and walk in to collect your child from his or her classroom, or you may park and then ask the teacher with the walkie talkie to call your child.
Occasionally wet weather may be called when it does not appear to be raining. This will be in an instance such as it has previously been raining and the cement is too wet for the children to sit on. There will be a sign at the beginning of the main walkway (Rosia Road and Church Carparks) to indicate it is “Wet Weather Procedure ”.
Warmest Easter Blessings to All,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
I’m delighted to share that in March, Parklands will be hosting two groups of students visiting from Japan, as part of our expanding Cultural Appreciation Visits. The students will immerse themselves in the Parklands experience – a wonderful opportunity for us to share our caring Parklands culture – attending class with a buddy and participating in our activities. Due to the age of these groups, they will be buddied up with middle school students, however we are planning some opportunities for sharing of culture with other year levels.
An external company is managing their Homestay – if you are interested in hosting a student, please contact Choice Homestay directly at https://choicehomestay.com.
Parklands is committed to broadening our students’ understanding of and appreciation for the various cultures within our country and around the world, alike. We believe this is a key part of the foundations for life that our students benefit from, and can be met in many ways within the college, family and community, and beyond. We are committed to fostering cultural appreciation, global perspective and building tolerance and inclusivity amongst our students. These upcoming visits from Japanese schools provides our students with the opportunity to connect globally, have their curiosity about seeing the world piqued, and make new friends.
We recently were honoured to host a delegation of 20 Principals visiting from Taiwan, who were visiting several schools to learn about Australian education. Some of our student leaders from Years 6, 9 & 12 did a wonderful job welcoming the delegates and hosting them for a tour of our lovely campus. Attending staff enjoyed sharing about our approach to education and developing the whole child here at Parklands, and all attendees expressed an interest in having an ongoing relationship with Parklands. I look forward to seeing how this space develops, with potential opportunities to give our students an appreciation for other cultures.
Let’s be honest, this is a huge topic of discussion at the moment, in all environments. It is something that we continue to navigate with students and parents in the wellbeing space. With technology continuing to take leaps forward, it can sometimes feel like as parents we are being left behind. We are still navigating social media and online interactions – then Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality have people connecting with technology in new, exciting and sometimes scary ways. As a parent it can be easy to bury our heads in the sand and throw our hands up – too hard! But our amazing, intelligent, curious children need us in this space, both for understanding and for wisdom.
Social media is now a large part of people’s lives and especially those that are too young to deal with the freedoms and opportunities that these platforms give. It is really important that as parents we are setting our children for success in dealing with life and know to interact before allowing them on social media. Please check the age requirements of these platforms – most are above 14yr olds and some are even older. Check out the website at the bottom of this article for more information.
Connection first. As parents we all care about our children, their wellbeing, mental health and social engagement. This is another part of our process in showing them love, care and wisdom – we are the parents so let’s be their first teachers in this area! Engage with your child. If your child feels safe to communicate questions, mistakes and their online interactions with you, they are more likely to come to you when things go wrong and they need support.
Getting some basic boundaries in place for technology both socially and in the home is a great start! There are some simple things we as parents can do to encourage healthy habits, respectful behaviour and safe interactions such as:
There are some incredibly helpful voices speaking in this space who are trained in the field of cyber safety and online engagement. We encourage you, as parents to get schooled in the technology your child is using, any media platforms that they are on and look at the resources that are available to you.
The ESafety website is always our first connection point for parents. They have relevant and comprehensive information for young people and parents regarding online safety and some links to further information, resources and webinars. They have some great videos for children also to engage in these early discussions.
Cyber Safety Solutions – founder, Susan McLean is Australia’s foremost expert in cyber safety and was a member of the Victorian Police for 27 years. Cyber Safety Solutions provide information, resources and education for parents and educators. She also provides a number of fact sheets on her website which we think you should take a look at! Here is the fact sheet providing some quick tips for parents in this space: https://www.cybersafetysolutions.com.au/downloads/Internet-Safety-Tips-for-Teachers-Parents-and-Caregivers.pdf
Common Sense Media has great ‘common sense’ reviews on APPS and games that our kids might be downloading and playing. If they ask to download something, or you see them playing something – take a look at this website and check out the reviews first!
Your child will make mistakes. Your child may be exposed to something that is unsafe or engage in curiosity and click on something that is not healthy for them. They may engage in unsafe behaviours themselves or send something to someone they regret. Whatever our kids go through and whatever mistakes they might make, our job as parents is to love and teach them through it with compassion, understanding and wisdom. If our heart is always to love, they will continue to feel safe to bring us these things without shame – allowing the process of learning and restoration to shape and guide them into the brilliant people they are!
Daniel Sih is an award-winning author, speaker and father to three children. During presentations with Melinda Tankard-Reist and Daniel Principe a few weeks ago with grade 5-12 students, Melinda recommended his book about online tech habits for kids – she said it is the best she has read on this topic and recommended every parent read it! It is also endorsed by best-selling author on parenting, Steve Biddulph. This book provides positive and thoroughly researched strategies to help set your child up with healthy tech habits for life. We have got copies for our team and will read it too – let us know what you think!
Dear Parents,
I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. (Psalms 34:1)
It is hard to believe we are already halfway through Term One but hasn’t God blessed us abundantly! What a beautiful community the Parklands community is. I am so proud of the way primary students have navigated the start of a new school year in a whole new primary space. I would also like to say a huge thank you to the many family members who have supported our request for support in covering books. There have been over one thousand books covered in the past two weeks and we could not have done this without you!
A special thank you to Mrs O’Callaghan, Mrs Edwards, Mr Werner, Mr Ashley, Mr Crawford, Mrs Sione, Pastor Ollie for taking our year five students on camp to CYC Burleigh. This was a wonderful experience proving students with opportunities for connection, leadership and reflecting on God’s goodness.
When you consider a person whom you would say has had the most significant impact on your life you most likely identify a family member or friend rather than a boss or manager. The reality is that every human being is a leader at some point because leadership is an influential process. The greatest leadership role model is Jesus. After all, Jesus transformed twelve ordinary and somewhat unlikely people into the first generation of leaders of a movement that continues to affect the course of world history some 2000 years later. Jesus’s call to servant leadership is clear. He places no restrictions or limitations of time, place or situation that would allow us to exempt ourselves from heeding His command. At assembly on Monday, March 4th, we look forward to acknowledging all our year 6 students as primary school leaders. Please feel free to join us in the church auditorium from 8:30 to 9:00am.
We are currently trialling playing first and eating in Covered Outdoor Learning Areas (COLAs) after playtime. Student and staff feedback will be finalised today, and along with current nutritional research, will guide our practice moving forwards. About 84% of students are enjoying the longer break 2. Currently about 67% of staff prefer playing first; with students being on the fence with about 50% preferring the current system and 50% preferring to eat first. Below is a summary of the types of feedback I have currently received from both students and teachers. As we conclude the trial, please feel free to pack some extra munch and crunch, which is eating in the longer morning session.
| Reasons for preferring playing first | Reasons for preferring eating first | |
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Thank you for supporting us in getting the Collect and Go flowing by:
If you require a new name card please email amarsh@parklands.qld.edu.au to request some more. Please note if you do not have a name card you will be asked to park and walk across the road to collect your children.
If you require care for the holidays period, the OSCH April holiday program is out now and places are filling fast. Once we have government approval to move into the new OSHC space we will be able to accommodate slightly larger group sizes. Thank you for joining us in praying for this approval process. For bookings. For bookings click on Enrol Now on the Parklands OSHC page on the website or call Celine on 0478 111 207.
The long awaited day is finally here. On Monday, Parklands Little Learners will open the doors for the first intake of children aged between zero and five. We will progressively open this new facility to ensure smooth and effective transitions and processes. Katrina and her team have worked tirelessly to set up this amazing learning space. Primary staff enjoyed devotions at the centre last week with this new ELC team and look forward to future opportunities to network and collaborate.
As a growing Primary school, we remain committed to maintaining connection and are called to reach out and serve one another. We are thrilled to invite you to join us for monthly Family Mountain Bike Rides. These rides are designed for beginner to intermediate levels. All students must have a parent attending. We look forward to invigorating outdoor adventures and also connecting with families as we share experiences and create lasting memories in the great outdoors Our qualified instructors will be leading the way, ensuring everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. For more information please contact Simon Ashley (sashley@parklands.qld.edu.au). Looking forward to connecting this weekend!
Many Blessings,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
(School Days Only)
Mondays 8.00am – 10.00am
Tuesdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Thursdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Uniform Shop Location Address/Parking:
24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge Qld 4125 (located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest road).
For further information:
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Email: service@theschoollocker.com.au
Uniform Shop Facebook Page/PCCUniforms
SHOP ONLINE @theschoollocker.com.au/schools/parklands-christian-college
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The tuckshop will be open EVERY day this year, Monday-Friday!
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Please contact our Tuckshop Convenor, Marie Rushin, on 0422 637 370 or email tuckshop@parklands.qld.edu.au
I am writing from my little classroom on board the Global Mercy. This behemoth of a ship is sitting in the dock of the capital city of Sierra Leone – Freetown. I am knee deep in Week 0, where I am preparing for my huge classes of 1-4 students who start school again next week. What a journey it has already been just to get to this point!
My husband, Peter and I first had to fly to Texas, USA for ‘Onboarding’. This program is mandatory for any volunteer who is committing to 2 years or more of service to Mercy Ships. It consists of 2 weeks of the Gateway program, where we learned about the mission and values of The Mercy Ships organisation, but also learned a bit about what to expect once on board the ship. The second part of the Onboarding process was basic training. Oh man!! I am now a fully trained fire fighter, survival expert and first aider and capable of repelling pirates. If you are in any kind of emergency, I am your gal!!!
After those 3 ½ weeks of intense learning, we finally hopped on our flights to Sierra Leone. We have been on board The Global Mercy almost two weeks now, and I am just starting to find a new rhythm as I learn to deal with the many differences between living here and my life back home. Some key things I have had to get used to:
Freetown has a similar population to Brisbane, but that is where the similarities end. It is difficult to describe. I guess you’ll just have to come and visit me to find out.
The people are friendly and mostly helpful, but being out and about is sensory overload. There are sights, sounds, smells and tastes that create a distinct feeling of chaos. It is unsafe for a woman to go out by herself, so I cannot leave the boat whenever I want, which has taken some getting used to.
I give praise to God for giving me such a great group of people to do Onboarding with. We all arrived on the ship at the same time and will be here together for the next two years. I am so thankful for how friendly and accepting people have been. There is always something to get involved with and people on board are very welcoming.Please pray for me as I begin teaching next week. Although I have super small classes, the curriculum is very different, and these students are a unique group because of their life circumstances. I pray that I can quickly connect with them and build genuine relationships.My job on board is teaching the children of the other crew. However, I love that I am playing my part in the bigger mission of the ship, which is to bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor of Africa. Please join me in praying for the many children and adults receiving eye and orthopedic surgeries at the moment on the ship.I miss my beautiful students at Parklands. You are all in my prayers as you also begin a new year. I pray that you continue to seek God’s guidance and to use your gifts and talents to glorify him.
Please continue to hold Mr & Mrs Harder in your prayers. If you’d like to contact Mrs Harder with a word of encouragement or prayer, please send emails to:- anna.harder@mercyships.org
Coming back from Cambodia everyone asks you about the highlight of your trip. The trip was so amazing, there were too many to name. But there was a place that we visited that will always hold a special place in my heart. This place is the EPM village.
The EPM village was the first village we worked in, and we spent 3 days working there. I remember the first time I arrived at the village, on the way there I felt excited to start working but also anxious because I didn’t know what to expect. As soon as we arrived at the village, we were greeted by a massive group of kids who were so excited; one little girl even pulled me out of the van and gave me a big hug. The village was very different to our normal living standards, they lived in bamboo houses with no electricity, and no running water, and some families didn’t have toilets. You hear about these living conditions in less fortunate countries, but you will never truly understand it until you are there yourself. This realisation really hit me and made me even more motivated to work as hard as I could while we were there.
By the third day in the village, my group and I were finished concreting a toilet block for a family. I was informed that this is the first toilet these people have ever had and as heartbreaking as it was, I am so happy that they can now have access to one. We ended our time there by handing over everything we had worked on to the families and playing games with the kids. One of my favourite memories was made that day when the entire team, the raw workers, and all the kids in the village danced around and sang our team’s daily worship song. I remember taking a moment to look around and every single kid had the biggest smile on their face. I am beyond grateful that I had the privilege of meeting and helping these amazing people.
One of the biggest things I took away from that trip was to not take anything for granted. I didn’t realise how truly lucky we all are to be able to live with a roof over our heads, a bed to sleep in, and access to education. I know that God put me on that trip for a reason and I am forever grateful that I got to be a part of this experience.
Thank you
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming fundraising event, the second Colour Run & Big Show, in collaboration with our Cross Country event, scheduled for Thursday 28th March. This event holds significant importance as we aim to raise essential funds for two remarkable causes: Bloom Training Vocational Centre and the Parklands Cambodia Youth Camp.
Bloom Asia is a non-profit organisation dedicated to offering survivors of exploitation the opportunity to discover healing, hope and purpose through vocational education. The funds raised will directly support their mission in Cambodia.
Additionally, our Senior Students are embarking on a meaningful journey this December by organising and running a Youth Camp for 100 Cambodian village students. Our students plan to make a difference in the lives of others in a practical way through biblical education, games & soccer while forming lifelong camp memories. The proceeds from our fundraising efforts will contribute towards this transformative experience.
Your support with this event is invaluable as we strive to make a positive impact in the lives of those in need.
About the Day:
The Parklands Christian College Colour Run & Big Show is all about Fun! There will be huge inflatables, a foam party, an obstacle course with lots of colour and water. Plus, you will get to meet Chase the Cheetah! Think of it as a Fun Run carnival! This will be one of the most exciting days on our school’s calendar, with everyone’s participation the aim, so please make sure they attend on the day and cheer the other kids on! Students in Year 3 (turning 9 years) to Year 12 students will participate in our Cross Country in the morning, then after lunch the entire College from Prep – Year 12 will enjoy the super fun atmosphere of the Colour Run & Big Show.
Competition Time:
To get our event started off with a bang, we’re starting our BIG SHOW with a super easy competition! The class with the most online profiles registered by Wednesday 7th March will win a class ice block party! To help your child’s class win, simply create your profile at schoolfunrun.com.au. More information will be sent home this week via your Class /Home Class teacher.
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”
As we settle back into familiar routines & establish new ones, this year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme. We have welcomed our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. We are excited to have access to a bit more space this year, so we’re looking forward to having music spilling out everywhere – there has never been a better time to be involved with music at Parklands!
We are also planning to hold our first Music Day Camp in Term 2, for bands, strings & choirs – watch out for more details on the way very soon. Your children will not want to miss out on this!
All Instrumental music lessons are now well underway, including Give It A Go! lessons, but it’s never too late to join in! We are happy to accept enrolments at any time during the year – simply download & complete the form attached, then return it to Student Services & we will get your child started as soon as possible.
Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are also in full swing, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings which will commence in late Term 1. Further information about the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings will be coming in the next few weeks.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and string students continuing to have lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join ensembles; please contact instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au to enquire about which is most suitable for your child.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year. Lessons have started & students are beginning to take their instruments home – this is an exciting time in our Give It A Go! Music Programme! If you or your child are interested in joining in, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Some places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $36/30mins or $24/20mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & drum kit. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $23/30mins for a Group of 2 or $16/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome to the new school year! As the College nurse, I am excited to partner with you in ensuring the health and well-being of your child during their time at school. Please take a moment to update your child’s medical information, and feel free to reach out with any specific health concerns or needs they may have. We value your collaboration and look forward to fostering a safe and supportive environment together. For any questions, contact the Health Bay which is located at student services or call 3380 4228 in school hours.
Here’s to a fantastic and healthy school year!
Once logged in, please navigate to the “Medical Details” tab and carefully review the existing details. It is crucial that we have the most accurate and current information about your child’s health to ensure their well-being during the school day.
While reviewing the medical information, please pay special attention to the consent for your child to have access to basic medications. If you wish to grant or update this consent, kindly make the necessary selections.
If your child has any medical conditions, such as Asthma, we request that you update this information in the Parent Lounge as well. Your collaboration in keeping us informed about any health-related concerns is vital for the safety of your child.
If your child has an identified medical condition such as anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy, or diabetes, please take the time to review and ensure that the medical plan is updated for the 2024 school year. This may involve scheduling an appointment with your medical practitioner to ensure the plan is current for your child’s age.
If your child requires regular medication to be administered during school hours, we kindly ask that you email our College Nurse healthbay@parklands.qld.edu.au to schedule an appointment to discuss their medication needs. This appointment will help us provide the necessary support to meet your child’s health requirements.
Please upload the most recent immunisation statement for your child to the Parent Lounge. This document is crucial for our school records and ensures that we have the necessary information to respond appropriately in the event of a health-related situation.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss specific medical issues regarding your child, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Hannah Cully, via email at healthbay@parklands.qld.edu.au. I am more than happy to arrange a convenient time to address your concerns or questions about supporting your child at school.
Your prompt attention to updating the medical details is greatly appreciated and contributes to the overall well-being of our school community. We thank you for your cooperation and look forward to a successful and healthy school year.
Year 2 had a super busy February!
We enjoyed a variety of hands on activities to explore measurement. We used sand, pasta, and cubes to investigate area, capacity and length.
In Science, our biggest highlight by far was watching a caterpillar chrysalis transform and emerge as a beautiful monarch butterfly! We also carefully observed as our sprouts went from being seeds, to having roots and then growing stems and sprouts. The children are loving our lifecycle unit!
Finally we have discovered that big numbers are not so scary as we’ve learnt all about place value for hundreds, tens and ones.
It has been a fabulous month of learning together and we can’t wait to show you what we can do next month!
Take care!
from Year 2!
As we conclude February, students have now gotten used to our routine and are right in the middle of our term’s learning. The students have impressed us with their insights into History and Science and have some really great ideas and understandings. They have really enjoyed all the hands-on learning in Science and of course the experiments we have been doing to help understand how day and night occurs.
The students have been loving CLS and making all sorts of different crafts as we learn about stories from Genesis and how they apply to our lives today. It is always a highlight of the week!
For the remainder of the term, Year 3B will have a preservice teacher in the classroom, Miss Heather Forbes, who will be teaching, learning, assisting and having fun with the students. It is always special for a class to have a preservice teacher who they get to love!
Year 3 has also been enjoying our new classrooms and play areas. They love all the new activities such as elastics and skipping ropes as well as some old favourites such as soccer and tag. Many students have also been having fun going down into the new Prep playground!
NAPLAN is just around the corner for Year 3 so we are starting on some of our assessments over the next few weeks, ready to finish the term with NAPLAN and swimming.
Thanks for all your support and assistance as students adjusted to the new year, new routines and new classrooms and play areas. We really appreciate you all!
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin, Mrs Tanya Thompson and Mrs Alisha Scott.
Year 4 has enjoyed the past month investigating patterns, in numbers and symmetry. The students have been involved in group work completing investigations while learning to apply their knowledge to more complex situations. This of course has provided great opportunity to refine their communication skills as well. In English the students have written some excellent descriptions of various scenes by adding similes, and awesome adjectives to their writing. Last week we celebrated mid-term with icy poles supplied by Mrs. Smith. We are looking forward to the second half of term where we finalise our term learning, complete our assessments and celebrate our last day at cross country and the school’s colour fun run.
Blessings, Miranda, Julie, Janine and Alicia.
In year 5 we have been doing lots of hand on learning in Maths. We have made ‘array cities’ for multiplication, used M&Ms to show division and worked in groups to demonstrate multiples of numbers. Children have enjoyed this process of learning and this has reflected well in their assessments. We have written a class narrative together and are looking forward to writing our own stories next. In Science we have done a few interesting experiments to deepen our understanding of solids, liquids and gases. The results were unexpected for some students!!!
The Year Six students have really taken on board all leadership opportunities and have done an amazing job in these roles. Tuckshop delivery, Recycling, Prep Pals and Class Ambassadors are just to name a few. We are very proud of how all students are displaying servant hearted leadership qualities each and every day.
Our classes have enjoyed learning about 3D shapes, square and triangular numbers whilst consolidating their understanding using multiplication strategies during Maths rotations. A big hit this term is the new escape rooms. In groups, students need to work as a team whilst applying their Mathematical knowledge and understanding to get through each task and “escape”. Mr Ivins is doing a great job assisting the groups with this and feedback from the students has been positive.
Dayna Davis
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
The National Leaders Day was attended by Fiona Muluberhan, Isabelle Blandford, Ryen Deo, Harrison Korger, and Mr Kong
During the day, we listened to many high-profile Australians talk about their journey as a leader. The speakers were Anastasia Woolmer, Matt Cosgrove and Eva Amores, Ben Polson, and Lachie Smart. They taught us all about resilience and how we’re all different. Anastasia told us all about her journey and that we all learn differently, but if you put your mind to something, and put the workload in, you will reach your goals. Matt and Eva talked about how their life completely turned around due to the pandemic. They taught us to persevere through the hard times and to have a positive perspective on events. Ben inspired us to change the way that we see others instead of trying to change them. He told us all about his high school bullying journey and how he braved through it. Lachie Smart was our personal favourite, he was very inspirational. He gave a few great points – ‘When you feel like giving up, give more’, ‘Scars of experience lead to resilience’, ‘You can always encourage’, and ‘Discomfort grows confidence’.
During the breaks of the day we met and talked to Matt and Eva about the book that they made during the pandemic, we also took a photo with Ben Polson.
Overall, we think the best part of the event was seeing the difference National Young Leaders Day made. We saw various school leaders from all over Queensland bring back the information they learned to inspire their peers back at school.
The kind of leaders that we want to be for our school are leaders who are encouraging, connecting, kind, resilient, confident, and adapting. We hope to continue to grow and become better leaders for ourselves and our school!
Year 9 Camp was packed with highs and lows… ropes, that is… not to mention some abseiling and creeking. Rain could not slow our year 9s down, with the cohort divided into teams, tackling the Tim Tams on the High Ropes, swimming and exploring waterfalls and working as a team to conquer the ‘See Saw’ before gliding through the low rope obstacles.
On the first night, the excitement and energy from earlier continued, as Mr. Kong lead the students in their first devotion, before breaking off into groups to discuss their perspectives and interpretations with staff. To wrap up the evening, the year 9s explored the camp grounds and participated in team building games such as Spotlight and Sardines, with one group carrying a team mate to victory inside a sleeping bag.
The feedback from students shows that the second day proved to be the most exhilarating and challenging with the next two rotations, challenging our students and creating new bond and relationships between peers. When one team finished the high ropes, one year 9 shared ‘I was scared before when I tried it the first time, but after watching the others, it’s my favourite part, can we go again tomorrow?’.
At night, students broke off into their activity teams and were given the task of bringing a particular passage of scripture to life. The passages included Israel sends spies into the promised land – Numbers 13, 14; Call of Abraham – Genesis 12-15; Moses called to lead the israelites – Exodus 1-4; Gideon called to lead Israel – Judges 6-8; Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James and John – Luke 5:1-11. After 30 minutes, each student presented their interpretation to cohort by the fire pit and after deliberations from the teachers, Team 1 was victorious.
On the final day, students cleaned out their cabins, packed their bags and headed off to their final activity and thanking their camp instructors. After finishing their burgers, students completed one final sweep of the rooms, claiming crocs and bed sheets from Mrs. Crook, and enjoying a quick nap on the bus ride back.
A special thank you to the staff and facilitators at Bornhoffen. Thank you for making this camp one to remember and creating memorable moments our students will cherish.
Our Year 12 Biology students had a great few days away where they did data collection and explored various ecosystems.
This term led by Mrs Dennys and Mr Greentree, Year 12 Design students participated in a half day workshop at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) – Gardens Point Campus as part of their Unit 3 Human Centered Design studies to explore and investigate HCD in practice, and the university pathways that take them there!
We give thanks to our colleagues at QUT for hosting this workshop – how lucky are our students!
It was wonderful for us friendlies to meet with many parents and caregivers at the back to school BBQ and we enjoyed being able to come into the class rooms to share with you more about who the friendlies are. Thank you to those parents who have put their name down to help out on the BBQ at the cross country and help out in some way at the Fete. It was also great to have some people want to join our committee and we welcome them.
If you haven’t yet put your name down and would like to help out at these events, please use the link below to do so.
I would like to reiterate from the back to school BBQ event, that the Friendlies welcome feedback and ideas which we can also forward onto the principal on your behalf.
We are starting to organise details for the Fete and are excited to be having a cake decorating and arts category competition section this year. So get those creative thinking hats on for what you and your family may be able to do for that.
Lastly may we be encouraged by this verse
Hebrews 10:24. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Kate Harbourn
Friendlies Committee
Dear Parklands Family,
Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) highlights a notable trend in Queensland’s educational landscape: a growing number of parents are opting for independent schools like Parklands. According to the latest ABS school census data, there has been an uptick of 5,802 students joining the independent sector over the last year, marking a 4.1% growth. Independent schools now account for 16.8% of the student population in Queensland.
Looking back over the last twenty years, we’ve witnessed a staggering 75% rise in enrolments within Queensland’s independent schools, with numbers swelling from 83,841 in 2003 to 147,268 in 2023. Notably, this year continues a five-year streak of independent schools outpacing both State and Catholic institutions in enrolment growth rates.
The flourishing of Independent Schools is a reflection of the exceptional efforts by educational institutions like ours and underscores the appeal our approach to education holds for more families across the nation. It’s evident that the freedom to choose in education is highly valued by parents, who dedicate resources to ensure this preference is met.
For many within our Parklands family, the decision to join us is a joy, enriching both the students and their families. The core values and principles that Parklands embodies resonate deeply with our parents, who take great pleasure in the time spent within our school’s community. It fills me with immense joy to hear how well our values, beliefs, and programs align with the aspirations of our families. Watching our students flourish and our families forge strong bonds within our community is heartening.
Nevertheless, I recognize that parenting can be inherently challenging, and the rapid pace of modern life brings its own set of pressures. During tough times, it’s natural to reconsider our choices and ponder if our paths are aligned. In such moments, it’s crucial to harness the strength of our community, seeking connection and support.
Throughout my tenure, I’ve been privileged to collaborate with families who confront their trials with a willingness to work in tandem with our staff. Gathering together to tackle issues with objectivity and a shared commitment to the welfare of our children always leads to positive results. United in our efforts, we can conquer challenges and celebrate the successes.
As we move forward, let’s pledge to collectively strive for the best for our children, fostering a spirit of community and shared duty. Let’s rid ourselves of defensiveness, evasion, and fault-finding. Rather, let’s approach our concerns and frustrations with a cooperative spirit, aiming to resolve issues together. Let’s engage in conversations that uplift each other, avoiding taking or imparting offense.
The Parklands team holds your children in the highest regard. Our teachers and administrative leaders are committed to supporting you. Should you have any questions about your child’s academic journey, please do not hesitate to reach out to a teacher via email to arrange a discussion. For further insights or to talk through details of our educational offerings, our Heads of School are just a phone call away. Moreover, if there’s ever a concern about a mismatch in values or questions regarding our programs or methodologies, rest assured that our leadership team, myself included, is ready and willing to engage in conversation to find a harmonious resolution wherever feasible.
We appreciate your decision to entrust Parklands with your child’s education and are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with you for their benefit.
Gary Cully
Principal
Do you currently coach youth sport? Have you always dreamed of getting involved with our school sports programs? The PCC sport team is looking for experienced or enthusiastic newbies to get involved with our coaching team. If you would like to know more please drop Mr Walker an email, sport@parklands.qld.edu.au
Ushering in the start of the 2024 sporting season, our annual 9-18yrs swim carnival was hosted at the Parkinson Aquatic centre on the 30th Jan. Joshua and Samuel houses battled it out for the first of our sporting shields, and while the racing was fiercely contested, all swimmers went about their business in the best of spirits. Thanks to youth pastor Oli Lee the tunes were pumping on the pool deck and our teachers and students cheered on their housemates while dancing and singing their way through the day. As always there were some stellar performances and a special shout out must go to our age champions…
Although Samuel house put up a good fight, Joshua house has continued their recent dominance in the pool. As the list above shows, many of our age group champions belong to Joshua house, so there is no surprise on the final outcome. Final scores were Samuel – 1,255 and Joshua – 1,747.
Thank you to all of our parents, students and staff for making the 2024 swim carnival such a wonderful success.
Of our 12 swimmers who represented the Southern Scorpions at Regional Trials, 5 have qualified to move on to represent Met Mest at the State Qualifier. A massive well done to all of our swimmers.
The HPE and Sport team have made a student PAC page for representative sport. Any student that is currently playing club sport and would like to be made aware of upcoming opportunities for District and Regional trials should join this page. The event calendar is saved here, please email Mr Walker with any questions, sport@parklands.qld.edu.au.
The process for attending trials is below, and must be followed to ensure your approved attendance.
1. Request nomination forms from Mr Walker (via email).
2. Complete forms with parents (parental permission is mandatory).
3. Return the Approval page to Mr Walker for signing, this must be done in person, please do not email forms.
4. After attending your trial please email Mr Walker with some feedback from your experience.
Primary students – if we have more than 2 nominations per event Mr Werner and Mr Walker will make a decision on who attends the trial. If we have sufficient interest there will be team try outs for trials.
We are now beyond the halfway point of term and students have been busy with school work and various extra-curricular activities that will help them go out into the world well prepared and ready to make a difference. I love that Parklands is much more than just a great academic program, we aim to teach for life with a holistic educational program to support your child to work towards their God given potential.
By this time of year, your child will have got to know their Home Class teachers and Heads of Year a little more. The idea of these connections is to primarily focus on providing support and care, so that in the busyness of school and life, when some may experience stress, there are staff close by to provide extra support. Please encourage your child to talk to someone, as needed. There is also Mrs Lenton (Careers & VET), the Learning Enrichment team, the Wellbeing team (RTC) or me, when some extra support may be needed.
As we delve into the heart of this academic year, it brings us immense joy to witness the compassionate spirit that our students are embracing. At Parklands, we take pride in fostering a culture that extends beyond academic excellence – one that instills the values of looking beyond ourselves and caring for others, inspired by the teachings of Jesus.
I’m delighted to share that our Year 10 Active Volunteering students have kicked off the year with incredible enthusiasm and dedication. These 15-year-olds are not only excelling in their studies but are also devoting 20 hours of their time to volunteer work. It’s truly heart-warming to witness our young people giving back to the community, reflecting a genuine heart of service.
We recognise the ongoing commitment of many of our students, who make a positive impact through volunteering. As such, we are introducing a formal way of acknowledging their efforts where volunteering hours can achieve a Gold, Silver, or Bronze service certificate award. This initiative serves as a testament to the great work our young people are doing and reinforces the importance of continued service in the community.
Did you know that volunteering offers numerous benefits? Research indicates that volunteering can enhance mental well-being, reduce stress, and increase overall life satisfaction. A study published in the journal “Health Psychology” found that individuals who engage in volunteer activities experience lower mortality rates and improved physical health. Volunteering not only supports the receiver but also positively impacts the volunteer’s health.
Many of our teachers actively embed service into the curriculum, demonstrating our commitment to shaping well-rounded individuals. A recent example is the Year 12 Design class, whose assessment topic is inspired by volunteering experiences. This term, they are joining in with Rosies, a local non-profit organization with a mission to ensure that no Queenslander feels left out or disconnected from their community. Students have helped serve meals and engage in conversation with patrons.
We eagerly anticipate not only the creative responses of our Design class but also the transformative impact these volunteering experiences may have on their lives. Such initiatives open hearts to continue serving and supporting the vulnerable, fostering a sense of empathy and social responsibility. As Christians, we whole heartedly believe this is what we are called to do.
We also extend our gratitude to you, our parents, for instilling these values at home and supporting our endeavours to nurture strong yet compassionate individuals. It is our hope to continue to excel academically whilst inspiring the spirit of volunteering to cultivate a community that cares for others.
Finally, as mentioned above, there are many staff championing your child’s cause and who are willing to do the journey and offer that extra bit of something that can make all the difference. If you have any questions about Senior School, please do make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
As we finished our series about Friendship, we all engaged in making bracelets. We had lots of giggles and laughter as beads dropped to the floor. I’m pleased to say that at the end we all managed to make not one but several bracelets each for our friends.
Our new series is on Integrity-What’s inside us is what matters. Discussing with the children how every piece of what is inside us has been made by God and is there for a reason. God has created us to share His love and to be honest in all situations. Our verse for this month is:
You will be safe, if you always do right, but you will get caught, if you are dishonest. Proverbs 10:9 (CEV)
I’m very excited to share that the kids have started practicing a song which we will share with the congregation on Easter Sunday. We would love for you to join us. Sunday 31st March 2024 at 10am.
If you would like to know more about the fun things we get up to in Kid’s church contact Angela Marsh via amarsh@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Angela Marsh
“You are the God who sees me” is Hagar’s response to God showing grace to her during a distressing time (Genesis 16:13). She uses the name for God “El Roi”, meaning ‘the God who sees me’. We read over and over in the Bible about how God truly sees each of us, how He is interested in ‘the one’, the individual. In Matthew 18 and Luke 15, we read about the parable where the shepherd (representing God) leaves the 99 sheep to go find the lost one (representing each of us). With this in mind, the focus of our education team this year is to ensure we truly see ‘the one’. That while we are working on implementing the Australian Curriculum version 9, further enhancing our PAC offering, crafting great learning experiences for our students, and the many, many other tasks of a teacher, we will make sure we know our students as individuals and celebrate their uniqueness.
As we began classes, I was overjoyed to see the enthusiastic welcoming of our students to the College and their classrooms, with staff creating warm, welcoming environments. I trust every child at Parklands will feel loved, and known, and know that they are a valuable part of our community, as we partner with families to progress each child along their learning journey. The Back to School BBQ was a lovely event to commence the year, with families and staff joining together to build community and build that partnership. Thank you to all those who were able to join us, and there are plenty more opportunities throughout the year to join us at one of our onsite events.
It’s been terrific to hear that parents have been enjoying the benefits of our app, Parklands Academic Connect (PAC), including logging absences, updating medical information, receiving communication, and, in the upper years, having access to some of their child’s learning materials. It is really important that every family has set up the app and logged in, as we will soon be communicating only through the app. With the benefit of each individual being able to tailor notifications to the frequency that suits them, we will be able to reduce email inbox clutter and have all communications through the app. You may have noticed our ‘PAC Helpdesk’ at the Primary Tea-Riffic morning tea and the Back to School BBQ – if you would like help at any time, please contact the IT team at 3380 4200 or helpdesk@parklands.qld.edu.au.
Alternatively, access the website at https://pac.parklands.qld.edu.au
We wish to provide our students with experiences that shape their perceptions and inspire them to actively love and care for those less fortunate than themselves. Through education and service we equip our students to fight poverty and injustice, and encourage them to participate and raise awareness of these challenges both global and local.
Last week we celebrated a milestone for our Year 10 cohort as they were officially welcomed into the Senior School by Head of Year 10, Miss Matthews, and Head of Senior School, Ms Wallis. Outreach Co-ordinator, Amanda Young and Mrs Catherine Smart put on a great spread of sausages, drinks and ice blocks for our delightful group of students.
We are thrilled to share the highlights of our recent Cambodia Students Mission Trip that took place in December 2023. This marked our team’s first return to Cambodia post-Covid, and we are delighted to report that it was our largest team to date, comprising 14 Year 11 & 12 students, 6 Alumni (student mentors), and 10 staff members. This year, we ventured into a new approach by scheduling the trip at the end of the year, offering it as a “Schoolies” option. Each member of the team brought a unique dynamic, making this trip a distinct and memorable experience. Our primary focus was on the ongoing construction of the “Every Piece Matters” village in Phnom Penh with Raw Impact, followed by three days of building at their new village development on Trong Island at Kratie.
Integral to the trip were daily devotions and nightly debrief meetings, fostering meaningful discussions around God’s word and its relevance to our time. Witnessing the personal growth of these young individuals as they discovered their identity and God’s love was truly heartwarming. Beyond the construction projects, our team was immersed in and learned about the beautiful culture and heartbreaking history of Cambodia. The exploration of the local culture added an enriching layer to our mission, allowing our team to connect with the community on a deeper level.
The mission was a resounding success, marked by significant personal and spiritual growth among the team. Beyond contributing to the ongoing village development, the experience fostered a deep sense of connection and purpose among the participants.
The Students Cambodia Mission Trip was an outstanding success, showcasing the positive impact of a diverse and dedicated team. Our decision to experiment with the timing of the trip proved fruitful, contributing not only to the physical development of villages but also to the spiritual growth of the individuals involved. We look forward to sharing more stories and experiences with you in the near future.
With great excitement, I am thrilled to announce the launch of our 2024 Parklands Cambodia Ladies Trip. If you are a female aged 18 years and over and would like to learn more about our upcoming journey with a new organisation called “Women of Hope,” we invite you to contact me for a Trip Guide.
Details: Parklands Christian Church, Ladies Cambodia Mission Trip
Date: Saturday 14th of September – Monday 30th September.
For more information please contact Mrs Amanda Young, Parklands Missions Coordinator – ayoung@parklands.qld.edu.au.
It is wonderful to have our students back on site for 2024. I wish to extend a warm welcome to our many new families in Middle School, and we pray that you are blessed on your journey with us this year.
2024 marks many special changes for Middle Schooling at Parklands, not least of which is the occupation of permanent buildings for the first time. Both students and staff are excited for the opportunities that will present themselves as we learn in the new spaces.
Our year started together with a few signature events. Our year 9 students were on camp for the first three days of the year, and had an amazing time. Our year 7 and 8 students commenced their orientation program, and then we joined with the senior college on Wednesday for a welcome back assembly. It was fantastic to have our secondary students together in our church auditorium, which is becoming a very full room.
Other great improvements and additions for Middle School include the use of an undercover area. We have furnished this with tables and chairs for students to use, and they have appreciated the upgrade.
Our other major upgrade is the introduction of Middle School lockers. While there has been a delay in their arrival, even as I write this they are being delivered. During week 3 we will see their installation, and we look forward to every Middle School student having their very own locker. The school will provide a combination lock for each student.
Our college is proud to offer opportunities for students to function in leadership positions for the student body. Our Middle School have four student leaders who perform a range of tasks in service of the college, and have opportunity to present at year level assemblies and assist our senior student leaders at various functions and events.
One of the key responsibilities for our leaders is flying the college flags every day. Our students take great pride in the opportunity to serve in what is sometimes an unnoticed function. But their diligence to the task in in display every single day. I would encourage you to look out for our leaders at many up-and-coming events in our college calendar.
Our Middle School Leaders for 2024 are:
As we commence the year, it is important for students to be correctly prepared for each learning day. This preparation includes the correct uniform. We view uniform requirements for students as a preparation for the world and workplaces. In each job environment there is a dress code, and in many cases a uniform requirement. Our school uniform requirements are preparing students for the context they will engage with later in life in the world of employment.
Students have specific days which they are to wear their academic and sports uniforms – these days are listed below. It is important that this is followed. If there is a reason why uniform specifics can’t be followed, students need to check in with RTC before 8.30am to receive a uniform pass. This is best accompanied by a note from parents explaining the change.
We look forward to a successful year with students and their use of uniforms.
The use of a college MacBook is a privilege and one that we are talking with students about constantly. Technology has many great benefits, but if not monitored, it can also have many pitfalls. School devices are to be used for school purposes only. As a result, programs and apps such as social media should not be accessibly for students on those devices, both at school and at home.
As this year continues, I wish to pray God’s richest blessings on each of our students and their families. I look forward to the journey ahead of us. Please be sure to contact us if you have questions or concerns.
Additional staff support are:
Head of Year 7: Alanah Braun
abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Year 8: Daniel Millward
dmillward@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Year 9: David Kong
dkong@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Middle School: Colin Elvery
celvery@parklands.qld.edu.au
God Bless,
Colin Elvery
Welcome to a new year, which we pray is filled with lots of connection and community. We have some fun and exciting events planned for this year, including the BBQ at the cross country, Parklands Fete, Bush Dance and Spring Dance. We also have some other ideas in the planning process.
If you have anything you would like the friendlies to help you with or any ideas for us to look into etc please let us know. If you would like to volunteer at any events, please email friendlies on friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au or use the QR code below.
For the fete we will in particular need lots of help, with such tasks as setting up for the BBQ and then helping with cooking, making and serving. If anyone has previous experience with a cake making competition we would love your help too.
We look forward to seeing you around the school at our different events, please come up and say hi and have a chat with us.
Kate Harbourn
Friendlies Committee
(School Days Only)
Mondays 8.00am – 10.00am
Tuesdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Thursdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Uniform Shop Location Address/Parking:
24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge Qld 4125 (located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest road).
For further information:
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Email: service@theschoollocker.com.au
Uniform Shop Facebook Page/PCCUniforms
SHOP ONLINE @theschoollocker.com.au/schools/parklands-christian-college
Parklands Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) operates before and after school hours catering for school-aged children in Prep to Year 12 within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College. Quality supervision is provided in a relaxed atmosphere, allowing for study time and afternoon tea. Before school care offers a simple but nutritious breakfast for the children and activities and programs are based on the children’s interests and ideas.
Vacation Care
OSHC runs a program for school-aged children during school holidays, offering indoor and outdoor activities. Vacation care operates Monday to Friday between 6.00am and 6.00pm and includes the December / January period.
Parklands OSHC Hours of Operation
Before School Care 6.00am – 8.00am
After School Care 3.00pm – 6.00pm
Student Free Days 6.00am – 6.00pm
Vacation Care 6.00am – 6.00pm
Contact:
Phone: 0478 111 207
Email: oshc@parklands.qld.edu.au
Address:
16 Rosia Road, PARK RIDGE QLD 4125
Enrolment forms are available on the College website
The tuckshop will be open EVERY day this year, Monday-Friday!
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Please contact our Tuckshop Convenor, Marie Rushin, on 0422 637 370 or email tuckshop@parklands.qld.edu.au
We started the year with some great team building activities and games. There was laughter all round as the kids learnt to trust one another to help each other out.
Once the kids were all back at school we engaged in some lessons about what it looks like to be a good friend and to care for those around us.
Our monthly memory verse: Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times. They are there to help when trouble comes.
The kids all enjoyed using words like encouraging, respectful, kind, funny and happy as we discussed what good characteristics we should show to be a good friend. We then thought about who we would like to pray for this week and had fun making friendship strips to take home to remind us of the people we would like to be praying for.
If you would like to know more about the fun things we get up to in Kid’s church contact Angela Marsh via amarsh@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Angela Marsh
The Preppies have had a fantastic start to school! The classrooms look fresh and fabulous and our little friends have been busy making colourful creations to adorn the walls. We are getting to know each other and discovering wonderful places around the school like the BSC and library. During our morning phonics lessons, we are learning how to say, read and write sounds. In maths, we love counting and showing numbers to ten in lots of creative ways. Over the coming weeks, we will explore our family trees in HASS and become scientists by observing different types of weather. We can’t wait to see what the preppies will achieve next!
From the Prep Team
We’ve had a fantastic start to Year 1, with lots of “All About Me” activities and group conversations around setting up class expectations. The focus has been on building connections and establishing routines, creating a warm and supportive classroom environment. All three classes looked at the power of effective feedback using the inspiring story of “Austin’s Butterfly.” Through this engaging lesson, students discovered how constructive feedback can lead to continuous improvement in their work. Embracing this idea, our young learners are beginning to demonstrate resilience and a commitment to producing their best quality of work.
As we embark on this academic journey together, we are eager to witness the growth, curiosity, and accomplishments that will unfold in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more updates on our Year 1 adventures!
Year 1 Teachers
What a blast we’ve had as already in Year 2! We are settling back into new routines and reconnecting with friends as we begin our year of learning for 2024! We welcomed Mr Carson Shepherd to Parklands and we are so pleased to have him join our Primary team.
The children have enjoyed telling us about their holiday adventures and we have already shared a number of stories together, focusing on our ‘nervous feelings’ around coming back to school. This week we started reading a book about Evelyn the Entomologist! (ask your kiddos what this is!) It was a great introduction to our Science unit. We’ll be learning about life cycles, so stay tuned for more exciting updates to come.
Skip counting practice is well under way as we began an investigation about ‘Grandmas Soup Recipe’. The children had to investigate why using the term ‘handful’ when measuring our macaroni could be problematic. They were challenged to grab as close to 100 pieces of macaroni! The next step was to work out the most efficient way to count! It was a fun and fabulous way to practice skip counting in 2s, 5s and 10s. This is a really important skill to master and we look forward to practising in various ways throughout the year.
The entire Year 2 team is looking forward to a wonderful year and we can’t wait to keep sharing our highlights with you!
It has been a smashing start to the year in Year 3! We love our new classrooms and play area and especially love all of our new furniture. It has been great to get to know each other, have some fun and games and start to get used to our routines and how to navigate our new Primary Village.
We have started learning our times tables and had some fun doing some rotational activities related to our times tables and how we can calculate them. CLS is always a highlight for Year 3 and we kicked the year off with a creation craft. We all look forward to many more CLS crafts throughout the year.
Our older students, who are avid swimmers, had a blast at the swimming carnival with water, rain, food and fun! We are looking forward to a fabulous year together with our new Year 3 Team. In Year 3 this year, we have Mrs Renée Imms teaching 3R, Mrs Dayna Davis teaching 3B and 3 wonderful teacher aides, Mrs Sue Martin, Mrs Tanya Thompson and Mrs Alisha Scott.
We can’t wait to learn more and get to know each other as we make the most of our new, beautiful Parklands Primary Village!
Year 3 Team
Renée Imms, Dayna Davis, Sue Martin, Tanya Thompson and Alisha Scott
What a fabulous and blessed start to the year! Our buildings/new classrooms are amazing and such a blessing! The students have settled well, and we welcomed two new students, Seerat and Harrison. 4B and 4R began the year writing a descriptive paragraph. (‘Painting a picture with words!’ Thanks, Jameliah, for this wonderful definition of descriptive paragraphs) about a person and place they admire/love. They have written an autobiographical poem and completed some diagnostic testing. The week flew by in a whirlwind of activities including a very lovely birthday celebration for Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Scott and myself. It is going to be a fabulous year with lots of events planned.
We look forward to journeying this year with your family.
Blessings, Miranda, Julie, Janine and Alicia.
Year 5 have had an awesome start to the year, with new classrooms, new iPads and new stationery kits. We survived the heat wave by having the option to stay indoors and play games. Our students have enjoyed our worship time and are looking forward to school camp next week. As Year 5 teachers, we are enjoying watching our next Primary Leaders learn and develop their skills and abilities! We are so proud to be given the opportunity to teach these amazing young hardworking people.
The Year Six students have settled into our new Parklands Primary Village and have taken on many leadership responsibilities that have assisted the younger students in their day to day activities.
In between learning our new curriculum, the students have showcased their artistic talents to help decorate the classroom. Check out some amazing art work.
Welcome to 2024! I am super excited for what we have in store for Cubing at PCC in 2024. We have kicked off 2 Primary Cubing Clubs, one for those students who can already solve a 3×3 so they can practise their speed as well as learn other cubes; and one for those students who are new to cubing or still learning to solve the 3×3.
We are continuing our Staff Cubing Club and some new staff have caught the Cubing bug! We are also starting a Parents Cubing Club where parents or PCC community members can come along to meet new people and learn how to cube. It is a super fun way to share a hobby with your child (or to be better than them at something!).
We are planning on having our two Championship competitions again this year with Winter Championships in May and Summer Championships in October. Make sure you get practising now! Our competitions will be open to staff and parents as well as students, for anyone who wants to show their skills and earn a ribbon. We are hoping to even have an interschool Cubing Competition in Term 3 – stay tuned for more in that area.
I can’t wait to see all the kids back at Cubing Club and to meet some new kids and parents and to see where Cubing takes us this year!
Cube on and see you at a Cubing Club shortly!
Dayna Davis
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
Assessment is an important part of a students’ journey through school, as I’m sure you would agree! With the addition of new processes, digital tools, and ways of working we wish to let you know of some important updates to our approach to assessment in the secondary school.
As we continue to transition our communications with you over to our app, PAC, the secondary school will be taking an exciting step in 2024 to increase connections between teachers, students and parents regarding assessment items. From Term 1 2024, we will be changing the way we inform you about your child’s assessment progress throughout the year, to streamline communications through PAC.
Over the last 12 months, secondary teachers have been working hard to build courses of work, including all our assessment items, within our new learning platform PAC. Throughout 2023, we trialled the submission, marking, moderating and releasing of grades to students through this platform, with many technical procedures to develop and refine along the way. We are now excited to announce that we will be communicating due dates, assessment grades and feedback for assessment items to students, as well as their families, through the PAC app.
Previously, you have been sent a term by term “Assessment Schedule” for your child’s year level. Within the PAC platform, you will now be able to see a personalised assessment schedule, that only includes the tasks that have been assigned to your child. To view all assessment items, navigate to your child’s profile, and click on “Due Work” tab. You can view this in calendar mode or scroll down to see a list. The default notification settings in the PAC app will ensure you receive a notification to inform you that your child has an assessment item due soon. You will also then receive a notification if your child does not submit their assessment item by the due date and time. We ask that you check back regularly – as assessment items are released to students, they will become visible in the Due Work tab.
Throughout an assessment cycle, your child will submit their work digitally to their teacher through PAC. Then, the teacher will mark and moderate student submissions across the cohort, before releasing finalised grades to students and parents. You will receive a notification through the PAC app when a grade is released. To find your child’s grade and a feedback comment, navigate to the “Grades” tab on your child’s profile.
With the availability of these functions within the PAC app, we will discontinue some of our current emailing practices. Specifically, we will discontinue email notifications for:
Please note these changes will not impact on how we communicate semester reports to you, they will still be delivered to you by both email and in the PAC app. We also ask for your patience and grace as we navigate new communication methods and the technicalities of the PAC system. There may be instances where errors occur, we welcome your feedback if you notice any.
As we continue to refine and strengthen the academic integrity of our assessment items, we have made some important updates to our assessment policy, which will be implemented in 2024. The changes have occurred to prepare our secondary students for strict QCAA policies in Year 11 and 12, as well as the many deadlines that occur in life well beyond school. Please find below a summary of the important changes. A copy of the full policy will be emailed to all secondary families in the coming days.
Summary of changes:
The heart behind these updates is our desire to best prepare secondary students for the rigors of meeting deadlines, whether they are in future courses of study or in life. We aim to create an equitable and rigorous assessment environment, in which students know what to expect. We of course understand that some things in life are beyond control and ask that families let the class teacher know by email if something (eg. sudden illness) prevents a student from meeting their assessment deadlines. If students require extensions for non-urgent reasons, they are encouraged to seek this using our “Request for Extensions” forms, available from Student Services or Head of School offices.
We view your child’s assessment journey as a partnership between teachers, students and families. We hope that these changes and updates will increase clarity and connection in your conversations with your secondary student. It is our sincere desire that clearer due dates, grades and feedback will be helpful to you, as timely and specific information about assessment items is received. We believe these clarified expectations regarding the submission of assessment will facilitate authentic preparation for our students to their many and varied futures.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, Colin Elvery (Head of Middle School) or Rebecca Wallis (Head of Senior College).
Kristie Schulz
kschulz@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
It has been wonderful to have students return for the new academic year. Seniors had such a positive start last week, settling into orientation and their classes quickly. They also looked great, thank you so much for your support with the correct uniform. It’s such an important part of our whole school culture and approach, which in turn can assist our students with discipline and motivation and we just love getting on with the important business of learning.
During our orientation program, your child has been asked to think about their goals for the year ahead and to make some practical applications in getting organised. As we approach the end of our second week, all seniors should have established a nightly study and revision routine, which will assist in the busy weeks and months ahead. Thank you for your continued support to ensure they have a quiet study space that they can utilise, free from distractions so they can work productively in their senior years.
Senior students have been encouraged to use a diary and Home Class teachers will be checking in with your child, for organisation, to help them not only meet due dates but to achieve their best. Your child may choose to use an App or some form of personal (paper-based) diary – either is fine.
By accessing PAC, your child will be able to see their weekly outlines, due dates, and access many great resources their teachers post, for their studies. Your child logs into PAC to see all their subject and course requirements, via their school account.
We encourage your child to immerse themselves into the life of the College. Recently, an outline of many before, during, and after school clubs and tutorial sessions was emailed to families and students. These include a variety of free programs run by secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
Thanks for using the link in this document to register and provide permission for your child’s attendance for these activities. One of the many and varied workshops is Zenith Club, run on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons 3:30pm-4:30pm and coordinated by Mrs Rhoda Crook and supervised by a variety of teachers. Your child may request to have a particular teacher meet at Zenith, when requiring extra support.
I trust that your child has had a positive start to the year, is getting organised and set up for success and finds that balance between academic demands, their involvements in extra-curricular activities and all other commitments. We also promote great value in stopping and spending time reading God’s word and praying, and additionally looking after oneself with hobbies that bring relaxation and enjoyment. We so desire that your child achieves well and enjoys their journey of working towards becoming all that God intends for them to be.
Below are some photos of two recent events for Year 12’s ‘Last First Day’ and Year 10’s ‘Welcome to Senior School BBQ’. I trust you enjoy viewing these.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, please make contact through the College office or the class teacher’s email.
Additional staff support are:
Head of Year 10: Julia Matthews
jmatthews@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Year 11: Dianne Furlonger
dfurlonger@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Year 12: Aaron Edwards
aedwards@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Careers & VET: Elizabeth Lenton
elenton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Senior School: Rebecca Wallis
rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior School
Thank you to those who were able to join us at prep transition sessions and primary tours on Friday January 19. It was wonderful to connect and provide our beautiful students with an introduction to their new primary classrooms, spaces and teachers.
Primary staff have begin the year establishing clear routines and expectations, enabling children to integrate into the new school year, thriving as they confidently navigate their academic journey. By providing a structured environment, staff and students are fostering a positive atmosphere conducive to learning and growth.
I am delighted to see new students and families integrating into our school community and love hearing stories of how they are experiencing our Culture of Care. Thank you for encouraging your children to welcome new students as they form friendships and embrace the opportunities for growth and success that Parklands offers. Mrs Armanasco shared a cool treat with these students while checking in with them last week.
I am looking forward to seeing you this evening at the Back to School BBQ, which provides you with a wonderful opportunity to partner with your children’s classroom teachers and be informed about their learning journey. Please do not worry if you have children in multiple grades as handouts containing pertinent information will be distributed so you can prioritise your evening. The purpose of these sessions is to provide an overview of the year ahead, and an introduction to classroom teachers, and their expectations for the class. Discussions on individual students and their progress will occur during the official Parent teacher interviews in week 9 of this term or by arranging an appointment with the teacher.
I invite you to join staff and students on Wednesday afternoons at Primary Chapel. Playtime now finishes at 2:10pm, with teachers and students making their way straight down to the church for approximately a 2:20pm start. Led by Pastor Brit from Parklands Christian Centre, during this time, we praise and worship God, hear a Biblical message and recite our memory verses. This is a perfect time to stop and be thankful for God’s blessings at Parklands.
Prioritising Wednesday afternoons as a time to celebrate God and His love for us in our chapel service, means we will trial holding a short fortnightly assembly at 8:30am in the church to make special announcements and celebrate our students of the week. We will annouce our class ambassadors and prep pals at assembly on February 19.
Thank you for your support and patience in the car park as we navigate the new primary school and middle school locations. Currently, we have some families in years 5 and 6 collecting from the church car park. This car park has the capacity for more families to use it for pick up in the afternoons. If you are parking and coming in to collect students, I invite you to use this car park, noting that once it is full trying Rosia Road Car Park would be advisable.
Thank you for ensuring your children are wearing the correct uniform, including leather upper shoes, to school each day. Please note, you will not be notified of uniform infringements if you have communicated an explanation via a note, email or phone call. Please contact: uniformpass@parklands.qld.edu.au or 33804200. We are currently updating our uniform policy to clearly document our expectations, particularly in relation to earrings and shoes. This will be updated on the website and emailed to families once completed. Please remember to label all uniform items, lunch boxes and drink bottles.
What a wonderful time students, staff and families who attended the swimming carnival had! One of my favourite things about Parklands is that our students are so quick to encourage one another. I love that students from expert to beginner were encouraged by each other. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
With the unwavering support of our dedicated staff, the boundless enthusiasm of our students, the inviting and calm atmosphere of our new classrooms, and the enduring partnership of our families, 2024 is set to be a wonderful year at Parklands Primary. Let’s embrace each day with gratitude, courage and commitment to our mission of caring for students through a quality Christian education that inspires them to flourish, to love God and to love others for themselves.
May God’s grace guide us all throughout this academic year.
Anne-Maree Kingston
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome to the new school year! As the College nurse, I am excited to partner with you in ensuring the health and well-being of your child during their time at school. Please take a moment to update your child’s medical information, and feel free to reach out with any specific health concerns or needs they may have. We value your collaboration and look forward to fostering a safe and supportive environment together. For any questions, contact the Health Bay which is located at student services or call 3380 4228 in school hours.
Here’s to a fantastic and healthy school year!
Once logged in, please navigate to the “Medical Details” tab and carefully review the existing details. It is crucial that we have the most accurate and current information about your child’s health to ensure their well-being during the school day.
While reviewing the medical information, please pay special attention to the consent for your child to have access to basic medications. If you wish to grant or update this consent, kindly make the necessary selections.
If your child has any medical conditions, such as Asthma, we request that you update this information in the Parent Lounge as well. Your collaboration in keeping us informed about any health-related concerns is vital for the safety of your child.
If your child has an identified medical condition such as anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy, or diabetes, please take the time to review and ensure that the medical plan is updated for the 2024 school year. This may involve scheduling an appointment with your medical practitioner to ensure the plan is current for your child’s age.
If your child requires regular medication to be administered during school hours, we kindly ask that you email our College Nurse healthbay@parklands.qld.edu.au to schedule an appointment to discuss their medication needs. This appointment will help us provide the necessary support to meet your child’s health requirements.
Please upload the most recent immunisation statement for your child to the Parent Lounge. This document is crucial for our school records and ensures that we have the necessary information to respond appropriately in the event of a health-related situation.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss specific medical issues regarding your child, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Hannah Cully, via email at healthbay@parklands.qld.edu.au. I am more than happy to arrange a convenient time to address your concerns or questions about supporting your child at school.
Your prompt attention to updating the medical details is greatly appreciated and contributes to the overall well-being of our school community. We thank you for your cooperation and look forward to a successful and healthy school year.
Dear Parklands Family,
All of our students are now back on site for the 2024 Academic Year and our educational journey with your children has begun in earnest. I am looking forward to seeing our students flourish this year as they become all that God wants them to be. It is a privilege to see our students grow and develop their God given gifts and talents, and stretch themselves as they develop in mind, body and spirit.
This year, my prayer for all of my students is that they will learn immeasurably more than they can ask or imagine. Indeed, this is my prayer for all of the Parklands community, that we might experience a year of great blessing and abundance. There will inevitably be bumps and obstacles along the way, but through adversity and trial rich learning can come. As our students stretch their understanding and develop resilience and determination, obstacles are overcome, and we find reward in our individual achievements.
In Ephesians 3:20, Paul describes God as He “…who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (NIV). And so, I pray my prayer of blessing and abundance over our community in faith and with confidence. God wants to give His people more. Now I’m not talking about material wealth here, although God does bestow many gifts. I am talking about an abundant life. A life rich in faith, hope and love (I Corinthians 13:13).
This is the life I would have for every student that comes through Parklands Christian College. A life full of faith, hope and love. This is an abundant life, a life full and overflowing. Indeed, it’s why Parklands exists. I absolutely believe that a child who is loved and knows the love of our Heavenly Father is blessed. I also believe that each child is awarded God given gifts and talents to discover, develop and use. In doing so, God gives more!
“For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more, and he shall have abundance.” Matthew 25:29
This year, let’s help our children and young people to discover, develop and use their God given gifts and talents. It’s a big challenge, and it’s a task that will require a community to support and action. Let’s come together in 2024 and agree on our goal and focus our time and attention to this end.
As we travel through the schooling year, let’s think of the home/school or parent/teacher relationship as a team. We share the same goals, and we all love our students. We need to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary conflict. Let’s commit to clear and timely communication and use language that builds one another up and promotes a team approach. Antagonism and anger only breeds more antagonism and anger, and it’s unproductive, hurtful and doesn’t help us move toward our goals. In fact, there is no place for it at Parklands.
This year, I invite us all to pray and believe for abundance. Let us all press toward the goal of helping our students discover, develop and use their God given gifts and talents. And let’s do this together in harmony.
Gary Cully
Principal
Psalm 96:2 “Sing to the Lord; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.”
Welcome to 2024! This year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. We are excited to have access to a bit more space this year, so we’re looking forward to having music spilling out everywhere – there has never been a better time to be involved with music at Parklands!
Most Instrumental music lessons will commence in week 2 of Term 1, the week beginning Mon 29th January. Give It A Go! lessons will commence as soon as possible after that, once enrolments are confirmed. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will also begin within the first few weeks of Term 1, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings which will commence in week 8 of Term 1. Further information from Ensemble & Choir directors will be available closer to these start dates.
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and string students continuing to have lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the relevant ensemble!
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year. Emails will be going home to Year 4 students in the next few weeks with more information, but this is an exciting time in our Give It A Go! Band Programme. If you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Some places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $36/30mins or $24/20mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & drum kit. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $23/30mins for a Group of 2 or $16/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Dear Parklands Community,
As we approach the end of another remarkable academic year, it’s with immense joy and gratitude that I extend warm Christmas greetings to each and every member of our wonderful community. This season marks a special milestone not only for our students but for the entire Parklands family, as we celebrate the completion of a year filled with growth, learning, and countless achievements.
Throughout the year, our students have demonstrated resilience, curiosity, and a commitment to learning. I am so proud of them all. From academic achievements to artistic endeavours, sports triumphs to community service initiatives, our community has truly shone brightly.
As we gather with our loved ones during this Christmas season, let us reflect on the journey we’ve undertaken together. The challenges we’ve faced and overcome, the milestones we achieved, and the community bonds we’ve forged as a community are all part of a shared narrative that makes Parklands Christian College a place of faith, hope and love.
I want to express my deepest appreciation to our dedicated staff who have tirelessly worked to nurture, guide, and inspire our students. Your commitment to fostering a positive and safe learning environment has truly made a lasting impact on the lives of those entrusted to your care.
To our students, you are the heartbeat of Parklands Christian College. We hope you have enjoyed this academic year and that you have further developed your God given gifts and talents. As you enjoy a well-deserved break, take the time to reflect on your achievements and the knowledge gained throughout the year. God has a very special plan for your life, and we can’t wait to see the incredible paths He will pave for you in the future.
To our parents and guardians, thank you for your unwavering support. Your partnership with us in the education of your children is invaluable, and we appreciate the trust you place in Parklands Christian College. It is truly a privilege to serve your family.
As we embrace the holiday season, may the Holy Spirit fill your homes with love, joy, and peace. May you find moments of rest and rejuvenation, surrounded by the warmth of family and friends.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the coming year be filled with blessings, growth, and continued success for all of the Parklands Christian College community. For those of us who will be attending a Church service this Christmas, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday 24th December at 6:00pm for the Parklands Christmas Eve Service. All are welcome.
God bless,
Gary Cully
Principal
There are only a few appointments left at the time of publishing this newsletter.
Book Uniform Shop Appointments
(School Days Only)
Mondays 8.00am – 10.00am
Tuesdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Thursdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Uniform Shop Location Address/Parking:
24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge Qld 4125 (located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest road).
For further information:
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Email: service@theschoollocker.com.au
Uniform Shop Facebook Page/PCCUniforms
SHOP ONLINE @theschoollocker.com.au/schools/parklands-christian-college
What an amazing time we have been having with the kids over the last few weeks in Kid’s Church! All the kids have really taken hold of what thankfulness truly means. Over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas we will walk the kids each week through the Christmas story leading to the birth of our Savior Jesus.
Wishing all our Parklands families a wonderful Christmas.
In Term 4 the Preppies investigated special events including why and how we celebrate them. To mark the momentous occasion of completing Prep, we brought our favorite party activities to life on our last day of school. Dressed in our festive best, we enjoyed face-painting, cookie decorating, dancing, games, and even a huge jumping castle.
Watching our little friends blossom this year, gaining confidence in reading, writing, counting, and sharing their ideas, has been an absolute delight. They are explorers, scientists, builders, and artists who are ready for their next adventure into the big school. We can’t wait to see them in their fancy uniforms, enjoying their brand-new classrooms next year.
A heartfelt thank you to the families of our Prep students for an incredible year. Warm wishes for a joyful and relaxing Christmas break and summer holiday.
From the Prep team.
Year 1 have enjoyed their final weeks of Term 4.
Our highlight was our end of year excursion to SeaWorld! We started our morning with a fun bus ride. The kiddos were so well behaved and very patient. Once at SeaWorld we headed straight to Shark Bay for a wonderful session with one of the SeaWorld educators. The children learnt about sharks and other sea life creatures, identifying various features of these marvellous creatures of the sea. We then enjoyed all the park had to offer – rides, penguins, rays, polar bears, seals and dolphins. It was a wonderful experience and we made many beautiful memories.
We are so grateful for the year we have had together. Merry Christmas to all our students and their wonderful families. Big blessings for a fabulous 2024!
As we prepared to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we were also preparing all 60 of our students for Year 3! We did it!!
What an amazing year it has been! We finished off Year 2 with a trip to Wolston Farmhouse AND a fabulous day at SeaWorld. Thank you to all the parents who volunteered your time to make the trip a huge success!
We pray that you all take the time this season to reflect upon the year and all God has provided us. We are so blessed to have been a part of your child’s education and growth in 2023. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in the new year – in the new buildings!
Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Koplick, Mrs. Hollenburg & Mrs. Hackett
What a fabulous year! A huge thank you to all of our parents who helped, supported, transported and homeworked their way through the year. We really could not do it without you and we are so appreciative!
We had such an awesome end to our year with numerous Christmas crafts and activities, outside games, free time, movies, more crafting and of course kahoots galore! We were all super proud of each and every student and how much they learnt and achieved over the year. They have really impressed us with their abilities and we are so proud of them all!
Of course an end of year highlight was our excursion to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The students learnt so much and had so much fun meeting and interacting with different animals and reinforcing all they have learnt in the biological sciences this year. Thanks again to those parents that could come and help with our excursion.
We hope and pray you all have a relaxing, fun and blessed holiday and an amazing Christmas season! We are so grateful for you all and we look forward to seeing you all around and about next year, all looking very grown up.
Merry Christmas!
Year 3 Team
Wow! What an amazing year for Cubing Club at PCC! It has just been so great to see all the students learn and grow in their knowledge of Cubing this year. It is awesome to see older and younger students alike learning how to cube.
Students have learnt all types of cubes, including the 2×2, pyraminx and of course the original cube, the 3×3. Many students also learnt some of the algorithms to solve the speed cubing method and get faster and faster at their solving.
It was wonderful to see all of our Cubers compete and improve during our two Cubing Competitions! We are looking forward to some bigger and better competitions next year. In 2024, we are hoping to expand Cubing Club and run two different groups, one for those who can already solve a cube and one for those who are still learning a cube. This will help free up spots in Cubing Club while still allowing students to mingle, interact and compete with each other over cubes.
A huge shout out to Julie Koplick, Sue Martin, Christine Hollenberg and Ebony Davis who have taught students each week at Cubing Club and also volunteered at competitions. A thank you to Renée Imms who loaned us her classroom all year as the club expanded and could no longer fit in one classroom! A big thank you to my parent helpers Cara Gray, Ang Moodie and Megan Harwood who also volunteered at our end of year competition. I am super grateful to the other staff, students and community volunteers who helped at competitions as well – Renée Imms, Jeff Kingston, Mel Sampson, Angela Marsh, Anne-Maree Kingston, Melissa Bayer, Alex Davis, Geof Greenaway, Kelly Clausen, Donna Auld, Miranda Powell, Jess Grounds, Andrea Armanasco, Jamei Pertzel and Liz Strubin.
Lastly I would like to thank all parents who have transported and supported their Cubers this year. We really couldn’t run clubs without parent support. We finished the year with a super fun party and can’t wait to get back to Cubing in the new year. Look out for emails about how to sign your child up for Cubing Club in 2024. There is also a PAC page which I will email a link to in the new year to get Cubing notices and see updates and photos.
Merry Christmas and a safe and relaxed holidays! Can’t wait to see you all in 2024 at Cubing Club, PCC!
Cube on,
Dayna Davis
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
And that’s the 2023 academic year! Time has swiftly passed and as we reflect on the year, we are reminded of the remarkable growth, reliance, culture of care and achievements that have defined our school community. In the spirit of Christmas, let’s embrace the warmth of love, the joy of giving, and the hope that comes with the birth of a new beginning. May this festive season be a time of reflection, gratitude, and renewal for all. If you are looking for somewhere to share the joy of Christmas, I encourage you to attend the “Joy and More Joy” Christmas Eve gathering at Parklands Christian Centre on December 24, from 6 to 8pm. Wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas!
As I wrote in the last newsletter, all Parklands teachers are exceptional and strive to be the very best support to our students and their needs. While written requests are considered, we cannot guarantee requested class or teacher allocations. The allocation of class groupings is a carefully considered process and thoughtful deliberation is given to a wide variety of factors. Please continue to pray for smooth transitions for all students as they move into their next class with a new teacher and different mix of students – in brand new buildings.
As they embark on the journey of motherhood, we offer Mrs Hannah Swanborough and Mrs Christine Uwamurere our warmest congratulations and heartful prayers for healthy and joyous arrivals of their treasured babies. We express our deepest appreciation for their unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions to Parklands and look forward to their return. We thank Mr Michael Worthington for his service at Parklands this year and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. We welcome Mr Simon Ashley, a current year 6 teacher to the Digital Technologies teaching position and look forward to the many exciting digital technologies lessons that he has already planned. Due to personal reasons, Dr Beth Tailby is unable to regularly teach Auslan at Parklands next year. We have valued her amazing work and will miss her greatly but look forward to seeing her for relief days. We are thankful to Mrs Elitia Ssensano, a current prep teacher, who has a long connection with the deaf community, and who has taught in a bilingual school, who will work with Julie Lyons to continue our authentic Auslan education at Parklands. Blessings abound as we wish all these staff the very best for their new beginnings.
Isn’t the new primary precinct looking amazing!! Years 1, 2 and 6 have moved most resources into their new classrooms and eager await their furniture arrival on December 21. Despite a hold up with lino, we remain on track to move Years 3, 4 and 5 into Stage 2 on this same date. Years 1 to 4 receive new furniture with these building stages, and years 5 and 6 will receive their new furniture with stage 3 buildings. We have made a simple change to our class layout for 2024, with both Year 6 classes now being located upstairs and both Year 5 classes being located downstairs.
Just a reminder to mark the 19 January on your calendar as a day in which you will be invited to explore the new primary precinct. We can’t wait to share this exciting new chapter with you!Year 6
Congratulations to our Year 6 leaders for 2024. We look forward to appointing Class Ambassadors and Prep Pals early in 2024 and celebrating our whole cohort as leaders at the Year 6 Leadership assembly.
Parklands Christian College Outside School Hours Care, is off to a great start, with Katrina Davis, our new Parklands Little Learners director acting as coordinator for two weeks while we await the arrival of our coordinator Miss Celine Clunn, who is completing her time as an ELC director of another service. The service has been staffed with many familiar and friendly faces, with many of our term time teacher aides, both regular and relief, offering to serve in this service. For bookings click on Enrol Now on the Parklands OSHC page on the college website.
Many Blessings for a safe and happy festive season,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
Exodus 15:21a “And Miriam sang this song: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously…’”
What a year it’s been! After several years of restrictions & uncertainty, 2023 has certainly been a FULL year in every way. It’s been wonderful to see students participating so fully in all the exciting things that have been happening, and also watching the learning & growth that has come from those things.
In yet another first for the Arts at Parklands, on Wed 8th Nov we combined the GIAG Band, Petite Strings, Andante Strings, some members of the Wind Ensemble & a few staff to form a full orchestra, involving string, woodwind, brass & percussion instruments all at once. The students had a great time as we rehearsed a piece written specially for them, and parents & senior staff were invited to observe the rehearsal & hear it all come together. By the end of 30 minutes we managed to play the whole piece right through, which was no small feat considering most of these students only began learning their instruments 9 months ago and this was the longest piece they had ever played! If you missed it, or would like to see & hear some of what happened, there is some video of the event on the Parklands Facebook page here: https://fb.watch/oCuhy0T7XQ/
As this year’s Give It A Go! Instrumental Programme comes to an end, we held a short Celebration Concert on Monday 6th November to acknowledge the efforts & achievement of our Give It A Go! students. These students were brand new beginners at the start of the year & should be very proud of how far they have come in this time. Families & staff were treated to performances by both the Give it A Go! Band & Petite Strings, and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces after a year of hard work & fun!
All instrumental lessons & rehearsals are of course finished for Term 4. Private & Group lessons should resume in week 2 of Term 1 2024, and Give It A Go! lessons will begin around week 3. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will begin as soon as possible in 2024, most likely in week 2. Stay tuned for more details!
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the appropriate ensemble!
Year 3 students have received their offers for 2024, so your child has hopefully come home talking about playing an instrument. An information letter was sent home early in Term 4, so please have a read of that & watch the Youtube video (https://youtu.be/SUFX6j9v0JA) for details about how the programme works. Offers to join in 2024 are valid until places are full, so get your form back as soon as you can!
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Instrumental Programme include:
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Music Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Information video: https://youtu.be/SUFX6j9v0JA
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $36/30mins or $24/20mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & drum kit. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $23/30mins for a Group of 2 or $16/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
This semester led by Mrs Dennys and Mr Greentree, Year 9 Design students undertook a unit of learning about Surface and Textiles Pattern Design. The real-world project-based learning task required students to imagine they were engaged by the Cancer Council of Australia to design a new range of fabric bucket hats for their cancer awareness campaigns. Over the course of two terms, students designed, prototyped and digitised their final designs before each receiving a final sublimation printed piece of custom-designed fabric to take home. Students now understand the real-world process of custom designed fabrics and can take these skills away with them. Watch out Etsy!! What an amazing and talented bunch of designers we have at this school!
Greetings, Parklands Christian School community!
In the spirit of adventure and cultural enrichment, our students embarked on an unforgettable journey to Cairns and Innisfail for the 2023 On Country Trip. This unique experience served as a cultural immersion, providing a deep dive into Australia’s Indigenous heritage through collaboration with the Goondoi Rangers.
One of the highlights of our expedition was an awe-inspiring day at Green Island, where students had the privilege of snorkelling in the pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef. This experience wasn’t merely about exploring the breathtaking underwater world; it was a multifaceted educational endeavour encompassing environmental science, conservation, and cultural understanding. Our visit to the Great Barrier Reef offered a holistic perspective, emphasising the importance of safeguarding our planet for future generations.
Under the guidance of the Goondoi Rangers, our students learned to throw spears, mastered cultural dances, and gained invaluable insights into the significance of preserving Australia’s rich Indigenous heritage. These hands-on activities fostered a deep appreciation for the traditions that have been passed down through generations, leaving a lasting impact on our students’ perspectives.
The journey took us to some of the region’s most iconic sites, including Paronella Park, Babinda Boulders, Golden Hole, Josephine Falls, and Etty Bay. Each location provided a unique opportunity for learning and reflection, further connecting our students to our country’s natural wonders.
A special bond was forged between our students, the Goondoi Rangers, and our friends from Radiant Life College. This collaboration enriched the cultural experience and promoted unity and understanding among diverse groups of young minds.
The success of our Green Island day trip was made possible through the generous support of the Queensland Government’s Great Barrier Reef Education Experience Program. The financial assistance provided, totalling $150 per student, alleviated the burden on families and enabled our students to participate in this life-changing experience. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Queensland Government for making this educational journey possible.
As we reflect on the profound impact of the On Country Trip, it is evident that the experience has shaped our students’ perspectives and instilled in them a sense of responsibility toward our planet. We eagerly look forward to future opportunities to explore and learn about the incredible wonders that Australia has to offer.
Thank you to everyone who made this journey possible, and here’s to many more adventures in the coming years!
During the September holidays, 34 staff and students embarked on an early morning adventure to Cairns.
We spent nine nights in Innisfail with the Goondoi Rangers, a journey that opened our hearts, minds, and souls to the rich culture and history of the indigenous people of this land.
Our days were filled with exploration, as we ventured into sacred places on their Nation, gaining a deep understanding of the traditions and stories that have shaped their lives for generations. In these moments, we connected with the very essence of our beautiful country, learning from the custodians of this land and forging bonds that transcend time and history.
But this trip was more than just a cultural exchange. Many hours were spent engaging in various fun activities – from competitive games of basketball and table tennis to swims in the crystal-clear waters, drone flying and beach cricket, snorkeling with turtles, and a surprise underwater formal proposal.
Through these shared experiences, we built connections and relationships that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
It was a coming together of students from three different year levels, from diverse backgrounds, and staff from various departments, all finding common ground and building personal connections that go beyond the boundaries of our daily lives.
Ella Harbourn, Year 11
Going on the On Country Trip to the Goondoi Rangers was an incredible experience.
We were truly welcomed by the Goondoi Elders and Rangers. It was heartwarming to see how they opened their arms and hearts to us at the church and Radiant Life College. The warmth of their welcome instantly made me feel like I was a part of their community.
During the trip, I had the opportunity to learn so much about their culture and the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. It was eye-opening to learn about their heritage and the connections they have with their land. The elders shared their stories and wisdom with us, and it was an incredible experience that I’ll never forget.
But it wasn’t just about learning; it was also about forming strong friendships. Spending time with the elders was so good. It felt like they were a part of our team, and the friendships we formed are unforgettable. We not only shared stories but also had the privilege of learning and performing traditional dances. This added so much joy, laughter, and fun to the team.
The On Country trip is not just a normal camp; it’s an opportunity to experience a different culture, connect with wonderful people, and expand our understanding of the world. It’s a chance to make lasting memories and friendships that will stay with us for a lifetime.
Maaka Ngapo, Year 11
Where did this year go? It seems to have passed very quickly and as we start approaching 2024, it is time to start thinking about the new year.
The friendlies will be set up at the Back to School BBQ in term one. Please come and say hello, have a chat with us about what we are about and how you can be part of building community.
If you have any ideas please feel free to contact us via email on friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au.
A huge thank you to those who have helped at events over the past year, we appreciate you are so grateful for all the help we have received from both parents, grandparents, staff, students and others in the school community. Next year keep an eye out for an incentive for those who can help us out at our different events through the year.
Lastly we would like to wish everyone a safe and hopefully restful time in this break over Christmas. We look forward to connecting with our school community in the new year and are excited about the events planned for 2024. May we also take the time to reflect on the Christmas and the meaning of this time of year.
Kate Harbourn
Friendlies Committee
There is a year 11 student who has recently moved to Covella Estate in Greenbank. Her mother is able to get her to school in the mornings but is unable to get her home in the afternoons.
If there are any school families that live in the Covella Estate or out Greenbank way that would be happy to drop her home in the afternoons, please contact Student Services on 3380 4237. The mother would be happy to share the load and do the school morning drop off.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
With only a few weeks to go till the end of the year, it is difficult to believe that we have come so far through the year already. Yet, the journey during 2023 of the Middle School has been a privilege and honour to be a part of. It is wonderful to see the growth that has occurred in the students as they have applied themselves to the challenges of learning, and have overcome their circumstances to succeed in their endeavours.
It is with great delight that I announce the Parklands Christian College Middle School Leaders for 2024. Congratulations to the following students:
We wish you God’s favour as you seek to lead your cohort and the Middle School with servants hearts and grace. Our thanks goes to all students who nominated for the role. There are so many within the life of the current year 8 cohort who lead by example every day. It is a great testament to the character of the students we have.
We are looking forward to celebrating with our year 9 students the conclusion of their Rite Journey. On Tuesday 7th November, students and families will come together to witness the growth of the students through 2023, and hear about their successes and struggles as they have taken new steps towards independence and adult-hood.
We celebrate your journey, and wish God’s greatest blessings as you continue your journey into Senior College in 2024.
For all Middle School students, week 8 (the last week of term 4) is Exam Week. A whole week of the program is given over for students to complete subject exams across all year levels. Week 7 is given over to a revision week for Middle School classes, to help students prepare for their final assessments for 2023.
We deliberately hold our exams in the last week of the year to allow for maximum learning time for all our students. All of these preparations and logistics are created to allow our students to find focus in their assessments, and encourage them to succeed to the best of their abilities. As we finish the year, we wish all our students the best in this assessment season.
To finish the year, there are many different activities that Middle School students will be involved with, along with the rest of the college. This list includes:
It is wonderful to be able to share in a variety of activities with our college community, celebrating the various activities that our students have been engaging in, and preparing for.
During term 4, we have had the privilege of engaging with Mr Gabriel Blase and Folklore Coaching. Mr Blase has been running workshops for students, teaching the art of staging dramatic combat sequences for stage and video. The group of students who are participating in these workshops are thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to explore and learn new skills, and will have the chance to choreograph and produce their own video sequence this term.
This workshops are going to run again in 2024. I would encourage students who wish to explore new and exciting skills, and love working in teams, to look for the opportunity to participate next year.
The message to all our students for this time of year is to finish well. We ask only that our students apply themselves to the best of their ability. When this is applied to Effort and Behaviour, academic achievement takes care of itself.
Please join us in continuing to encourage our Middle School students to strive for their best as we wind up the 2023 academic school year.
Blessing for this season.
Mr Colin Elvery
Head of Middle School
There is a year 11 student who has recently moved to Covella Estate in Greenbank. Her mother is able to get her to school in the mornings but is unable to get her home in the afternoons.
If there are any school families that live in the Covella Estate or out Greenbank way that would be happy to drop her home in the afternoons, please contact Student Services on 3380 4237. The mother would be happy to share the load and do the school morning drop off.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
It seems like yesterday that I wrote ‘welcome to Term 4’ and now I write to you with the quickly approaching holiday season only a few days away. Christmas trimmings have become visible around our school, with teachers, including myself, excited about the addition of Christmas earrings, phone holders and keychains to our daily accessories. As we approach the holiday season, it’s important to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas which extends beyond these trimmings, festivities and gift giving. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the ultimate symbol of love, compassion, and hope. It reminds us to be generous, kind and to cherish our relationships with family and friends. I look forward to seeing you at our annual Carols Night, where we will come together as a school community to celebrate and share the joy of Christmas.
But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
At this time of the year, we all begin thinking about what the new year will look like. I want to take this opportunity to assure you that all our teachers are exceptional and strive to be the very best support to our students and their needs. While written requests are considered, we cannot guarantee requested class or teacher allocations. The allocation of class groupings is a carefully considered process and thoughtful deliberation is given to a wide variety of factors including, but not limited to:
• Academic balance according to assessment and reporting
• Gender balance within classes
• Other educational, social and emotional considerations.
I encourage you to join us in praying for a smooth transition for all students as they move into their next class with a new teacher and different mix of students – in brand new buildings.
As we embark on 2024, we eagerly anticipate the completion of our new Primary Precinct, which represent a significant milestone in our school’s journey. To provide you with a firsthand look at these state-of-the-art facilities, we are planning walk throughs, open to all Primary families on Friday January 19. We will send out further details but please mark this date on your calendar so you can explore the classrooms and learning spaces that have been designed with your child’s education and well-being in mind. We can’t wait to share this exciting new chapter with you and look forward to your presence as we begin the new year together.
Angel and Maggie have been enjoying their gradually increasing time at Parklands. The addition of these furry companions to our primary school has already proven to be a resounding success for student, and staff, emotional and mental well-being. Creating an atmosphere of comfort, support and stress relief, students eagerly anticipate Angel and Maggie’s visits. Whether its’s during drop off, breaks, in the library or during special well-being sessions, the smiles these four-legged friends bring are truly infectious. Angel and Maggie are quickly becoming an integral part of our school community.
Our year 5 students have been eagerly preparing for 2024 leadership positions. Towards the end of Term 3, interested students submitted email applications identifying their preferred Captain roles. All applicants attended an interview with at least one member of the Primary Leadership Team, and potentially other teachers according to their preferred roles. From these interviews, students were short-listed for the roles of Captain and Vice-Captain. This week, year 4 and 5 students and teachers had the pleasure of hearing from 15 year 5 students on why we should vote for them. Every student did an exceptional job and all 15 are commended on being outstanding contenders for these roles. All staff, and students in years 4 and 5 were given the opportunity to vote after the speeches. These votes will be considered by specialist teachers, year 5 teachers and the Primary Leadership team in making the final decision about who will be our Primary school captains and vice-captains in 2024. We look forward to sharing this at our Years 3-6 Primary Awards Night.
Do nothing for selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
• Friday November 10 – Carols Night
• Friday November 17 – Primary Awards Night
• Monday 20 November – Years 1, 2 and 6 Move and Groove Day #1
• Wednesday 22 November – Year 6 into 7 Transition Day
• Thursday 23 November – Years 1, 2 and 6 Move and Groove Day #2
• Friday 24 November – Last Day of the School Year
Many Blessings,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
When you hear Powerful Person, most people think of the controlling, loud, life of the party, aggressive and a domineering individual. Yet these people are not what GOD considers powerful. 2 Corinthians 3:17 – ‘Now the LORD is the SPIRIT and where the SPIRIT is there is FREEDOM’ Galatians 5:13 discusses the fruit of the Spirit and what they look like. This is what a powerful person looks like!
Here are 8 traits of a powerful person:
Powerful people understand that it is their job to control themselves. They do not try to control, convince, or manipulate other people or their behaviours. They know it doesn’t work, and it’s not their job. They focus their energy on being able to control themselves regardless of what others may or may not do.
Powerful people are able to consciously and deliberately create the environment in which they want to live. They don’t try to get people to respect them; they create a respectful environment by showing respect. They deliberately set the standard for how they expect to be treated by the way they treat others. As they consistently act in responsible, respectful, and loving ways, it becomes clear that the only people who can get close to them are those who know how to show respect, be responsible, and love well.
Powerful people are happening. They are happening all the time. They are not controlled or infected by their environment. Powerful people refuse to play the victim by shifting responsibility for their choices onto others. Letting other people dictate how they are going to feel or what they will choose to do. They happen to their circumstances rather than letting their circumstances dictate to them what they will do or how they will feel.
Powerful people empower others to be powerful. When powerful people encounter a powerless person, they are not tempted to dive into any unhealthy emotional ties or attachments. They hear a victim’s sob story and ask, “So what are you going to do about that? What have you tried? What else could you try?” These questions empower powerless people with owning their responsibility and their capacity to make choices and how they can control themselves. This is the only option a powerful person will offer to powerless people: become powerful, make choices, and control yourself. Powerful people demonstrate what it means to be powerful.
Powerful people have a vision and mission for their life, and can use the events of each day, whether positive or negative, to direct themselves toward that vision. Powerful people do not simply react to whatever is happening today. They are able to take responsibility for their decisions and the consequences of those decisions–even for mistakes and failures. They can respond to today and create tomorrow.
In Matthew 11:7 Jesus talks about John not being a reed swayed in the wind. So popular opinion or the pressure of others does not sway the language of powerful people. They know exactly what they want and how to communicate their desires. A powerful person says, “I will. I do. I am.” Powerful people can say both “Yes” and “No,” and mean it. Others can try to manipulate, charm, and threaten, but their answer will stand.
A powerful person’s choice to love will stand, no matter what the other person does or says. When powerful people say, “I love you,” there’s nothing that can stop them. Their love is not dependent on being loved in return. It is dependent on their powerful ability to say “Yes” and carry out that decision. This protects their love from external forces, or from being managed by other people. Powerful people keep their love on and say “I can handle your mistakes, I love you!”
Powerful people can be who they say they are on a consistent basis. And because they know how to be themselves, they invite those around them to be themselves. Only powerful people can create a safe place to know and be known intimately. They say, “I can be me around you and you can be you around me. We do not need to control each other, and we don’t want to control each other.”
We are all growing to be a powerful person. Powerful people are ok with making mistakes and take the opportunity to learn. No matter what happens know that every step we are learning and moving towards the person that GOD created us to be!
Enjoy the journey of being a powerful person!
Check out some more information from Danny Silk’s Blog – Loving on Purpose
Dear Parklands family,
With only a few short weeks to go, it’s hard to believe that the 2023 Academic Year is almost at an end and soon our students will be on holidays. At this time of year, everyone becomes a little weary and many of us start the end of year countdown-ritual leading into a well- earned Summer Break. Many of our students have begun to look forward to the imminent holidays season. However, we are not on holidays yet and there are still a lot of things to do before our last day of school on 24th November.
Over the next few weeks, there are still assignments to submit, exams to complete and lots of special events to attend. This season is a busy one at Parklands and concludes with our awards nights and end of year fun activities. I would encourage us all to make sure we are well planned for the remainder of Term 4, and that our calendars are marked with all the important dates, especially those that celebrate our children’s academic journey.
Formal opportunities to celebrate our children’s milestones don’t come very often, and so as parents, it’s important to be present (physically and mentally) when these opportunities present themselves. No matter your child’s age, take lots of photos and make a big deal about their completion of another year of schooling. I particularly find it fun to publicly gush over my teenage children at special occasions like award nights, they love it!
As we celebrate our students this year, let’s be mindful that the majority of our students at one stage or another would have been stretched and challenged in a range of different ways as they navigated this year’s learning journey. An important part of learning, both inside and outside the classroom is the struggle and strain associated with doing hard things. My struggle with school was always with Maths. I found the senior years of mathematics to be quite a challenge, and I was required to put more than a little effort into a subject I did not enjoy and would have happily avoided if that was an option. Only in hindsight can I appreciate the value of sticking at hit and persevering.
As a parent, I want the very best for my children, and sometimes I wish I could spare them the natural and normal anxiety and discomfort of a difficult learning journey. Ever helped your child complete and assignment and possibly helped a little too much? We have all been there. Yet when we intervene like this, learning is diminished. When we write letters attempting to excuse our students from a difficult or challenging activity, learning is diminished. When we attempt to thwart consequences for their actions, learning is
diminished. Let’s not disadvantage our students in this way.
Our students need to become resilient young individuals who do hard things and overcome obstacles and hardship. Doing hard things, failing and trying again are often rich opportunities to learn, and even greater opportunities to develop character and resilience. When we attempt to protect our students from hardship, we actually do them a disservice. Responsible parents navigate challenges and hardship “with” their children, offering support and guidance. In times of challenge, great parents lean into the situation, but do not take over. There is a time to intervene, and a time to observe and support, so let’s be careful to maintain an appropriate balance.
As we celebrate our students this year, let’s acknowledge the struggles and the triumphs in equal measure. Learning is sometime challenging, and deep learning often comes through adversity and failure. Let’s be a community that celebrates the wholistic journey of our children and celebrates breakthrough just as much as success.
Gary Cully
Principal
Year 1 had an amazing start to Term 4! The children came back buzzing with excitement about their holidays and were energised for learning as we entered our final term of the year!
An early highlight was our Fire Safety Visit from our local Fire Services. The children always enjoy this visit and learnt all about fire safety at school and at home. They were reminded of what to do if there is a fire in their home and were encouraged to practise learning their home address and safe meeting place. The best part of the morning was checking out the fire truck and getting to use the water hose. It was a wonderful morning!
In class we have started all things Christmas! We are diving deep into texts and looking at all the wonderful things books can teach us. We have been reading Macca’s Christmas Crackers and Wombat Divine. What great books to help us learn about different writing styles, as well as helping us make our own connections to Christmas and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are looking forward to the last few weeks of term. We are so proud of our Year 1 cherubs – they continue to amaze us each and every day and we feel so honoured to be a part of their learning journey.
Take care from the Year 1 team.
October in Year 2 was just phenomenal!
In our HaSS unit, we are traveling through time and comparing technology from the past with the present. During an adventure to South Rochedale, Mrs. Koplick and I found some TREASURES! We brought back an old Dunny Seat with a chamber pot, an oil lantern, porcelain dolls, and so much more! The students have had such a great learning experience and have really connected with the technology of the past.
Science has exposed the students to various physical changes and exciting hands-on activities. Their vocabulary of adjectives has flourished, as they’ve had to describe before and after characteristics of objects and materials as they have physically changed them. Science is so fun!
English and HaSS relate to our genre writing this term. Much of October was spent writing comparative paragraphs of old and new technologies. Our travels to Wolston Farmhouse in November will be a beautiful addition to their studies and hard work. The end of term is approaching so quickly! We send all our families love and blessings and the time grows shorter and the weather grows warmer!
October has been a very busy month as we finish off all of our units and work hard toward our end of year assessments. The students have had an amazing year and have learnt so much and have all worked so hard in every subject.
We loved finishing off our celebrations and commemorations unit and it was great to look at all of the Christian celebrations this term. We learnt a lot about Christmas and how it is celebrated in different countries of the world. It was the perfect excuse to start our Christmas craft early!
Science never stops being a highlight for this cohort. This term we have been learning about heat energy and heat transfer. The students love conducting experiments and learning about the science behind everyday occurrences.
Year 3 have impressed us with their creative abilities for our poetry unit.
Each of them has use their imaginations
And rhyming skills to produce
Ridiculously amazing poems!
They illustrate them beautifully and
Have to use their joined writing skills.
Rich vocabulary has made its way onto the page and we couldn’t be more
Excited to see their final poems.
Excellent work Year 3!
We can’t wait for November to step up our Christmas celebrations, do all of our Christmas crafts and activities and tick off all the end of year traditions and celebrations!
What a wonderful night we had gazing at God’s amazing creation! The highlight of this month for Year 4 was our Showcase and Star Gazing night. We shared our progress in our writing, took families on a tour of our art creations, sang about God’s beautiful and awe-inspiring creation, had a night picnic and then gazed through some amazing telescopes thanks to the Scenic Rim Astronomy Association. We could not have had more fun!
What a fabulous event! PCC Summer Championships Cubing Competition was a huge success. There were 39 competitors at the competition and each of them blew us away with their performance and their improvement.
An extra big Congratulations to all of the students who podiumed at the competition. The podium results are as follows:
1st Place: Alex Davis (year 8) – 9.90 seconds
2nd Place: Naksh Sharma (year 4) – 28.58 seconds
3rd Place: Max Harwood (year 4) – 34.97 seconds
1st Place: Alex Davis (year 8) – 4.81 seconds
2nd Place: Steele Gray (year 3) – 17.19 seconds
3rd Place: Jensen Van der Loos (year 6) – 25.12 seconds
1st Place: Alex Davis (year 8) – 8.14 seconds
2nd Place: Steele Gray (year 3) – 18.12 seconds
3rd Place: Ebony Davis (year 11) – 29.29 seconds
The competition could not have taken place without all of the staff, students and parents who volunteered on the day and behind the scenes who I would like to acknowledge now. Massive thanks to Renée Imms, Jeff Kingston, Cara Gray, Ang Moodie, Megan Harwood, Christine Hollenberg, Julie Koplick, Melinda Sampson, Angela Marsh, Anne-Maree Kingston, Sue Martin, Geof Greentree, Kelly Clausen, Donna Auld, Elizabeth Strubin, Gary Cully, Chase Werner, Melissa Bayer, Ebony Davis and Alex Davis.
A special thanks to all of the parents and families who supported our Cubers by coming along to the competition and also who support their children week after week with practice, buying cubes, encouraging and transporting them to Cubing Club.
I can’t wait to see where PCC’s Cubing journey takes us next!
As I write this newsletter article, the Year 12’s are in the midst of completing final assessment, including their external examinations.
Year 12 recently shared a breakfast to mark the beginning of their three week exam block. As a staff we prayed with them, and gave them some encouragement for this busy, and somewhat stressful, time. Thank you to our Hospitality students and staff who had an extra early morning and helped prepare breakfast!
Year 12 is a challenging year and we are very proud of how our seniors are conducting and applying themselves to their studies. We continue to uphold them in our prayers at this busy time.
Year 11 are working well this term. Shortly, Year 11 families will receive a home communication update on their Year 11 child’s progress for Units 1 and 2, with a forecast of their credits and eligibility for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), or Queensland Certificate of Independent Achievement (QCIA) across Units 1-4.
The new QCE system is rigorous and as such, we strongly promote and encourage all senior students to be committed to their studies by ensuring that senior schooling is a priority. We also encourage a study routine that incorporates daily revision, along with the completion of work – both class and assessment based.
Please know that first and foremost we care about each individual student, your children. Where needed, we can provide you and your child with further individual advice, support with study strategies and options for changes to their senior schooling pathway (there are always options we can talk through). Please let any of the staff listed below know if it would be helpful to chat.
Mrs Elizabeth Lenton (Head of Careers & Vocational Education), Miss Julia Matthews (Head of Year 10), your child’s Home Class teacher or Ms Rebecca Wallis (Head of Senior).
We are so proud of our Year 10’s and how much they have grown since their first day of Senior College. On Monday 13th to Friday 17th November, Year 10’s are only required to attend school during exams and scheduled assessment items that they are currently enrolled in. This is a step to help them transition into preparing for their senior External Assessments (EAs).
Thank you for looking out for this home communication and for returning the attached Study-At-Home form. Student attendance during the last weeks of classes is crucial. The “Study at Home Permission” notes are and assist in the non-accrual of absences. A reminder, QCAA only allows 10 unexplained absences per year and unexplained absences can place a student at risk of not graduating that year level.
Students will also have the option of coming to school during sessions, where they have no assessment, to complete work in one of the allocated study rooms.
If you have any questions about Year 10, Miss Julia Matthews (Head of Year 10) will be able to assist you with any enquiries.
A reminder, students in Years 10-12 who are absent for an examination MUST have a medical certificate, dated the day of their exam, to explain their absence. For Year 12, QCAA request more detail than “unfit for duty”. In Year 12, the medical certificate must include multiple days (if your child misses more than one examination). Please contact the College if you have any questions on this matter.
Where did the year go? With just a few short weeks before the end of the academic year, life is very busy for our seniors as they finalise end of year assessment
Coming Up:
On 13 – 16 November, Year 12 have their compulsory final days of activities. Each day entails important rehearsals for Awards Night and Graduation morning. There are also guest speakers and some really fun outside activities planned for our seniors, to enjoy their final school week. A Year 12 home communication, with full details, has been sent to families.
We look forward to celebrating all of our students at the upcoming Awards Night ceremony on Tuesday 14 November. This is a compulsory evening to celebrate all achievements for the academic year. In exceptional circumstances, when attendance is not possible, a written explanation should be submitted to Student Services or the Heads of School (Years 7-9 Mr Elvery and Year 10-12 Ms Wallis).
Students are asked to arrive at the Baskerville Sports Centre by 6:45pm. Seniors need to wear their winter academic uniform, including blazers. We look forward to celebrating with all of our secondary students.
The Year 12’s will be graduating from the College in a Graduation ceremony on Thursday 16 November in the Baskerville Sports Centre. Year 12’s are asked to arrive by 8am in full winter academic uniform. This will be a time in which the whole College acknowledges the work and dedication of their formal education and celebrates and blesses them as they depart secondary school. The morning celebration continues with a morning tea prior to an early departure, to prepare for their formal evening.
So, it is a very busy yet rewarding time of year. On behalf of all the Secondary team, we are praying for your children as they complete final assessment. Prayers for motivation; to finish off strongly, for good health, for wise decisions about sleep and healthy food, and for thoughts to be recalled with ease in their examinations.
If you have any questions, please contact me through Student Services or directly via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
Last weekend, our Year 10 cohort stepped up to make a difference by participating in the 40 Hour Famine Challenge. Supported by a few enthusiastic Year 11 student leaders, our students embarked on a journey of selflessness and solidarity, showing their commitment to combating child hunger around the world.
This event saw our students taking a stand, with some making the sacrifice of giving up their favorite technology for the entire weekend, while others pledged to abstain from food for 40 hours. The collective result of their efforts was astonishing, as they managed to raise a commendable $2,005, which will be donated to World Vision. These funds will directly impact the communities with which World Vision works, with a clear focus on ending child hunger.
To launch the challenge and inspire the team, Miss Matthews, Mrs. Young and our Year 11 student leaders, organized a series of engaging activities. The purpose was to shed light on some of the daily struggles faced by children in developing nations, such as sourcing clean and safe drinking water or the physical challenges of transporting water over long distances. This experiential learning exercise provided a valuable perspective on the hardships faced by children who lack the basic necessities we often take for granted.
Monday morning, the fasting participants were greeted with a delightful breakfast feast of pancakes and fresh fruit, lovingly prepared by Mrs. Smart, Mrs. Young, and Ms. Matthews. The students’ dedication was rewarded not just with food, but also with a sense of accomplishment, knowing they had made a meaningful contribution to a greater cause.
We are immensely proud of our Year 10 students and their achievements as a united cohort this year. In addition to their participation in the 40 Hour Famine, all Year 10 students successfully completed an Active Volunteering Certificate, which required them to dedicate 20 hours to various volunteer activities with different organizations and programs. As part of their service, these young hearts also contributed to packing 200 Care Packs for local families in need.
The value of having a servant heart is immeasurable. Through these acts of service, our students not only make a positive impact on the lives of others but also discover a profound sense of purpose and fulfilment. This concept is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized loving others through service.
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” Our Year 10 students are embodying this message through their actions, and their efforts serve as a testament to their commitment to making the world a better place.
The 40 Hour Famine Challenge was not just an event; it was an experience that taught our students the importance of empathy, service, and global citizenship. Their dedication and selflessness have already made a significant impact on the lives of those less fortunate, and we look forward to witnessing their continued journey in making the world a better place for all. As a school community, we couldn’t be prouder of our Year 10s and their achievements.
We would be remiss not to express our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated educators who have played a pivotal role in shaping our Year 10 students into the compassionate and responsible individuals they are becoming. Miss Matthews, Miss Robertson, Mr. Edwards, and Mrs. Choi have shown unwavering commitment and hard work in guiding, mentoring, and nurturing our Year 10 cohort. Their tireless efforts and mentorship have been instrumental in helping our students develop not only academically but also as compassionate and responsible human beings. Thank you for your outstanding dedication to the growth and well-being of our Year 10s, and for being the guiding lights on their journey towards making a positive impact on the world. Your influence on their lives is immeasurable, and we appreciate your continued support.
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”
As the year winds down, we begin to celebrate the progress & achievement of our students throughout the year. It’s been good to have a year without major interruptions, and it’s been great to be able to do a few new things this year too.
Our Arts Gala on Wed 18th October was a spectacular evening! The atmosphere at the outdoor stage between 5-6pm was very exciting as students showcased their talents, and then the spectacle continued inside as the audience was treated to a variety of performances – snippets from “Annie”, both Primary Choirs, two new String Ensembles, and the Primary Wakakirri performance, just to name a few. The displays of artwork from our Visual Art students was breath-taking; it is truly wonderful to see so many students excelling in all areas of the Arts. If you weren’t there, you missed a terrific night of entertainment & celebration!
As this year’s Give It A Go! Instrumental Programme comes to an end, we are planning a Celebration Concert to acknowledge the efforts & achievement of our Give It A Go! students. These students were brand new beginners at the start of the year & should be very proud of how far they have come in this time. Families are invited to attend this short concert on Monday 6th November at 3:45pm in the Church Auditorium, as we celebrate with these students. Students will also be receiving information & enrolment forms regarding continuing lessons next year.
All instrumental lessons & rehearsals begin right away for Term 4, firs thing Tuesday morning! Give It A Go! lesson will continue to the end of week 6, and all other lessons will finish at the end of week 7. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will continue until the week indicated by their director:
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule:
|
MONDAY |
TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
Secondary Choir |
Wind Ensemble 7:30-8:15am S2 |
GIAG Band 8am-8:45am S2 |
||
|
Primary Jnr Choir |
||||
|
Petite Strings |
Primary Snr Choir |
|||
|
Andante Strings |
||||
| Worship Team 3:20-4:45pm Auditorium |
|
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the appropriate ensemble!
GIAG lessons are humming along well & students are learning plenty! Year 3 students will very soon be starting their enrolment process, so your child may come home talking about playing an instrument. There will be an information letter coming in a few weeks, so please have a read of that & watch the Youtube video for details about how the programme works.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin
– Viola
– Cello
– Double Bass
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
It has been GREAT to see students return to school this week.
We trust they feel rested, renewed, and ready for Term 4!
During the last week of Term 3, our Year 11’s attended leadership camp at Emu Gully, Helidon, which is based around the ANZAC’s; of working together and leaving no one behind. They experienced a vast array of activities, and each game and activity increasingly worked on building character, respect, and of leading by example. A “Can Do” attitude was evident in all and each student gave their very own 100%. As these students embark on their final year of schooling, they are all leaders, all role models, for Parklands Christian College. Time and again the students displayed courage and determination in facing, at times, very confronting situations. They stepped up as the intensity of each activity increased teachers and camp facilitators saw how they supported each other really well.
The model of the servant leader is the most fitting style that we look to for our student leaders at Parklands. It is these types of qualities we have observed in many. Well done to all of our Year 11 students!
If your child is healthy, we expect them to be at school as we want to see them achieve their best (which correlates with healthy attendance statistics).
However, if your child is unwell, thank you for keeping them at home so they can recuperate and get better.
In Senior, when absent for an exam or assignment submission, a medical certificate MUST be obtained and a copy provided to Student Services or Mrs Degen. This is in line with QCAAs strict guidelines on missing an assessment due date and covers your child so they can catch up an assessment.
If you child is undertaking a certificate course, they must prioritise completing all module work by the set time. For Year 12, most due dates are September-October as there are very important deadlines to ensure there is time for trainers to mark assessments and for training organisations to upload results to QCAA. Once finalised, your child will see this locked into their MyQCE account. If you have any concerns, please speak to your child (and their individual teachers and trainers) about when this final due date will be. If the final date is missed, QCE certification may not occur this year as QCAA has very strict due dates. Should you have nay queries, please contact Liz Lenton at: elenton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Year 10 should now be settled into their classes that match up with their Year 11 subject choices.
If this isn’t the case, or if your child has had a change of pathway, we are encouraging them to speak with their teachers, Head of Year 10 – Miss Matthews, Mrs Lenton or Ms Wallis this week and complete a Subject Change Request form.
As Term 4 is a short term, we have requested all paperwork to be completed by Monday 9th October.
In Year 11, many General (ATAR) subjects commence Year 12 work (Unit 3) this term. Your Year 11 child has been encouraged to start the term off strongly by taking study notes. A reminder, that for General Maths and Science classes, there is the requirement to know the Unit 3 and Unit 4 work for External Exams at the end of Year 12 (1 year’s worth of work). By taking and keeping solid notes from Term 4 2023, your child can be best prepared for their final school exams.
If you have any questions about this, please ask your child’s teachers, Head of Year 11 – Mrs Furlonger, Mrs Lenton or Ms Wallis.
Year 12 students have three weeks of normal classes this term prior to the external examination block.
We request full attendance EVERY DAY and that our Year 12’s keep working through their teacher’s feedback from trial exams. It’s very important that all assignment and module work is completed in full, to gain passes in all the Applied subjects and Vocational classes.
We are praying for motivation, good health, and calm as your Year 12 child continues to work hard on further revision and assessment to finish off their formal schooling strongly.
We cannot wait and are all looking forward to celebrating with Year 12’s in their final week of school!
Our prayers are with all students as they work hard in this short Term.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any support. The best contact is through Student Services or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
It has been GREAT to see students return to school this week.
We trust they feel rested, renewed, and ready for Term 4!
During the last week of Term 3, our Year 11’s attended leadership camp at Emu Gully, Helidon, which is based around the ANZAC’s; of working together and leaving no one behind. They experienced a vast array of activities, and each game and activity increasingly worked on building character, respect, and of leading by example. A “Can Do” attitude was evident in all and each student gave their very own 100%. As these students embark on their final year of schooling, they are all leaders, all role models, for Parklands Christian College. Time and again the students displayed courage and determination in facing, at times, very confronting situations. They stepped up as the intensity of each activity increased teachers and camp facilitators saw how they supported each other really well.
The model of the servant leader is the most fitting style that we look to for our student leaders at Parklands. It is these types of qualities we have observed in many. Well done to all of our Year 11 students!
If your child is healthy, we expect them to be at school as we want to see them achieve their best (which correlates with healthy attendance statistics).
However, if your child is unwell, thank you for keeping them at home so they can recuperate and get better.
In Senior, when absent for an exam or assignment submission, a medical certificate MUST be obtained and a copy provided to Student Services or Mrs Degen. This is in line with QCAAs strict guidelines on missing an assessment due date and covers your child so they can catch up an assessment.
If you child is undertaking a certificate course, they must prioritise completing all module work by the set time. For Year 12, most due dates are September-October as there are very important deadlines to ensure there is time for trainers to mark assessments and for training organisations to upload results to QCAA. Once finalised, your child will see this locked into their MyQCE account. If you have any concerns, please speak to your child (and their individual teachers and trainers) about when this final due date will be. If the final date is missed, QCE certification may not occur this year as QCAA has very strict due dates. Should you have nay queries, please contact Liz Lenton at: elenton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Year 10 should now be settled into their classes that match up with their Year 11 subject choices.
If this isn’t the case, or if your child has had a change of pathway, we are encouraging them to speak with their teachers, Head of Year 10 – Miss Matthews, Mrs Lenton or Ms Wallis this week and complete a Subject Change Request form.
As Term 4 is a short term, we have requested all paperwork to be completed by Monday 9th October.
In Year 11, many General (ATAR) subjects commence Year 12 work (Unit 3) this term. Your Year 11 child has been encouraged to start the term off strongly by taking study notes. A reminder, that for General Maths and Science classes, there is the requirement to know the Unit 3 and Unit 4 work for External Exams at the end of Year 12 (1 year’s worth of work). By taking and keeping solid notes from Term 4 2023, your child can be best prepared for their final school exams.
If you have any questions about this, please ask your child’s teachers, Head of Year 11 – Mrs Furlonger, Mrs Lenton or Ms Wallis.
Year 12 students have three weeks of normal classes this term prior to the external examination block.
We request full attendance EVERY DAY and that our Year 12’s keep working through their teacher’s feedback from trial exams. It’s very important that all assignment and module work is completed in full, to gain passes in all the Applied subjects and Vocational classes.
We are praying for motivation, good health, and calm as your Year 12 child continues to work hard on further revision and assessment to finish off their formal schooling strongly.
We cannot wait and are all looking forward to celebrating with Year 12’s in their final week of school!
Our prayers are with all students as they work hard in this short Term.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any support. The best contact is through Student Services or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
We find ourselves amid a fast-finishing year with Term 4 well and truly underway. Students have 8 weeks till the conclusion of classes, and then we are another holiday break yet again. The finish will feel like a whirlwind, but there are many activities and opportunities for students to experience between now and the end of the school year.
The highlight event for the year, Secondary Awards Night, happens on the evening of November 14. Secondary students and staff gather with the college community to celebrate the achievements of the Parklands student body. It is a formal evening, with students and staff in their best uniforms. It is important for students to be aware of our college presentation policy regarding hair, makeup and uniform, and to ensure that they are prepared correctly for this end of year event, as they should be for each day of school.
Middle School classes in term 4 work right up to the end of the year, with learning and assessment occurring through to the final week of term. Our Middle School exam block occurs in the last week of term, week 8. It is important that students are present for this time, and we would request that families who wish to take holidays earlier than this possibly refrain from this practice as this affects
the learning and achievements of your children. While we understand that circumstances can occur which are out of control, we would encourage a priority to be given to the school term. Our students are completed their year of learning two weeks before the state school system, allowing space for families to engage in holidays before much of the state. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss this further.
In the next couple of weeks, we are going to commence the process of selecting Middle School Leaders for 2024. Students will have the opportunity to nominate for the role, which will result in an interview process with myself, and a staff vote. From these, 4 students will be selected from our Year 8 cohort to be the Leaders for 2024.
Many of us who observe society today may argue that self-control is a lacking feature. Many news stories can be found of decisions made without thought for reason or control, resulting in consequences that do not work out well for others. One of the key values that the bible highlights in the book of Galatians, chapter 5, is self-control. In amongst a list of virtues such as Love, Joy, Peace, Patience (and others: The Fruit of the Spirit) Self-Control, listed at the end, anchors this list together.
The truth is, these other values cannot be achieved without self-control helping to direct the choices that we make. And this is why there is such an encouragement from us as a college for students to exercise self-control in all situations. Our education with students includes many different strategies around the choices which we can make as individuals, especially in the heat of a moment. Self-control makes a great difference in the way we resolve conflict, and in the way we affirm others, and will be a key value we continue to encourage.
I encourage each of us to consider the different ways we seek to exercise self-control in our day to day lives, and may we seek the Lord’s guidance in achieving this.
I pray for all our families to be blessed at this time. May we have a smooth journey through term 4 as we navigate it together.
Blessing,
Mr Colin Elvery
Head of Middle School
As we begin Term 4, the Careers and VET department continues to see the hard work come into fruition for many of our students as they begin to receive early offers for university degrees, sign up for school-based and full time apprenticeships and traineeships, complete the Parklands Work Experience program, complete certificate qualifications at school and Tafe at School, and successfully apply and interview for part time jobs. The Parklands facebook page has highlighted a few of our students’ success stories and as we are so proud of their commitment and achievements.
Year 9 students began their final rotation in the Career Education program was launched during Home Classes, with our final class group exploring their strengths in relation to future occupations. Our Year 9 students have been the first of their year level to experience our Virtual Reality (VR) world of career exploration through Work Window on our Oculus Quests, throughout the year. Their Career Education program has informed them both in their immediate subject selections for year 10, 2024, and in their long term career development journey.
In reflection, Term 3 was very much focused on supporting our Year 12 students in their university applications to QTAC and/or other interstate tertiary admissions centers, and overseas universities. Students are supported as they navigate the application process, applying for early entry and/or scholarships, realising the adjustment factors available to them and researching appropriate pathway courses.
We had a number of Year 10, 11 and 12 students completed work experience through the Parklands Work Experience program during the holidays. Our students shine in the workplace and as a result have either been offered an apprenticeship or are working towards interviewing for an apprenticeship with the host company. We are grateful for our community industry connections who we can team with to provide our students with safe, real-world opportunities and future employment.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge our wonderful VET teachers and trainers at Parklands who work every day with our students to help them achieve success and complete their certificate qualifications. Thank you Mr Andrew Flaxman, Mr Phil Uren, Mr Josh Leembruggen, Mr Daniel Millward, Mrs Dianne Furlonger, Mrs Jemma Rowney, Mrs May Chow, Ms Rebecca Stevens and Ms Rebecca Wallis, for your amazing work with our students. We value you!
Welcome to Term 4! There has been a buzz of enthusiasm around the school as we welcome the students and staff back to the final term of 2023. I hope you were able to enjoy some time with your children over the past two weeks – creating memories. I was very blessed to create amazing memories with some of our year 10, 11 and 12 students and staff On Country. Let’s continue to embrace these moments and build a treasure trove of memories.
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” (Psalms 127:3)
The aim of Together Sing is to raise awareness of the value of Music Education and singing together to improve mental health and wellbeing. Research shows that the use of music interventions (listening to music, singing and music therapy) can create significant improvements in mental health (Harvard Health, 2023). The 2023 song Fill the World with Song has been specifically composed for the occasion. During Mental Health Week (October 7–15), along with other participating schools and community groups, Parklands primary students will perform the song together and be immersed in the joy and benefits of making music together.
While building projects, particularly at the current time, are impacted by numerous factors and timeframes are often delayed, we remain positive and prayerful that our Primary classes will move into the new buildings for the beginning of 2024. While years 1, 2 and 6 classroom movement are planned to occur in the last week of Term 4, classes will not operate from the new classrooms until the new year. As indicated in the last newsletter all primary home classes will be in the new buildings next year. To do this, year 5 and 6 will be positioned next to other year levels, rather than beside each other. The diagram below shows the plan for classroom layout for 2024. Plans for year 6 classes to be located within middle school facilities are underway for during Stage 3 building, to accommodate growth as we move to being a three stream primary school.
During Term 4 you are likely to see little people, with an adult, visiting Parklands. Thank you in advance for making them feel welcome. Smooth transitions from Kindergarten to Prep have positive outcomes in terms of academic achievement, social development, and student wellbeing. Therefore, we have planned a thorough transition program to familiarise our little learners as they enter the Prep year. Thank you for your additional patience in the car park on the following days.
Date Claimers
Many Blessings,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
The Friendlies Committee has had an incredible year of fostering connections and organising memorable events within our school community. As we enter the last term of 2023, we want to take a moment to reflect on the year and share our excitement for the upcoming year. The Friendlies are committed to creating a welcoming and engaging environment for all families, and we look forward to even greater participation in 2024.
Our College Fete and Bush Dance are definitely highlights from this year’s calendar. Both events definitely ticked the fun box and cultivated strong community connections. Our committee also hosted numerous BBQs throughout this year. While we are proud of the food we serve, what we love the most is the connection these events bring amongst our College families. The humble BBQ has allowed us to connect on a personal level and build a sense of unity among our diverse school community.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our Committee Chair, Allan Morris, for all his hard work and dedication to our college community throughout the past year. Allan always turns up with a smile and a million ways to be generous. After a big year of building our Friendlies Committee and all that entails, Allan has finished up as our Chair.
We are excited to announce that Kate Harbourn will be stepping in as our new Chair. Kate is not new to Friendlies – she has been serving as part of our team for the past year. The Harbourns are a local family, with a long connection with Parklands. As well as being an amazing wife and mum, Kate also runs a local honey business. Please join us in welcoming her as she leads our Friendlies into 2024.
While it is hard to grasp that 2024 is fast approaching, we are actually looking forward to the new year. We have exciting plans and initiatives in the works, and want to encourage even more families to get involved. Your involvement can take many forms, from volunteering at events to joining a planning committee. Together, we can make our school community even stronger and more vibrant.
If you would like to get involved or have any ideas/suggestions, we would love to hear from you. Please email us at friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au Your voice and contributions are highly valued.
Hope to hear from you,
The Friendlies Committee
Year 1 ended a jam packed term 3 with International Dot Day! We demonstrated our unique and vibrant imaginations and created some wonderful images all starting with just one dot.
This term we are looking forward to all things Christmas! We will be reading imaginative and informative texts about Christmas and will be working our way through the scriptures leading up to our Saviour’s birth.
We will be learning about money, direction, chance and halves in math lessons and creating maps in HASS and learning how we hear sound and see light in our Science lessons.
Looking forward to a fabulous term 4!
Take care from the Year 1 team.
September in Year 2 was a fast, furious, and fun-loving month! The students enjoyed their design technology building project which combined their knowledge of the forces used in science with materials and resources to make a push pull vehicle Their creativity never ceases to amaze us! Throughout the assessments at the beginning of September, the students showed their strengths and confidence as we wrote our narratives and used mental math strategies for addition and subtraction. Parklands was blessed to enjoy a day to celebrate checking on each other. “Are You OK Day” prompted conversations and new friendships as we sat on the lawn on a beautiful Queensland afternoon. We hope you all had an amazing holiday. We are looking forward to this term with great anticipation as we prepare our year two students to embrace Year Three with confidence and brain power! We are especially working on friendships this term and exploring how unique we all are, as God made each one of us perfectly perfect!
Year 3 had a great month in September. The highlight was our excursion to Summerlands Camel Farm. Students learnt so much about Camels but also about how food is produced in Australia. We also learnt about different types of products and how some animals make farming more sustainable in Australia. Students tried camel milk, camel cheese and camel sausage. The best part was feeding and patting the camels, we even got to pat a baby camel. It was a day of fun experiences but also hands on learning.
As always, Year 3 loves our Science units. They are always so keen to understand how the world around them works and to partake in hands-on learning through experimentation and getting outside. We concluded our States of Matter Science unit by making slime!
Year 3 also enjoyed their last week of term 3 by celebrating Auslan week. Students made a deaf flag, completed a sign language word search and made a poster which included their name in sign language and English. They also had fun making a card that said ‘I love you’ in Auslan to give to someone that they cared about. It was great to celebrate Auslan week and our last week of term 3!
Students had a wonderful break and we are now looking forward to the short but fun term 4. We look forward to celebrating all things Christmas and also doing all of the ‘lasts’ for Year 3!
Year 3 Team
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin and Mrs Christine Uwamurera
Students always amaze me how much they learn at Cubing Club each week! So many students have learnt to solve the 3×3 cube this year and have moved onto other cubes and faster methods to solve the cube.
We are all super excited about our next Cubing Competition! The PCC Cubing Summer Championships will be held on Friday the 20th October 2023 from 3.15pm-5.45pm at the BSC. Any students at PCC are welcome to compete in the competition, even if they do not attend Cubing Club.
Summer Championships 2023 is fielding 3 events: 3×3, 2×2 and pyraminx. Students are also able to compete to solve each level of the cube if they are not competing for times. We will have ‘white cross’, ‘1st Layer’ & ‘2nd Layer’ events to start our competition.
If you would like to compete at Summer Championships, please click on the link below to register. The competition is open to both Primary and Secondary students. Registration for the competition closes on Friday 13th October 2023 at 3pm.
Please register for Summer Championships via this link: https://forms.gle/uLM7XFD3YCyRcdDWA
I look forward to seeing you at our Summer Championships!
Dayna Davis
Cubing Club Coordinator
As we settle into term 4, ‘the last quarter’ and looking at the final tests and assessments of the school year, it is a great time to take a look at how we are taking care of our wellbeing, both as students and as parents! According to the Oxford English Dictionary, self-care can be defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.” Self-care is a deliberate activity to maintain or improve our physical, emotional or mental health. It includes activities that revitalise us, bring joy and a sense of well-being to our lives. It is not selfish but allows us to look after ourselves which benefits our health, welfare and relationships.
Self-care for children and young people is about helping them to learn how to look after themselves so that they can stay mentally and physically healthy. Self-care is unique to everyone so it requires some reflection and thought in order to find out what is best for each person. Taking care of physical and mental wellbeing can help students to stay focussed, motivated, energised and reduce stress, frustration and anxiety. Three of the major pathways to wellbeing include SLEEP, MOVEMENT and NUTRITION.
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things we can do to maintain wellbeing. Sleep lets our mind recharge and process information. It’s the only part of the day that our body gets to rest and repair. Sleep can help us feel better, think more clearly and concentrate better. It gives us energy to complete tasks and can make us more alert. Without enough sleep you may have problems with thinking, concentrating, memory, reaction times and mood. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends that school age children up to the age of 13 years old get approximately 9-11 hours of sleep each night and teenagers aged 14-17 years get 8-10 hours.
Here’s some reasons why sleep is important:
Exercise has social, emotional and health benefits, including increased concentration, increased confidence, reduced risk of diseases and reduced aggression.
Physical activity can help you to:
Exercise doesn’t have to be in a sweaty gym – that’s not everyone’s cup of tea! There are so many ways to exercise and they all count! Kick a footy at the park, take a bush walk, or head to the beach for a swim (when the weather warms up!). You can even do a YouTube Pilates class or try a dance battle on your gaming console! Stick to a routine or mix it up – find what works for you! It’s time to move your body!
We all know that what we eat has a huge effect on our lives, yet growing a good relationship with food isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind when we think about self-care. Good nutrition is the ultimate form of self-care. And while it may not feel like a deep tissue massage, its benefits on your stress, mood, digestion, and overall health absolutely compliment every other beautiful self-care practice you do for your mind and body.
Just as we need petrol in our car to get us to where we need to go, we need food to fuel our mind and body. If our body needs Premium fuel but we are filling it with a regular, blended fuel, our body won’t work the way we need it to, especially in times of stress or tiredness. Our bodies are more compatible with premium fuel (good nutrition) which helps our body to work in the following ways:
For more in-depth nutritional information, see a local professional such as a nutritionist or dietician.
These three form the foundation for good self-care, both for children and adults. Further to these everyone is different! We are all made and wired differently and self-care is often a journey of discovering what works for us – kids included. Here are some other self-care techniques that you could test out and see if they revitalise you, bring you joy and help to restore your wellbeing:
By incorporating self–care activities into our regular routine, we give our body and mind time to rest, reset, and rejuvenate, in order to enhance our health and wellbeing. Look after yourselves and find what works for you!
Our mental mess is frequently aggravated by a chaotic world and sustained by an inability to manage our runaway thoughts. But we shouldn’t settle into this mental mess as if it’s just our new normal. There’s hope and help available to us–and the road to healthier thoughts and peak happiness may actually be shorter than you think. Backed by clinical research and illustrated with compelling case studies, Dr. Caroline Leaf provides a scientifically proven five-step plan to find and eliminate the root of anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts in your life so you can experience dramatically improved mental and physical health. In just 21 days, you can start to clean up your mental mess and be on the road to wholeness, peace, and happiness.
Increasingly, children ages 3-10 are struggling with anxiety, depression, and mental health challenges. These can be brought on by many factors–stress at home, upheavals in society, breaks in routine, isolation from friends, bullying or social pressure–and if left unaddressed, they follow kids into their teens and adulthood, causing mental, emotional, and relational problems that will steal their peace and joy.
Bestselling author Dr. Caroline Leaf helps you teach your kids how to
· recognize negative feelings and respond in a healthy way
· navigate a world that can feel scary and overwhelming
· manage uncomfortable or challenging situations
· replace toxic thoughts with brain-building practices that produce better outcomes
· develop resilience and emotional strength
Based on up-to-date research, clearly illustrated with case studies, and practically applied to the problems kids are facing today, How to Help Your Child Clean Up Their Mental Mess is what parents, caretakers, teachers, and counselors have been waiting for. Dr. Leaf shares a clear and effective five-step plan to teach your child how to manage their mind so they can live a life with greater resilience, health, and happiness.
Since the early 1980s Dr Caroline Leaf has researched the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health, and the formation of memory. She frequently lectures to audiences worldwide, linking scientific principles of the brain to spiritual, intellectual and emotional issues in simple and practical ways. She speaks on diverse topics relating to how the mind controls the brain through optimal thinking, and hence improved brain performance.
We highly recommend all of Dr Caroline Leaf’s works and regularly discuss her podcasts, research and books as a team. You can find out more about her work at DrLeaf.com.
ON COUNTRY GOONDOI | Students and staff have been enjoying full and fun days on the On Country Goondoi trip.
They have had time at Radiant Life College where Ps Manni shared more about the rich history and traditions of the local tribes and clans. Flew drones, built Mijas (shelters) and learned a dance.
Another highlight was the Sea Grass Restoration Project with JCU researchers at Mourilyan Harbour. This is a 4 year project in its first year. Such a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience and contribute to scientific research and an environmental restoration project.
Dear Parklands Community,
Welcome back, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the recent long weekend. It’s been great to have our students back on campus and diving into the last term of the academic year. We’ve accomplished much since the beginning of the year, and now we’re entering the home stretch. I want to acknowledge all the hard work that has taken place over the course of the year by our students and staff. I am proud of them all, and I look forward to shaking their hands on stage at the end of the year as they successfully complete another year of study.
Term 4 is usually a rather busy period, and some students struggle with the rigour of this season. Remember, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff if you need help. Together, we will navigate Term 4 successfully and testify to God’s great love for us during 2023.
Our amazing and talented Year 12 students will soon be entering a period of study and examinations as they prepare for their external exams. Please pray for our senior students as they enter this rigorous season. May God bless them with peace and confidence in every task. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your commitment and flexibility this year. We will certainly reap the reward when we return in 2024. Our building program will be complete, and I look forward to seeing our students utilising our new facilities. I appreciate our community’s flexibility as we have navigated various footpath and car park closures. I also want to thank our Year 5 students and our Preppies for the way they rolled with the necessary classroom moves.
Our site will look quite different next year, and in the years to come there will be more changes to come as we grow and develop our site, our programs, and our culture. I am excited by the
opportunities ahead, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to guide our organisation and nurture its growth.
Right now, together with the College Executive and the Finance Department, I am working on our budget for 2024 and beyond. We are developing a financial plan to take us through the new academic year and resource our classrooms and facilities. Our challenge is to keep fees as low as possible in this season of high inflation. I will be writing to you soon regarding our 2024 fee structure and fee increases. While we are mindful of the burden that fee increases can cause our families, we must also be good stewards of our resources and adequately care for our staff, our facilities and grounds, and continue our pursuit of academic excellence.
All that we do is for our students and their future. Every initiative and strategy is developed with our children in mind. My commitment is to provide each child with biblical Foundations for Life in a contemporary school setting. To this end, I trust our community will respond positively to our financial strategy for next year and support our initiatives as we grow and develop our school in this new season.
May God bless you in Term 4, and I look forward to seeing you all at our end of year events.
Gary Cully
Eph 5:18b-19 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms & hymns & spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”
Welcome to Term 4! We hope you have been able to have a relaxing holiday, & are ready for the final run into the end of the year. There are still many exciting performances to come, so plenty still happening in the Music department!
The most grand thing on our Arts calendar for term 4, and in fact for the year, is our Arts Gala which is happening on Wed 18th October, with the formal programme beginning at 6pm. There will be food available for purchase from 5pm, along with several outdoor exhibitions of student works to enjoy before the main programme. All our College Ensembles & Choirs will perform, along with selection of numbers from “Annie” the musical as performed in term 3, as well as other performances from many areas of the College. Mark it in your diaries now, it’s shaping up to be a great night!
As part of the Give It A Go! programme, both the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings treated our Primary school to lunchtime concerts in the last few weeks of last term. Besides being a great opportunity for the Give It A Go! students to perform for their peers, it’s also a fantastic chance for other students to see & hear these instruments live, and hopefully inspire them to think about learning an instrument too.
All instrumental lessons & rehearsals begin right away for Term 4, firs thing Tuesday morning! Give It A Go! lesson will continue to the end of week 6, and all other lessons will finish at the end of week 7. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will continue until the week indicated by their director:
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule:
|
MONDAY |
TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
Secondary Choir |
Wind Ensemble 7:30-8:15am S2 |
GIAG Band 8am-8:45am S2 |
||
|
Primary Jnr Choir |
||||
|
Petite Strings |
Primary Snr Choir |
|||
|
Andante Strings |
||||
| Worship Team 3:20-4:45pm Auditorium |
|
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the appropriate ensemble!
GIAG lessons are humming along well & students are learning plenty! Year 3 students will very soon be starting their enrolment process, so your child may come home talking about playing an instrument. There will be an information letter coming in a few weeks, so please have a read of that & watch the Youtube video for details about how the programme works.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin
– Viola
– Cello
– Double Bass
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
We are already at the end of a busy, but exciting term 3 for Middle School. Many different opportunities and activities for our students which have occurred, and still more to come in the remaining weeks.
On Wednesday 23rd to Friday 25th August, Year 9 students headed to Somerset Dam for two nights to challenge themselves as part of The Rite Journey program. Students participated in a series of activities that challenged their teamwork and problem solving skills. Then, on the afternoon of the second day, students were isolated in their own individual tents in a solo experience, insisting on zero interaction with other students until the following morning. During this time, students were challenged to reflect on their personal journeys to that point, and to consider who they are and who they want to be going forward. The Rite Journey is designed to encourage students to move forward into personal development on the journey to adult behaviour and thinking through a supportive and year-long process.
The solo camp was a great success. Many thanks goes to the supervising teachers: Mrs Amberlie Sutton, Mr David Kong, Mr Joshua Prevett, Mr Michael Braun, and the program coordinator, Mrs Anna Harder. We are grateful for the time and passion that you are imparting into our year 9 cohort, and the future fruit of your labours that we will see in years to come.
For parents of current year 8 students: you will have received a home communication regarding the information evening for the Rite Journey 2024, which is occurring in October this year. I would encourage all parents to avail themselves of this night, and to come and learn about his amazing growth opportunity for your child.
For all secondary students, week 9 of term 3 is Exam Week. A whole week of the program is given over for students to complete subject exams across all year levels. Week 8 has been revision week – a week of deliberate preparation for examinations, and opportunity to finish off assignment work for term 3.
All of these preparations and logistics are created to allow our students to find focus in their assessments, and encourage them to succeed to the best of their abilities. We wish all our students the best in this assessment season.
There is plenty of activities happening in the last week of term for Middle School. Our school will acknowledge RUOK Day on Monday 11th of September. Students can wear a yellow accessory on that day as we highlight the importance of mental health and community encouragement as a college.
On Wednesday 13th September, Year 7 will be headed to Camp Warawee for year 7 camp. This is going to be a fantastic opportunity for students to learn teamwork and perseverance through various activities over three days.
On Thursday 14th September, our year 9 students will walk 20km to raise money and awareness for an organisation called ‘Top Blokes’ – a group which looks to support men in the community. We will be organising an activities day for year 8 during this week – keep an eye out for information coming soon.
Over the course of a busy term, it is also important to celebrate the success of our students as they have worked very hard, and we are very proud of all of them.
Communication continues to be so important in our society. In a world where we seem to have instant contact with people, we don’t seem to be effective communicators. We are constantly encouraging our students to clearly communicate their thoughts, feelings and intentions in order to help those around them understand more about who they are and how they operate. These skills take time to develop, and require support from both school and home settings.
The key ingredient to effective communication is time. Time spent with others in person, and not on technology, allows us to further develop people skills, which in turn serve us faithfully in our various vocations in life. God created humanity to interact with Himself, and with each other. Here at Parklands, we will continue to promote personal interactions as the positive ideal for all our students to strive for.
We would encourage parents and community to take time to engage with your children, imparting into each of them a sense of worth through the time you spend with them, and encouraging them to further prioritise the personal connections which can be made. Those interactions develop in each of them great traits of empathy, patience and understanding, as we continue to navigate the complexities of this world together. During this coming holiday break, I encourage you all to set aside time for family, and enjoy the time which God has given us.
Blessing for this season.
Mr Colin Elvery
Head of Middle School
What a marvellous month we have had with all the Book Month activities!!! The students looked amazing on Book Character dress-up day. Thank you for all your efforts to make this Book Month one of the best.
Science and Design Tech have been joining together to learn about materials, forces and design processes. The students were so clever with their vehicle builds. They problem solved, created and designed. It was wonderful to see them applying their learning.
English has been so much fun, tying in perfectly with Book Month as we investigated narratives and wrote some of our own. We may have some future authors in our midst! Our students thoroughly enjoyed their visit from the Year 8 English class who read their stories to them. Our students also read to the Year 8’s.
Once again, we are sadly approaching the end of term. We are so proud of our students and all their hard work. Below are some pictures illustrating the fun we have had over the past month.
We had such a great August in Year 3 with Book Month! All of the students have enjoyed participating in competitions, showing off their skills, listening to stories and completing all sorts of activities about all things books! Books are always amazing but we truly enjoyed all things books this month!
We would like to congratulate all of the students who entered any of the book month competitions and a special mention to Paityn Mane who won the colouring competition, Jacob Moodie who won the poster competition, Isaac Carkeet and Clifford Gerard who came third in the lego competition. There are still some other competitions to be announced. We are super proud of all students who entered the competitions and attended the book month activities whether they placed or not. It is great to be a part of our community and to participate in different activities and improve our skills and attitudes.
Of course the Book Week Costume Parade was a major highlight for the month. A big thank you to all the parents who supported their children to be inspired by books and to inspire others to read by dressing up. It was a fabulous day of fun and we all saw some books we would like to read in the future. It was also great to learn about and celebrate top quality Australian books as well as the greatest book ever written, the bible.
Two other Book Week highlights for Year 3 were reading with the Year 11 English students and watching ‘Fractured Fables’ by the theatre company ‘Shake n Stir’. It was fun to join together with older students and read together, everyone was so engaged (including the Year 11 students). Shake n Stir is always such an experience to watch and a good way to experience another type of text.
Thanks for all your help and support as we celebrated books this month! We now look forward to finishing off the term and having some warmer and healthier weather!
Year 3 Team
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin and Mrs Christine Uwamurera
The last week has brought much fun in Year 4. We have been learning about the Earth’s surface and how it changes. Some of the fun activities we did included identifying rock types and erosion around the school grounds, looking at how water moves soil and what factors influence that and working in teams to design a solution to prevent beach erosion.
We conducted surveys, tallied our results and constructed column graphs as part of our data unit in mathematics.
This month has also seen us create our own scratch art to celebrate God’s creation. Additionally, we have been using lots of learning games to consolidate our learning about decimals and finding unknown quantities.
This month has also included Book Week, which saw us dress-up with gusto to celebrate reading, viewing plays and getting to talk to authors and touching and learning about marine creatures. It’s been a great month!
It is with great joy and a sense of purpose that we approach the end of another term at Parklands. As I reflect on my first three terms at Parklands, the culture of care resonates so strongly. I feel so blessed to be a part of the Parklands family and trust you do too. As we come together as a community of educators, parents, students and wider community, we are reminded of the timeless wisdom found in Proverbs 22:6. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Thank you for entrusting us with
the privilege of partnering in the education and care of your precious children.
What an exciting time to be a part of the Parklands community. I am sure that you, like myself, feel excited for 2024 every time you drive up Hillcrest Road. I am very pleased to be able to inform you that in 2024 all students in years 1 to 6 will have a classroom in the new Primary Precinct, while our Prep students enjoy the renovated Prep classrooms. These learning spaces are looking amazing, and teachers are beginning to sort their resources in preparation for end of the year moves.
Wakakirri is a nationwide Festival for Australian schools that provides students with the opportunities to express their thoughts, ideas and aspirations through the art of storytelling and dance. Inspired by the belief that great stories can inspire change, Wakakirri is designed to promote student engagement and well-being in schools through the creation and performance of captivating Story-Dances. 51 of our primary students in years 4 to 6 have spent many Wednesday afternoons until 4:30pm practicing their dance moves under the
wonderful guidance of Miss B, Mrs Jackson and Mrs Bazley. These students recently performed at the Logan entertainment centre, achieving a highly commended for group composition. Further achievements to be announced in Term 4.
This week, after receiving a couple of emails from teachers and parents about our car park behind prep, I also received an email from “Road Safety and Traffic Rules Awareness” which I thought I would summarise and share.
Trafficquiz.com is FREE to use website developed with an aim to spread awareness regarding traffic rules and road safety rules. Through trafficquiz.com school students can learn and test their knowledge about traffic & road safety rules in an entertaining way i.e. by playing quizzes. Teachers and Parents can also use trafficquiz.com regularly to refresh their knowledge about traffic, road safety & child safety rules. This can save many lives.
Students 5 to 9 years: https://trafficquiz.com/road-safety-quiz-junior-level-1/
Students 10 to 15 years: https://trafficquiz.com/road-safety-quiz-secondary-level-1/
Parents (Child safety quizzes): https://trafficquiz.com/child-safety-quiz-for-parents-level-1/
Parents (Road safety rules quizzes): https://trafficquiz.com/road-safety-quiz-for-adults-level-1/
With this in mind, I kindly request that if you are parking in the area near our current prep and year 6 classrooms that you enter at gate 5 rather than at gate 6 and turning right. Please also take this as a reminder to cross the road at the crossing.
Can you please support the tuckshop workers to maximise preparation time in the morning by ensuring you have ordered tuckshop by 8:30am. Thank you for your support!
Many Blessings
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
Friendship issues are common. In fact, most students will struggle socially or experience friendship issues in their schooling years. We would also go as far as to say that not only are these experiences normal, but they can also be healthy and vital for personal growth and social learning. Some exposure to conflict and friendship issues can build resilience, create self-awareness, teach students how to communicate and learn compromise.
As a college, we want our students to receive support, guidance and help in how to resolve and manage any of the difficult circumstances or social interactions that they face. Some examples of some of the friendship issues we might encounter from our students on a daily basis might include the following:
Whilst these behaviours are not acceptable or encouraged at Parklands, we understand that as imperfect humans and children (professional mistake makers), they will occur. When they occur, we want to make sure we are able to support and provide education to the involved students. Discussions that we might facilitate include things like learning empathy (ie. How would you feel if someone did that to you? How do you think that behaviour made that person feel?), assertiveness (ie. How to say “no” or stand up for oneself in a healthy way) and forgiveness and releasing of those who have hurt them.
Sometimes as adults, we can be too quick to jump in, become too involved and try to resolve these issues for children. And for good reason too! We don’t like to see children hurting or upset or issues occurring longer than they need to. We do this with the best intentions and from a place of protectiveness. But something that this job has taught us is that children are clever and with support and healthy and positive advice, are more than capable of resolving things themselves (with our help in the background). Our role as adults is to model healthy relationships and conflict resolution to the children in our lives. This means we should be teaching them to be responsible for themselves and their own behaviour, regardless of what others choose to do. We should be teaching them that it is healthy to apologise when mistakes are made, even if it was an accident or unintentional. And we should be releasing them to go and try these things with their peers and friends and then asking how they went implementing those strategies.
Additionally, the answer isn’t to ignore the problem altogether. When friendship issues are ongoing and
unresolved, it can be damaging to those involved and we have avenues and processes to address these concerns.
At Parklands we incorporate the Friendship 8 strategies into learning as soon as students begin school in Prep. These strategies support students to be powerful people and learn how to find solutions and make choices during conflict. We find it can take repetition and mistakes but students do learn and find real benefit in applying these.
How can you help your child resolve friendship concerns?
Recently we had youth communicator and author, Michelle Mitchell present two workshops to Grade 5 and 6 students. They had already watched Michelle’s ‘You, Who?’ series in the classroom ( which we recommend for every ‘tween!’). She discussed valuable information and tools relating to confidence, identity, friendship and conflict. As part of her presentation she introduced to the students 10 Principles of Friendship (as pictured) – these expand on what the students already know and provide further age-appropriate strategies for dealing with friendship conflict. The Student Care and Wellbeing staff have since visited Grade 5 and 6 classes to consolidate some of the learning from these sessions. We are always excited to hear that students have been using these tools and strategies to navigate conflict and build healthy friendships!
This is a fantastic book for primary students and The Student Care and Wellbeing Team have a copy in RTC that we read and work through with students if they need some extra support navigating friendship conflict. It has great ideas and tips regarding healthy friendships, boundaries, kindness, safety and expectations. If you would like your child to read this through with us, please get in touch!
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The year 9 cohort practised putting up their tents, and spending time in silence and reflection in preparation for their Solo Camp.
Our Term 3 Year 10 Trade Taster brekkie happened today and this time we had the pleasure of hosting Bedford Construction, who are the builders for our new buildings going up here at Parklands. These guys were fantastic and gave plenty of their time to talk with our students over a bacon & egg roll, about different career options available in the construction industry. There were sparky’s, plumbers, concreters, brickies, chippies, plasterer’s, concrete trucks, project managers. It was great to see our students asking questions of what it’s like to be a tradie. Bedford Constructions offered our students the opportunity to walk through the building site and our students got to see first-hand the construction methods used to create the new buildings. Big thank you to Nick Bedford and all the guys from Bedford Construction, Mr Flaxman, Mr Braun, Mr Olivier & Ms Wallis for their time today.
Celebrating its 31st year, Artwaves 2023 is an annual art exhibition of work sourced from the talented high school students in the Logan region. Selected by visual arts teachers in conjunction with gallery staff, Artwaves aims to demonstrate the wealth of imagination and creativity present in the City of Logan and adjacent areas secondary schools.
This year we are proud to announce Parklands has 3 artworks featured in the Artwaves exhibit. The artists behind these works are Cambria Rivers and Shania Dean from Grade 12 and Florentina Mariuta from Grade 11. The exhibition is free to visit and will be at the Logan Art Gallery from the 8th of September to 14th of October. We strongly encourage you to come along, support our students and experience some incredible art! Hope to see you there!
Dear Parklands Community,
At Parklands we love school camps. We have a long tradition of conducting amazing camp experiences in both our Primary and High School. We are pleased to announce the addition of a Year 8 Camp in 2024 giving our middle school students access to camps in Years 7-9. We are also reviewing our primary camping program over the next few years.
School camps play a crucial role in the holistic development of students, offering a unique learning experience outside the traditional classroom setting. These camps provide numerous benefits that contribute to the personal, social, and academic growth of students. Here are some key reasons highlighting the importance of school camps:
Experiential Learning: School camps provide hands-on learning experiences that are often more engaging and memorable than classroom-based education. Students have the chance to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, enhancing their understanding of various subjects.
Skill Development: Camps offer opportunities for students to develop a wide range of skills, such as teamwork, leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. These skills are essential for success in both academic and professional settings.
Personal Growth: Being away from home and familiar surroundings encourages students to step out of their comfort zones, fostering personal growth and resilience. They learn to adapt to new environments and overcome challenges independently, boosting their confidence and self-esteem.
Social Interaction: School camps facilitate interactions between students from different backgrounds and classes, promoting the development of social skills and empathy. Students build friendships, strengthen bonds with peers, and learn to work collaboratively with others.
Physical Activity: Camps often involve physical activities like hiking, sports, and team challenges. Engaging in such activities promotes physical health and well-being, encouraging an active lifestyle among students.
Memory and Experiences: School camps create lasting memories for students. The experiences, challenges, and fun moments they share often become cherished memories that they can look back on fondly.
Break from Routine: Camps offer a refreshing break from the daily routine of school life. This change of environment can lead to increased motivation and enthusiasm for learning once students return to the classroom.
Faith Formation: Camps are a great space for students to consider their spirituality. Camps represent a rare opportunity where students can stop, reflect and consider their relationship with God and their vision of the future.
Parent-Teacher-Student Interaction: Some of our camps encourage parental involvement, allowing parents, teachers, and students to interact in a more informal setting. This collaboration can strengthen the relationship between all stakeholders and positively impact students’ learning journey.
Confidence Building: Successfully completing challenges and tasks during camps can boost students’ self-confidence and belief in their abilities, which can translate to improved performance in their academic pursuits.
School camps offer a holistic learning experience that complements classroom education. They promote personal growth, skill development, social interactions, and a deeper connection with God, all of which contribute to the well-rounded development of students.
We look forward to expanding our camps, overseas travel and experiences in the years to come.
Gary Cully
Dear Parents
A huge THANK YOU to all who attended our Annual Bush Dance. It was most definitely a fun-filled night … great music, exceptional dance moods, the best bbq and yummy desserts! It was also wonderful to have so many parents helping out on the night.
As Friendlies we are committed to playing our part in fostering a strong sense of connection and community within our school. School can sometimes feel like a separate world for our children. However, when parents actively participate in school activities they send a powerful message : that we are all in this together. This sense of unity helps our children feel more secure, valued and a part of something larger.
Praying that you all enjoy a wonderful Spring Break.
Warm regards,
The Friendlies Committee
August has been a busy time for Parklands Touch Football. We had our senior mixed team and primary boys training since term 2 in preparation for the South Queensland Touch competition which was held on the Gold Coast over 2 days. This is a regional level carnival and a great atmosphere to test our team’s preparation.
The primary boys had some narrow losses against St Matthews and St Andrews on the day and the senior team was able to get a 5-4 win on day two of the competition against Merrimac. It was great to have the senior team supporting the primary boys and serving them throughout the day with encouraging words, running waters and helping them refine their craft. It was a great competition to be a part of and we look forward to sending more teams next year.
These teams have embodied the Parklands Pride Values throughout the season. Their commitment to training, learning, and growth for the better of the team has been a shining example of what we strive for when representing the College. Well done to all the students on an outstanding effort, and we look forward to bigger and better things in the future.
Our Fuse Cup team competed in the annual Mario Kart competition held at McAuley College at the end of July. Mr Millward and Mr Richter have been working with the primary and secondary students through term 2 and 3, and they were ready to play. We had great results on the day with 9 making it through to quarterfinals and 3 of those making through to semi’s.
The player who demonstrates the FUSE Cup values the best receives the MVP award for the day, Theo Ross was awarded this medal for his team spirit and support for his players.
Well done to all the students
On August 15th we took our 9-18 yrs athletes to compete at the CSSAQ Track + Field Carnival. This is a big team event where we compete as a school to try and win the overall and percentage titles. Our 9-12 yrs gave it everything during the day with some good individual results across both the track and field events. Sienna Leathley came home with 2nd overall age champion which is a great achievement. After putting in their best efforts they finished 11th in the overall and 8th in the percentage titles.
Our 13-18 yrs students competed at night and fought challenging conditions during their events. We have seen a big improvement in our 13-18 yrs athletes and this was reflected in the results. Our 14yr girls won their division, 13yr boys came 3rd and the 15yr boys came second, as well as some great individual efforts with Tayla Thomson and Luke Unwin receiving overall age champions, Hudson and Justin Hunt finishing 2nd overall and Brandon Bainbridge finishing 3rd. There were outstanding results across all athletes which helped Parklands finish 2nd in the percentage and 5th overall which is the College’s highest result in the 13-18yrs competition. Well done to all the students for a big Track + Field season.
Thursday and Friday of week 6 we had 4 teams competing at the CSSAQ Soccer Tournament. The junior and intermediate boys both found success with wins on Thursday and finishing 5th overall. Junior Girls and Senior Boys had to fight strong winds and strong teams all day for their competition. The biggest win from both days was the competitive attitude all players came with. Regardless of wins and losses, each team’s commitment to training and to play for each other was evident throughout the whole season. These are great building blocks for success in the future.
Sienna’s Met West team came away with 3rd place last weekend for Queensland representative school sport 10-11 years netball state championship, which was held in Roma. It was such an achievement and amazing experience as this was Sienna’s first rep team she has made. She even managed to achieve MVP against the Capricornia team.
As I’m writing this month’s article, Years 11-12 have completed their first week of examinations and Year 10 have completed revision week. It’s a busy time of term and in just two short weeks, seniors will have the benefit of their spring break.
As seniors navigate through this demanding exam season, I encourage them all to approach their studies with diligence and determination. However, amidst the hustle, to always remember the significance of self-care and that alongside their academic efforts, to plan on and find moments for connection with God and for doing things that recharge them.
Thank you for your continued support in your child’s educational journey as your children balance commitments to strive for excellence, whilst practicing kindness towards themselves by maintaining a healthy equilibrium between academic pursuits and personal health.
The images are some snapshots of our Year 12’s in some recent study sessions during their trial exam period.
These moments are more than just quiet study sessions – they’re all about fostering connections, teamwork, and individual growth. As our Year 12s gear up for their final subject assessments, certificate course work, and upcoming exams, this dedicated independent study time plays a crucial role.
It’s not just about hitting the books; it’s about fostering a sense of autonomy and responsibility. Our students are taking charge of their own learning journeys, diving deep into their subjects, and making the most out of every moment.
While everyone is focusing on their own subjects, these study sessions are also a time for our Year 12’s to connect with their peers. They’re collaborating, exchanging ideas, and supporting each other through the challenges. It’s all about that positive peer synergy!
These study sessions are a stepping stone toward success. Our Year 12’s are honing their time management skills, perfecting their study strategies, and ensuring they’re ready to shine in their final exams.
Thank you for cheering on the Year 12 students and upholding them in prayer as they embrace this important time at school, as well as create their own times for study and make strides toward their bright futures.
The next couple of weeks are full of curricular and extra-curricular activities; it’s going to be busy but it will be another great end to a school term. Please note, normal classes are running all week in amongst the various activities, so we expect full attendance until the end of term.
Mon 11/9:
Mon 11/9 – Tues 12/9:
Tues 12/9:
Wed 13/9:
Wed 13/9-Fri 15/9:
Saturday 16/9 – Sunday 24 /9:
Tues 3 October 2023
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Your child’s teachers, Home Class teachers, and Year Level Coordinators can be a great help.
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
This term we welcomed the return of our annual Outreach Dinner & Auction at the Albert River Winery. Our first opportunity since covid to acknowledge and celebrate all that Parklands is doing to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. Outreach is the act of providing care, love and hope to anyone who needs it, whether it be in our local or International communities. We’re so proud of the many programs that we have built that allows us to create a servant hearted caring culture at our College and Church.
The evening was informative with several special guest speakers who shared their heart and stories. We learnt about the impact our Care Packs and Food Bank is having in our community and just how great the need is amongst young families. We celebrated our recent Ladies Trip to Cambodia and heard from Parklands Alumni Marnie Stollznow who first travelled to Cambodia in 2014 as a student, then returned this year with the Ladies Team. It’s always so rewarding to maintain relationships with our past students and watch them grow in their faith.
We also took a few moments to thank a couple of our long term faithful supporters. Mr & Mrs Sarah & Greg Tinson from Dominos and Mrs Michelle O’Callaghan from The Coffee Club Village Square, Browns Plains. We are truly grateful for your constant support. We could not run our programs, change lives, or share love without your help! Thank you!
At the end of the wonderful dinner, we were entertained by the energetic and hilarious Mr James Smith who kept us laughing during the live auction. We had the most incredible auction items donated by local businesses and families with all profits going towards our Outreach programs this year.
Amanda Young
Psalm 98:5-6 “Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!”
What a busy term it has been! There have been so many performances & exciting events this term, we hope you have been able to get along to some & enjoy the hard work of your students. Congratulations to all staff & students involved for their continued hard work.
Our second Soloist’s Soiree for the year was held in week 6 on Tues 15th Aug. This was an extremely popular event for performers, as it was last time, and we ended up with a wonderful variety of ages & instruments! Many of our Give It A Go! students did their first “solo” performances ever, and it was so good to hear how far they have progressed in such a short time. From Flutes to Clarinets to Baritones & Double Basses – it was a veritable smorgasbord of sound! Congratulations to all the student for their wonderful performances.
As part of the Give It A Go! programme, both the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings will treat our Primary school to lunchtime concerts in the last few weeks of this term. Besides being a great opportunity for the Give It A Go! students to perform for their peers, this might also be the first time students have seen some of these instruments in real life. What an exciting thing, to see & hear something new!
All instrumental lessons continue in Term 3, including those in the Give It A Go! Programme. If your child has missed a lesson due to a public holiday or teacher absence, that lesson will either be rescheduled for another time or not included on your term 3 account. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals also continue, with a few adjustments:
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule:
|
MONDAY |
TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
Secondary Choir |
Wind Ensemble 7:30-8:15am S2 |
GIAG Band 8am-8:45am S2 |
||
|
Primary Jnr Choir |
||||
|
Petite Strings |
Primary Snr Choir |
|||
|
Andante Strings |
||||
| Worship Team 3:20-4:45pm Auditorium |
|
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the appropriate ensemble!
GIAG lessons are humming along well & students are learning plenty! Year 3 students will very soon be starting their enrolment process, so your child may come home talking about playing an instrument. There will be an information letter coming in a few weeks, so please have a read of that & watch the Youtube video for details about how the programme works.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin
– Viola
– Cello
– Double Bass
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Extending a warm welcome to Term 3 to all members of our Parklands community! Can you believe we are in week 4 already?
What an exciting time to be a part of the Parklands community. I am sure that you, like myself, feel excited for 2024 each time you drive past our buildings which are quickly taking shape. I am pleased to inform you that for 2024, all our current primary students will have a classroom in the new Primary Precinct. While this will not be possible in 2025, when stage 3 building is due to begin, we are pleased that all students, who are eagerly awaiting the completion of the current building project will experience at least one year in this state-of-the-art facility. Please continue to join the staff in praying as we plan for the care and education that will occur in this new facility.
Around 100 of our primary students recently competed at the Beenleigh Quota Eisteddfod in either the solo event, junior primary choir, senior primary choir and/or wind ensemble. These students are commended for the effort they put into practicing for these performances, as well as for their outstanding behaviour whilst offsite, clearly modelling our expectations of Parklands students. Congratulations on amazing results including honours (Grace Pacurariu), and two highly commended rankings (Junior Primary Choir and Wind Ensemble), with all entries receiving final scores of 80 or above. Well done students – we are proud of you!
A reminder to families that all Primary students who are not enrolled in before and after school activities, can be dropped to school from 8am and are to be collected by 3:30pm. Any student arriving at school before 8am or being collected after 3:30pm will be directed to Before or After School Care. There is a fee for this service. It has been noted that there has been an increase in students arriving early and I highlight that there is not supervision provided in the primary area until 8am. Thank you for your attention in this matter.
We have received very positive feedback from the previous workshops run by Lemonade Kids. We encourage you to consider the next workshop on August 20, if your 7 to 12 year old child:
• Finds it difficult to know what to say or do when meeting new people
• Lacks confidence in using social skills;
• Is experiencing friendship changes;
• Is navigating friendship fires or dealing with frenemies;
• Finds it difficult to regulate emotions when they have no one to play with;
• Has low self esteem when engaging with other children; or
• Needs to build their inner strength and understand the power of being your own best friend.
This workshop is jam packed with uplifting and interactive activities to help children feel inspired and more confident in building and maintaining positive friendships.
• August 4, 11, 25 – Prep Speech Screening
• Saturday 12 August – Friendlies Bush Dance
• Monday 14 August – Ekka Public Holiday
• August – Book Month
• Wednesday August 23 – Book Parade
• Friday September 1 – Government Directed Student Free Day
Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated.
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The PCC Winter Championships Cubing Competition went off with a bang (or should I say a turn)! We had 30 competitors ranging from our youngest Cubing students in Year 1 all the way to Year 11 students. We all felt so professional with our huge audience as well so thank you so much for supporting your child and our club!
It was inspiring to see students of all different ages and at all different stages in their Cubing journey show what they know and see all that they have learnt in Cubing Club. I was impressed with the level of skill at the competition, especially considering it is our first ever competition.
A special congratulations to our overall winners at the competition:
3rd Place: Tyla Yang with an average of 34.79 seconds
2nd Place: Naksha Sharma with an average of 33.68 seconds
1st Place: Alex Davis with an average of 10.43 seconds
I am constantly impressed by the students’ enthusiasm, skill and perseverance at Cubing Club and I love to see the pride they have in themselves when they learn a new cube or a new step.
We are all looking forward to our next competition, Summer Championships which will be held on Friday 20th October 2023. At this competition we will increase the number of events. Students will be able to compete in the 3×3, 2×2 and pyraminx. Stay tuned for more information and registration details.
Can’t wait to show you all our skills!
Cube on,
Mrs Dayna Davis
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
Exodus 15:21a “And Miriam sang this song: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously…’”
Welcome back to Term 3! Things are well & truly underway, with performances by our Primary Choirs & Wind Ensemble at the Beenleigh Eisteddfod and also the College Musical occurring in week 3. Congratulations to all students involved on their hard work and dedication.
On Sat 22nd July Grace Pacurariu from Year 6 competed at the Quota Beenleigh Eisteddfod, a local annual competition for singers, musicians, dancers, & speech & drama. She sang in the Vocal Solo – Own Choice 10 & 11yrs section, sang beautifully and received an Honour Certificate from the adjudicator. Congratulations Grace!
On Tues 25th July, both our Primary Junior & Primary Senior Choirs also competed at the Quota Beenleigh Eisteddfod. The Senior Choir scored 88/100 and sang very well. The Junior Choir scored 90/100 & received a Highly Commended award – congratulations to the Primary Junior Choir! Throughout the day our choir members demonstrated CLEAR values and their behaviour both on & off stage was exemplary. We are very proud of them, and praise God for great results!
On Wednesday 26th July, our Wind Ensemble competed at the Eisteddfod for the first time ever. With only 16 members they were by far the smallest band in the section, but our students performed very well under new and challenging circumstances. They scored 86/100 and also received a Highly Commended award – congratulations to our Wind Ensemble!
Our second Soloist’s Soiree for the year will be held in week 6 on Tues 15th Aug. This was an extremely popular event for performers last time, so students will need to sign up quickly to secure a spot on the programme! Registration letters with all details have been sent home already, and we will need to cap numbers due to space. Our last Soiree was an outstanding success, with approximately 20 students performing from a variety of grades, instruments & ability levels. We look forward to hearing more students at this next Soiree!
All instrumental lessons have resumed for Term 3, including those in the Give It A Go! Programme. If your child has missed a lesson due to a public holiday or teacher absence, that lesson will either be rescheduled for another time or not included on your term 3 account. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are in full swing!
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule:
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
| Secondary Choir 7:30-8:15am S2 |
Wind Ensemble 7:30-8:15am S2 |
GIAG Band 7:30-8:15am S2 |
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| Primary Jnr Choir 7:50-8:20am Mr Goh’s room |
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| Petite Strings 3-3:45pm S2 |
Primary Snr Choir 3-3:45pm Mr Goh’s room |
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| Andante Strings 3:20-4:30pm S2 |
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| Worship Team 3:20-4:45pm Auditorium |
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the appropriate ensemble!
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
GIAG lessons are humming along well & students are learning plenty! Year 3 students will soon be starting their enrolment process, so your child may come home talking about playing an instrument. There will be an information letter coming in a few weeks, so please have a read of that & watch the Youtube video for details about how the programme works.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
On Friday the 18th of August, Parklands joined with many other schools around Australia to promote the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.
Our college believes that when we work together as a community, a great deal can be done to prevent bullying and to protect students. Engagement from all staff, students and families is central to preventing bullying and creating a school climate of respect and inclusion.
We would like to thank you for your participation in helping promote these values. Here are some ways that you can help us tackle issues of bullying.
Here is the process for reporting an incident or concerns:
For more information on our College Student Bullying Policy, please find this on our website:
https://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/3.60-Policy-Student-Bullying_signed-2022.pdf
To connect, honour, and equip the Parklands community through love.
Some of the support on offer:
Bullying. No Way! bullyingnoway.gov.au
eSafety young people esafety.gov.au/young-people
eSafety Guide esafety.gov.au/esafety-guide
eSafety Report esafety.gov.au/report
Kids Helpline kidshelpline.com.au
eHeadspace headspace.org.au/eheadspace
Youth Law Australia yla.org.au
This year the Southern District Track and Field carnival showcased the College’s growing talent in athletics. We had many remarkable efforts throughout the day with 43 results in the top 3. These accomplishments are a testament to the students’ hard work at training, whether it be at school with Mr Volau and Mr Gilmour, or at outside clubs, your preparation was well worth it. Congratulations to all students on an outstanding day.
Track and Field Squad Training – Every Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon
Fitness Sessions – Every Friday morning
CSSAQ – Track and Field, Secondary Netball, Secondary Soccer
Touch – Primary Yarrabilba competition, Primary and Secondary South QLD Competition
I hope everyone has had a fantastic start to term 3.
We are already more than half way through the school year and so much has happened as Parklands grows and develops. The new buildings seem to be coming on really well and I think as a community we should be grateful and thankful to all involved and the patience and understanding for the temporary changes in our school lives that I’m sure will be over soon.
After the excitement of the Fete, the Friendlies are really looking forward to the next event which is always a fantastic evening – The Bush Dance. After taking feedback from families after the Fete we have tried to make the event as affordable as possible so family tickets are $10 prepaid before the evening. The Friendlies will be running the BBQ stall as always with the added feature of desserts being available this time!
To pre book your tickets please visit – Prepaid Family Bush Dance Tickets
Please come along and make this community event another fantastic experience for all.
Blessings to you all
Allan Morris
Chairperson – The Friendlies
What a fantastic day it was commemorating our 100th day of school! The Preppies looked fabulous in their costumes. Our eyes were treated to a delightful sight, ranging from adorable little 100-year-old ladies with blue-rinse hair, walking sticks, and pearls to creative t-shirts adorned with 100 googly eyes that brought smiles to everyone’s faces!
We celebrated this momentous milestone with 100-themed activities. We had a blast creating portraits of ourselves as centenarians, using our imaginations to construct structures with 100 blocks or paper cups, and engaging in crafty fun by making necklaces with 100 beads, which were conveniently edible and delicious .
We were so proud to witness the remarkable growth and learning journey of our Preppies over their first 100 days of school. To celebrate their accomplishments, we finished the day with a box of Smarties, truly deserving of these little genius minds. Congratulations, little friends, you have become 100 days smarter, and we can’t wait to see everything you’ll achieve in the next 100 days!
Year One had an amazing start to Term 3!
Everyone was so excited to see their classmates after the holidays and so much learning has already taken place!
We started the term learning about patterns and the students impressed us with the variety of patterns they were able to create. Exploring 2D shapes and 3D objects has been a significant part of our learning so far and the students eagerly searched our classrooms for objects that represented known shapes.
Counting patterns are also in focus, so don’t forget to keep practicing skip counting at home!
During Term 3, we will be learning about imaginative writing and will focus on narratives. We are looking forward to seeing the students’ creativity as we learn about how to write an interesting and entertaining story.
Last Thursday, Year One celebrated being 100 days smarter! We celebrated with balloons and enjoyed participating in a variety of activities centred around the number 100. We are so proud of what our students have achieved in their first 100 days of this school year and look forward to what is to come!
Until next time!
Year One
Year 2 has had a fabulous start to Term 3! This term we are investigating push and pull forces, and uses of materials in order to design a vehicle that will move with either a push or pull force. The students have enjoyed many experiments throughout the month.
In Math, students have been dividing collections to create halves, quarters and eighths while in geometry they have been investigating slides, flips and turns of 2D shapes. We are continuing with addition and have now added subtraction strategies. The students thoroughly enjoyed eating the chocolate cake they made. (A real life application demonstrating the importance of fractions)
Finally in HaSS the students have been learning about connections. We feel connected to a variety of people for many different reasons. Some connections are stronger than others. Moving forward we will be looking at factors that affect our connections with others.
Enjoy the pictures below of all the adventures the Year 2 students have been experiencing.
We hope and pray you all had a great break during the holidays and were able to spend some relaxing (and warm) time together. All of the students were looking forward to holidays and were excited to tell us all the things that they got up to on their holidays.
It has been a busy but fun start back to school for term 3. We started the term off with one of our favourite things, Science experiments! We have been excited about all of the experiments and hands-on activities we have been doing in Science so far this term as we explore solids, liquids and gases. A highlight was smashing balloons onto the concrete that were filled with water, air and ice!
We are also enjoying learning about all types of celebrations and commemorations from Australia and around the world. It is so interesting to learn about different people and how they celebrate and we also love doing all of the matching crafts! Our favourite celebration so far was National Ice Cream Day when we all got to eat ice creams!
We have also begun learning about narratives and we are looking forward to writing our own story and publishing it later in the term.
We hope and pray you all stay warm and well over this cold season.
Year 3 Team
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin and Mrs Christine Uwamurera
We have been having lots of fun this month learning about how to look after God’s amazing creation. We have been playing “Guess the land form” and singing some great worship songs. Our favourite has been “So Will I”. This month also saw us visit Logan Recycling Centre to learn about how we can make a difference in disposing of our rubbish. Students created individual plans for how they can positively care for our precious earth. We have been out and about in the school grounds checking out soil as part of our work in science. Other fun things also included reading Nim’s Island, learning about decimals and improving our writing by using correct sentence structures, adding describing words and upgrading verbs.
The PCC Winter Championships Cubing Competition went off with a bang (or should I say a turn)! We had 30 competitors ranging from our youngest Cubing students in Year 1 all the way to Year 11 students. We all felt so professional with our huge audience as well so thank you so much for supporting your child and our club!
It was inspiring to see students of all different ages and at all different stages in their Cubing journey show what they know and see all that they have learnt in Cubing Club. I was impressed with the level of skill at the competition, especially considering it is our first ever competition.
A special congratulations to our overall winners at the competition:
3rd Place: Tyla Yang with an average of 34.79 seconds
2nd Place: Naksha Sharma with an average of 33.68 seconds
1st Place: Alex Davis with an average of 10.43 seconds
I am constantly impressed by the students’ enthusiasm, skill and perseverance at Cubing Club and I love to see the pride they have in themselves when they learn a new cube or a new step.
We are all looking forward to our next competition, Summer Championships which will be held on Friday 20th October 2023. At this competition we will increase the number of events. Students will be able to compete in the 3×3, 2×2 and pyraminx. Stay tuned for more information and registration details.
Can’t wait to show you all our skills!
Cube on,
Mrs Dayna Davis
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
I trust you are keeping warm for these final moments of our Brisbane winter! August has rolled around already, which brings with it a busyness for all our senior students. As I’m writing this article, there are only three weeks until exam block commences.
This term, we continue to encourage students to find a balance between their academics and well-being. By nurturing themselves, they’ll be better equipped to excel academically and emotionally.
Thank you for continuing to support your children in developing healthy study habits, maintaining regular breaks, and engaging in activities that bring them joy so they thrive academically whilst prioritising their well-being throughout Term 3.
Attendance is so very important. It makes a significant impact on learning when days are missed. Of course, we understand that there are days of sickness or circumstances that are unavoidable. Thank you for encouraging solid attendance rates as we head into the thick of assessment and for supporting your child in gaining a medical certificate, particularly if they are missing an assessment deadline.
Thank you also for taking holidays in the set holiday times.
A reminder that next Tuesday 8th August is our Year 9 & Year 10 (2024) Subject Information Evening, held in the John Blase Vocational Educational classrooms.
This night is an opportunity to learn about the subjects and programs that are on offer and to talk with both teachers and College Captains, so we appreciate your attendance at this event.
Shortly after this information evening, your child will receive a link to an online form, for choosing 2024 subjects online. This form will then be emailed to parents, to approve subject selections. Thank you for assisting your child in having your up-to-date email contact.
Please note that some subjects are capped, so the classes are offered on a first-in, first-serve basis.
We are thrilled to update that Glen Gerryn, from the HopeFULL Institute, recently visited our Year 11 and Year 12 students. With his inspiring insights and captivating storytelling, Glen motivated and encouraged our students to strive for greatness. Learn more about the HopeFULL Institute at https://www.thehopefullinstitute.com/
If you have any questions, we are here to offer support or guidance as your child journeys through senior schooling. Being a senior student can be demanding, so please reach out if we can help.
Your child’s teachers and Home Class teachers are a great help along with the following staff:
Educational Support Officer – Mrs Sam Degen sdegen@parklands.qld.edu.au
Year 10 Year Level Coordinator – Miss Julia Matthews jmatthews@parklands.qld.edu.au
Year 11 Year Level Coordinator – Mrs Dianne Furlonger dfurlonger@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Careers & VET – Mrs Liz Lenton elentons@parklands.qld.edu.au
Head of Senior College – Ms Rebecca Wallis rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
Dear Parklands Community,
We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of Parklands Little Learners Early Learning Centre in early 2024! As a trusted name in Christian Education, Parklands is excited to expand our services and provide a nurturing faith-based environment for little learners to grow, learn, and become all that God wants them to be.
In 2024, we will be offering – nursery, toddlers, junior kindergarten & kindergarten.
Parklands Little Learners is a place where young minds flourish and develop a lifelong love for learning. Our emerging team of dedicated and educators and childcare workers are committed to creating a safe, stimulating, and inclusive environment where children can explore, discover, play and grow.
Our new early learning centre boasts state-of-the-art facilities designed to meet the unique needs of each child’s developmental stage. From well-equipped play areas to bright and engaging classrooms, every aspect of our centre has been thoughtfully planned to enhance your child’s early learning experience. It’s going to be an exciting place for our staff and students to work and learn.
We believe that a holistic approach to early childhood education is key to unlocking a child’s full potential. Our curriculum is carefully crafted to combine play-based learning with structured activities that focus on cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Our goal is to create well-rounded individuals who are ready to take on the challenges of the future.
Enrolment for Parklands Little Learners Early Learning will begin soon. Right now you can register your interest early to secure a spot for your child in our inaugural classes via our Little Learners site – www.parklandslittlelearners.com.au
We can’t wait to welcome your child to Parklands Little Learners and embark on this exciting journey of growth and learning together.
Thank you for your support and trust in our commitment to providing exceptional early childhood education.
Regards,
Gary Cully
Parklands Little Learners
At Parklands we believe that having a school uniform is important and offers several important benefits.
Promoting a Sense of Identity and Belonging: School uniforms create a sense of belonging and identity among students, as they represent the school community. Uniforms can foster a spirit of unity and pride in being part of the school.
Reducing Socioeconomic Differences: School uniforms can help mitigate the visible differences in students’ socioeconomic backgrounds, as all students wear the same attire regardless of their financial situation. This can reduce social pressure and judgment based on clothing choices.
Enhancing School Safety and Security: Uniforms make it easier to identify students on school premises, which can enhance school security and help identify unauthorised individuals.
Improving Discipline and Behaviour: School uniforms are associated with improved discipline and reduced behavioural issues. Uniforms can create a more serious and focused atmosphere conducive to learning.
Eliminating Dress Code Conflicts: With a school uniform policy, there is less need for constant monitoring of dress code violations, reducing time and administrative effort.
Fostering a Distraction-Free Learning Environment: Uniforms can help create a more focused learning environment, as they minimize distractions related to fashion trends or inappropriate clothing choices.
Encouraging Equality and Inclusivity: School uniforms promote equality, as all students are dressed the same, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, or preferences. This fosters a sense of inclusivity within the school community.
Saving Time and Money: Uniforms can save parents time and money since they eliminate the need to buy a wide variety of clothing for school.
Preparing for the Workplace: Wearing a uniform prepares students for professional environments where dress codes or uniforms are common, teaching them to follow rules and present themselves appropriately.
Focus on Character and Achievement: School uniforms shift the focus away from outward appearance and toward character, behaviour, and academic achievement.
It’s important to note that while we believe that school uniforms have their benefits, they may not be suitable for all educational settings or cultures. However, the decision to implement a school uniform policy at Parklands is consistent with the needs, values, and culture of our school community. To this end, those students who wear our uniform inconsistently or inappropriately may be suspended or asked to leave.
To avoid uniform infringements that waste our staff’s valuable time, parents should monitor their child’s uniform each day. Students that arrive at the College who are not in full and correct uniform may be sent home.
Gary Cully
Principal
Last week during Secondary Chapel, we welcomed special guest Mr Dave Saxby, CEO of Bloom Asia in Cambodia. Mr Saxby shared a little about Bloom Vocational Training Centre and the vulnerable girls who need their support. Year 12 student Lily Robertson helped Mr Saxby with his presentation by sharing a little about her life to draw comparisons with the girls at Bloom.
He thanked us for our incredible donation from the Colour Run and was overjoyed to be presented with a huge cheque from Mr Cully.
One of our very special Outreach Ministries that we share with Parklands Church, is our Community Care Packs. Each term our Year 10 Active Volunteering students put together 50 – 100 Care Packs for our local community outreach program. Each box contains a week’s worth of non-perishable food, panty items and hygiene products for an average size family.
The amount that we pack depends on the demand from our local State School Chaplains and with the cost of living on the increase, that demand has also risen exponentially. We’re so grateful to be in a position to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show His love for our community through the gift of groceries. It’s also such a blessing for our students to learn that we can make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Our Hospitality students also make delicious meals for our Food Bank. We love to send freshly made, frozen meals with our Care Packs.
If you know a local family in our community that is struggling and could us a little “Care” and support, please contact outreach Coordinator, Mrs Amanda Young, ayoung@parklands.qld.edu.au
I felt like Santa Claus when I recently delivered all of the Colour Run Prizes to our students. There was so much noise and excitement amongst our youngest fundraising champions!!
Thank you for all of your support and generosity with our first Colour Run. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!
In science this term, the preppies explored the needs of living things. We planted our own bean sprouts and watched them grow, designed an animal habitat, and, best of all… watched baby chickens hatch! It was super exciting to observe the eggs hatch in the incubator and we loved making sure our fluffy little friends had everything they needed in the brooder as we watched them grow over 2 weeks. The baby chicks have gone home with their new families.
In HASS we talked about special places and how to take care of them. We even became little eco-warriors by taking extra good care of a place that is special to all of us . . . our school. How wonderful to see our little friends excited to pick up rubbish and water plants!
Another highlight of this term was the Evergreen Puppet Theatre. The preppies were mesmerized by talking turtles and other ocean creatures. It was an amazing way to learn about living things and their needs and why the ocean is such a special place.
It was lovely seeing so many of our friends and families at the College Fete. The Preppies loved singing and dancing on stage and enjoyed the rides, stalls, and fireworks. We can’t wait for next year!
May was a very busy month for our Year 1 students.
We have been busy learning all about persuasive writing and are getting better at communicating our opinions in effective ways. Reading a variety of persuasive texts has encouraged many entertaining discussions. Books like ‘I Wanna Iguana’, ‘Stellaphant’, and ‘Should the Pigeon Stay Up Late?’ have been enjoyed throughout the term.
The students are focussed on becoming decoding detectives and have been working hard when learning all about sounds, syllables and rhyme to help facilitate their learning. In maths, during May, students added and subtracted numbers, identified tens and ones in 2-digit numbers and investigated measuring length and capacity using common objects around our classroom. It’s wonderful to see them participating in many partner and group activities. They all work together so well!
We have begun our Science Unit about physical and chemical changes. We have melted and frozen ice blocks, discussed properties of different materials and are looking forward to conducting more experiments over the next few weeks.
A highlight of the month was the National Simultaneous Storytime that occurred on Wednesday 24th. At 11am, while eating morning tea, both classes of Year 1 gathered together to read the nationally chosen book for 2023 – ‘The Speedy Sloth’. Mrs Auld and Mrs Clausen enjoyed sharing the reading of the book to our classes. It led to further discussions and learning for the remainder of the week!
Year 1 Team
Kelly Clausen, Donna Auld, Alisha Mane, Mrs S and Year 1
May was just BEAUTIFUL in Year 2!
Our students have been busy, growing in so many ways! In addition to the new curriculum content, our students have been celebrating their uniqueness and “superpowers” that God has bestowed upon them. We all have a superpower! What is yours? Year 2 students have become very persuasive in May, finalizing and polishing our writing skills in such a fun way! Whether it’s for pocket money, ten extra minutes of play time, for the oil companies to stop drilling in our oceans, or for Mrs. Koplick to wear pink for the day – the persuasive reasons that are being written are very clever!
Math in May has been a constant and consistent schedule of addition strategies, telling time to the quarter hour, counting collections of coins, map activities and word problems. Technology crossed beautifully into this area with Bee Bots, directions, and coding.
As the semester ends, we are focusing on building strong minds, bodies, and friendships. The students did an amazing job at our school fete, dancing, singing, and playing instruments!
Well done, Year 2! It was a magnificent May!
Year 3 has had an exciting month with lots of learning and extra activities! The students really enjoyed learning about the different types of animals and how Scientists classify them. We have also loved our fractions unit where we were able to divide up pizza and all manner of foods!
The 9 years olds had an awesome time competing in the 9-12 years athletics carnival. Despite the rain threatening to fall, all the students ran and threw hard and also had fun eating and cheering each other on.
We were all impressed and amazed at the wonderful performances at the fete. Year 3 outdid themselves by playing and singing beautifully. They then showed their dancing talent with their partner performance. They all had so much fun and performed so well.
Year 3 was also excited to lead worship at Chapel this month. We now move into end of term testing and some end of term NAIDOC week celebrations. We are so grateful for all of your support in Year 3!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renée Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
This month we have been having lots of fun testing forces. Could you guide a paper clip through a race track using an invisible force? We raced with magnets to try. Could you move a “racing car” using only a balloon and a straw? As well as learning through exploring in science, we have been investigating what it would be like to travel on the First Fleet as a child convict and writing up a storm as we finish narratives. Students have been doing an amazing job in growing their writing abilities!
In Week 5 of this term, Year 9 design students participated in a whole day program that investigates several landmark contemporary buildings on the Gold Coast. Students visited three sites in order to explore and investigate Architectural design in practice, and the university pathways that take them there!
Starting with Bond University’s prestigious award-winning Abedian School of Architecture, students experienced the world of a leading design-driven professional school, characterised by an international outlook and motivated by the goal of graduating architects capable of shifting the direction of future practice. A ‘learning through making’ ethos was introduced in their state-of-the-art workshop and fabrication lab, featuring traditional woodworking equipment and a robust digital fabrication and rapid prototyping setup that includes 3D printers, a CNC router, laser cutter, and robotics lab. Students also benefited from an exclusive tour by professors of Bond’s collaborative design studios, reading and resource rooms, an atelier as well as impressive exhibition and event space.
Our second tour was a visit to The Gold Coast Home of the Arts (HOTA) where students experienced the Home of the Arts museum, public spaces and exterior design, with a guided tour of the master-planned public spaces. Students were given an opportunity to see what the blending of Art and Architecture looks like and how it contributes to the enrichment of Gold Coast culture.
Last but not least, students visited the Q1 SkyPoint tower – skyrocketing themselves to the top of the World at SkyPoint. Launching 230 metres above the ground, beginning with a flight to the top of SkyPoint in one of the World’s fastest elevators, students were surrounded with spectacular 360 degree views of the entire Gold Coast – a unique vantage point to view some of the city’s most famous architecturally designed high rise towers.
May has been an event-filled month of career development for our Middle and Senior School students.
Year 9 students continue their exploration into getting to know their personality strengths, skills and values in relation to their future occupations. Along with building their resumes and cover letters, students have been exploring the changing nature of jobs in the 21 st century and will soon explore potential careers of interest using our virtual reality headsets and College subscription with Work Window.
Year 10 students have focused their attention on career development and exploration as they head towards their senior subject selections. Students recently visited the Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo where they were able to speak with a variety of universities, apprenticeship and traineeship providers, training organisations, Australian Defence Force, Australian and State Police, and a variety of employers. Students engaged well and asked informed questions to help them in their subject selection decisions due at the end of the term. Year 10 students and parents also attended their Subject Selection Evening where they heard about the learning packages and pathways available at Parklands. We are excited for our upcoming Year 10 Careers Week in Week 9 of this term.
Year 10 Careers Week will launch with an Industry Networking Brunch on Tuesday 13 June. We are still urgently seeking College alumni and paretns who may be able to attend and speak with our students in relation to their occupation. Please contact our Liz Lenton, Careers and VET Coordinator, for further information on careers@parklands.qld.edu.au
On Wednesday 31 May, some Year 11 and 12 students immersed themselves into university life at The University of Queensland’s Career Pulse Day. Students engaged with keynote speakers, guided Q & A panels and stories from UQ students, lecturers, alumni and industry partners. They discussed their diverse and inspirational career experiences across a range of topics which include sustainability, innovation, technology, leadership and human connection. The purpose of the day was to inspire students to think about what they could do in their future and to inspire them to find and follow their passion.
We are coming to the end of a very busy semester which has been filled with many memorable moments, both in and out of the classroom, and has included many exciting excursions across many subjects through to major sporting events such as the Athletic carnival. Senior students have also participated in Elevate Education seminars and attended the annual Careers Expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre. All in all, it has been a semester filled with rich learning experiences and we are very proud of our seniors.
Throughout this term, Year 10 students have participated in sessions with Mrs Lenton to assist them in thinking through decisions regarding their future and career. The recent Careers Expo was an excellent opportunity to explore firsthand various occupations and to receive a range of information about University and Tafe courses through to Apprenticeships and Traineeships and the Defence Force.
Mrs Lenton and I continue to work very closely with all of our senior students and aim to individualise each senior student’s learning pathway to meet their goals and expectations for senior school. We are always pleased about meeting and discussing options in person. Please contact us at any time through Student Services or via email if we can be of assistance.
At present, seniors are commencing their final semester assessment, which includes examinations for Year 10. It has been a jam packed semester. Our prayers and blessings are with all students as they finalise their assessments. We pray that all have a wonderful winter holiday break to relax and recharge with family and friends over this time.
If you have any questions, we are here to support your child through their senior schooling journey.
Please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
The end of term 2 approaches quickly, and there have been plenty of activities and events happening in Middle School. A wide variety of activities including college Fete, athletics carnivals, living history incursions, pavement art competitions, year 9 skills days, and more. Every effort is put into our college by our amazing staff for the benefit and blessing of our students and their families, and I want to formally acknowledge the extra lengths our staff go to, ensuring the learning journey of our students is rich and fulfilling.
On Wednesday 24 May, our four Middle School leaders had the amazing opportunity to attend the yLead Altitude Day, joining with over 700 other year 9 students from around South-East Queensland schools to learn about tips and strategies for personal and social leadership.
While it was a challenging program, it was a rewarding experience as students were encouraged to form connections with many other students throughout the day, and were encouraged to make a difference in their small part of the world. Our Middle School leaders, Magdelina Muluberhan, Clare Richardson, Ashtyn Jackson, and Alexis Irwin are working hard this year to lead their area of the school by good example.
A few photos are shared below.
Week 8 is designated ‘Exam Week’, specific time in our calendar to focus on assessment and exam completion. Students have been issued with timetables for this week, showing those specific times where exams will happen, and they have engaged with revision activities throughout week 7.
We wish all our students the best during this assessment season.
One of the latest phenomena to grace our society is the energy drink, Prime. There are several articles and studies cautioning around the use of this drink by young people, with warnings stating that those under 15 years should not be consuming it.
This drink is not to be brought on site by students at any time. It does not align with our messages of healthy eating and healthy living, and it is important to actively promote high standards of wellbeing at all times. I would encourage all parents to have a proactive conversation with your children around this topic and continue to encourage their positive choices.
As we approach the end of term, I pray for a successful finish to term 2, and restful break to all families, and the opportunity for further growth in our next semester.
Mr Colin Elvery
Head of Middle School
Let’s be honest, this is a huge topic of discussion at the moment, in all environments. It is something that we continue to navigate with students and parents in the wellbeing space. With technology continuing to take leaps forward, it can sometimes feel like as parents we are being left behind. We are still navigating social media and online interactions – then Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality have people connecting with technology in new, exciting and sometimes scary ways. As a parent it can be easy to bury our heads in the sand and throw our hands up – too hard! But our amazing, intelligent, curious children need us in this space, both for understanding and for wisdom.
Connection first. As parents we all care about our children, their wellbeing, mental health and social engagement. This is another part of our process in showing them love, care and wisdom – we are the parents so let’s be their first teachers in this area! Engage with your child. If your child feels safe to communicate questions, mistakes and their online interactions with you, they are more likely to come to you when things go wrong and they need support.
Getting some basic boundaries in place for technology both socially and in the home is a great start! There are some simple things we as parents can do to encourage healthy habits, respectful behaviour and safe interactions such as:
There are some incredibly helpful voices speaking in this space who are trained in the field of cyber safety and online engagement. We encourage you, as parents to get schooled in the technology your child is using, any media platforms that they are on and look at the resources that are available to you.
The ESafety website is always our first connection point for parents. They have relevant and comprehensive information for young people and parents regarding online safety and some links to further information, resources and webinars. They have some great videos for children also to engage in these early discussions.
Cyber Safety Solutions – founder, Susan McLean is Australia’s foremost expert in cyber safety and was a member of the Victorian Police for 27 years. Cyber Safety Solutions provide information, resources and education for parents and educators. She also provides a number of fact sheets on her website which we think you should take a look at! Here is the fact sheet providing some quick tips for parents in this space: https://www.cybersafetysolutions.com.au/downloads/Internet-Safety-Tips-for-Teachers-Parents-and-Caregivers.pdf
Common Sense Media has great ‘common sense’ reviews on APPS and games that our kids might be downloading and playing. If they ask to download something, or you see them playing something – take a look at this website and check out the reviews first!
Your child will make mistakes. Your child may be exposed to something that is unsafe or engage in curiosity and click on something that is not healthy for them. They may engage in unsafe behaviours themselves or send something to someone they regret. Whatever our kids go through and whatever mistakes they might make, our job as parents is to love and teach them through it with compassion, understanding and wisdom. If our heart is always to love, they will continue to feel safe to bring us these things without shame – allowing the process of learning and restoration to shape and guide them into the brilliant people they are!
Daniel Sih is an award-winning author, speaker and father to three children. During presentations with Melinda Tankard-Reist and Daniel Principe a few weeks ago with grade 5-12 students, Melinda recommended his book about online tech habits for kids – she said it is the best she has read on this topic and recommended every parent read it! It is also endorsed by best-selling author on parenting, Steve Biddulph. This book provides positive and thoroughly researched strategies to help set your child up with healthy tech habits for life. We have got copies for our team and will read it too – let us know what you think!
Dear Parklands Community,
It is my pleasure to introduce Mr. Brett Davies and Mrs. Vicki Delport, our newest Board of Directors at Parklands Christian College!
Mr. Brett Davies brings a wealth of experience in the field of banking and finance, with a specialization in home, business, and equipment finance lending. With his extensive knowledge and expertise, Brett is committed to providing exceptional customer service and exceeding expectations in every interaction. He is passionate about helping individuals and businesses achieve their finance and life goals, ultimately helping them build a better future for themselves and their families. Brett’s dedication to customer satisfaction and his professional background makes him an invaluable addition to the school board.
Mrs. Vicki Delport has had a distinguished career in education and training spanning three decades. Her experience covers a wide range of educational areas, including primary, secondary, and tertiary education, vocational education and training (VET), and organizational training. She has also worked domestically and internationally, gaining expertise in music, Bible and theology, pastoral ministry, organizational processes, and leadership. With a strong background in pastoral leadership and a diverse set of skills, Vicki has been involved in various ministries such as children’s, youth, women’s, and creative ministries, church planting, pastoring, pastoral training, preaching, and missions.
Vicki’s extensive knowledge and experience in effectively engaging, equipping, and retaining volunteers, developing layers of leadership, and establishing efficient operating models will greatly benefit our College. Her special interests in developing the capacity and effectiveness of people, teams, and organizations through quality training, leadership development, and optimization of organizational systems make her a valuable asset to the school board.
Together, Brett and Vicki bring a diverse set of skills, expertise, and a shared commitment to the success and growth of Parklands Christian College. Their combined backgrounds will contribute to the board’s ability to make informed decisions and provide strategic guidance for the school. We warmly welcome them as new members of the school board of directors and look forward to the positive impact they will have on the Parklands Christian College community.
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr Gavin Mann on his appointment as the new Board Chair at Parklands Christian College. Having a dedicated and experienced individual in such a leadership position is a significant milestone for our institution. As the Board Chair, Gavin will play a crucial role in guiding the strategic direction of the college and ensuring its continued growth and success.
In his position, Gavin will likely be responsible for overseeing the Board of Directors meetings, setting agendas, facilitating discussions, and making decisions that align with the college’s mission and vision. He will work closely with other board members, and myself to ensure that Parklands Christian College maintains its commitment to providing care for students through contemporary Christian Education.
Once again, I welcome Brett and Vicki to our Board, and congratulations Gavin on this appointment as Board Chair, and I wish them every blessing as they serve the Parklands Christian College community.
Gary Cully
Principal
Welcome to June.
It is hard to believe we are entering winter, and that our fete is now in our rearview mirror. However, before it is a distant memory, let’s pause and celebrate what an incredible day it was.
Strong relationships are forged when we gather, and gather we did! Approximately 3000 people were on site for our annual College Fete. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and a special thank you to parents and friends who volunteered to make the day a huge success.
Building community is important as we connect, support one another and enjoy a whole lot of fun. Our fete definitely ticks the fun box!
Praying that you all experience a wonderful Winter Break and we look forward to hosting our Bush Dance in Term 3.
The Friendlies Committee
Researchers from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and the University of Queensland, are running a survey to understand how teens (12-25 years) feel about environmental issues. One in every 10 young people who take the survey will be randomly chosen to win a $50 gift card. Parental consent is required for young people aged 12-15 years. Visit the website to learn more: https://bit.ly/TEEProject
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
Psalm 98:5-6 “Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!”
We’ve certainly had another few weeks filled with melodious song & joyful symphony! Hopefully you were ab
le to come along to the College Fete & hear all the stage performances – our Primary classes presented fabulous songs under the direction of Mr Justin Goh along with wonderful dances, and all our Choirs & Ensembles performed admirably, even the brand new ones! Congratulations to all students on such fantastic performances!
Our first Soiree for the year, held just 2 weeks before the Fete on Tues 9th May, was also an outstanding success. With approximately 20 students performing, there was a variety of ages, instruments & ability levels represented. If you missed it, you missed a beautiful night showcasing both the talent & hard work of our instrumental students & teachers.
Our second Soloist’s Soiree for the year will be held in Term 3 – with the first one being so popular, students will need to register quickly to secure a spot. The date is soon to be released, so watch this space!
All instrumental lessons are continuing, including those in the Give It A Go! Programme. If your child has missed a lesson due to a public holiday or teacher illness, that lesson will either be rescheduled for another time or not included on your term 2 account. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are in full swing, with the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings groups now included.
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
| Secondary Choir 7:30-8:15am S2 |
Wind Ensemble 7:30-8:15am S2 |
GIAG Band 7:30-8:15am S2 |
||
| Primary Jnr Choir 7:50-8:20am Mr Goh’s room |
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| Petite Strings 3-3:45pm S2 |
Primary Snr Choir 3-3:45pm Mr Goh’s room |
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| Andante Strings 3:20-4:30pm S2 |
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| Worship Team 3:20-4:45pm Auditorium |
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the appropriate ensemble!
It’s so good working with our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, and our new String instrumentsare doing just so well! Lessons are humming along & students are learning plenty; if you or your child are interested in joining this programme, we are open to new enrolments at any time. Please see below for details.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin **NEW IN 2023!!**
– Viola **NEW IN 2023!!**
– Cello **NEW IN 2023!!**
– Double Bass **NEW IN 2023!!**
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Unbelievably, the end of term 2 if approaching quickly, but what an amazing term it has been! Our students have enjoyed opportunities to develop intellectually, physically, spiritually, emotionally and socially, through the wide variety of opportunities offered at Parklands. Some highlights have included:
As parents and carers, one of the best things you can do each day is talk to your child … about everything. If you have attended the LoKoP course run by Justin Crawford, you will be well versed on the importance of connection. (If not, having attended the course this term … I strongly encourage you to do so!) By talking to your child about his or her day, children can:
Parklands staff wear our staff uniform proudly and we ask families to ensure student compliance to the College uniform policy. We believe that wearing a uniform teaches students to dress smartly and take pride in their appearance. You will receive a follow up email if students are not meeting our College uniform policy. Some reminders:
Award winning Friendship Formula workshops are full of exciting and interactive activities to help students aged 7 to 12 feel energised, inspired and more confident when building positive friendships. Providing over 15 strategies and tools in each workshop, Lemonade Kids take a preventative and holistic approach to supporting children, giving them an uplifting head start in navigating friendships. Whilst I have not attended these workshops and therefore cannot speak from my own experience, I have heard great feedback about these workshops. For further information: https://www.lemonadekids.com.au/friendship-formula-workshop/
Thank you for your support as we partner together to provide the best education and care for Parklands Primary students.
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
Dear Parklands Community,
It’s good to be back from the Easter Break and commencing our second term of the 2023 Academic Year. I hope your family had a blessed Easter Break and were able to take some time to celebrate our risen Lord. It was lovely to see so many of our school community join us at Parklands Christian Centre on Good Friday & Easter Sunday.
I have loved wondering around the site over the past couple of weeks and seeing our students re-engage with their teachers, subjects and various extra-curricular programs. Our bustling community of 821 students is a privilege to be a part of, and I am excited for all that God has in store for us on Term 2.
Right now, there is a lot happening on our site which is evidenced by the vast amount of temporary fencing that dominates the school landscape at the moment. Over the holiday break our Grounds and Property Staff have been very busy as they prepared for the many changes that are taking place as our facilities and grounds evolve and improve. And although there is presently a lot of moving of students and relocating of furniture, our students and staff are excited and enthusiastically participating in the change process.
I think being a part of a growing school is simultaneously exhilarating and downright challenging. These seasons of change require us all to be resilient and flexible and keep the end in mind. At the end of this year, we will have a new primary precinct and an Early Learning Centre – Parklands Little Learners. However, over the next few years the works continue as we improve our site in anticipation of additional buildings to finally accommodate all of our 3-stream primary school.
Over the last few years, there has been much thought and planning given to this task. We have spent a considerable amount of time and money to make sure the Parklands Master Plan for our site is methodically implemented as we balance the needs of our student population with the debt that such a plan incurs. Along the way we have had to contend with appointing a new builder, inflation and unpredictable building prices, material delays, interest rate rises and myriad variations to the early stages of our projects due to unforeseen circumstances. In short, this season of growth hasn’t been without significant challenges.
During this season, I need the support and encouragement of our community as we navigate the challenges of change. Our staff need the encouragement of supportive parents amidst the hectic nature of schooling and as we help children navigate schedule adjustments and changes to their familiar environment. This is a season where collaboration and productive communication is essential.
Together we allow or create the culture at Parklands. In our culture, there is no place for embittered disagreement because together I am confident, we can find amicable solutions through right relationship. In our culture we don’t need keyboard warriors that taint the good will of our parents and staff, because I am confident that we can meet and talk through our concerns with the appropriate people. In our culture, there is no place for aggression, aspersions or poor language, because I am confident that we can speak blessings over one another and build each other up (Eph 5).
In this exciting season of growth, I am committed to protecting our culture and working with parents who can contribute to its betterment. I love when parents are on site and involved, and it is appropriate that our families feel safe and welcomed at every event, big or small. I look forward to celebrating with our community when our new facilities open, marking the end of construction, and we celebrate God’s faithfulness and provision. Until then, let’s encourage one another and stay excited about the things to come.
Gary Cully
Principal
During the April break, I went to the World EduLead conference, where futurists and educational leaders from around the world shared thought-provoking keynotes. We considered the skills that our students might need to thrive in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world and how schools might best prepare our students. For some time now, the Australian curriculum has included the general capabilities of literacy, numeracy, information & communication technology (ICT) capability, creative & critical thinking, personal & social capability, ethical understanding and intercultural understanding. In Queensland, the syllabus documents for General subjects are underpinned by the 21st-century skills of critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration & teamwork, personal & social skills and ICT skills.
Which of these do you find to be of particular importance? I’d love to hear through a survey I’ll send later this semester. As we consider the suggestions made at World EduLead and what our students at Parklands may need going into the future, I’d like to know what you as parents and community members consider to be important. Our close partnership as school, parents, community and learners is imperative as we support our young people to grow into becoming all that God wants them to be. This includes but is not limited to, being work-ready, whatever form that may take for each student. We also want them to be caring members of society, demonstrating their influence and faith, participating in their church communities and loving their families.
As we take a holistic approach to learning at Parklands, we will continue to consider the challenge of how we best prepare our students for the future that’s in front of them. While it may be uncertain, and it may be a future that has jobs that don’t even exist yet, we take great comfort in knowing that it is not uncertain for our God, who is our Rock (1 Sam 2:2).
It has been wonderful to see students return refreshed after the autumn holiday break. We encourage senior students to reflect on their Term 1 results and to implement strategies that work for them, to kick off the new term strongly.
On Tuesday 2nd May, we have our secondary parent-teacher Interviews, which are held in the Science and John Blase Vocational Educational classrooms. We look forward to this time of further connection with parents and families. It’s a great time to get to know your child’s teacher and for teachers to celebrate with and further learn about your child.
We understand that you may not have been able to make meeting times for this event, please feel free to email your relevant child’s teacher/s directly, to make an alternative meeting time.
We are currently well underway with Term 2 work. Year 10’s are working on their semester of study. At the end of this term, report cards are written on assessment results for Terms 1 &2.
Students in Year 11 are currently working on Unit 1 work and will be eligible to receive one credit point for each school subject for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Credits will be banked when an overall pass for the semester’s worth of work is achieved. This will repeat in Year 11, for Unit 2.
Year 12 students are eligible to receive two credit points per school subject for their QCE, based on an overall pass for Unit 3 & Unit 4 work combined. The added emphasis, in the final year of schooling, is passing the ‘subject pair’ (the years’ worth of work).
This does require careful planning and commitment by students, to have a weekly study and homework plan along with support from family and school. There are many staff available to provide extra support to any students needing further assistance in Senior College. It is very much our desire that every student works and achieves their God- given potential.
Senior students are also encouraged to reflect on their balance of work, study, and personal time. Being a senior student can be demanding, so students should try and engage in a balanced lifestyle, one that has a suitable study program tied to healthy recreational activities.
A healthy work-life balance can assist greatly with achieving success & boosting grades.
Year 10 – Time Management 08/05
Year 11 – Ace your exams 08/05
Year 12 – Student Elevation 22/05
Elevate Education has been conducting study skills programs for 15+ years all over Australia. These sessions are designed to further assist your child in their study habits for future study and/or employment opportunities.
They can help develop a different approach to study skills and we encourage families to discuss proposed strategies and what works best for your child in their learning.
Friday 26th May: Year 10 Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo Excursion
Tuesday 30 May: Year 11 (2024) Subject Information Evening starting at 6:30pm
During the session, information about the QCE system, various senior packages, and subjects for Year 11, 2024 will be presented. We hope that every Year 10 family can attend, with their child.
Week beginning 12th June: Year 10 Careers Week – a compulsory week with many educational activities that are planned to be of great benefit to your child. Please email Mrs Liz Lenton (Careers & Vocational Coordinator) if you have any questions. elenton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Saturday 17th June: Winter Holiday Break. We thank you for using the three-week holiday break for family holidays, rather than in term time, as this impacts on learning.
Monday 19th to Friday 23rd June: Opt-in Work Experience. Please see Mrs Lenton’s home communication on early due dates of work experience paperwork (to be returned now).
We encourage students to have many conversations with you, their families, and to continually seek God’s will for their lives.
If you have any questions, we are here to support your child through their senior schooling journey.
Please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
Welcome to Term 2! I trust you had a relaxing and enjoyable Easter break with your family and are ready for another exciting school term. Teachers at Parklands create many fun and engaging learning experiences to cater for all students. We look forward to partnering with you and your children as we support all students to develop their God given gifts and strive for individual personal bests.
There is ample research showing the importance of effective partnerships between educators and families, as we seek to enhance student learning. Collaborative, respectful conversations enable a clear shared vision and goals to be established for each student as an individual. Thank you for taking the time to listen to and collaborate with your child’s teacher during parent teacher interviews. If you were unable to attend your interview, or need to book an alternative time, please email your child’s teacher directly requesting a mutually convenient time.
As of tomorrow, our year 5 and prep students will be operating out of their new classrooms. Students in both of these year levels enjoyed their Move n Groove Specialist Spectacular day on Friday when they participated in rotational activities including music, art, technology, library and PE. They have been challenged to work effectively in teams, whilst developing resilience and communication skills through the Character Builders incursion today. The prep and year 5 staff have done an amazing job setting up the new learning spaces and we look forward to hearing lots of stories about the amazing learning that happens in these spaces.
On Saturday 10 June, Justin Goh, our Primary Music teacher will present for the Queensland Orff Schulwerk Association (QOSA), training other music teachers on practical implementation of Orff techniques within the classroom. Justin has been a music educator for more than 20 years, working in international, private and public schools. He has conducted training for music teachers throughout Asia and has contributed to music curriculum development in Singapore. He ran his own music school in Singapore before moving to Australia in 2016. After attending the Orff Schulwerk Summer School in Austria, he completed all four levels of the Orff Schulwerk Teacher training and has also completed Kodaly’s teaching courses in Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary. We are blessed to have Justin working with our Primary students as they further develop their love for music.
If you have students in upper primary, you have probably heard about and perhaps been asked to purchase the latest drink brand PRIME. If you have not heard of it, one Google search will produce numerous articles, YouTube clips and a link to the website of youtubers Logan Paul and KSI, who released the drink brand in 2022. I encourage you to read about both the energy and hydration drinks, and consult with a paediatrician or healthcare professional, in order to make an informed decision about whether or not to provide them to your children. Noting that the label on Prime Hydration indicates the drink is not suitable for children under 15, and on Prime Energy, indicates the drink is not suitable for children under the age of 18, please refrain from sending either of these to school.
Thank you for ensuring your child is wearing the correct uniform and is neatly presented each day. As the days become cooler, please pay particular attention to jumpers. While the softshell jacket is designed to be worn with both sports and academic uniforms, the sports jacket is only worn with the sport uniform.
Many Blessings,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
We’ve had a wonderful start to Term 2 in Year 1! Show and Tell has begun and we are looking forward to hearing what the children have to share about each weekly topic. Show and Tell is a great opportunity to build student confidence, as well as encouraging students to speak thoughtfully to peers in the classroom setting. We are confident we will see fabulous growth in this area this term.
We have been learning about the difference between a fact and an opinion. They are learning to write persuasively and are challenging themselves to communicate effective reasons for their opinions. Students will be sharing and writing about many topics over the next few weeks. We also had a lot of fun eating apples and bananas together. The goal was to really think about how we could use words to describe the taste, feel and smell of each fruit. We then used this as inspiration to convince one another which fruit is the best! It was a very enjoyable activity
In Maths, we have been learning to ask questions to collect and represent data. This is another great way to continue to get to know one another as we discover what we like and dislike and what we can do! We are continuing to explore 2-digit numbers, with a focus on tens and ones.
Since the start of the term, we have carried on with our unit about families. Our focus this term has involved looking at traditions and celebrations we enjoy. It has been a wonderful opportunity to share about the events we value in our families. It’s great to hear about the variety of traditions and celebrations our Year 1 families follow. The children have loved sharing!
As always, thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to telling you all about our learning next month.
Take care!
Kelly Clausen, Donna Auld, Alisha Mane, Mrs S and Year 1
April has been a month of tremendous growth for our Year 2 students. We are working very hard to continue to strengthen our school community and instil within the hearts and minds of our students that they are AMAZING just as God has made them. We have adopted a positive affirmation song with which we begin every day (to the tune of “These are a Few of My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music)
I am amazing
And I am fantastic!
My brain is perfect,
My words can be MAGIC!
My teacher loves me
On good days and bad.
My friends can be loving
Or happy or sad.
We are all here
To be learners.
We are growing strong!
My school family loves me
My God is so good!
At Parklands we all belong!
Feel free to ask your child to sing to you!
Our students are enjoying dance instruction so much! Every Tuesday they are learning a dance which will be performed at Parkland’s Fete on Saturday, May 20 th . Please join us for
the all-day event! More information to follow. Mathematics is focusing on maps, addition and mental math strategies, missing elements, the calendar, coins, and money, and telling time to the quarter hour. The students are getting daily doses of all these skills that are used in our daily lives. Be prepared to be persuaded! Year 2 is off and running in the language department learning high modality words, opinions, reasons, and expressive language with which they will persuade different audiences to “get what they want”. Year 2 students can be VERY persuasive!
Science is taking us on an adventure through and around our Earth as we explore Natural and Man-Made Resources with a focus on the water cycle and water conservation. We are exploring how each natural resource is used in our every day lives and what things are made of. Did you know the cheese you eat comes from dirt? (grass, cow, milk, cheese)
We are looking for to a MARVELOUS MAY!
It was a great start back to Term 2 for Year 3! We were all excited to see each other and hear about all the things we did on the holidays. We were also excited to welcome our newest student, Jacob who has joined 3B. We were sad to farewell Yar and Harry but we pray they will be successful and happy in their new seasons.
Some students were a little dubious about starting their dance classes in The Arts, however everyone has thoroughly enjoyed the classes! They look fantastic and are looking forward to showing what they have learnt later in the year. It is great to do something new, creative and healthy!
Another highlight this month is our Science unit. Students were able to get out and about and explore the living and nonliving things around us as we begin our Biology unit this term. This links directly with our English unit where we are writing an information report on an animal of our choice.
It was fantastic to celebrate ANZAC Day this year and to be able to get together as a whole school again and remember the sacrifice of others. Year 3 also read some stories about ANZAC Day and we decorated our desks so we can continue to respect and remember those who fought in the wars, some of them from our own families.
We look forward to all that May has to offer as we head into a term full of learning, fun and friendship!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renée Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
We have had much fun in Year 4 with all of the experiments we have been doing in science. We have been learning about different forces, such as pushes, pulls, gravity and friction and how they are exerted. Activities have included, trying to move a ball into a cup without touching it, playing ping pong soccer and clipboard racing. The excitement has been high as students race to beat the clock in the activities. We have also been enjoying diving into probability with lots of fun games and experiments. But by far the most amount of fun this month has been from our camp at Burleigh. It was fabulous to see students learning to problem solve and work as a team to build a slow ball sandcastle track, to number tap and to beat the lava. The squeals of joy as we used giant stand-up paddleboards and got to swim in the creek were such fun to hear. Getting to see Mr J for the day was an added bonus. It’s been great to see how much pleasure students have gotten from tackling tough challenges in multiplication and writing too. It’s been a fabulous start to a new term!
We are all looking forward to competing at our upcoming Cubing Competition. On Friday the 26th May 2023, we will be holding our first Winter Championships where students from Parklands Christian College can show off their Cubing skills to our school community.
There will be a number of divisions for students to compete in so even if your child is just learning, I would love for them to compete at the Winter Championships. Students can compete in ‘White Cross’ (the first step to solving the cube), ‘1st Layer’, ‘2nd Layer’ and solving the cube. Each division has a ribbon that can be awarded, if the student completes the solve to that level.
We would love for as many students as possible to be involved in the competition to show others their Cubing skills and to be rewarded and acknowledged for their hard work in Cubing Club. The competition will begin at 3pm and we would love as many parents and friends as possible to come along and support our Cubers.
If your child would like to compete, please fill out the Google Form by clicking on the link below or email me at ddavis@parklands.qld.edu.au.
See you at the Winter Championships!
Cube on,
Mrs Dayna Davis
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
Year 3 Teacher
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”
What an exciting couple of weeks we’ve had since the Easter holidays! This year we have launched not one, but two Give It A Go! ensembles! The Give It A Go! Band has had its first 2 rehearsals, which were both a resounding success, and we’ve also launched Petite Strings, the equivalent ensemble for string players. You can get a glimpse of the fun in the photos below.
Our Wind Ensemble also combined with all our choirs to take the lead in the College ANZAC Day service on Monday of week 2. Three percussionists from the Wind Ensemble played as the cadets marched in, and the choirs did a fine job of leading the singing. All our students are making great progress, & there has never been a better time to be involved with music at Parklands!
We are currently making final preparations for our first Soloist’s Soiree for 2023. This is a short evening performance opportunity for students learning at the College to play for their families & friends, being held on Tuesday 9th May at 6pm. Students who have registered as a solo or a small group will receive some information by email this week – we’re looking forward to a great night!
All Choirs & Ensembles will perform at the upcoming Fete on Sat 20th May – times are yet to be advised, students will be notified in their ensemble rehearsals & parents will be notified by email. Come along & support your children who are working very hard!
All instrumental lessons are continuing, including those in the Give It A Go! Programme. If your child has missed a lesson due to a public holiday, that lesson will either be rescheduled for another time or not included on your term 2 account. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are in full swing, with the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings groups now included.
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule:
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
| Secondary Choir 7:30-8:15am S2 |
Wind Ensemble 7:30-8:15am S2 |
GIAG Band 7:30-8:15am S2 |
||
| Primary Jnr Choir 7:50-8:20am Mr Goh’s room |
||||
| Petite Strings 3-3:45pm S2 |
Primary Snr Choir 3-3:45pm Mr Goh’s room |
|||
| Andante Strings 3:20-4:30pm S2 |
||||
| Worship Team 3:20-4:45pm Auditorium |
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the relevant ensemble!
We’re excited to be working with our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, with the added bonus of String instruments being on offer this year for the first time! Lessons are underway, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, we are open to new enrolments at any time. Please see below for details.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin **NEW!!**
– Viola **NEW!!**
– Cello **NEW!!**
– Double Bass **NEW!!**
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
A lot of us grew up with detention in school – I know I did. Detention is typically a place where a student will sit for a period of time and a) do nothing, b) write lines, c) pick up rubbish or some other task under supervision. Usually these tasks have very little learning attached to them and is more about wasting a student’s own time for their misconduct. Trying to punish them for what they did. As an RTP Facilitator, one of the misconceptions that I often hear is that the RTC is for “naughty” students and sometimes the RTC is perceived as a “detention” for these naughty students to come and be punished. When one looks from the outside in, with little education or understanding around the RTC, I understand how people can perceive the RTC to be this way. A child demonstrates a disruptive behaviour and leaves the classroom to attend the RTC due to this. Sounds like detention or punishment right? Wrong. RTC is a space for students to learn responsibility, self-control and to devise strategies for positive life choices. It is very different to a detention as the student is thinking, self-reflecting, learning to think from another person’s perspective and developing a plan for
future. Students are Learning not in trouble.
The RTP Facilitators/Social Workers exist to provide emotional support, to positively challenge and coach students through this process and then support them to re-engage in class and put their plan into place. Very different to detention. It is important to understand the process that student’s experience when engaging. Each time a student is referred, they are given the opportunity to utilise the Responsible Thinking Process to help them learn new skills such as how to manage conflict, how to follow class rules, how to be better prepared for class, how to be a kind friend and so on. This is done through discussion with the RTP Facilitator and also the completion of a RTP plan which enables students to think through self-reflective questions such as “what rule was I not following”, “how did this impact on others”, and “what is my goal for when I return to class”.
From what I have seen, students who are given the opportunity to come and discuss their behaviour or mistakes and learn from them – they tend to be much better off and well- rounded in the long run. Our team has found that when students are consistently referred, they are able to put their goals and strategies into practice. Eventually they come to a place where they have learned the skill of thinking before acting and ask themselves questions like “how will this make my friend feel” or “what will be the consequence of this behaviour”. Our goal is that a student will be able to successfully and independently implement the Responsible Thinking Process in time without needing to attend the RTC as often.
So if your child is regularly referred to the RTC for behaviour, please don’t see it as your child attending detention and being punished, rather, please see it as their opportunity to continue developing life skills and learning new ways of thinking.
This is a great colourful book for children and teens to learn the different emotions that we experience. It is not always going to be anger or sadness or happy there are so many more that we all experience. This is a great way to introduce the definitions and get a better understanding of what is going on for them. With learning the language you can then be better at communicating what is happening and work through it. This has some great colour and illustrations to keep you engaged and enjoy learning about this amazingly complex topic! Enjoy the journey with your child.
Starting Monday 8th May at 6:30pm -8:30pm for the next 5 weeks.
The new course for Term 2 is about to start! Join 1/3 of our community in learning how we can never argue with our children again! Wouldn’t it be great that our children think that when they make a mistake that the first person they have to tell are their parents. So many more great tools and strategies for you to allow us to enjoy this journey of life with our children!
Last term we held our very first Colour Run as a major fundraiser for Bloom Asia. Bloom is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to give survivors of sexual exploitation the chance to find healing, hope and purpose through vocational education. Parklands has a long and personal connection to Bloom as they played an integral part in building our Mission’s program. The Cully Family also spent 3 years living in Cebu while serving with Bloom.
Our goal was to raise awareness for Bloom and much needed funds to help them build a vocational early education learning centre in Phnom Penh. Initially my goal was to raise more than $6000 but as this was a completely new event, we were really unsure what to expect.
The Outreach Captains played a huge role in helping to raise excitement and gain participation with the event. They participated in Primary Chapel presentations and competitions, as well as speaking to Secondary students directly during PC. With the help of the Student Outreach Club, these Captains worked tirelessly during the day setting up, assisting throughout the event and they didn’t leave until the last item had been cleaned and packed away. The day was a huge success with all of our Heads of School being such good sports by being slimed! Our total amount raised is: $38 103.81. 30% of these funds go back to the School Fun Run company to pay for prizes that the students earn when they raise certain fundraising goals, the coloured powder, gifts, resources required to run the day, advertising and marketing material, plus they also attended the day to set up the huge inflatables and sound equipment. The final figure raised for Bloom Asia is : $26 670… an unbelievable amount of money that will have a life changing impact on this organisation. Bloom is extremely humbled and grateful for the generosity of our College Community.
I hope that everyone had a happy and blessed easter.
As we are getting closer to the date of the Fete – Saturday 20 May : 12pm – 6pm, I would like to remind everyone what a significant event it is for the greater community at large. The value and benefit in us all gathering together and celebrating our school, its pupils, teachers, staff and families cannot be understated and as in prior years I hope to see you all at this event.
Just a reminder to pre purchase your ride armbands – Purchase Armbands Here to take advantage of the reduced pricing.
Also I would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to assist with the Fete so far. We are always in need of further volunteers so if you would like to volunteer please send an email to friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au with your availability.
Year 7 are nearly finished their first semester of Secondary School.
It feels crazy for me to say that, as it feels like we have just welcomed 90 new faces into our Secondary school, but our beautiful Year 7’s have been here for nearly 19 weeks.
During the first semester, Year 7 have fearlessly worked towards being prepared for class, moving around the college campus and setting up homework and assignment structures at home. I have had many wonderful talks with students about their budding curiosity in their school subjects and have enjoyed watching the students feel the ‘spark of joy’ in their learning journey.
I have encouraged the year 7’s to continue to show our college values as they move into the busy assessment season of term. Please talk to your child about how they are going to be prepared for the upcoming busy weeks of term and end their first semester of Secondary School well.
Note – More about this below
It has been fantastic to see the Year 7’s using their diaries in their lessons.
Please remember to look at your child’s diary in the afternoon and discuss what homework and assignments they have to complete. This is building their time management and organisational skills to prepare for Senior Schooling and the workforce
The Zenith Club, is an afterschool homework and study club where students have access to a safe, productive and quiet learning space to work on homework and assessments. Our teachers and Senior leaders volunteer their time to mentor and tutor younger students and assist them in preparing for their classes.
Zenith runs from 3.30 – 4.30pm in the Vocational Centre, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Please talk to Student Services if you have any questions.
As we approach the holiday break, I wish your family a smooth end of term and a restful and restorative holiday break.
Loving Father,
As we come to the end of another term we turn to You in confidence,
and place any difficult relationships into the healing hands of Jesus, Your Son.
Help us appreciate the need to keep a good balance in our lives.
May the holidays be for us a time of rest and restoration.
Please help restore us and re-create us in Your image and likeness.
As we enjoy more of the love and presence of our families, on whom we ask Your blessing.
Amen.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Save the date for our big 30th Birthday Bash!!! It is on Saturday 27th May from 10am to 2pm and we would like to invite everyone along for the fun. Whether you are a someone from our past, present or future come and help us celebrate being part of this wonderful community for the last 30 years.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The end of term 1, 2023!
There has been a great effort from students for the start of this year to do the best that they can, and I am very proud of their efforts in class.
There have been many different activities that our students have engaged with across Term one. We have had whole school events such as our swimming carnival and cross-country carnival, and our first ever Colour Run which was a tremendous hit with everyone. Our year 9s have engaged with The Rite Journey program and conquered some significant markers with their Day One camp, and their Departure ceremony.
Plenty of sporting opportunities such as USL sport: touch football and futsal competitions, alongside Christian Schools gala days for those sports. And our curriculum opportunities such as the year 8 History incursion have made for a full and exciting term. Students in years 7 and 9 conducted themselves well through our NAPLAN testing, and really applied themselves to the best of their ability.
Over the course of this term, students have been engaging in House activities, giving opportunity for students to collect house points for various things which all contribute to the end of year ‘House of the Year’ competition. Below is a photo of the ‘House War Cry’ competition which happened on the last day of term. Joshua emerged the victors for this challenge.
Through this all, our Middle School students have continued to excel in their endeavours, and I am very proud of the way they have started this academic year. A special thank you to all our year 7 students who have done an amazing job of getting through their first term of secondary learning. You should all be very proud.
One of our new initiatives this term has been our ‘Stations of the Cross’ activity. This has been a time given to students to move past specific displays which allow them to reflect on this very important time of the year: Easter.
We teach our students of the amazing gift of God sending His Son to Earth to die for our sins and allowing us to be forgiven and made whole. The display talked of the different stages of Jesus’ last days and allowed them to consider what they think of the Easter narrative. Below is a photo of the room, set up and ready to go. Our reflection time as a college was then concluded with our whole school Easter service on Wednesday morning, which was a very important and meaningful aspect to our college community.
It is important to take the time this Easter to stop and recharge. Easter can be a great opportunity for family, and I would encourage all of our families to consider what Easter means to each of you. I hope and pray that there is a time of recharge for all students and their families as we reflect on all that God has blessed us with.
As we return for Term 2, we may start to encounter cooler days. Can I encourage all students to make sure they return from the holiday break in correct uniform and presentation.
Please pay attention to jumpers with correct uniforms and remember that our softshell jacket is designed to be worn with both sports and academic uniforms. Please also pay attention to hair length and presentation. Our desire is to be able to jump straight into learning for our 9-week term in Term 2.
Praying for a peaceful break for all and looking forward to continuing our journey together from Monday 17th April.
Mr Colin Elvery
Head of Middle School
Greetings and a warm welcome to the last newsletter for this term. Thank you for your support and involvement in making Term One amazing! This term has been filled with fun and meaningful learning opportunities, as well as some recent unexpected news. Thank you all for your support as we move towards the completion of the exciting Primary and Prep Precinct. Didn’t our students do an amazing job sharing the latest news update? I sincerely thank our college staff who have worked tirelessly in partnership with families to provide the best possible education for every student.
Students in Prep to Year 6 have taken time to reflect on the true meaning of Easter. They have shared this message with the elderly at five local nursing homes though the creation of Easter cards. Personally delivered by Mrs Armanasco, Mrs Potts and four year six students, these cards were gratefully received. For some people, Easter is about the Easter bunny, chocolate and family get togethers. For others, Easter is the time to celebrate Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection. For many, Easter, like Christmas, is celebrated as a combination of the secular and sacred. Understanding Easter from a Christian perspective is important because without the belief of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection, there is no Christianity and no Christian Easter. I encourage all in our community to take time to consider the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation and the hope this brings. If you are looking for somewhere to pause and reflect, I encourage you to join the Parklands Church congregation on Good Friday at 9am and again on Easter Sunday at 10am.
“If you never did
You should.
These things are fun.
And fun is good.”
In One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Dr Suess encourages us to try new things – we might find them fun! God created us all as individuals, with unique gifts and talents. At Parklands we seek to provide a variety of opportunities for students to discover and explore their God given gifts. A special mention to Zayden, Olivia, Lachlan and Layal who came third in the Just Dance component of the FUSE Cup. Congratulations also to Olivia Hyde, our College Captain, who was awarded the MVP for the day.
Effective relationships are the key ingredient to maintaining long and strong partnerships as your children journey through their schooling at Parklands. Parent teacher interviews are scheduled for after school on Thursday 27 April and information on how to sign up for a time slot will be emailed in the holidays. I encourage you to take the opportunity to talk to your children’s teachers face to face.
Warmest Easter Blessings to All,
Anne-Maree
akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au
What does neuroscience have to do with wellbeing? Everything! Our brains are constantly being shaped through a process called neuroplasticity. We can engage with this process with intention, shaping our minds and allowing for strengthening and change.
In the PCC wellbeing space, we use neuroscience a lot, engaging with students around their thought patterns, physiological responses to fear, choices, self-talk and emotional regulation. By being intentional with our mind and its patterns, we can rewire our brains and re-route our neural pathways. It is amazing how much power our thoughts have over our emotions, behaviour and physical bodies – all of which are tools through which we communicate to ourselves and others. Our internal landscape impacts our external landscapes.
As part of both our wellbeing and behaviour processes at PCC, we engage the students in practices of reflection and learning about these internal systems and how they impact on their behavioural choices and their mental health. We encourage and teach strategies that help the brain to slow down, to reconsider the ‘threat’ that is causing a physiological response and engage with the parts of the brain that are firing unhelpful responses. Studies show that better self-regulation predicts both better wellbeing and better academic performance during child and adolescent development.
As parents we have the same capacity to understand, strengthen and rewire our neural pathways, internal processes and physiological responses. We encourage you and your child to look at this part of your lives together, to discover the helpful or harmful thought processes we experience, the internal systems and dialogue that impacts our responses and discover the wonderful capacity of our brains to change course, to be challenged and to learn!
As a team, some of us have started to watch the below TV series on Disney. Chris Hemsworth and his team of professionals look at the limits of our brain and body in staying healthy and maintaining longevity. They look at how we can challenge parts of our brain and body in new and challenging experiences. It is very interesting and might be a good chance to watch something as a family and initiate some healthy discussion!
“New scientific research is shattering conventional wisdom about the human body and offering fascinating insights into how we can all unlock our body’s superpowers to fight illness, perform better, and even reverse the aging process. This science is put to the test by Hemsworth, who, despite in peak superhero condition, is on a personal mission to learn how to extend our health, strength, and intellect further into our later years. Undergoing a series of epic trials and extraordinary challenges in order to understand the limits of the human body, he’ll learn firsthand how we can live better for longer by discovering ways to regenerate damage, maximize strength, build resilience, supercharge memory, and confront morality.”
In an exhilarating display of athleticism and sportsmanship, students from Joshua and Samuel Houses gathered at the school’s Cross Country Sports Carnival on a scorching hot day. The atmosphere was electric as the students prepared to run, jog, and sprint across the grueling terrain. Team spirit was evident on the day with the students dressing up to support their houses, and even the teachers decorating their checkpoints to show their full support to the ongoing house competition.
With both houses fiercely competitive, the event was a closely contested battle throughout. Whether it was on the track or through the ever popular Tug of War competition the students were putting their best efforts on display. But in the end, it was Joshua House that emerged victorious, 597 Points over Samuel’s 529.
Thank you to the efforts from all the students, however you contributed to the day, it makes for a fun competition and helps build school spirit.
Congratulations to our age champions from 9-18yrs
On Tuesday 28th the first group of 12 students from Years 5-8 went to compete in The FUSE Cup. The students participated in the Just Dance component of the esports competition. Arranged into three teams, the students danced their hearts out in a full day of heats, semi-finals and finals. Team 3 comprised of Zayden, Olivia, Lachlan and Layla made it to the finals and came third. Special mention to Olivia Hyde who was awarded the MVP for the day. Congratulations to all the students on a fantastic day of competition.
For USL this term we have had teams compete in futsal and touch. In most touch divisions it was a best of 3 series with the Intermediate girls and Senior boys winning their respective divisions. The Senior girls had their chance to win their final against BCC, leading 2-1 at half time but couldn’t hold on, going down 2-5 to finish runners up. Our junior boys and girls showed great improvement throughout the term with their fitness and understanding of the game itself. Well done to all for a great touch season.
USL season wrapped up this week in futsal and touch. Primary boys won the Futsal competition beating St Philomena 7-2 in a convincing game. Our Parklands Red Touch team finished 3rd beating Boronia 8-5 in the playoff match. Well done to all coaches and players for a great season, there has been phenomenal improvement across the board with many students playing competitive sport for the first time. Congratulations on an outstanding season.
With the introduction of the Parklands Swim Squad, we have seen some great results from this year’s CSSAQ carnival. We would like to acknowledge all the hard work put in by our coaches, Zoe and Humberto, and the dedication shown by our Parklands Swim Team.
We finished the season with some great individual, and team results of 3rd in the 9-12yrs percentage trophy. Well done to all the Age Champion recipients and to all the students for your efforts on the day.
Parklands competed in the CSSAQ Futsal competition for the first time. This is a new event that has been added to the sporting calendar, and it was great to see the representation across 4 teams. The teams couldn’t snag a win on the day, but that didn’t deter their efforts. Students displayed resilience during the carnival, and always put their best foot forward while upholding a great competitive attitude. Well done to Charlotte Sulja and Tawana Mautambi for making the honorary CSSAQ Futsal All Stars Team.
Across March we have had the boy’s basketball teams go up against Calamvale for Friendly games. We started off with the open boys game, which ended in Parklands going down to Calamvale 38-67. Commendable effort to John Cyuzuzo for putting up a stat line of 17 points 2 assists and 2 rebounds.
Next, we had the Intermediate boy’s basketball team. They showed great intent throughout the game and outscored Calamvale in the final quarter, despite their best efforts they went down 40-58. Finally, we had the Junior boys, putting forward a good effort, going down 58-20. All teams could not be faulted on their effort, these games are a great preparation for the upcoming USL Season in term 2. Well done to all.
Every year our school competes in the CSSAQ events across a multitude of sports. On Friday the 3rd we took 5 touch teams to Caboolture Touch Association to compete for the CSSAQ Championship. Our junior teams showed great improvement throughout the day with many of them playing touch for the first time. Our Intermediate girls came home with some wins and our Senior Teams experienced highs and lows throughout the carnival. The Senior Boys persevered through sickness and injury and competed to the end of the day. Our Senior Girls came ready for the big day as they went undefeated and took out the Championship over a spirited Citipointe 2-1 in the final.
All students have shown great commitment to learn, grow and improve their skill from day one this term. It was a spirited effort by all teams and we are extremely proud of how you played and carried the school values all day.
Special mention to Gracie Dencher, Tayzha Timu, Hayley Janson, Justin Hunt and Levi Harbourn who made the honorary CSSAQ Touch All Star Team.
Hello all,
We have come to the end of the first term and time has certainly flown by quickly.
Firstly, thank you to all who volunteered and helped at the Cross Country BBQ.
We are excited about Term 2 and our College FETE. We are hopeful that many of our parents will volunteer to help out with Fete. Feel free to drop us an email if you are keen …. friendlies@parklandsqld.edu.au.
Have a blessed Easter break.
Allan Morris
Chairperson
Eph 5:18b-19 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms & hymns & spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”
Music continues to flourish in 2023! As we return to many pre-covid routines & activities, this year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. All our students are making great progress, & there has never been a better time to be involved with music at Parklands!
We are preparing for our first Soloist’s Soiree for 2023! This is a short evening performance opportunity for students learning at the College to play for their families & friends, being held on Tuesday 9th May at 6pm. Students are invited to register as a solo or a small group performance by email to instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au – we’re looking forward to a great night!
All instrumental lessons are continuing, including those in the Give It A Go! Programme. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are in full swing, with the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings groups getting ready to commence rehearsals in Term 2.
Ensemble & Choir rehearsal schedule from Term 2:
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. We are particularly keen to have more students in our Secondary Choir, especially those who do music as a subject. For a small amount of time each week, just 1 hour, students will reap many benefits & have a great time.
The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Other wind, brass & percussion students having lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and other string students having lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the relevant ensemble!
We’re excited to be working with our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, with the added bonus of String instruments being on offer this year for the first time! Lessons are underway, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, we are open to new enrolments at any time. Please see below for details.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin **NEW!!**
– Viola **NEW!!**
– Cello **NEW!!**
– Double Bass **NEW!!**
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
It has been wonderful to finish Term 1 working alongside senior students. Below, you will find some key information relating to Senior College.
As Term 1 wraps up, teachers are busily grading assessments. Families can expect, at times, to receive behavioural notifications around academic progress which may be communicated for any of the following reasons:
These communications are not punitive in nature, rather the goal is to be a supportive measure to assist students in achieving academic expectations and to fulfil their God given potential. The purpose is about clear communication and building a relationship that is one of transparency and trust. By being informed, we can best work in partnership with the school and families.
Parent-teacher interviews are scheduled for Tuesday 2nd May. These events are important for many reasons including getting to know your child’s teachers, seeing how your child is progressing, and talking through any plans about how teachers can further support and understand more about your child. We also value your child attending the interviews with you. Throughout next week you will receive an email from our Student Services staff with instructions on how to schedule appointments, through the Parent Portal.
If your child is feeling unsure about their senior pathway or if you have any concerns with how your child is managing their senior load, please make a time to talk with us. We have a great team of supporters who can offer support.
At Parklands, we have four distinct Senior Packages, the Traditional Package, Academic Intensive Package, Workplace Practices Package, and the Life Ready Package. Each is designed to provide options with the goal of bringing success as your child prepares for work or further study after school.
There are various opportunities in Senior College and sometimes the most direct pathway from school to your child’s goal, can cause unhealthy levels of stress. We encourage you to reach out and talk with us if you think this would be beneficial to your child.
I look forward to seeing your child in Term 2, commencing on Monday 17 April. Terms 2&3 are winter academic uniform, which includes blazers.
Have a wonderful Easter holiday break with your families soon.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, please do make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
Worth has been the overarching focus of our school, beginning in the middle of this term with secondary and building into a week of celebrations school-wide at the start of next term. Our Year 12 student leadership team have discussed the concept of worth at chapels, through emails to students, and you may have seen posters around the school and chalk on the footpaths. It’s been the theme of chapel messages, and next term the captains will roll out some fun activities and will lead a ‘worth chapel’ for both secondary and primary.
This is a key part of our culture at Parklands – our commitment to overtly reminding students every year of their great worth to God (and to us!). That they are uniquely made and treasured by God, that they have gifts and strengths to offer this world and a part to play in God’s big story. I love this theme and feel privileged to come alongside our students as they continue to realise God’s love for them on deeper levels. It’s also a great opportunity to promote our expectation of inclusivity and love towards others, as we value the differences with which God has made each of us and how this contributes to the beauty of the world, the effectiveness of our teams and the joy of different perspectives.
We also celebrated Harmony Week this term, with Year 12 student Sandy leading the way with initiatives, backed up by the rest of the student leadership team and of course our teachers. What a great time to focus on the principles of inclusivity, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
As we move into the easter break, I thank our families for journeying with us through a busy Term 1 and thank our staff for all their effort and care. We continue building our new learning platform with an app and the improved learning interface for students, teachers and parents coming later this year. There will be emails about this as we draw closer to release – and after that, emails will be largely replaced by notifications through the app, how exciting! In the meantime, I wish everyone a restful and fun holiday break, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and our God’s amazing love for each one of us.
The Preppies have had so much fun in their first term of school. Our keen little learners have wowed us with their counting, singing, and signing and they are even starting to read words and sentences. How amazing!
In Science, we explored how the environment affects us by observing and recording the weather, doing experiments, and making wind catchers. Show and share has been a real highlight. We have seen all sorts of interesting things from snake skins and puffer fish to wedding veils and teddy bears. Linking show and share to our HASS unit gave the Preppies a great opportunity to talk about their families and show their friends photos and special objects to help us learn about our past. We have enjoyed some wonderful books including our favourite, Wombat Stew! We loved listening to all the rhyming words and talking about what yucky ingredients we could add to the stew. We even made our own wombat stew with real feathers and leaves.
Along with all the fantastic things we have been learning about the world and each other, the Preppies have been practising their fine motor skills every morning. Picking up pom poms with tweezers and digging for dinosaur bones have been a great way to develop hand strength, coordination and control.
After all the marvellous mess and excitement of the Colour Fun Run, we ended Term One by listening to the Easter story and making lots of lovely Easter cards and decorations. We pray our little friends have a relaxing Easter break and we can’t wait to see you all in Term Two for more fun, mess, and learning and our move to our new classrooms!
Happy Easter from the Prep team.
Well, the end of Term 1 is upon us and we couldn’t be prouder. The children have worked solidly over the last ten weeks and have challenged themselves to be great thinkers and problem solvers.
Since last month we have worked really hard during writing lessons. The children have researched and learnt all about insects and mini-beasts that live in our gardens. We wrote many reports to share information about different creatures and have become great illustrators as well.
During math lessons this term we explored all about teen numbers. We discovered how we can represent these numbers in a variety of ways. We are still learning to count forwards and backwards and in skip counting sequences.
This week we began talking about Easter and what it means to us. We talked about our family traditions, which we will continue to look at in HASS next term.
Have a blessed Easter break, take care and look after one another. We can’t wait to see what the next term brings!
Kelly Clausen, Donna Auld, Alisha Mane, Mrs S and Year 1
The students in Year 2 have grown so much this month. As we end our first term of 2023, let’s look back on all the amazing experiences and lessons we have had in year two!
Our language lessons went WILD as the students researched and reported on a native Australian animal. They worked so hard to transfer their “dot point” research into sentences and then onto a Google Slide Presentation! It was also a joy in language to listen to all the poems that were memorized and presented to the class. So clever!
The students have stepped up their mathematical skills as we have been learning and practicing mental math strategies. We have been skip counting and adding numbers like crazy! The students explored area, volume, and capacity in fun and creative ways. Eureka!
Life cycles came to fruition in science as the students observed the entire life cycle of a meal worm. Such delight on their faces when darkling beetles were discovered where once a larva crawled!
The students have been discovering and exploring historical sites in our area and we will continue to research these places that still are significant to us all today. The students also conducted amazing interviews with people in our Parkland’s community and from the Logan area. They have learned how to ask high quality questions that unlock details of another person’s story. This is an important life skill that we will continue to polish.
March ended with so much excitement as a rainbow of colours splashed across the campus for our Colour Run. The students had so much fun! Our Year 2 team wishes you all a beautiful and blessed Easter holiday.
What a fabulous month for Year 3! We have had so many amazing experiences this month and are so excited for the holidays. A definite highlight has been our Science unit where we have been able to get outside and learn about how God made the Earth, moon and sun all interact to make day and night for us. This culminated in a fun experiment assessment where we got to observe how shadows change during the day as a result of the Earth’s rotation causing the sun to be in different positions throughout the day.
The students then got to be a part of their first NAPLAN tests. Students had to write a narrative as well as complete three online tests for reading and comprehension, language conventions and numeracy. All students did such a great job and the best part was a celebration and treat each day as we ticked off each test! We are super proud of them all.
On the 21st March 2023, we celebrated Harmony Day. Students had a lot of fun making a Harmony Day chatterbox which they then used to talk to each other about their cultural background, what makes them different and unique and what makes us all similar. This was very enjoyable and also encouraged some great learning and interaction. We also made an orange bracelet that said ‘We All Belong’ which they were able to wear for the day.
We had an AMAZING day for Cross Country and Colour Run. The older Year 3 students got to compete in Cross Country and also enjoy the great food on offer (I’ll let you guess which part was their favourite). They also enjoyed the Joshua vs Samuel tug of war! In the afternoon, we all got to be part of the fun with our very first PCC Colour Run. The kids had a blast and all enjoyed being together.
As we run into the last days of March, we are finishing up our last end of term assessments and looking forward to some Easter crafts and activities. Thank you to all of the parents this month who have helped with changing readers, running literacy groups, coming to the Cross Country and Colour Run and for being the amazing support you are to your kids! We are very blessed by you all!
Have an awesome Easter and a great break and see you all for term 2!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renée Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
We have been hard at work in Year 4 finishing our Term One topics. Students have been writing animal information reports, thinking of great questions about explorers and researching answers, finding out about life cycles and how living things survive and looking at fractions and area. We have challenged ourselves to cover our desks to find the area, made fairy bread fractions and cut oranges to work out how to put fractions on number lines. Our names and initials came in handy, as we put them onto grid paper and calculated the area. We have also taken time to do some Easter activities, including writing beautiful cards for our local nursing home residents.
In addition to all this hard work, we have made lots of time for fun too. Our favourite activity this month was Colour Run.
2023 is well underway! It was fantastic to kick off the year with our Leadership camp at CYC Burleigh! We focussed on Jesus’ model of leadership, a model that is based on serving others and upholding each and every person’s dignity. Rolling off the back of camp, we selected our Captains and Ambassadors who lead the students in primary and help staff with important projects. We have been pleased with the way that the cohort is taking up their mantle of Leadership.
We have welcomed four new students to Parklands this year and it has been great to see everyone take care of their new classmates so they settle in quickly.
We hope that our Year 6s are more willing (and able) to help out in the kitchen at home because of the focus we have placed on recipes in English. We’ve continued to see pleasing improvements in Maths Pathways results, with many students continuing to master concepts and skills that were previously too difficult. An important component of this process is learning how to learn by refining study habits and learning to take responsibility for their own learning.
It has been really fun to use the 3D printers every day too. There has been a large range of designs coming through, even a handful of customised designs made by students who are developing their proficiency with the TinkerCAD app on the iPad.
We look forward to a restful break over the Easter holidays and a safe return back to school in Term 2.
God bless,
The Grade 6 Team
We have had an amazing start to our Cubing Clubs this year! This year we have Cubing Club for Primary Students, Secondary Students and for staff. Some students who can already solve the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube have now moved onto another cube, the pyraminx, which is in the shape of a pyramid. I am proud of all of the students who have progressed in their knowledge and skill in solving the cube. We have so many successes each week!
The biggest news for PCC Cubing Club this year is that we are having our very first Cubing Competition here at PCC in term 2! Students will be able to show all that they have learnt at Cubing Club and compete against themselves and others. Students will be recognised for how they can solve as well as how fast they can solve (if they are up to that in their Cubing journey).
The PCC Cubing Club Winter Championships will be held on Friday 26th May 2023 from 3pm. Parents are invited to attend the Cubing Competition and see all that the students have learnt. Even if students can only solve a certain stage of the Cube, they will have the opportunity to do that and be recognised for it.
A big shout out to all of those teachers and teacher aides who have been running Primary Cubing Club with me this term. Thanks to Julie Koplick, Sue Martin and Christine Hollenberg, without your help the students would not have been able to learn as much as they have!
I can’t wait to see all students show what they know and to have fun together at Winter Championships. I hope to see you then!
Cube on,
Dayna Davis 🙂
Year 3 Teacher
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
Hi Everyone,
We hope that you are doing well.
TAFE Queensland is offering a short course for Parents and Guardians to learn strategies to support and guide their child/children’s learning. The course is for any parent who wishes to support their child with their learning or homework at home. They may be home schooled or they could be attending regular school.
If possible could your school please include this course in your newsletter to parents?
Start date: Monday 8th May 2023
Duration: 1 day per week for 7 weeks
Schedule: 10.30am – 1.30pm
Location: Zoom online
Price: $120
Please download attached flyer below for further details.
Click here for further information
If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call on 07 5581 8810, or email schools.goldcoast@tafeqld.edu.au
From the TAFE at School team.
In Year 7 English students are practising using their voices with recording technology for their podcasts. 7D English students enjoyed the shaded Year 7 area as they recorded sound effects with their working partners.
The Give Back Project (adapted from Eco Club in 2022), is a student-led and student-voiced coterie that runs on Wednesday afternoons during senior sport options. Our vision for this project is to provide an opportunity for students to engage in social science, mental wellbeing practice, and giving back to both the community and our earth.
This term, we implemented a composting system primarily for the HOS department, with the help of Mr Warman and the grounds staff. This project has already been a huge success, and Give Back would like to thank all the staff involved in helping us set this project up.
In addition, we ideated and constructed a vege garden from scratch! We spent our weekly sessions rotating between indoor brainstorming and practical activities such as digging, working in the tech-shed, and recycling scrap wood to build our ‘inaugural give-back garden 2023’ sign.
We were able to occasionally use our Give Back sessions for relaxation and wellbeing through craft and creative activities with an environmental focus. This benefited our group greatly, especially during overwhelming exam and assessment times!
As a group, we communicated with the PCC friendlies, cleaning and grounds staff, as well as our fellow students to find about our College’s needs in terms of sustainability. We then worked hard to implement these ideas into our weekly sessions to bring them to life!
Give Back Project is running again in term 2 for senior sport options. If your student is interested in sustainability, and looking for a fun, social way to make a difference in our earth and community, we would love to see our Give Back Project grow! All senior students are so welcome.
From the Give Back Team (Jet and Issy)!
We have had an amazing start to our Cubing Clubs this year! This year we have Cubing Club for Primary Students, Secondary Students and for staff. Some students who can already solve the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube have now moved onto another cube, the pyraminx, which is in the shape of a pyramid. I am proud of all of the students who have progressed in their knowledge and skill in solving the cube. We have so many successes each week!
The biggest news for PCC Cubing Club this year is that we are having our very first Cubing Competition here at PCC in term 2! Students will be able to show all that they have learnt at Cubing Club and compete against themselves and others. Students will be recognised for how they can solve as well as how fast they can solve (if they are up to that in their Cubing journey).
The PCC Cubing Club Winter Championships will be held on Friday 26th May 2023 from 3pm. Parents are invited to attend the Cubing Competition and see all that the students have learnt. Even if students can only solve a certain stage of the Cube, they will have the opportunity to do that and be recognised for it.
A big shout out to all of those teachers and teacher aides who have been running Primary Cubing Club with me this term. Thanks to Julie Koplick, Sue Martin and Christine Hollenberg, without your help the students would not have been able to learn as much as they have!
I can’t wait to see all students show what they know and to have fun together at Winter Championships. I hope to see you then!
Cube on,
Dayna Davis 🙂
Year 3 Teacher
PCC Cubing Club Coordinator
Congratulations to Jacob, Caleb, Heremia and Connor on their fundraising achievements for Bloom!
One of our very special Outreach Ministries that we share with Parklands Church, is our Community Care Packs. Each term our Year 10 Active Volunteering students put together 50 – 100 Care Packs for our local community outreach program. The amount that we pack depends on the demand from our local State School Chaplains and with the cost of living on the increase, that demand has also risen exponentially. We’re so grateful to be in a position to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show His love for our community through the gift of groceries. It’s also such a blessing for our students to learn that we can make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Term 1 at the cafe has been amazing and super busy so far. We have absolutely loved seeing everyone, from our little preppies to primary students, secondary students, parents, younger siblings and of course our wonderful staff. This term we also had a visit from our OSHC kiddies for a special morning order of delicious milkshakes!
It has been wonderful to reach out to all our school community and provide this café service. Our Connections Crew is so thankful to the whole school community for your support. We have seen our Hospitality students blossom and grow as they learn and hone their skills and as they give up their before school time with our Hospitality staff to run the Café.
We also started Term 1 with a newly installed Gratitude Tree and we have had some lovely messages added, thank you! Please do continue to show your gratitude and fill out a message to be added to the tree next term.
Additionally, we have teamed up with the Tuckshop, providing a variety of items from our kitchen, all made by our fantastic team of Hospitality students. Please keep checking the Tuckshop’s weekly menus to see what is on offer as this will be continuing throughout the year. It has been a wonderful collaboration for all involved.
In closing, for Term 2, please note:
Looking forward to serving you again soon!
With love and blessings,
Connections Crew xx
Friday 17th March we officially moved into the new Health bay space and what a beautiful healthy space it is! It has been a joy and privilege to be able to care for and support our students through all their first aid and medical needs. We look forward to using this space as an extension of care through our parklands community. If your child needs medical support whilst they are school, please don’t hesitate to contact healthbay@parklands.qld.edu.au.
A few reminders as we enter the dreaded flu season…
Winter is coming! Please be mindful of flu symptoms in your child…
Signs and symptoms of Influenza- What to look out for
When to see a doctor?
Caring for your child at home
Most children recover from influenza within seven days without any treatment. Ensure your child has the following:
How is Influenza Spread?
Influenza Vaccine or “Flu shot”
Important Points for School
Dear Parklands Community,
At the conclusion of Term 1, I want to acknowledge our wonderful Parklands staff for all of their hard work and dedication. Although the start of the 2023 Academic Year was a smooth one (for the first time in 3 years), it’s been an incredibly busy season as we embark on a journey of improvement throughout almost every area of our organisation. Every department of our school has been impacted by either our current building program, or the various learning management and database system upgrades.
Despite the busyness, we have successfully navigated the first term, even adding a new event – Colour Run 2023. Events like the colour run are wonderful community events that support amazing organisations like Bloom Asia. However, squeezing events like this into our programming is challenging to say the least, and requires staff to go above and beyond. I appreciate our staff and consider it a privilege to be able to serve in our community alongside them all. So when next you see a Parklands staff member, please encourage them as they strive to serve your family and wider community.
One of the bigger challenges we face presently is the need to move Prep out of their current facilities so the Bedford Build team can fully renovate and upgrade our Little Learners building. This was not part of the original plan which was built around the understanding that Prep renovations would be done during holiday breaks. However, I must confess that our original renovation plans have expanded over time, so I must share some of the blame for these last minute moves. The good news is that after this year of disruptions, our site will have some amazing and contemporary primary learning spaces.
We are also working hard at registering our Early Learning Centre (ELC) designs so we can start building a facility that will hold 76 children from nursery to 4 years. We believe we are in the final stages of registration and should commence building very soon. Bedford Build have been awarded the ELC contract, and we look forward to continuing our working relationship with them. As soon as we are registered to do so, we will welcome applications from our families first before advertising spaces to the wider community.
It’s an exciting time to be part of the Parklands community, and right now it’s a special time of the year for our community as we pause and consider the meaning of Easter. Easter is the most significant event on the Christian calendar because it’s a time when we pause and remember Jesus’ death and resurrection.
John 11:25-26: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.
Despite the horrific events that led to Jesus’ death, Easter is ultimately a “good news” story, and a story of hope for humanity. Jesus died, then 3 days later He rose again, concurring death and atoning for our sin. In this moment, God demonstrates His love for us and His desire for a relationship with His people.
If you would like to know more about Easter, or you are looking for a Church to attend on Good Friday or Easter Sunday, then I invite you to join me at Parklands Christian Centre and celebrate the good news of Easter.
Good Friday Service: Friday 7th April – 9:00am
Easter Sunday Service: Sunday 9th April – 10:00am
Gary Cully
Principal
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
Bring a pen and paper or a laptop, and fire up your imagination! The 2023 group of writers met for the first time this year in the library on February 9th. After brief introductions, we all scattered to a comfortable place of our own and wrote. Some are part way through novels, while others started something new. All students from Years 7-12 are welcome to join us on a Thursday afternoon from 3:30-5pm.
Our year 12 Chemistry students have been conducting their student experiments this week and have done such a great job!
Youth Sunday – this Sunday, 5th March, 10am at the church.
Pancake Breakky date tbc at the CC Building.
Youth Collab ft 240 attended, 60 salvations!!!
“God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You’re a proven help in time of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you.” Psalms 46:1 TPT
Whatever you’re facing this week, know this: That God is your safe place, your greatest refuge and the Lord with bless, refresh and restore your heart and your life.
We will be holding a Colour Run & Big Show in conjunction with our Cross Country as a major fundraising event this year on Monday 27th of March! We’re doing it to raise much needed money for Bloom Training Vocational Centre in Cambodia. Bloom Asia is a not for profit organisation that exists to give survivors of exploitation the chance to find healing hope and purpose through vocational education. Monies raised will go to Bloom to help build “Future’s of Light”, an early learning educational centre for vulnerable women and their kids, where the next generation will be safe, hear about Jesus and never face the horrors of human trafficking.
The Parklands Christian College Colour Run & Big Show is all about Fun! There will be huge inflatables, a foam party, an obstacle course with lots of colour and water. Plus you will get to meet Chase the Cheetah! Think of it as a Fun Run carnival! This will be one of the most exciting days on our school’s calendar, with everyone’s participation the aim, so please make sure they attend on the day and cheer the other kids on! Students in Year 3 turning 9years to Year 12 students will participate in our Cross Country in the morning, then after lunch the entire College from Prep – Year 12 will enjoy the super fun atmosphere of the Colour Run & Big Show.
Firstly, go to schoolfunrun.com.au and create a student profile page. Everything to do with your fundraising revolves around this page. You can do this by scanning the QR code on the front of the School Funrun booklet that was sent home last week. Students who raise just $10 will be able to choose a prize! The more they raise, the better their reward – don’t forget to check these out in the sponsorship form! We have educated students on the dangers of door knocking without supervision, and we encourage you to reiterate this at home. The great thing about online fundraising is that you can share the link to your child’s profile with friends and family via email, SMS and Social Media.
To get our event off to a flyer, we’re starting our BIG SHOW with a super easy competition! The class with the most online profiles registered by Wednesday 1st March will win a class ice block party! To help your child’s class win, simply create your profile at schoolfunrun.com.au. The students who raise the most amount of money will win the pleasure of SLIMING our Heads of School!! Lovely lime green Nickelodeon Slime!! We’ve got many willing staff members who can’t wait to be slimed at the Colour Run. It’s going to be a fantastic day.
Not only can you support the College and students with your sponsorship – but you can join in on the fun! We would love to welcome parents and family members to attend the College Colour Fun Run. If you would like to volunteer on the day, please contact me on the details below. I can’t wait to see you at our event!
RSPCA Community Outreach_Engage with Us _ Poster
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
We are well and truly past the halfway point of term and students have been busy with school work and various extra-curricular activities that will help see them go out into the world well prepared and ready to make a difference. I love that Parklands is much more than just a great academic program, we really do aim to teach for life.
We focus on a strong academic foundation and work towards each senior student having a pathway to match their interest, skillset and ability – to work towards their God given potential. In conjunction with this, we aim to offer various options to provide a holistic approach to education. You may note a variety of programs and workshops on offer throughout the year. Some of the scheduled sessions include motivational workshops, past students and staff sharing stories of their journeys, study skills workshops, seminars on safety and knowledge such as legal seminars and SU Red frogs, careers expos, digital awareness talks through to driving and road safety. Below are some photos of just a few activities across Senior College, I hope you enjoy viewing them.
By this time of year, your child will have got to know their Home Class (HC) teachers and Year Level Coordinators (YLCs) a little more. The idea of these connections is to primarily focus on providing support and care, so that in the busyness of school and life, when some may experience high stress, there are staff close by to provide extra support. Please encourage your child to talk to their YLC, HC teacher, as needed. There is also Mrs Lenton (Careers & VET), the Learning Enrichment (LE) team, the Wellbeing team (RTC) or myself, when some extra support may be needed.
There are many staff championing your child’s cause and who are willing to do the journey and offer that extra bit of something that can make all the difference.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, please do make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior College
Somehow, we have gotten to March, and I am not sure how we got here so quickly. In this time there has been plenty of things happening through Middle School, and some great experiences had by students.
Students in year 9 have continued their Rite Journey experience through the last couple of weeks as they have been exploring their own self-image and their heritage. Students are guided through a series of discussions and activities, learning more about themselves and what it means to enter the adult world of behaviour and responsibility. Students engaged with a Calling ceremony and Departure ceremony on the 24 th and 25 th February, ceremonial opportunities to acknowledge leaving childhood priorities behind and start to embrace older thinking. As part of the major checkpoint in the program, this experience included an overnight stay at the school, and parent involvement the following morning. It was a very meaningful time had by all.
On the 20th of February, Year 8 students were blessed with a History incursion based on Feudal Japan. As a part of the History curriculum, students have been studying the workings of historical Japanese society and were treated to a hands-on display of costumes and
weaponry of the time. Proudly presented by our own Mr Nathanael Chapman, the team allowed some students to dress up in traditional costume while explaining the societal roles of various people from that time, and their responsibilities to one another. Students enjoyed a great experience. There are some photos attached below for your enjoyment.
Starting on the 15th or March, students in years 7 and 9 will participate in NAPLAN. Our testing is an online experience, and students will use their MacBooks for the duration of the testing. Students should now have had the NAPLAN browser app installed on their machines. There will be four tests: Writing, Reading Comprehension, Language Conventions and Numeracy. Each test will be completed on separate days within the morning session. It will be important for students to be well rested during this time so they can concentrate to the best of their ability. Once the test for the day is completed, students will re-engage with normal timetabled lessons.
There is excitement for the coming weeks of term as Middle School students participate in a variety of activities including:
– USL Touch Football and Futsal
– CSSAQ Touch Football Tournament Day
– CSSAQ Futsal Tournament Day
– PCC Cross Country
– The First PCC Colour Run Fundraiser
– PCC Easter Service
Along with these great experiences, students will continue to work through classroom work, assignments and exam preparations. Middle School students will sit exams in week 9 as a part of the college Exam Week, where time is specifically set aside from regular timetabled classes to complete these tasks. We continue to encourage our students to do the best that they can. When a student applies themselves to the best of their ability, it is always possible for them to improve, progress and make great advancements in their learning journey. And, as always, it is our
pleasure as teachers to be able to share this journey with them.
Looking forward to creating some more great memories and participating in more awesome opportunities this year.
Mr Colin Elvery
Head of Middle School
The start to 2023 in the Careers and VET Department has been a busy one! All of our students studying their certificate courses both at school and through Tafe at School or other private RTOs, are enrolled and well on their way into their coursework.
The new and revised Year 9 Career Education program was launched in Home Classes, with our first class group exploring their strengths in relation to future occupations. Our Year 9 students will also be the first of their year level to experience our Virtual Reality (VR) world of career exploration through Work Window on our Oculus Quests, in the weeks to come. Keep an eye out for photos on our College social media pages.
February has also held a number of lunch time careers-related events; including the Medicine and Dentistry Information session for students in our Senior College who are interested in pursuing career in these occupations. Students left armed with information to begin their journey in researching their options into further study and how to sit the UCAT in Year 12.
Last week, representatives from the Australian Defence Force visited our College and presented an information session for students inquiring about pathways into and job opportunities in the ADF.
Finally, career information sessions with our Year 11 and 12 students during Home Class have begun and aim to inform and inspire students to engage in their career decision-making and step into the variety of opportunities available to them around Brisbane. One valuable aspect of career guidance offered at Parklands is the individual career conversations with every Year 12 student as they plan and prepare for their next steps after graduation. Year 12 students are invited to sign up for their Career Conversations with Mrs Lenton as we work together for their future success.
At PCC, the CLEAR values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect provide a foundation from which students build relationships, connection, behaviour patterns and decision making processes. Respect for others is something highlighted a lot in our work in both areas of behaviour and wellbeing. Honouring those around us with our words is a big part of our response.
One crucial way that students and parents can engage with the value of respect, is in the use of our WORDS. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that there is death and life in the power of the tongue. We find this time and time again in the work we do with students, parents and teachers. Words have a way of bridging gaps, opening doors and shining light into darkness. How we respond to others when they have made a mistake, how we speak to ourselves when we have made a mistake and how we frame our lives with uplifting words can have a lasting impact. If children feel encouraged, loved, appreciated and listened to, they are more likely to do the same in their relationships with others.
What can honour and respect look like in a relationship?
That is all very easy to say and think and quite challenging to put into practice! In our discussions with students we often reflect on how their words made other people feel, how it might have been perceived by others and if it was encouraging and respectful. In doing so, students are able to learn that they have control of the way they speak and the ability to make their own choices. As parents, we have the same choices with our children.
In his book ‘Culture of Honour’ Danny Silk expresses that we do not know if there is honour in the relationship until it is tested with a problem or until something goes wrong and that our response in those situations display the level of honour we have. For example, it is all well and good to show honour to a child when they are listening, following your instructions, and speaking nicely to you. It is a completely different story when they are speaking disrespectfully and arguing with you.
It is easy to show honour and respect to a friend when they are being a loyal and supportive friend, but it is more challenging to show honour to a friend when they say something negative about you. When there is honour in a relationship, even if others are not being respectful, we are still able to control the way we choose to respond to what is in front of us. We can choose to speak kind words, stay in control of ourselves and think before we act.
Whenever there is conflict and a confrontation, we often picture people arguing, raising their voices and becoming emotional to express their feelings and convey their perspective. I am sure that we have all witnessed or experienced at some point in our life a conflict where this has happened and things have not been resolved or able to be repaired after this. However, Danny describes the importance of confronting with the goal of connection. When two people discuss their issues or conflict with the intent of becoming closer and working through the concerns, the conversations and approach is very different. When two people honour each other by confronting with the goal to connect, often the content of the discussion is filled with grace and understanding, the way they speak is kind and they are able to hear and take on feedback because the goal stays the same even if the discussion is heated – “that I want to connect with you better and I want to work through this”.
As a school we run Danny’s Loving Our Kids on Purpose programs several times throughout the year and his Life Academy courses are also available online. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is interested. You are more than welcome to contact our Student Care and Well-being team if you have any questions around the programs and courses or Danny’s teaching.
For further information around the Life Academy, please visit https://loving-on-purpose-life-academy.thinkific.com/
Welcome to the 2023 school year and hopefully it will be a successful and fulfilling one for our students, families, and community.
I am excited to be part of the relaunch of the Friendlies Committee and wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the mandate and purpose of the Friendlies Committee.
Firstly, huge appreciation and gratitude must go to the previous Friendlies committees on their considerable efforts, time spent and commitment to provide a large amount of funds for the school to use for its future needs and purposes. We will, with Gary’s input, be sharing with you all soon what projects, purposes, and activities we intend to use those funds for. In the meantime, if there are any suggestions, please let us know and we will pass to the school for consideration.
Our most important mandate is to build community, not only within our school but also within our local community. Our committee will be around at many school events, cooking up a storm at the numerous BBQs, lending a hand where we can, and we will also be organising this year’s College Fete. If you are keen to get involved, please do not hesitate to gather your friends, and contact us.
Another important purpose of The Friendlies is to provide feedback from families about their own experiences within the life of the school, constructive suggestions and recommendations that makes Parklands Christian College an even more desirable place for us all to educate our children and cement it further as a cornerstone of the community.
In the current committee we have parents which represent each grade of the school. Please do not hesitate to discuss with them any matters you think can help improve the school or its standing in the community. Or email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au If this is more convenient.
Allan Morris – Chairperson Years 5, 9 and 11.
Jillian Staggs – Secretary
Tanya Tonges – Treasurer Years 7, 8 and 9.
Susie Meddleton Years 1 and 3.
Josefine Blandford Years 6, 8, 10 and 12.
Katrina Morris Years 5, 9 and 11.
Kate Harbourn Prep, 7, 9 and 11.
Danielle Brayshaw Prep, 2 and 4.
Vickie Kello Year 2.
FETE : This year the major focus will be the Fete and all that goes with it, this is a major event in the school and community calendar not only for our students and their families but for the community at large and we encourage everyone to let the community know what an awesome event it is.
The fete requires a lot of work prior to the day and on the day so if anyone would like to volunteer their time (adults or students) , please send an email through to us at the email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au. All help is gratefully received and appreciated.
SPRING DANCE / BUSH DANCE : We are anticipating running a spring dance in term 3 and possibly a Bush dance in term 4. When we have firm dates on these events, we will let you know.
The school & the community is always appreciative of any fundraising, whether it is for Outreach, Missions, or the school itself. Please give when you can even if it is just your time, love, and commitment.
Wishing you all a successful and blessed 2023 school year.
Allan Morris
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we are already halfway through Term One! I am so pleased to be a part of the Parklands community and so proud of the way primary students have navigated the start of a new school year. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the year 5 and 6 students on camp at CYC Burleigh and it has been a delight to spend time with all students in classrooms and the playground. The year two students have been busy interviewing special guests as they learn about the history and heart of Parklands. One thing I have consistently seen at Parklands, is the culture of care, in which staff nurture students on their learning journey, but also in which students nurture each other in their daily interactions.
When you consider a person whom you would say has had the most significant impact on your life – the person who played a major role in you becoming who you are today – you most likely identify a family member or friend rather than a boss or manager. The reality is that every human being is a leader at some point because leadership is an influence process. The greatest leadership role model is Jesus. After all, Jesus transformed twelve ordinary and somewhat unlikely people into the first generation of leaders of a movement that continues to affect the course of world history some 2000 years later. Jesus’s call to servant leadership is clear. He places no restrictions or limitations of time, place or situation that would allow us to exempt ourselves from heeding His command. This week, at both our ‘Year 6 Leadership Ceremony’ and ‘Leadership Chapel’ we celebrated all our year 6 students as leaders of the Primary. They are easily identifiable by their shiny red badges! We also congratulated those who have accepted formal leadership positions and look forward to watching them flourish in these positions.
As parents and caregivers, we all want what is best for our children. However, are the things we do and say to keep our children happy always in their best interests? The reality of life is that we do not always win, we are not always happy, and things do not necessarily go our way. Failure, whilst uncomfortable, is something all people experience. Learning to deal with disappointment and regret provides valuable learning opportunities and builds resilience, or the ability to bounce back and try again. A resilient child recovers from challenges quicker and is empowered to manage future challenges. Children learn resilience through experience.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, the parents and families of Parklands. Thank you for your support, prayers, and many kind words in person or through email. I also want to thank those who have offered thoughtfully worded feedback and suggestions. This is our school, and together as partners, we work together to nurture our students as they become the innovators and leaders of the future.
The annual swimming carnival between Joshua and Samuel had been a highly anticipated event, and the excitement was palpable. Students from both houses were eager to showcase their swimming skills, and the atmosphere was electric. The swimmers competed in a range of events, from freestyle to novelty relay races, and everyone was gearing up to give their best. With strong support from their classmates, the swimmers battled it out in the pool, determined to secure victory for their house and bring the coveted trophy home. The tension was mounting, and it was an unforgettable day filled with thrilling races, sporting spirit, and, of course, fun in the sun. Congratulations to Joshua House for, again, showing a dominant performance and taking the trophy with 2360 points defeating Samuel on 1805 points. Well done to all students for contributing to a great day.
USL competition kicked off in week 5 of the term with our touch teams taking to the field against Brisbane Christian College. In secondary we had our first win with the Intermediate Girls winning 3-0 and our Open boys coming from 5-2 down at halftime to claw back a 6-6 Draw. The Juniors showed great improvement in their games as well. Primary teams started for both touch and futsal. This year we have created a mixed competition to increase participation from all schools and the sportsmanship between all teams is excellent. Parklands Red played for a draw 6-6 against Greenbank. Parklands Boys have won both their games and Girls had a win in the first week against St Philomena.
Thanks to all the families who have been attending the games to support the students.
Over the term we have had students trial in a number of different sports through the Southern District Pathway. The students have had some great success in this area with a few going on to represent the Met West region at the State Trials. Well done to all students.
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”
What a great start to 2023! Despite the challenges of rooms & lesson times, this year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. Our enrolment numbers are growing, & there has never been a better time to be involved with music at Parklands!
All instrumental lessons have now begun, including those in the Give It A Go! Band Programme. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals have also begun, the Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings groups, which will commence in Term 2.
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Tuesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mr Goh’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 3pm-3:45pm in Mr Goh’s room
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12) – Monday, 7:30-8:15am in S2
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in S2
– Andante Strings (Years 4-12, string students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 3:30-4:30pm in S2
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band & Petite Strings are generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as they cater for beginner students, although other beginners may also join. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and string students continuing to have lessons at the College will play in Andante Strings. Any other students who have lessons outside the College are also welcome to join the relevant ensemble!
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, with the added bonus of String instruments being on offer this year for the first time! Lessons have begun already, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, we are open to new enrolments at any time. Please see below for details.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
– Violin **NEW!!**
– Viola **NEW!!**
– Cello **NEW!!**
– Double Bass **NEW!!**
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass, string or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Dear Parklands Community,
On Sunday 26th February our Church and College celebrated our partnership and continued collaboration at our annual Community Builders Day. This celebration is a chance to come together with our church congregation and recognise all that the collective Parklands community does in our local and wider communities.
As our Church and College came together to celebrate, I was reminded of the important work our organisations do in the lives of so many. I am particularly proud of the ministry in which we engage as we strive to embody our College values, with particular focus on being Christlike. To me Christlikeness is the pursuit of loving, caring and serving our neighbours. To know Christ and to make Him known is what drives us as we care for students through quality Christian Education.
Missions Statement – It is our mission to care for students through a quality Christian education that inspires them to flourish, to love God and to love others as themselves.
Our shared Christian values and faith-based community is something I value and believe to be worth celebrating, protecting and preserving. As social and political trends eb and flow, it’s important to celebrate our faith-based movement more than ever. As such, we have created a short video that highlights our Christian distinctive and celebrates the ministry of Parklands Christian College.
Thanks for being a part of our College and playing your part in the greater story of Parklands Christian College.
Gary Cully
Principal
Year One has had a busy few weeks and are well immersed into our regular routine.
Our HASS unit – Past and Present – was of particular interest to the students. We learned all about families of the past and compared them to how families have changed in the present. We looked at roles of responsibility and are currently working on a poster to showcase our own Personal Timeline and how we change as we grow. We can’t wait to show you our completed posters with all the gorgeous photos. Stay tuned!
During math lessons, we have been exploring all things number as we learn to count forwards, backwards and in 2s, 5s and 10s. We can represent numbers in multiple ways and had fun learning about odd and even numbers.
All the Year One teachers are so impressed with our improvement in writing since the year began. We are working on correct letter formation while learning how to write recounts and information reports. Keep an eye out in classrooms for work on display!
We are looking forward to beginning our Science Unit – Living Things. Look out for the next newsletter to find out more!
Until next time, take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Auld, Mrs Mane and Mrs S
The month of February has been so packed with adventures and hands on experiences! The students have been very busy – so busy that the month has simply FLOWN by!Our students have been exploring sites around Logan that hold historical significance. We will be sharing their photos and knowledge gained with each other and we are making a book for our classroom libraries “Logan: Our History”. This HaSS experience is teaching us so much! (Especially the American in the group!)
We have been blessed with 9 hermit crabs as “class pets” that we are continuing to research and observe. The students will begin taking over the tasks of caring for them and making sure they feel loved. They are mainly active at night but occasionally they come out for a stroll and some food!Our greenhouses are starting to flourish with growth. “Mine sprouted!” is such a joyful phrase to hear! Students are drawing their plants, labelling the parts, and charting the growth using informal measurement.This month we also made the journey to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. The rain did not dampen the students joy as they discovered and explored! We attended two shows (both under cover, thank goodness!). The Birds of Flight presentation and the Indigenous Animal show were full of the wonder of God’s creations.
We will remember February, 2023 for many years to come!
February ended up being a busy month full of learning and adjusting to being in Upper Primary. A highlight this month has been our Science Unit where we have been exploring the sun, moon and earth. Students have conducted numerous hands-on experiments and activities to help them understand and communicate how the sun, earth and moon interact with each other and how we get day and night. We have loved getting outside, asking questions, making predictions and working out for ourselves how the world around us works!
Literacy Groups has been another activity which is loved by our Year 3 students which offers small group interaction and learning. We would like to thank all of our parent helpers for coming along for groups. Students love to share with their parents what they do at school and it helps us all stay focussed and get more out of small group activities and instruction. We are so grateful to everyone who has helped us this month.
Students have also enjoyed learning about the local Logan area and some of the important figures who first lived and developed Logan. We have been learning about these important people in our HASS unit this month. Students have liked learning about how life was in those times and what a difference people make in communities. They have also found it interesting to learn about First Nations People and their connection to Country.
We have adjusted to our usual timetable and are in the midst of all our term’s learning. We are looking forward to learning more about these interesting topics as well as convincing others of our point of view as we continue writing our persuasive essays.
Thanks for all your help and support this month and we look forward to the rest of the year together!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renée Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
We have been learning about fractions in Year 4 this month. Mrs Smith brought in some tasty donuts to share and we had lots of great discussions when students had to race to choose the fraction of the donut their group would get to eat. Turns out 100 was not as great a number as 2, when it’s a denominator. Lots of learning and tasty eating!
Our “God says I am…” artworks are almost all up now and add a bright, colourful and beautiful reminder of our identity in Christ. Students worked very hard and produced some stunning pieces of art, that not only look great but speak wonderful truths too.
We have been doing lots of multiplication fact learning and have been enjoying bopping along to some times table tunes and playing games, at the same time as learning our facts.
This is the INAUGURAL Year 8 Civics and Citizenship class; the very first Secondary Civics and Citizenship class for Parklands Christian College. Our first lesson was spent discussing what it might mean to be a citizen. One of the students shared that she’d noticed that, in many places, the Australian National Anthem has changed from “We are young and free” to “We are one and free”. One response to why people might have thought this was the case had me biting my lip, but the reasoning was understandable!
“Maybe the people who first wrote the Anthem and sang it are really old now and they don’t think that ‘young and free’ is very inclusive any more?”
Mrs Mandy Ross
Head of Faculty – English and Humanities
We’re delighted to be partnering with your family in 2023, as we unite to support your children in their educational journey.
Since mid-2016, I have been in the role of Head of Secondary and assisting with deputy-like-tasks, and am honoured this year to be offered the inaugural role of Deputy Principal. Back in 2011, I started teaching at Parklands and was taken with the tangible culture of care and connectedness here, where valuing right relationship is key and as a teacher I was encouraged to try out my ideas for making enjoyable and effective learning experiences. My daughter had watched alongside for years, hearing the lovely stories about staff and students and wanting to be part of this environment. It was with joy that she moved to Parklands for Year 11 in 2022, and she has thoroughly appreciated the warmth with which she has been embraced by students and staff. She’s excited about Year 12 and I am loving us being at the same school together, serving the same community.
I’m excited for the year ahead and am grateful for a smooth start up (impacts of the building program aside) with words like ‘lockdowns’ and ‘delayed starts’ being a distant memory. My thanks extends to our property & cleaning teams for their massive effort in readying our facilities and to our administrative staff for providing their caring service amongst disruption. I’d also like to thank our Student Leadership Team for their warm welcome to families on Day 1 and for spending the day with Year 7 students as they transition to secondary. We have a wonderful team of educators and staff who have been drawn to Parklands this year, and I give thanks to God (the Master Recruiter!) for forming our quality team for 2023.
Mr role as Deputy Principal gives me the opportunity to focus on Education from P-12, providing vision and support to our teachers, aides and support staff as we continue to improve the educational service that we provide at Parklands. It was a joy to begin by uniting our teachers and aides, both primary and secondary, for our educational vision launch during the student free week.
I extended the vision theme that I’ve had for secondary, EDUcurious, to include primary, and focused on embracing the unique contribution that every staff member and student brings to our College. The bible uses the metaphor of one body having many parts (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), whereas I drew on my Fungal Biology major at uni (yes, that is a real subject!) to have our staff model the structure of a mushroom and used fungi as our metaphor (some fun photos of enthusiastic staff below!). All this to say, let’s appreciate and work in our strengths and uniqueness, and design learning experiences that are inclusive of all our students and give them the opportunity to shine in their uniqueness, as we all work towards helping our students become all that God wants them to be.
I’ve so enjoyed seeing many of you back on campus (and thank you for all the encouragement) and I look forward to catching up with others at our upcoming events. If I can be of any help this year, please email me at jgrounds@parklands.qld.edu.au or to book a meeting contact pa@parklands.qld.edu.au , though classroom teachers and the relevant Head of School is usually a better first contact, being that bit closer. For anything broad about the College or suggestions for improvement, I would love to hear from you.
Jessica Grounds
Deputy Principal
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
The tuckshop will be open EVERY day this year, Monday-Friday!
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Please contact our Tuckshop Convenor, Marie Rushin, on 0422 637 370 or email tuckshop@parklands.qld.edu.au
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College.
The OSHC service caters for children from Prep to Year 12, operating before and after school care and also vacation care. Prep children who are starting their first year of schooling are able to attend vacation care commencing January 2023. Before-school care offers a simple but nutritious breakfast for the children and activities and programs are based on the children’s interests, ideas and feedback. During the school term, the service operates daily from: 6.30am-8.30am, and 3pm-6pm (with office staff available from 2pm). Vacation Care runs from 6.30am-6pm.
Parklands OSHC has qualified educators and is an open-door service that welcomes and encourages all family’s input, suggestions and feedback.
Should you wish to discuss any care needs, please pop in to see us or contact us via:
Phone. 3297 0577 \ 0417 009 408
Email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com
Please note a current enrolment is required for all bookings including casual and emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Miss Rachel
Parklands OSHC
(School Days Only)
Mondays 8.00am – 10.00am
Tuesdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Thursdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Uniform Shop Location Address/Parking:
24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge Qld 4125 (located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest road).
For further information:
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Email: service@theschoollocker.com.au
Uniform Shop Facebook Page/PCCUniforms
SHOP ONLINE @theschoollocker.com.au/schools/parklands-christian-college
Parklands Christian Church is hosting ‘Community Builders Sunday’ on the 26th of February and would love to extend the invite out to all PCC staff as we showcase & pray for our College, staff & leaders.
Roar Youth would love to invite all secondary students to Colab Night. A city wide outreach to lift up the name of Jesus.
A night full of Epic competitions, giveaways & prizes, amazing food and a time to lift up the name of Jesus.
24th February at Parklands Christian Church
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
It’s a New Year and we have a few changes to our Student Care & Wellbeing team. We are very excited to introduce some new faces as well as a new room!
The Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) has a wonderful team of staff including:
With a Bachelor in Social Work, Gabrielle will be joining us one day a week as our newest Social Worker and RTP Facilitator. Grace is also joining us as an RTP Facilitator as well as assisting with administration. Grace is currently studying to receive a Bachelor of Social Work. Together we are able to not only help students make positive informed choices, but we also have the time to get alongside students and support them to develop their social and emotional skills.
As well as introducing new staff, we are also excited to share that we’ve moved! The Responsible Thinking Classroom has changed locations and you can now find us in L5 – the previous drama room just below the library. This is also where you’ll be able to find Mrs Andrea Armanasco, Deputy Head of Primary, and Mr Colin Elvery, Head of Middle School. This year we have an awesome opportunity to work closely with Andrea and Colin, as well as our Secondary Year Level Coordinators, to increase the strength and breadth of our behavioural and wellbeing processes.
Michelle has been termed the ‘teenage expert’ by the media and is sought after for her compassionate, and grounded advice. In 2000 she quit teaching and established a harm prevention charity, called Youth Excel. Her days were filled with running small group support programs for girls ‘at risk’ of dropping out of education, and she soon became well known for successful outcomes with tweens and teenagers who did not flourish under more traditional forms of therapy.
Over the next 20 years, Youth Excel continued to grow and expand. The Youth Excel Centre was established – a multi-disciplinary clinic offering psychology, counselling, mentoring for children and teenagers. It was there that her team of twelve offered big-hearted, innovative services to over 150 families each week. Michelle personally had the privilege of working with many hundreds of young people and their families as a mentor.
Today Michelle uses her experience to write and speak in schools, community events and through media. Her best-selling parenting and children’s resources, including the highly popular Everyday Resilience Journal, have sold over 100 000 copies worldwide and have been translated into several languages.
If your child is between the ages of nine and twelve, you are in the throes of the ‘between’ years. Not quite a child and not yet a teenager, tweens embody a very specific stage of development that once understood will revolutionise the way you parent, educate and support those in your care.
TWEENS will help you understand what kids need NOW, before the teenage years.
This book is practical, grounded in research and offers valuable insights from my survey of over 2000 parents and tweens. Together, we will explore your child’s friendship issues, mood swings, confidence crises, technology habits, sibling rivalry, body image concerns, tricky behaviour and the road ahead.
You can purchase this book at: https://michellemitchell.org/tweens-book/
Greetings all,
The year is well and truly underway for all of us. Firstly, a great big welcome to all our Year 7 students and their families as you begin your journey through secondary education. We are thrilled to have you as a part of Middle School at Parklands, and I trust that your time with us is a blessing to you. A special welcome also to the new families to Parklands, and we pray that you are able (students and families) to find your place in our community. Our desire is to care for all our families in our college community, so we trust you feel welcome.
I have shared with our students and with staff my work for the year: Opportunity. Through the course of this year, I am going to reflect on this word and hopefully apply it to our journey as Middle School at Parklands. As I have shared with some students, they have such an amazing opportunity to learn and gain an education in Australia that many others their age around the world simply won’t have. Our blessing is immense in this country, and my goal will be to continually remind our students that they are blessed beyond measure. Through these reminders, we hope to raise a generation who begins to appreciate what they have and takes hold of the opportunities that are presented to them.
The education of your children is a partnership between school and home. Within the framework of the Parklands learning journey there is much communication which occurs from our school to home. We want to ensure that there are no surprises when it comes to your child’s education, and that we are informing you of their progress as much as possible.
Please feel free to communicate with teachers and myself whenever you have questions or concerns. All staff have an email address and are very happy to engage with parents. For Middle School parents and student, we have established the role of Year Level Coordinators (YLCs) in Years 7 and 8 to help facilitate effective communication. Below are the YLCs for Middle School, and I would encourage you to connect with them directly if you have queries.
Year 7: Mrs Alanah Braun
Email: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Year 8: Mr Daniel Millward
Email: dmaillward@parklands.qld.edu.au
There have been many different activities for the start-up of 2023 in Middle School. Year 7 and 8 ran through orientation programs to start the year, with getting-to-know-you games and school expectation sessions. Meanwhile, Year 9 started their year on camp, enjoying the outdoors of Bornhoffen in the Gold Coast Hinterland.
All students have been assigned textbooks, timetables, and MacBooks for Year 7 and new students, and have been guided through how to use of all of these. We will be helping students to navigate diaries and calendars regarding assessment and homework dates and working with them to develop good organisation habits.
Shortly, there will be an email listing the assessments for the term. It would be useful to have this printed out and placed in a highly visible area in the house – the fridge door often works. We would encourage you to talk with your children regarding their organisation and get them used to a routine of marking off tasks when they are completed. This allows you to stay informed of where your child is at and helps to encourage those organisational skills at home.
I am looking forward to the great opportunities that our loving God will place before us this year. As we continue this journey together for 2023 let us strive to become all that He wants us to be, and look give our best as God would want us to.
Blessings
Mr Colin Elvery
A very warm welcome to our Year One 2023 families!
We are so blessed to have your children in our care this year and we can already tell we are going to have so much fun in Year One!
It has been a very busy start to the year, especially with our swimming program. The children have done an amazing job settling in and their behaviour on the bus and at the pool has been wonderful.
We have had a wonderful introduction to our Specialist lessons and are looking forward to the extra learning opportunities we will have each week.
Over the next few weeks, we will be focussing on class expectations and reviewing key concepts in Literacy and Math as we get to know the children.
We have started our HASS unit about Family Histories and are looking forward to discovering more about the past.
Until next time, take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Auld, Mrs Mane and Mrs S
We were so blessed to welcome 60 brand new Year Two students on January 23rd, 2023! Our year has started off beautifully as we learn all the ins and outs of being a Year Two student at Parklands Christian College. The students have shared with us their knowledge gained in Year One through diagnostic assessments and have also shared about their adventures over the Christmas holiday. This year we are blessed to have new teachers on campus and exciting classes to enrich our lives: Australian Sign Language, Music, Technology, Drama, Dance, Health, and Library classes! Year Two has one more week of swimming classes and then we will settle into a routine of learning, laughter, and love. We are looking forward to growing plants in science and measuring them as they sprout, just as we are looking forward to watching our students grow in God’s love (and measuring them as they go!)
Welcome to Year 3! We are so excited to be able to teach your child this year and to get to know you all better. We are looking forward to a wonderful year as students begin their journey in Upper Primary and all it means to start to be a leader in the Primary school.
We had a super busy but also super fun first week back at school! Our first day was filled with getting to know each other, touring the school, and playing some games. We found each other’s names in a mega find a word, began colouring a personalised bookmark to use this year as we transition to reading longer books and had fun finding all our favourite places in the school as well as seeing a few changes.
We continued the fun during the week with some fun games, including bullrush and heads down thumbs up. We started our journey of learning times tables with some singing and multiplication rotations. We also had fun writing about ourselves as we explored using paragraphs in our writing, which is another big focus for Year 3.
Of course a major highlight was our swimming lessons. The weather has been perfect to cool off in the pool and swimming is always so much fun, as well as learning some skills that we really need to be safe when you live in our climate. Year 3 always love CLS and we started the year with the creation story and a cute craft. It was a great way to end our week.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year of learning, developing our leadership skills, and just plain having fun together. We appreciate all the parents’ help this week with swimming, school supplies and just introducing yourself. We are looking forward to an awesome year together, thanks for a fabulous start!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renée Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
STEM (incorporating science, technology, engineering and maths) is a wonderful opportunity to work collaboratively and creatively. Students can learn how to deal with frustration when things don’t go as planned and how to persist at tough challenges and work together to come up with multiple solutions to problems.
It was wonderful to see all of the different solutions to the problem of how to build a 1m free-standing paper tower using only paper and sticky tape. There was lots of excitement and high-fives when students achieved their goals.
We have also started learning AUSLAN. Students love being able to sign the alphabet and their names. It will be exciting to see their proficiencies improving and being able to use sign language to communicate within the classroom.
Dear Parklands Community,
Welcome back to the 2023 Academic Year. Despite the busyness of construction on our site, we were able to welcome our students back to school without any real disruption or delay. Do you remember how we started school this time last year? Thankfully this year has been a much smoother start for us all, and we were able to start the year with a full complement of staff, and no lockdowns!
This year we welcomed 823 students from Prep to Year 12. We have a new classroom in our library now which helps us accommodate an extra class in Year 7, and our Prep renovations meant that we could have another class of preppies. We are all very excited about these changes and we all look forward to seeing our new students flourish at Parklands.
It’s also very exciting to see the progress our builders have made during the holiday break. Both buildings in our new Primary Precinct are almost ready for a second-storey concrete slab pour. There are also a lot of other projects happening at the moment. Most of our primary school buildings received a new external coat of paint and a new colour scheme which I think looks great. Our Health Bay is just waiting for its cabinetry, and Student Services staff are working admirably as they manage to work out of the foyer of the Library. We now have 3 Prep classrooms with additional modifications and improvements to come throughout the year. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Parklands community.
Currently we are trialling a new Collect & Go procedure of an afternoon in the Primary School. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we refine this process. Thanks for all the feedback and ideas so far, keep the constructive comments coming as we work toward a procedure that is safe and efficient. We are all on the same side here, and all trying to improve our circumstances for the betterment of our students and their families. Shade is on the way for students who are waiting to be collected. Remember, if it’s raining we will revert to collecting students directly from classrooms.
In this season of change, it will be important to be patient and communicating effectively. We are trying our hardest to keep everyone in our community informed. Change is sometimes a little hard to adjust to, and often it is the adults that struggle the most. I love the resilience of children as they quickly assimilate change and adjust to new patterns and ways of working. If your child seems a little lost as the year begins, please politely reach out to a teacher or Head of School. We love working with children and helping them overcome obstacles big and small.
When communicating with the staff at Parklands, please do so with kindness. My staff choose to work in the ministry of Parklands because they love children and want to see them become all that God wants them to be. Children are helped best when home and school are in alignment and communicating effectively, and when relationships are nurtured and when people are valued. We want the very best for each child and their family. Every teacher, teacher aide, ground staff, cleaners, and finance staff are committed to the care of our community and we believe that God has hand-picked His staff for this time and season. Let’s appreciate those who are trying to serve, and build them up as often as we can. Anything less is counter-productive.
Proverbs 15:1 states “A soft word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”. If we are truly interested in achieving positive outcomes for our children, we need to pay attention to, and invest in the relationships with Parklands staff. Let’s approach problems as a puzzle that both teacher and parent can solve together. And let’s trust in the professionalism and experience of classroom staff as they nurture learning and love our children.
I look forward to working with our community this year. I am committed to encouraging and building one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11) this year, and investing in good relationships that lead to positive outcomes for our students.
Thanks for choosing Parklands, and for the privilege of partnering with your family. And if I haven’t seen you already, I look forward to seeing you around our campus soon.
Gary Cully
Principal
On behalf of the primary school, I warmly welcome families to the 2023 school year. I trust your family enjoyed some quality time together over the holiday season. Every member of our community is a valued part of the Parklands Family and we look forward to partnering with you as we work together to care for your children and provide a quality Christian education that inspires them to flourish, to love God, and to love others as themselves. We particularly welcome the many new students to Parklands, especially our little learners starting their school journey in Prep. Having personally experienced the Parklands culture of care, I am confident that if not already, you will soon feel connected within our school community. At Parklands, we have dedicated Christian teachers who analyse academic data and spend time collaborating to plan research-based, inspiring classroom learning experiences to engage students in learning.
Although I work as a school leader, I am firstly a teacher, who loves being around children, and working with staff to facilitate children’s development. As such, you will see me out and about the school grounds, and regularly in classrooms. Effective teacher-parent-student relationships are important in this partnership, and I encourage parents to connect with me, when possible, even just for a quick hello and chat. Additionally, I am a mother to Callum, 22, who is currently living the Northern Territory, and Corey 20, who lives at home with my husband Jeff, Stella (our Staffie) and I. I have had the privilege of supporting the setup of a kindergarten while on a mission trip to the New Life Orphanage in Myanmar and look forward to future opportunities to serve on such trips. In 1 Peter 4 we read that through the strength God provides, to “use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” in order to bring praise and Glory to Him. It is an honour to serve here at Parklands and if I have not yet met you, I look forward to meeting you soon.
I look forward to seeing you at the Back to School BBQ on Thursday 2 February from 5pm,. This event provides a great opportunity to partner with your children’s classroom teachers and be informed about their learning journey. Please do not worry if you have children in multiple grades as handouts containing pertinent information will be distributed so you can prioritise your evening. The purpose of these sessions is to provide an overview of the year ahead, and an introduction to classroom teachers, and their expectations for the class. Discussions on individual students and their progress will occur during the official parent teacher interviews or by arranging an appointment with the teacher.
Thank you for your support and feedback as we trial this new afternoon procedure which has been requested by parents for many years. Thank you for your patience in working together to create a system that works for all. Should you wish to collect your children in years 1 to 6 at 3pm, prior to playtime, please remember to check in with your youngest child’s teacher.
Thank you for ensuring your children are wearing the correct uniform, including leather upper shoes, to school each day. Please note, you will not be notified of uniform infringements if you have communicated an explanation via a note, email or phone call. Please contact: uniformpass@parklands.qld.edu.au or 33804200.
Please make a time to meet with your child’s teacher should you require feedback regarding their Parklands journey. Classroom teachers are dedicated to working in partnership with you and are in the best position to support your children and intervene directly. That being said, please feel free to contact me, akingston@parklands.qld.edu.au, for additional support or should you feel an issue is unresolved.
I invite you to join staff and students on Wednesday afternoons at Primary Chapel. Playtime finishes at 2pm, with teachers and students making their way straight down to the church for approximately a 2:10 pm start. During this time, we praise God and celebrate student successes and His work at Parklands. Please note, there will be no primary chapel on Wednesday 1 February, but we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 8 February.
I pray that the start of the school year has been a blessed one for your families, as you send your older children back to school, and perhaps some of your children to school for the first time. May the peace of God be with you all these coming weeks as we do life together at Parklands. At church on Sunday, one of the leaders whom I have the pleasure of leading with at my previous school, asked me for my highlight of week one. My response to him was ‘as always the children’. I commend you, and the staff at Parklands, for the incredibly polite and respectful way children interact with each other and adults. It has filled my heart, to spend time with your children in classrooms, the playground and around our school. They are a credit to you and I look forward to getting to know each and every one of them. It is truly a privilege to be a part of a community where parents, teachers and students care for each other and strive to build positive relationships that support academic, social and spiritual growth. I’m very much looking forward to partnering with you.
Blessings,
Anne-Maree Kingston
It has been wonderful to have a normal start-up to the new academic year, with no lockdowns or delayed starts. Dare I say it is feeling like we are back to normal; it’s certainly how it should be with the sounds and hustle and bustle of students onsite in January.
Seniors had such a positive start last week, settling into orientation and their classes quickly. They also looked great, thank you so much for your support with the correct uniform. It’s such an important part of our whole school culture and approach, which in turn can assist our students with discipline and motivation and we just love getting on with the important business of learning.
During our orientation program, your child has been asked to think about their goals for the year ahead and to make some practical applications in getting organised for the year ahead. As we are into the second week of term, all seniors should have established a nightly study and revision routine, which will assist in the busy weeks ahead.
Academic success has much to do with well-developed study skills. Setting up and maintaining effective routines for study habits to take place is key. For some, the problem could be in getting organised to use time in a structured and planned manner. Thank you for supporting your children by talking through their goals and by ensuring there is a dedicated workspace and routine for study.
Senior students have been encouraged to use a diary and Home Class teachers will be checking these on a weekly basis. Your child may choose to use an App or some form of personal (paper-based) diary – either is fine.
Other areas to assist with being organised include:
Weekly Overviews + Due Dates + Resources
Your child can log into PAC from their school Google account
A snapshot of assessment due dates emailed home early in each term. Please note, this can be subject to change. PAC will have the most up-to-date information.
For live and up-to-date information on key dates, E.g events, accessible through your child’s account.
We encourage your child to immerse themselves into the life of the College. Recently, an outline of many before, during, and after school clubs and tutorial sessions was emailed to families and students. These include a variety of free programs run by Secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
Please note that you will need to use the link in this document to register and provide permission for your child’s attendance at these activities. One of the many and varied workshops is Zenith Club, run on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons 3:30pm-4:30pm and coordinated by Mrs Rhoda Crook and supervised by a variety of teachers. Your child may request to have a particular teacher meet at Zenith, when requiring extra support.
Year 10 and Year 11 students are able to request a change of subject up until this coming Friday 3rd February, after which subjects are locked in for the semester.
If your child is feeling unsure about their academic pathway, please encourage them to speak with Mrs Liz Lenton (Careers & VET Coordinator), their Home Class teachers, Miss Julia Matthews (Year 10 Coordinator), Mrs Dianne Furlonger (Year 11 Coordinator), or myself.
We are passionate about senior students knowing there are options and to be in a pathway that matches their interest, skillset and ability – so they can work towards their God given potential.
I trust that your child has had a positive start to the year, is getting organised and set up for success and finds that balance between academic demands, involvements in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Rebecca Wallis
Head of Senior School
Do you feel loved when someone offers to take you out for a coffee? Or what about if they clean your house? Maybe if they straight out let you know that they love you? Knowing someone’s love language allows us the secret to making the people we care about know that we love them. What about your kids? How do they express and receive love?
As we head into the holidays and time with our families, consider how you can let your children know how you feel about them. If your child responds to words of affirmation, actions will not speak louder than words. Just by hearing the words ‘I love you’ can instantly make them feel loved. The words of affirmation child loves to be complimented and to hear that they are doing a good job and how. Maybe write them a note and let them know that you love them and what it is that you love about them.
A quality time person feels loved when they have your undivided attention. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like sitting down with them and asking them how they are. You may like to consider taking your child/ren out for a milkshake or baby chino, just you and them, or setting aside a time when they can choose the activity. It doesn’t have to cost a thing, even a walk or a trip to the park. Either way it’s about saying I’m making time to for you.
Perhaps your child responds well to receiving gifts. This does not necessarily mean that you need to be continually buying them things to let them know that you love them. This child loves the thoughtfulness and care behind a gift, so it may be picking a flower for them or making them something simple such as a card or scrap book of memories. Even though it may drive you crazy at times, let your child keep mementos from special occasions like napkins or stones. Whatever it may be, it’s simply something that says I was thinking about you.
If your child is an acts of service person then hopefully they will recognise your love for them every day in all that you do for them! But acts of service does not necessarily mean you have to do everything for them. Make your acts of service personal to this child. Perhaps cooking their favourite meal just for them or help them out with their assigned chore. You might like to work on building something together. This child feels loved when you take the time to do something as an act of love specifically for them.
To the child who experiences love through physical touch it’s pretty straightforward – nothing says I love you like cuddles, kisses, back rubs or holding their hand. But what about as your child becomes a teenager and suddenly your kisses and hugs seem unwanted or awkward to them? Especially in public! Because this child still experiences love by physical touch it’s important not to stop doing these things, but instead keep it age appropriate. When you are talking to your child sit next to them, maybe put your arm around them or rub them on the back. Physical presence is vital for this child.
To find out more about the 5 love languages, or to take the quiz to find out what your child’s love language is go to http://www.5lovelanguages.com/
I thought I’d include a link to ‘5 Principles to Stay Safe Online’ resource for parents that you can share.
I’d also like to include a link to ‘Parent Cyber Safety Hub’ program. I have personally completed training through Parent Hub and highly recommend it.
The Power of Listening
Ring a bell, a wind chime, or anything else that creates a long trailing sound. Ask each child to listen, and silently raise their hand when they can no longer hear the sound. After the ringing ends, ask the children to continue listening to any other sounds they can hear for the next minute. When the minute ends, go around the room asking everyone to tell you what sounds they heard.
Reach Out Worry Time Helps control anxiety by scheduling worry so that it is confined to a specific time each day. (Free)
MindShift Includes strategies to relax and develop more helpful ways of thinking. (Free)
UniThrive Includes self-care notices, gratitude and a relaxation centre (free).
@ppreciate Promotes good self-esteem and positive communication between young people.
Bully Beater Assists teenagers to develop the skills needed to overcome a bully.
Friend Maker Assists teenagers to develop skills needed to make and keep a friend.
Have a safe and happy Christmas and we look forward to 2023!
As another school year comes to a close, I would like to congratulate all of our senior students. It has been a rewarding year and a delight to work alongside each student. It has been a busy close to another academic year, with many special events taking place. The following are some highlights.
The secondary Awards Night was a time of celebration, for students and families, of individual achievements for the academic year.
Of special mention are our trophy recipients as follows:
Christlikeness Award: Georgia Devine & Yafet Muluberhan
Dux: Florentina Mariuta
Principals Award: Ella Harbourn
Christlikeness Award: Zoe Harwood & Sean Menkens
Dux: April Holmes
Principals Award: Kashish Kashish
Vocational Excellence Award: Abbey Sullivan
Christlikeness Awards: Abigail Devine & Joel Mitchell
Dux: Taimen Leau
Principals Award: Malvika Naidu
The Tierney Learning Enrichment Inspiration Award: Cooper Clark
Vocational Excellence Award: Zacary Brown
Senior Female Sports Person of the Year: Tayla Pinder
Senior Male Sports Person of the Year: Ethan Jackson
Congratulations to all our awards recipients and to every senior student on their achievements, of whom we are very proud as they continue to work towards everything that God intends them to be.
We have also welcomed in our new student leadership for 2023. A very warm congratulations to the following students.
College Captains: Ezekiel Crawford & Georgette Grounds
College Vice Captains: Kashish Kashish & Lily Robertson
Arts Captains: Shania Dean, Belle Doolan & Cambria Rivers
Outreach Captains: Isabelle Rose Abolins & Sandy Marsh
Community Captains: Megan Ballantine, Elisabeth Blandford & Isaac Prevett
Academic Captains: Zoe Harwood, Charlotte Rauwendaal & Max Williams
Joshua Sports House Captains: Hudson Hunt & Rachel Swinn
Samuel Sports House Captains: Helena Costin & Eligh Goodwin
We have farewelled the graduating “Class of 2022” who have been a wonderful class of seniors to work alongside. It’s been a huge journey, totalling thirteen years of formal education. There have been countless extracurricular activities that have formed a well-rounded experience of school life combined with the huge task of completing senior school. I have once again admired the resilience of our graduates who have had the determination to push through to the end of Year 12. Well done graduates! And, a special mention to all our families and the PCC team, who have contributed to the journey of each young person as they embark of life after school! We pray they seek God’s direction to lead their future paths.
To finish, we celebrated with the Year 12 formal at Sirromet Winery on Friday 18th November. It was a wonderful evening of celebration, as I’m sure you can see from the photos.
After a very busy and productive academic year for all, happy summer holidays!
Prayers for a blessed Christmas season with your families and I very much look forward to seeing you all in 2023.
May God bless you and keep you so abundantly,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
Bus Queensland is making a number of changes to schools’ runs for Term 1 2023 that may impact your child’s travel arrangements. A list of these changes can be found at https://www.busqld.com.au/school. If you have any concerns or queries, please contact us at customers@busqld.com.au or 3802 1233.
Cricket Blast Flyer – All schools
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
Wow, how this year has flown by! It seemed like just the other day I was welcoming this year’s Prep students and parents to the school for the first time. By the time you read this article the academic year will be finished and Christmas soon upon you.
Can I say we have had a much better year than 2021 with less COVID interruptions and quarantine or working from home throughout this year! We certainly have learned to adapt, be flexible and just make it happen.
I wish to take this opportunity, to thank the amazing Primary Staff (teachers and teacher aides) for their tremendous effort, dedication, kindness, care and support again this year!
Apart from all the ‘usual’ fun class teaching, sporting carnivals and great events, here are some features and highlights for the year:
In preparing for 2023, can we please ask that you allow the teachers, who only want the BEST for and who know your child here at school, to place them in the care of the right teacher next year? This ‘student placement process’ is taken very seriously and is extremely inclusive and involved taking into consideration factors like: academic ability & rigour, student & teacher personalities & character, social / behavioural and emotional factors, friendships, gender ratios etc.!
In the New Year, students will receive an informative “Welcome Letter” from their new 2023 class teacher notifying them as to which class they will be in. Thank you for not putting in any requests for staff or students and for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard.
Thank you everyone for your flexibility, understanding and support in making it through 2022. We wish you everything of the very best for the Christmas Season and an enjoyable, safe holiday!
I will miss seeing you all on Monday the 23rd January 2023 for the start of a fantastic New Year.
Until next we meet, blessings
Grant Jakins (Mr. J)
Our library volunteers who had contributed for five or more days throughout the year, had a Thank You celebration. Each child received a small gift of a book, a ball or a drink bottle, and enjoyed chips, chocolate and candy canes.
Throughout 2022, 127 children offered their assistance in the library, either shelving, labelling, sharpening pencils, stamping books, manning the Circulation Desk, tidying or helping make displays. Thank you, wonderful children, your work is always appreciated.
2022 Top Borrowers:
Blessings for you and your family this Christmas from the Library staff, Emma and Aaron.
Dear Parklands Community,
At the conclusion of the 2022 Academic Year, and the start of the Christmas Season, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a safe holiday break. I pray that the peace of God descends on your family and gives you all a time of rest amongst the busy Christmas celebrations.
For some of us the Christmas holiday is short. The commitments of work often require us to balance family time with work schedules, and so I can appreciate that Christmas in some households is very busy affairs with tight timelines. For those families that struggle to take time out this holiday break, I hope you can find space to re-connect with those you love and find the blessing that comes from strong family connections.
Some families have to travel great distances at significant expense to see family, while others have to connect with loved ones online, or by phone in the hope that next Christmas allows them to be together again. No matter where your family is this year, let’s stay committed to re-connecting with those that matter most to us.
Many families will be using the Christmas break to get away, maybe even travel overseas. These adventures build memories that can be amazing investments in our family stories. Trips to the beach, overseas travel or a holiday with relative’s can give us special families memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. Many of my own favourite memories are those connected with an adventure during a holiday break.
No matter how your Christmas shapes up this year, we all need to intentionally slow down and connect, even if it’s just for a little while. God built us to work and rest. In an era where life is increasingly busy, intentional down time and good self-care needs to be well planned so our to do lists and work commitments don’t stop us from spending time with one another. Our children will appreciate their time with mum and dad, far more than anything else our busy lives can provide.
This holiday break let’s build in routines and traditions that celebrate family. The family unit is worth investing in, and our children will be the beneficiaries. Let’s pass on good family habits that create loving households that in turn produce loving and empathetic adults. This Christmas the best gift you can give is yourself. Be available and present as often as you can and prioritise your relationships.
This Christmas, I will be joining my Church family in celebration of the birth of Jesus. My children will also be present as we remember God’s most precious gift to humanity, His Son. I invite all of our families to join us at Parklands Christian Centre this season on 25th December at 9:00am and celebrate Christmas as part of a larger family and join with many other families who choose to connect and celebrate in this way.
May God bless you this Christmas. I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.
Gary Cully
Principal
Parklands Christian Centre
The Birth that Changed the World – Christmas Morning Service
Sunday 25th December – 9:00am
1 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge
Year 3 had an awesome end to the year. Although it is always sad to say bye to each other, we spent our last week having fun and making memories together. A huge thank you to all our parents who have helped us this year – we could not do it without you.
One of the highlights for the end of the year was our excursion to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where we saw and interacted with all types of animals. The weather was beautiful and it was a lovely day of learning about God’s creation and having fun together.
We also loved spending time outside playing some different outdoor games. We got out skipping ropes, played bocce and finska and tried out a new game called Viking Chess! We versed each other on handball and some enjoyed just having the playground to ourselves.
We loved all of our Christmas crafts and we never tired of hearing the Christmas story and being reminded of all Jesus did for us by coming to earth. We even enjoyed some Christmas Trivia and were surprised by how much we knew about one of the best holidays of the year.
We hope you have a safe and blessed holiday. We have had a great year together and are so proud of each student and all they have achieved this year. We look forward to what they do as they continue on their journey in Upper Primary. Merry Christmas!
This month marks the closure of a long and gruelling journey for the year 6s: graduation from primary school. Without doing a recap of the last seven years of their education, we just want to say that we are incredibly proud of our students and they have finished the race well.
They have been prepared for high school with the middle school assessment processes being implemented and they have travelled together as a cohort well.
One of our final assessment pieces, and possibly the most engaging, was the final English unit. This term students had to write an Exposition on one of the topics below and then apply their thinking in a debate.
We had some fantastic listeners and speakers during the debate! We’re also proud to share the exposition that was written by Jonica Harbottle. She has powerfully argued that books are better than movies. You will find below a copy of her text at the end of this article. Well done Jonica! You have a bright future ahead of you, as do all of the students who study smarter, not harder, and take on teacher feedback.
It has been a pleasure to teach this cohort in 2022 and we look forward to more adventures in 2023 and beyond.
God bless,
Mr. Ashley and Mrs. Foster
Primary Sports Awards is a great opportunity to look back on the year in sport and celebrate students achievements in 2022. We looked back over our 3 carnivals and recognised our age champions and district representatives as well as our house competitions from the year.
We acknowledged our students’ team sports through USL and CSSAQ and handed out our Best and Fairest, Coaches Award and Emerging Player Trophies. We also had our Sports Service and Team Culture awards, as well as our big 3, Primary Sportsman, Sportswoman and the new Lion Heart awards. Well done to all students who participated in sport this year and we look forward to next year.
Primary Sportsman – Oliver Reise
Primary Sportswoman – Charlotte Tam
Lion Heart Award – Oliver Reise
Each year we celebrate the students’ achievements in sport. We acknowledge students’ work rate, growth, service, willingness to learn and show appreciation to all staff and coaches for their input. We had Richard Thompson, who is the world record holder for the ultra triathlon, speak to the values of the college and the importance of being part of a pride. We handed out our Best and Fairest, Coaches Award and Emerging player trophies as well as recognising sport service and team culture recipients.
Our Major Award winners were for Sportsperson of the year as well as the new Lionheart Award.
Junior Sportsman – Luke Unwin
Junior Sportswoman – Mercedes Barallon
Senior Sportsman – Ethan Jackson
Senior Sports Woman – Tayla Pinder
Junior Lionheart – Ashtyn Jackson
Senior Lionheart – Tomas Clarke
WEEK 1: MONDAY 9/1/23 10.00am – 4.00pm, TUESDAY 10/1/23 10.00am – 4.00pm and THURSDAY 12/1/23 10.00am – 4.00pm.
WEEK 2: MONDAY 16/1/23 10.00am – 4.00pm, TUESDAY 17/1/23 10.00m – 4.00pm, THURSDAY 19/1/23 10.00am – 4.00pm.
To book an appointment please go to:
https://calendly.com/uniforms/uniform-back-to-school-appointments
1. Choose your date and time then click Confirm.
Please do not book more than 3 appointment time slots per family.
2. Enter your name, email address and contact phone number then click Schedule Event.
3. Your appointment time will be emailed to you automatically.
(Check your junk mail folder if you do not receive your email).
4. To Schedule another Event for additional times, repeat process
5. To Cancel or Reschedule appointments – click on the link in your confirmation email.
Uniform Shop Location Address/Parking:
24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge Qld 4125 (located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest road).
For further information please contact Michelle Secret
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available until sold out. As from January 2021, we no longer accepted any more second hand uniforms, but we have been selling existing secondhand stock. (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Susie Meddleton smeddleton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Check our FB page for secondhand stock info and uniform shop related updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page/PCCUniforms
Uniforms can be purchased online through QuickCliq.com.au
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
As we approach the Christmas season, it is fitting to reflect on that this is a season of remembering the reason He sent His Son, & there is so much music around to remind us of this. In our final lessons of the term, many students enjoyed playing these Christmas carols & songs, and maybe some of them will bring joy to you, their families, at Christmas by playing for you. So many good ways to enjoy music!
All Instrumental music lessons have finished for term 4. Private & shared lessons will resume in Week 2 of Term 1 2023, and our 2023 Give It A Go! students will begin soon after. 2022 Give It A Go! students who wish to continue learning in 2023 will need to complete an Enrolment form & return it to Students Services. Students who are already having private or shared lessons do not need to re-enrol, as their enrolments will roll over automatically into 2023. If your child wishes to withdraw from lessons in 2023, you need to notify us in writing by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au by 31 Dec 2022.
All Band & Choir rehearsals have finished for 2022 but will resume early in 2023, although there may be some changes to the 2022 schedule. You will be notified as soon as this is confirmed. Look out for some exciting performance opportunities in 2023!
It’s been so wonderful to hear our 2022 Give It A Go! students throughout this year, and now to see so many wanting to continue in 2023! If there are still students who wish to continue learning in 2023 & beyond, they can enrol for private or shared lessons and, while we will need most of the College instruments for next year’s Give It A Go! students, there may be some College instruments available for hire. Please contact us on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au if you wish to enquire about this option.
Our 2023 Give It A Go! Band Programme is taking a slightly new shape, which is tremendously exciting! We are very pleased to announce that we are expanding to include String instruments for the first time in 2023! There are still places available for all instruments; please contact us on the above address if you have misplaced your enrolment form & we will send you another.
Instruments on offer in the new & improved Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Concert Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & keyboard percussion)
– Violin – *NEW IN 2023*
– Viola – *NEW IN 2023*
– Cello – *NEW IN 2023*
– Double Bass – *NEW IN 2023*
Finally, THANKYOU, as parents & families of our music students, for the support you give your children & the sacrifices you make for them. Getting up to be at school early for rehearsal isn’t always easy, so we just wanted to take this opportunity to recognise your contribution to your child’s success. It takes a team & you’re a very important part of it, so again – THANKYOU!
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. If your child is in Year 4 in 2023 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled generally during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Group lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano & voice. Lessons are again scheduled generally during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College.
The OSHC service caters for children from Prep to Year 12, operating before and after school care and also vacation care. Prep children who are starting their first year of schooling are able to attend vacation care commencing January 2023. Before-school care offers a simple but nutritious breakfast for the children and activities and programs are based on the children’s interests, ideas and feedback. During the school term, the service operates daily from: 6.30am-8.30am, and 3pm-6pm (with office staff available from 2pm). Vacation Care runs from 6.30am-6pm.
Parklands OSHC has qualified educators and is an open-door service that welcomes and encourages all family’s input, suggestions and feedback.
Should you wish to discuss any care needs, please pop in to see us or contact us via:
Phone. 3297 0577 \ 0417 009 408
Email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com
Please note a current enrolment is required for all bookings including casual and emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Miss Rachel
Parklands OSHC
Congratulations to all our award recipients at our Annual Secondary Sports Awards
The new Parent Lounge Portal will be gradually rolled out throughout November. The Parent Lounge is to provide transparency between the classroom and home and to help parents stay actively involved in their child’s journey with easy access to student, academic and calendar information. You will receive an email with access information over the coming weeks. Not all families will receive access at the same time – it’s a gradual roll out.
It has been a great month at Cubing Club this month! We got some new speed cubes as well as some timers. This has meant that those students who can now solve their cubes, are able to practice getting better times and racing each other to solve the cube. These are the first steps to holding a PCC Cubing Competition which we are hoping will take place in 2023.
I have been impressed with many of our younger Cubers who have been persevering with learning to solve the cube. It is a long process that takes a lot of practice and there are a lot of younger students making progress each week and showing us their resilience and perseverance skills!
This month we also started a Staff Cubing Club where some of our teachers have begun learning to solve the Cube. It has opened up some great teacher/student competition as to who will learn to solve the cube first.
We are looking forward to our end of year Cubing Club celebration and also learning some things we can do over the holidays to continue our Cubing journey!
Cube On!
Dayna Davis
Year 1 has enjoyed the first half of term 4 and has been super busy.
We kicked off the term with some fun and engaging lessons about Sound and Light. We particularly enjoyed learning about how soundwaves move through water and how the amount of water in a glass can affect the sounds that we hear.
Art lessons have been super colourful this term and we love rolling our sleeves up and experimenting with paint. We are a talented bunch of artists!
We are looking forward to Carols Night and can’t wait to sing for you.
Until next time, take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Brown, Mrs Mane, Mrs S and Year 1!
What a month October has been! It is easy to tell that Christmas is on its way with so much happening at school and out of school. This month, Year 3 have been excited to start our Christmas celebrations during CLS. Each week we have been learning about a different part of the Christmas story and then creating a craft that relates to the story. We have made angels, stars, donkeys and our favourite one was decorating nativity cookies! We are looking forward to more Christmas celebrations over the coming weeks.
All of the students enjoy literacy groups each week and this term we have focused on literacy games and how much more we learn when we have fun doing it! The students have also built their knowledge and stamina for spelling during group time. Plus everything is more fun with friends!
The start of gymnastics this month has been another favourite activity for Year 3. Each week in PE, students have been using new skills (and new muscles) by participating in gymnastics sessions. Although it is hard work, it is rewarding and another great way to stretch themselves (no pun intended).
The next few weeks will be extremely busy as we head into our end of year assessment as well as end of year celebrations. We are looking forward to having loads of fun together in the coming month!
Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renee Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
The Year 4 students have definitely proven that they really enjoy stem challenges. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and is meaningful way for children to consolidate learning and make discoveries and best of all … it is lots of fun. Last week we made towers that had to be free standing, one metre tall and resist a ‘gentle’ breeze. We must admit that the teachers enjoyed making the ‘gentle’ breezes to try and push the towers over. These towers could be made from scrap paper, paddle pop sticks and masking tape. It was particularly pleasing to see how the children manipulated the materials together to reinforce their structures.
This week we made chairs to hold a stuffed toy. The guidelines were that it was once again free standing, be stable enough to remain standing with the addition of the toy and be made from only scrap paper and masking tape. The real challenge however, was that the students only had 2 metres of tape. The children quickly learnt that tape was a very precious commodity and had to be very carefully used. The groans as chairs collapsed and the happy dances as chairs held the weight was the joy of hands on learning ringing through the rooms. In the next few weeks the challenge will be to build a free standing bridge that will hold the weight of a toy bump truck, so yes, there is more fun ahead.
As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, teachers are continuing to work on setting up our new learning management system, Schoolbox, which will replace a number of existing systems next year. The full launch will be in 2023 and so trialing has commenced with some of the features of Schoolbox and with some classes this term. If your child’s class is involved in the trial, please enjoy your sneak preview of the platform and let us know your thoughts.
As I write this newsletter article, the Year 12’s are in the midst of completing final assessment, tutorials and their external examinations.
Year 12 recently shared a breakfast to mark the beginning of their three week exam block. They also had some prayer with each other and staff. Thank you to the Year 10 and 11 Hospitality students and staff who had an extra early morning and helped prepare breakfast!
Year 12 is a challenging year and we are very proud of how our seniors are conducting and applying themselves to their studies. We continue to uphold them in our prayers at this busy time.
Shortly, Year 11 families will receive a home communication update on their Year 11 child’s progress for Units 1 and 2, with a forecast of their credits and eligibility for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), or Queensland Certificate of Independent Achievement (QCIA) across Units 1-4.
The new QCE system is rigorous and as such, we strongly promote and encourage all senior students to be committed to their studies and to understand that whilst undertaking full-time study, schooling must be their first priority. We also encourage a study routine that incorporates daily revision, along with the completion of work – both class and assessment based.
Please know that first and foremost we care about each individual student. Where needed, we can provide you and your child with further individual advice, support with study strategies and options for changes to their Senior College pathways. Please let your child’s Home Class teacher, Mrs Elizabeth Lenton (Careers & Vocational Coordinator), Mrs Abby Dixon-Sali (Year 10 Coordinator) or myself know if this would be helpful.
We are so proud of our Year 10’s and how much they have grown since their first day of Senior College. On Monday 14th to Friday 18th November, Year 10’s are only required to attend school during exams and scheduled assessment items that they are currently enrolled in. This is a step to help them transition into preparing for their senior External Assessments (EAs).
Thank you for looking out for this home communication and for returning the attached Study-At-Home form. Student attendance during the last weeks of classes is crucial. The “Study at Home Permission” notes are due back by the 11 November and assist in the non-accrual of absences. A reminder, QCAA only allows 10 unexplained absences per year and unexplained absences can place a student at risk of not graduating that year level.
Students will also have the option of coming to school during sessions, where they have no assessment, to complete work in one of the allocated study rooms.
If you have any questions about Year 10, Mrs Abby Dixon-Sali (Year 10 Coordinator) will be able to assist you with any enquiries.
Absence for Examinations
A reminder, students in Years 10-12 who are absent for an examination MUST have a medical certificate, dated the day of their exam, to explain their absence. For Year 12, QCAA request more detail than “unfit for duty”. In Year 12, the medical certificate must include multiple days (if your child misses more than one examination). Please contact the College if you have any questions on this matter.
Where did the year go? With just a few short weeks before the end of the academic year, life is very busy for our seniors as they finalise end of year assessment
On 14 – 18 November, Year 12 have their compulsory final days of activities. Each day entails important rehearsals for Awards Night and Graduation morning. There are also guest speakers and some really fun outside activities planned for our seniors, to enjoy their final school week. A Year 12 home communication, with further detail, is scheduled to be sent home shorty.
We look forward to celebrating all of our students at the upcoming Awards Night ceremony on Tuesday 15 November. This is a compulsory evening to celebrate all achievements for the academic year. In exceptional circumstances, when attendance is not possible, a written explanation should be submitted to Student Services.
Students are asked to arrive at the Baskerville Sports Centre by 6:45pm. Seniors need to wear their winter academic uniform. We look forward to celebrating with all of our secondary students.
The Year 12’s will be graduating from the College in a Graduation ceremony on 18 November. This will be a time in which the whole College acknowledges the work and dedication of their formal education and celebrates and blesses them as they depart secondary school. The morning celebration continues with a morning tea prior to an early departure, to prepare for their formal evening.
So, it is a very busy yet rewarding time of year. On behalf of all the Secondary team, we are praying for your children as they complete final assessment. Prayers for motivation; to finish off strongly, for good health, for wise decisions about sleep and healthy food, and for thoughts to be recalled with ease in their examinations.
If you have any questions, please contact me through Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
The new Parent Lounge Portal will be gradually rolled out throughout November. The Parent Lounge is to provide transparency between the classroom and home and to help parents stay actively involved in their child’s journey with easy access to student, academic and calendar information. You will receive an email with access information over the coming weeks. Not all families will receive access at the same time – it’s a gradual roll out.
As part of the Year 9 Visual Arts Program, students are required to design and create an assemblage sculpture relating to the concept of environmental issues.
Today, students had the opportunity to go on a short excursion to a local Op-Shop, called “Reverse Garbage”. They attended a workshop where they learned the concept of “Reduce, Recycle, Reuse” and manipulated unusual recycled materials. Students also had the opportunity to buy materials that could be used to communicate their chosen environmental issues. This was a fun and new experience for them to be inspired and innovative.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
My name is Pippa Campbell. I’m in Year 12 and I had the privilege to join the On Country team this year. As teenagers we are comforted by our day-to-day life but On Country, we are put into a challenging environment being faced with cultural shock and hard manual labor. For most of us it was an environment that we were unfamiliar with. However with the amazing support from our teachers, mentors and peers we were all able to create a safe space to grow and push ourselves.
This trip gave all of us the opportunity to utilize our strengths for the greater good of helping another community. It was amazing to see how each person could fulfill a role that they excelled in whether it was physical labor, creativity, organization, there was always a place for everyone to help.
It is an amazing opportunity for students and upcoming leaders to showcase their leadership skills and abilities to connect with those around them within the community and serve. Having groups being more student led allowed us to really step up, each of us not only had a chance to lead in some way but also be servant leaders in committing to each job we were given with passion and drive.
The grade 12s had the ability to showcase their new skills and aspects of leadership they had learnt through their year of being leaders and captains, being an amazing end to our year. And for the grade 11s and 10s it was the perfect place to step up and demonstrate their strengths and skills that they could bring into their senior years of being role models and possible captains.
A day that I really saw passion and leadership in this group was a day where we came across a new challenge. On day 3, we woke up to the rain and saw the Raw Crew and Mrs Young frantically trying to figure out what jobs we could do. They told us that one of our options was to work in the rain with old school tools instead of power tools, having seemingly little hope that we would pick that option. However almost everyone was super keen to get out in the rain and continue working. Looking at each young person singing and having fun in the rain while chopping up wood and digging holes was extremely heartwarming and really captured the drive this group has to help and lead through example. I am so proud of everyone who came on this trip, constantly helping, growing and learning, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to share it with.
Thank you,
Pippa Campbell, Year 12
As a teenager, I strive to take every opportunity that is presented to me so that I can enter life having already had amazing experiences that I will always remember and lessons that I can keep with me throughout my life. PCC’s On Country trip is one of those experiences. Not only did I form and deepen friendships with my peers, but I also had the privilege of learning about the history of the Gunggari Nation and its people from the beautiful elders who welcomed us into their lives and onto their home – or in Gunggari language, their ‘Yumba’.
Our time on the Yumba consisted of renovating the school that was built in 1934, doing cultural activities in men’s and women’s business such as weaving and eco-dying, engaging in meaningful
discussions with the aunties and uncles about the intricate history of their people, and sitting around the fire with friends, listening to the guitar and looking at the night sky. I can easily say that I have never seen that many stars in the sky at once. Even as I lay in my swag, ready for bed, I would often lie awake with the cover of my swag pushed aside so that I could watch the stars as I drift off to sleep. In the suburbs, you don’t often see many stars – about 10 to 15 – but every night on the Yumba, there were thousands upon thousands of stars. I honestly felt grateful to be able to experience a sight such as that, and it’s something I’ll never forget.
The mornings were just as beautiful. We woke up at 6 every morning for breakfast, and the morning sunrise that would greet us as we came out of our swags made me forget about the dirt and the
bugs and the fact that it was often about 8˚C. Personally, mornings have never been my favourite part of the day, but it certainly was on the Yumba. Plus, we had the added bonus of waking up next to some of our closest friends every morning, shivering as we’d walk to breakfast through the dewy grass, still half asleep but smiling through it.
We were our own community. I’ve never felt a more comfortable, safe, welcoming environment in which I knew I would be accepted as the most honest version of myself. Even with people who I hadn’t talked to at all before going on the trip, I felt totally comfortable because I knew we were all in the same boat. We all had travelled so far away from the consolations of home, slept on the cold, hard ground, shared the same bathroom, groaned about the mosquitoes etc, etc. Now, as I walk around school and can smile and wave at people who I hadn’t even previously noticed before, I find myself feeling so grateful for the On Country experience and the community that we have created.
Chanelle Young, Year 12
Dear Parklands Community,
Although there is still much to do as we work toward the end of the 2022 Academic Year, much of my attention is already directed towards plans for 2023. Right now our architect is finalising our Kindy project, and Prep renovations. We are making submissions for Stage 2 of the Primary Precinct that gives us our second set of primary classrooms. We are also preparing to slowly roll out our new learning management system, and countless minor projects that will allow for the smooth transition of the primary and middle school students into their new locations and promote good communication in our community. Although it will be an industrious season ahead, there is much to be excited about in the months and years to come.
Amidst the building and system changes at Parklands, we remain focused on our students. We are reviewing our lower primary class sizes, and will be implementing some structural changes to the way the Responsible Thinking Process is facilitated as an extra class is added to each cohort over the next 6 years. These types of reviews will be applied to many programs across the College as we learn from experience and find innovative ways to improve outcomes for the current and future students of Parklands.
As we grow and improve, it’s also vital that we acknowledge and care for the Parklands staff and the financial health of the College. Teacher wages are increasing over the next few years, and inflation and interest rates will require close monitoring and management. As such, school fees will increase in 2023 by approximately 6% in most cases. This increase will allow us to responsibly manage the financial needs of our school, and ensure our sustainability. We are confident that this fee increase is consistent with trends across the Independent School sector. Furthermore, we are proud to offer the same quality Christian Education our community has come to know and love, and still be one of the most affordable private schools in our region.
I am also excited to announce the resumption of our Outreach program to Cambodia. We are looking forward to sending a team of students aboard in 2023 and reconnect with our Cambodian friends. We are also planning of running and adults’ trip in the New Year so our parents, alumni and friends of Parklands can continue to learn and love through service. I pray that every participant on these trips is challenged and changed as God builds empathy and capacity through sacrifice and service.
Over the next few years, our College will slowly grow and develop, and it is an exciting time to be part of our community. I invite all our family to support the many initiatives that are taking place. Although it’s a busy season ahead, I am excited about how our community will grow and be enriched, and I pray that God will bless us all through the ministry of Parklands.
Gary Cully
Principal
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
Creativity in the hands of our students took to the stage on the evening of Wednesday the 19th of October with our Annual Arts Gala. This was a joyous time for the students to display their creative gifts and talents for friends and family.
The Chapel was transformed with a fantastic display of artwork as you entered the building. The display demonstrated colour and design from Years 1-12. Throughout the display were a collection of pieces that were up for silent auction. This was a new initiative from the Visual Art department and the students were successful in receiving some amazing bids.
The evening began with our Primary students who danced, sang, acted and played instruments on the stage to display the hard work they have been putting into their classes and clubs. The second half of the evening focussed on our Secondary students. During this time we were blessed by some amazing vocal, dramatic and musical talent. We were certainly blown away by the amazing voices of our Senior Music students with their solo pieces.
Thank you everyone who attended the evening to support the students. I’m sure you will agree with me that with the combination of choirs, bands, budding actors, solo singers, fantastic artwork, the evening was a great success.
Jaclyn Kelly
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College.
The OSHC service caters for children from Prep to Year 12, operating before and after school care and also vacation care. Prep children who are starting their first year of schooling are able to attend vacation care commencing January 2023. Before-school care offers a simple but nutritious breakfast for the children and activities and programs are based on the children’s interests, ideas and feedback. During the school term, the service operates daily from: 6.30am-8.30am, and 3pm-6pm (with office staff available from 2pm). Vacation Care runs from 6.30am-6pm.
Parklands OSHC has qualified educators and is an open-door service that welcomes and encourages all family’s input, suggestions and feedback.
We are now taking enrolments for the 2023 school year. To ensure availability for your child we suggest the prompt return of enrolment forms by 14th November to secure your care needs. Enrolment forms are available within the service or alternatively contact us and we will email you a 2023 Enrolment Pack.
Should you wish to discuss any care needs, please pop in to see us or contact us via:
Phone. 3297 0577 \ 0417 009 408
Email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com
Please note a current enrolment is required for all bookings including casual and emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Miss Rachel
Parklands OSHC
Term 4 is certainly flying by, I can’t believe we’re already halfway through! I usually fine that Term 4 is a bit of a blur of events, but in the busyness of events season, I like to remind myself that we are busy for happy reasons! Each year as we get to this point of the year, I love reflecting on the progress of the year, and how far our students have come. I count watching them grow and mature, little by little, as an incredible privilege of working with young people. I have loved working alongside your students this year, in a bit of a different capacity than my normal teaching duties, and I am so grateful for all the things I have learned from them.
We are currently in the process of selecting our 2023 Middle School Leaders! It’s been really heart-warming to read through the self-nomination forms, where current Year 8 students explained their hearts and hopes for leadership in the middle school. We look forward to the results of the staff voting on this, and to working with the successful candidates next year!
Coming up soon, we have a few key annual events that celebrate the growth of our students throughout 2022. We consider events such as Awards Night as an important acknowledgement of all our students; we love that every student has a moment in the spotlight as they cross the stage, where they are seen and known by the whole PCC community. As these are formal events, we ask that your student is in full and correct academic uniform – including haircuts.
Exam time is nearly here! Exam block for students in Years 7-9 will take place from Monday 21st November – Thursday 24th November. In Term 4, it is especially important that your student is present for their exams, as we don’t have any time after exam block to catchup anything missed, like we normally do in other terms where exam block is in the second last week of term. Of course, some absences like sickness can’t be avoided, but we ask that where possible you please ensure your student attends school on the days they have exams.
On the last day of school, we take all Middle School students to Wet & Wild to celebrate the end of the 2022 academic year! This is always a much-anticipated, fun and relaxed day with our middle school students. Look out for an email with all the details! Whilst the busyness of Term 4 can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, my encouragement to Middle School students at the moment comes from Matthew 11:28-29, which says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your souls”. My prayer for Middle School students in Term 4 is that they will learn from Jesus’ yoke of gentleness and humility; that in a season of busy, they will not grow weary but find rest in Him.
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
I cannot believe we have only got about 4 weeks left of school for 2022 – wow, how time has flown!
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Teacher Aides, Specialists, RTC & LE Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying about, working through and discussing the issues involved with student placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of student learning style, academic ability, student & staff personality, friendships, behavioural concerns, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process.
A reminder, we know the students at school and do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
The Parklands Christian College Awards Night ceremonies now resume after Covid restrictions have relaxed and will be taking place on the evening of Wednesday 16 November. This happens to be a week earlier than normally scheduled.
We’ll have the Prep to Yr. 2 Awards Night Ceremony from 6 – 7.15 pm in the Baskerville Sport Centre (BSC) and after dismissing these students and parents during the break / intermission, we’ll invite the Year 3-6 parents and students into the Baskerville Sport Centre to commence their Year 3-6 Awards Night ceremony starting at 7.30 – 8.30 pm. A more detailed Awards Night Letter for BOTH ceremonies will be forthcoming.
I know this year’s Awards Nights are going to be another tremendous highlight for us, not only because they will allow each and every student to be encouraged, rewarded and esteemed for their effort by walking across the stage to be presented with their certificates but also because we normally have so many parents joining us to celebrate their child’s achievements. This for us is such a blessing and what teaching is all about!
It’s also going to be wonderful to use the BSC for this event for the second time, as the auditorium has now become too small to house all those attending the events.
We plan to have a big Audio Visual screen and have professional photographers from MSP Photography present on the evening to capture your child’s celebratory moments. As a gift, the College will be providing parents with an electronic copy of the photo, details of how to access this will be emailed at a later date.
Please clearly label all uniform items as well as lunchbox and water bottles with your child’s first and last NAME (not just initials).
We still have 4 weeks left of school plus students need to look smart for Awards Night so we are asking parents to please ensure that their children are correctly and neatly dressed every day – especially the correct WHITE sneakers. If unsure of the Primary Uniform Policy, please feel free to check our website, ask a class teacher or RTC staff. Appreciate your assistance and support in this regard.
I’m happy to announce that the Primary building plans are coming along steadily with some footings dug, concrete thrown, pillars being erected and digging continuing.
(Insert pictures sent here)
When considering your child’s or young person’s digital diet it’s important to move beyond the notion of keeping kids safe but also to look at the types of activities their screen-time might be denying them.
There are many aspects to take into account including the maintenance of mental and physical health; fulfilling school and family duties and ensuring that young people develop a full gamut of real world communication skills.
For the sake of living a balanced life, ensure your child has sufficient time for:
1. Sleep: It’s super important that kids are getting a good night’s sleep. Keeping devices out of the bedroom when they are young, and avoiding the screens for at least an hour before bed, helps ensure their sleep needs are met.
2. Down time: Today’s kids don’t tend to get as much time to be bored as kids used to. It is an important skill to be able to fill in their time themselves. Bored time promotes creative play and thinking as kids are forced to come up with other ways to amuse themselves.
3. Connection: Face-to-face interaction is obviously crucial for children’s social and emotional development and wellbeing. Time with friends, siblings and family members must always be a priority. Learning to engage, problem solve and read body language and facial expressions are all crucial skills that need real-life time and experience to develop.
4. Physical activity: A healthy body and mind requires activity and movement. Kids still love to get out and play. However, some may need a bit more encouragement to remind them.
5. Reflection: Whilst playing games may be described by many kids as their downtime (and yes, there is some validity to this argument), kids also need downtime that involves doing very little. It is in these moments of reflection, of thinking and of pondering, that our ideas come to us and our creativity for other activities flows.
6. Focus: There are times of the day when all of us need to be focused on other tasks. These may be homework, chores, reading a book or the newspaper, building something or making something. There needs to be time in kids’ days where they are able to focus solely on a task without the distractions of a screen.
7. Family meals: Getting plenty of good food is of course very important to kids’ wellbeing. But it’s not just about the food. Sitting at the table with parents, siblings or others, focusing on enjoying a meal together without the need of a screen, helps children to develop good habits while they are young which they can carry into the future.
Obviously there will be times when all these needs are not completely balanced. There will be periods when screens are used more often and times when one or more valuable needs is neglected. But if we can use this as a guide and aim to fit the many key experiences our kids need into each day, we are much more likely to ensure our kids grow up with a healthy respect for their screens and a healthy respect for the many areas of their life that need to be nurtured.
Pray you have a wonderful rest of this term and year.
Psalm 98:5-6 “Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!”
As the year comes to a close, it is a joy to look back on how far all our students have come this year. This was most clearly reflected in the recent Arts Gala performances, which I hope you were able to attend. Choirs, bands, budding actors, solo singers, fantastic artwork – there was something there for every Arts-lover! If you missed it, never fear – there will be a little taste on offer at each of the up-coming Awards Nights in week 7, so you will get a glimpse of what you missed out on.
At this time of year it is also common to re-assess one’s commitments, and sometimes the time required for music learning comes into question. The volume of research showing the benefits of learning a musical instrument for children is growing daily, in all sorts of areas of life. Playing music actually changes a child’s brain, making it better connected & more efficient not just while they’re playing, but several year of music tuition means these changes are sustained throughout life. You are literally setting your children up for a better future through learning music, so if there’s one thing to keep on the schedule, it’s music!
“Music enhances the process of learning. The systems it nourishes, which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities, are shown to be the driving forces behind all other learning.”
(Save the Music Foundation, USA)
All instrumental lessons continue in Term 4; Give It A Go! lessons will finish at the end of week 6, at which point students need to return their instrument to school, while all other lessons (group & private) will finish at the end of week 7. All lesson enrolments will automatically roll over to 2023 unless we are advised otherwise, so you do not need to re-enrol your child for lessons. If however your child is leaving the school or not continuing lessons for any reason, please let us know by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Ensembles & Choirs continue to rehearse until after their final performances:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Wednesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mrs Patane’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 2:30-3:10pm in Mrs Patane’s room
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4 GIAG woodwind, brass & percussion students) – Thursday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and anyone else who has lessons outside of school is also welcome to join this ensemble.
Our current cohort of Give It A Go! students are nearly finished! With their last lessons happening in week 6 of Term 4, it will be the end of another interesting year and the students should all feel proud of what they have achieved in this time. We sincerely hope that many of them will want to continue learning in 2023.
We’re also excited to be getting ready to send offers to our next group of Give It A Go! students for next year! Those offers should be in Year 4 parents’ inbox in the next couple of weeks, so please watch out for those and return your enrolment forms as soon as you can.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Concert Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. If your child is in Year 4 in 2023 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled generally during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Group lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano & voice. Lessons are again scheduled generally during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Cricket Blast Flyer – All schools
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
Welcome back. I trust that everyone is rested and ready for more fun-filled lessons along with the many and varied additional activities and special events that comprise and make for a busy Term 4.
As we begin Term 4, below are a few updates…
Behind the scenes this year, teachers have been working hard to set up our new learning management system, Schoolbox, which will replace a number of existing systems like Google Sites and Google Classroom next year. We are looking forward to a full launch in 2023, and we’re excited for streamlined communication with our families regarding many aspects of school life, most notably around due dates, assessment items, grades and event notices just to name a few! But with new systems come new ways of working, and we are looking to trial some of the features of Schoolbox with students this term, to ensure we have things well set up for next year. If your child’s class is involved in a trial, please enjoy your sneak preview of the platform – we look forward to opening up the parent portal next year!
A reminder that senior students should be regularly checking their MyQCE account with Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA). This account is a one-stop shop to see your child’s enrolments and results, track QCE eligibility, and access final subject results and official certificate (vocational) courses, as well as information and links to help you explore your future education and career pathways. This is particularly important for Year 12, as this information is used to contribute to final senior certificates. A thorough check of the accuracy of personal information, school subjects (units studied and results listed), and any vocational courses must be completed. Please notify Mrs Lenton or Mrs Wallis if there are any discrepancies.
To check, your child should log into their account at: https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/
During the last week of Term 3, I had the pleasure of visiting and was proud to see Year 11s on Leadership Camp. The camp at Emu Gully, Helidon, is based around the ANZACs; a theme of working together and leaving no one behind. Students experienced a vast array of activities, and each game and activity increasingly worked on building character, respect, and of leading by example. A “Can Do” attitude was evident in all and each student gave their very own 100%. As these students embark on their final year of schooling, they are all leaders, all role models, for Parklands Christian College.
I know that Miss Grounds, Pastoral Care teachers Mrs Gunnampaty and Mr Greentree, along with Mr Lee (Youth Pastor) also share this view, as they too shared in this leadership experience.
The model of the servant leader is the most fitting style that we look to for our student leaders at Parklands. A leader who is willing to make sacrifices and put others before themselves. It is these types of qualities we have observed and are now looking for as we finalise the process of selecting student leaders for 2023.
Looking ahead, regardless of who holds a named leadership position, Year 11 students have demonstrated they will be great leaders and be a positive example to all those around them. I pray this continues for all of our seniors in their life journeys and in all their relationships beyond school.
I also pray you are all refreshed for the final, and busiest, term of the year. I definitely look forward to working alongside your child/ren and as usual, please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be of any support.
If you have any questions, please contact me through Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Richest blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
Welcome back to Term 4! 2022 is certainly flying by and I have a feeling Term 4 will continue this pattern! Term 4 is traditionally quite action-packed with lots of key school events coming up. Term 4 has always been one of my favourite times of the year, as I always look forward to celebrating the progress and achievements of our precious students. As we begin Term 4, a few exciting things are happening…
Behind the scenes this year, teachers have been working hard to set up our new learning management system, Schoolbox, which will replace a number of existing systems like Google Sites and Google Classroom next year. We are looking forward to a full launch in 2023, and we’re excited for streamlined communication with our families regarding many aspects of school life, most notably around due dates, assessment items, grades and event notices just to name a few! But with new systems come new ways of working, and we are looking to trial some of the features of Schoolbox with students this term, to ensure we have things well set up for next year. If your child’s class is involved in a trial, please enjoy your sneak preview of the platform – we look forward to opening up the parent portal next year!
In Year 8 and 9, students should have now selected their subjects for 2023. Please check in with your child to ensure they have done this. If you need any information, please contact me for Year 9 in 2023, or Mrs Rebecca Wallis for Year 10 in 2023.
The theme I have set up for Middle School students to round out the year is one of finishing well. To do this, I have asked them to consider setting some goals early in the term, maybe for academic progress or perhaps personal behavioural goals, to ensure they can finish off the term well. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight”. My prayer for Middle School students in Term 4 is that they will have God’s strength and courage to finish the year well, through setting goals and committing them to God, who will help them on their paths!
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
Cricket Blast Flyer – All schools
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
With rescheduled dates, Term 3 started off with the Joshua-Samuel rivalry in full flight.
We hosted both our Primary and Secondary Track + Field carnivals on Thursday and Friday of Week 1.
Secondary’s standard was high with many records being broken on the day. From Joshua we had Pippa Campbell set the new open girls’ record in the long jump and Luke Unwin set new records in the 13 boys 1500m, 200m, 400m and 800m events. Whereas from Samuel house we had Tomas Clarke set the new HJ record for the Open Boys, Jacinta Hicks in the 16 girls Javelin and Ethan Jackson in the 15 boys Shot put. Students were showing great team spirit throughout the day and getting involved in any way possible, whether it was running the BBQ, marshalling events or measuring distances, it was a great day of building community within the school. Despite Samuel’s best efforts, it was Joshua who dominated the carnival, winning with 1747 points over Samuel’s 1551. Thank you to all the teachers and volunteers who helped make the day a great success.
The 9-12yrs carnival is always a day full of colour, competition and comradery. With massive numbers competing from the outset, it was going to be a close competition. Joshua house had 5 Record Breakers with Chloe Bobermien setting the new record for 12yr girls Discus, Gabriella George-Coker equalling the 11yrs girls 100m and breaking the 200m event, William Reise in the 9yr boys 800m and Lilee Unwin for the 11 yr girls 800m. Samuel had 3 with Agaw Buol breaking the records in the 10yr girls HJ and the Discus, Abraham Carkeet in the 10yr boys HJ and Jaxon Roberts in the 9yr boys Shot put. All students were brave and competed to their best, but there can only be 1 winner, and the 2022 Track + Field Champs were SAMUEL with 1436 points over Joshua with 1398. Well done to all the students for competing, helping and cheering on the day, and to the staff and volunteers, thank you for making these days happen.
9yrs – Miranda Adams – Connor Iwrin
10yrs – Agaw Buol – Abraham Carkeet
11yrs – Gabriella George-Coker – Cooper Harbourn
12yrs – Emmy Campbell – Lachlan Mane
13yrs – Hayley Thomson – Luke Unwin
14yrs – Georgia Holland – Justin Hunt
15yrs – Tayla Thomson – Austin Cresswell
16yrs – Ella Harbourn – Hudson Hunt
Opens – Pippa Campbell – Zacary Brown
In Term 3 we had 23 students represent the Southern district, with 5 of those representing the Met West Region. Congratulations to all students, and we look forward to seeing the results from the Track + Field State Championships later in the year.
As part of our Visual Art program, Year 8 students enrolled in Visual Art this year visited the Logan Art Gallery today.
During the excursion they viewed the Artwaves exhibition; an exhibition containing artworks created by high school students across the Logan district. The students enjoyed completing a visual scavenger hunt worksheet as a tool to engage with and observe the artworks more proactively and effectively.
During Chapel yesterday four students were acknowledged for their hard work and the selection of their artwork to be displayed at this year’s Artwaves. Artwaves is an annual event that is held by Logan Art Gallery. Each year, Artwaves recognises, promotes and celebrates the creative excellence of young artists in the region. The Artwaves exhibition brings together about 31 different schools and almost 180 students from years seven to twelve. This year Timothy Krueger, Florentina Mariuta, Jacinta Hicks and Malvika Naidu had their artwork selected to be on display. The Artwaves exhibition is running from the 9th of Sept to the 15th of October at the Logan Art Gallery. Entry is free and is open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Last term Year 9 Food Technology and Textiles students were busy in the kitchen producing and evaluating healthy meal ideas and recipes to feed the average Australian Family. Students have been asked to generate a recipe that would be suitable as a ‘HelloFresh’ Meal Kit which is a food delivery service that focuses on providing healthy, easy, and sustainable dinner meals to families of 2 or 4. Food delivery services such as ‘HelloFresh’ have become more popular during challenging climates that impact access, ability, and availability to nutritious meals. Year 9s worked hard to understand and evaluate weekly recipes that consider the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and Australian Dietary Guidelines for health.
Last term the 10 Food & Nutrition students discovered what it was like to be a food technologist. Each week the students had to conduct a series of food experiments and participate in product sensory evaluations of food products. Part of this process was to understand the chemical and functional properties the ingredients played in each food product. Students experimented with flour, yeast, sugar, butter, eggs and aquafaba.
Food waste and sustainability were also considered. To ensure food security for the world’s rising population we need to rethink how we consume, purchase, use, store and source our ingredients.
The Year 10s participated in the Global Leadership Summit – Next Generation, which equips thousands of young people worldwide each year through a dynamic leadership program. It was a great day for Parklands students as they were able to hear from world class speakers, engage in group discussion, leadership activities, problem solving and learning practical life lessons.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
Dear Parklands community,
This month, I am taking part in the Great Cycle Challenge to fight kids’ cancer!
I am pedalling for the entire month of October and my goal is to ride 100 km (I’m riding mountain bike trails).
Why am I doing this? Recently my little Jeremiah had a tumour removed near his spine. Whilst doctors are optimistic that it will be benign we won’t find out for sure until we get the results back from the biopsy. While I was visiting the ward I overheard a conversation with another family and their oncologist who was discussing the impacts of their baby’s tumour on the brain and his basic bodily functions. We were in and out within 24 hours but they are in there for the long haul – they had pictures and cards up all over their walls!
I am also doing this because cancer is the largest killer of children from disease in Australia – 3 children die of cancer every week!
Kids should be living life, not fighting for it.
It will be tough, but nothing compared to what these kids face every day of their lives as they battle this terrible disease.
And so I am taking on a personal challenge to raise $1,000 to help these kids and give them the brighter futures they deserve.
But to achieve my goal, I need your support.
Please sponsor me to support my challenge and join me to fight kids’ cancer!
Simply click the link below to view my personal fundraising page and make a donation:
https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/SimonAshley
All funds raised will support Children’s Medical Research Institute to continue their work in developing treatments and finding a cure for childhood cancer.
Thank you for your support.
God bless,
Simon Ashley
Welcome back to Term 4! How did we get here so quickly?
We are looking forward to making the most of our last term together. This term we will be exploring Sound and Light during Science lessons and will take a look at Family Celebrations and Traditions in HASS.
We’ll investigate a variety of topics in Math, including money, addition and subtraction, as well as measuring length and capacity.
1C will have the pleasure of having a Student Teacher visit us for part of the term. Please make Brigitta Anau feel welcome if you see her around.
Gymnastics begins in Week 2! The children always look forward to this during their PE lessons.
We pray all our Year 1 families enjoyed the Spring holiday break! We are looking forward to hearing all about it, the first week back!
Until next time, take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Brown, Mrs Mane, Mrs S and Year 1!
End of term was a whirlwind for Year 2 with so many things happening. We finished off the last of our investigations on Material Use and Forces in preparation for our Design Technology model vehicle build. Students participated in the last swimming lesson for the year and we celebrated International Dot day. After many assessments and a very full on last day of school we were all ready for the holidays!
As a part of our forces unit, students investigated the push force on a balloon by making balloon rockets. We also investigated the effect of friction by trialing our vehicles on different surfaces. The students were able to determine the best surface to test their model vehicle on next term. We had loads of fun building ramps and investigating the best angle and the surface needed for a speedy but smooth descent.
Our last day of term was spent celebrating the message of Peter H. Reynolds’ book ‘The Dot’. It is an inspiring message to kids about allowing their creativity to come out. Reynolds’ encourages kids to ‘make a mark and see where it takes you’. The students created dot paintings, decorated their own dot, played with Orbeez, ate dot looking foods, played balloon ping pong and dot painted rocks among other activities. The day was an awesome celebration of creativity as a personal expression of who we are as an individual.
Looking forward to next term…
As always, Term 4 will be a whirlwind. Students will be creating their model push/pull vehicle, visiting Wolston Farmhouse as a part of our HaSS unit on how technology has changed our daily lives, participating in gymnastic lessons, reviewing all three writing texts: informative, narrative and persuasive, mastering telling time to the quarter hour, investigating fractions and learning the language of chance.
Outside of our learning we will be celebrating the birth of our Saviour in various ways, participating in our Awards ceremony and thoroughly enjoying our last term together.
The Year 2 team thanks you for your support and help over the term. We look forward to walking your child’s educational journey with you throughout Term 4. As always, you are in our prayers.
Julia Jackson, Christine Hollenberg, Heidi Hackett and Julie Koplick
Year 3 had an exciting and busy September! One of our major highlights this term was our Design and Technology unit. We completed a unit which focused on Food and Fibre Production. We learnt about how cotton and milk are produced and how we can make food and fibre production more sustainable. As part of this unit we went on an excursion to the Summer Lands Camel Farm.
It was a fabulous day. It started out with lots of rain, resulting in a true farm experience with mud and all things dirty! But the rain soon cleared and we had sunshine and amazing experiences with the camels and the products. We all got to try camel milk, camel sausage and camel cheese! Students also got to pat and feed a camel. We saw and learnt about the life cycle of camels and how they produce camel milk. We also learnt about how camel products can be more sustainable. We ended our excursion with Camel Gelato and some old fashioned games on the big fields of the farm, while the camels watched! A big thanks to all those parents who came along and helped on the day.
The assessment piece for our Food and Fibre unit was to design a burger for a local cafe. Students did an amazing job thinking about and evaluating their design. We were so thankful to the Secondary Food Technology staff who invited us to come to the Cully Hospitality Centre to actually make the burgers that the students had designed! This was an awesome opportunity for Year 3 students to use these amazing facilities and experience a commercial kitchen. Students also learnt how to cut and grate ingredients and safely prepare their burgers. Of course the best bit was eating their creation! It was a great opportunity and a huge learning experience for everyone.
We are looking forward to a speedy but fun Term 4 where we finish up our year and celebrate all things Christmas!
Dear Parklands Community,
I’m writing to you now after recently returning from our second annual On-Country Trip. On a rainy morning on Saturday 17th September, 32 students, 3 alumni mentors and 10 staff in 3 vans, 2 cars and a very full luggage trailer, set off toward Toowoomba for our first stop and to meet up with the RAW crew who would be facilitating the trip.
RAW Impact (RAW – Raising Awareness Worldwide) is an organisation that promotes positive social change and invites students, families and organisations to participate in making a tangible difference in the world. Before COVID restrictions, Parklands partnered with RAW in Cambodia and has done so now for 9 years, undertaking 7 student trips (2013-present) and 4 adult trips (2016-19). In 2021, we joined with RAW once again and travelled to Mitchell to learn from and serve with the Gunggari People.
After meeting with RAW in Toowoomba and reuniting with the RAW crew, we headed off to Mitchell. After 8 hours, and way too many toilet breaks later, we arrived on the Yumba, home of the Gunggari People. The following day we started our adventure in earnest. Our day was full of project work, followed by an afternoon of learning about Gunggari culture and history. Our project work centred around improvements to the Yumba as the Gunggari People prepare for their first reunion since 2012. We cleared, weeded, cut firewood, did plumbing, painted and made many improvements to the Yumba. It was a privilege to contribute in some small way to the restoration of the Yumba and the Gunggari Nation.
During our time on the Yumba, we got to yarn with several Gunggari Aunties and Uncles over several days, learning about some of the tragic history of our Indigenous Peoples. This created great discussion with our students who wanted to better understand modern Indigenous culture. I was struck by the graciousness of our teachers and their encouraging hope for the future, both for the Gunggari Nation and Indigenous Peoples all over Australia. Our team were touched by our hosts’ transparency and kindness, which built a warmth and empathy in the hearts of our team.
After our farewells, we left the Yumba with a Parklands prayer of blessing before continuing on to Carnarvon Gorge. While staying at Carnarvon, we hiked through some incredible Australian scenery. On our final day our rather exhausted and somewhat smelly team came together to debrief and reflect on our amazing experience in the outback. Each student had a takeaway and lesson learned.
During our week away, our students were challenged in many ways. Some were challenged by the work, the camping and the bugs. Some students missed home and their families. Many of us were challenged by the history of the Gunggari Nation and were inspired to reconsider our posture toward our Indigenous People.
I am proud of the entire team and the personal journeys they all went on. It was a privilege to connect with our students anew and get to know them better; we really do have an amazing student population at Parklands.
Gary Cully
Principal
Year 10 students, who are participating in an Active Volunteering certificate course, spent the day packing Community Care Boxes during their final few days of Term 3.
In partnership with Parklands Christian Church, we are able to care for and support 50 Logan families in need this term.
Over the past 2 years, we have been able to show our love for others by being the hands and feet of Jesus. These boxes, each containing a week’s worth of groceries, have helped over 700 families in our community.
If you know a family in need of assistance, care or support, please contact our Outreach Coordinator, Amanda Young. ayoung@parklands.qld.edu.au
32 Senior students, 3 student mentors (2021 Graduates) and 10 staff set out for outback Mitchell during the first week of their holidays. We set up camp at the Yumba, the home of the Gunggari Elders and prepared to immerse ourselves in the history of our First Nation’s People. Stay tuned for more photos, videos and personal recounts from our students.
I trust that you had an enjoyable, relaxing school holiday spent with family and friends or just enjoyed having the children at home and not having to prepare lunches, do homework, stress to get them to school prepared and on time.
We are continuing to review our process and procedures in the Primary in order to ensure the school is one in which great education & teaching is presented and CLEAR values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect are presented and followed daily.
For the start of term 4, can you kindly check that ALL of your child’s Uniform Items and Lunch Boxes and Drink Bottles are clearly labelled with their FULL name? Can we also please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sports uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms/shoes. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to check the school’s website, or contact your child’s teacher or the RTC.
Students may be collected anytime from 2.30pm but will unfortunately miss Structured Play time.
Students leaving at Structured Play need to be electronically signed out up at Student Services using their NEW ID NAME TAG.
At the end of Structured Play (3.05pm), students go to class, line up for class roll call, collect their ports/bags and are walked by their class teacher to the Undercover Area, where they wait to be collected by parents/guardian or older sibling. No student can leave the Undercover Area without any supervision. At 3.30pm those students who have not been collected will be taken up to Student Services until collected.
Thank you for not requesting students to make their way ‘on their own’ and meet you at the car. If you need them before 3.10pm, please come up to the Undercover Area and collect them there.
Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard, as we wish to keep all our students safe, sound and accounted for!
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life.
Class teachers, Aides, all specialist teachers, RTC, LE Staff and myself spend an enormous amount of time discussing, praying about and working through the issues involved with student & class teacher placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process!
A reminder, because we know the children and teacher/class environment, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. An extremely difficult task is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for us as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship continue to develop between teacher, student and parent!
By: Michael Grose
The first habit from Stephen Covey’s wonderful book “The 7 habits of highly effective people” states that we should start every project or undertaking with the end in mind.
This principle holds true for any activity whether it’s planting your veggie patch; renovating a house or raising children. When you know what you are trying to achieve then choosing the right strategies becomes easy. The end game or goal for parents and teachers is Redundancy. Yep, you read it right. Your job is to make yourself redundant as an adult from the children you raise and teach at the earliest appropriate, possible age. When redundancy is your aim most of your time, effort and energy will go into promoting independence. You’ll stop doing things for kids and start giving them opportunities to do things themselves. You’ll spend most of your active parenting and teaching time teaching, explaining and prodding your child toward independence.
When independence becomes your priority then suddenly you’ve found a pathway to the development of other positive qualities and traits in your children including the key four – confidence, competence, creativity and character.
Here’s how:
Confidence comes from facing your fears and doing things for yourself.
Competence comes from the opportunity to develop self-mastery that independence offers.
Creativity is developed when kids solve problems themselves as opposed to someone solving them on their behalf, or worse, keeping kids safe. It’s amazing how resourceful kids can be when they are given the chance to resolve their own problems.
Character, which is essential for success, is forged under hardship and is needed if kids are to live a sturdy life. Kids need to be exposed to disappointment, failure and conflict if character strengths such as grit and perseverance are too be forged.
Independence takes many forms and adults are the gatekeepers for children’s independence.
Allowing kids to take responsibility and own their own problems builds confidence and competence. Start by expecting kids to help out at home and at school. Look for ways to develop self-help skills and don’t take their problems on as your problems.
It can be scary and also difficult developing independence in one big step. So smart adults intuitively develop junior versions of independence by breaking up big activities into digestible bits. Want your three year old to make the bed? Then start by arranging the teddies and the pillows (a junior version of making the bed) and let them work their way up from there. Similarly, want your ten year old to walk to school yet it’s currently out of their skillset? Then accompany them most of the way and let them walk the last 200 metres to school on their own. That’s a junior version of walking to school.
In all the noise and commotion about raising kids today it’s easy to forget that the job description for parents hasn’t changed since the dawn of time. Love them, bond with them, teach them and spend time with them. But also work like mad to develop their real independence so they become capable of handling what life will throw their way.
Trust you have a great term and rest of the year.
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”
It’s the only way we learn anything. Children become good at speaking by talking, good at riding bikes by riding bikes…and good at music by playing & singing music. Even if you aren’t confident in your ability to help your child with their music practice, your most important job is actually as their cheer squad & motivator. If you listen to them play & compliment their progress or their effort, they’ll want to do it more! Practice is essential to becoming more skilled on a musical instrument, just like it’s essential to learning spelling or times tables. Proficiency almost never happens by accident, so give your child a boost & figure out an incentive to encourage them to practise regularly!
On Wednesday 19th October, in the Church Auditorium, we will be holding our Arts Gala, as a final opportunity for Ensembles, Choirs & Drama students to perform pieces they have been working on throughout the year. The night will be divided into two halves; the first, beginning at 5:30pm, will have more of a Primary focus while the second, beginning at 7:30pm, will have more of a Secondary focus. There will be lots of artwork on display and even some up for sale through a silent auction – bids will close at 7:30pm, so make sure you take a good look around before then!
Our Choirs & Ensembles will be involved in other school events throughout Term 4, so it’s shaping up to be a busy term. We’re also busy coming up with great plans for 2023, so watch this space for some new & exciting initiatives.
All instrumental lessons will commence in Week 1 of Term 4. With our Arts Gala performance coming up in Week 3, it is essential that all students attend all rehearsals from Week 1 of Term 4. Give It A Go! lessons will finish at the end of Week 6, at which point students need to return their instrument to school, while all other lessons (group & private) will finish at the end of Week 7.
Ensembles & Choirs involved in the Arts Gala include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Wednesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mrs Patane’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 2:30-3:10pm in Mrs Patane’s room
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4 GIAG woodwind, brass & percussion students) – Thursday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and anyone else who has lessons outside of school is also welcome to join this ensemble.
Our current cohort of Give It A Go! students are nearly finished! With their last lessons & return of instruments happening in Week 6 of Term 4, it will be the end of another interesting year and the students should all feel proud of what they have achieved in this time. We sincerely hope that many of them will want to continue learning in 2023.
We’re also excited to be getting ready to send offers to our next group of Give It A Go! students for next year! Those offers should be in Year 4 parents’ inbox during Week 1 of Term 4, so please watch out for those and return your forms as soon as you can.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. If your child is in Year 4 in 2023 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, and fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, and fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
The second half of Term 3 has been super busy in Middle School! We have quite a few special events, and sporting teams competing everywhere! I’d love to congratulate our Year 9 students for their resilience and courage on the Solo Camp, a very special part of the Rite Journey experience this term. There’s also been a strong focus on volleyball netball and soccer this term, with our USL competition on a Monday afternoon, and two big CSSAQ carnivals. Coaching and watching our students play sport is one of my favourite things about PCC – we are well known in the sporting community for our positive attitude, joy in competing and team spirit. We’ve had quite a few students selected in the CSSAQ Merit teams, meaning they have been voted by coaches and umpires at carnivals as the best and fairest players. The run up to the end of term is looking very busy, as we finalise Term 3 assessment items and plans for next year.
Middle School students will engage with lots of formal, summative assessment throughout Week 9 of school (Monday 5 th September to Friday 9 th September). It’s a busy time for students as they study, prepare assessment items, present, perform and complete exams. Families, we ask that if your student is unwell or absent during this time that you let us know as soon as possible, so that we can prepare catchup assessment sessions for them. Staff will be praying for students as they enter this busy time in their schooling life, for peace and resilience!
In Year 8 and 9, students should have now selected their subjects for 2023. Please check in with your child, to ensure they have done this. If you need any information, please contact me for Year 9 in 2023, or Mrs Rebecca Wallis for Year 10 in 2023. Term 3 at in secondary school has had a focus on the theme of RUOK? In the midst of assessment and stress, we wanted to remind our students that each of them is fearfully and wonderfully made by the Creator God, and that we need to look after each other as we journey through middle school. This will culminate in a special event we have planned for our students on Tuesday of the last week of school, where we are aiming to tangibly remind our students to reach out if they need help, that support is available to them and that we care about their health and wellbeing. Our prayer for our secondary students in Term 3 is that they will “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
On Wednesday 24 August, we saw some unique and unusual characters arrive at the college as we celebrated all things wonderful about reading and books. The Book Week theme this year was ‘Dreaming with eyes open’ and it certainly felt like that was what we were experiencing amongst the colours, capes, and crazy faces. After our Chapel service, we saw the Year 7-12s show off their creativity as they walked across the stage. There were, as you will see in the photos, some truly amazing responses to the opportunity to dress up. Our Community Liaison Vice Captains, Abby and Josh, undertook the difficult role of judges and chose the best two costumes from each year level. Mrs Ross was absolutely thrilled with the students’ and staff’s costumes and is already eagerly awaiting next year’s theme. Plenty of time to plan!
Design students spent a day investigating several landmark contemporary buildings on the Gold Coast, including Gold Coast Home of the Arts, Q1 SkyPoint tower, and Bond University Abedian School of Architecture.
Year 8 Geography students spent the day investigating the formation of coastal landforms and landscapes on the Gold Coast Seaway.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
Dear Parklands Community,
Recently our school had the privilege of hosting Melinda Tankard-Reist and Daniel Principe from Collective Shout to talk to both students and parents about navigating a sexed-up world. Melinda and Daniel delivered 2 student sessions to our secondary school girls and boys, followed by an evening presentation to parents.
We live in a hyper-sexualised world and our children are forced to navigate a porn-saturated culture. This disturbing issue is one that is particularly close to my heart. From 2016 to 2019, my wife and I worked with young Filipino women from tragic backgrounds, giving them hope for the future. Key to our work with our beneficiaries was building a sense of worth and self-value after spending so long being told their value was solely in their bodies.
Now that I am back home and working with Australian teens, it appears that the need to build worth and self-value continues. Our porn-saturated, hypersexualised culture is sending our teens some very unhealthy messages. Objectification of women plagues our society more than ever before, and sexual violence is on the rise. Media campaigns on all platforms tell our girls how to look, what to wear, and what to say, and redefine relationships and sexuality.
Our boys are learning about sex, women and relationships from porn. Every teenage boy knows how to access porn and on average it is being introduced to our children at age 8. It is redefining relationships and sexuality and teaching boys and girls things that they do not have the skill to make sense of.
As a parent and Principal, I am interested in gaining as much information as I can to protect my students and children from the impacts of an over sexualised society. Attending information sessions like the one conducted by Melinda and Daniel is the least I can do. I would encourage parents to arm themselves with good information about this topic. We can start by visiting the Collective Shout site and becoming aware of the subtle and not so subtle ways our children’s perception of themselves is being altered through media campaigns.
When next we advertise similar information nights for parents, I would love to see our community support these events. It’s not enough for our children to hear about our hypersexualised society, their guardians need to be informed as well so we can be the best possible parents we can be. This space is often uncomfortable and difficult to navigate. Therefore, let’s be informed and forewarned; ready to care for our children.
Please find Melinda and Daniel’s bio’s below.
Author/speaker/media commentator/blogger/advocate
Melinda is a highly sought-after author, speaker, media commentator, blogger, and social entrepreneur. She is best known for her work addressing sexualisation, objectification, harms of pornography, sexual exploitation, trafficking and violence against women. Melinda is a regular on morning television and has appeared on ABC’s Q&A and The Gruen Sessions as well as many other TV and radio programs, and is co-founder of the grassroots campaigning movement, Collective Shout: for a world free of sexploitation.
Melinda is an ambassador for World Vision Australia, Compassion Australia, HagarNZ and the youth mentoring body the Raise Foundation. She has recently been appointed Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Culture and Ethics, Notre Dame University, Sydney. Melinda will take your young women on a tour of media and popular culture in a dynamic, multi-visual presentation. She will unpack with students the images and ideas they receive and help your students understand how these messages contribute in harmful ways to their views of themselves, their bodies, relationships and sexuality, negatively affecting their physical, emotional and social development. She will then explore how girls can respond personally and collectively, providing positive and inspiring examples of young women taking action for social change and cultural transformation.
Youth Advocate and Educator
Daniel is joining Melinda in schools, challenging harmful cultural messages and porn culture. Daniel helps young men resist damaging stereotypes about how men should act, explore healthy expressions of masculinity and aspire to respectful relationships. Daniel also has a background in health advisory, PR, marketing and media.
Young men are bombarded with hyper-sexualised messages and images in media and popular culture. The lives of young men are increasingly socialised, conditioned and informed by exposure to porn related content online. In a dynamic multi-media presentation, which includes first person stories of young men, Daniel will explore with male students how exposure to sexual imagery is contributing to a distorted view of bodies, relationships and sexuality.
Gary Cully
Principal
Cricket Blast Flyer – All schools
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
We are excited to relaunch The Friendlies. Over the years our amazing parents have gathered to build community. Not only within our College but also within our local community.
We would love to hear from you if you are wanting to be part of this amazing team of people. Maybe you were involved in the past or maybe this is a whole new concept for you … let’s throw our hands in the air and get involved.
Our Principal, Gary Cully, is super keen to be part of our relaunch. We will be sending out invites for cake and coffee once we have heard from you.
Please email Jill and share your eagerness to be part of The Friendlies … pa@parklands.qld.edu.au
On Friday 26 August our Principal Mr Gary Cully, Head of Primary Mr Grant Jakins, along with PCC Board Member Mr Gavin Mann and Business Manager Mr Jeff Gray, met with Bedford Built for the turning of the soil of the new Primary Precinct. This is an exciting time for the College – we are thankful to God for bringing us to this point and we pray for a smooth process as the building project gets underway.
Year One has experienced much excitement this month, with many different activities. We explored patterns with shapes which then lead into a unit about 2D Shapes and 3D Objects. The children had a great time learning about different features and engaged in hands-on activities to understand the differences between 2 dimensions and 3 dimensions.
Book Week has also been a highlight this month. Costume Day was a hit, as usual and we were also privileged to have some Year 7 students visit and read to us. The Roald Dahl performance by Shake and Stir was hilarious and the children laughed and laughed. We love books in Year One!
Finally, we have started a new unit in HASS about the Past and Present. We are looking forward to discovering how things have changed from the past to the present. It is always a fun unit to explore.
It has been a hectic month with Book Month, the start of swimming and all the curriculum related activities we have been doing.
A few weeks ago we had Dr. Beth Tailby come and visit our class to talk to the students about how our First nation people used the natural resources around them to help with everyday life. The students learnt about why spinifex was used for roofing, how first settlers were warned not to go on the land where uranium naturally occurred as it caused serious health issues, as well as other amazing skills. After we finished our Materials Use unit we moved into the fast paced Forces unit. So far we have investigated buoyancy, magnetism, and flight. We have been sinking, floating, building, flying, pushing and pulling! Somewhat exhausting but so much fun!
Book Month (my personal favourite time of year) has also been loads of fun. Our Book Week Parade was so awesome with the amazing Mrs. Jackson doing a hilarious stage entry as Charlotte the spider out of Charlotte’s Web. The students looked fabulous in all the costumes, how can one not LOVE books!? Shake and Stir theatre came to our school and did a hilarious production of Ronald Dahls “Dirty Beasts’. The students and staff were enthralled with the performance. The week ended with the students writing a persuasive trying to convince someone to eat their most hated food while they ate Green Eggs and Ham. A fitting tribute to Dr. Seuss. Thanks Mrs. Jackson for organising the activity. Thanks so much to all the parents for supporting the students by making and or purchasing the superb costumes.
2K was visited by Year 8 students who read them books that they had written and in return some of our students shared their persuasive letters. The students loved the interaction with the older kids.
The students have been learning about area, volume and capacity over the past week in math. See the pics below for some creative informal measuring methods!
Even though Book Month has come to an end (sadly) please keep reading with your kids and inspire in them a passion for reading. As a final tribute to Dr. Seuss. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Happy August everyone!
Julia Jackson, Christine Hollenberg, Heidi Hackett and Julie Koplick
What a huge and fun month we have had during August! Year 3 had their first excursion for the year, started swimming, participated in book week and of course did lots of fun learning!
Our excursion was a definite highlight for the month. A big thank you to Mrs Patane and Mrs Bazley who organised the excursion and huge thanks to all of the parents who came along and helped on the day. It was so much fun and we all learnt more about music and art!
All of the kids have enjoyed starting up swimming again and it has been even more fun this year with both classes swimming at the same time. Again another thank you to those parents who have helped us out on swimming days.
Our Book Week Parade was just fabulous and it was just so great to see everyone’s costumes and to talk about and learn about new books. We also loved reading different books to what we usually do as well as getting out some old favourites!
Our Science unit this term took us outside as we learnt about the Sun, Moon and Earth and how they moved. We also explored a lot about shadows and completed the unit with a shadow experiment. It was amazing how quickly the earth actually moves, making shadows change throughout the day.
We are really looking forward to the next few weeks leading up to holidays as we complete many of our units, go on another excursion and have our Build A Burger Day! Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter for all these exciting things!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renee Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
If was definitely an eye opening experience that we had when the Logan Recycling Centre educators came to visit us and then we went to the local tip. We already knew that humans do not look after God’s beautiful planet well, but we were all astounded about just how bad the treatment is getting.
We learnt about methane and leachate and how these gases and liquids can be very harmful to the environment. Leachate is any contaminated liquid that is generated from water moving through a solid waste disposal site, accumulating contaminants, and moving into subsurface areas. Imagine the liquid goo that you find in the bottom of your bin multiplied by all of the rubbish at the tip. There is so much of this liquid that it is put into the water trucks and used to suppress the dust….. What can we say? Just EWWWW!
Another moment was when we realised that the ‘mountain’ that we were sitting on was made from very heavily compacted rubbish. This compacted pile was many building stories above the ground and several under ground level as well. When the students realised that the pile was only 8 years old, the same age as many of them, and that this was the rubbish from the surrounding area, they were disgusted.
Several of the students asked us what they could do to help. We have been throwing the question back, “What can you do to help God’s creation?” So now the thinking caps are on and they are beginning to make plans around how to make people more aware of their waste habits and how they can personally make a difference.
It has been an awesome month at Primary Cubing Club this month! I am so impressed with how many students have moved forward in their goal of learning to solve the Rubik’s cube.
There are now 5 students who can solve the cube and many have learnt how to solve the first layer! All of our students are persevering with their learning and there have been many white crosses made this month (white cross is the very first step to solving the cube).
Our numbers have settled out and we are now averaging about 20 students each week. Some students are now beginning to practice getting faster at their times.
It has been great watching the cubers learn more, work hard and enjoy something different!
On July the 26th of July Parklands Primary Senior Choir competed in the Beenleigh Eisteddfod at the Logan Entertainment Centre. After lots of practice the choir sounded beautiful. We are looking forward to attending again next year.
I would like to thank all our wonderful parents for their ongoing support, it was great to see so many Parkland’s parents in the audience and helping out on the day!
Lately I have been spending time reading and watching some of Danny Silk’s resources around
creating a culture of honour in the home, work place and interpersonally with others. It has made
me think more and more about the things that I can do personally and professionally to help
construct a culture of honour wherever I go.
I think it is important to understand that honour is valuing other people regardless of their
differences. Honour does not necessarily mean that we agree with everything that a person does or
believes. Creating a culture of honour in any environment starts with the personal decision to
choose to place honour and value on others, regardless of what they choose to do. Now here is the
kicker – honour is choosing to love and respect others, even if they are choosing to behave in a way
that is not respectful, loving or in agreement with you.
That is all very easy to say and think and quite challenging to put into practice. Danny expresses that
we do not know if there is honour in the relationship until it is tested with a problem or until
something goes wrong and that our response in those situations display the level of honour we
have. For example, it is all well and good to show honour to a child when they are listening,
following your instructions, and speaking nicely to you. It is a completely different story when they
are speaking disrespectfully and arguing with you.
It is easy to show honour and respect to a friend when they are being a loyal and supportive friend,
but it is more challenging to show honour to a friend when they say something negative about you.
When there is honour in a relationship, even if others are not being respectful, we are still able to
control the way we choose to respond to what is in front of us. We can choose to speak kind words,
stay in control of ourselves and think before we act.
Whenever there is conflict and a confrontation, we often picture people arguing, raising their voices
and becoming emotional to express their feelings and convey their perspective. I am sure that we
have all witnessed or experienced at some point in our life a conflict where this has happened and
things have not been resolved or able to be repaired after this. However, Danny describes the
importance of confronting with the goal of connection. When two people discuss their issues or
conflict with the intent of becoming closer and working through the concerns, the conversations and
approach is very different. When two people honour each other by confronting with the goal to
connect, often the content of the discussion is filled with grace and understanding, the way they
speak is kind and they are able to hear and take on feedback because the goal stays the same even if
the discussion is heated – “that I want to connect with you better and I want to work through this”.
There are many more concepts in Danny’s teaching that have positively helped me personally and
professionally to be better at loving others and honouring them. If you are interested in reading or
watching more of his teaching, he has developed several different programs, some of which you can
borrow from the college library at Student Services. In addition to this, we also run Danny’s Loving
Our Kids on Purpose programs several times throughout the year and his Life Academy courses are
also available online. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is interested. You are more
than welcome to contact our Student Care and Well-being team if you have any questions around
the programs and courses or Danny’s teaching.
For further information around the Life Academy, please visit https://loving-on-purpose-life-
academy.thinkific.com/
At PCC we celebrate August as Book Month. The National Celebration of Book Week was held from the 20-26 August this year, with the theme of, Dreaming with eyes open……. Students and staff had the opportunity to dress up as a character from a book.
We have also been running a Readathon with prizes for our top readers to be awarded during assembly on September 8. We encourage families to assist their children in writing down the books they have read this month on their Reading Record. Students should hand their records to their teacher by Monday 5 September.
In the library we are holding a Gold Medal Reader promotion. We are encouraging students to borrow books with CBCA medals on their covers to promote quality Australian literature and authors. During library classes students search for ‘medal’ books and earn an entry into a draw when they borrow the book. The winners of this promotion will also be announced on 8 September.
In the excitement of medals, readathons and costumes, the students assisted Mrs. Drover in setting up a display for National Science Week. The theme this year was, “Glass: More than meets the eye.” It was also an opportunity to showcase our many science books in the library.
Pictured are students with the Science Week Display:
Thank you for the wonderful support and way all parents are using the Rosia Rd car park and Drop Off Zones. The process really is working well! Can I please ask that parents inform all other guardians/grandparents/siblings etc. of our process below (especially point 4)?
Thank you for your support, cooperation and assistance to keep this all running smoothly and our students safe and sound!
As we approach the end of the term, I feel like there is so much going on in the College, and we all appreciate the great work done by everyone, so I’d like to highlight a few of the changes:
The concept of respectful relationships, including consent, has been discussed at a school level for some time, but it hasn’t yet gained universal traction with families. Lacking confidence and unsure where to start, many parents have struggled to make headway in this area. If this sounds familiar, these ideas will help you make a start.
Is your home a place where children can talk about any topic? Sexuality and relationship education are subjects that many parents place in the ‘let’s talk about this when you are older’ basket.
Professor Kerry Robinson, who is in the School of Social Sciences and Psychology and the Sexualities and Genders Research Network at Western Sydney University advises parents to be factual when answering children’s questions, emphasising the importance of staying informed about the subject kids are interested in.
In a recent article in The Guardian, she said “…. have set it up early with your child that when they talk about certain things you give open, simple, honest answers, then you set a precedent that you can build on.”
Professor Robinson also advises parents not to fob off children’s questions: “Straight away you’re setting a pattern of not answering and putting it off. Kids learn really quickly that this is a taboo subject. They will talk to their friends about it: they won’t talk to their parents and other adults about it because it’s taboo.”
Children learn about mutual consent through their play and sharing. A child who doesn’t want to share their toys has a right to be left alone, rather than being scolded to change their mind. A parent who withdraws a privilege in response to a teenager’s poor behaviour shouldn’t be subjected to repeated attempts to negotiate a different outcome. Reinforce with children and young people that a no is not an invitation to ask again.
Framing behaviour as a choice is a central consent strategy for children or all ages. A young child who shares a toy with a friend can be told, “Good choice Harry. Now you can have fun together.” A primary school child who completes their homework assignment early can be reminded, “Now you’ve got plenty of time to relax. Smart choice.” The teenager who quietly helps you prepare a meal can be told, “You could have done anything after school, but you chose to help me. I appreciate that.”
Another important component of consent is that children and young people should also develop the habit of seeking consent from others. “Ask your sister if it’s okay for you to play that game next to her.” “Ask grandma if she feels like a cuddle right now.” Permission seeking is another piece in the respectful relationships puzzle that you can reinforce with kids.
The best age to start teaching your children about consent is when they are young. The second-best age is whatever age they are right now. Consent education is too big an issue to ignore or leave to schools to manage. It’s something we all have to commit to if we want real change to occur.
After 10 years of sending teams to Cambodia, in 2020, we once again partnered with RAW Impact to investigate opportunities to learn and serve in Australia. Our heart for justice led us to connect with our First Peoples, and to understand their plight since the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. We seek more connection with the traditional owners of our lands, and to hear their stories. Through the telling of stories comes understanding and empathy. And through empathy, healing and connection between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples can occur more readily.
In September 2021, our students were able to avail themselves of an opportunity to learn from and connect with our First Peoples. We are excited to partner with the Elders of the Gunggari Nation in Mitchell Qld, and learn “On-Country” about their culture. It is our hope that through this partnership, that our students will learn and be challenged by our history. It is also our hope that our friendship with the Gunggari Nation will inspire the next generation to appreciate the richness of Aboriginal Culture, and appreciate its important place in the Australian Identity.
This September holidays we’ll once again send a large team, double the size from last year, to Mitchell to work with and learn from the Gunggari Nation Elders. We’re so excited to have 44 students and staff willing to give up a week of their holidays to serve our Nation’s First Peoples in this way. Each team member was presented with their Outreach Service Badge this week at a special Outreach Commissioning Chapel. Pastor Jackson Warman prayed for our team and we look forward to hearing all of their exciting stories upon their safe return.
We’re so excited to be planning to travel to Cambodia once again. The families who we support in Taskor Village can not wait to have us back. They once again have HOPE for a better future with our support.
You’re invited to our Cambodia Trip Information Evening on Tuesday 18th October, 6.30pm – 8pm, in Voc 2-3.
Current year 10-12’s may apply. Student Mentor positions available for current year 12’s.
Trip dates Saturday 25th November – Friday 8th December 2023.
Parent or guardian attendance is required for those wishing to travel in 2023.
PCC Writers Workshop articles (1)
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
For the Year 10 students, Term 2’s Career Education program culminated in Careers Week, SET Planning interviews and senior subject selections. Parklands have invested in a number of career exploration and investigation platforms aimed to help students identify their strengths and navigate the continually changing world of work.
Students and parents were invited to access and use their paid subscription to The Careers Department – an amazingly well-resourced Australian site that provides practical help in resume writing and job interviews, through to virtual work experience with real-world professional feedback and career exploration videos, interviews and tours.
Students experienced a mixture of relevant career development lessons, along with the opportunity to complete their SET Plan interviews for their senior studies, mock job interviews with a senior member of staff, experience days at Griffith University and TAFE Qld Southbank, our very own PCC Careers Expo with a variety of external institutions, and the launch of our Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets with Work Window career exploration capabilities.
It was a whirlwind of a week with rich and engaging career development opportunities for our students to explore and research careers of interest to them, and inform them on their senior subject selections.
On Tuesday 26 July, Year 11 and 12 students attended the Logan IGNITE Youth Careers Expo. It was a valuable experience to network with local businesses and post schooling training and study providers in order to plan for their career aspirations. Students explored a variety of university, TAFE Qld, City Council, Australian Defence Force, and traineeship and apprenticeship providers, and lunch together in their ‘chill out’ zone.
Dear Parklands Community,
I recently attended a seminar delivered by Dr John Collier, long time educator and now Dean of Education at Morling College. The topic of his training was ‘Forming Adolescents for Future Flourishing’, and he took his audience of mostly Principals on a journey of the many changes he has seen in education and young people over his extensive career. Although my own career is decidedly shorter than that of Dr Collier’s, I shared many of his observations and resonated with some of his concerns.
At the outset, let me assure readers that this is not an article solely on the adolescent. Rather, this article is about a few specific trends in education (and society) that affect us all, regardless of the age of your child.
According to Dr Collier, it is undeniable that one of the biggest challenges we are facing in schools presently is the rise of mental health issues in young people. Mental health is not just an adult issue. Children and adolescents also suffer under anxiety and depression within the family and at school.
Of particular concern is the mental health of our girls. Mission Australia released a report that shared statistics about the mental health of young people in Australia from the year 2012 to 2016. The results showed that females (age 15-19) were around twice as likely as males to meet the criteria for a Probable Serious Mental Illness (PSMI). The figure for girls is at 28.6% whereas the number for boys rose from 12.7% to 14.1% in 2016 (Yeomans, 2022).
For young women, we know that a large proportion (64%) were extremely or very concerned about body image compared to a far smaller number of males (34.8%). Such a finding suggests that social pressures such as discrimination based on appearance may need to be addressed to tackle this gender disparity in the levels of probable serious mental illness among girls (Yeomans, 2022).
As a community, how are we engaging in this space? As parents, are we aware of the pressures and strains that our children and in particular, that our girls face? Can I suggest that parents and teachers alike still have much to learn about our young people, and the factors that shape their modern lifestyles? As a father, I sometimes struggle to understand the draw of the electronic device. I am not as affected by the range of apps and platforms in the social media marketplace as my children are. Children interact in different ways to those of the previous generation as technology changes. And the ‘social’ rules keep changing.
How do we respond to the needs of our children? If I may, let me suggest a few strategies to support and engage with our children. These strategies are not necessarily targeted at the adolescent, rather they are what I believe to be a small sampling of some simple foundational truths that I hope resonate with you.
Don’t back away – Sometimes parents disengage. We do it for a whole range of reasons, but we can’t disengage from our children. Parenting isn’t a choice. If you have children, you are a full-time parent. This task can’t be outsourced to a school, sports club, a device or a streaming platform. Your on-duty hours as a parent are 24/7, and it’s a job that brings the best and worst days of your life. When the task gets challenging, engage more. Get guidance, get wisdom, get counselling, get help, but get involved.
Your children are like you – At times it’s a disturbing reality to understand that our children are little genetic copies of us (ask your parents for a comparison). As such, they will know how to push your buttons, and challenge you like no one else can. Accept it, the things that frustrate you are probably traits of your own. Maybe the personal challenges you face will be shared by your child.
You are not their friend – This concept is tough for some parents, but its true. You are their parent first and foremost. A friendship is different to a child/parent relationship. You can tell your children what to do, make choices for them, re-direct them, correct them, send them to their room, take their device from them, and ground them. Your children may not like you for a while, but they will love you more as they respect your authority. This is a lifelong principle.
Society is changing – Change is a constant, and the way you were raised as a child may not be exactly what our children need. Do a little reading, attend a course (Loving your kids on purpose), listen to a podcast and try to understand the contemporary challenges and needs of our children.
Boundaries – Our students learn best when they understand the rules of the classroom and playgrounds. What are your family rules? Set up good rules and boundaries and stick to them. Remember, you are the parent and the ultimate source of authority in the household. Boundaries provide safe parameters that children can trust in and rely on. Speak into the life of your child as a parent, some things are not open to negotiation.
Love – Show love and speak life. The things you say matter to a child, so make them count. Encourage, build up and give them hope. Love sometimes means speaking truth, but truth in love builds our kids up and help them grow. Hug them, and tell them that you love them every day!
Get help – In my experience, most parents are simply trying to do the best they can. Sometimes circumstances stretch us and require us to be a little honest and vulnerable as we admit we need help. Reach out, your children are worth it. You are not alone.
Connect – Connect into a church family. A church family is a great place to meet other families, share experiences and re-connect with your faith. Christ calls us to stay connected to Him and to one another. I am so glad my family is connected to a faith community that loves and supports us. Community is in short supply in our modern world, and we need more of it.
I hope that these points have stimulated some thought, and challenged us all to be mindful of our pivotal role as parents. Our children need our help in navigating their formative years, and together I believe we can provide firm foundation for life. Let’s keep engaging with our young people and our every changing societal trends so we might better serve our children.
Gary Cully
Principal
At PCC we celebrate August as Book Month. The National Celebration of Book Week is held from the 20-26 August this year, with the theme of, Dreaming with eyes open…….
Throughout August, students will be taking part in activities and the key dates are as follows:
In the library we are holding a Gold Medal Reader promotion. We are encouraging students to borrow books with CBCA medals on their covers to promote quality Australian literature and authors. During library classes students search for ‘medal’ books and earn an entry into a draw when they borrow the book.
In Term 3, to support Year 3’s HASS unit on food and fibre production and sustainability, the library is using ‘recycled’ paper only for the Structured Play craft, drawing and colouring activities. This is paper which has been printed or colored on one side only. It is still quite usable for the creation of the next Mona Lisa and does not affect the aerodynamics of paper planes.
Thank you wonderful families who have recently donated their books to the library. The donations included many wonderful non-fiction texts, which students have borrowed already, as well as top ups of popular fiction for our series shelves and Classroom Libraries.
Zephaniah 3:17
“For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty saviour.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Our God is a God who sings! Music is part of His very being, part of His creative nature, and He not only directs that towards us but allows us to join in the chorus. I wonder if, like a mother calming her child with a familiar song, the Lord sings songs of peace over us at uncertain times like this – with His love, calming our fears. Even though we may not hear Him directly, He has still given us music so calm & soothe our souls – the very music your children are learning to play.
All instrumental lessons are continuing for Term 3. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are humming along, and we are already making plans for performances in Term 4.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Wednesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mrs Patane’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 2:30-3:10pm in Mrs Patane’s room
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4 GIAG woodwind, brass & percussion students) – Thursday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and anyone else who has lessons outside of school is also welcome to join this ensemble.
On Tuesday 26th July, in the Performing Arts Hall, we held our inaugural “Soloist’s Soiree” as an opportunity for students to perform pieces they have been working on in their lessons throughout the year. Just over 20 students performed, and it was wonderful to see supportive family & friends there, enjoying the night. We heard from pianists, guitarists, clarinettists, singers & string players – please enjoy some photos below! This is likely to become an annual or bi-annual event on our calendar, so those who didn’t play or sing this time will certainly have another opportunity in the future.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, and so far they’re doing very well. Lessons have begun already, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Year 1 has had an amazing start to Term 3! The first few weeks have been busy and students have been fully engaged in their learning.
We enjoyed getting active during our Lower Primary Athletics Carnival! The weather was glorious and the children behaved beautifully, participating enthusiastically in all the rotations. It was great to see so many parents come to watch on the day too!
Science has been a highlight this term as we explore Physical and Chemical Changes. We have been melting chocolate, making popcorn, melting and freezing ice blocks and experimenting with what happens when we combine different ingredients! Our Fizzy Volcano experiment was definitely a favourite!
Our Math topics have been very ‘ hands-on’ so far this term. We have explored patterns using shapes and objects and then delved into a unit about 2D Shapes and 3D Objects. The children have been very creative during lessons and it’s great to see them so excited about their learning!
1B and 1C have also enjoyed coming together as a cohort a few times a week as we learn and play together. We danced, completed our morning routine and practised phonics altogether. It was so much fun! We are looking forward to doing more collaborative learning together this term.
Take care everyone!
Year 2 has had a fantastic start back to Term 3. The students enjoyed an awesome day at Athletics Carnival with everyone participating and giving their best. We have been exploring the properties of materials as a part of our joint Science and Design Technologies unit. As always the students are loving the investigation process. (See pics below) Mr. Graham came into our class and discussed disability with our students. The students were fascinated with the prosthetic legs and so impressed with everything Mr. Graham said. Thank you so much Mr. Graham for inputting so generously and kindly into our students’ educational journey. For Maths, we have been investigating multiplication by building/eating and looking for arrays in everyday life and division where the students became pirates sharing gold! Students have also been working on mental Maths: learning to calculate subtraction in their heads. We have all loved being back in chapel worshipping God together. Each week students have practised and memorised their scripture verses. Selected students have done a great job reciting their verse in chapel. Next week we will be inviting Dr Elizabeth Tailby into our classroom to talk to the student about how Indigenous Australians used the materials around them to make the things they needed.
It was a great start to Term 3 this year with both of our athletics carnivals. Although it is a little tricky with Year 3 going to the two different carnivals, everyone did a great job wearing the right uniform on the right day! Both the older and younger students had a fabulous day participating, competing and eating!
We have loved starting our HASS unit where we have been learning about different countries as well as learning how to research. Researching has been a highlight for many of the students. We are looking forward to our assessment piece where we will be making a poster of a country who is a close neighbour of Australia.
Everyone in Year 3 did an awesome job leading worship at Chapel on Wednesday! It was long awaited but certainly a lot of fun and great to see the students showing their leadership and singing skills to all the other grades.
The highlight of our learning this month has definitely been our measuring unit in Math. Students have been learning how to measure in both centimetres and metres. We have also learnt how to measure mass with scales and next week we will begin our capacity unit. All of the students have really enjoyed all the hands-on activities and have understood the concept well.
Although it has been a really busy start to Term 3, July has been a great month of learning, new experiences, school community and just plain fun! We can’t wait to tell you all about August with a lot happening in Year 3 next month as well. We are praying you all stay safe and healthy in this cold weather!
There was certainly some excitement when Year 4 ventured out to investigate the convict history of Brisbane. The children’s first excursion since Year 1 had a huge impact on the excitement, of course. We had a lovely morning tea and lunch in Queen’s Gardens and watched the hustle and bustle of Brisbane. We ‘met’ Queen Victoria (the statue) and sat at her feet for lunch and discussed who she was and her contribution of the developement of Australia. Next we went and had a lesson from some very knowledgeable gentlemen about the original purpose of Brisbane. Did you know that the ‘troublesome’ convicts were often sent to Brisbane? The students were so engaged, answered so many questions and asked so many complex questions that guides offered several of them job applications! The children did get a kick out of sharing their knowledge. We really enjoyed investigating the structure of the buildings that were built by hand by the convicts. The bars on The Commissariat Store were to keep the convicts out of the stores that kept the settlement alive. Brisbane sadly only has two convict built buildings that have survived the effects of time, The Commissariat Store and the Old Windmill on Wickham Terrace. Touching the old items and bricks, that were hand carved, made us think of the past and how life must have been.
The Year 4 team would like to thank the students for their outstanding behaviour, engagement and enthusiasm during the day. They really did themselves, their parents and Parklands proud.
We would also like to thank the parents who came on excursion with us. We truly couldn’t have done it without you and appreciate all you do.
It was very exciting this month to have Parklands’ first ever Primary Cubing Club session. We had a full and exciting session with 38 students coming to the first day. We were all interested to watch some videos of speedcubers solving their cubes and dreaming of how good we might one day become as Speedcubers. We started our time off with the rules of the club and dreaming of what we might achieve and then got straight into learning how a cube works and how to turn it. We attempted to make the checkerboard pattern on the cube to assist us in learning how to turn the cube (and because it looks cool).We then embarked on the first step of solving a cube, which is completing the ‘White Cross’. All of our Cubing Club participants gave it a go and tried to solve the white cross! Some students were successful and others will need more practice, but it was a great start to our Club.
Some Cubing Club members already knew how to solve the first layer of the cube and we are looking forward to progressing in what each member knows over the coming weeks.
Learning how to solve a cube takes a lot of practice and a lot of patience but everyone can learn if they are committed to keep trying and keep practising. At Primary Cubing Club we will initially be learning the beginner method that is taught by the Cubing YouTuber ‘J Perm’.
Next session at Cubing Club we will continue learning and practising white cross and for those who are ready, we will learn to solve the first layer. If any students are still interested in coming along to Primary Cubing Club, they are welcome to come along on Tuesdays during structured play in Mrs Davis’ Classroom (P7). Students in Years 1-6 are welcome to come to Cubing Club!
A big thank you to Mrs Sue Martin who helped us all at Cubing Club. Also all the students were so well behaved and patient during the club making it so enjoyable so a big thanks to them all too. I am really looking forward to next week.
Cube on!
Mrs Dayna Davis
Term 3 started off in excellent fashion, with some tendrils of normality creeping back in! The annual sports carnivals were an excellent display of athleticism from some, sportsmanship from others and the Parklands spirit of cheering each other on from all. It was so lovely to celebrate our students in an event that felt like normal school again. We have also had parent-teacher interviews, sporting gala days, and the inaugural Soloist Soiree – all incredible events where we can highlight the achievements of many of our diverse and multi-talented students.
However, even with this excellent start to the term, there is plenty of sickness around, and we have many of students who are feeling the impact of extended absences from school. If your student misses more than a day or two of school due to sickness in the household, we encourage both our students and families to reach out to us to help support students through this time.
Year 8 and 9 students have some important decisions coming up, as we move into subject selection season for 2023 classes. On Tuesday of Week 4, we will host a subject selection evening for our current Year 8 and 9 students, to learn about new choices, the senior system and the subjects that Parklands is able to offer. After this event, a subject selection online form will be released for students to select their subjects for Year 9 and 10 in 2023. This is an exciting time in a students’ educational journey, as they begin to have more choice in what they do, tailoring their schooling days a little more specifically to suit each individual. We love watching our students grow and flourish as they start to hone in on what their career and adult life might involve.
In the next month, a few key events to look out for are:
Praying that our middle school students have a smooth and healthy Term 3!
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
As we settle into colder weather and the heart of our school year, it is a great time to take a look at how we are taking care of our wellbeing, both as students and as parents! According to the Oxford English Dictionary, self-care can be defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress”. Self-care is a deliberate activity to maintain or improve our physical, emotional or mental health. It includes activities that revitalise us, and bring joy and a sense of well-being to our lives. It is not selfish but allows us to look after ourselves which benefits our health, welfare and relationships.
Self-care for children and young people is about helping them to learn how to look after themselves so that they can stay mentally and physically healthy. Self-care is unique to everyone so it requires some reflection and thought in order to find out what is best for each person. Taking care of physical and mental well-being can help students to stay focussed, motivated, and energised and reduce stress, frustration and anxiety.
Three of the major pathways to well-being include SLEEP, MOVEMENT and NUTRITION.
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things we can do to maintain wellbeing. Sleep lets our mind recharge and process information. It’s the only part of the day that our body gets to rest and repair. Sleep can help us feel better, think more clearly and concentrate better. It gives us energy to complete tasks and can make us more alert. Without enough sleep you may have problems with thinking, concentrating, memory, reaction times and mood. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends that school age children up to the age of 13 years old get approximately 9-11 hours of sleep each night and teenagers aged 14-17 years get 8-10 hours.
Here’s some reasons why sleep is important:
Exercise has social, emotional and health benefits, including increased concentration, increased confidence, reduced risk of diseases and reduced aggression.
Physical activity can help you to:
Exercise doesn’t have to be in a sweaty gym – that’s not everyone’s cup of tea! There are so many ways to exercise and they all count! Kick a footy at the park, take a bush walk, or head to the beach for a swim (when the weather warms up!). You can even do a YouTube Pilates class or try a dance battle on your gaming console! Stick to a routine or mix it up – find what works for you! It’s time to move your body!
We all know that what we eat has a huge effect on our lives, yet growing a good relationship with food isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind when we think about self-care. Good nutrition is the ultimate form of self-care. And while it may not feel like a deep tissue massage, its benefits on your stress, mood, digestion, and overall health absolutely compliment every other beautiful self-care practice you do for your mind and body.
Just as we need petrol in our car to get us to where we need to go, we need food to fuel our mind and body. If our body needs Premium fuel but we are filling it with a regular, blended fuel, our body won’t work the way we need it to, especially in times of stress or tiredness. Our bodies are more compatible with premium fuel (good nutrition) which helps our body to work in the following ways:
For more in-depth nutritional information, see a local professional such as a nutritionist or dietician.
These three form the foundation for good self-care, both for children and adults. Further to these everyone is different! We are all made and wired differently and self-care is often a journey of discovering what works for us – kids included. Here are some other self-care techniques that you could test out and see if they revitalise you, bring you joy and help to restore your wellbeing:
By incorporating self–care activities into our regular routine, we give our body and mind time to rest, reset, and rejuvenate, in order to enhance our health and wellbeing. Look after yourselves and find what works for you!
North Maclean Family Vet. This year we are again raising money for our furry friends by taking part in RSPCA Cupcake Day.
We are holding a stall on Saturday, August 27th outside North Maclean Family Vet in the Olley’s Orange Complex, Mount Lindesay Hwy, North Maclean, selling animal and human treats, yummy sausage sizzle, cool refreshments and plenty of raffle tickets for sale for some amazing prizes that have been donated by several of the businesses at the Olley’s Complex.
Cricket Blast Flyer – All schools
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
We are excited to relaunch The Friendlies. Over the years our amazing parents have gathered to build community, not only within our College but also within our local community.
We would love to hear from you if you are wanting to be part of this amazing team of people. Maybe you were involved in the past or maybe this is a whole new concept for you … let’s throw our hands in the air and get involved.
Our Principal, Gary Cully, is super keen to be part of our relaunch. We will be sending out invitations for cake and coffee once we have heard from you.
Please email Jill and share your eagerness to be part of The Friendlies … pa@parklands.qld.edu.au
I trust you had a lovely holiday break, having spent time doing the nice, fun and or relaxing things you enjoy, with family and friends?
At the start of this semester, I wish you and the students everything of the best for the term that lies ahead.
All students should have received an ‘End of Semester Report’ via email at the conclusion of last term. This report should confirm what your child’s teacher has informed you of, or given you feedback on throughout the term as to how your child has progressed.
If you have not yet spoken to your child about their results and effort, would you kindly find the time to esteem them for their great results or encourage them to work on finding ways to improve on their poor results? If you need any assistance and or advice on areas your child can improve, please feel free to contact their class teacher.
A reminder that students should be on site by 8.25am at the latest and ready for the start of the school day by 8.30am sharp. Would you please assist us in reminding students of these procedures and do all you can to have students on campus by 8.25am at the latest?
Students can be collected any time from 2.30pm of an afternoon. Students at school for the end of the day (3.10pm) are to be collected from the Undercover Area. Students still at school after 3.30pm are be collected from Student Services.
We thank you for your support and understanding in this regard.
For the start of Term 3, could you please ensure ALL uniform items, lunch boxes/water bottles and bags are clearly relabeled with your child’s name? Ensure that black shoes are polished, hair is cut and the correct uniform items are worn – jumper with Academic Uniform and the tracksuit jacket with Sport Uniform. Please also check students are wearing predominantly WHITE, leather upper sneakers / sand shoes with their sports uniform.
If unsure about any uniform requirements, please feel free to check the School Website (Online Store – Uniform Policy – Primary) or ask the RTC staff or class teachers. Thank you for your understanding and assistance in this regard.
An emphasis has been placed on ‘child safety, washing hands, staying home if unwell’ from the beginning of Term 3. We will be reminding students to: regularly wash hands, use hand sanitiser, walk on the concrete, stay under the verandahs or covered areas when raining and moving around the school, don’t push and shove and walk in single file up and down the stairs, play nicely and safely on the playgrounds and to have “KIND words and FRIENDLY action” when at school. Can we ask that you please remind your child to do likewise when at school?
Parents, social distancing/DROP & GO/collecting students from the UC Area of an afternoon are ALL still in place for this term. Please also be very careful and vigilant around the pedestrian crossing, when opening car doors in the car parks and to please stick to the 20 km/h speed limit when driving through the school?
Can we please remind all parents and students that the safest and only place to cross the Rosia Rd car park should be at the pedestrian crossing and not on the bend, just before the top exit gate, close to the Gr 5 classrooms! THANK YOU for your support in keeping our students safe!
Life is a wonderful but sometimes bumpy journey. Everyone experiences setbacks, frustrations and hard times at different times in their lives. We cannot protect young people from the stress of all the possible setbacks in their life but we can teach them the ‘coping skills’ that promote resilience. Recent research studies have suggested that today’s children may be less resilient than those of previous generations and more in need of opportunities to learn resilience skills.
There are many skills that we can teach students to provide them with a resilience ‘tool kit’ for coping with life and being successful. We can teach our children to be optimistic by, for example:
Many children become unnecessarily distressed and fearful because they distort a situation or they have incorrect and unhelpful beliefs that make it less likely that they will attempt to solve a problem.
Examples of such thinking include:
Young people also need to learn skills for being confident as part of their ‘resilience tool kit’. These skills include:
It’s evident that young people with well-developed social skills are more likely to be resilient and to have a good support network of friends when needed. Key social skills can be taught and practiced in a range of classroom and playground situations. Skills for knowing triggers of anxiety or anger can be taught and finding the confidence to act courageously when necessary, are also an important part of a young person’s resilience ‘tool kit’.
Through many areas of the curriculum, teachers can encourage their students to develop and try to live by our values such as Christlikeness, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, Cooperation and Acceptance of differences. Parents can reinforce and role model these situations and ideas at home, thus offering the child every opportunity to see resilience in action!
Looking forward to a wonderful term of doing your child’s education together.
Parklands Christian Church Youth Program began running a free pancake breakfast near our Hospitality Centre last term. Twice a term, Youth Leaders and Parklands Alumni Oliver Lee, Maya Cully & Steff Pottinger along with a few other Church members serve up fresh hot pancakes cooked on the BBQ. The next Youth pancake breakfast will be Wednesday 10th of August from 7.30am. Everyone is welcome.
In response to the overwhelming call for help from our local community during the 2020 Covid lockdowns, our Parklands Care Pack Program was born. To date we have been able to be the hands and feet of Jesus by providing a care pack containing a week’s worth of non-perishable food items to over 600 families in our community. With the help of the local state school Chaplains, we’ve been able to deliver the grocery boxes directly to those most in need. Whether that need arises from job loss, illness or just generally needing love and support, we’re so grateful for the opportunity to care for our community.
This program could not be possible without the joint partnership of Parklands Christian College and Parklands Christian Church. Each term the year 10 students who are completing their Active Volunteering Certificate, and Parklands staff, generously give their time to sort and pack the enormous piles of food into carefully packed boxes. Many staff have also been known to come in on their day off to pack boxes and also to hand deliver the care packs on their way home from work.
Free school holiday workshops for kids June July 22
Free school holiday shows for kids June July 22
Free school holiday activities for teens and kids June July 22
Our next school holiday writing and art camps are coming soon.
They will be held during the school holidays, starting on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 and running until Thursday, July 7, 2022 at Sheldon College.
There will be a three day camp for children aged 9 to 14 and a one day workshop for children aged 7 to 10.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
A highlight this month for Year 3 was our Science unit. We conducted a number of experiments relating to the transfer of heat, which are always a hit. The students are getting great at making predictions, being safe during experiments and making sure experiments are fair. They all loved taking temperature measurements in our last experiment and then reporting back to their groups.
The students worked really hard on publishing their persuasive texts this term and did a marvellous job convincing us that cats truly are better than dogs and that KFC is definitely better than Subway!
After completing all of our assessment, we had fun being able to sit next to our friends. We completed some winter related activities and ended the term with a movie, fun rotations and special snacks!
Next term we are looking forward to our Athletics Carnivals. Year 3 is in the unusual position where part of the class will go to different athletics carnivals depending on which year they were born. No matter which carnival we will be attending, we are all looking forward to it.
Year 3 were supposed to be leading worship at Chapel in Term 2, however this had to be changed at the last minute. We are really excited about leading worship at Chapel on the 27th July instead!
We hope and pray you all have a blessed, relaxed and safe holidays. We look forward to seeing you all next term for our carnivals and lots of new learning!
The Year 3 Team
Dayna Davis, Renee Imms, Sue Martin and Christine Uwamurera
During Term 2 this year, the Year 5 classes studied our Australian Values and Legal System, including our democratic process. To align this with our students’ understanding, students created action plans for a perceived problem then we held speeches and had elections for class captains. I am pleased to announce that 5E’s Class Captains for 2022 are Darcy Hurst and Jasmine MacKellar. Our Vice-Captains are Jonathan Blandford, Grace Pacurariu, Jensen Van der Loos and Evie Hills. Congratulations to all of these wonderful students!
A reminder that we had to postpone our Primary Athletics Day Carnival and the new Term 3 date for the athletics carnival is FRIDAY 15th July.
A letter explaining the day’s process, procedures and program will be forthcoming!
We are looking forward to seeing lots or parents and grandparents attending the carnival and supporting the students as they give of their best!
Mrs. Jessica Bourchier, who has been on maternity leave this semester, has indicated she wishes to spend more time being a ‘full time mother’, so has tendered her resignation and will not be returning to Parklands. Miss Cindy Orellana, the Year 5 teacher this semester, will continue on to the end of year, which we are all very happy about!
Mrs. Christina Colanis, the Year 4 teacher is wishing to ‘semi retire’ and move to supply work so has resigned from the end of this term. Mrs. Miranda Powell, a caring, loving, very experienced, Christian teacher, will replace Mrs. Colanis.
We wish these staff members everything of the best for their future and know that their replacement/in-coming teacher will do a wonderful job of teaching and caring for our students!
The Transition to Secondary School longitudinal report by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) found parents worry more about their children moving from primary to high school than their children do! While students rate ‘making friends and missing their old friends’ as the biggest challenges, parents fret about “how to cope with largescale change and deal with more subjects with different teachers”.
AIFS executive director Dr. Sharman Stone said children who were social and emotionally stable were most likely to have the smoothest transition into high school. “Students are thinking about their immediate experiences whereas parents are thinking about it in the context of primary school and secondary school,” she said.
Children of “angry” parents were some of the most likely to report difficulties. “That kind of behaviour is not going to create a supportive environment when they transition into school … that harsh parenting can cause those problems and is not a supportive thing to do,” Dr. Stone said.
Education Minister Grace Grace said the Department of Education was overseeing a review of individual schools, including looking at how to get parents more involved in schools. “We want to ensure the transition to high school is smooth for every student and making new friends is a big part,” she said.
We at Parklands look to make the process as “easy as possible” by starting the transition process at the beginning of Year 6 by trying to offer subjects like Science presented by Secondary staff / or their class teacher in the high school Science labs! We also have other Transition opportunities like the Middle School Display morning, the Parent Information Evening and the Transition Day – when the Year 6s visit Middle School to meet the teachers, see classrooms and have fun learning what to do when!
At the commencement of Term 3, Year 6 students start to experience middle school RTC processes and procedures such as ‘late/incomplete work’ plans, uniform infringement slips and fail grade meetings.
All this is to set them up for success when they move into Secondary School next year.
Life is a wonderful but sometimes bumpy journey. Everyone experiences setbacks, frustrations and hard times at different times in their lives. We cannot protect young people from the stress of all the possible setbacks in their life but we can teach them the coping skills that promote resilience. Recent research studies have suggested that today’s children may be less resilient than those of previous generations and more in need of opportunities to learn resilience skills.
There are many skills that we can teach students to provide them with a resilience ‘tool kit’ for coping with life and being successful. We can teach our children to be optimistic by, for example:
Many children become unnecessarily distressed and fearful because they distort a situation or they have incorrect and unhelpful beliefs that make it less likely that they will attempt to solve a problem.
Examples of such thinking include:
Young people also need to learn skills for being confident as part of their ‘resilience tool kit’. These skills include:
It is evident that young people with well-developed social skills are more likely to be resilient and to have a good support network of friends when needed. Key social skills can be taught and practiced in a range of classroom and playground situations. Skills for knowing triggers of anxiety or anger can be taught and finding the confidence to act courageously when necessary, are also an important part of a young person’s resilience ‘tool kit’.
Through many areas of the curriculum, teachers can encourage their students to develop and try to live by our values such as respect, cooperation and acceptance of differences. Parents can reinforce and role model these situations and ideas at home, thus offering the child every opportunity to see resilience in action.
Looking forward to a wonderful term of doing your child’s education together.
Dear Parklands Community,
As our students take a well-deserved break, it’s a busy time for us here at Parklands. Right now, we are implementing a few key changes to the way we are working so that we may improve our interaction with families and enhance our systems for our staff. These changes have been driven by a desire to meet the contemporary needs of our community and address some inefficiencies in our procedures that sometimes hamper our working relationship with our families.
It is important to me that our community stays connected, and that we continually improve the way we communicate, interact and serve. I am also conscious that my generation of parents (Gen X) work differently and have different expectations to Millennials (1989-1994) and Gen Z (1995-2014). I find it fascinating to talk to people at the beginning of the parenting journey as they tell parenting stories and imagine a future vision for their children. As I listen, I am inspired to prepare our students for a vision of the future not yet realised, and a world that continues to change at a rapid pace.
Someone recently told me that each ‘COVID year’ is worth five normal years in terms of the rate of general change and social reform. And some days I certainly feel like I have aged almost 15 years since 2020. Yet, even though older generations at times pine for slower progress, our children are increasingly embracing the new normal. It has not been easy for our students, but in many ways, I think they have coped with all that COVID has thrown at society better than most.
The family unit operates in a vast variety of ways these days, as parents work habits and commitments drive new family norms. During enrolment interviews, I see the growing strain on double income families as they balance professional and personal expectations. I see parents that aspire to provide a solid and sound foundation for their children’s lives, and a desire to partner with a school who will approach this task holistically. I see complex family units, and an emerging generation of students with a variety of needs. And in all of this, I see the opportunity to serve.
Schools are no longer places where simple reading, writing and arithmetic takes place, and nor should it be. Societal needs have changed, and our education system needs to change with it. More recently I have been reading “Most Likely to Succeed: preparing our kids for the innovation era” by Wager & Dintersmith (2015). The book suggests that there is a contradiction between what occurs in school versus what makes a student most likely to succeed beyond the formal schooling years. While this is an age-old debate, I am inspired to keep checking for evidence of this in our own approach to schooling and to step up where we need to and celebrate what we are already doing well.
I believe what we are doing at Parklands is something special. I know this may be a claim of many schools, but I can’t help but celebrate the way our community works. I am proud of our current review process, and the way our staff are responding to the contemporary needs of the learners and their families. I am impressed by the way our students help us drive change as they participate in the learning journey with our teachers. I love the innovation and change in and around our school, and the desire of our community to engage and connect. I believe we are well positioned to meet the contemporary needs of our students, parents and staff. As we look at a busy yet exciting future, I am proud to be called to serve in a season such as this, and I invite us all to be open to the challenges ahead and approach the years to come with hopeful expectation.
Gary Cully
Principal
Looking back, Semester 1 proved a wonderful time for books, reading and our Library!
It was wonderful to see so many students not only pursuing their reading journey, but also spending time building Lego marvels, creating paper crafts and planes and volunteering to assist in the shelving, labeling, scanning, stamping tasks that are a daily necessity in a library.
At the end of the Semester, the administration of Textbooks, Teacher Reference and Class-set novels (stored in Student Services) was moved to Accessit!, the library catalogue. This will streamline the management of all PCC’s resources.
All Primary students participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime and 40 students took on the Read More in May Challenge.
A brief snapshot of Semester 1.
Number of books borrowed: 6596
Primary –
Year 2 : 1034
Year 1 : 937
Year 4 : 932
Secondary –
Year 8 : 246
Year 11 : 235
Year 12 : 195
New Books available for borrowing:
Details of library contests and the much anticipated Costume Parade will be announced soon.
Can you wait until 25 October 2022?
Credit: Penguin
Greetings everyone,
We have completed a very busy semester which has been filled with many memorable moments, both in and out of the classroom, and has included some great excursions, incursions, and sporting events again. Senior students have also participated in Elevate Education seminars and Year 10 attended the annual Careers Expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre along with attending a Careers Week culminating in attending a visit to Tafe and University. We have also seen our College Captains run some special events at school and also attend events for young leaders such as the ANZAC Day Commemoration Ceremony. All in all, it has been a semester filled with rich learning experiences and we are very proud of our seniors.
The new QCE system is rigorous and work in some of the holiday time may be required. Some Year 12 subjects have their third Internal Assessment due early in Term 3. The amount of work will also depend on your child’s progress with their study notes, which is key preparation for the Year 12 External Assessment exams (EAs) and for the Year 11 exams in Term 3, where students will be tested on a larger part of their subject syllabus (in preparation for the EAs). We equally promote rest and relaxation and will continue to promote working hard in term time with a block of time devoted to relaxation in holidays.
Coming up next term is our secondary parent-teacher interviews. These are scheduled for Tuesday 12 July, from 3:30pm. These events are important for many reasons including getting the chance to speak with your child’s teachers, see how your child is progressing, and to talk through any plans about how teachers can further support your child.
We also welcome and value your child attending the interviews with you. Thank you for looking out for the email with details on how to book, which is scheduled to be sent on Friday 24 June.
If your child is feeling unsure about their Senior pathway or if you have any concerns with how your child is managing the senior load, please make a time to talk with us.
We advocate that there are always options available in Senior College. The images below outline four distinct Senior Packages, each designed to provide options with the goal of bringing success as your children prepare for work or further study.
We encourage all parents to be actively involved in discussing and exploring options for their child’s future.
The best contacts for Senior are:
Mrs Elizabeth Lenton: Careers & Vocational Coordinator elenton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs Abby Dixon-Sali: Year 10 Coordinator adixon-sali@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs Rebecca Wallis: Senior College Coordinator rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
We are always pleased to meet and discuss options for your child. Please contact us at any time through Student Services or via email if we can be of assistance.
I do hope that you have a wonderful winter holiday break with your families.
We look forward to seeing you in Term 3.
Blessings to you all,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
In the last few weeks of Term 2, in preparation for a special middle-school-only assembly, I sent the Year 9 Middle School Captains on a bit of a secret mission. They were tasked with uncovering the ‘spirit of middle school’ at PCC. We did this via playground interviews, asking 4 key questions of middle school students; and let me tell you, the data gathered is pretty incredible!
Question 1: What do you think Parklands is best known for?
According to middle school students, Parklands is best known for “Christianity” and “Academics”. These two things are obviously at the core of most Christian schools, but I loved when our students identified that they tangibly show up in things like our CLEAR Values. Middle School students described a “Christian education” as translating into things like caring and compassionate teachers, our sporting behaviours and how we interact with each other.
Question 2: What’s the best thing about Middle School?
According to middle school students, the best thing about Middle School is “Freedom”. They love that they are no longer primary school students; that there are more freedoms in what they can do and choose. It was incredible watching our young men and women articulating that they have the power to impact their own educational experiences.
Question 3: What’s the best thing about going to school at Parklands?
According to middle school students, the best thing about going to school at Parklands is “Friends”. All the students we interviewed mentioned that they loved having friends at Parklands. From a staff perspective, it’s really special to watch our middle school students love on each other and demonstrate tangible acceptance. It also gave us a great opportunity to reflect on the perspective of students who may not always feel like this, and we felt challenged to ensure each person coming onsite every day knows they are coming to a place of acceptance, care and love.
Question 4: How would you describe the Parklands spirit?
According to middle school students, the Parklands spirit is best described by the word “Family”. But as we all know, families aren’t perfect, are they? Sometimes they disagree, sometimes they fight. In spite of this, our middle school students identified things like being happy and joyful for each others’ achievements. That they know each other really well, and that they always help and welcome each other.
To summarise how our Middle School students are describing their experience of schooling at Parklands, I will quote one of our Year 8 students, who said “We’re like our own little cheerleaders”. We also seem to have three big words that seem to describe the spirit of Parklands in middle school: FREEDOM, FRIENDS, FAMILY. With these things in mind, I wanted to share with you the challenge I gave to our middle school students for Semester Two: How can you embody this incredible spirit of middle school Parklands, that you have so beautifully described to me? How can we make sure each precious student at Parklands has the incredible experience of freedom, friends and family in middle school?
Well, that’s a wrap on Semester One! This year is going so quickly, it’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through. This time of the year is a busy one in the life of all schools, as teachers and parents communicate about the learning journey of students through things like report cards and other notifications. As we prepare to read through report cards, I encourage you to look at it for both celebration of incredible achievements and encouragement for improvement for Semester Two.
We have a few key things happening early in Term 3 to look forward to:
Praying all our families have a restful and refreshing break together, looking forward to Term 3!
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
This year we had 4 teams compete in boys’ soccer and girls’ netball at Hubner Park.
All the teams came away with wins on the day with a stand-out performance from the Junior Boys Soccer team who defeated Brisbane Christian College in the final 2-0 to win the competition. All students trained hard throughout the term and their commitment to the team was outstanding. Thank you to the coaches for their input and for instilling the school values into our students.
During the last week of the term we had our 1st teams representing the college in E-Sports. They played in the Fuse Cup Tournament which was a great experience for the students. All students have been training throughout the term and we had Jack Gray make the Knock Out Finals and Ethan Reid make it to the Grand Final, finishing 3rd out of 60 students. Finding new avenues for students to participate in extracurricular activities is always exciting, and the introduction of E-Sports into the school has been a great success.
In week 9 we had our finals for Secondary and Primary USL Basketball. We had 5 teams make it to the Grand final and it was great to see the support from our community on the day. We had 4 teams come away with a silver medal and the 9/10 Boys and 5/6 Girls taking home the sold for the tournament. Well done to all the teams for a great season.
Term 2 we had 17 students representing the Southern Districts or the Met West region through a variety of sports. The school would like to recognise the following students for their achievements this term.
Greetings all,
In Senior College, we recently celebrated ‘100 days’, a countdown to when our Year 12’s graduate and embark on life after school. It was a wonderful morning of celebration with our seniors and we are so thankful to our amazing Home Class teachers, Mrs Schulz and Mr Leembruggen who look after all of our seniors so well.
Year 12 may be thinking about schoolies options. These days, schoolies has become a rite of passage for many of our school leavers. Some head off to the Gold Coast and other beach locations to celebrate the end of school, often including drinking and partying. My parent and teacher heart is always pleased to hear of other options for our young people, besides the alcohol and drug infused cultures that have become increasingly prevalent with some popular beachside destinations.
There are organisations that offer structured trips and are great getaways for school leavers, in a safe setup such as Scripture Union (SU) QLD. Below are two getaways still available for this year. For Year 11, if you book early, there are more options, including a trip to Hawaii!
More information is available on the SU Qld website at: https://su-schoolies.com/
Completing senior schooling is demanding and I think that it’s healthy for our graduates to celebrate after the pressure of completing their final examinations. I pray that all of our students live their lives intentionally, and for Jesus, and as we read about in the book of Ephesians that they make their lives count. We pray that each senior student makes choices to align with all that God intends them to be.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”. Romans 12:2
On Tuesday 31 May, we held our annual Senior College information evening for current Year 10 students and families. This night was an opportunity to learn about the subjects and course options that are on offer for Years 11-12. Senior subject packs have been supplied to all Year 10 students, including those who were unable to attend the information evening.
We encourage families to read through the material and to talk together about what their goals are and what senior package they will enrol into, for their two formal years of senior schooling. The four Senior Packages offered at PCC are summarised below. Please note that further information is provided in your child’s subject pack.
We are pleased to offer a variety of options to support accommodating your child’s God given gifts and talents. Please note that the Year 11, 2023 subject selection form will be emailed to your child’s email account on Wednesday 15 June, for choosing Year 11 subjects.
If you were unable to attend this information session, please feel free to contact Mrs Elizabeth Lenton, Mrs Abby Dixon-Sali or Mrs Rebecca Wallis for further information. It is an important time as you consider subjects, courses and ultimately which package is the right choice for your child.
To wrap up this month’s senior news, I have been reflecting on all that our Years 10-12 students do and on what an amazing and fine bunch of young people they are. In the life of the College there are always seniors helping. I consider myself extremely blessed to work with teenagers who can look outside of themselves and do things for others and so below are some photos to capture these final thoughts.
Blessings to you all,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
Dear Parklands Community,
For those of our community who were able to make it to our fete on Saturday, I trust you had an enjoyable day. I had a great time connecting with new and existing families alike. This year we ran Principal’s tours for visitors wishing to see our facilities and learn a little more about our community. There was a lot of interest in these tours, and a large number of subsequent enrolment inquiries.
While Parklands is enjoying a favourable season and is popular in the wider community, faith-based schools and Christian Schools, in particular, have faced some scrutiny and subsequent challenges of late. It would appear that as the religious freedoms debate continues, faith-based schools of all faiths and descriptions have been caught in the unfolding, political and highly publicised story.
Adding to the complexity of this season of scrutiny is a change of government. The ALP enter their tenure of government having to very quickly grapple with religious freedom and equity that protects people of faith from discrimination, addresses concerns from minority groups and provides certainty to faith-based schools (CSA 2022). No easy task.
Meanwhile, our task as a school has not changed. We keep serving our families, supporting and fostering community, teaching students and doing so in the name of Jesus who called us to love unconditionally (Matthew 7:1-6 & Mark 12: 30-31). Proverbs 22:6 calls us to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it” (KJV). On this basis, we teach our students from an unashamedly Christian Worldview in the hope that they might enter the adult world with a desire to love and serve according to their God given gifts and talents.
We believe that God has a plan for every young life, and a desire to be their strength and foundation in good times and bad, and I believe that every student needs this foundational assurance in their life. This is what it means to be a faith based, Christian school. We are committed to the holistic education of children; mind, soul and body, and we do this well.
At Parklands, we are committed to the notion of providing a quality, Christian school education that leads to student flourishing. We have been doing this since 2001, and we are planning to continue this good work well into the future.
As we enter a new and exciting season of our school, with new buildings and a commitment to a bright vision of the future, I ask you to join me in prayer for our community and its place in Logan City.
Gary Cully
Principal
Our next school holiday writing and art camps are coming soon.
They will be held during the school holidays, starting on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 and running until Thursday, July 7, 2022 at Sheldon College.
There will be a three day camp for children aged 9 to 14 and a one day workshop for children aged 7 to 10.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The Brisbane Roar are bringing their Roar Active Holiday Clinics to the following ever popular SUN SAFE locations for our Summer Clinic’s . This is an ideal way to gain extra skills and game awareness while having FUN with our expert Team of Coach’s.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday 4th 5th 6th April Brisbane City Indoor Sports, Coorparoo
ages 6-12 – Times 9am-12pm – 3 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/coorparoo-3-day-indoor-clinic-easter-2022/
Thursday Friday 7th 8th April Living Faith Lutheran Indoor Sports Hall, Murrumba Downs
Ages 7-11 Times 9am-12pm 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/living-faith-lutheran-2-day-clinic/
Monday Tuesday 11th 12th April Brisbane Albion Indoor Sports, Albion
Ages 6-12 Times 11am-2pm– 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/albion-indoor-sports-2-day-clinic-easter-2022/
Wonderful clinic’s for children to learn new skills while having FUN playing our beautiful game in a safe environment. As the foundational program for kids of all levels and skill abilities, the Brisbane Roar Active Program promotes fun and excitement in our next generation of footballers. To view, receive more information and register for these clinics please go to www.roaractive.com.au and select Holiday Programs.
Some of the great new books the students have requested include:
Many Students in Year 3 have been eager to borrow Choose Your Own Adventure stories. We have put our collection on a display stand to encourage more students to continue the Narrative study they are working on in class.
In Week 6, our Primary classes enjoyed the NSS text, Family Tree, by Josh Pyke. Children were excited to share their family stories and contribute to our library family tree.
Almost 30 students in Primary School took up the challenge to read every day in May for a minimum of 10 minutes, (not very difficult for our many avid readers!) These children will be awarded a Certificate of Completion and be eligible to win some great prizes from Scholastic.
We remind parents who are monitoring their child’s reading for the challenge, to ensure they are registered and to sign off as completed, at the end of May. A certificate will be sent to your home email. Most students will receive a Certificate from the Teacher-Librarian in the next few weeks.
Theodora Szanto- Year 3 – 13
Erleen Kaur – Year 3 – 11
Olivia Szanto – Year 3 – 11
Elsei Badilita – Year 5 – 10
Abraham Carkeet Year 4 – 10
Ashlea Singh – Year 4 – 9
Amity Bachelor – Year 2 – 8
Evie Christopher – Year 2 – 8
Lahannah Florkowski – Year 2 – 8
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”
Skill requires time. Time in terms of weeks & months & years, but also time in the practice room. Just like a pilot must “get their hours up” before being fully licensed to fly a plane, musicians must “get their hours up” to develop skill on their instrument. While these hours are not always easy or enjoyable in & of themselves, they are like seeds which, given time & the right conditions & care, will flourish into the plants they were meant to be. In the same way that repetition of timetables or spelling words develops proficiency, practice enables an instrument to be played with joy as the skills are no longer difficult, but flow effortlessly. The key ingredient here is time.
Please continue to encourage your children to put time into playing their instrument. Hours per day are not necessary at this stage – even 15mins per day on 4 days of the week will make a difference. That’s just 1 hour out of the week! Imagine what could happen if that became 2 hours, or 3 hours…limitless possibilities!
This term we welcome Martin Melville, our new guitar & drum kit teacher! Martin comes to us with over 30 years teaching & music industry experience, with a passion for music & a passion for teaching kids and helping them find their love of music. I’m really looking forward to watching our students grow & flourish under his tutelage.
All instrumental lessons are continuing for Term 2. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are humming along, including the Give It A Go! Band who had their first rehearsal in Week 1 – so exciting! It’s so good to hear these young players coming together for the first time.
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Wednesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mrs Patane’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 2:30-3:10pm in Mrs Patane’s room
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4 GIAG woodwind, brass & percussion students) – Thursday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and anyone else who has lessons outside of school is also welcome to join this ensemble.
Term 2 is a busy one for performances. Of course the College Fete is coming up on Sat 28th May, so all Ensembles & Choirs will be performing throughout the day. Information has been sent home regarding this day, so please check your email for details from your child’s Ensemble director.
We are also planning to hold a smaller concert for students to perform solos, either vocal or instrumental, later in the term. This will be a great opportunity for those who perhaps play instruments such as the piano which aren’t involved in larger Ensembles, to perform for a live audience. Watch out for more details about this event.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, and so far they’re doing very well. Lessons have begun already, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
Working as a family unit can be a tough task, so many different people all with needs and wants trying to get their needs met. As a parent we have a household to maintain along with so many other responsibilities, tasks, jobs, family and friends to make time for. To be able to teach our children, it is important that we are giving them responsibilities around the house, so that they are participating in the cleaning as well as the messing up. Hopefully this in the long term, this also takes some of the pressure off just one or two people in the family. But how do we do this and what age should they be doing what? Does my 4 year old start to iron or mow the lawn? No, but they can put away their toys, set the table for dinner, sort the washing and that level of responsibility. It can take longer to get through the jobs but in the long term it is important that they are learning to do things for others and a range of personal character building activities!
Here are some areas to think about when getting children to complete responsibilities/chores:
We are teaching these amazing human beings to be responsible adults. So give them some choices. Maybe sit down with the family and have a list of all the daily and weekly responsibilities that need to be done. Ask which responsibilities each child would like to complete. They may need to pick three of four depending on size and nature of the task, letting them pick which tasks give them a sense of ownership and choice. On this list be clear and maybe even have a timeframe on when this task would need to be done. i.e. washing the dishes needs to start within 10mins after dinner and should take about 15-35mins depending on amount and age.
Start the process by showing your child how to complete the task to your expectations. Next, be there with them as they do the task. Pointers and tips are great if given with encouragement and not rushed. We need to be a little relaxed on the quality of the end result of their work. This will work best if you are prepared for the task not to be at the level of perfection that you usually like. Be aware of how you might feel if you completed a task and then someone came along and said what a great job you did and redid the task in front of you. They will get better at it the more you allow them to do it. Especially with good constructive feedback and encouragement.
Children are growing up and they can handle a great deal more than you might think. What were we doing when we were kids? I was setting the table at 5 and doing the dishes and washing the car at 10. Starting early instills a sense of ownership on the family household and gives invaluable skills, such as self-control and a good work ethic. Please see the list below for some guidelines on what children can do. Your child will learn as they are doing the task.
It is important to encourage your child in their attempts at doing the tasks around the house. Speak powerfully into their young lives by giving them praise for the task that they have completed. Building this positive momentum will encourage the child to participate in the household responsibilities willingly. You might even find that they will voluntarily do the task without getting asked. It is rare but does happen!
Creating and maintaining boundaries for your child is important, especially in regards to their responsibilities. Be clear in your instructions and take away any vagueness. For example ‘clean your room’ vs ‘ put your clothes in drawers, put dirty clothes in basket, all toys to be put in the toy box, books on bookshelf’. Once they learn the expectation they will understand what ‘clean your room’ means. If there is a timeframe for a task to be done then communicate this. Remember the Loving our Kids on Purpose story about the chicken coop. Sometimes we may need to trade our tasks with our child if they are not willing to do it within the timeframe. This is where we can give them the tasks we do not like doing.
Should money be attached to the tasks? There is no easy way to answer this question; what do you want your children to learn through doing the tasks? Are you doing this for them to learn about responsibility and about how to do household tasks? Do you want to set up an environment of negotiation and terms? For tasks that are extra or one offs i.e. washing the windows once a month or helping paint the doors, adding money to the task can bring a new aspect of life for your child to learn about; money management and the concepts of working.
We are all growing to be a powerful person. Powerful people are ok with making mistakes and take the opportunity to learn. No matter what happens know that with every step we are learning and moving towards the person that GOD created us to be!
Enjoy the journey of raising your child/ren and being a powerful person!
Throughout the school year, students have participated in new options for sport and rec on a Wednesday and Friday afternoon. The introduction of Mountain Biking has been a huge hit, as well as students trying rock climbing and laser skirmish as well. The start of our E-Sports adventure has begun with our selected 7-10 students getting ready for their first competition in the FUSE CUP. We understand that not everybody is interested in competitive sport, but we do value the benefits of recreational activity both physically and mentally. We have seen a really positive change in the students with the introduction of these new options, and we will endeavour to give the students at Parklands Christian College every chance of finding the best activity for them.
This year we had 6 teams participating at the CSSAQ Basketball Event. The students have been training throughout the term and taking what they’ve learnt through the USL season to put their best foot forward. There were some stand out performances from the day, but the biggest success was how galvanised the teams were, and their willingness to to put their body on the line for the good of others. Thank you to the coaches and students for their commitment, and for representing the school in such a positive manner.
Weather wouldn’t hold the students back at the Southern District, with all students arriving ready to take part. Every athlete competed to their best ability and that’s all we can ask of them. The college spirit was on full display with the team getting around each other and supporting one another through the gruelling course. We had a number of top 10 finishes throughout the day and many of them qualified for the Southern District Team. Thanks for the effort put in by the students and the perseverance shown throughout the event.
Congratulations to all of you on such a successful day.
Interschool sport is a key part of our sporting program. Generally in the more mainstream sports, but we also have a small number of students who compete in the Equestrian Interschool competition representing Parklands. Helena Costin has a passion for horses and recently competed over a weekend long competition of dressage and show jumping. Helena placed 9th overall in her class for dressage and 7th overall for the combined training competition and for show jumping.
Well done to Helena for preparing herself and her horse so well for the competition. A huge thank you also to Helena’s mum, Bec, for taking the lead on coordinating our Interschool Equestrian team. If you would like to find out more information on this program please email Rebecca Costin via email curtc@bigpond.net.au
We looked at the feudal system in our immersive history lesson. One of our Year 8 students chose her role (as a free peasant) as a seamstress, and took to her role with great enthusiasm by using the materials from the field (literally).
Food and Nutrition students recently resolved a food problem for a small fictitious start-up company. Their challenge was to identify and produce a new product that could be sold by their company using the current wasted egg yolk or egg white. The students worked hard experimenting with a variety of recipes until they were able to propose a final solution. One of the best parts of their experimentation is the taste testing.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
Thank you for a wonderful and enjoyable Term 2.
We have experienced many exciting and lovely events this term that have filled our Parkland’s experience with memories, joy, fun and wonder – ANZAC Service, Profile Evening, Cross Country, Naplan, Mother’s Day stall, Team Games Day, College Fete, incursions, excursions, a lot of wet weather plays and normal school lessons.
I must say the students seemed to be very well prepared, settled, calm and eager to write the tests this year. Some even commented they were, “Keen to see how well they are doing academically this year!” Thank you very much to the Year 3 and Year 5 parents for assisting us in explaining the value and purpose of the testing as well as ensuring our students got a good night’s sleep, healthy breakfast and plenty of water during that testing period/week. A very BIG ‘Thank you” also needs to go to the truly wonderful Yr 3 and 5 teachers (Mrs Davis, Mrs Imms and Mrs Edwards, Miss Orellana) plus Mrs Jo Anderson and Miss Strubin for the awesome work they have done to prepare the students this year for the tests! We now look forward to receiving the student reports and results later in the year.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed (now that it’s getting cold) that some students are starting to mix and match their track suit and jumper tops or even wearing non-school jumpers. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC, uniform store or check our website for photos and details. Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, water bottles and LUNCH box items are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
All students will be receiving an electronic ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon, Profile Night or has given you feedback on, as to how your child has progressed this semester.
On TUESDAY 19th July, we have our Primary P/T Interviews in the various classrooms, where you can book an interview to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for more information and booking times and procedures!
Talking about the end of term – we only have a few more weeks of school left then we break up for the Winter Holidays on Friday 17th June and return for Term 3 on Tuesday 12th July.
Reports cards can be long and confusing with school jargon/speech throughout them.
Here I will explain:
You are looking for two things as you read each of the subject reports this will help you establish what your child’s strengths are and whether they are working to the best of their ability. Before looking for the A’s, B’s to E’s in the achievement section, read the English and Maths Comment/s. Does the teacher say that your child is working to the best of their ability? Feedback from teachers is the key to improvement as it tells you and your child what they need to be working on – a way forward. Reports cards are one way of doing this.
Secondly, look at ‘Conduct’ statements as to how they are presenting / conducting themselves in all area of schooling.
The best thing to do is ask questions and get them to come up with how they think they went in the subject/term/semester. How did you think you went? Which results are you pleased with? What do you think was the cause of the result in this subject?
Process centred praise is more effective than praising intelligence e.g. “You are smart” develops a fixed mindset whereas praising effort develops a growth mindset (Dweck, 2010). Kids who get too much praise are less likely to take risks, are highly sensitive to failure and are more likely to give up when faced with a challenge. Check whether your child has a fixed or growth mindset http://mindsetonline.com
We need our kids to do things and be self-directed, not because they will get into trouble
or get a reward. “If they are focused on the outcomes (stickers, money, rewards) this leads to a loss of interest in process and an unhealthy need for approval of others” (Sue Roffey, www.wellbeingaustralia.com.au/wba/). We need to focus on intrinsic rewards such as life satisfaction, autonomy, task persistence, positive social relationships, a love of learning and better performances.
Praise their:
If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying then you’ll know how problems always seem bigger when you keep tossing them around in your head. It can seem like everything is stacked against you. When this happens you’ve got to find the off switch so you can get away from your worries for a while. The same principle holds for children and teenagers when they worry. Their problems just seem to get bigger and they need to turn them off or tone them down so they can ease their anxiety. There are eight easy-to-learn strategies that you can teach your kids to prevent them from ruminating – going over the same thoughts and worries over and over again.
Kids get tunnel vision when they worry. They often can’t see the bigger picture. For instance, a young person may fret over minor work matters such getting the exact font match for an assignment they are working on, and neglect to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day. Sometimes it takes a wise adult to remind children and young people about what really is important to them.
Placing attention away from worries is an age-old technique for parents and teachers. Commonly known as distraction, the act of focusing attention on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good mental health. Examples of distractions include – going outside, playing a game, shooting some basketball hoops or listening to music.
Somehow giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable. My favourite picture storybook for toddlers ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof‘ by Hazel Edwards personifies fear of the dark as a friendly hippo. Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.
Wouldn’t it be great to put all your worries into a safe and throw away the key? As an adult you may do this when you take time out to watch your favourite TV show; or lose yourself wandering for hours online. Children need something a little more practical. They can write their worries on some paper and lock them in away in a jar by the side of the bed at the end of the day. It’s good to know that their worries can’t get out because they are locked up tight.
It’s good if kids can talk about what’s on their mind but talking needs to be contained to prevent their worries from dominating their lives. Set aside ten minutes a day to talk about their worries and then put worry time aside until tomorrow.
Anxious kids are very sensitive to their parent’s concerns and worries. One way we build their concerns is by continually reassuring them that things will be fine. One reassurance should be sufficient most of the time followed by “I’ve already talked to you about that.” Continually going over old ground can allow worries to linger longer than necessary.
My wife relaxes in front of the TV, which is sufficient for her to take her mind off her worries. Some people need a bigger set of tools including mindfulness and exercise to help us neutralise our worries.
Get kids moving. Physical exercise is not only a great distraction but it release feel-good endorphins that help children and young people feel better and more optimistic about the future. For more on anxiety and the tools you need to support you raise kids who worry or feel anxious, our Parenting Anxious Kids online course is a fantastic resource.
Have a wonderful break and school holiday spent with family and friends.
In Science this term, the preppies are exploring the needs of living things. Our fabulous little farmers get to plant seeds and look after their own snow pea plants, design a home for a farm animal and best of all… see baby chickens hatch! It was super exciting to observe the eggs hatch in the incubator and we love making sure our fluffy little friends have everything they need as we watch them grow. Soon the baby chicks will go home with their new families.
Another highlight this term was the Evergreen Puppet Theatre! The preppies were mesmerized by talking trees and native Australian animals who live in the rainforest. Another amazing way to learn about living things and their needs.
It was wonderful to see so many of our friends at the College Fete. The Preppies loved singing on stage and enjoying all the rides and stalls. We can’t wait for next year!
The Prep team
Happy birthday to Zach (1C) and Timothy (1B) for May!
Literacy Groups have begun in Year One and are in full swing! The children love participating in these groups and it is a great way to practise very important skills in a fun, interactive way. We are grateful to those parents who have been able to assist on selected mornings. It is such a help to us and keeps the groups running smoothly and ensures everyone stays on task. Thank you!
The children have enjoyed taking part in Show and Tell this term. It is a joy to watch the children get excited when sharing about familiar topics in front of their peers. We love learning new things about your children through these activities!
We took part in the National Simultaneous Storytime on Wednesday, 25th May. At 11am, along with the rest of Australia, we read the story Family Tree. We then participated in a few activities about family, growth and change. Check out our family trees in our windows!
Year One will begin working on end of term assessment over the next few weeks. The children work really hard to show us all they are learning and it is amazing to see the children smashing their goals, both big and small!
Until next time, take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Brown, Mrs Mane and Mrs S
The term has been be flying by with loads of fun learning happening in Year 2.
Students have been investigating maps to see where and how we divide up the earth and how these places can be described at different scales. Coming up we will be looking at how we are connected to different places.
Year 2 finished their science investigations with all students loving the experiments and the investigative nature of the subject.
As a way to improve and encourage writing our students have been writing a weekly letter to a student in the opposite class. The letters have been so much fun and the kids have done an amazing job at letter writing.
2K has had a really lovely Practicum teacher in their class for the past 3 weeks. Mrs. Joyce Chang has been teaching fun, hands on lessons with the class. The other grade 2 class designed their perfect playground which they shared with Mr. Jakins as he negotiates with architects on the new primary build. It was an excellent and timely demonstration on how math is applied in our everyday lives.
A special thanks to Hudson in 2J for the massive water bug (toe biter) you brought in! Both classes loved seeing and learning about this interesting critter. We serve an amazing and very creative God!
Both classes recently performed their Puppet Plays in Art. The students were so creative and fun. They were a pleasure to watch. Mrs. Bazley did an amazing job teaching the students about Puppet Plays. In Week 7 we will all watch the Evergreen Puppet show together.
Year Two has been a hub of fun and exciting educational activities.
Year 3 were excited to finally compete in the Cross Country carnival and we all had a great time running (and eating) on the day. It was great to have parents allowed to attend and was awesome to see so many parents and families supporting their kids and cheering them on.We have been super excited to be back at Chapel and worshipping together. It is also so much more fun to receive awards up the front and all of our Year 3s have been doing a wonderful job! Year 3 will be leading worship at Chapel in Term 3.
This term in HaSS we have been learning about different celebrations and commemorations. The students have loved learning about different cultures and celebrations and we have been doing a lot of hands-on craft that goes with this, which is always a highlight.
During May, ALIA ran a National Simultaneous Storytime event where many educational institutions read the same story at the same time all across Australia. Year 3 participated in this event and it was fun to think other Year 3 students all across Australia were reading the same book at the same time as us. The book was about a family tree. We then had a lot of fun making our own family trees and, of course, doing a word search!
Many Year 3s had an awesome time at the fete. They performed so well and it was great to see so many students having fun with their friends and family. Thanks to all the parents and families who came out and supported this event.
It’s been a busy month in the life of Middle School! We have had NAPLAN testing, excursions & incursions galore and sporting teams competing all over Brisbane. I’d love to congratulate our Year 7 and Year 9 students on their resilience and courage in completing the NAPLAN testing, amongst some extra unusual circumstances (the great power outage of NAPLAN Thursday was a first for us!). The students took this disruption in their stride, and just got on with the job. There’s also been a strong focus on basketball this term, with our USL competition on a Monday afternoon, and two big CSSAQ carnivals. Coaching and watching our students play sport is one of my favourite things about PCC – we are well known in the sporting community for our positive attitude, joy in competing and team spirit.
At the Fete on Saturday 28th May, I was stationed on the Principal’s Tour, showing prospective families who are looking to come to PCC around the VOC / Science / Cully Centre area. Throughout the process of showing people around this area and highlighting all the incredible features of secondary school, I found myself reflecting. Feeling like the ultimate salesperson, I sold myself on all the cool things we do and have at PCC! But as the afternoon wore on I realised it was more than that: I sold myself again on our incredible students and all that they bring to middle school. They are so much fun to work with! So families I just wanted to say thank you for trusting us with your children, who make PCC a special place to work.
Two key things are happening at this time of term: finalising assessment and reporting!
Middle School students will engage with lots of formal, summative assessment throughout Week 8 of school (Monday 6th June – Friday 10th June). It’s a busy time for students as they study, prepare assessment items, present, perform and complete exams. Families, we ask that if your student is unwell or absent during this time that you let us know as soon as possible, so that we can prepare catchup assessment sessions for them. Staff will be praying for students as they enter this busy time in their schooling life, for peace and resilience!
The first of two semester-based formal reports will be released to families during the June-July school holidays. We encourage you to use these formal documents as a way to celebrate the achievements of your children, and to encourage them as they head into Semester 2 next term.
Term 2 at in secondary school is always “Worth Term”, where we focus on the idea that each one of our precious students is fearfully and wonderfully made by the Creator God, and that each one of them have immeasurable worth just by existing. As we come to the end of Worth Term, my prayer for students is that they remember Matthew 6:26, which says “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”. In this verse, Jesus is actually trying to give us reasons to not worry or be anxious (the next verse says “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”), but the last sentence of verse 26 has a pretty incredible secondary message: you.are.valuable. The God who created the universe, and everything in it, sees and knows each one of our students and calls them “valuable”.
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
Throughout Term 2, during Pastoral Care lessons, all Year 10 students will broaden their understanding of their strengths, personality and enduring transferable soft skills in relation to career pathways of interest to them. Students will also research pathways towards their careers through a variety of platforms, to inform their senior subject selection.
The career education program will culminate in Week 9 (Monday 13 – Thursday 16 June, 2022), when Year 10 students will participate in a variety of career exploration and development activities as a part of Parklands Christian College’s Careers Week. This week will involve SET Planning interviews for students and parents (optional), and a rotation of resume building, job interview preparation, virtual reality career exploration, virtual work experience, and work readiness activities. Students also participate in mock job interviews with senior staff as they practice their interview skills. Towards the end of the week all Year 10 students will participate in an Experience Day at a variety of institutions such as Griffith University and Tafe Qld Southbank.
On Tuesday 31 May, 2022, students and parents are invited to the Year 10 into Year 11 subject information evening. During the session, we will be presenting information about the QCE system, with a focus on how Parklands Christian College is preparing students and on pathways and subjects being offered for Year 11, 2023. We will present information about the transition into Years 11-12, and your child will receive a pack with some information on the QCE system and on subject offerings. Further information will be sent to families regarding the Subject Selection Information Evening.
Our Year 12 students continue to meet with Mrs Lenton in one-on-one sessions to discuss their post schooling plans and research their pathway opportunities. These sessions can bring confidence to our students as they become aware of the variety of pathways and opportunities available to them. Also, if students are unsure of their career direction after school, they are offered Career Coaching sessions.
For fortnightly updates on all things careers and future studies and employment, be sure to read the PCC Careers Bulletins emailed to all Secondary College students and parents.
Contact details – careers@parklands.qld.edu.au
It has been wonderful to see students return refreshed after the autumn holiday break. We encourage senior students to reflect on their Term 1 results and to implement strategies that work for them, to kick off the new term strongly.
We are currently mid-semester, so students are halfway through their semester studies. At the end of this term, report cards are written on assessment results for Terms 1 &2.
Students in Year 11 are currently working on Unit 1 work and will be eligible to receive one credit point for each school subject for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Credits will be banked when an overall pass for the semester’s worth of work is achieved. This will repeat in Year 11, for Unit 2.
Year 12 students are eligible to receive two credit points per school subject for their QCE, based on an overall pass for Unit 3 & Unit 4 work combined. The added emphasis, in the final year of schooling, is passing the ‘subject pair’ (the years’ worth of work).
This does require careful planning and commitment by students, to have a weekly study and homework plan along with support from family and school. There are many staff available to provide extra support to any students needing further assistance in Senior College. It is very much our desire that every student works and achieves their God- given potential.
Senior students are also encouraged to reflect on their balance of work, study, and personal time. Being a senior student can be demanding, so students should try and engage in a balanced lifestyle, one that has a suitable study program tied to healthy recreational activities.
A healthy work-life balance can assist greatly with achieving success & boosting grades.
Make sure you are catching those Z’s. For high school students, 8 hours of sleep or more will allow you to excel in the classroom and stay alert while you study. Younger students may need 9-10 hours per night.
Brain food comes in all shapes and sizes, from fruits and veggies to nuts and seeds. Avoid fatty and sugary snacks. Try broccoli for vitamin K and pumpkin seeds for zinc. Focus on getting a variety of vitamins every day.
Exercise every day. Regular physical activity boosts mental alertness and energy levels required to study effectively. An active body is part of a healthy mind.
Keep up with current events and gain the knowledge you need to apply what you learn in class to real life. Reading non-assigned material is also a great way to discover what truly interests you.
When you’re not in the classroom or studying, make sure you enjoy yourself. Get outside, connect with friends, and have fun. Enjoying life reduces school-induced stress.
ü Year 10 – Time Management (03/05)
ü Year 11 – Ace your exams (03/05)
ü Year 12 – Student Elevation (17/05)
Elevate Education has been conducting study skills programs for the past 15 years all over Australia. These sessions are designed to further assist your child in their study habits for future study and/or employment opportunities.
They can help develop a different approach to study skills and we encourage families to discuss proposed strategies and what works best for your child in their learning.
During the session, information about the QCE system, various senior packages, and subjects for Year 11, 2023will be presented. .
o After this week there is a three-week holiday break where we ask that holidays are taken.
We encourage students to have many conversations with you, their families, and to continually seek God’s will for their lives.
If you have any questions, we are here to support your child through their senior schooling journey.
Please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
The students are very excited to be able to borrow new books which they and teachers have requested. These include:
• New and replacement copies of Shannon Hale graphic novels
• The Pokémon series
• Anh Do series books
• Information texts on the human body, animals and Habitats (Year 2 curriculum)
• New Fairy Tales (Year 4 Narratives)
• Texts to support the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
• New popular fiction for students in Years 7-12, including Dear Evan Hansen and titles by Adam Silvera
In Term I, 2996 books were borrowed from the Library. Great effort by the students and also the families and teachers who have supported them in their Reading Journey.
The top library borrowers in Term 1 are:
Each year Scholastic sponsors the Read More in May event. Students are asked to read for 10 minutes each day during May.
To take the Reading Challenge:
You’ll go in the draw to WIN one of 5 book packs!
Also in May:
What a wonderful month for reading and all things Library!
The tuckshop has been relocated to behind the Science Building block, in order to make way/space for and to get the new Primary building started.
We will again be putting on the fantastic Mother’s Day Stall, where students bring money and can buy their mother’s day gifts.
This year the stalls will be held in the Baskerville Sport Centre (BSC). I look forward to seeing students deciding on what to buy mum so they can spoil then on their special day.
A reminder that we have our amazing, fun, College FETE on Saturday 28th May.
Looking forward to the many great activities, choir/class and group presentations, rides, stalls we have on offer. Hope to see you all there.
“The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for our school since 2008.
A reminder we have our annual Yr. 3 & 5 National Testing again this term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the various ONLINE tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Yr. 3 & 5 parent please not put any pressure on students to perform but rather provide their child with a good, health breakfast and ensure they are at school on time, these days?
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon or Profile Interview Evening or where they have given you regular general feedback as to how your child has progressed this term.
A reminder to please slow down (20klm) and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the Prep area and pedestrian crossing! Students have been reminded to stop, look right, left and right before walking over the crossing but can I ask that you take it for granted, that they will not do the correct thing. Please also remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage.
A big Thank YOU to our fantastic crossing officers who do an amazing job keeping everyone safe when using the pedestrian crossing!
As a former primary school teacher with 15 years’ experience and a parenting educator with 30 years’ experience, I’ve learned a great deal about the importance of healthy relationships between a child’s parent/s and their teacher. I hold a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education, a Bachelor of Education and a Diploma of Primary Teaching from SCV Toorak University (now Deakin University). I’ve done the theory and I’ve also put my boots on the ground. Uniquely, this has allowed me to appreciate perspectives from either side of the school gate.
Studies show that healthy parent–teacher relationships are a more significant factor in student success than parent income levels or social status. Parent–teacher relationships require effort and energy from both parties if they are going to really benefit children and young people. Here are some strategies to help you build a healthy working relationship with teachers in the year ahead.
Get to know them
For your partnership to be meaningful and successful, you need to meet with your children’s teacher(s) with the goal of forming a respectful professional relationship. Be willing to share your aspirations for your child and be willing to build the teacher’s knowledge about your family. For balanced perspective, also gain an understanding of the teacher’s approach and what focus areas they have for their particular year group. This can be done formally by attending start of the year information evenings and informally through conversations, reading newsletters and staying in touch in digitally and in real-time.
Trust their professionalism
Children need to know that their parents are fully behind what their teachers are trying to achieve if they are going to commit fully to learning. The best way to support your child’s teacher is to trust their knowledge, professionalism and experience. Avoid the temptation to question the expertise of teachers in front of students, particularly when the teachers use methods that you are unfamiliar with. Initiate conversations with teachers around methodology to give them the chance to explain the approach they are taking.
Go through the right channels
Despite the best teaching practices things do go wrong at school. Kids experience learning difficulties. Conflict and peer rejection happen. Kids will often come home from school with grievances, and call on you for assistance. Resist the urge to react emotionally. If you need to contact teachers do so respectfully, calmly and through the correct channels. A measured response will generally achieve the best result for your child.
Utilise their resources
Teachers and schools often put a lot of work into sourcing and sharing credible resources that they think will help parents. Take the time to read, utilise and enjoy the information provided to you. It’s intended to make your parenting journey easier, which will also benefit your child not just at school, but at home. If your school doesn’t yet have a clearly defined source in place, consider suggesting one to the teacher, such as the Parenting Ideas memberships for schools.
Build links to student learning
There’s a huge body of research that points to the correlation between parent engagement in student learning and their educational success. If you want your child to improve their learning, take an interest in what they are doing. Follow school and teacher guidelines about helping at home and attend as many conferences, meetings and events involving your child as possible. This strategy has a significant, long-term impact on your child’s attitude to learning.
Stay in touch
Life’s not always smooth sailing for kids of any age. Family circumstances change. Friends move away. Illness happens. Mental health challenges can hit anyone at any time. These changes affect learning. Make sure that you keep teachers up to date with significant changes or difficulties that your child or young person experiences so they can accommodate your child’s emotional and learning needs at school.
Be loyal
Show your loyalty to your child’s teachers by being an advocate. Talk positively about your child’s teacher and school, rather than being negative about them when speaking in the wider community. Teachers hold very public positions and generally work hard to build good reputations both within their school and their wider education community. Consider a teacher’s reputation among the community and also with children when you discuss educational matters with others.
Building healthy parent–teacher relationships doesn’t just happen
It takes goodwill from both sides, a commitment to setting aside the time necessary to support the home-based learning tasks that are expected, and a willingness to communicate both concerns and commendations through the correct channels.
Year 1 has had a great start to Term 2 and has been fully engaged in our learning.
We started the term learning all about Healthy Living. We explored ways we can keep our body fueled and working at its best and we discovered some fun ways to stay physically active.
During HASS, we have been learning about mapping. The children have been really excited about drawing maps and have done an amazing job so far!We used all our energy at Cross Country this week and it was so lovely to be able to have so many parents back at school for this event. The children all did really well, considering the long morning for them and change in routine.
Mrs Brown so kindly crocheted poppies for us for ANZAC day. They felt so proud to wear it at our ANZAC Day Chapel.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Brown, Mrs Mane, Mrs S and Year 1
Year Two has many exciting events happening this term. Along with their new curriculum content, the students will participate in the Cross Country carnival. As a part of their Arts curriculum students will also participate in the Evergreen Theatre.
The main content this term will be learning about Water – a natural and non-renewable resource, the geographic divisions, scale of divisions and their connections to places, writing narratives, and using money to buy and sell items. Students will become scientists and conduct scientific investigations learning the necessary inquiry skills to be successful in Science. God created an amazing world that upon investigation will astound you.
The photos below are of our first science investigation. The students investigated which substance will melt water the fastest? Salt, bicarb soda, flour or sugar? Ask your child what they discovered in their investigation.
Year 2 Team
We had so much fun and learnt a lot about States of Matter and experiments during our block of experiments at the end of Term 1. The students really enjoyed all the hands on experiences and working together in groups. One of the favourite experiments was melting chocolate under different conditions. We were supposed to use the sun to melt the chocolate but of course it was a cloudy, cool day so we used our arm pits instead! It was actually very successful, not to mention a lot more fun!
Our last day of Term 1 was a highlight. Despite some disappointment with the postponing of the Cross Country, we spent the day having fun together and doing all things Easter! We made stained glass crosses, empty tombs, rocking chicks, Easter biscuits, watched an Easter movie and of course made an Easter basket with some Easter eggs.
It has been great to be back together after the holidays and to hear lots of exciting news of all the holiday experiences. We have started off our term with a unit on Persuasive writing as we prepare for NAPLAN in week 4.
The students have also been very excited to start our technology unit where we are learning about Chromebooks and their programs as well as exploring the Google suite. Now we are in Upper Primary, we also have our own logins as we learn to be more independent.
We are looking forward to more learning and fun as we move into our term 2 learning. We are praying for you all as we continue to navigate Covid and the ‘sick’ season.
Year 3 Team
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin and Mrs Christine Uwamurera.
Friday the 22nd of April, we sent 4 teams to compete at the CSSAQ Touch Competition. These teams have been training since the start of the year, and their preparation was on full display throughout the day. We had both junior teams play up in the intermediate division with both of them getting a win on the day which is a huge effort. Our Senior boys made it to the semi final, only to be knocked out in over time drop off. The intermediate girls (9/10) team pushed all day and became the first Parklands Girls team to win a CSSAQ Touch Competition, well done girls.
I would also like to acknowledge all the students who made the CSSAQ Merit team.
Mercedes Barallon
Tayzha Timu
Connor Peacock
Judah Cully
Alex Ndikubwimana Niyonku
Ashton Halvey
Joel Mitchell
Thank you to all the students for your commitment and to Mr Werner, Mr Volau and Mr Gilmour for coaching these students to great success.
In week 2 we held our College Cross Country which was rescheduled from the end of term 1. The weather held off and the day was a hit. We had competition on the track as well as in the Tug of War. There was plenty of house spirit shown through dress ups and students showed great encouragement towards each other. It was great to see parents back in numbers supporting the students and we look forward to the continued support throughout the year. Joshua house were too strong again taking their second victory of the year. Well done to Joshua 847 defeating Samuel 734. Well done to all the students for their commitment to the day, whether it was running the events, being in the tug of war or helping staff run the day, it is great to see the school community work together to contribute to such a successful day. Congratulations to all our age champions from Prep to Grade 12, well done.
This term, the Year 8s are learning about the Medieval era, from its early beginnings after the great Roman Empire through to the end of it with Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. So far, we have been looking at how the Roman Empire fell and how the invading tribes created their own kingdoms in its place (thus beginning the early Middle Ages). In this era, a crucial tactic in warfare (for various cultures) was the shield wall. This formation required training, discipline, and unity of the warriors who fought for their nation. In our lesson on April 28th, the students were given an introduction to this form of warfare. They approached it with great enthusiasm, offering very insightful reflections after the exercise!
Students in our Writers’ Workshop have been interviewing staff and writing articles. Here is this months interview with Amanda Young, written by Clare Richardson.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
Dear Parklands Community,
Welcome to Term 2. I hope you all had an opportunity to spend time with family and friends over the Easter Break.
We launched a new term (on time and flood free), and despite the threatening rain clouds we were able to run our annual Cross Country Carnival which was delayed after poor weather in term 1. Thank you to the many parents, grandparents, friends and relatives who were able to join the fun. Our cross country is an event that celebrates both individual achievement and the overall achievements of the team. The participation levels were a credit to both Joshua and Samuel houses. However, there can only be one winner on the day. Congratulations Joshua for yet another victory this year. Please visit our Facebook page for images from the day.
Over the past 2 years I have been participating in a New Principal’s program facilitated by Independent Schools Queensland. The program has been a privilege to participate in, and the level of training has been exceptional. One of the greatest benefits of the program has been the connections I have made with other beginning Principals from all over Queensland. I have been soaking up stories from other schools as they build and improve their schools in a range of exciting and innovative ways. Of course the benefit of this is that I get to bring these stories back to Parklands to help us learn and grow.
This year our finance and information technology departments are working hard at installing a new database, which forms the backbone of our communication and record keeping systems. We should be ready to launch our new database (TASS) in the second half of the year. This database will help us run our organisation well into the future, and provide us with functions and flexibility our previous system simply could not offer. We have already seen some benefits to our new approach to managing data and payments. This may not be very exciting for students and parents, but innovations like these will hopefully serve us well as we continue to serve our community into the future.
One of the more exciting projects in the school at the moment is the building of our new Primary School Precinct. Although the project is a few weeks behind schedule, we look forward to seeing our exciting new facilities taking shape over the next 2 years. Mr Jakins is busy at the moment investigating playgrounds, shade and seating for the many new outdoor areas being created. Our architect and builders are setting up their site, and are ready to go. Our tuckshop is up and running, and the final touches to the relocation of the demountable toilets should take place very soon.
It’s an exciting time to be part of our community, and many families from our area are eager to join us. I have spent the last couple of weeks conducting enrolment interviews for the 2023 Academic Year. Most of these interviews are for Prep as there isn’t much space left in other year levels. However, we are eager to increase our enrolments in Years 10 & 11 where spaces still exist. Our pathway packages are designed to cater for a diverse set of Senior pathways while providing a small schools attention to detail to the final years of schooling. In 2021 & 22, we have been accepting an unprecedented number of students into our senior school, and we would love to welcome more.
May God bless us all as we travel together through term 2, and I look forward to joining our community at our various special events.
Gary Cully
Principal
Our next school holiday writing and art camps are coming soon.
They will be held during the school holidays, starting on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 and running until Thursday, July 7, 2022 at Sheldon College.
There will be a three day camp for children aged 9 to 14 and a one day workshop for children aged 7 to 10.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The Brisbane Roar are bringing their Roar Active Holiday Clinics to the following ever popular SUN SAFE locations for our Summer Clinic’s . This is an ideal way to gain extra skills and game awareness while having FUN with our expert Team of Coach’s.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday 4th 5th 6th April Brisbane City Indoor Sports, Coorparoo
ages 6-12 – Times 9am-12pm – 3 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/coorparoo-3-day-indoor-clinic-easter-2022/
Thursday Friday 7th 8th April Living Faith Lutheran Indoor Sports Hall, Murrumba Downs
Ages 7-11 Times 9am-12pm 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/living-faith-lutheran-2-day-clinic/
Monday Tuesday 11th 12th April Brisbane Albion Indoor Sports, Albion
Ages 6-12 Times 11am-2pm– 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/albion-indoor-sports-2-day-clinic-easter-2022/
Wonderful clinic’s for children to learn new skills while having FUN playing our beautiful game in a safe environment. As the foundational program for kids of all levels and skill abilities, the Brisbane Roar Active Program promotes fun and excitement in our next generation of footballers. To view, receive more information and register for these clinics please go to www.roaractive.com.au and select Holiday Programs.
Term 2 begins! It’s been a lovely start to Term 2 in middle school with some community events able to run after some rescheduling. It was great to start Week 1 with our Year 9 students on camp, and then Week 2 with our annual Cross-Country carnival. I was able to visit Year 9 camp on their second day – they were happy, settled, engaged and enjoying the perfect weather! It was incredible to watch them challenge themselves on some of the obstacles, ultimately growing their character as young men and women. The Cross-Country carnival had perfect weather, right up until the last competitor crossed the finish line, and within a minute the rain started! Carnival days are always special times of building relationships and community, and this one was certainly no exception. A big (somewhat begrudging… go Samuel!) congratulations to Joshua House, who took out this carnival by a small margin!
This term, we have lots of events happening again (yay!). A few that are coming up soon include:
On Tuesday 3rd May, teachers and families have an opportunity to meet together to discuss students’ learning journey at school. This is a great way to build connections between home and school. Please arrive to the Senior Precinct (VOC buildings / Cully Centre), where you will find teachers across a range of rooms. Secondary captains will be on hand to help you find your bookings. If you were unable to book in with a particular teacher, please contact them directly by email, and they can arrange a time to meet with you.
NAPLAN is an annual assessment that our Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 students participate in. It occurs at school during school hours, and in middle school, students will be able to use their Macbooks through secure/locked web browsers. Tests take place over 4 days, with one test per day. If your child is unwell or away on the day of a test, please let us know as soon as you are able to – we are able to catch students up. Further information was emailed home earlier in the term, but if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. For Year 7 and 9 students, the following schedule of testing applies:
• Tuesday 10th May: Reading Test
• Wednesday 11th May: Writing Test
• Thursday 12th May: Conventions of Language Test
• Friday 13th May: Numeracy Test
Then, looking ahead in Term 2, it’s going to be a very busy one for all our middle school students. As we begin the journey through this jam-packed term, I would like to encourage our resilient and courageous middle school students that God calls us to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go”. Sometimes, being strong and courageous looks like abseiling down a cliff face when you are terrified (shoutout to Year 9!), but sometimes, being strong and courageous can look like quietly asking your teacher for help when you are struggling. PCC staff and I are so looking forward to walking with you as you learn and grow this term!
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
Psalm 96:2 “Sing to the Lord; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.”
Welcome to Term 2! Despite the challenges so far, this year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we watch our new Give It A Go! students develop and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. We have sadly said farewell to Mr Grant Davies, our Guitar & Drumkit teacher; we are currently seeking to appoint a new teacher as soon as possible.
All instrumental lessons (except guitar & drumkit) have resumed for Term 2. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals have also begun, including the Give It A Go! Band who had their first rehearsal in week 1 – so exciting! It’s so good to hear these young players coming together for the first time.
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Wednesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mrs Patane’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 2:30-3:10pm in Mrs Patane’s room
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4 GIAG woodwind, brass & percussion students) – Thursday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and anyone else who has lessons outside of school is also welcome to join this ensemble.
Term 2 is a busy one for performances, and we’ve seen some already. Our Wind Ensemble, Primary Senior Choir & Worship Team singers combined for the first time to lead the hymn & National Anthem for our College ANZAC Day Service. The students played & sang beautifully, and it was fantastic to hear them make such a wonderful contribution to this important occasion.
Of course the College Fete is coming up on Sat 28th May, so all Ensembles & Choirs will be performing throughout the day. More information will be coming regarding this day, so stay tuned for details from your child’s Ensemble director.
We are also planning to hold a smaller concert for students to perform solos, either vocal or instrumental, later in the term. This will be a great opportunity for those who perhaps play instruments such as the piano which aren’t involved in larger Ensembles, to perform for a live audience. Watch out for more details about this event.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year, and so far they’re doing very well. Lessons have begun already, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
It has been wonderful to finish the last half of Term 1 with the return of some normalcy with regular events like our live weekly Chapel services, excursions and incursions back in full swing and with parent visitors back at school events.
Staff have reflected on how students continue to demonstrate resilience throughout more interruptions to this term (COVID-19 and flooding around Brisbane). Largely we see that they haven’t been deterred rather they’ve adapted well by taking everything in their stride.
As Term 1 wraps up, staff are busily grading assessments. Families can expect, at times, to receive behavioural notifications around academic progress which may be communicated for any of the following reasons:
These communications are not punitive, rather the goal is to be a supportive measure to assist students in achieving academic expectations and fulfil their potential.
The purpose of these communications is not to admonish the child, far from it – it is about clear communication and building a relationship that is one of transparency and trust. By being informed, we can best work in partnership with the school and families.
Coming up next term are our parent-teacher interviews. These are scheduled for Tuesday 3rd May.
These events are so important for many reasons including getting to know your child’s teachers, seeing how your child is progressing, and talking through any plans about how teachers can further support and understand more about your child.
We also welcome and value your child attending the interviews with you.
If your child is feeling unsure about their Senior pathway or if you have any concerns with how your child is managing the senior load, please make a time to talk with us.
We have a great team of supporters so your child can work towards their God given potential and to know they don’t need to travel alone. It is important that there is a balance between academic demands, involvements in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
We advocate that there are always options and various pathways in Senior College. Sometimes the most direct pathway from school to your child’s goal, causes unhealthy levels of stress. We encourage you to reach out and talk with us if you would like to meet and talk about options.
At Parklands, we have four distinct Senior Packages, each designed to provide options with the goal of bringing success as your children prepare for work or further study.
I do hope that you have a wonderful Easter holiday break with your families.
We look forward to seeing you in Term 2.
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Senior College Coordinator
Every year we start our interhouse rivalry with the swimming carnival. After a delayed start to the year we finally booked it in and we had a cracker of a day.
We had the highest attendance record thus far for the swimming carnival and it was on show all day through house spirit and quality competition in the pool. There were stand out performances across the board with many records being broken. The team spirit was high with students dressing up for the occasion and cheers reigning across the event. Congratulations JOSHUA on taking out the day with 2177 points over SAMUEL with 1779 points. Thank you to the parents for their support on the day, and to all the staff and students who contributed to making the day one to remember.
CSSAQ Swimming is a great opportunity for our students to showcase their school spirit and swimming skills on a representative level. This event allows students to participate as a school to achieve a great overall result together. Parklands had an outstanding carnival with our 9-12yrs coming 3rd in the percentage and our 13-18yrs division coming 1st in the same category. Individual results contributed to a great school result with many students claiming a top 3 result. I would like to give a special mention to the following students who achieved a top 3 overall age champion result:
Marlon Moses – 2nd
Chloe Bobermien – 3rd
Hudson Spears – 3rd
Charlotte Tam – 1st
Thanks to the parents’ support on the day and to the students for upholding the CLEAR Sport Values as we continue to build the Parklands swim community.
Each year students have access to the Qld School Sport pathways where they can compete against students from all over QLD. This term we have had a number of students achieve some level of representation across a multitude of sports. We would like to recognise the following students for their effort this term.
As we have introduced the new Parklands Representative gear this year, it has been great to see it being worn during training and at representative events. It’s excellent to see the whole college community getting on board with the Parklands Pride ethos “Stronger Together”. There will be more stock available mid Term 2.
USL Basketball
Conditioning Training
Friday April 22 – Senior Boys CSSAQ Touch
Wednesday April 27 – PCC Cross Country
Friday May 6 – SSDSS Cross Country
Monday May 9 – CSSAQ Cross Country
What’s on for teens April 2022
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The Brisbane Roar are bringing their Roar Active Holiday Clinics to the following ever popular SUN SAFE locations for our Summer Clinic’s . This is an ideal way to gain extra skills and game awareness while having FUN with our expert Team of Coach’s.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday 4th 5th 6th April Brisbane City Indoor Sports, Coorparoo
ages 6-12 – Times 9am-12pm – 3 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/coorparoo-3-day-indoor-clinic-easter-2022/
Thursday Friday 7th 8th April Living Faith Lutheran Indoor Sports Hall, Murrumba Downs
Ages 7-11 Times 9am-12pm 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/living-faith-lutheran-2-day-clinic/
Monday Tuesday 11th 12th April Brisbane Albion Indoor Sports, Albion
Ages 6-12 Times 11am-2pm– 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/albion-indoor-sports-2-day-clinic-easter-2022/
Wonderful clinic’s for children to learn new skills while having FUN playing our beautiful game in a safe environment. As the foundational program for kids of all levels and skill abilities, the Brisbane Roar Active Program promotes fun and excitement in our next generation of footballers. To view, receive more information and register for these clinics please go to www.roaractive.com.au and select Holiday Programs.
Congratulations to Grace Pacurariu in Grade 5 who has recently been accepted into the Canto specialist group, a choir in the Australian Girls’ Choir. This is an auditioned choir which only accepts a small number of singers each year. Well done to Grace, this is an amazing achievement. We are looking forward to seeing your singing develop through this exciting opportunity!
This term our Science unit was all about the weather and how it affects us. The preppies have explored windy, rainy and sunny weather by doing experiments and daily weather reports. Our mini meteorologists have certainly had some interesting weather to observe over the past six weeks! Our favourite part of the weather unit was Water Play Day. The preps planned what they would need to wear and bring for a day of outdoor activities including bubbles, slip n slide and slime. We were blessed with warm, sunny weather and the preppies had a ball. It was a great way for them to experience and reflect on how the weather can affect what we wear and do.
The preppies have had an action packed first term of school and we are all looking forward to more exploring and hands-on learning together next term!
Have a wonderful Easter break.
The Prep Team
Happy end of term!
Year One has enjoyed our first term together, despite the need for a flexible routine.
A highlight for us has been learning to write information reports! Not only have we expanded our knowledge about many different living creatures, but we have also demonstrated what clever young writers we are! It has been a joy for us to watch the children discover what they are capable of.
Drama lessons have also given the children an opportunity to explore their creative sides. The children have had a wonderful time acting out small scenes from well loved stories. Mrs Bazley has done a fabulous job, encouraging the children to develop confidence in front of their peers!
Also this term, we have been all about numbers, numbers, numbers!! We have counted forwards, backwards, in 2s, 5s and 10s. We have located numbers on our 100s chart, made collections of numbers using paddle pop sticks and learnt how to find and place numbers on a number line.
Finally, we have loved being able to go back to Chapel this term. It’s been great to see the children singing, receiving awards and saying their memory verses again.
Thanks so much for following along on our learning journey this term. We are looking forward to Term 2 and can’t wait to show you more of what we can do!
Enjoy your Easter Break and take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Brown, Mrs Mane, Mrs S and Year 1
Year 3 have had an exciting and busy month during March. It was lovely to get back into a bit of a routine (despite some crazy disruptions) and to learn so many new things as we continue getting to know each other.
We have been so excited about our Science unit and have enjoyed doing experiments and learning about states of matter. The students thoroughly enjoyed investigating different materials and how and when they change state. We learnt some surprising things like how honey doesn’t go solid in the freezer and how coconut oil becomes a solid in the fridge!
We also enjoyed celebrating the National Day of Action Against Bullying by learning about the difference between conflict and bullying, and brainstorming how we can all be kind. We made an orange bracelet which we decorated and we also completed an anti-bullying word search, which is one of our favourite things to do in Year 3.
Now that we are in Upper Primary School, we can be trusted to work with our friends (mostly anyway!). All of the year threes love to sit with their friends and complete work in small groups of peers. We have also been enjoying Christian Living Skills which is the highlight of the week for many of the students!
Our narrative unit is coming to an end and all of the students have done an amazing job thinking of creative stories and writing in paragraphs. They are hoping to have time to publish their stories at the end of term.
Swimming Carnival was a highlight for many of our older year threes who sweated it out and did their best at swimming. They had a great day and there were many ribbons and splashes!
All of the students have loved the return to Chapel with all of Primary and have thoroughly enjoyed the worship, memory verse and awards! It is so much more fun when we can all celebrate God and each other as a whole Primary School.
We hope and pray you all have a relaxing and blessed break and we look forward to all being back together for more learning and fun in term 2!
Year 3 Team
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin and Mrs Christine Uwamurera.
On Wednesday night, 9th March, our Year 9 cohort celebrated the first major event of their Rite Journey program. The event included a trip out to Berrinba Wetlands for the Calling ceremony, where students show gratitude for their childhood and are called on their journey to adulthood through a few symbolic activities.
Upon returning to the College, students shared dinner with their parents/carers, and then participated in the Departure – a special opportunity for students to have important conversations and exchange letters with their parents/carers. This opportunity sees them reflect, but also look forward to their adulthood and encourages them to depart from immature behaviours of their childhood and grow.
Open mic is a lunchtime program run once a term where students get the chance to show their talents in an Arts direction. On 24th March, some singers and a guitarist from the senior school performed beautifully with their fellow students’ support. Open mic will be happening once a term.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
Dear Parklands Family,
As we conclude our first Term of the 2022 Academic Year, and look forward to a well-deserved break, I want talk about Easter. In my opinion, Easter is the most important date in the Christian calendar, and represents an opportunity to consider the amazing love our God has for His creation.
Easter is the Christian holiday celebrating the Resurrection, or bringing back to life, of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. In Christian tradition, the Resurrection represents Christ’s victory over death and the promise of eternal life for those who follow him. For me, it is a time when my family give thanks for the life and work of Jesus and the salvation I can experience because of God’s sacrificial love.
Australians celebrate Easter in a wide range of ways. For those of us who approach this season from a religious tradition, Easter is a celebration of new life and renewed hope, and even though the story behind Easter records the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the good news is that He rose again. He is risen!
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said” (Matthew 28, 5-6).
Over the past few years, our community has been through trials that have challenged us all. Uncertainty, trauma, separation, isolation, sickness and even death have been front and centre in our news and social media. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has touched our entire world, threatens to overshadow even our most special seasons of celebration.
Yet, despite our challenges and trials, let the Easter message shine. The Risen Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God’s love for us is unfailing, never changing and Easter is our reminder of this fact. God’s love overcame death and conquers fear and uncertainty with hope. Christ in Risen!
As our lives start to return to a rhythm that is familiar, lets celebrate our increasing freedoms through the celebration of Easter. Let us all declare our faith and give thanks to God for His love. Amidst this challenging season, we need not fear because our God conquers death, and raises us to life with Jesus.
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:55, 57).
I invite us all to find a church this Easter, and join a community of faith. If you have been absent from church for a while, this is the season to return. If you are looking for what Jesus means to you, this is the season to have your questions answered. If you are seeking healing, God wants to minister to you this Easter season.
Parklands Church will be running 2 Easter Services this year in Friday 15th, and Sunday 17th April. I would love to see you there.
Have a safe Easter Break, and may God bless you.
Gary Cully
Principal
As we come to the end of Term 1 and look forward to a well-deserved rest, it’s interesting to reflect on the term that was. This term has had pretty much everything in it – school closures, wild storms, iso/quarantine… and all the rest! I’d like to extend a heartfelt ‘well done’ to our resilient and courageous Middle School students, who have met challenges big and small, and continued to work solidly through to the end. We are all very proud of them! Some of my favourite things from Term 1 would be the hype and excitement around the Macbook rollout, The Year 9 Rite Journey ceremonies, Easter Chapel and the teachers’ crushing victory in the Teachers vs Students volleyball match. As we break for the Easter holidays, the teachers & PCC staff are hoping that families have a restful break – it’s our advice that you do some soul-refreshing, fun things so we can come back together for an excellent Term 2. Speaking of Term 2, it’s going to be a busy one! In the first half of Term 2, we have a few key events to look forward to…
Day 1 of next term, Year 9 students will jump on a bus and head off to camp at Bornhoffen. Camp in Year 9 is an important time for our biggest middle school students to connect & grow. The Year 9 PC team are really looking forward to a fun, challenging and inspiring camp with our students. Any outstanding camp permission forms should be forwarded to Student Services as soon as possible, please. Some key details as a reminder:
On Tuesday 3rd May, teachers and families have an opportunity to meet together to discuss students’ learning journey at school. This is a great way to build connections between home and school. The online booking portal will open to parents just after the holidays, keep an eye on your email for this notification. We look forward to meeting with you then!
NAPLAN is an annual assessment that our Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 students participate in. It occurs at school during school hours, and in middle school, students will be able to use their Macbooks through secure/locked web browsers. The testing period begins on the 10th of May, further communication will be coming soon. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
As we look forward to Easter weekend in the holidays, it’s a special time to reflect. The story of Easter is a love letter from Jesus to each and every one of us, showing us with an unimaginably incredible act of sacrifice how much he loves us – 2000ish years before any of us were even born. As you take time to relax & refresh these holidays, it’s my prayer that you will know the tangible love Jesus has for each one of us.
Luke 24:6-7 “He is not here! He has risen!”
Kristie Schulz
Acting Middle School Coordinator
Thank you for a very good, productive first term even with all the changes and uncertain times!
My prayers are with you, your family and the Parklands community during this very interesting ‘season’.
As we look to break for the autumn holidays, including the EASTER weekend, with all returning on Tuesday 19 April after Easter Monday, I pray you have a fantastic rest and a good break from the school routines of making lunches, getting up early etc. etc. I trust you are able to do the things that you enjoy and revitalise you, like spending time with the family (kids) and friends, going to the beach or just relaxing at home watching a movie or reading a book.
We look forward to having everyone back for a short, sharp (9-week) term starting on Tuesday 19th April.
I am SO excited to inform you that we have fenced off the building site (see below) where they will very soon start to dig, excavate and start building our purpose-built Primary School.
If you missed the plans and fly through in my last few newsletter articles, here is the amazing ‘Stage 2 fly through’ link. It depicts the 3 high set buildings containing classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, an admin section with staffroom, toilet block, lift, connected verandahs, play area and gardens that was published to Facebook and LinkedIn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9oaCQD0sQ8
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or mixing and matching their academic with sport uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch and water bottles are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
Tuesday 26th April – 2.45pm to 4pm in your child/ren’s classroom (time is used to view your child’s work, see their desk, tidy tray and ‘chat’ with the teacher.
Wednesday 27th April – 2.45pm to 8.30pm in your child/ren’s classroom. Please ensure you book your 15 min time slot / appointment on line. You should have received an informative letter explaining the appointment booking procedure and teacher interview process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Nancy Abolins on nabolins@parklands.qld.edu.au
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon or Profile P/T Interview Evening or where they have given you regular general feedback as to how your child has progressed this term.
Ever opened up your mouth and heard your own parents speak?
I’d frequently speak to my kids when they’d been less than perfect and I could hear my father speaking. I’d use the same words, same tone of voice and same body language as my father. The similarity was a little spooky.
This happens because the genes ‘from the past’ are very strong impacting not just our communication but our parenting as well. Kids copy their parents. Temperament, gender, genetic and birth order factors all play a part in shaping kids. They signify the differences between children’s behaviour, attitudes and interests. It’s in children’s similarities that the impact of parenting is seen.
Are all your kids tolerant, generous, kind and forgiving, perhaps some less than others? If so, there’s a good chance that you possess those qualities or, at least, one parent displays those qualities.
When kids live with gratitude, encouragement and affection on a daily basis they are more likely to adopt those behaviours themselves. In fact, those types of behaviours become part of their values system.
They may shy away from these behaviours in adolescence yet most kids will return to their core values in their twenties and beyond. Most kids find their identity only after they’ve rejected it.
Similarly, when kids live with criticism, mean-spiritedness and intolerance they are more likely to display those attitudes. Teachers and schools can impact children’s attitudes and behaviours but it can be hard to override the values that kids develop at home. Kids are more likely to reflect their parents’ attitudes and behaviours than those of their teachers.
Take a good look at your kids’ attitudes, behaviours and values, particularly how they treat others. If you like what you see then give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve done a good job through both overt teaching and modelling of raising a person in your likeness.
If you’re not happy with what you see – I’m not referring to the out-of-character, poor behaviour that kids at times display due to fatigue, a stage or some other unknown reason (kids will be kids) – but if you cringe when you see some of the attitudes and behaviours that your kids routinely show then some self-reflection may be the order of the day. That’s nothing necessarily to be ashamed of. Kids get front row seats to the very best and very worst of their parents’ behaviours. We just need to make sure that our best is amplified and our worst is minimised or, at least, not witnessed by our kids.
It helps to sit down with your partner or a trusted friend and review the type of person that’s on display for your kids every now and then. It will be a worthwhile exercise both personally and as a parent. As your kids are a reflection of you, start the reflection process by looking at the behaviours, attitudes and states of mind they have in common. If you’re happy with what you generally see daily, then you’re okay and doing a great job.
Now while students are at home and or on holiday would be a good time to observe and monitor these behaviours.
I pray that you have a good, well-deserved school holiday break whether you are at home with the children and family or away somewhere. May God’s peace, comfort, joy, protection and strength be yours through this holiday period.
1. Jan 2022 Meet our Team for 2022
On Friday the 19th of March, Parklands will join with many other schools around Australia to promote the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.
Our college believes that when we work together as a community, a great deal can be done to prevent bullying and to protect students. Engagement from all staff, students and families is central to preventing bullying and creating a school climate of respect and inclusion.
We would like to thank you for your participation in helping promote these values. Here are some ways that you can help us tackle issues of bullying.
Here is the process for reporting an incident or concerns:
For more information on our College Student Bullying Policy, please find this on our website:
http://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/3.60-Policy-Student-Bullying.pdf
Bullying. No Way! bullyingnoway.gov.au
eSafety young people esafety.gov.au/young-people
eSafety Guide esafety.gov.au/esafety-guide
eSafety Report esafety.gov.au/report
Kids Helpline kidshelpline.com.au
eHeadspace headspace.org.au/eheadspace
To connect, honour, and equip the Parklands community through love.
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2021 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Monthly school fees are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our preferred method of payment is BPAY, details are on your invoice or alternatively you can pay through the parent portal.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your Parent Code as reference e.g. ‘21265’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Dear Parklands Community,
Although the start of the year has been a disrupted one, let me officially welcome you to the 2022 Academic Year. I am proud to say that despite various restrictions and the impact of COVID-19 on our community, we are well and truly underway and there is much to be thankful for and to look forward to.
I am thankful for God’s provision of new teachers. I am thankful for a population of over 760 students. And I am thankful for our engaging and ever improving curriculum and resources.
I am excited about our new building program. I can’t wait to see stage 1 of our Primary Precinct finished at the end of this year. I am excited as I see both secondary and primary students using our mountain bike track. And I am excited (although a little impatient), to see our sprinkler system installed on our 2 ovals.
I love the new sports uniform for representative sport, and I love seeing our students wearing their uniform well. I also really like the new staff uniform and providing our staff with more uniform options. I love seeing pictures of our students in classes. I love seeing our students at play. And I love being part of our community.
As the year progresses, there will be more great innovations that we can all appreciate, that will promote good communication and ease of interaction. Stay tuned for more news about new and easier ways to pay fees, excursions, and special events.
There are so many good things happening on site, both inside classrooms and throughout our community. During these disruptive times, it is important to focus on the great things that are happening in our community. We have much to celebrate as we see our students grow and learn, and we all have a responsibility to provide an environment that is safe, and where our displeasure and frustrations are moderated wherever possible.
On the news and in social media, the complexities of this current season are broadcast for all to see, and our children are looking on. The anxiety of our times are easily passed onto the developing minds of our children and young people, and while I am not in favour of shielding our children from the realities of our world, I do encourage moderation.
Moderation is the avoidance of excess or extremes, and our children’s exposure to excess and extremes can have lasting negative impacts. At the risk of sounding old and out of date, I worry for the exposure our children have to pornography via personal devices, violence through gaming and the never-ending lure of consumerism through advertising. I am also concerned for the impact of our societal anxiety about COVID-19, mandates and restrictions, vaccination, and more recently global military conflict and flooding.
Is it just me, or do you find people are easily agitated and upset these days? I have seen some disgraceful adult tantrums of late in supermarkets, on the news and via message threads on social media. And our children look on. These are not behaviours our children and young people need to learn.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see media reports that celebrate humanities beauty right now. It would be amazing to see a little more grace and kindness in the supermarkets and restaurants. And it would be helpful if more thought was given to the words published on all forms of social and commercial media. I call for a little moderation, perspective and empathy in the wider community. I would encourage us all to be the champions of moderation and de-escalate the anxiety of our time.
Instead, let’s focus on what we can celebrate. Let’s not shy away from the world around us, but together, we can be mindful of our behaviour, influence and impact. Let’s practice kindness and celebrate the good things God has given us. Let’s give thanks for when we are healthy, or when we are safe. Let’s lend a hand, encourage and build one another up. Let’s be a community that cares for our neighbours and responds with patience, generosity and grace. And let our children see us hold the tension of life’s disruptions and frustrations alongside the things we can celebrate.
Psalm 37: 3-9
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Gary Cully
Principal
Meet our College Captains of 2022, Maria Mariuta and Taimen Leau. Both captains are passionate leaders who hope to leave a positive impact on the college during their time in leadership, working alongside their Leadership Team.
Read more about their vision, below
https://parkridgenews.com.au/meet-pcc-2022-college-captains/
Year 10 Student, Sam Garlick will be living in Huesca, Spain for 10 months from September 2022 until July 2023. Sam has been invited to play football for the U16’s Escuela Huesca International Team for a season in the Spanish Football League. He has been playing football since age 3. For the last 3 years he has played in the National Premier League as well as being a member of an elite football academy (Centre of Development). He has played in many national tournaments and has also been chosen to represent both Qld and Australia in Futsal.
Sam is very excited about this opportunity and where it may lead. We wish Sam all the best for the exciting journey he has ahead.
Year 7 FTT students enjoyed themselves at a Cheeky Poke Bowl incursion earlier this term run by Mrs Brkic. The students experienced poke bowls first hand. Some students were pleasantly surprised how healthy and delicious poke bowls can be. The students in Year 7A will continue to learn about healthy food trends so they can prepare and present their own version of a poke bowl towards the end of the term as part of their assessment task.
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
The start to this academic year has been an interesting one, with some staff changes due to the vaccine mandate, a delayed start due to COVID-19, and more recently some interruptions as a result of the significant weather event across Brisbane. At the time of this newsletter publication, there will still be some families continuing to clean up their homes and properties.
For each of these circumstances, we can see the work of our heavenly Father. It has been especially wonderful to see so many of our community come together to offer support and to help anyone in their time of need.
Despite any obstacles that have occurred, the seniors are ‘getting on with it’ and have settled and are largely focusing well on their studies. With an increase in enrolments, our classrooms and outside areas seem busier than ever. It has been particularly exciting to welcome a number of new senior students across Years 10-12 to the Parklands family and to see the transition of our triple stream of Year 10’s into the senior phase of learning.
Our students:
On wearing their school uniform correctly and with pride, on calm transitions and movement around the College, and on engagement in the classrooms.
Our relationships:
We do value right relationship and want every student to know they are loved and welcomed. Partnerships with families are essential and we continue to welcome parental involvement in your child’s learning journey.
We are heading towards the halfway point of the school term. The senior Pastoral Care teachers have been promoting study. Parents, please encourage your child to make study notes. In the new QCE system, it’s crucial that your child sets up and maintains effective routines for study habits to take place in their daily routines. QCAA recommends between 2-4 hours of study per subject, each week. On top of this is homework and assignment completion.
Many seniors may find themselves juggling school, work, family, church, and extra-curricular responsibilities so getting organised to use their time wisely and in a planned manner is key. Parents, thank you for continuing to check your child has a weekly study routine and a study area where they can withdraw to by habit, with minimal distractions, and where they can settle down quickly to organised and effective study.
Last week, Year 10 and Year 11 attended online presentations by Elevate Education. These seminars were timed to assist your child to maximise their study techniques leading into the busy assessment time. The strategies can help improve study techniques, increase motivation, build confidence, and lift exam performance
You are welcome to check out some of their study resources at: https://au.elevateeducation.com/
Senior students must use a personal diary on a daily basis, for keeping track of important dates. This can be a choice of electronic or paper-based, however, all students must have some form of personal diary (not just the Google calendar).
Other areas to assist with being organised include:
Weekly Overviews + Due Dates + Resources
Accessible through your child’s account, please ask them to log-in for you.
A snapshot of due dates is emailed home by Mrs Degen early each term. Please note, this can be subject to change.
For live and up-to-date information on assessment and key dates, accessible through your child’s account.
A reminder, we have many before, during, and after school tutorial sessions – a variety of free programs run by secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
There are many other teachers across all subjects meeting their students at Zenith Club, often on request.
If your child is feeling unsure about their Senior pathway or if you have any concerns with how your child is managing the senior load, please make a time to talk with the following staff.
We have a great team of supporters so your child can work towards their God-given potential and have support, as needed. It is really important that there is a balance between academic demands, involvement in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
Please find below key contacts for Senior College. You are always welcome to email the relevant staff member or contact the College office through Student Services.
Miss Julia Matthews:10a
Mr Phil Uren: 10b
Mrs Jenny Ludwig: 10c
Mrs Mercy Gunnampaty: 11a
Mr Geof Greentree: 11b
Mrs Kristie Schulz: 12a
Mr Josh Leembruggen: 12b
Ms Jess Grounds: Head of Secondary
Miss Abby Dixon: Year 10 Coordinator
Mrs Elizabeth Lenton: Careers & Vocational Coordinator
Mrs Joanne Anderson: Learning Enrichment Coordinator
Mrs Rebecca Wallis: Senior College Coordinator
We also have our wellbeing team, located in the RTC, who are available upon request.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
Uniform Shop location and parking: 24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge
(located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest Road)
Please Note:
As from January 2022 we no longer accept any additional second hand items to sell. We will still be selling second hand uniforms that we have previously received. If you would like to sell your uniforms second hand, please sell them privately or through our parent managed and monitored Facebook page: Facebook Link
Uniform Shop Facebook Page/PCCUniforms
Uniforms can now be purchased online through QuickCliq.com.au
Welcome back, to what has been a different and delayed start to the year. I trust you and your child/ren have ‘settled in’ and become accustomed to Parkland’s processes and procedures. A special ‘Welcome’ to all our new parents and students. If unsure about anything, please feel free to ask a teacher, TA, Student Services, RTC or myself.
As you would be aware, we are looking to start building a ‘purpose built’ Primary School starting at the end of this year. On that note, I am very excited to announce that the planning for ‘Stage 2’ of our new Primary School Building is almost complete.
Here is the amazing ‘Stage 2 fly through’ that depicts the 3 ‘high set’ buildings containing classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, an admin section with staffroom, toilet block, lift, connected verandahs, play area and gardens that was published to FaceBook and LinkedIn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9oaCQD0sQ8
We look forward to the day when we building fences go up and earth working machines come on site to start the build for our new purpose built Primary School.
In wishing to keep all our students safe, here is a reminder of what we do to make the “Drop Off”’ process easier, quicker and more practical for parents:
In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘Prep drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes. Here staff and Year 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the stairs, with class lists, will sign in your prep child without you even having to get out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Year 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off or parking procedures where students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. If using the Drop Off Area just past the Pedestrian Crossing, please don’t leave your car or park in any of these Drop Off bays. Parents are reminded not to drop off students on the bend near the top exit gate of the Rosia Rd Car Park. If crossing the internal road, please only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing!
ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, where parents may park in any available bay and go and collect students from the playground before 3.10pm or from Prep to Yr. 6 Classrooms after 3.10pm. Students are asked to remain at their classroom until 3.30pm unless collected by a guardian or older sibling.
Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage!
On arrival in the morning, students are to put their bags in the port racks outside their classroom and then make their way to the supervised Undercover Area where they can play games and be ready for the start of day.
In the afternoon, students can be collected, signed out on the iPads from 2.30pm onwards in the Undercover Area. At 3.10pm, students return to class, where roll call will be taken and then all students/classes will be brought to the Undercover Area where they are to be collected by older siblings or guardians.
We ask that no student leave the Undercover Area without prior written permission, or a guardian or older sibling BEFORE 3.30pm.
Students will sit and eat their food in the Undercover Area for 15 minutes before being released to go and play for the remainder of both breaks. We do not monitor what the students eat but do encourage them to eat something at both morning tea and lunch.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or to mix and match their academic with sport uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch and water bottles are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, class process or procedure, class behaviour, calendar events etc. that you please contact the teachers directly! They are your first port of call!
If you require information about specialist lessons, please contact the following specific staff members directly:
HPE – Mr. Werner,
Music – Mrs. Patane,
Art – Mrs. Bazley,
Library – Mrs. Emma Drover
Student Services — Mrs. Oxley or Mrs. Abolins
RTC & LE – Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Broughton, Mrs. Rerekura-Tamaiva or Mrs. Jo Anderson
If you wish to discuss a matter further after having spoken to the relevant teacher, would you kindly then contact me through Student Services?
We are very excited to announce the continuation of AUSLAN (sign language) in Years 5 to 8 at Parklands. Dr. Beth Tailby, a completely DEAF, very accomplished, Auslan teacher will be presenting lessons to the Primary Yr. 5 & 6 students on a Friday for a semester each.
Students will learn the alphabet, numbers etc. and the basic art of being able to sign!
Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication’.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimising the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”.
On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us.
We ask that IF possible, you kindly avoid sending in:
Products with a “may contain traces of nuts” warning is ok to bring to school but just should not be shared. In this instance, also remind students to wash their hands after eating such products! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard. Please don’t hesitate to ask a teacher or staff member if there is ANYTHING you need clarified!
Looking forward to a great year of working together!
Thank you
Once again, we found ourselves adjusting to a slightly different start to our school year. Over the last few weeks we have been getting to know one another and settling into our Year One routine.
So far, we have really enjoyed our Science Unit. We are busy exploring all about Living Things and had fun learning about the parts of a plant, too!
We are looking forward to the next few weeks as we look at the differences between non fiction and fiction texts and use our knowledge to write Informative Reports. Our math focus is all about numbers as we count forwards, backwards and in 2s, 5s and 10s.
It’s been so lovely to meet all our families for 2022. We are looking forward to a wonderful year and can’t wait to be a part of your child’s learning journey!
the Year 1 Team
Year Three has started the year off with so much fun and learning! We are all excited to be part of upper primary this year and are enjoying learning what it means to be one of the older students in the Primary school.
In English, we have been writing narratives and it has been awesome to read about all the students’ interesting stories and amazing characters. The students love being creative and sharing their ideas through their writing
We have been investigating multiplication and division and have started the learning journey of times tables. A favourite activity was getting crafty in our Math rotations when making multiplication arrays.
Our Humanities and Social Sciences Unit included exploring the people from the past and present who have had an impact on shaping Logan. We also learnt about timelines and made our own timelines for the first time.
It has been a fabulous start to the year and we look forward to sharing many more stories with you in the coming newsletters.
Year 3 Team
Mrs Dayna Davis, Mrs Renée Imms, Mrs Sue Martin and Mrs Christine Uwamurera.
The Year 6s participated in two action-packed Leadership Days facilitated by the Character Builders. The first activity for the cohort was the Domino Challenge where they had to work as a team to line up the dominoes to fall simultaneously across an entire court of the BSC. The excitement was electric! This was followed by our Amazing Race in which the students had to show their skill in a wide variety of mini-challenges. These activities required them to work with their peers, communicate, trust their team-mates and manage time-frames. The students thoroughly enjoyed the staff demonstrating each of the tasks!
On day two students had the opportunity to show their entrepreneurship in the Shark Tank Kite Challenge. Staff formed a question panel to further explore each group’s thinking. It was an excellent opportunity for all team members to showcase their leadership skills with a designated role in their group’s business. The final major activity was Boot Camp. Many of the students were pushed beyond their limits and found self-confidence as they developed their stamina and perseverance. It was an excellent opportunity to actively demonstrate and reinforce their growth mindset. The major takeaway from our Leadership Days was Big Ups. This concept aligns perfectly with Snippets, our College Values and affirming our family and friends. We know that our students have grown through their experiences during these two days and are encouraged to apply what they have learned to their educational journey.
We wish to extend special thanks to Logan Village Bakery and Domino’s for blessing us with awesome catering!
The Year 6 Team – Mr Ashley, Mrs Foster and Mrs Potts
Great News! Your tuckshop has received a 5 STAR rating on the EAT SAFE LOGAN CERTIFICATE for the second year in a row. This is a great achievement and all credit to our wonderful Tuckshop convenor and staff.
The tuckshop will be open EVERY day this year, Monday-Friday!
Secondary Students please note all hot food purchased from the Tuckshop needs to be preordered online.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Please contact our Tuckshop Convenor, Marie Rushin, on 0422 637 370 or email tuckshop@parklands.qld.edu.au
blue-jays-netball-SIGN-ON-2022
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. Kelsey Hackett is the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
Logan City Council have just launched a 3-week recruitment drive to encourage young change-makers aged 14 to 24 years old to apply and join the Logan Youth Action Group (LYAG). The recruitment drive is open until Wednesday 16 March. Applications can be submitted via our online form.
LDCA All-Girls Free Program LYAG A3 poster
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
The Brisbane Roar are bringing their Roar Active Holiday Clinics to the following ever popular SUN SAFE locations for our Summer Clinic’s . This is an ideal way to gain extra skills and game awareness while having FUN with our expert Team of Coach’s.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday 4th 5th 6th April Brisbane City Indoor Sports, Coorparoo
ages 6-12 – Times 9am-12pm – 3 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/coorparoo-3-day-indoor-clinic-easter-2022/
Thursday Friday 7th 8th April Living Faith Lutheran Indoor Sports Hall, Murrumba Downs
Ages 7-11 Times 9am-12pm 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/living-faith-lutheran-2-day-clinic/
Monday Tuesday 11th 12th April Brisbane Albion Indoor Sports, Albion
Ages 6-12 Times 11am-2pm– 2 day clinic
https://roaractive.com.au/event/albion-indoor-sports-2-day-clinic-easter-2022/
Wonderful clinic’s for children to learn new skills while having FUN playing our beautiful game in a safe environment. As the foundational program for kids of all levels and skill abilities, the Brisbane Roar Active Program promotes fun and excitement in our next generation of footballers. To view, receive more information and register for these clinics please go to www.roaractive.com.au and select Holiday Programs.
Eph 5:18b-19 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms & hymns & spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”
What a start to 2022! Despite the challenges so far, this year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. We have sadly said farewell to Mr Barry Warden, our Brass teacher, and Mrs Simone Geurts, our Voice teacher, but we are pleased to welcome Mr Nathan Wallis as our new Brass teacher. We are currently seeking to appoint a new Voice teacher as soon as possible.
All instrumental lessons (except voice) have now begun, including those in the Give It A Go! Band Programme. All Choir & Ensemble rehearsals have also begun, with the exception of the Secondary Choir while we appoint a new Voice teacher & the Give It A Go! Band which will commence in Term 2.
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3) – Wednesday, 7:50-8:20am in Mrs Patane’s room
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6) – Thursday, 2:30-3:10pm in Mrs Patane’s room
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12) – TBA
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience) – Tuesday, 7:30-8:15am in L5
– College Worship Team (Years 7-12) – Tuesday, 3:20-4:45pm in the Church Auditorium
All Choirs are open to all students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Wind, brass & percussion students continuing to have lessons at school will play in the Wind Ensemble, and anyone else who has lessons outside of school is also welcome to join this ensemble.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year. Lessons have begun already, but if you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please check the details below.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet|
– Trombone
– Baritone/Euphonium
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
02 PCC Instrumental Tuition Program guidelines and enrolment
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Bus Queensland is making a number of changes to schools runs for term 1 2022 that may impact your child’s travel arrangements. A list of these changes can be found at https://www.busqld.com.au/term-1-2022-changes. If you have any concerns or queries, please contact us at customers@busqld.com.au or 3802 1233.
PRT Term 1 2022 Notice of service changes
We have had a number of enquiries requesting if we could get our existing Bus Qld bus routes extended into more areas south of our College. For Bus Qld to consider this, they require you to email them directly. If the added service could be of benefit to you and your children, please email Bus Qld at reception@busqld.com.au
For bus travel in the Logan Reserve area, please call Logan Coaches on 5546 3077.
Dear Parents & Families
We will shortly be forwarding all families enrolments to be completed for before & afterschool care and vacation care for the 2022 school year. To secure definite placement these need to be
returned to the service promptly and no later than Friday 18th November.
We also have Vacation Care fast approaching and we are now accepting bookings for the upcoming vacation care period.
We are still applying the final touches of fun to the program however if you would like a copy of the program and booking form forwarded onto you please contact us on 07/3297 0577 or parklandsbookings@bigpond.com or alternatively pop on into the service and our friendly staff will assist you.
As another school year comes to a close, I would like to take the time to congratulate all of our senior students. It has been an incredibly rewarding year and a delight to work alongside each student, who have demonstrated great attitudes to their studies, and perhaps of greater importance, a respect and care for those around them.
It has been an incredibly busy close to another academic year, with many special events taking place. The following are some highlights.
The secondary Awards Night was a time of celebration, for students and families, of individual achievements for the academic year.
Of special mention are our trophy recipients as follows:
Year 10
Christlikeness Award: Rachel Swinn & Jake Lowe
Dux: April Holmes
Principals Award: Max Williams
Year 11
Christlikeness Award: Gabriela Martinov and Zachary Brown
Dux: Taimen Leau
Principals Award: Joseph Clarris
Vocational Excellence Award: Jai Smith
Year 12
Christlikeness Awards: Steffanie Pottinger and Renzo Tagaro
Dux: Hannah Takada
Principals Award: Ben Parker
The Tierney Learning Enrichment Inspiration Award: Samuel Prevett
Vocational Excellence Award: Taylah Scott
Senior Female Sports Person of the Year: Hannah Takada
Senior Male Sports Person of the Year: Levi Tomic
Congratulations to all our awards recipients and to every senior student on their achievements, of whom we are very proud as they continue to work towards everything that God intends them to be.
We have farewelled the graduating “Class of 2021” who have been a wonderful class of seniors to work alongside. It’s been a huge journey, totalling thirteen years of formal education. There have been countless extracurricular activities that have formed a well-rounded experience of school life combined with the huge task of completing senior school. I have once again admired the resilience of our graduates who have had the determination to push through to the end of Year 12. Well done graduates! And, a special mention to all our families and the PCC team, who have contributed to the journey of each young person as they embark of life after school! We pray they seek God’s direction to lead their future paths.
To finish, we celebrated with the Year 12 formal at Sirromet Winery on Friday 19th November. It was a wonderful evening of celebration, as I’m sure you can see from the photos.
After a very busy and productive academic year for all, happy summer holidays!
Prayers for a blessed Christmas season with your families and I very much look forward to seeing you all in 2022.
May God bless you and keep you so abundantly,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
The year has ended with a flurry of activity in the Middle School. After saying goodbye to our year 12’s, Middle School entered a week of exams and final year activities.
Students in year 8 put on an activity day for our Prep and Year 1 students in the BSC on Monday 22nd November, supervising students through several rotation games and activities. As a part of the Pastoral Care program for year 8 on ‘Serving Others’, students constructed activities and games for the prep and year 1 students, and then supervised the activity rotations.
All students involved enjoyed the experience. This activity day has been a part of the year 8 Pastoral Care program for a number of years, and it is wonderful to see it continue with great creativity from the secondary students, and strong connections between Primary and Secondary at Parklands.
As a part of the Year 7 Construction program, students have the opportunity to design toys that are suitable for prep students to play with, and then create them out of recycled materials. On Tuesday 23rd November, some of the students had the opportunity to road test their creations with the Prep F class.
There are photos below of the opportunities to play with these creations, and the chance for our year 7 students to engage with a real life project in their learning. The creations were a great success, and a testament to the hard work from the year 7 students involved. Please see some of the photos below.
On Wednesday, 24th November, our current year 6 students joined with our new, incoming students for year 7 next year, and experienced a day in the life of secondary during our Year 6 transitions day.
Students had opportunity to engage with secondary learning spaces in a hands on activity day. Spaces included our Sports Hall, Secondary Art Room, Science lab, Technology shed and Hospitality Centre. All activities were run and supervised by our secondary specialist teachers as students moved around the various rotations following a timetable, like they will do in secondary next year.
A special thank you to some of our student leaders for 2022 who came back from their holidays to help supervise the groups and work with the year 6 students. Also thankyou to our current Middle School leaders, and our 2022 Middle School leaders who assisted alongside the senior leaders to connect with students for the day.
Some photos of activities are shown below.
On Thursday 25th November, we celebrated our year 9 students with a graduation lunch in our Hospitality Centre. Students were presented with a certificate acknowledging their completion of Middle School at Parklands, and were treated to Subway lunch, with ice blocks, soft drinks, and cake.
We are very proud of all our year 9 students and their efforts to complete Middle School through the last two years of interesting events. They have done very well, and we wish them all the best for their journey through Senior College.
On Friday, 25th November, 161 Middle School students and 10 staff enjoyed the wonder and fun that is Wet ‘n’ Wild. After missing last year due to COVID, it was fantastic to be able to engage with our Middle School End of Year tradition of celebration at a great venue.
Our day was extremely blessed with the weather. What started out as a possible wet and soggy day, turned into a great, fine day, with fun had by all. It was great to see all of our Middle School students engaging with each other and staff, and having a fantastic time as we celebrated our success of navigating the challenges of 2021.
As we enter this Christmas break, I want to wish all our Middle School students a Merry Christmas, and trust that this season is one of blessing and joy as you spend time with family. I pray for your safety during this time, and look forward to your return to Parklands Christian College for the 2022 school year.
God Bless
Colin Elvery
Do you feel loved when someone offers to take you out for a coffee? Or what about if they clean your house? Maybe if they straight out let you know that they love you? Knowing someone’s love language allows us the secret to making the people we care about know that we love them. What about your kids? How do they express and receive love?
As we head into the holidays and time with our families, consider how you can let your children know how you feel about them. If your child responds to words of affirmation, actions will not speak louder than words. Just by hearing the words ‘I love you’ can instantly make them feel loved. The words of affirmation child loves to be complimented and to hear that they are doing a good job and how. Maybe write them a note and let them know that you love them and what it is that you love about them.
A quality time person feels loved when they have your undivided attention. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like sitting down with them and asking them how they are. You may like to consider taking your child/ren out for a milkshake or baby chino, just you and them, or setting aside a time when they can choose the activity. It doesn’t have to cost a thing, even a walk or a trip to the park. Either way it’s about saying I’m making time for you.
Perhaps your child responds well to receiving gifts. This does not necessarily mean that you need to be continually buying them things to let them know that you love them. This child loves the thoughtfulness and care behind a gift, so it may be picking a flower for them or making them something simple such as a card or scrapbook of memories. Even though it may drive you crazy at times, let your child keep mementos from special occasions like napkins or stones. Whatever it may be, it’s simply something that says I was thinking about you.
If your child is an acts of service person then hopefully they will recognise your love for them every day in all that you do for them! But acts of service does not necessarily mean you have to do everything for them. Make your acts of service personal to this child. Perhaps cooking their favourite meal just for them or help them out with their assigned chore. You might like to work on building something together. This child feels loved when you take the time to do something as an act of love specifically for them.
To the child who experiences love through physical touch it’s pretty straightforward – nothing says I love you like cuddles, kisses, back rubs or holding their hand. But what about as your child becomes a teenager and suddenly your kisses and hugs seem unwanted or awkward to them? Especially in public! Because this child still experiences love by physical touch it’s important not to stop doing these things, but instead keep it age appropriate. When you are talking to your child sit next to them, maybe put your arm around them or rub them on the back. Physical presence is vital for this child.
To find out more about the 5 love languages, or to take the quiz to find out what your child’s love language is go to http://www.5lovelanguages.com/
I thought I’d include a link to ‘5 Principles to Stay Safe Online‘ resource for parents that you can share.
Have a safe and happy Christmas and we look forward to 2022.
The Power of Listening
Ring a bell, a wind chime, or anything else that creates a long trailing sound. Ask each child to listen, and silently raise their hand when they can no longer hear the sound. After the ringing ends, ask the children to continue listening to any other sounds they can hear for the next minute. When the minute ends, go around the room asking everyone to tell you what sounds they heard.
Reach Out Worry Time
Helps control anxiety by scheduling worry so that it is confined to a specific time each day. (Free)
MindShift
Includes strategies to relax and develop more helpful ways of thinking. (Free)
UniThrive
Includes self-care notices, gratitude and a relaxation centre (free).
@ppreciate
Promotes good self-esteem and positive communication between young people.
Bully Beater
Assists teenagers to develop the skills needed to overcome a bully.
Friend Maker
Assists teenagers to develop skills needed to make and keep a friend.
The Preppies celebrated the last day of term four with Circus Day. Dressed in crazy and colourful costumes the parade of clowns, tigers, acrobats, ringmasters and many more marched through the school before enjoying a hilarious magic show with Smarty Pants the clown. We then moved to the BSC for tenpin bowling, dancing, face painting, balloon twisting and a jumping castle! It was a wonderful way to finish the term and we are so proud of how much the Preppies have learnt and grown in their first year at Parklands. Well done friends, we will see you in Year One!
Mrs Hope, Mrs Foster, Miss B, Mrs Lowe and Mr M
We ended the year well and we enjoyed making memories with our teachers and friends.
As Term 4 draws to a close we are wanting to reflect back on the past couple of weeks with our year 6’s before we farewell them off to high school.
We were recently able to celebrate their achievements and share in their graduation with their families. We were so proud of them as each student confidently walked across the stage to receive their Year 6 certificate. We were blessed that after a fairly hectic year we were still able to celebrate with morning tea alongside their parents. Following a successful graduation ceremony we spent the rest of the day celebrating the students with morning tea and a gift from us that they could get their fellow classmates to sign as a keepsake.
Our final week of Year 6 has been a busy one but we were fortunate enough to end our year with a trip to Dreamworld. With the weather looking bleak, we were unsure what the day would bring but we were blessed with no rain. The students enjoyed the rides with minimal lines which meant going back on the same crazy roller coasters over and over. The bus trip home was a quiet one with exhausted students and even more exhausted teachers.
We want to say a huge congratulations to each student as they end their primary school years and move on to middle school. We are incredibly proud of how much each student has grown and matured this year. We hope and pray that each of them will continue to grow in their faith and be role models for those around them in all that they do. We wish them the best of luck heading into Year 7 and beyond.
Mr Holman, Miss Ghest and Mrs Greene
Dear Parklands Family,
This school year concluded with our Awards Nights in the Baskerville Sports Center. Our students looked amazing as they crossed the stage in three Awards Night events this year, held in a new location. This year’s end of Academic Year events included our Lower and Upper Primary Awards Night, Secondary Awards Night and the Graduation of our Year 12’s. Our Sports Centre was transformed and even though I wasn’t initially sure this venue would suit our needs, I was immensely pleased that we took the risk and embraced the challenge of turning a sports hall into a space fit for our awards ceremonies.
I must say, it was a lot cooler in the BSC, and despite the looming storms we all stayed dry, the power stayed on, and the sound and lighting was excellent. We have sent out an Awards Night survey to gauge our collective satisfaction for the continued use of the BSC for end-of-year events. Looking back over the year, I am proud to note how far we have come as a community after the challenges of 2020. Although not all of our special events were able to take place, our community was able to come back on site on several occasions throughout this Academic Year. I want to thank all our parents who patiently waited for restrictions to end, and for your compliance and encouragement. Together we navigated restriction to site access, masks and the ever present threat of snap lockdowns. Thank you for your support.
I am also grateful for the overwhelming support of the Parklands Christian College Staff. This year contained many challenges as we grappled with both the uncertainty of restrictions, and the tasks associated with managing the learning journey of our students. Our staff have been working tirelessly to improve our curriculum, and facilitate good teaching and learning. We are delighted with the new Primary Precinct plans, and the impact that this new space will have on both the Primary School as they move into new facilities, and the Middle School as they leave demountable buildings and occupy newer classroom spaces.
As I mentioned during my Awards Night speeches, we have some major innovations coming in 2022. For much of the year our efforts will go largely unnoticed. However, as the year progresses we will be establishing some new infrastructure that will allow us to interact with our families in a new way. Our first exciting innovation will be the introduction of the new Device Management Program which our Year 5-10 students are very excited about. Later in the year we will turn on TASS, our new database followed shortly after by SchoolBox. SchoolBox will change the way we communicate as a community, and we look forward to launching this toward the end of the 2022 Academic Year.
As the year draws to a close and the staff busily work on reports and winding down the school, I want to personally thank the students and their families who have come to the end of their Parklands journey this year. Thank you for being a part of our community, and I wish you all the brightest of futures. I also want to thank our staff leavers this term who have worked tirelessly to deliver a Christ centred education. In particular I wish to congratulate Mr Michael Bradshaw on his retirement. Thank you Mr Bradshaw for your service in our Primary School, and may God bless you in this new season of life.
As we look to the next academic year, I offer a warm welcome to all the new students starting at Parklands and their families. It’s an exciting time to be joining our College and we are looking forward to seeing you all in late January!
To all of the Parklands Family, may God bless you and keep you this Christmas season, and I look forward to another wonderful Academic Year in 2022.
Gary Cully
Principal
Chambers Flat – project update
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. The current Occupational Therapist, Kylie McMahon, is going on maternity leave. Kelsey Hackett will now be the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
We would love to offer individuals #HaveAGo at Sport Climbing with us. With climbing’s inclusion in the Tokyo Olympic Games and its recognition as a National Sport by the Australian Government, rock climbing is fast gaining popularity. We are offering kids and youth aged 6-17 to try one of our climbing classes for free. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/have-a-go-indoor-climbing
Supporting Queensland kids to get active. We are a Fair Play Voucher provider and would love to help recipients get active and discover the joys of climbing and its community. When people redeem their Fair Play voucher with us they receive a 10 trip pass to our climbing gym. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/fairplay-voucher-provider
FairPlay-Poster Indoor Climbing
Holiday Program – Summer 2021
Chess Mates DL Flyer Summer 2021_2022
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Certificate 3 in Education Support – EDS Yarrabilba
We ended the year of primary sport with a celebration of individual and school success. We awarded our Most Valuable and Most Improved players through the USL and CSSAQ seasons and reminisced about the college carnivals and achievements through our swimming, cross country and track and field seasons. Michael Hancock spoke about character and attitude in sport as well as sharing some great stories from his professional career with the Broncos.
We finished with our big awards of sportswoman and sportsman of the year. Congratulations to all the award winners and to Joshua House for taking out the 2021 House Cup. Thank you to all students and staff for your contributions this year and we look forward to seeing you next year.
Congratulations to Lachlan Mane and Emmy Campbell.
Wow, how this year has flown by! It seemed like just the other day I was welcoming this year’s Prep students and parents to the school for the first time. By the time you read this article the academic year will be finished and Christmas soon upon you. Can I say we have had a much better year than 2020 with less COVID interruptions and quarantine or working from home throughout this year! We certainly have learned to adapt, be flexible and just make it happen.
I wish to take this opportunity, to thank the amazing teachers for their tremendous effort, dedication and support again this year!
Apart from all the ‘usual’ fun class teaching, sporting carnivals and great events, here are some features and highlights for the year:
In preparing for 2022, can we please ask that you allow the teachers, who only want the BEST for and who know your child here at school, to place them in the care of the right teacher next year? This ‘student placement process’ is taken very seriously and is extremely inclusive and involved taking into consideration factors like: academic ability & rigour, student & teacher personalities & character, social / behavioural and emotional factors, friendships, gender ratios etc.!
In the New Year, students will receive an informative “Welcome Letter” from their new 2022 class teacher notifying them as to which class they will be in. Thank you for not putting in any requests for staff or students and for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard.
– Mr. Bradshaw after many wonderful years of teaching and service has decided to resign so we wish him everything of the very best for retirement and the future!
– Mr. Holman will continue to assist Mr. Jakins in the role of ‘Assistant to the Head of Primary’
– Mrs. Angela Marsh is moving to Student Services and Mrs. Alisha Mane will become the Year 1 Teacher Aide
Thank you everyone for your flexibility, understanding and support in making it through 2021. We wish you everything of the very best for the Christmas Season and an enjoyable, safe holiday!
We look forward to seeing you on Monday the 24th January 2022 for a fantastic New Year.
Psalm 96:2 “Sing to the Lord; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.”
As we approach the Christmas season, it is fitting to reflect on that fact that our God saves, that this is a season of remembering the reason He sent His Son, & there is so much music around to remind us of this. In our final lessons of the term, many students enjoyed playing these Christmas carols & songs, and maybe some of them will bring joy to you, their families, at Christmas by playing for you. So many good ways to enjoy music!
All Instrumental music lessons have finished for term 4. Private & shared lessons will resume in Week 2 of Term 1 2022, and our 2022 Give It A Go! students will begin soon after. 2021 Give It A Go! students who wish to continue learning in 2022 will need to complete an Enrolment form & return it to Students Services. Students who are already having private or shared lessons do not need to re-enrol, as their enrolments will roll over automatically into 2022. If your child wishes to withdraw from lessons in 2022, you need to notify us in writing by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au by 31 Dec 2021.
All Band & Choir rehearsals have finished for 2021 but will resume early in 2022, although there may be some changes to the 2021 schedule. You will be notified as soon as this is confirmed.
It’s been so wonderful to hear our 2021 Give It A Go! students throughout this year, and now to see so many wanting to continue in 2022! If there are still students who wish to continue learning in 2022 & beyond they can enrol for private or shared lessons, and while we will need most of the College instruments for next year’s Give It A Go! students, there may be some College instruments available for hire. Please contact us on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au if you wish to enquire about this option.
Our 2022 Give It A Go! Band Programme is taking shape, which is always exciting. There are still places available for all instruments; please contact us on the above address if you have misplaced your enrolment form & we will send you another.
Please enjoy below some more photos from our Arts Finale on Tuesday 19th October. Can your children find themselves? We are very busy putting together the Performance Calendar for 2022, with some exciting new initiatives coming your way. Bring on 2022!
Thankyou, as parents & families of our music students, for the support you give your children & the sacrifices you make for them. Getting up to be at school early for rehearsal isn’t always easy, so we just wanted to take this opportunity to recognise your contribution to your child’s success. It takes a team & you’re a very important part of it, so again – THANKYOU!
There is always a way to be part of our flourishing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $33/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $20/30mins for a Group of 2 or $15/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3)
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6)
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12)
– Wind Ensemble (Years 5-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience)
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4, beginner band for woodwind, brass & percussion students in the GIAG programme)
– Secondary Worship Team (Years 7-12, instrumentalists & singers)
All Choirs are open to students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Students wanting to play in the Wind Ensemble should consider having lessons either at school or outside of school to improve their skills.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Whilst this year was not quite the turbulent year 2020 was, this year has been a year of continual change, learning to be flexible, adjusting plans and building resilience.
I have been constantly amazed at how the Year 7’s have tackled the events that have come their way this year. They very quickly adjusted to Secondary College life and were practicing online learning before the end of term 1. They then spent a portion of term 2 and 3 learning from home via PCC@Home and term 4 has been a particularly busy term.
Year 7’s blessing others
In term 4, the Year 7 CLS (Christian Life Skills) program is called ‘Blessed’. The focus of this unit is for our students to look at how they can bless others around them. They reflected on how they are blessed in their everyday lives and how they can give back and bless others in small, yet tangible ways. The students wrote beautiful Christmas cards to serving Australian Defence personnel and blessed our graduating Year 12 students with a small care package, placed on their seat for their graduation!
I love building this culture of care and blessing others in our college and I look forward to the day when these Year 7’s are in Year 12 and receive their own care package from a Year 7 student.
Overall, 2021 has been a wonderful year full of laughter, joy and blessings. It has been wonderful to watch each of my Year 7’s grow into a more mature and independent young adult and I am so grateful to have spent the year with them.
I wish you and your family a blessed Christmas
I wish you and your family a blessed holiday break. May your break be a time of restoration and family connectedness as you take a reprieve from the daily routine of school runs, homework and assessments? May you have a joyful break and enjoy both spiritual and physical renewal and find rejuvenating rest in the mind and spirit of your family.
Amen
School Holiday Activities away from devices
Four weeks to go! It is amazing to think that the year has disappear as it has. There has been some interesting challenges and some amazing successes throughout this year. I have been very proud of the way that our Middle School students have continued to persevere in the face of adversity, ever growing and ever developing into the young people that our God designed them to be.
We still have some amazing events for Middle School students and families (and potential Middle School students in 2022) to participate in. Listed below are the main events remaining for this year:
– 5th November = Parklands Christian College Carols
o Remember to bring your Red Bags into Student Services
– 16th November = Secondary Awards Night
o Academic Uniform required. Ceremony this year will be held in the BSC
– 19th November = Year 12 Graduation Ceremony
o Joining with our college to farewell our year 12 students.
– 24th November = Year 6 Transition Day
o Awesome opportunity for year 6 students to experience secondary learning for a day
– 25th November = Year 9 Graduation Lunch
o Acknowledgement of our year 9 students progressing from Middle School to Senior College
– 26th November = Middle School Wet ‘n’ Wild Excursion
o What a great way to end the year!!!!!
Looking forward to some great experiences as we close out the year through Term 4.
During weeks 7 and 8, Middle School students will engage with a revision week and exam week. These times are specifically dedicated to student revision and preparation for end of the year exams. Students will be issued with a specific exam timetable for week 8, listing out any exams and the time of day they will be held. Keep a look out for that email. If you have any questions
It was fantastic to see so many Middle school students participating in the Arts Finale Night on October 19th. A special mention to Emily Abolins and Mercedes Barallon who both performed vocal solos on the night, along with our piano soloists, secondary choir and wind ensemble students. It was fantastic to see so much talent represented at the night from both Primary and Secondary.
Monday 1st November saw our year 9 students engaging with a hands-on workshop designed to build skills for expressing their creative narratives in visually interesting ways. There was great creativity displayed (and the use of glitter, amongst other things) and an enjoyable and productive time was had by all. A special thanks goes to Mrs Burns who came in especially to share her vast experience with crafting and scrapbooking skills.
During term 3, students in Year 9 Food and Textiles Technology completed a unit called, “Tell me your story!” Their goal was to use fabric from home which held special meaning and memories and design a creative way to express their own story on a cushion. Students applied a number of different design and practical skills in their creations, and were able to come up with some amazing designs, finished off with excellence workmanship. Congratulations Year 9 students.
On Wednesday 24th November we will hold our annual Year 6 Transition day. Students who are currently enrolled in our year 6 cohort, alongside students who are joining us in Year 7 next year, will have the opportunity to engage in a day of secondary experience. Students are given the opportunity to experience many of the specialist areas in our secondary college including our Science Labs, Hospitality Centre, Technology Shed and Secondary Art Block.
Students will engage with a secondary timetable for the day, meet some of the teachers they may have in year 7 next year, and have the change to try out many of the facilities that will be a part of their learning journey in 2022. Assisting them on the day will be some of our College and Middle School student leaders for 2022, given great opportunity to build those early relationships ready for next year.
This year has been a great journey of joy and struggle. Together through it all we have persevered and fought our way through to this point, encouraging one another along the way. I am looking forward to the finish of this year, having our students finish well, and sending our year 9 students onto their next steps in their school journey – Senior College.
Mr Colin Elvery
Middle School Coordinator
Lately I have been spending time reading and watching some of Danny Silk’s resources around creating a culture of honour in the home, work place and interpersonally with others. It has made me think more and more about the things that I can do personally and professionally to help construct a culture of honour wherever I go.
I thought I might share a couple of thoughts from what I am learning at present in this area and hopefully it will inspire, encourage and challenge you in the way that it has for me.
Firstly, I think it is important to understand that honour is valuing other people regardless of their differences. Honour does not necessarily mean that we agree with everything that a person does or believes. Creating a culture of honour in any environment starts with the personal decision to choose to place honour and value on others, regardless of what they choose to do. Now here is the kicker – honour is choosing to love and respect others, even if they are choosing to behave in a way that is not respectful, loving or in agreement with you.
That is all very easy to say and think and quite challenging to put into practice. Danny expresses that we do not know if there is honour in the relationship until it is tested with a problem or until something goes wrong and that our response in those situations display the level of honour we have. For example, it is all well and good to show honour to a child when they are listening, following your instructions, and speaking nicely to you. It is a completely different story when they are speaking disrespectfully and arguing with you.
It is easy to show honour and respect to a friend when they are being a loyal and supportive friend, but it is more challenging to show honour to a friend when they say something negative about you. When there is honour in a relationship, even if others are not being respectful, we are still able to control the way we choose to respond to what is in front of us. We can choose to speak kind words, stay in control of ourselves and think before we act.
Whenever there is conflict and a confrontation, we often picture people arguing, raising their voices and becoming emotional to express their feelings and convey their perspective. I am sure that we have all witnessed or experienced at some point in our life a conflict where this has happened and things have not been resolved or able to be repaired after this. However, Danny describes the importance of confronting with the goal of connection. When two people discuss their issues or conflict with the intent of becoming closer and working through the concerns, the conversations and approach is very different. When two people honour each other by confronting with the goal to connect, often the content of the discussion is filled with grace and understanding, the way they speak is kind and they are able to hear and take on feedback because the goal stays the same even if the discussion is heated – “that I want to connect with you better and I want to work through this”.
Those are my two main thoughts that I wanted to share, but there are many more concepts in Danny’s teaching that have positively helped me personally and professionally to be better at loving others and honouring them. If you are interested in reading or watching more of his teaching, he has developed several different programs, some of which you can borrow from the college library. In addition to this, we also run Danny’s Loving Our Kids on Purpose programs several times throughout the year and his Life Academy courses are also available online. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is interested. You are more than welcome to contact our Student Care and Well-being team if you have any questions around the programs and courses or Danny’s teaching.
For further information around the Life Academy, please visit https://loving-on-purpose-life-academy.thinkific.com/
Year 1 have been super busy since starting back this term.
During math lessons we have been learning about time and time durations. We’ve been brushing up on our counting knowledge and using new strategies to help us solve addition and subtraction word problems.
We’ve loved learning about special events and celebrations during HASS lessons. We’ve discussed and compared how families celebrate some traditions differently and liked learning about other celebrations around the world too!
Of course, most importantly, we have begun working our way through the wonderful story of Christmas! What an exciting time! The children have loved reading a part of the story each week and have engaged in some super fun craft activities. We are enjoying getting into the Christmas spirit nice and early!
The Year 1 team is so, so proud of each and every student this year! We have witnessed so much growth and have loved every minute! The smiles of your little ones, truly bring us so much joy each and every day. We are so blessed to be a part of your child’s learning journey. We will miss each kiddo terribly and can’t believe this year is almost over. Thank you for your support, love and care this year. We are so incredibly grateful.
See you around!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Mrs S
There has been so much happening in year 2 over the last month. We had a wonderful time at the internal evergreen puppet show a few weeks ago. The show was a hit with the students embarking on a journey to the deep, where they met crostaitians, turtles and other sea creatures. Last Friday students built their toy cars they had researched and planned for in their design technology and science subjects. We were honoured to have parent helpers for the building day and had a blast making holes in bottle cap lids and fastening their individual systems together. Thank you to all that were able to help, it made the day go quicker than expected and was a lot of fun.
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. The current Occupational Therapist, Kylie McMahon, is going on maternity leave. Kelsey Hackett will now be the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
As I write this newsletter article, the Year 12’s are in the midst of completing final assessment, workshops and their external examinations.
Year 12 recently shared a breakfast to mark the beginning of their three week exam block. They also had some quality time and prayer with each other and staff. Thank you to the Year 10 and 11 Hospitality students and staff who helped prepare breakfast!
Year 12 is a challenging year and we are very proud of how our seniors are conducting and applying themselves to their studies. We continue to uphold them in our prayers at this busy time.
Shortly, Year 11 families will receive a home communication update on their Year 11 child’s progress for Units 1 and 2, with a forecast of their points and eligibility for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), or Queensland Certificate of Independent Achievement (QCIA) across Units 1-4.
The new QCE system is rigorous and as such, we strongly promote and encourage all senior students to be committed to their studies and to understand that whilst undertaking full-time study, schooling must be their first priority. We also encourage a study routine that incorporates daily revision, along with the completion of work – both class and assessment based.
Please know that first and foremost we care about each individual student. Where needed, we can provide you and your child with further individual advice, support with study strategies and options for changes to their Senior College pathways. Please let your child’s Pastoral Care (PC) teacher, Mrs Elizabeth Lenton (Careers & Vocational Coordinator) or myself know if this would be helpful.
We are so proud of our Year 10’s and how much they have grown since their first day of Senior College. On Monday 15th to Friday 19th November, Year 10’s are only required to attend school during exams and scheduled assessment items that they are currently enrolled in. This is a step to help them transition into preparing for their senior External Assessments (EAs).
Thank you for looking out for this home communication and for returning the attached Study-At-Home form. Student attendance during the last weeks of classes is crucial. The “Study at Home Permission” notes are due back on 12 November and assist in the non-accrual of absences. A reminder, QCAA only allows 10 unexplained absences per year and unexplained absences can place a student at risk of not graduating that year level.
Students will also have the option of coming to school during sessions, where they have no assessment, to complete work in one of the allocated study rooms.
If you have any questions about Year 10, Miss Abby Dixon (Year 10 Coordinator) will be able to assist you with any enquiries.
A reminder, students in Years 10-12 who are absent for an examination MUST have a medical certificate, dated the day of their exam, to explain their absence. For Year 12, QCAA request more detail than “unfit for duty”. In Year 12, the medical certificate must include multiple days (if your child misses more than one examination). Please contact the College if you have any questions on this matter.
Where did the year go? With just a few short weeks before the end of the academic year, life is very busy for our seniors as they finalise end of year assessment
On 16 – 18 November, Year 12 have three compulsory days of activities. Each day entails important rehearsals for Awards Night and Graduation morning. There are also guest speakers and some really fun outside activities planned for our seniors, to enjoy their final school week. A Year 12 home communication, with further detail, is scheduled to be sent home shorty.
We look forward to celebrating all of our students at the upcoming Awards Night ceremony on Tuesday 16 November. This is a compulsory evening to celebrate all achievements for the academic year. In exceptional circumstances, when attendance is not possible, a written explanation should be submitted to Student Services.
Students are asked to arrive at the Baskerville Sports Centre by 6:45pm. Seniors need to wear their winter academic uniform. We look forward to celebrating with all of our secondary students.
The Year 12’s will be graduating from the College in a Graduation ceremony on 19 November. This will be a time in which the whole College acknowledges the work and dedication of their formal education and celebrates and blesses them as they depart secondary school. The morning celebration continues with a morning tea prior to an early departure, to prepare for their formal evening.
So, it is a very busy yet rewarding time of year. On behalf of all the Secondary team, we are praying for your children as they complete final assessment. Prayers for motivation; to finish off strongly, for good health, for wise decisions about sleep and healthy food, and for thoughts to be recalled with ease in their examinations.
If you have any questions, please contact me through Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
With only 4 weeks left of the academic year the Year 7’s are fast approaching Year 8. What a journey Year 7 has been for many of them. From nervous and anxious students starting day one, packing for every subject, just in case, to students who are (hopefully) confident in organising their own world, most of the time. Each student has grown in a variety of ways and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them.
Year 7 is a year of transition. A year of leaving behind being the oldest and tallest of the primary school and being the ‘twelvies’ in Secondary school. It’s a year of learning to move between classrooms, packing the night before and being organised, switching mindsets as they change subjects and teachers, each who have a different teaching style. A year of managing homework that is not given out on a Monday and due back on Friday, but on differing days, and a year of developing new friendships as they are introduced to new people and find out more about themselves and their developing character.
On top of this our Year 7’s have spent some weeks learning from home, during our time of PCConline. Managing the additional stress of online learning and adapting to this learning style very quickly. Twenty Twenty One has sure encouraged the development of resilience and adaptability in our Year 7 students. As we hurry towards the last few weeks of term, I have been encouraging the Year 7’s to celebrate their many successes this year and think on the skills and attitudes they wish to develop and work on in Year 8.
To continue their Middle School journey, the students have been encouraged to finish well, placing their best efforts into their studies till the final day of the year. To continue to be fearless, curious and courageous in working on their assessments, creative in the classrooms, when confronting challenges and show their peers and the college community that the Year 7 cohort of 2021 is a loving one that supports and uplifts one another.
I would like to draw your attention to the Year 7 Assessment Schedule and the assignments and assessments (both worked on and completed in class time) that are coming up.
I look forward to celebrating the many successes of 2021 with the Year 7’s as we quickly move towards the end of the 2021 academic year.
On the 29th to the 31st of October, four Parklands students had their work displayed in the South East Regional Creative Generation Exhibition hosted by the Walls Gallery, Gold Coast.
The Creative Generation exhibition recognises and celebrates the artistic achievement and creative talents of senior high school students across Queensland. Since 1990, the program has helped raise community awareness of the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity of technical competence, and the high standard of visual art education in Queensland secondary schools.
Congratulations to Hannah Clausen, Isabella Dahlitz, Tori Hankins and Maria Mariuta for having their work selected in this year’s exhibition!
You can view their amazing artworks at the 2021 Creative Generation Online Gallery: https://www.e-award.com.au/2021/cgenvisualarts/gallery/gallery.php?id=5
Congratulations to Simon Nguyen, Jaiden Nguyen, Dylan Jackson, and Zachary Greene who recently completed their Certificate III in Business with #Binnacletraining. The students have worked hard over the past 2 years to complete their certificate course alongside their senior subjects. The students learnt what it takes to become a Business Professional. They achieved skills in leadership, innovation, customer service, personal management and financial literacy – incorporating the delivery of a range of projects and services within our school community including RUOK day BBQ and the development of their own Micro business. Congratulations boys!
Below are two examples of appropriate face masks to be worn at school. Please ensure bandannas and other fashion items are not worn.
Psalm 98:5-6 “Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!”
As the end of the year draws near, it was wonderful to reflect upon our students’ achievements at our Arts Finale on Tues 19th October. Over 100 students performed in various ensembles during the evening, and some also treated us with a solo performance. It was a truly wonderful night of celebration and music, with a fabulous Visual Art display from our Primary & Middle Schools and delicious sausages cooked by our RAW On Country team. Thanks to everyone who made it a great night, and we hope you as the families of music & art students enjoyed the evening.
Instrumental music lessons will continue in term 4; Give It A Go! lessons will finish in week 6, with private & shared lessons finishing in week 7. Give It A Go! students who wish to continue learning in 2022 will need to complete an Enrolment form & return it to Students Services. Students who are already having private or shared lessons do not need to re-enrol, as their enrolments will roll over automatically into 2022. If your child wishes to withdraw from lessons in 2022, you need to notify us in writing by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au by 31 Dec 2021.
All Band & Choir rehearsals are continuing on the normal schedule, with continued distancing & cleaning measures. Final rehearsal dates will be communicated to you by the conductor.
It’s been so wonderful to hear our current group of Give It A Go! students making more progress & learning new things! I’ve been hearing students improving their tone & becoming more proficient, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Reflecting on how far they’ve come this year – they should all be very proud of themselves!
This year’s Give It A Go! students will formally finish their programme in week 6, at which time they will return their instruments to school. If students wish to continue learning in 2022 & beyond they can enrol for private or shared lessons, and while we will need most of the College instruments for next year’s Give It A Go! students, there may be some College instruments available for hire. Please contact us on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au if you wish to enquire about this option.
Our Year 3’s have been learning about the different brass, woodwind & percussion instruments, & have heard them played by some of our current students. Offers for places in our Give It A Go! Band Programme in 2022 will be going home very soon, and enrolment forms will be due shortly after. Watch your inbox!
Please enjoy below some photos from our Arts Finale on Tuesday 19th October. Can your children find themselves?
There is always a way to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment. The current Occupational Therapist, Kylie McMahon, is going on maternity leave. Kelsey Hackett will now be the Occupational Therapist and point of contact for the satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College.
Kelsey Hackett has experience working as a paediatric occupational therapist since 2015 in the United States and has relocated to Brisbane in 2021. She has her Bachelors of Psychology and Master of Occupational Therapy degree. She has worked in the clinic-based and school-based settings with children of all ages and a wide range of diagnoses for the past 7 years.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kelsey Hackett kelsey.hackett@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Click for information:
Support list for schools
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Streetfest
We would love to offer individuals #HaveAGo at Sport Climbing with us. With climbing’s inclusion in the Tokyo Olympic Games and its recognition as a National Sport by the Australian Government, rock climbing is fast gaining popularity. We are offering kids and youth aged 6-17 to try one of our climbing classes for free. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/have-a-go-indoor-climbing
Supporting Queensland kids to get active. We are a Fair Play Voucher provider and would love to help recipients get active and discover the joys of climbing and its community. When people redeem their Fair Play voucher with us they receive a 10 trip pass to our climbing gym. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/fairplay-voucher-provider
FairPlay-Poster Indoor Climbing
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
Tuesday 3:30 – 4:15
Starting Week 1
$10 per session
Located at the BSC (Baskerville Sports Centre)
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
Parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
I cannot believe we’ve only got about 4 weeks left of school for 2021 – wow, how time has flown!
In wishing to ensure the safety of our Primary students of an afternoon, we are looking to enforce the ‘late collection process’.
Any Primary students (without a Secondary sibling supervising them) who have permission from parents and the school to go to the grass area, who have not been collected from the grass area near the Pedestrian Crossing before 3.30pm will be taken up to STUDENT SERVICES by the afternoon duty teacher at 3.30pm. Parents arriving after 3.30pm are to collect all Primary students from Student Services.
This way all our precious little ones are safe, protected and if a parent arrives late, the Student Services ladies are at least aware, can call parents, and remain with them until collected.
Thank you for your understanding, support and cooperation.
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Teacher Aides, Specialists, RTC & LE Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying, working through and discussing the issues involved with student placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of student learning style, academic ability, student & staff personality, friendships, behavioural concerns, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process.
A reminder, we know the students at school and do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
The Parklands Christian College Awards Night ceremonies now resume after Covid restrictions have relaxed and will be taking place on the evening of Thursday 25th November.
We’ll have the Prep to Yr. 2 Awards Night Ceremony from 6 – 7.15 pm in the Baskerville Sport Centre (BSC) and after dismissing these students and parents during the break / intermission, we’ll invite the Year 3-6 parents and students into the Baskerville Sport Centre to commence their Year 3-6 Awards Night ceremony starting at 7.30 – 8.30 pm. A more detailed Awards Night Letter for BOTH ceremonies will be forthcoming.
I know this year’s Awards Nights are going to be another tremendous highlight for us, not only because they will allow each and every student to be encouraged, rewarded and esteemed for their effort by walking across the stage to be presented with their certificates but also because we normally have so many parents joining us to celebrate their child’s achievements. This for us is such a blessing and what teaching is all about!
It’s also going to be wonderful to use the BSC for this event for the first time, as the auditorium has now become too small to house all those attending the events.
We plan to have a big Audio Visual screen and have three professional photographers from MSP Photography present on the evening to capture your child’s celebratory moments. As a gift, the College will be providing parents with an electronic copy of the photo, details of how to access this will be emailed at a later date.
Please clearly label all uniform items as well as lunchbox and water bottles with your child’s first and last NAME (not just initials).
We still have 4 weeks left of school plus students need to look smart for Awards Night so we are asking parents to please ensure that their children are correctly and neatly dressed every day – especially the correct WHITE sneakers. If unsure of the Primary Uniform Policy, please feel free to check our website, ask a class teacher or RTC staff. Appreciate your assistance and support in this regard.
When considering your child’s or young person’s digital diet it’s important to move beyond the notion of keeping kids safe to look at the types of activities their screen-time might be denying them.
There are many aspects to take into account including the maintenance of mental and physical health; fulfilling school and family duties and ensuring that young people develop a full gamut of real world communication skills.
For the sake of living a balanced life, ensure your child has sufficient time for:
1. Sleep: It’s super important that kids are getting a good night’s sleep. Keeping devices out of the bedroom when they are young, and avoiding the screens for at least an hour before bed, helps ensure their sleep needs are met.
2. Down time: Today’s kids don’t tend to get as much time to be bored as kids used to. It is an important skill to be able to fill in their time themselves. Bored time promotes creative play and thinking as kids are forced to come up with other ways to amuse themselves.
3. Connection: Face-to-face interaction is obviously crucial for children’s social and emotional development and wellbeing. Time with friends, siblings and family members must always be a priority. Learning to engage, problem solve and read body language and facial expressions are all crucial skills that need real-life time and experience to develop.
4. Physical activity: A healthy body and mind requires activity and movement. Kids still love to get out and play. However, some may need a bit more encouragement to remind them.
5. Reflection: Whilst playing games may be described by many kids as their downtime (and yes, there is some validity to this argument), kids also need downtime that involves doing very little. It is in these moments of reflection, of thinking and of pondering, that our ideas come to us and our creativity for other activities flows.
6. Focus: There are times of the day when all of us need to be focused on other tasks. These may be homework, chores, reading a book or the newspaper, building something or making something. There needs to be time in kids’ days where they are able to focus solely on a task without the distractions of a screen.
7. Family meals: Getting plenty of good food is of course very important to kids’ wellbeing. But it’s not just about the food. Sitting at the table with parents, siblings or others, focusing on enjoying a meal together without the need of a screen, helps children to develop good habits while they are young which they can carry into the future.
Obviously there will be times when all these needs are not completely balanced. There will be periods when screens are used more often and times when one or more valuable needs is neglected. But if we can use this as a guide and aim to fit the many key experiences our kids need into each day, we are much more likely to ensure our kids grow up with a healthy respect for their screens and a healthy respect for the many areas of their life that need to be nurtured.
Pray you have a wonderful rest of this term and year.
Dear Parklands Family,
It’s that time of the year when we start preparing for the many special events that take place at the end of an academic year. All going well, I am looking forward to seeing you all on site at our award nights, carols and little events that help us celebrate another wonderful year at Parklands. If you compare 2021 to 2020, there is much to celebrate and despite a few disruptions, we have enjoyed a relatively smooth three and a half terms so far.
This year Parklands is going to trial having our award nights in the Baskerville Sports Centre (BSC). Our College has simply outgrown our church auditorium, and needs to find a venue with more space. I think the BSC will be a whole lot cooler too. We would also like to offer professional photos to our families like we did last year, and we can facilitate this better within the BSC. We are all excited to host our Year 12 Graduation Ceremony in the BSC after doing this successfully from this facility last year.
There will be some changes to our ceremonies as we adapt to the more open and larger space. Currently the BSC is not fitted with sound and lighting sufficient to run everything we want, and as such we will hire all necessary equipment and modify some of our student performances. We will survey parents in the New Year to hear how it all went.
One of our more exciting changes in 2022 is the introduction of our new Device Management Program. Thank you to the parents who emailed us asking more questions about this scheme. A Student Device Program page has now been added to our web site to better spell out the program, and also offers a frequently asked questions section based on your feedback so far. Most of the questions we have received have been focused around the area of ‘ownership’ of the device.
The key reasons why we are seeking to implement this program is so the College can ensure the quality (and specifications) of student devices used in our classrooms, manage device maintenance, reliability and supply and limit and regulate installed software. Our IT Department will be able to provide our teachers and students with optimal learning devices that are secure, always available and contain software that is for the purposes of learning. It’s not a fool proof strategy, but we believe our new approach gives our educators an increased confidence using devices in the classroom and beyond.
I am excited as we plan and prepare for the 2022 Academic Year. Over the next couple of years, our site will be a hive of activity as we commence a building program in 2022, moving Primary students into new buildings (2023-24) and change location of the Middle School along the way. We are also building a new Kindergarten (beside Prep) which we hope will be ready in 2024. Along the way we are working hard to improve our curriculum, and explore the way our new Primary Precinct can excite and challenge young learners. It’s an exciting time to be a part of Parklands Christian College.
I look forward to seeing you all around our site soon,
Gary Cully
Principal
Dear Parents & Families
We will shortly be forwarding all families enrolments to be completed for before & afterschool care and vacation care for the 2022 school year. To secure definite placement these need to be
returned to the service promptly and no later than Friday 18th November.
We also have Vacation Care fast approaching and we are now accepting bookings for the upcoming vacation care period.
We are still applying the final touches of fun to the program however if you would like a copy of the program and booking form forwarded onto you please contact us on 07/3297 0577 or parklandsbookings@bigpond.com or alternatively pop on into the service and our friendly staff will assist you.
If you love Christmas, it’s another reason to love our school! We start to celebrate all things Christmas in November! Kicking off this Friday night the 5th of November with our annual Christmas Carols on the Green. This year both the school and Parklands Church are coming together for the evening. It’s a night you don’t want to miss, with so many different talented students sharing God’s love through music.
The Friendlies committee have accomplished so much together over the years and have been able to provide the school with various equipment and playground upgrades. Most recently we have been able to fund 20 mountain bikes and a storage container for the bikes to be stored in. These will be used by both the secondary and the upper primary students. We are also excited to have funds allocated towards our new Primary playground once the new Primary buildings are complete.
The Friendlies encourages harmonious and lifelong relationships within the Parklands parent body and school community. The committee provide opportunities for families to connect and fellowship at the various fundraising events they hold and serve at during the year. All money raised through these events is donated back to the College for the benefit of students. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another.
For Now, Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Yowala, (Hello)
Recently we had the opportunity to partner with Raw Impact, and go On Country to visit the Gunggari Nation and Carnarvon Gorge with a wonderful team of around 21 students and 5 staff members. We all arrived at school at 6am, hopped on a couple of minivans and headed about 7 hours west to a small town called Mitchell, which became our home for the next 5 days.
From the moment we arrived at the Yumba, which in the Gunggari native language means ‘home’, we were welcomed with such open arms by the amazing Gunggari elders Aunty Sue, Sareva and Liana. Much to our surprise, the elders were quite shocked that we had even shown up. Sadly, the reason for this was because of the many broken promises they’d experienced in the past. This fact shocked us all but made us want to be there even more.
Over the course of our 5 days at the Yumba, we became immersed in the Gunggari Nation’s beautiful culture. The elders taught us about the intricacies of their lifestyle, their history and what their ancestors had experienced first hand. Despite learning about our first nation’s people in history classes at school, I was shocked at how little I really understood about a past that was so close to home.
We learnt all about the Aboriginal smoking ceremony and what it means to them. They take the young wet leaves of a Sandalwood tree and place them on the hot embers of a fire. We walk through the smoke, pausing for a moment to speak to God, asking him to open our eyes and hearts to all he has on offer to learn. It’s also a time to lay down any hurts or offences that we are carrying in our hearts and be ready, and open to new beginnings.
Now, as eye opening as it was to learn about a new culture, it was not the only reason we were staying at the Yumba. The elders of the Gunggari Nation have an amazing plan, to bring back the families of the families who had once been displaced during the stolen generation. Our goal for this trip was to help clean up around the Yumba so that when the time comes, and their people are brought back, it is ready with resources for their use. They also have a plan to build a Bush Tucker Tourism Industry so the Gunggari Nation can be self sufficient and they can share their knowledge and culture with more people.
Being the first school to go on this trip meant we had the glorious task of starting the hard yard work, cleaning up their nursery. This was honestly so much fun. The big picture plan was to turn the old nursery into a new ‘Bush Tucker Nursery’, filled with traditional Gungarri foods and medicines. We also cleaned out their shed, cut firewood and dug out an area for new water tanks. A special shoutout to Kainen and Isaac for doing the job that nobody wanted and wrestling that cactus off the roof.
We spent our final 2 days camping and hiking through Carnarvon Gorge. Carnarvon is so beautiful and we loved every moment of being there.
My favourite parts of this entire trip were just being able to share so many laughs with the people around me and learning so much about the Gunggari nation’s wonderful culture. I loved that all grade and friendship group barriers went out the window and we just got to really connect with each other on a new level.
Most afternoons we relaxed in the local artisan bore bath pools nearby. The water comes out of an underground bore at 40 degrees so it was the perfect way to end each day.
Over the course of this trip, all of us learnt so much about the Gunggari Nation, the land and one another. We were able to build new relationships and meet new people who revealed to us a culture that impacted each of us in different ways. I think that most of us can say we worked harder in the nursery than we do in our gardens at home… and perhaps the next group that goes can save Mrs Young by getting that frog out of the girls toilet.
Hannah Smart and Hannah Takada
*****
This trip was so incredibly rewarding. Every day brought new opportunities to serve within the Gunggari community and connect with one another. Amidst the full-on days, I found inspiration at every corner. Being an artist at heart I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the immense beauty and rich culture within the multifaceted environment over at the Yumba. Throughout our ventures to places like Mt Moffat and Aunty Sareva’s bush supermarket I sought inspiration from all aspects of the environment. I looked beyond what I could initially see and considered what I could hear, smell and how it made me feel.
The Yumba is no doubt such a spiritual and welcoming place, and I instantly felt that I was drawn and connected to it. I knew that I had to create something special to reflect this sense of spiritual stability and connection. Thus, the paintings you see below. Within my painting process I attempted to remember everything I learnt over that week. Reflecting back on the time we practiced dadirri and adopting that notion into my painting process. Just being able to be still and listen to not only my surroundings but what God was saying to me, and truly understanding that these paintings are not for my own enjoyment or pride but are a testament to the Gunggari people. God has given me my gifts and talents for moments like these where I can express my gratitude and appreciation towards the elders for their kind souls and welcoming hearts, for allowing us to come onto their country and help them.
The Yumba is a place full of hope, hope for the Gunggari people to be connected to country again. I hope for my paintings to be a passage of curiosity, for you guys to be inspired to come next year to the Yumba and see it for yourself and understand exactly what I mean. This will be an experience I will never forget, and I will hold it close to my heart forever.
Maria Mariuta, Yr 11, 2022 College Captain
*****
I’d like to talk about Daen Munn, a Gunggari man who had a massive impact on our team this year. He is the current Chairperson of the Gunggari Native Title Aboriginal Corporation and the son of Robert Munn, a Gunggari elder who initiated the current claim for the native title over Gunggari country. It took 20 years of research and petitioning the government and courts to recognise that the land of Mitchell and surrounds belonged to the Gunggari Nation. Actually, they don’t say that the land belongs to them, they say that they are from the land, or of the land.
During our time in Mitchell at the Yumba, Daen welcomed us and taught us so much about the land. He showed us why it’s so special to him and that every plant, animal and insect had a purpose, whether it was for food, medicine or hunting. For me, this was my favourite part of the trip, as it allowed me to practice gratitude and appreciate the little things we take for granted each day. This was also a powerful message to many people, not only was it interesting but it demonstrated the importance of finding your purpose, if a rock or a leaf has one, then so do we.
It was honestly so amazing that after only a few days we felt like we’d known Daen all our life. He was so welcoming and treated us like we were important. He valued us and spoke worth and wisdom into our lives. He had a quiet kind way about him and a great sense of humour.
We split into two groups with the girls going off to do secret women’s business and learning basket weaving. Daen took all of us guys off to the river to do some secret men’s business. He taught us how to use a didgeridoo using pvc pipe and throw a curved stick called a Bundi. We also went fishing using yabby pots and learnt how to track animals. You can actually tell the size of the animal and how fast it’s going by the distance between each print in the dirt.
The best day was when just the boys spent all afternoon by the river throwing bundi’s at fake birds we’d set up on logs. We were all cheering for each other and just basically acting like wild boys.
We’re all so grateful for the time that Daen and his son Robert spent with us and I can’t wait to go back again next year. I know there’s still lots to learn from both of them.
Taimen Leau, Yr 11, 2022 College Captain
In week 2 of term 4 our college sent 5 teams off to CSSAQ Basketball which was held in North Brisbane. This was a great competition to cap off the basketball season with teams training from the start of term 2 with USL basketball starting this year. All teams showed huge improvement throughout the year and it showed at this competition. Well done to all who competed and the coaches for guiding the students throughout the year.
Friday week 2 we had our junior boys’ rugby league travel to Redcliff to take on some of the biggest schools in ruby league. Facing off against Stretton, Kelvin Grove and Redcliff, the boys performed well and gained some great experience from the day. We are looking forward to more great days like this in 2022.
The sport awards are a celebration for the year of sport at the college. It is a great time to look back and acknowledge great improvement, outstanding performances and shine a light on the great that is becoming synonymous with Parklands Christian College. We had Michael Hancock speak to the students about making good choices in their life and tell some great stories from his time with the Broncos. We would also like to thank the staff for getting involved in sport this year, the students and sports department appreciate it. Thank you to the 2021 house captains, Hannah. Meagan. Matt and Charlotte for flying the flag for your respective teams and congratulations to SAMUEL house for taking out the House Champs Trophy this year in the tightest of finishes. Well done.
Our big award winners for the day went to 4 students with an outstanding effort over the year who took out the sportsperson’s of the year for 2021.
Nadine Bosanac
Justin Hunt
Hannah Takada
Levi Tomic
• Grade 3-6 Rugby League – Tuesdays 2.30-3.20
• Grade 4-6 Hit Kick Run – Thursdays 2.30-3.10
• Prep-3 NetSetGo – Tuesdays 2.30-3.10 (still places available)
• Primary CSSAQ Team Games – Monday the 1st of November
• Primary Sports Awards – Friday 12th of November
Welcome back for Term 4. What an amazing thought that we have gotten to this part of the year already! Looking forward to the amazing experiences that are yet to come for the remainder of the year.
Over the course of Term 4, there are some amazing events for Middle School students and families (and potential Middle School students in 2022) to participate in. Listed below are some of those:
Looking forward to some great experiences as we close out the year through Term 4.
This term only lasts for 8 weeks, and concludes on the 26th November. It is important that students stay on top of their responsibilities as this term will be over before we know it. It would be fantastic for parents to consistently check in on your children, actively asking them about homework and due dates for assessment. Students in Year 7 and 8 should be using their student diaries to list this information. Assessment schedules will also be emailed home at the end of week 1, so make sure they are printed, highlighted, and placed on the fridge!!
Students in Year 8 and 9 have had the opportunity to select their subjects for 2022. Students were encouraged to have conversations with parents before this selection is made. If you missed the opportunity to talk this through with your child, I would encourage you to have that conversation shortly.
If students wish to change subjects between now and the end of the year, that possibility is available. Simply email myself on celvery@parklands.qld.edu.au and we will update the data base accordingly.
Throughout the final term, please make sure that you are communicating with teachers and myself regarding any concerns that may arise. We are keen to continue our partnership of learning between school and home, and keep that strong to the end of the year.
Praying for a smooth finish to the year, and God’s blessings on each of our Middle School families.
Mr Colin Elvery
Middle School Coordinator
Below are two examples of appropriate face masks to be worn at school. Please ensure bandannas and other fashion items are not worn.
Amen! How great is our God?
It has been GREAT to see students return to school this week. We trust they feel rested, renewed, ready for Term 4!
During the last week of Term 3, our Year 11’s attended leadership camp at Emu Gully, Helidon, which is based around the ANZAC’s; of working together and leaving no one behind. They experienced a vast array of activities, and each game and activity increasingly worked on building character, respect, and of leading by example. A “Can Do” attitude was evident in all and each student gave their very own 100%. As these students embark on their final year of schooling, they are all leaders, all role models, for Parklands Christian College. Time and again the students displayed courage and determination in facing, at times, very confronting situations. They stepped up as the intensity of each activity increased, teachers and camp facilitators saw how they supported each other really well.
The model of the servant leader is the most fitting style that we look to for our student leaders at Parklands. It is the style of leadership that Jesus demonstrated so aptly. A leader that knows each person personally, and isn’t afraid to get in and do the job and really get to know the people around them. A leader that is willing to make sacrifices and put others before themselves. It is these types of qualities we have observed and are now looking for as we are in the final stages of selecting student leaders for 2022. Well done to all of our Year 11 students!
If your child is healthy, we expect them to be at school as we want to see them achieve their best (which correlates with healthy attendance statistics).
However, if your child is unwell, thank you for keeping them at home so they can recuperate and get better.
In Senior, when absent for an exam or assignment submission, a medical certificate MUST be obtained and a copy provided to Student Services or Mrs Degen. This is in line with QCAAs strict guidelines on missing an assessment due date and covers your child so they can catch up on an assessment.
If your child is undertaking a certificate course, they must prioritise completing all module work by the set time. For Year 12, most due dates are September-October as there are very important deadlines to ensure there is time for trainers to mark assessments and for training organisations to upload results to QCAA. Once finalised, your child will see this locked into their MyQCE account. If you have any concerns, please speak to your child (and their individual teachers and trainers) about when this final due date will be. If the final date is missed, QCE certification may not occur this year as QCAA has very strict due dates.
Year 10 should now be settled into their classes that match up with their Year 11 subject choices.
If this isn’t the case, or if your child has had a change of pathway, we are encouraging them to speak with their class teacher/s, Miss Dixon, Miss Matthews or Mrs Wallis this week and complete a Subject Change Request form.
As Term 4 is a short term, we have requested all paperwork to be completed by the first Friday of Term 4.
In Year 11, many General (ATAR) subjects commence Year 12 work (Unit 3) this term. Your Year 11 child has been encouraged to start the term off strongly by taking study notes. A reminder, that for General Maths and Science classes, there is the requirement to know the Unit 3 and Unit 4 work for External Exams at the end of Year 12. By taking and keeping solid notes from Term 4 2021, your child can be best prepared for their final school exams.
If you have any questions about this, please ask your child’s teachers, PC teachers, or Mrs Wallis.
Year 12 students have three weeks of normal classes this term prior to the external examination block. We request full attendance EVERY DAY and that our Year 12’s keep working through their teacher’s feedback from trial exams.
It is very important that all assignment and module work is completed in full, to gain passes in all your Applied and Vocational classes.
We are praying for motivation, good health and calm as your Year 12 child continues to work hard on further revision and assessment to finish off their formal schooling strongly. We are all looking forward to celebrating with Year 12’s in their final week of school! Our prayers are with all senior students as they work hard in this short but busy term.
Below are two examples of appropriate face masks to be worn at school. Please ensure bandannas and other fashion items are not worn.
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
The Preps are so excited to welcome “Tractor Tom” to their playground! A huge thankyou to Mr Moreton for all your work bringing him to life and making him safe for us to enjoy. We look forward to seeing more additions to our playground for us to play on in the future.
In Term 3 our Preppies participated in Swimming sessions at Rackley’s. For some of our little ones it was their first experience of travelling on a bus. We have learnt a lot about water safety and displayed our wonderful listening skills and independence at the pool.
Thankyou to all of our parents who have assisted us both at the pool and at school.
The Prep Team
Welcome back to Term 4! It was wonderful seeing everyone’s lovely, smiling faces this week.
The students are truly a blessing to us and we love hearing their perspective on everyday events. Term 4 will, no doubt, be busy and go by very quickly but we are looking forward to having fun while learning right to the very end.
We welcomed 2 new students to our Year 1 family and are delighted to have them and looking forward to getting to know them this term.
Term 4 will see us learning about sound and light, time, shapes, addition and subtraction. We will be consolidating phonics and spelling strategies, while continuing to read and write about many topics.
Until next time, take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Mrs S
Last term had the amazing experience of a Rocket Incursion. Not only did the kids have a blast, so did the teachers. Each student got to make and decorate their own rocket and fill them with water. The amount of water students chose determined how high and far their rocket went in the air. We also learnt about 3D printing which all the launch equipment was made from and jobs that the aviation and space industries create. We said a big thank you to Cran Middlecoat, the Founder and Aerospace Geek (his words) from It’s Rocket Science Adventures.
Year 2 also said goodbye to two families this term. We will miss the Mear and Csikos families dearly.
More information will be coming to you in your home communications regarding the upcoming Book Fair.
Click for information:
Support list for schools
Click for details:
Streetfest
We would love to offer individuals #HaveAGo at Sport Climbing with us. With climbing’s inclusion in the Tokyo Olympic Games and its recognition as a National Sport by the Australian Government, rock climbing is fast gaining popularity. We are offering kids and youth aged 6-17 to try one of our climbing classes for free. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/have-a-go-indoor-climbing
Supporting Queensland kids to get active. We are a Fair Play Voucher provider and would love to help recipients get active and discover the joys of climbing and its community. When people redeem their Fair Play voucher with us they receive a 10 trip pass to our climbing gym. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/fairplay-voucher-provider
FairPlay-Poster Indoor Climbing
The Coffs Coast’s Screenwave International Film Festival is looking for the next wave of young filmmakers living anywhere in Australia!
Enter a short film into the Nextwave Youth Film Competition for your chance to win awesome awards and prizes, including Best School, and have your film premiere at SWIFF 2022 on the Coffs Coast!
If you like being creative, and want to have a go at filmmaking, SWIFF wants to see what you can do!
The rules are simple:
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
Tuesday 3:30 – 4:15
Starting Week 1
$10 per session
Located at the BSC (Baskerville Sports Centre)
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Dear Parklands Family,
Welcome to Term 4 of the 2021 Academic Year. For the majority of the Parklands staff, Term 4 is a busy season full of special events, reporting and wrapping up the Academic Year. For me, this term contains a milestone as my eldest daughter graduates, and concludes her secondary studies at Parklands. So as the year end approaches, my father’s heart trembles a little as I prepare to send my child out into the world, and potentially into tertiary study.
I have greatly appreciated the support and sense of community my children have enjoyed at Parklands over the years since our return from the Philippines. There is something truly special about our little community. In particular, I have enjoyed watching my children’s faith expand and develop, and I am ever appreciative of a school that fosters the spiritual development of its students.
Since early 2020, our community has faced unprecedented challenges that have at times tested our community and challenged our culture. These pandemic related challenges have impacted all Australians in some way, and will probably continue to do so for years to come.
When our school went into lockdown and a 2 week quarantine last year (July/August 2020), I was so impressed with our community’s gracious response, and our capacity to generously care. I was overwhelmed with the way families blessed those impacted by economic downturn and isolation. We were united in purpose, and our light shone into a community and a state that was confused and fearful.
Twelve months on, and the challenges abound, I look to our community to once again rise to the challenge and respond with grace and generosity. Division is growing within our nation over vaccination. These debates are timely and appropriate as governments and families alike, come to grips living with COVID-19 in our community. To date, approximately 46% of our population has been fully vaccinated (29M doses). However, some of us are still cautiously waiting.
The Australian Federal Government has made COVID-19 vaccines available for all Australian’s 12 years and over. At this stage, mandatory vaccination has only been introduced for residential aged care workers. In addition to this, State Governments are also introducing their own policy in some cases. Presently, Queensland School staff are not required to be vaccinated.
Whatever your stance may be regarding vaccination, restrictions, we will navigate this pandemic together, united as God’s people. Let’s remain determined to seek wisdom and understanding, and support each other with grace and generosity, even when we don’t agree. My staff have been instructed to appropriately respond to students questions about COVID-19 related issues in our community, but will shy away from controversy around vaccination. Staff may disclose if they are vaccinated or not, but they will not engage in conversation that polarises groups in our community. I have encouraged my staff to be vaccinated but vaccination is their choice.
The College will follow lawful State and Federal Government directives as they are released, and I commit to keeping our community informed at every stage. I would ask that just as we have done in the past, we respond to each other with grace and generosity and refrain from divisive conversation or making polarising comments. Our community is precious to me, and so is the wellbeing of our students. Let’s spare our children the anxiety associated with public debate, and model grace amidst healthy, polite and constructive conversation.
As change comes, and the impacts of this pandemic are fully realised, I want to send my newly graduated daughter out into the wider community with the skills to empathise with others, and engage in conversation that serves the common good, and builds others up. I am convinced this can be done graciously and I want my children to learn from my example. The season ahead can only be navigated together. Parklands is committed to maintaining a community that is gracious and generous amidst adversity and change. Please join us.
Gary Cully
Principal
When you hear Powerful Person, most people think of the controlling, loud, life of the party, aggressive and a domineering individual. Yet these people are not what GOD considers powerful. 2 Corinthians 3:17 – ‘Now the LORD is the SPIRIT and where the SPIRIT is there is FREEDOM’ Galatians 5:13 discusses the fruit of the Spirit and what they look like. This is what a powerful person looks like!
Here are 8 traits of a powerful person:
Powerful people understand that it is their job to control themselves. They do not try to control, convince, or manipulate other people or their behaviours. They know it doesn’t work, and it’s not their job. They focus their energy on being able to control themselves regardless of what others may or may not do.
Powerful people are able to consciously and deliberately create the environment in which they want to live. They don’t try to get people to respect them; they create a respectful environment by showing respect. They deliberately set the standard for how they expect to be treated by the way they treat others. As they consistently act in responsible, respectful, and loving ways, it becomes clear that the only people who can get close to them are those who know how to show respect, be responsible, and love well.
Powerful people are happening. They are happening all the time. They are not controlled or infected by their environment. Powerful people refuse to play the victim by shifting responsibility for their choices onto others. Letting other people dictate how they are going to feel or what they will choose to do. They happen to their circumstances rather than letting their circumstances dictate to them what they will do or how they will feel.
Powerful people empower others to be powerful. When powerful people encounter a powerless person, they are not tempted to dive into any unhealthy emotional ties or attachments. They hear a victim’s sob story and ask, “So what are you going to do about that? What have you tried? What else could you try?” These questions empower powerless people with owning their responsibility and their capacity to make choices and how they can control themselves. This is the only option a powerful person will offer to powerless people: become powerful, make choices, and control yourself. Powerful people demonstrate what it means to be powerful.
Powerful people have a vision and mission for their life, and can use the events of each day, whether positive or negative, to direct themselves toward that vision. Powerful people do not simply react to whatever is happening today. They are able to take responsibility for their decisions and the consequences of those decisions–even for mistakes and failures. They can respond to today and create tomorrow.
In Matthew 11:7 Jesus talks about John not being a reed swayed in the wind. So popular opinion or the pressure of others does not sway the language of powerful people. They know exactly what they want and how to communicate their desires. A powerful person says, “I will. I do. I am.” Powerful people can say both “Yes” and “No,” and mean it. Others can try to manipulate, charm, and threaten, but their answer will stand.
A powerful person’s choice to love will stand, no matter what the other person does or says. When powerful people say, “I love you,” there’s nothing that can stop them. Their love is not dependent on being loved in return. It is dependent on their powerful ability to say “Yes” and carry out that decision. This protects their love from external forces, or from being managed by other people. Powerful people keep their love on and say “I can handle your mistakes, I love you!”
Powerful people can be who they say they are on a consistent basis. And because they know how to be themselves, they invite those around them to be themselves. Only powerful people can create a safe place to know and be known intimately. They say, “I can be me around you and you can be you around me. We do not need to control each other, and we don’t want to control each other.”
We are all growing to be a powerful person. Powerful people are ok with making mistakes and take the opportunity to learn. No matter what happens know that every step we are learning and moving towards the person that GOD created us to be!
Enjoy the journey of being a powerful person!
Check out some more information at Student Care and Wellbeing Team. Information from Danny Silk’s Blog – Loving on Purpose
And just like that, the holiday break has come to an end and we find ourselves in Term 4! Can you believe it? The school year is almost over. It was unfortunate that due to Covid restrictions we had to postpone the Spring Dance. We are grateful that other events were able to take place throughout the year.
Our mission statement is:
The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College school community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another.
We have one more meeting for this year which will be this Friday the 8th of October 2021 at 3.45pm down in the Prep area in room LL1. This meeting is our Annual General Meeting. All standing roles from the committee Office Bearers are available for nomination by those who have been active Friendlies members for a minimum of 12months. We hope to see you all there!
For Now, Keep Smiling!
The Friendlies Team
friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Eph 5:18b-19 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms & hymns & spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”
As we enter Term 4 we begin to wonder where the year has gone, yet at the same time marvel at how the students have progressed so well despite many interruptions. It’s been wonderful to hear all the students making music on their instruments and hearing the development of skill happening in real time. Everyone is busy preparing for our upcoming Arts Finale on Tues 19th October, and some students have also sat AMEB exams. It continues to be busy here in the Music Department, despite the disruptions!
Instrumental music lessons have resumed in week 1, and will continue throughout most of the term. Give It A Go! Band Programme students will have their last lessons & rehearsal in week 6, and most other students having private or shared lessons will have their last lessons in week 7. Repetition is the key to all learning, so please continue to encourage your children to practice each day at home. Most students will need to do 20-30mins practice on at least 4 days of the week to make good progress.
All Ensemble & Choir rehearsals are also back to the normal schedule, with continued distancing & cleaning measures.
It’s also been wonderful to hear our current group of Give It A Go! students making more progress & learning new things! I’ve been hearing students improving their tone & becoming more proficient, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Students need to make sure they continue to practise between lessons, for at least 15-20mins per day. This will help them consolidate the skills they have gained in their lessons, and be ready for what’s next.
This year’s Give It A Go! students will formally finish their programme in week 6, at which time they will return their instruments to school. If students wish to continue learning in 2022 & beyond they can enrol for private or shared lessons, however families will need to source their own instrument as the ones they’ve been using this year are needed for next year’s Give It A Go! students. More detailed information about all of this will be going home soon.
Our Year 3’s have been learning about the different brass, woodwind & percussion instruments, & will soon have the chance to hear them played by some of our current students. As they will have the opportunity to join our Give It A Go! Band Programme in 2022, they will also be able to register their instrument preferences & offers for places in the programme will be going home in the next few weeks. Watch your inbox!
Very soon in Term 4 we plan to hold our first Arts Finale, a fantastic night of music, art, drama & song, brought to you as a collaborative effort by all our wonderful arts staff & students. This will be the culmination of the year’s work for our performance students, and we’re hoping for a truly special night. This is currently planned for Tues 19th October, in week 3; a home communication will be coming soon.
There is always a way to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme, even in Term 4 – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Teenagers have a complicated relationship with technology. They are using devices in schools and at home to complete homework and assignments, to manage their social lives through various apps and social media platforms, and for other recreational activities.
Has your child become nervous when they leave their iPad or phone at home? Do they get a little anxious when they are ‘forced’ to socialise at the dinner table or spend time with family without their device? Have they dropped everything they are doing when that ‘ping’ of a notification is heard throughout the house?
I have had many discussions with the Year 7’s of the importance of taking a break from technology. We have discussed how being on your devices for school a few hours of the day and then being on them again by choice at night time for hours is not healthy for their eye sight, sleep patterns, physical health, social connectedness in the present, or their family as they neglect them to spent time online, rather than build connection with home.
I encouraged the Year 7’s to put their devices away for a portion of the holiday break and spend time in the real world, rather than the virtual one.
This is hard for many teens, as they are so absorbed in the online world. Studies from Big Guardian found that over 62% of teens admitted to using their mobile phones after bedtime and 77% admitted to texting and being on social media during sleeping hours or waking up to check their devices when they were expected to be sleeping.
Many Year 7’s admitted to me that they are not sure they would be able to surrender their devices to their parents for a day during holiday breaks, if asked to. I encourage you to talk to your teen and negotiate some screen time days and down time.
Time having a break from devices will allow them to be present in your home and encourage them to have a break from the devices they have been attached to for the time of PCC@Home.
The facts about teen smartphone use and relations
I pray your family has had a holiday break of relaxation and building connection with one another.
Welcome back to the start of an exciting and very busy Term 4.
I trust that you had an enjoyable, relaxing school holiday spent with family and friends or just enjoyed having the children at home and not having to prepare lunches, do homework, stress to get them to school prepared and on time?
We are continuing to review our process and procedures in Primary in order to ensure the school is one in which our COVID Plans and CLEAR values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect are presented and followed daily.
For the start of term 4, can you kindly check that ALL of your child’s Uniform Items and Lunch Boxes and Drink Bottles are clearly labeled with their FULL name? Can we also please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms/shoes. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to check the school’s website, contact your child’s teacher or the RTC.
Students may be collected anytime from 2.30pm but will unfortunately miss Structured Play time.
Students leaving in Structured Play need to be electronically signed out (by an adult), either in the Undercover Area or up at Student Services.
At the end of Structured Play (3.05pm), students go to class, line up for class roll call, collect their ports / bags and wait there at their classroom to be collected by parents/guardian or older sibling. No student can leave the Undercover Area or classroom without any supervision. At 3.30pm those students that have not been collected, will be taken up to Student Services until collected.
Thank you for not requesting students to make their way ‘on their own’ and meet you at the car. If you need them before 3.10pm, please come up to the classrooms and collect them there.
Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard as we wish to keep all our students safe and accounted for!
Thanks you for the wonderful support and the way all parents are using the Rosia Road car park and Drop Off Zones. The process really is working well! Can I please ask that parents inform all other guardians/grandparents/siblings etc. of our process below (especially Point 4)?
Thank you for your support, co-operation and assistance to keep this all running smoothly and our students safe and sound!
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Aides, all specialist teachers, RTC, LE Staff and myself spend an enormous amount of time discussing, praying about and working through the issues involved with student & class teacher placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process!
A reminder, due to the fact that we know the children and teacher / class environment, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for us as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship continue to develop between teacher, student and parent!
I feel like there is so much going on in the College, and we all appreciate the great work done by everyone, as we love the busyness of school changes. Here are a few of the new changes:
We are making great planning progress and are getting down to the important detail about how we want to set up our classrooms, verandahs and grounds in and around the new Primary school precinct. Will keep you posted as we make further progress.
By: Michael Grose
The first habit from Stephen Covey’s wonderful book “The 7 habits of highly effective people” states that we should start every project or undertaking with the end in mind.
This principle holds true for any activity whether it’s planting your veggie patch; renovating a house or raising children. When you know what you are trying to achieve then choosing the right strategies becomes easy. The end game or goal for parents and teachers is Redundancy. Yep, you read it right. Your job is to make yourself redundant as an adult from the children you raise and teach at the earliest appropriate, possible age. When redundancy is your aim most of your time, effort and energy will go into promoting independence. You’ll stop doing things for kids and start giving them opportunities to do things themselves. You’ll spend most of your active parenting and teaching time teaching, explaining and prodding your child toward independence.
When independence becomes your priority then suddenly you’ve found a pathway to the development of other positive qualities and traits in your children including the key four – confidence, competence, creativity and character.
Here’s how:
Confidence comes from facing your fears and doing things for yourself.
Competence comes from the opportunity to develop self-mastery that independence offers.
Creativity is developed when kids solve problems themselves as opposed to someone solving them on their behalf, or worse, keeping kids safe. It’s amazing how resourceful kids can be when they are given the chance to resolve their own problems.
Character, which is essential for success, is forged under hardship and is needed if kids are to live a sturdy life. Kids need to be exposed to disappointment, failure and conflict if character strengths such as grit and perseverance are to be forged.
Independence takes many forms and adults are the gatekeepers for children’s independence.
Allowing kids to take responsibility and own their own problems builds confidence and competence. Start by expecting kids to help out at home and at school. Look for ways to develop self-help skills and don’t take their problems on as your problems.
Create junior versions of independence
It can be scary and also difficult developing independence in one big step. So smart adults intuitively develop junior versions of independence by breaking up big activities into digestible bits. Want your three year old to make the bed? Then start by arranging the teddies and the pillows (a junior version of making the bed) and let them work their way up from there. Similarly, want your ten year old to walk to school yet it’s currently out of their skillset? Then accompany them most of the way and let them walk the last 200 metres to school on his/her own. That’s a junior version of walking to school.
In all the noise and commotion about raising kids today it’s easy to forget that the job description for parents hasn’t changed since the dawn of time. Love them, bond with them, teach them and spend time with them. But also work like mad to develop their real independence so they become capable of handling what life will throw their way.
by Michael Grose
The concept of respectful relationships, including consent, has been discussed at a school level for some time, but it hasn’t yet gained universal traction with families. Lacking confidence and unsure where to start, many parents have struggled to make headway in this area. If this sounds familiar, these ideas will help you make a start.
Is your home a place where children can talk about any topic? Sexuality and relationship education are subjects that many parents place in the ‘let’s talk about this when you are older’ basket.
Professor Kerry Robinson, who is in the School of Social Sciences and Psychology and the Sexualities and Genders Research Network at Western Sydney University advises parents to be factual when answering children’s questions, emphasising the importance of staying informed about the subject kids are interested in.
In a recent article in The Guardian, she said “…. have set it up early with your child that when they talk about certain things you give open, simple, honest answers, then you set a precedent that you can build on.”
Professor Robinson also advises parents not to fob off children’s questions: “Straight away you’re setting a pattern of not answering and putting it off. Kids learn really quickly that this is a taboo subject. They will talk to their friends about it: they won’t talk to their parents and other adults about it because it’s taboo.”
Children learn about mutual consent through their play and sharing. A child who doesn’t want to share their toys has a right to be left alone, rather than being scolded to change their mind. A parent who withdraws a privilege in response to a teenager’s poor behaviour shouldn’t be subjected to repeated attempts to negotiate a different outcome. Reinforce with children and young people that a no is not an invitation to ask again.
Framing behaviour as a choice is a central consent strategy for children of all ages. A young child who shares a toy with a friend can be told, “Good choice Harry. Now you can have fun together.” A primary school child who completes their homework assignment early can be reminded, “Now you’ve got plenty of time to relax. Smart choice.” The teenager who quietly helps you prepare a meal can be told “You could have done anything after school, but you chose to help me. I appreciate that.”
Another important component of consent is that children and young people should also develop the habit of seeking consent from others. “Ask your sister if it’s okay for you to play that game next to her.” “Ask grandma if she feels like a cuddle right now.” Permission-seeking is another piece in the respectful relationships puzzle that you can reinforce with kids.
The best age to start teaching your children about consent is when they are young. The second-best age is whatever age they are right now. Consent education is too big an issue to ignore or leave to schools to manage. It’s something we all have to commit to if we want real change to occur.
Trust you have a great term and rest of the year.
| 2021 Athletics Age Champions | ||||
| Last Name | First Name | Age | Gender | Class |
| MacKellar | Sasha | Prep | Girls | Prep H |
| Smith | Maverick | Prep | Boys | Prep H |
| Heyfron | Archie | Year 1 | Boys | 1D |
| Buol | Yar | Year 1 | Girls | 1D |
| Saxelby | Ella | Year 2 | Girls | 2S |
| Cragg | Billy | Year 2 | Boys | 2S |
| Thorne | Sienna | Year 3 (8yrs) | Girls | 3K |
| Reise | William | Year 3 (8yrs) | Boys | 3W |
| Buol | Agaw | 9 yrs | Girls | 3K |
| Boluch | Malaki | 9yrs | Boys | 3K |
| George-Coker | Gabriella | 10yrs | Girls | 4S |
| Buol | Buol | 10yrs | Boys | 4S |
| Campbell | Emmy | 11yrs | Girls | 6H |
| Mane | Lachlan | 11yrs | Boys | 6H |
| Thomson | Hayley | 12yrs | Girls | 6H |
| Gray | James | 12yrs | Boys | 7B |
| Hunt | Justin | 13yrs | Boys | 8B |
| Holland | Georgia | 13yrs | Girls | 8B |
| Hollenberg | Zachary | 14yrs | Boys | 9C |
| Thomson | Tayla | 14yrs | Girls | 8A |
| Hunt | Hudson | 15yrs | Boys | 10B |
| Hicks | Jacinta | 15yrs | Girls | 9B |
| Brown | Zacary | 16yrs | Boys | 11A |
| Blandford | Elisabeth | 16yrs | Girls | 10A |
| Tomic | Levi | Opens | Boys | 12B |
| Lee | Charlotte | Opens | Girls | 12A |
Juniors (7/8) and Intermediates (9/10) both won their pools. Well done girls!
Open girls won two, drew one and lost two out of their five games. Well done to Hannah Takada who made the Opens Dream Team. Congratulations Hannah!
Thank you to Mrs Brkic, Mrs Swinn and Mrs Schulz for coaching today.
Well done to Dylan Jackson and Joel Mitchell for making the All Stars team for CSSAQ Football. Thank you to Mr Freeman for coaching the team.
On Monday 23 August our Year 7/8 and open boys basketball teams travelled to Calamvale Community College to verse them in an exhibition match. Our 7/8 boys had a narrow loss going down 30-25. The open boys found the going tough in the first quarter trailing by 18-0. The boys rallied together to put some puts on the board to finish 50 – 24 behind Calamvale.
Well done to the 27 students who made the district athletics team. This is a record number for Parklands and is a great testament to the program that coach Mr Max Volau has developed over the years.
Chloe Bobermien
Zachary Brown
Buol Buol
Ella Creswell
Isabella Dahlitz
Meagan Elvery
Gabrielle George-Coker
James Gray
Jacinta Hicks
Georgia Holland
Zachary Hollenberg
Hudson Hunt
Justin Hunt
Ethan Jackson
Hayley Jones
Charlotte Lee
Lachlan Mane
Tawana Mutambi
Lucy-Anne Reise
Andrew Sorbello
Jeremy Thomson
Brayden Thorne
Levi Tomic
Lilee Unwin
Luke Unwin
Heinrich Van Dyk
Well done to the following students who were named age champion at the District Trials.
Buol Buol – 10 Years Boys
James Gray – 12 Years Boys
Hudson Hunt – 15 Years Boys
Students are heading towards exam and assessment time. This can be stressful! Exam anxiety can be really tough to tackle and it can affect anyone – from the most super-conscientious student to the last-minute crammer. Sometimes the pressure of exams may cause stress. Stress is our response to pressure and, while a small amount of pressure can be useful to keep someone focused during exam time, if it becomes too much, study can seem impossible.
Exam stress is normal and very common. Your child might experience it because:
In the Student Care and Wellbeing team we often see the effects of exam stress on students. These are some of the things we notice:
So, now that we know all of this and we know what is coming up, what can students do to be powerful people? How can students ensure that feelings of stress and worry don’t get in the way of productive study and exam preparation?
Students can use technology to their advantage! Technology can be a time waster SO if students are going to use devices and technology around exam time, here are some tips:
In times of stress, self-care is even more important. Please refer to the July Newsletter for tips on how self-care. Most importantly – SLEEP, NUTRITION and BODY MOVEMENT!
ONE MORE THING – there is a body of research that shows the impact that a positive environment can have on exam stress and performance. What does that mean?
When it comes to exams, having that positive mindset before the students go into the room will help them feel at ease and more able to approach questions productively.
We talk to students all the time who prepare well for an exam but due to nerves and stress and pressure, go totally blank once they get in there. And because of that, there is now a fear or mind block associated with exams. There are many people who think they just are not ‘exam people’. Let’s challenge that!
Here’s some ideas:
And remember, that there is always support for any student who is struggling over this time. The teachers, staff and RTC team are always available and have an open door policy for students that have concerns and need to speak to someone.
The Year 9 students visited Tommerup’s Dairy Farm on Thursday 29th July to gain an insight into what it means to be a farmer in trying times of financial hardship and climate change. The year 9 Pastoral Care classes focus on the theme of gratitude during Term 3. Why gratitude? The benefits of practicing gratitude are nearly endless. People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to reflect and act upon the things they’re thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, express more compassion and kindness. These are good qualities for Year 9 to have as a foundation for their lives.
Dave and Kay Tommerup shared their story of how close they were to losing the farm due to the ongoing drought. Reducing animal numbers helped but this also meant that they were not able to meet production quotas. Normally when a farm is in dire need the government or other organisations can assist the farmers to get through. No assistance was given and they were told that they were ineligible for assistance. Enter Drought Angels who through their generosity were the only charity to offer support. They gave the little things like gift cards that were offered which act like disposable cash which a lot of farmers do not have enough of.
Our penultimate goal is to raise much-needed funds for farmers, through a 20km Walk for a Farmer event on the 16th of September. Rural Australia is a fragile and interconnected ecosystem, as drought and other natural disasters not only have a crippling effect on our farmers, it is also seriously impacting the towns and communities that rely on farming for their existence. The Tommerups have experienced this themselves during the hard times of recent drought, they shared their story of how Drought Angels supported them in small but significant ways.
Our Gofundme fundraiser webpage has been activated and is ready to accept donations. https://www.gofundme.com/f/walk-for-a-farmer-pcc-yr-9-2021
Walk for a Farmer is an annual event being conducted by the Year 9 students as part of their Pastoral Care unit on gratitude. The event is being held to raise money for the farmers who are experiencing severe hardship. We are raising money on behalf of the non-profit organisation “Drought Angels” which assists farmers directly.
Our walk begins at the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre where we will walk 20km to school over 5 hours. So make sure that you sponsor Year 9 students. There are multiple ways that this can be done. You can support us by donating through our Go Fund Me web page.
https://au.gofundme.com/f/walk-for-a-farmer-pcc-yr-9-2021
A huge congratulations to the following students for having their artworks selected in the Annual Artwaves Exhibition at the Logan Art Gallery!
The Artwaves Exhibition hosted by the Logan Art Gallery showcases some of the top 7-12 students’ artwork in schools throughout the Logan region. This year Parklands have had such a strong selection of artwork that the vetting team decided to take more than their usual five works. It is exciting for our visual art students to have this opportunity to have their work displayed in a gallery for the first time. It is a fantastic experience and is well worth celebrating!
The exhibition will be on from the 10th of September to the 16th of October during Gallery opening hours. If you are in the area, we encourage you to come and view our talented students’ efforts. Please note, there is no opening event this year due to COVID restrictions.
Congratulations once again to all chosen!
Four Parklands students will have their work displayed in the online regional exhibition for Creative Generation. Congratulations to Hannah Clausen, Isabella Dahlitz, Tori Hankins and Maria Mariuta for having their work included in the exhibition. Once the online link becomes available we will share it with the Parklands community so we can all celebrate their outstanding work.
Over the last 2 weeks the latest Senior Visual Art works have been on display in the Student Services foyer, as well as an installation in L5 (old drama room). The very talented seniors displayed a selection of two-dimensional, three-dimensional and time-based media. These works are the resolved works stemming from their latest units, Art as Lens and Art as Alternate, and explored contemporary themes and artistic approaches.
If your child is missing uniform items or lunch boxes or drink bottles, please come and check the Lost Property in Student Services.
Dear Parklands Family,
In 2020, the Queensland Government amended the public Health Act 2005, making it an offence for a Health Service Provider to engage in any practice that attempts to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Where the attempt is made in relation to a child (under 18 years), the offence is punishable by up to 18 months in jail. The College considers that aspects of our services may be providing a Health Service (as defined in the Public Health Act 2005) and therefore may come within the operation of the amendments.
We are currently seeking advice about our wellbeing services, existing pastoral care programs and relationships seminars in light of these recent amendments. We remain committed to teaching and providing pastoral care from a Christian Worldview. We also commit to being sensitive and supportive of the needs of every child and their families.
It is my belief that the Community of Parklands Christian College is robust enough to rigorously engage in the care of students as they study and explore the wonders of our created world. It is our privilege to teach and guide our students and help them to discover their gifts, talents and passions as they become all that God wants them to be. This is our focus, our ministry and our passion.
As our society grapples with important issues and the Australian way of life changes and responds to the needs and desires of its population, schools are inevitably required to respond. At Parklands we want to ask good questions, learn, grow and be gracious as we navigate the future. We are proud of our Christian identity, and our mandate to serve. And we hope that every family in our community experiences the grace of God and love and security He offers.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39-NKJV)
I believe that God has a plan and purpose for each of our students (Jeremiah 29:11). Each child’s journey with God, as in life, is their own. As a Christian organisation, our ministry is to serve the child as we find them on their journey. We will instruct and teach (Psalm 32:8), we will be patient (Peter 3:9), and we will love those who God asks us to serve.
We remain committed to the safety and wellbeing of every child who attends the College. If you have any concerns regarding a child’s treatment at the College, please contact our Heads of School.
Gary Cully
Principal
If your child is missing uniform items or lunch boxes or drink bottles, please come and check the Lost Property in Student Services.
Year 1 has thoroughly enjoyed the first few weeks of term 3 and have been fully engaged in their learning.
We started the term with our new HASS unit – Me on a Map – and have been working on maps of familiar places with a focus on our ‘birds eye view’. Later in the term we will change our focus to Features of Places and Spaces.
Math lessons have been exciting. We started the term looking at data collection and representation. The children had fun collecting data from their peers and learned how to represent that data using tallies and simple graphs. We are currently learning all about repeating patterns using objects and numbers. The kids have had fun creating their own patterns using lots of equipment in the classroom.
In English, we started morning literacy groups. Thanks to the parents who help to make these groups run smoothly. We hope to be able to continue them soon. We have been reading and writing stories as we become more familiar with narratives this term. We will also be focusing on spelling choices as we learn more about long vowel sounds.
Most importantly, we celebrated 100 days of school! It was super exciting and we are looking forward to counting the next 100 days! Year 1 can’t wait to share more about what we are doing next month!
So many exciting things have happened in Year 1 over the past month!
We celebrated 100 days of school and were so thrilled to be ‘100 days brighter’ in so many ways. We enjoyed the day making 100 day crowns, writing about ‘If we had 100…’ and worked hard to complete 100 exercises throughout the day!
We have also been learning all about the miracles of Jesus in our CLS lessons. Our favourite craft has been our Jesus Walks on water jelly cups. It was definitely a hit with all the children.
We designed posters showing how we can be safe at school and have talked about the many ways we can be safe in our homes, on the road and in an emergency situation.
In math we have been exploring patterns and using many different manipulatives to create our own repeating patterns. We are very clever indeed!
Most recently we celebrated Book Week! What an amazing day we had dressing up as our favourite book characters. The kids went all out and looked fantastic! It was fun to see everyone at the parade and we participated in lots of book themed activities in the classroom.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh, Mrs S and Year 1
We have had a great start to the term with lots of fun and engaging group work. The students have settled in well into Term 3. The next few weeks are going to be busy in Year Two with guest speakers, a Rocket Science incursion and the always super exciting “Book Month” activities.
This month Year 2 has been consolidating their learning about Places and what they tell me about the past and present. We had Mr Cully and local farmers Ray and Lisa Crooks come in and talk to the students about how the school and local farms have stayed the same and changed over time. We are grateful to our community who willingly input into our student’s education.
The students are continuing to investigate materials and forces in order to design and make their vehicle early next term for Design technologies. This week they investigated a push force by making and flying paper planes. It was lots of fun and very competitive.
The students also had fabulous fun dressing up in their favourite character and joining in with our book month parade. The kids looked so good and had lots of fun. Congratulations to all of the kids who joined in with the book reading competition. We are so proud of your efforts!
This week 2K said good bye to our Prac Teacher Mr Aaron Edwards. He was a real blessing to the class and the kids will miss him. We wish Mr Edwards all the best with his studies.
This term we are engaging in a new and exciting unit within Design Technologies. FEAST by OzHarvest is a program aimed at educating young students across Australia about the importance of eating a healthy diet and considering sustainability within their cooking. Each week students participate in a 2-part lesson. The first being the theory side where students have been taught what it means to be a change maker and how they can generate change within their community, considering healthy eating and sustainability.
The second part is hands-on as they are taught essential cooking skills to produce tasty, healthy treats. Within the hands-on component, discussions are had to consider how we could make each recipe healthier, tastier and even more sustainable.
Students are loving the new unit, experimenting with food that they may not have had before and learning new kitchen skills – that mum and dad will love to see at home too! The students’ end task for this unit is to create their own recipe that caters to their groups (dietary) needs, is considered healthy and shows a thorough use of sustainable practices.
As you might be aware, with the current restrictions in place we have unfortunately made the decision to postpone our upcoming Spring Dance.
All of the events we hold couldn’t happen without our incredible supporters and Friendlies team. We feel it’s the perfect time to show our appreciation for some of the Friendlies biggest supporters!
Firstly, we would like to thank Michelle and Sandra from The Coffee Club at Browns Plains Village Square. Michelle and Sandra come along to each of our events with their coffee cart for all of our coffee and hot chocolate lovers. You guys are amazing and have donated so much to The Friendlies!
We would also like to thank Greg and Sarah Tinson. Greg and Sarah own several Domino’s stores and always happily support many of the events we hold throughout the school. Greg and Sarah generously donate soft drinks, onions and pizzas to many of our events.
We are so very grateful for the support of Michelle, Sandra, Greg and Sarah, and we feel incredibly blessed to have such a generous school community surrounding us. Please be sure to extend your thanks to them as well if you see them around sometime soon!
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling ????
The Friendlies Team
A reminder to please ensure your child is correctly and neatly dressed in the ‘correct’ uniform each morning. If they are incorrectly dressed, would you please provide us with a written explanation and remind them to go to the RTC to collect a Uniform Slip FIRST thing in the morning? We are also finding quite a few unmarked / unlabelled items of clothing: bottles and tupperware, which makes it impossible to return to the right owner. Kindly assist us by ensuring ALL items brought to school are correctly labelled! Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard.
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Year 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Year 4! Feedback from staff, parents and the Year 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 12th October where questions about iPad selection, keyboards, process, security, resources, Apps, cases, class use etc. will all be answered. I look forward to seeing the Year 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
Not sure what it’s like at home but teachers and the RTC are experiencing many students just not listening to and following instructions. This behaviour is evident in the undercover area in the morning/afternoon, in the classroom for lessons, out on the ovals or while students are running around playing! Staff are making a concerted effort to get the students to “Stop, Look, Listen and DO”
We aren’t exactly sure why this ‘non-listening behaviour’ is becoming more evident but research from UQ and Harvard University have offered up a few suggestions – due to modern electronic gadgets “common communication skills” are being used less (children don’t know of or get to practise the social skills to listen, hold a conversation and follow instructions).
Children are so busy and pre-occupied in this ‘instant society’ that they appear / are rushed to move onto the next experience so thereby they don’t listen to or fully comprehend instructions. In class, this is what good listening has been encouraged to ‘look and sound’ like:
We are asking that parents assist us by getting their children to practise these listening skills at home and to be reminded of them daily before coming to school. Thanking you in anticipation for your support in this regard.
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
Class Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, process or procedure, class behaviour, calendar events etc., that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call.
If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
Specialist lessons:
HPE – Mr Werner
Music – Mrs Geurts / Mrs Patane
Art – Mrs Bazley
Library – Mrs Kerr
Student Services – Mrs Oxley, Mrs Sampson, Mrs Doedens
RTC – Mr Crawford, Mrs Rerekura-Tamaiva, Mrs Broughton
LE – Mrs Jo Anderson
If you do not get resolve or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher or specialist, would you kindly then contact myself, Grant Jakins through Student Services? Thank you for speaking to the correct person to assist you best with your question or concern.
This semester we will again get the students to focus on using kind words to each other or saying NOTHING bad at all as well as trying to have friendly actions to one another in the Primary School! We will again be reminding students about ways to treat each other so as not to ‘bully’ because bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects many children in all schools. It breaks a child’s natural right to feel safe and secure and can affect a child’s performance, their peer relations and his or her self-esteem!
Bullying is not a once off incident but the repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons.
Bullying is not the domain of either gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys will use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to wield power over others, girls are more likely to use exclusion or subtle verbal sarcasm to assert themselves over their victims.
Bullying is more prevalent in primary schools than secondary schools, although the type of bullying varies with age. As boys get older, there is a gradual decrease in the amount of physical bullying but an increase in verbal intimidation. It would appear that bullying reaches a peak around the age of eight or nine years of age, which is true for girls and boys.
While siblings or children often tease or sometimes fight physically with each other, this bickering should not be confused with bullying. The bullying involves an imbalance of power, as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse.
Behaviours that are not bullying include:
• mutual arguments and disagreements (where there is no power imbalance)
• not liking someone or a single act of social rejection
• one-off acts of meanness or spite
• isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence
Cyber bullying refers to bullying that is carried out through information and communication technologies. Likewise not all online issues are cyber bullying. Source: www.bullyingnoway.gov.au We at Parklands, through the RTC and Wellbeing Team, work closely to monitor ALL behaviour and assist the students to make better choices!
Psalm 33:3 “Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
Now that the term is well underway, it’s wonderful to hear all the students making music on their instruments and hearing the development of skill happening in real time. Everyone is busy preparing for our upcoming Instrumental Showcase on Tuesday 24th August and some students are also preparing for AMEB exams. It’s a busy time here in the Music Department!
Lessons & Rehearsals
Instrumental music lessons are settling back into their familiar rhythm, and It’s wonderful to hear so many students progressing so well. Repetition is the key to all learning, so please continue to encourage your children to practice each day at home – mini concerts are a great way to do this! Maybe each Friday night after dinner your child can give a family concert, playing whichever pieces they’ve been working on during the week. This is a great way for you to show them appreciation for their hard work, and for them to become accustomed to performing in front of other people.
All Ensemble & Choir rehearsals are also continuing as normal. Any changes to regular rehearsals will be communicated by email to both students & parents.
Give It A Go! Band Programme
It’s also been wonderful to hear our current group of Give It A Go! students making more progress & learning new things! I’ve been hearing students improving their tone & becoming more proficient, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Students need to make sure they continue to practise between lessons, for at least 10-15mins per day. This will help them consolidate the skills they have gained in their lessons, and be ready for what’s next.
GIAG Band rehearsals will have some changes of day during August – please watch your emails for details.
Performances
Term 3 will see students come together for an Instrumental Showcase in week 7, giving many students an opportunity to perform both with their Ensembles as well as in small groups & even solo. Beginning with a fundraising Sausage Sizzle hosted by the RAW Missions Team, performances will begin at 6pm on Tues 24th August in the Church Auditorium. Numbers are somewhat limited due to COVID restrictions, but it would be great to see families of the performing students in attendance.
In Term 4 we will be holding our first Arts Finale, a fantastic night of music, art, drama & song, brought to you as a collaborative effort by all our wonderful arts staff & students. This will be the culmination of the year’s work for our performance students, and we’re planning something truly special. Again, more information will be communicated later in Term 3, so be on the lookout for dates & times.
There is always a way to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.a
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
We would love to offer individuals #HaveAGo at Sport Climbing with us. With climbing’s inclusion in the Tokyo Olympic Games and its recognition as a National Sport by the Australian Government, rock climbing is fast gaining popularity. We are offering kids and youth aged 6-17 to try one of our climbing classes for free. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/have-a-go-indoor-climbing
Fair Play Voucher Provider
Supporting Queensland kids to get active. We are a Fair Play Voucher provider and would love to help recipients get active and discover the joys of climbing and its community. When people redeem their Fair Play voucher with us they receive a 10 trip pass to our climbing gym. For more information visit: https://www.betablvd.com.au/fairplay-voucher-provider
FairPlay-Poster Indoor Climbing
There are opportunities to attend school holiday camps for young writers aged from 9 to 14, a junior camp for younger students and an advanced camp for older students.
Write Like an Author is an internationally acclaimed writing course that teaches young writers the skills and techniques that professional authors use to create their stories. During the camp, each participant will develop and write an original creative story under the guidance of a well-known, professionally published author.
The camp will be held at Sheldon College during the school holidays, starting on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 and running until Thursday, September 30, 2021. The presenter is Brian Falkner, author of books for children and young adults. The camp is ideal for young people who have a dream of becoming a published author or anyone who wants to improve their writing skills.
The camp is non-residential, and runs from 9am to 4pm each day. The course fee is $195.00, which includes a discount for early registration. The number of places on the camp is strictly limited.
The Coffs Coast’s Screenwave International Film Festival is looking for the next wave of young filmmakers living anywhere in Australia!
Enter a short film into the Nextwave Youth Film Competition for your chance to win awesome awards and prizes, including Best School, and have your film premiere at SWIFF 2022 on the Coffs Coast!
If you like being creative, and want to have a go at filmmaking, SWIFF wants to see what you can do!
The rules are simple:
6 – Life Skills Development Booklet_Final
For more information: drought angels
Do you want your child to experience the benefits of learning chess while still having fun along the way? Designed especially for children in Prep and above, our chess classes are fun, interactive, and tailored by our teachers to suit the students in each class. While your child will still learn that winning can be fun, they’ll also learn a whole lot more! In fact, chess can help your child develop socially, academically, and emotionally.
Tuesday 3:15 – 4:00
Starting Week 3
$10 per session
Located at the BSC (Baskerville Sports Centre)
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMTga50-j3g&t=7s
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
For more information phone the instructor, Colin Garrick (8th Dan Black Belt 45 years experience teaching) Ph: 0438 865 800 or the Club Office: 1300 101 303
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
As we settle into colder weather and the heart of our school year, it is a great time to take a look at how we are taking care of our wellbeing, both as students and as parents! According to the Oxford English Dictionary, self-care can be defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.” Self-care is a deliberate activity to maintain or improve our physical, emotional or mental health. It includes activities that revitalise us, bring joy and a sense of well-being to our lives. It is not selfish but allows us to look after ourselves which benefits our health, welfare and relationships.
Self-care for children and young people is about helping them to learn how to look after themselves so that they can stay mentally and physically healthy. Self-care is unique to everyone so it requires some reflection and thought in order to find out what is best for each person. Taking care of physical and mental wellbeing can help students to stay focussed, motivated, energised and reduce stress, frustration and anxiety.
Three of the major pathways to wellbeing include SLEEP, MOVEMENT and NUTRITION.
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things we can do to maintain wellbeing. Sleep lets our mind recharge and process information. It’s the only part of the day that our body gets to rest and repair. Sleep can help us feel better, think more clearly and concentrate better. It gives us energy to complete tasks and can make us more alert. Without enough sleep you may have problems with thinking, concentrating, memory, reaction times and mood. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends that school age children up to the age of 13 years old get approximately 9-11 hours of sleep each night and teenagers aged 14-17 years get 8-10 hours.
Here’s some reasons why sleep is important:
Exercise has social, emotional and health benefits, including increased concentration, increased confidence, reduced risk of diseases and reduced aggression.
Physical activity can help you to:
Exercise doesn’t have to be in a sweaty gym – that’s not everyone’s cup of tea! There are so many ways to exercise and they all count! Kick a footy at the park, take a bush walk, or head to the beach for a swim (when the weather warms up!). You can even do a YouTube Pilates class or try a dance battle on your gaming console! Stick to a routine or mix it up – find what works for you! It’s time to move your body!
We all know that what we eat has a huge effect on our lives, yet growing a good relationship with food isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind when we think about self-care. Good nutrition is the ultimate form of self-care. And while it may not feel like a deep tissue massage, its benefits on your stress, mood, digestion, and overall health absolutely compliment every other beautiful self-care practice you do for your mind and body.
VIEW FOOD AS FUEL. Just as we need petrol in our car to get us to where we need to go, we need food to fuel our mind and body. If our body needs Premium fuel but we are filling it with a regular, blended fuel, our body won’t work the way we need it to, especially in times of stress or tiredness. Our bodies are more compatible with premium fuel (good nutrition) which helps our body to work in the following ways:
For more in-depth nutritional information, see a local professional such as a nutritionist or dietician.
These three form the foundation for good self-care, both for children and adults. Further to these everyone is different! We are all made and wired differently and self-care is often a journey of discovering what works for us – kids included. Here are some other self-care techniques that you could test out and see if they revitalise you, bring you joy and help to restore your wellbeing:
By incorporating self-care activities into our regular routine, we give our body and mind time to rest, reset, and rejuvenate, in order to enhance our health and wellbeing. Look after yourselves and find what works for you!
Dear Parklands Family,
Welcome to Term 3 of the 2021 Academic Year. Although it’s been a tough few weeks for our State and Nation, I am looking forward to having our site buzzing with student activity after our mid-year break. I was fortunate enough to catch up with relatives in Rockhampton for a few days, taking the long way up the coast via Dalby and the Leichhardt Highway and then back again on the Burnett Highway. I arrived back in Brisbane just in time to experience one day of lockdown before restrictions were eased.
Since that time our restrictions have been eased, then extended once again making the beginning of Term 3 a little unpredictable. Thanks for hanging in there as we navigate these times. We are doing our very best to keep parents informed and trying to do so efficiently and in a timely manner. Of course, if you ever have any specific concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us via Student Services on 07 3380 4237.
This week I had the opportunity to speak to our Secondary Students about the concept of forgiveness. In an attempt to connect with the next generation, I used the recently released movie, “Black Widow” to talk about some of the myths about forgiveness and guilt. Most importantly, I talked about what the Bible has to say about God’s desire to forgive in contrast with secular or pop culture versions of forgiveness.
As much as I like the Avenger’s franchise from which Black Widow was created, I sometimes wonder what conclusions our children draw after watching movies like this. Now don’t get me wrong, there are many, many movies far more suggestive and unwholesome than the Avengers movies, and many of the themes in “hero” movies are usually pretty good. But as parents, how often do we consider the impact of the content our children are viewing? And how often are we debriefing with our children after watching a movie or television series?
Our children live in a time where their access to content is unprecedented in history, and do we really know what they are viewing? I honestly struggle to keep up with the many devices, accounts and subscriptions my three children have. I admit I struggle to understand some of the content I see on my home television these days as I see my kids watch YouTube, and subscribe to gaming channels and alike. Not only that, but my two girls are watching Korean Drama…I can’t even go there!
To some degree I have resigned myself to the fact that I am getting older and that I don’t have to understand the appeal of some of the things I see my children viewing. However, what I do need to do is find opportunities to discuss the morals and messages that may be unhelpful to my teens during their formative years. I will talk about healthy relationships versus the pop-culture version thereof. I will talk about violence and set boundaries around content I deem age inappropriate. And I will talk to my children about Biblical truths versus Hollywood’s wisdom.
If we are not keeping tabs on the content our children are viewing, we may be allowing someone else to teach them about life. One of the best things we can do for our children is provide a wholesome foundation from which they can launch into adulthood. I want to send my kids out into their adult lives with morals, values and ethics that I have sowed into their lives, not the values and ethics a YouTube influencer has taught. It’s sometimes a struggle, but let’s be aware of what our children are viewing and subsequently being taught. As parents, let it be our job to guide the next generation and teach the values we deem appropriate so that our children might become all that God wants them to be.
Gary Cully
Principal
Tuesday 3:15 – 4:00
Starting Week 3
$10 per session
Located at the BSC (Baskerville Sports Centre)
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Our new semester brings about some interesting changes and opportunities for students.
As a part of our Middle School program, students have the opportunity to sample a number of different subjects through their year 7 and 8 years. Students have completed semester courses in some of these subjects, and will now embark on some new experiences. The following listings are the changed subjects for years 7 and 8 in semester 2:
Year 7:
History becomes Geography: same teacher and same room
7a
– Visual Art on Monday p6/7: Mrs Holman
– Digital Technologies on Tuesday p4/5: Mr Braun
– Drama on Thursday p1/2: Miss Matthews
7b
– Music on Monday p6/7: Mr Elvery
– Construction or Food and Textiles Technologies on Tuesday p4/5: Mr Cunningham/Mrs Furlonger (Half class at one, half at other)
– Construction or Food and Textiles Technologies on Thursday p1/2: Mr Uren/Mrs Brkic (opposite of Tuesday class)
Year 8:
History becomes Geography: same teacher and same room
8a
– Business on Tuesday p6/7: Miss Dixon
– Drama on Thursday p4/5: Mrs Kelly
– Digital Technologies on Friday p1/2: Mr Braun
– Visual Art on Friday p4/5: Mrs Jo
8b
– Construction or Food and Textiles Technologies on Tuesday p6/7: Mr Uren/Mrs Brkic (Half class at one, half at other)
– Design on Thursday p/5: Sr Monique Singh
– Construction or Food and Textiles Technologies on Friday p1/2: Mr Cunningham/Mrs Furlonger (opposite of Tuesday class)
– Music on Friday p4/5: Mrs Braun
During the course of year 9, students have selected three elective subjects to study for the year. Each student is asked to commit to studying these subjects for a minimum of one semester, with the option of changing this elective for semester two.
Elective subjects are designed to begin preparation for senior subject selections for year 10 and onwards, to multiple changes are discouraged. However, it is acknowledged through our process that students are still discovering the pathway that suits them, and this discovery will require some adjustments in order to best discover the skills and interests that God has placed in them.
For those students who are wishing to change for semester 2, the cut-off date for change-of-subject forms to be returned is Friday 23rd July. The process of change in listed below:
– pick up a form from Students Services
– find your current subject teacher and ask them to sign (take tissues to comfort them at the thought of losing you)
– find your new potential teacher and ask them to sign (begging them to take you in for the benefits you will bring to their class)
– discuss your change of subjects with your parents and ask them to sign the form.
– return the form to student services.
Students will not attend their new class until they receive a confirmation email from Mrs Degen (Educational Support Officer).
There are some great activities and excursions planned for students in Middle School for the second semester of 2021. As always, we are looking to add variety and encouragement to each of our students across a vast field of interests.
“What’s Inside?” – Parklands Christian College Musical
Year 8 Geography Excursions: Southport Seaway
Year 9 – 12 Music, Art and Drama students: “West Side Story” at the Lyric Theatre
USL Sport for Term 3: Netball and Soccer
Years 7, 8 and 9 Visual Arts Excursion: Artwaves Exhibition
CSSAQ Athletics, Basketball, Volleyball and Soccer
Year 8 FTT: Capes 4 Kids
Year 9 Shine and Strength Programs
Year 9 Farm Excursion and “Walk for a Farmer” event
….. and many more.
Middle School and Senior College students continue their rehearsing for the college’s secondary production of an original musical, “What’s Inside?” With an original script written by two of our teachers, Miss Julia Matthews and Mrs Cleo Smith, and directed by Mrs Jaclyn Kelly, “What’s Inside?” looks to combine elements from all of the secondary productions over the last 10 years, through the telling of an original story about drama students at high school.
The team have engaged with a holiday rehearsal day in preparation, along with and extended rehearsal evening till 7.00pm last Wednesday. There are some photos attached of the work being done for the show.
Performance dates at 23rd and 24th July at the Logan West Community Centre with two evening shows and a Saturday matinee happening. Tickets are still available for all three shows – please contact Student Services for further information.
I emailed our Middle School students to encourage them regarding semester 2. After the long break over June/July, and the change in some subjects, this new semester can feel a little like starting again. Starting again with a new and clear focus to achieve the best possible in all subjects is all anyone can ask, and will be what we as a teaching team will be encouraging of your children as the second half of this year moves forward. Each student in our Middle School has amazing God-given potential, and it is our privilege as teachers to do our best to help them realise this at a personal level. Praying for a successful semester 2 for our students as we strive for the best we can be.
Mr Colin Elvery
Middle School Coordinator
I trust that despite some COVID-19 activity over the winter holiday season, that your children were able to enjoy their term break. We have certainly enjoyed seeing them all back onsite this week, for Term 3.
Every school community is unique and at Parklands we strive to build and foster a culture of care. We have seen over the years, many national policy drivers narrow the purpose of education to simply preparation for work.
Whilst this is an important factor, at Parklands we see that schooling serves a far greater purpose – we believe that our schooling experience should help develop character, values, and ethics alongside the educational goals of skills and knowledge. Further to this, we strive to see our students engage with both their heart and head. That in meeting their academic, personal and aspirational goals they will have a heart to serve those in and around their communities.
As part of our normal processes, this week we have had our second round of parent-teacher interviews for the year. It was a great evening to see families out and engaging with teachers about their children’s progress, despite having to wear cumbersome face masks!
In late June, you should have received your child’s report card, via email. If you have had any problems accessing this, please email the relevant Coordinator (Years 10-12: Rebecca Wallis and Years 7-9: Colin Elvery).
Parent-teacher interviews and report cards are part of the norm in any school. We value relationship and connection and want every student to know they are loved and welcomed. As such, partnerships with families are key to us and we welcome ongoing parental involvement in your child’s learning journey. Should more substantial discussion be needed above the normal processes, please do feel free to make a follow-up time with the relevant teacher or coordinator at your earliest convenience.
Our main focus for Years 10-12 this week, is to promote and support your child in getting back into healthy school and study routines quickly. Thank you parents for your crucial role in supporting your children to have a weekly study schedule, in which they have time free from responsibilities and distractions to complete their senior school work.
A reminder that the Government’s advice on paid employment, for full-time students, is a maximum of 12 hours each week, in term time.
It’s a busy term ahead with both Year 11 and 12 having a two-week exam block, commencing late August. Students have been taught a technique to take formal study notes, a crucial part of the new senior system to prepare for the external examinations.
Please note that the timing of the Year 12 trial exams has been brought forward by one week. Year 11-12 must have full attendance for their examinations, scheduled from 30th August to 10th September 2021.
For Year 11, the style of exam block and compulsory tutorials mirrors what they will experience in Year 12. Year 11 examinations will contribute to their QCE credit points.
In Year 12, these examinations form a crucial part of final preparation for the External Assessment (EAs). The timing will allow staff to mark and provide feedback to your child, where possible, prior to the September holidays. The main reason behind this move is for your child to have targeted improvement areas to work on during the final few weeks leading up to the EAs in early Term 4.
Our prayers are with all students as they gear back up quickly and work to the best of their ability for this term.
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
If your child is missing uniform items or lunch boxes or drink bottles, please come and check the Lost Property in Student Services.
Welcome back to Term 3! We are so excited to have our classes back and it was wonderful to see everyone and to hear all about the fun things that happened over the winter holiday break.
Psalm 3:5 “I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.”
As we begin this new term, perhaps shaken yet again by another sudden lockdown, I pray that you would know the truth stated in this Psalm – that the Lord is watching over us. Even when things don’t go to plan & unexpected things happen, even when things maybe don’t go well, we can trust that the Lord is watching over us & we can rest in His care.
Instrumental music lessons will commence again in Week 1, even on the first day of school! It’s wonderful to hear so many students progressing so well. Repetition is the key to all learning, so please continue to encourage your children to practice each day at home – mini concerts are a great way to do this! Maybe each Friday night after dinner your child can give a family concert, playing whichever pieces they’ve been working on during the week. This is a great way for you to show them appreciation for their hard work and for them to become accustomed to performing in front of other people.
All Ensemble & Choir rehearsals will also commence in Week 1, including Wind Ensemble at 7:30am on Tuesday 13thJuly – yes, the first day back at school – and continue right through to week 10. Any changes to regular rehearsals will be communicated by email to both students & parents.
It’s also been wonderful to hear our current group of Give It A Go! students making more progress & learning new things! I’ve been hearing students improving their tone & becoming more proficient, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Students need to make sure they continue to practise between lessons, for at least 10-15mins per day. This will help them consolidate the skills they have gained in their lessons, and be ready for what’s next.
Term 3 will see students come together for an Instrumental Concert in Week 7, giving many students an opportunity to perform both with their Ensembles as well as in small groups & even solo. More information will be coming soon about this concert, but mark Tues 24th August in your diaries.
In Term 4 we will be holding our first Arts Finale, a fantastic night of music, art, drama & song, brought to you as a collaborative effort by all our wonderful arts staff & students. This will be the culmination of the year’s work for our performance students and we’re planning something truly special. Again, more information will be communicated in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout for dates & times.
There is always a way to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome back to Term 3! Can you believe that we are already halfway through the year? I pray that you all had a wonderful winter break and took some time to just relax and enjoy your families.
Coming up this term we will be holding our annual Primary Spring Dance. Save the date, Friday 27th August 2021. If you have a child in Primary School, they don’t won’t to miss out! This year we have DJ Steve who will be keeping the kids entertained on the dance floor all night with fun games and lots of prizes to be won. For all you coffee and hot chocolate lovers, Michelle from Browns Plains Village Square Coffee Club will be on site for you to purchase a coffee or two. There will also be a sausage sizzle from 5.30pm available for purchase. The dance kicks off at 6pm – 8pm. Admission for the dance is only $5 per person (payable on the evening) EFTPOS will be available. The Spring Dance is for current students enrolled in 2021 from Prep – Year 6. Please note this is a non-alcoholic event. Hope to see you there!
The Friendlies encourage harmonious and lifelong relationships within the Parklands parent body and school community. The committee provides opportunities for families to connect and fellowship at the various fundraising events they hold and serve at during the year. All money raised through these events is donated back to the College for the benefit of students. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another.
Our next meeting for 2021 will be on-site at school on Friday 6th of August at 3.45pm in room LL1 in the Prep area. We would love to see you there!
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
I trust you had a lovely holiday break, having spent time doing the nice, fun and or relaxing things you enjoy, with family and friends?
At the start of this semester, I wish you and the students everything of the best for the term that lies ahead.
All students should have received an ‘End of Semester Report’ via email at the conclusion of last term. If you haven’t received it, please kindly contact Nancy Abolins in Student Services on 3380 4702.
This report should confirm what your child’s teacher has informed you of or feedback given throughout the term as to how your child has progressed.
On Tuesday 27th July we have our Primary Parent Teacher Interviews (which will take on the Profile Evening style) located in the classrooms. You can book an interview ‘on line’, to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Parents should have received the Informative Email with more information, booking times and procedures!
A reminder that students should be on site by 8.25am at the latest and ready for the start of the school day by 8.30am sharp. Would you please assist us in reminding students of these procedures and do all you can to have students on campus by 8.25am at the latest.
Students can be collected, and then signed out any time from 2.30pm! Students still at school at the end of the day (3.10pm) are to be collected from their classrooms. Students still at school at 3.30pm, are to be collected from the Under Cover Area.
We thank you for your support and understanding in this regard.
For the start of Term 3, could you please ensure ALL uniform items, lunch boxes/water bottles and bags are clearly relabeled with your child’s name? Ensure that black shoes are polished, hair is cut and the correct uniform items are worn – jumper with Academic Uniform and the tracksuit jacket with Sport Uniform. Please also check students are wearing predominantly WHITE, leather upper sneakers / sand shoes with their Sport Uniform.
If unsure about any uniform requirements, please feel free to check the School Website (Online Store – Uniform Policy – Primary) or ask the RTC staff or class teachers. Thank you for your understanding and assistance in this regard.
An emphasis will be placed on ‘child safety, washing hands, staying home if unwell’ from the beginning of Term 3. We will be reminding students to: regularly wash hands, use hand sanitizer, walk on the concrete, stay under the verandahs or covered areas when raining and moving around the school, don’t push and shove and walk in single file up and down the stairs, play nicely and safely on the playgrounds and to have “KIND words and FRIENDLY action” when at school. Can we ask that you please remind your child to do likewise when at school?
Parents, social distancing/DROP & GO/collecting students from classrooms each afternoon are ALL still in place for this term. Please also be very careful and vigilant around the pedestrian crossing, when opening car doors in the car parks and please stick to the 20 km/h speed limit when driving through the school.
Can we please remind all parents and students that the safest and only place to cross the Rosia Rd car park should be at the pedestrian crossing and not on the bend, just before the top exit gate, close to the Year 5 classrooms! THANK YOU for your support in keeping our students safe!
Life is a wonderful but sometimes bumpy journey. Everyone experiences setbacks, frustrations and hard times at different times in their lives. We can’t protect young people from the stress of all the possible setbacks in their life but we can teach them the coping skills that promote resilience. Recent research studies have suggested that today’s children may be less resilient than those of previous generations and more in need of opportunities to learn resilience skills.
There are many skills that we can teach students to provide them with a resilience ‘tool kit’ for coping with life and being successful. We can teach our children to be optimistic by, for example: The Personal Skills of RESILIENCE:
Many children become unnecessarily distressed and fearful because they distort a situation or they have incorrect and unhelpful beliefs that make it less likely that they will attempt to solve a problem.
Examples of such thinking include:
Young people also need to learn skills for being confident as part of their ‘resilience tool kit’. These skills include:
It’s evident that young people with well-developed social skills are more likely to be resilient and to have a good support network of friends when needed. Key social skills can be taught and practiced in a range of classroom and playground situations. Skills for knowing triggers of anxiety or anger can be taught and finding the confidence to act courageously when necessary are also an important part of a young person’s resilience ‘tool kit’.
Through many areas of the curriculum, teachers can encourage their students to develop and try to live by our values such as Christlikeness, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, Cooperation and Acceptance of differences. Parents can reinforce and role model these situations and ideas at home, thus offering the child every opportunity to see resilience in action!
Looking forward to a wonderful term of doing your child’s education together.
I pray that your family had a restful and rejuvenating holiday break. It is my fervent hope that despite our snap lockdown you were able to explore God’s creation as a family and find peace and rest in nature.
My husband and I were fortunate enough to hike The Border Track between O’Reilly’s and Binna Burra in the stunning Lamington National Park. We camped overnight and thoroughly enjoyed being disconnected and away from phone reception for 2 days and immersed ourselves in the sounds and sights of nature.
Term 3 is always a busy term and even though I write this on day one of term, students have been busy learning and engaging with their teachers and their subjects.
In English, students are reading the novel Holes by Louis Sachar and discussing the issues of fate, destiny and luck, cruelty versus kindness, justice, power, poverty and education, man versus nature and confidence and the development of one through their choices. In Geography, the livability of places are being assessed to a criteria of student developed environmental, economic and social factors. And in Music, students are revising foundation music concepts, learning about the elements of music and practicing playing piano with two hands.
Indeed, Term 3 will be a busy term.
Year 7’s at Parklands are blessed to have a school diary that they use for organisation, planning and timetabling of their school commitments. Diaries help students keep their thoughts organised, set and achieve their goals, relieve stress and boost their memory. A diary is an essential tool for both long-term and short-term goal planning and personal development.
At Parklands, Year 7 students receive take home homework for English and Mathematics and take home assignments for English, Mathematics, Science and History in Semester 1 and Geography in Semester 2.
All students should be using their diary to track and organise their homework for English and Mathematics and for setting time aside to work on their assignments.
They can also use their diaries for planning extension work, when they need to bring something in to class and for writing down their assessment due dates.
The diaries are also an excellent communication tool between home and school. Parents can use the diaries to communicate about such things as uniforms to RTC or to open a dialogue with a teacher regarding homework and assignment questions.
In Semester Two Year 7 students will now receive homework for English, Mathematics and Science. This slight increase in homework is to slowly build study skills and increase the workload, preparing our students for Senior studies.
If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact me via my school email or the school phone number.
We are coming to the end of a very busy semester that has been filled with many memorable moments, both in and out of the classroom.
I was reflecting recently on how quickly this term is going and I was reminded that at around this same time last year, we were welcoming students back from lockdown. What a blessing that we are largely unaffected by COVID now.
Our students are busy with full weeks of learning and many important activities to manage. They have been able to experience some great events again including the Year 10 Careers & Employment Expo, Year 10-12 Elevate Education sessions and the Year 12 UQ Career Pulse event, along with many other exciting sports and subject-specific excursions.
All in all, it has been a semester filled with rich learning experiences and we are very proud of our seniors.
We encourage full attendance all the way through to Friday 18th June. Thank you kindly for taking family holidays in the scheduled holiday time. At present, seniors are finalising assessments. Year 12s are currently working on completing their third internal assessment and requirements for certificate courses, which usually require completing by the end of September. Year 11 have a mix of assignment work and examinations to complete, the assessment calendar showing these as ongoing and due into the final week of term.
Year 10 are about to undertake their semester exams, commencing Monday 7th June and they will complete the term with an exciting and new Careers Week, filled with many activities and events.
Mrs Liz Lenton and I continue to work very closely with the senior students and aim to individualise each senior students learning pathway to meet their goals and increase success for their senior school years. We are always happy to meet and discuss options in person so please contact us through Student Services or via email if we can be of assistance.
Our prayers are with all students as they work hard to finalise their assessment for this term. We pray that all have a wonderful break soon to relax and recharge, with family and friends, over the winter holiday time.
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
If your child is missing uniform items or lunch boxes or drink bottles, please come and check the Lost Property in Student Services.
Tuesday 3:15 – 4:00
Starting Week 3
$10 per session
Located at the BSC (Baskerville Sports Centre)
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Last Saturday we acknowledged our 20th Birthday with a huge celebration at our Fete. What a fantastic day it was for all, with the night ending in spectacular fashion with fireworks. We had the honour of welcoming Federal Member Mr Bert Van Manen to cut our birthday cake along with Mr David Baskerville and our College Board.
Mrs Amanda Young
Working as a family unit can be a tough task, so many different people all with needs and wants trying to get their needs met. As a parent we have a household to maintain along with so many other responsibilities, tasks, jobs, family and friends to make time for. To be able to teach our children, it is important that we are giving them responsibilities around the house, so that they are participating in the cleaning as well as the messing up. Hopefully, in the long term, this also takes some of the pressure off just one or two people in the family. But how do we do this and what age should they be doing what? Does my 4 year old start to iron or mow the lawn? No, but they can put away their toys, set the table for dinner, sort the washing and that level of responsibility. It can take longer to get through the jobs but in the long term it is important that they are learning to do things for others and a range of personal character building activities!
Here are some areas to think about when getting children to complete responsibilities/chores:
We are teaching these amazing human beings to be responsible adults. So give them some choices. Maybe sit down with the family and have a list of all the daily and weekly responsibilities that need to be done. Ask which responsibilities each child would like to complete. They may need to pick three of four depending on size and nature of the task. Letting them pick which tasks give them a sense of ownership and choice. On this list be clear and maybe even have a timeframe on when this task would need to be done. i.e. washing the dishes needs to start within 10mins after dinner and should take about 15-35mins depending on amount and age.
Start the process by showing your child how to complete the task to the level you expect. Next, be there with them as they do the task. Pointers and tips are great if given with encouragement and not rushed. We need to be a little relaxed on the quality of the end result of their work. This will work best if you are prepared for the task not to be at the level of perfection that you usually like. Be aware of how you might feel if you completed a task and them someone came along and said what a great job you did and redid the task in front of you. They will get better at it the more you allow them to do it. Especially with good constructive feedback and encouragement.
Children are growing up and they can handle a great deal more than you might think. What were we doing when we were kids? I was milking my grandfather’s cow when I was 5, I was cooking dinner for the family with no supervision at 12. Starting early instills a sense of ownership on the family household and gives invaluable skills, such as self-control and a good work ethic. Please see the list below for some guidelines on what children can do. Your child will learn as they are doing the task.
It is important to encourage your child in their attempts at doing the tasks around the house. Speak powerfully into their young lives by giving them praise for the task that they have completed. Building this positive momentum will encourage the child to participate in the household responsibilities willingly. You might even find that they will voluntarily do the task without getting asked. It is rare but does happen!
Creating and maintaining boundaries for your child is important, especially in regards to their responsibilities. Be clear in your instructions and take away any vagueness. For example ‘clean your room’ vs ‘ put your clothes in drawers, put dirty clothes in basket, all toys to be put in the toy box, books on bookshelf’. Once they learn the expectation they will understand what ‘clean your room’ means. If there is a timeframe for a task to be done then communicate this. Remember the Loving our Kids on Purpose story about the chicken coop. Sometimes we may need to trade our tasks with our child if they are not willing to do it within the timeframe. This is where we can give them the tasks we do not like doing.
Should money be attached to the tasks? There is no easy way to answer this question; what do you want your children to learn through doing the tasks? Are you doing this for them to learn about responsibility and about how to do household tasks? Do you want to set up an environment of negotiation and terms? For tasks that are extra or one offs i.e. washing the windows once a month or helping paint the doors, adding money to the task can bring a new aspect of life for your child to learn about; money management and the concepts of working.
We are all growing to be a powerful person. Powerful people are ok with making mistakes and taking the opportunity to learn. No matter what happens, know that with every step we are learning and moving towards the person that GOD created us to be!
Enjoy the journey of raising your child/ren and being a powerful person!
We have had a great start to the USL basketball competition fielding 5 secondary and 1 primary team. After the first four weeks of competition our Year 7/8 Boys, Year 7/8 Girls, Year 9/10 Boys and Open Girls are all currently 3rd on the ladder. The Open Boys team is currently 6th. Our Year 5/6 boys have already qualified for the final against St Philomena on Thursday 17 June at 3:45pm in the BSC.
Well done to the Year 7/8 Girls team and coach Mrs Brkic for recording their first win of the season with a crushing 62-0 win over Westside 2
Week 8 – Monday June 7
Home
4:30pm Yr 7/8 Boys v Westside 1 (BSC 3)
4:30pm Yr 9/10 Boys v Westside (BSC 2)
5:15pm Open girls v Westside 1 (BSC 1)
Away
4:30pm Yr 7/8 Girls v Trinity (Mt Warren Park 4)
4:30pm Open boys v Trinity 2 (Mt Warren Park 1)
Well done to Anabelle Rauwendaal for making the district touch football team.
Well done to the following students who made the district Cross country.
Lilee Unwin
Lachlan Mane
Justin Hunt
Charlotte Sulja
Tayla Thomson
Meagan Elvery
Charlotte Lee
Levi Tomic
Recently our Year 5/6 students participated in the CSSAQ Team Games Gala Day. Our Year 6 Senior Boys Soccer team finished third. Our Year 6 Senior Girls lost a close semi-final to the eventual winners. Our two Year 5 Junior teams improved immensely over the course of the day and represented the school with great team spirit.
Next term the two USL sports will be netball and soccer. The secondary competition will be on Monday afternoons and year 5-6 primary will be on Thursday afternoons. The competition will run from weeks 3-9.
The athletics carnival will be in Term 3, Week 1. 13 Years – Opens Carnival will be on Thursday 15 July with 12 Years and under will be on Friday 16 July.
Parklands Free Come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday, 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
What a fabulous night we all had at the Bush Dance on Saturday 15th May! Beefa’s Bush Band never disappoint and the Bush Dance we held was no exception! They had everyone up on the dancing floor kicking their heels up. That’s pretty impressive considering we had approx 370 people attend!
A big shout out to Michelle from the Coffee Club at Browns Plains Village Square and Greg and Sarah Tinson from Dominoes for your continued support and donations to our events. We appreciate everything you do!
Thank you to the year 10 Active Volunteers, we appreciate all your help for the evening!
Nights like the Bush Dance would not be possible without our incredible Friendlies Team. A massive thank you to each and everyone of you!
It was wonderful to see so many of you at the College Fete on Saturday 29th May 2021. The Fireworks were spectacular. Although my favourite part would have to be getting to have a chat with so many families from our College community. It’s always so fabulous to catch up with everyone at this kind of event.
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. We would love to see you there! Our next meeting for 2021 will be on-site at school on Friday 4thth of May at 3.45pm in room LL1 in the Prep area.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Throughout the course of Term 2 our journey continues to give exciting opportunities and focus points.
During the last month we have had the opportunity to switch on a new teaching and learning space for the college. The small hall, dubbed the ‘Performing Arts Hall’, is a space that we are now leasing for the teaching of Drama, situated across the road from our Hillcrest Rd/church entrance.
Students have commenced using the space with great enthusiasm, which has already been custom painted performance black on the inside. Over the next while further developments of the space will happen to create a great teaching and performing area for our students to use.
Many different activities continue to take place around the Middle School.
Secondary students were treated to the first Parklands Open Mic for 2021. Three of our Senior students serenaded the college with performances at our Outdoor Theatre, with many of our Middle School students attending to lend their support.
The Open Mic is an opportunity for students to perform for peers during a break time and demonstrate the great skills and talents that they have. Students who are interested in participating can see the College Arts Captains, Tori Hankins and Bryce West, for the next concert.
Year 9 STEM students were hard at work testing their designs for launching bottles into the air to measure effective flight time. Under the guidance of Mr Cunningham and Mr Crawford, students have been enthusiastically testing their designs.
We have been enjoying some cooler weather of late, which is great for some people and not the preference of others. This cooler weather has resulted in the need for jumpers, and while we have a great compliance for the use of correct jumpers with correct uniforms across the board, there are still a number of students who are choosing to bring the wrong jumper to school.
It is our expectation that students will wear the correct jumper with the correct uniform. Academic jumpers should be worn with academic uniforms, and sports jumpers with sports uniforms. There should not be a need to bring a sports jacket to school on an academic uniform day. I would love to see 100% compliance with this as we move forward.
Have you lost a jacket or jumper? Chances are it is currently residing in Student Services. There are a lot of uniform pieces currently in lost property, waiting for students to come and claim them. Unfortunately, these pieces have no names on them. Our amazing Student Services staff go out of their way to return lost uniform items when they have been identified with names. This is not possible if uniform items are not named. Please make sure that equipment and uniform pieces which are sent to school with your children are clearly named. We would love to make sure that you have everything that belongs to you.
Middle School and Senior College students have combined to be rehearsing for the Secondary college’s production of an original musical, “What’s Inside?” With an original script written by two of our teachers, Miss Julia Matthews and Mrs Cleo Smith, and directed by Mrs Jaclyn Kelly, “What’s Inside?” looks to combine elements from all of the Secondary productions over the last 10 years, through the telling of an original story about drama students at high school.
Performance dates are 23rd and 24th July at the Logan West Community Centre, with two evening shows and a Saturday matinee happening. Look out for ticket information which will be released very soon. It is our hope that you can join us for a great show, excellent catering, and an amazing experience presented by our students. Come along and see if you can identify the different productions through the story!
It feels like we just got back from our holiday break in April and now the end of Term 2 is fast approaching. Time has flown.
During the upcoming break time, it is my prayer that you are able to spend some quality time as a family. I hope that all students and parents can connect and recharge with one another. May your break time be one of safety and joy, and I look forward to continuing the learning journey with our students when we gather again in Term 3.
Mr Colin Elvery
Middle School Coordinator
If your child is missing uniform items or lunch boxes or drink bottles, please come and check the Lost Property in Student Services.
For Science this term, we have been exploring living things and their needs. The highlight of this unit is the Chirpee Chicks hatching program. The Preps were fascinated as they watched chicks hatch out of their eggs in the incubator. It has been so exciting to watch our fluffy little chicks grow and to learn about what they need to stay safe and healthy. We have also started our own garden. The Preppies each planted a seed to look after by making sure their plant gets water and sunlight every day. We are so proud of our little farmers.
It has been so fulfilling to watch our students grow and learn throughout Term 2. We have excitedly watched on as each child has been engaging in their learning and meeting personal goals, whether big or small.
Hello to our Parklands families!
Year 5 are working hard this term learning about many things including writing in the Persuasive genre. We are finally getting used to using our iPads on a daily basis (and only forget to bring them occasionally!)
In our Humanities lessons this term we have been looking at our Australian values and system of Government. To get a real life sense of this we completed a survey, discussing the issues important to us. We then analysed that data and created action plans to solve some of our concerns. To build on this, we held in-class speeches and elections to select class captains.
We are pleased to present to you our 2021, Year 5 Class Captains!
5A Class Captain is Elena Mariuta
5E Class Captains are Ashlee Wilson and Amelia Drew
Congratulations to these students. Perhaps you will one day run in an official election!
God Bless,
Mrs Lisa Edwards and Mr Simon Ashley
Dear Parklands family,
In this month’s article, I really want to celebrate our community, and acknowledge the success of our Fete. Fete is my favorite annual event, and a unique time in the Academic Year when our community and wider community comes together on our site. Fete is a celebration of the extended Parklands Family, and a cultural event that is universally loved. These celebrations are ultimately a testament to God’s faithfulness and provision. I acknowledge that our Heavenly Father has been and continues to be the source of every good thing we have; both the physical environment and the people He has brought to our school.
I want to thank the many staff, parents and students who contributed to the success of Fete 2021. You are all a blessing to me, and to Parklands! I also want to acknowledge the tireless work of Amanda Young & Tanya Tonges. These faithful ladies have put in significant hours in the lead-up to Fete, and the event would not have happened without them. Amanda & Tanya, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Gary Cully
Principal
On Friday 21 May, our Year 10 students explored their varied career pathways, gathered information and asked many well-informed questions at the Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo. Students spoke with representatives from various tertiary and TAFE institutions, the Australian Defence Force, employment agencies and private institutions. Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch at Southbank Parklands before we departed for school.
During Term 2, all Year 10 students have been working through their Career Education program, ‘Dreams to Reality’, through which they have completed many career and work readiness activities to help them build confidence in their career decision-making, and make informed decisions for their subject selections.
The Career Education program will culminate in Careers Week, Parklands Christian College’s new initiative for all Year 10 students, in the week beginning Monday 14 June, 2021. Further information will come home regarding the program and Experience Days to a number of universities and TAFE. All opportunitities are scheduled to help students and parents to make informed decisions for their senior studies pathways and subject selections.
Elizabeth Lenton
Careers and VET Coordinator
Thank you for a wonderful and enjoyable Term 2.
We have experienced many exciting and lovely events this term that have filled our Parkland’s experience with memories, joy, fun and wonder – ANZAC Service, Profile Evening, Cross Country, Naplan, Bush Dance, Team Games Day, incursions, excursions and normal school lessons.
I must say the students seemed to be very well prepared, settled, calm and eager to write the tests this year. Some even commented they were, “Keen to see how well they are doing academically this year!” Thank you very much to the Year 3 and Year 5 parents for assisting us in explaining the value and purpose of the testing as well as ensuring our students got a good night’s sleep, healthy breakfast and plenty of water during that testing week. A very BIG ‘Thank you’ also needs to go to the wonderful Year 3 and 5 staff (Mrs. Wilson, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Edwards, and Mr. Ashley), plus Mrs. Jo Anderson for the awesome work they have done to prepare the students this year for the tests! We now look forward to receiving the student reports and results later in the year.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed (now that it’s getting cold) that some students are starting to mix and match their track suit and jumper tops or even wearing non-school jumpers. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC, uniform store or check our website for photos and details. Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, water bottles and LUNCH box items are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
All students will be receiving an electronic ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon, Profile Night or has given you feedback on, as to how your child has progressed this semester.
On TUESDAY 27th July, we have our Primary P/T Interviews in the various classrooms, where you can book an interview to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for more information and booking times and procedures!
Talking about the end of term – we only have a few more weeks of school left then we break up for the Winter Holidays on Friday 18th June and return for Term 3 on Tuesday 13th July.
Reports cards can be long and confusing with school jargon/speech throughout them.
Here I will explain:
You are looking for two things as you read each of the subject reports that will help you establish what your child’s strengths are and whether they are working to the best of their ability. Before looking for the A’s, B’s to E’s in the achievement section, read the English and Maths comment/s. Does the teacher say that your child is working to the best of their ability? Feedback from teachers is the key to improvement as it tells you and your child what they need to be working on – a way forward. Reports cards are one way of doing this.
Secondly, look at ‘Conduct’ statements as to how they are presenting / conducting themselves in all areas of schooling.
How to involve your child in reading the report card:
The best thing to do is ask questions and get them to come up with how they think they went in the subject/term/semester. How did you think you went? Which results are you pleased with? What do you think was the cause of the result in this subject?
Praise:
Process-centred praise is more effective than praising intelligence e.g. “You are smart” develops a fixed mindset, whereas praising effort develops a growth mindset (Dweck, 2010). Kids who get too much praise are less likely to take risks, are highly sensitive to failure and are more likely to give up when faced with a challenge. Check whether your child has a fixed or growth mindset http://mindsetonline.com
Rewards:
We need our kids to do things and be self-directed, not because they will get into trouble or get a reward. “If they are focused on the outcomes (stickers, money, rewards) this leads to a loss of interest in process and an unhealthy need for approval of others” (Sue Roffey, www.wellbeingaustralia.com.au/wba/). We need to focus on intrinsic rewards such as life satisfaction, autonomy, task persistence, positive social relationships, a love of learning and better performances.
• Think about starting to remove extrinsic rewards for results.
• Let kids have a say in what they do and the rules so that they can learn to make social choices appropriate for their age– autonomy not control.
• Praise the process of effort and doing well, not ability.
Praise their:
o Effort and persistence
o Planning & organisation
o Engagement in learning
o Seeking help & feedback
o Problem solving
o Decision making
Have a wonderful break and school holiday spent with family and friends.
If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying then you’ll know how problems always seem bigger when you keep tossing them around in your head. It can seem like everything is stacked against you. When this happens you’ve got to find the off switch so you can get away from your worries for a while. The same principle holds for children and teenagers when they worry. Their problems just seem to get bigger and they need to turn them off or tone them down so they can ease their anxiety. There are eight easy-to-learn strategies that you can teach your kids to prevent them from ruminating – going over the same thoughts and worries over and over again.
1. Broaden their vision
Kids get tunnel vision when they worry. They often can’t see the bigger picture. For instance, a young person may fret over minor work matters such getting the exact font match for an assignment they are working on, and neglect to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day. Sometimes it takes a wise adult to remind children and young people about what really is important to them.
2. Put their attention elsewhere
Placing attention away from worries is an age old technique for parents and teachers. Commonly known as distraction, the act of focusing attention on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good mental health. Examples of distractions include – going outside, playing a game, shooting some basketball hoops or listening to music.
3. Give the worry a name
Somehow giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable. My favourite picture storybook for toddlers, ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof‘ by Hazel Edwards, personifies fear of the dark as a friendly hippo. Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.
4. Put your worries in a jar
Wouldn’t it be great to put all your worries into a safe and throw away the key? As an adult you may do this when you take time out to watch your favourite TV show; or lose yourself wandering for hours online. Children need something a little more practical. They can write their worries on some paper and lock them in away in a jar by the side of the bed at the end of the day. It’s good to know that their worries can’t get out because they are locked up tight.
5. Limit talking time
It’s good if kids can talk about what’s on their mind but talking needs to be contained to prevent their worries from dominating their lives. Set aside ten minutes a day to talk about their worries and then put worry time aside until tomorrow.
6. Normalise rather than lionise their anxiety
Anxious kids are very sensitive to their parent’s concerns and worries. One way we build their concerns is by continually reassuring them that things will be fine. One reassurance should be sufficient most of the time followed by, “I’ve already talked to you about that.” Continually going over old ground can allow worries to linger longer than necessary.
7. Give them the tools to relax
My wife relaxes in front of the TV, which is sufficient for her to take her mind off her worries. Some people need a bigger set of tools including mindfulness and exercise to help us neutralise our worries.
8. Move, baby, move
Get kids moving. Physical exercise is not only a great distraction but it release feel-good endorphins that help children and young people feel better and more optimistic about the future.
For more on anxiety and the tools you need to support you raise kids who worry or feel anxious, our Parenting Anxious Kids online course is a fantastic resource.
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty saviour. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17
Our God is a God who sings! Music is part of His very being, part of His creative nature, and He not only directs that towards us, but allows us to join in the chorus. I wonder if, like a mother calming her child with a familiar song, the Lord sings songs of peace over us at uncertain times like this – with His love, calming our fears. Even though we may not hear Him directly, He has still given us music to calm & soothe our souls – the very music your children are learning to play.
Instrumental music lessons have been “humming along” in Term 2! It’s wonderful to hear so many students progressing so well. Repetition is the key to all learning, so please continue to encourage your children to practise each day at home. The number of days each week is actually more important than the length of time, so 15-20mins every day is more valuable than 1hr only once a week. As students advance they will need to set aside more time, so forming the habit early will make it easier in the future.
It’s also been wonderful to hear our next group of Give It A Go! students making more progress & learning new things! I’ve been hearing students improving their tone & becoming more proficient, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Students need to make sure they are practising between lessons, starting with about 10-15mins per day. This will help them consolidate the skills they have gained in their lesson, and be ready for what’s next.
The College Fete saw the first performance of the Give It A Go! Band, which brings all the Give It A Go students together, along with the Wind Ensemble for students who continue learning after their Give It A Go year & all the Primary & Secondary Choirs. There is a special bond that forms between people who play music together so these are friendships that have the potential to be lifelong, and so many memories are formed around performances, so it was wonderful to see so many students having a good time together.
There is always a way to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
When: Friday 11th June
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Where: Baskerville Sports Centre
Who: Highschoolers
Cost: Free entry with food and drinks available to purchase
Sign-in: Check In QLD App
Dear Parklands Family,
We are excited to announce that we are planning to construct an exciting new Primary Precinct in 2022. All going well, our first stage of building should be ready for occupancy in 2023. We have already removed three demountables to make way for our new primary buildings, and we will move our tuck-shop and temporary toilets at the end of this year, making space for construction to begin.
At this stage, we are not planning to introduce an extra stream of students to our school. Rather, we will proceed with our building program and develop our site, facilities and programs at a steady pace, and consider our options for student growth in the future. We believe that this strategy allows us to better invest in our infrastructure, and to develop a Master Plan that best suits the unfolding needs of our diverse College Community.
We anticipate that the next season here at Parklands Christian College will be a rich and busy time of investing in our community through the building of spaces where students, staff and families can connect and celebrate learning. And while we look forward to having fresh and exciting new facilities, our priority will always be building a community and culture where students become all that God wants them to be.
Becoming all that God wants us to be is a journey for us all, and one that takes a lifetime. We consider it a privilege and a joy to play our part in the learning journey of every child, and we would like to think that we can impart at least a little wisdom and truth in young lives during their time with us. Sometimes investing in a young life is easy, especially when they are willing recipients of our investment. However, not every season is an easy one, and some wisdom and truth has to be hard won.
Whichever season we find ourselves, I am encouraged by the thought that seasons come and go as our children grow and become increasingly independent. Today’s struggles may very well be tomorrow’s triumphs. Let’s support one another in the difficult times, communicating well and encouraging often. Sometimes it takes a village to raise a child, and we are blessed to be a part of a supportive school village.
I would encourage us all to appreciate the privilege of being a part of Parklands, and enjoy all that our culture and community has to offer. Our facilities will change and improve, but our culture, and the families held within it are what is important.
I trust that you feel a valued part of Parklands.
Gary Cully
Principal
Tuesday 3:15 – 4:00
Starting Week 3
$10 per session
Located at the BSC (Baskerville Sports Centre)
To book please go to https://chessmates.com.au/school-lessons/ Parklands Christian College is under South Brisbane.
When: Friday 11th June
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Where: Baskerville Sports Centre
Who: Highschoolers
Cost: Free entry with food and drinks available to purchase
Sign-in: Check In QLD App
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
While supporting your child through environmental and social changes, education at home and general life experiences every parent has stories about their child’s tantrums and meltdowns. Our own parents will have some pretty good stories too; we have all been on an emotional development journey. Knowing the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum will help you to determine how to support your child effectively and apply good quality emotional regulation skills.
To effectively deal with meltdowns it is important to be proactive and not reactive. Identifying the child’s anxiety and its cause is your starting point. Then try to calm the child as this will reduce the chances of a full-blown meltdown. Once the meltdown has started all you can do is make sure everyone is safe, reduce stimulation levels and if possible address the problem at hand. PLEASE never attempt to restrain a child during a meltdown once they are in a safe environment. They will only fight against your attempts and increase the intensity of self-aggression and aggression towards you! It is too late to stop the meltdown – simply let the meltdown take its course.
These ideas have had varying degrees of success depending on the individual and if you are able to catch before going into full meltdown;
There are some great strategies that we use at school to educate your child to recognise when they are escalating in their emotions and take responsibility before triggering a meltdown. One of our favourite moments is when a child brings themselves for a chill out before erupting. We see this even as young as prep age, once children know what you mean by fun/no fun or fun/room, they start to develop an internal reflective process that helps them to make this decision with minimal prompting from parents. Just the other day I was visiting a friend and I noticed their daughter was missing from the room so I asked where she went; her parents simply explained ‘she took herself too her room until she was ready to be fun’. Boom! That is a golden moment. When she returned we had a lot of fun.
Check out these links on the Student Care and Wellbeing Team’s Google Site
Our Prep classes remembered and gave thanks to our servicemen and women for ANZAC Day. We talked about Gallipoli and the other wars that both Australia and New Zealand have participated in. In the ANZAC spirit, we also talked about being brave, working hard and keeping our friends safe. Both classes read “ANZAC Ted”, made poppies, paused to remember and prayed. Prep F read learnt about camouflage and Prep H shared some ANZAC biscuits. Thank you to those families who shared photos of their family on ANZAC Day in our Google Classrooms.
Mrs Hope, Miss B, Mrs Foster, Mrs Lowe and Mr M
Hello and welcome back to Term 2!
This term, Year 1 will be learning all about Living Things and Habitats. This is such an interesting unit so stay tuned for some fun activities as we learn about animals and how they survive in their unique habitats.
In conjunction with our Science unit, we will also be writing our own Animal Reports. It is always great to get the children researching and writing. We’ll be delving into some great books this term and will have a close look at ‘The Koala Who Could’ and ‘Stellaluna’.
The time has finally arrived! Next Saturday 15th May 2021 is the day for our Bush Dance with the amazing Beefa’s Bush Band. If you’ve never been to a Bush Dance, make this one your first. You won’t be disappointed! It’s one for the entire family, it doesn’t matter what age – everyone will have a night filled with lots of fun and laughter and of course some of the best dancing. Beefa’s Bush Band will keep you boot scootin all night long!
The Friendlies are what some schools call their (P&C), if you are curious at what we do why not come along to one of our meetings. We love to see new faces and all of our Parklands families are more than welcome to come along. We would love to see you there! Our next meeting for 2021 will be on-site at school on Friday 7th of May at 3.45pm in room LL1 in the Prep area.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies Team
We will again be putting on the fantastic Mother’s Day Stall, where students bring money and can buy their mother’s day gifts.
This year the stalls will be held in the Baskerville Sport Centre (BSC). I look forward to seeing students deciding on what to buy mum so they can spoil then on their special day.
A reminder that we have our amazing, fun, College FETE on Saturday 29th May.
Looking forward to the many activities, presentations, rides, stalls we have on offer. Hope to see you there.
“The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for our school since 2008.
A reminder we have our annual Yr. 3 & 5 National Testing again next term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the ONLINE various tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Yr. 3 & 5 parent please provide their child with a good breakfast and ensure they are at school on time, these days:
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon or Profile P/T Interview Evening or where they have given you regular general feedback as to how your child has progressed this term.
A reminder to please slow down (20klm) and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the Prep area and pedestrian crossing! Students have been reminded to stop, look right, left and right before walking over the crossing but can I ask that you take it for granted, that they will not do the correct thing. Please also remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage.
A big Thank YOU to Mrs. Ann Schatkowski and Mr. Aaron Melvold who do an amazing job keeping everyone safe when using the pedestrian crossing!
For those parents/guardians who use the Hillcrest Rd Carpark, you will notice that we now have a two way entry with a designated DROP OFF area on the left, next to the pavement and a parking lane entry.
Can we please ask that everyone uses this area correctly as per it’s designed purpose and not stop, and drop off students in the middle of the road or car park area? Thanking you in anticipation for your support and assistance in keeping our students safe.
As a former primary school teacher with 15 years’ experience and a parenting educator with 30 years’ experience, I’ve learned a great deal about the importance of healthy relationships between a child’s parent/s and their teacher. I hold a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education, a Bachelor of Education and a Diploma of Primary Teaching from SCV Toorak University (now Deakin University). I’ve done the theory and I’ve also put my boots on the ground. Uniquely, this has allowed me to appreciate perspectives from either side of the school gate.
Studies show that healthy parent–teacher relationships are a more significant factor in student success than parent income levels or social status. Parent–teacher relationships require effort and energy from both parties if they are going to really benefit children and young people. Here are some strategies to help you build a healthy working relationship with teachers in the year ahead.
For your partnership to be meaningful and successful, you need to meet with your children’s teacher(s) with the goal of forming a respectful professional relationship. Be willing to share your aspirations for your child and be willing to build the teacher’s knowledge about your family. For balanced perspective, also gain an understanding of the teacher’s approach and what focus areas they have for their particular year group. This can be done formally by attending start of the year information evenings and informally through conversations, reading newsletters and staying in touch in digitally and in real-time.
Children need to know that their parents are fully behind what their teachers are trying to achieve if they are going to commit fully to learning. The best way to support your child’s teacher is to trust their knowledge, professionalism and experience. Avoid the temptation to question the expertise of teachers in front of students, particularly when the teachers use methods that you are unfamiliar with. Initiate conversations with teachers around methodology to give them the chance to explain the approach they are taking.
Despite the best teaching practices things do go wrong at school. Kids experience learning difficulties. Conflict and peer rejection happen. Kids will often come home from school with grievances, and call on you for assistance. Resist the urge to react emotionally. If you need to contact teachers do so respectfully, calmly and through the correct channels. A measured response will generally achieve the best result for your child.
Teachers and schools often put a lot of work into sourcing and sharing credible resources that they think will help parents. Take the time to read, utilise and enjoy the information provided to you. It’s intended to make your parenting journey easier, which will also benefit your child not just at school, but at home. If your school doesn’t yet have a clearly defined source in place, consider suggesting one to the teacher, such as the Parenting Ideas memberships for schools.
There’s a huge body of research that points to the correlation between parent engagement in student learning and their educational success. If you want your child to improve their learning, take an interest in what they are doing. Follow school and teacher guidelines about helping at home and attend as many conferences, meetings and events involving your child as possible. This strategy has a significant, long-term impact on your child’s attitude to learning.
Life’s not always smooth sailing for kids of any age. Family circumstances change. Friends move away. Illness happens. Mental health challenges can hit anyone at any time. These changes affect learning. Make sure that you keep teachers up to date with significant changes or difficulties that your child or young person experiences so they can accommodate your child’s emotional and learning needs at school.
Show your loyalty to your child’s teachers by being an advocate. Talk positively about your child’s teacher and school, rather than being negative about them when speaking in the wider community. Teachers hold very public positions and generally work hard to build good reputations both within their school and their wider education community. Consider a teacher’s reputation among the community and also with children when you discuss educational matters with others.
It takes goodwill from both sides, a commitment to setting aside the time necessary to support the home-based learning tasks that are expected, and a willingness to communicate both concerns and commendations through the correct channels.
Psalm 3:5 “I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.”
Welcome back to Term 2, after the most unusual end to Term 1. We pray that you are all safe & well, as we know the Lord continues to watch over us.
The volume of research showing the benefits of learning a musical instrument for children is growing daily, in all sorts of areas of life. Playing music actually changes a child’s brain, making it better connected & more efficient not just while they’re playing, but several year of music tuition means these changes are sustained throughout life. You are literally setting your children up for a better future through learning music!
“Music enhances the process of learning. The systems it nourishes, which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities, are shown to be the driving forces behind all other learning.”
(Save the Music Foundation, USA)
Instrumental music lessons are back on schedule in Term 2! It’s wonderful to hear so many students progressing so well. Repetition is the key to all learning, so please continue to encourage your children to practice each day at home. The number of days each week is actually more important than the length of time, so 15-20mins every day is more valuable than 1hr only once a week. As students advance they will need to set aside more time, so forming the habit early will make it easier in the future.
It’s been wonderful to see our next group of Give It A Go! students getting started this year! I’ve been hearing students making their first sounds & learning new notes, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Students need to make sure they are practising between lessons, starting with about 10-15mins per day. This will help them consolidate the skills they have gained in their lesson, and be ready for what’s next.
The next exciting step for these students is the Give It A Go! Band, which will commence rehearsals in Term 2 on Wednesday mornings at 7:30am. The first rehearsal will be Wed 28th April, in L5 on the lower level of the Student Services building. We look forward to hearing these students in their first performance at the College Fete on Sat 29thMay!
There is always a way to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
Well done to our Year 5/6 Boys and Girls touch football teams for playing in the United Sports League competition. In the play off for 3v4, our Year 5/6 boys won 7-5 to finish 3rd. In the grand final for the Year 5/6 Girls, our team narrowly lost 3-2 to finish runners up. Well done to all students who took part and achieved these great results. Thank to our coaches, Mr Werner and Mr Volau.
Our Secondary USL Touch Finals have been rescheduled to Term 2, Week 2, Tuesday 27 April.
Cross Country has been postponed to Term 2, Week 1, Friday 23 April. Cross Country training will commence during the holidays on Tuesday 6 and 13 April, and Thursday 8 and 15 April, 9:30-10:30am. The session will be conducted by Coach Max Volau on the PCC Sports Oval. All 9 Years – Year 12 students are welcome to attend. During Term 2, training will then continue on Monday and Friday mornings from 7:30-8:15am, until the conclusion of the CSSAQ Cross Country on May 10. In Week 8, the training focus will then change to Track & Field.
Week 1, Wednesday 21 April will be the secondary basketball trials for the upcoming USL competition starting in Week 4. The Primary team has completed their trials already and those students selected in the team will receive a home communication during Week One of next term.
Below is the list of dates for the Term 2 sporting trials. These are representative trials to try to gain selection in the regional team. It is highly encouraged that only students who have club sport experience be requesting to trial. To express your interest to trial please email Mr Chase Werner for Primary students cwerner@parklands.qld.edu.au and Secondary students to Mr Josiah McCarthy sport@parklands.qld.edu.au
Week 1
Week 3
Week 4
Week 7
Well done to the following students for gaining selection into representative teams.
| Last Name | First Name | Grade | Sport Represented | Level of Representation |
| Moses | Marlon | 9 | Swimming | SSDSS District Team |
| Harbourn | Levi | 7 | Swimming | SSDSS District Team |
| Rauwendaal | Annabelle | 7 | Swimming | SSDSS District Team |
| Reise | Lucy-Anne | 7 | Swimming | SSDSS District Team |
| Reise | Oliver | 4S | Swimming | SSDSS District Team |
| Cervenjak | Tyger | 9 | Swimming | Met West Swim Team |
| Bobermien | Chloe | 6B | Swimming | SSDSS District Team |
| Campbell | Emmy | 6H | Basketball | SSDSS District Team |
| Andryc | Keira | 6 | Basketball | SSDSS District Team |
| Takada | Hannah | 12 | Netball | SSDSS District Team |
| Mane | Lachlan | 6 | AFL | SSDSS District Team |
At the conclusion of Term 1, Joshua 3387 is leading Samuel 3214.
Parklands Free Come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday, 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Mr Leembruggen (Lead Teacher of HPE and Sports Coordinator in the Secondary college) is currently running a Shave for a Cure campaign, to raise awareness and funds for the Leukaemia Foundation after his son’s recent diagnosis. The Year 12 cohort and the Lead Teachers in Secondary are pleased to host a very special fundraising event on Friday 23 April 2021, throughout the annual Cross-Country Carnival. Throughout carnival day, four key activities will be occurring to raise money to contribute to Mr Leembruggen’s Shave for a Cure campaign.
Activity 1: Accessorise! During the cross country carnival this year, students are encouraged to add accessories to their outfit in the colours of ORANGE and BLUE, the colours of the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave. Paint your nails blue, add orange ribbons or zinc! To do this, students must bring a gold coin donation.
Activity 2: Food for sale! The Year 12 PC class will be selling a range of food items on the day! Please see next page for a price list. There’s no need to pre-order, and all who attend the carnival (spectators, students and staff) are welcome to purchase.
Activity 3: Coloured Hairspray! The PCC Outreach Club will be providing orange and blue hairspray options for $2. Come and get some stripes, zig zags or polka dots!
Activity 4: Shave event! ALL the Lead Teachers and Year 12 PC Teachers in Secondary school have agreed to either shave or colour their hair in support of the campaign and the Leembruggen family – you’ll have to see who’s doing what on the day! Please use the link below to donate directly to the campaign, to sponsor Mr Leembruggen and the Lead Teachers. Cash donations can also be made on the day to the Year 12 food tent. Two professional barbers have kindly donated their time to complete this activity safely. This activity will occur straight after the Cross Country carnival, on the top oval. Bonus Activity: Mr. Leembruggen will also be making a special appearance, and will be shaving his very long & scruffy grown-in beard as well!
Pre-ordering is not necessary, just arrive on the day and purchase. All spectators, students and staff are welcome to purchase from the Food Tent, which will be situated on the top oval from 8.30am. All profits from this stall will be donated to Mr Leembruggen’s Shave for a Cure campaign. Use the link below if you would like to donate directly:
https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=803260
For more information, please contact Kristie Schulz (Lead Teacher of Maths and Science in Secondary) at kschulz@parklands.qld.edu.au.
Our last Easter holidays were like none other for many parents around the world. Holidays, camping trips and day trips were cancelled, catchups with friends were off, and there wasn’t even sport on TV.
I read this helpful article recently, Five Simple Ways to Inject Gratitude into Your Daily Schedule. We have much to be grateful for, don’t we? Intentionally injecting gratitude into our children’s daily schedules can create routines that will stay with them for life.
We have done lockdown before and we can certainly do this again. These remain somewhat challenging days for many, yet our hope and trust remain steadfast in a God who never fails.
So, with the three-day lockdown, we have moved back into another season of PCC@Home for the last part of this term.
Seniors have been asked to continue with their senior studies from home. Classwork and assignments can still be submitted this week by following teacher instructions on the subject Sites.
For Year 12, the Food & Nutrition, General Mathematics and Mathematical Methods examinations have been postponed until early Term 2. This is in line with QCAA policy and your child’s teachers will email through the new due dates.
The reality is that Year 12s will need to study at some point in the holidays to be best prepared for the early Term 2 assessment. We promote planning on a chunk of time to stop and rest and then it will be very important to gear back up to revise work. This is recommended before term time starts.
The new QCE system is rigorous and work in some of the holiday time may be required. This may depend on your child’s progress with their study notes, which is key preparation for the Year 12 External Assessment exams (EAs) and for the Year 11 exams in Term 3, where students will be tested on a larger part of their subject syllabus (in preparation for the EAs). We equally promote rest and relaxation and will continue to promote working hard in term time.
The timing of the Year 12 trial exams has been brought forward by one week. Your child must attend each trial exam scheduled from 30th August to 10th September 2021. These exams form a crucial part of final preparation for the EAs. The timing will allow staff to mark and provide feedback to your child, where possible, before the September holidays. The main reason behind this move is for your child to have targeted improvement areas to work on during the final few weeks leading up to the EAs in early Term 4.
A reminder that students should be regularly checking their Student Portal learner account with Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA). This account provides students with access to their subjects and courses, and results. This is particularly important for Year 12, as this information is used to contribute to the final senior certificate. Personal details need to be accurate as the spelling of names and addresses are used from this account to inform the QCE, the Year 12 certificate. A thorough check of subjects and any Vocational Education courses must be completed. Please notify Mrs Lenton or Mrs Wallis if there are any discrepancies. Go to: https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/
In Term 2, there is a focus on exploring careers and Year 10s will research pathways towards their careers to inform their senior subject selection. Mrs Liz Lenton has prepared a home communication, so please look out for this as it explains the new and exciting career education and work experience opportunities available to our Year 10 students in 2021, which culminates in a Careers Week from Tuesday 15 – Friday 18 June, 2021. This is a compulsory week with many educational activities that are planned to be of great benefit to your child. After this week there is a three-week holiday break where we encourage holidays to be taken.
In the lead up to the Careers Week, we will hold a Year 10 into Year 11 subject information evening. During the session, we will be presenting information about the new QCE system, with a focus on how we are preparing students for Years 11-12 and on pathways and subjects being offered for Year 11, 2022. Please look out for the home communication on this important event, scheduled for Week 7 of term.
If your child is feeling unsure about their Senior pathway or if you have any concerns with how your child is managing the senior load, please make a time to talk with us.
We have a great team of supporters so your child can work towards their God-given potential and know they don’t need to travel alone. It is important that there’s a balance between academic demands, involvements in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
Have a wonderful Easter holiday break with your families.
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Senior College Coordinator
As our year continues into April and our first holiday break for 2021, our journey through this year continues to give new challenges and focus points.
Last month I shared about the intention for Middle School English classes to start using the library during their regular class time. It is wonderful to be able to share with you that this has started to happen in the last month, as classes in Years 7 and 8 have had the opportunity to access the library during their English class time. (See photos below)
Students continue to frequent the space during break times, enjoying the quiet and the atmosphere of the library, and we thank Mrs Kerr for her continued support and dedication to growing and maintaining the library space for all of the Parklands students to use.
When we return from our Easter holiday break, we are anticipating that the weather will be cooler. This change in weather brings about the use of jumpers for our students, and there are a few important points to cover regarding this.
Firstly, it is important that your child’s jumpers have their name on them, both academic and sports. Jumpers tend to come off as the day warms up, and unfortunately our students are not always the world’s best at putting their belongings straight into their bags. Every year Student Services ends up with dozens of unclaimed jumpers as there are no names to be found. When a piece of uniform is taken to Student Services, if there is a name then every effort is made to return it to the relevant student as soon as possible. Can I encourage all parents to ensure that names are on jumpers?
Secondly, our uniform policy states that our jumpers do not mix uniforms. It is our expectation that students will wear the correct jumper with the correct uniform. Academic jumpers should be worn with academic uniforms, and sports jumpers with sports uniforms. While it seems like a simple thing, it is an important aspect of a student’s day that they are organised with their correct equipment, and dressed in the correct and complete uniform. This focus is something they can then take into their learning for the day.
I look forward to seeing our amazing Middle School students in correct uniform at the beginning of Term 2.
During the up and coming break time, it is my prayer that you are able to spend some quality time as a family. I hope that all students and parents can connect and recharge with one another. May your break time be one of safety and joy, and I look forward to continuing the learning journey with our students when we gather again in Term 2.
Mr Colin Elvery
Middle School Coordinator
Eph 5:18b-19 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms & hymns & spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”
Instrumental music lessons have been “humming” along nicely in Term 1, now with the exception of week 10. Your child’s Instrumental teacher may be in contact with you if they are able to teach a lesson online; otherwise lessons will resume in Term 2. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are also cancelled for the final week of Term 1, but should resume in Term 2.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3)
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6)
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12)
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience)
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4, beginner band for woodwind, brass & percussion students in the GIAG programme)
All Choirs are open to students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Students wanting to play in the Wind Ensemble should consider having lessons either at school or outside of school to improve their skills.
It’s been wonderful to see our next group of Give It A Go! students getting started this year! I’ve been hearing students making their first sounds & learning new notes, and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm in these budding musicians. Students need to make sure they are practising between lessons, starting with about 10-15mins per day. This will help them consolidate the skills they have gained in their lesson, and be ready for what’s next.
The next exciting step for these students is the Give It A Go! Band, which will commence rehearsals in Term 2 on Wednesday mornings at 7:30am. The first rehearsal will be Wed 21st April, in L5 on the lower level of the Student Services building.
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
During Week 8, the whole College joined with schools around Australia for ‘Bullying. No Way!’ National Day of Action. In Secondary, the Student Leadership Team, along with Mr Elvery & Mrs Wallis, led the students in promoting the positive behaviours that we value – kindness, encouragement, inclusivity, etc – with a different theme for each day. The week culminated with each form class physically representing unity in a creative team response that was photographed. It was so valuable to focus on these positive behaviours that we advocate and value while also being part of the bigger movement across the country.
Our Student Leadership Team have had several opportunities this year to serve and to grow. They, along with captains of other Christian schools, participated in the Compass Conference, and also had a dinner on site with the senior staff. This dinner was served by our hospitality students, who did an excellent job and were able to gain practical experience and fulfil some of the service requirement of their Certificate course. The dinner covered a range of topics on social activities, the art of conversation and being a good listener, and etiquette, as well as providing quality time together as a leadership team.
The captains have served the College many times, for example during the BSC Family Fun Afternoon (along with the Year 6 & Year 9 captains!), the Swimming Carnival, the Back to School BBQ, and have led Chapel services. This includes a special service where they led every aspect, including worship and a message based on what they learned at the Compass Conference, focusing on how each person has their own story which is part of God’s big story. Well done to the team for beginning their leadership term with diligence and joy, leading our students faithfully.
Recently the issue of consent has been highlighted in the news after surveys and discussions on social media revealed frightening assault trends amongst Australian young people. Schools were named and shamed, and more recently the sexual conduct of Australian politicians has been called into question. The stories are disturbing to say the least, and the seemingly wide spread issues around consent have taken the Australian public by surprise.
Right now the State Government under the leadership of Grace Grace is reviewing ‘consent education’, and we can expect some level of reform in sexual education in schools soon.
Our young people need to hear a clear and important message from us all on this point, and we need to acknowledge that sexual violence is present in every community, and we should never assume that our little community is immune to such vile behaviour.
We allow or create the culture of our school, our homes and our workplaces. Parklands will review its relationships seminars and play our part to deliver explicit teaching around sexual violence based on the outcomes and advice from the current school consent review. But that’s not the end of the story. I call on us all, parents, students and staff to be aware of conversations, comments and communications that transpire in our homes, classrooms and playgrounds and boldly address disrespect and sexual harassments. Let’s not ignore derogatory comments because “that’s just teens”, or walk away from unsavoury discussions because that’s “age appropriate”.
Let’s not accept a culture of porn that teaches our young people harmful sexual habits and distorted views of relationships.
Instead, let’s raise a generation of children who have a healthy perspective and engage in appropriate and healthy relationships. Let’s raise young women who are proud of their bodies, confident in their femininity and understand what it is to be Godly, powerful women. Let’s raise a generation of boys who are respectful and don’t objectify. May we empower them to be men of honour and possess self-control. Let’s teach our boys how to speak appropriately about women and pursue healthy, long lasting relationships. And let us contradict the porn-saturated pop-culture, which is readily available to our children every day and poses a significant threat.
Pornography can negatively impact a young person’s mental health and wellbeing and their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and expectations about sex and gender. Exposure to pornography has also been found to shape sexual practices and strengthen positive attitudes toward sexual violence and aggression (Quadara, A., El-Murr, A., & Latham, J. (2017). The effects of pornography on children and young people: an evidence scan. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies).
It’s important to talk to our children about healthy, wholesome sexual relationships, and it is vital that they understand the concept of consent. Yes, it’s probably going to be awkward, but it is important that your children understand about what informed consent involves, morally and legally. Be brave, a conversation about consent and respect now may save your child difficulty in the future. To help you, I have placed links to two good online clips that might help get the discussion started.
Some sites and ideas to help you talk to your teenagers about consent (follow the links):
Join me and commit to praying for our young people and against the power of porn and sexual violence in our community. Let us commit to sowing wholesome conversations into our culture, and promoting that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4). Please know that I am praying for our community and you, our parents. May you have the grace and wisdom to speak life and light into your children’s lives, helping them become all that God wants them to be.
Gary Cully
Principal
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If this article prompted you to ask more questions, has been traumatic to read, or you need support, please seek help and consider the services of the following organisations:
April term and monthly invoices have been issued – please contact Ann Ludlow 0417 170 379 if you have not received it. aludlow@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapists or OT’s are focused on people’s occupations. Occupations aren’t just our jobs, they are also all the everyday activities we do, the things we do that give us purpose, that we enjoy, or things that we need to do like have a shower, get dressed, sleep, and learn at school.
Sometimes due to individual differences, developmental delays, illness, injury, or disability our daily occupations can become difficult to complete. Occupational therapists support people by assisting to bridge the gap between what they can do and what they need or would like to do.
Sometimes this means some hard work, exposure to new and different experiences, or practise to strengthen our bodies or learn new skills. Doing so better equips us to complete our everyday tasks and cope throughout the day.
Paediatric OT’s specialise working with children of all ages (and their families) to assist them in their daily occupations, such as; learning, paying attention, following instructions, sitting in a classroom, playing, and handwriting. Paediatric OT’s support the development of foundational skills required for such occupations at school and at home. OT’s do this by observing and enhancing children’s physical, sensory, cognitive, emotional and neurological development.
Is your child struggling at school or at home?
There are many things to process in a school day both within and outside of the classroom. Some kids struggle during school time, whereas other kids may put all their energy and effort into holding it together at school and then struggle upon coming home, which may present in the form of overreactions, tantrums or meltdowns due to overwhelm and fatigue. Kids struggling at school may present with behavioural concerns or avoidance of school work, often due to an underlying need or difficulty that is impacting on their performance and behaviour.
Assessment and therapy
An Occupational Therapist can assess your child to identify which areas are difficult, and where further development may be required. An OT can provide a treatment plan and strategies to support your child’s development and participation in school and home occupations. We aim to develop your child’s skill set, abilities and confidence in order for them to succeed at school and at home.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kylie McMahon kylie.mcmahon@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 278th April, 2021.
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child commencing Wednesday 17 March. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Families are overusing screens as “babysitters” which could be contributing to developmental delays in children & their readiness for school, according to new research. UniSA research released this week showed “an overuse of screen time, in lieu of quality play, is substantially impacting children’s development, putting them behind their peers as they start school”. In SA almost 22% of children are considered developmentally vulnerable in areas such as physical health, language, communication & behaviour. The research study explored the concerns of more than 100 SA preschool directors. It found the over-reliance on screens “could be contributing to lower levels of social skill development, concentration, problem solving abilities & self-regulation – all key skills that improve school readiness,” according to a media statement on the research. Australian health guidelines for preschool-aged children (2-5 years) recommend no more than one hour of screens per day – TV, computers & smart devices.
Independent Schools Queensland – 5th March 2021
eSafety are offering a new parent webinar series in 2021 – eSafety’s guide to cyberbullying and online drama. We are encouraging parents in our school community to join one of the free webinars to learn how we can help young people develop the skills to be safer online.
esafety.gov.au/sid
Thank you for a very productive first term even with all the changes and uncertain times.
My prayers are for you, your family and the Parklands community during this very interesting ‘season’.
As we look to break for the Easter/Autumn holidays, starting with Good Friday and then Easter Monday, I pray you all have a fantastic rest, break from school routines of making lunches, getting up early etc.
I trust you are able to do the things that you enjoy and revitalize you, like spending time with the family (kids) and friends, going to the beach or just relaxing at home watching a movie or reading a book.
We look forward to having everyone back for a short, sharp (9 week) term starting on Monday 19th April.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or mixing and matching their academic and sport uniforms. If you are unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch and water bottles are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for our school since 2008.
A reminder we have our annual Yr. 3 & 5 National Testing again next term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the various ONLINE tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Year 3 & 5 parents please provide their child with a good breakfast and ensure they are at school on time, these days:
Tuesday 27th April – 2.45pm to 8.30pm in your child/ren’s classroom. Please ensure you book your 15 min time slot / appointment online.
Wednesday 28th April – 2.45pm to 4pm in your child/ren’s classroom (time is used to view your child’s work, see their desk, tidy tray and possibly chat briefly with the teacher.
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of Term 2. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon or Profile Evening or where they have given you regular general feedback as to how your child has progressed this term.
by Michael Grose
Ever opened up your mouth and heard your own parents speak?
I’d frequently speak to my kids when they’d been less than perfect and I could hear my father speaking. I’d use the same words, same tone of voice and same body language as my father. The similarity was a little spooky.
This happens because the genes ‘from the past’ are very strong impacting not just our communication, but our parenting as well. Kids copy their parents. Temperament, gender, genetic and birth order factors all play a part in shaping kids. They signify the differences between children’s behaviour, attitudes and interests. It’s in children’s similarities that the impact of parenting is seen.
Are all your kids tolerant, generous, kind and forgiving, perhaps some less than others? If so, there’s a good chance that you possess those qualities or, at least, one parent displays those qualities.
When kids live with gratitude, encouragement and affection on a daily basis they are more likely to adopt those behaviours themselves. In fact, those types of behaviours become part of their values system.
They may shy away from these behaviours in adolescence yet most kids will return to their core values in their twenties and beyond. Most kids find their identity only after they’ve rejected it.
Similarly, when kids live with criticism, mean-spiritedness and intolerance they are more likely to display those attitudes. Teachers and schools can impact children’s attitudes and behaviours but it can be hard to override the values that kids develop at home. Kids are more likely to reflect their parents’ attitudes and behaviours than those of their teachers.
Take a good look at your kids’ attitudes, behaviours and values, particularly how they treat others. If you like what you see then give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve done a good job through both overt teaching and modelling of raising a person in your likeness.
If you’re not happy with what you see – I’m not referring to the out-of-character, poor behaviour that kids at times display due to fatigue, a stage or some other unknown reason (kids will be kids) – but if you cringe when you see some of the attitudes and behaviours that your kids routinely show then some self-reflection may be the order of the day. That’s nothing necessarily to be ashamed of. Kids get front row seats to the very best and very worst of their parents’ behaviours. We just need to make sure that our best is amplified and our worst is minimised or, at least, not witnessed by our kids.
It helps to sit down with your partner or a trusted friend and review the type of person that’s on display for your kids every now and then. It will be a worthwhile exercise both personally and as a parent. As your kids are a reflection of you, start the reflection process by looking at the behaviours, attitudes and states of mind they have in common. If you’re happy with what you generally see daily, then you’re okay and doing a great job.
Now, while students are at home and or on holiday, would be a good time to observe and monitor these behaviours.
I pray that you have a good, well deserved school holiday break if you are at home with the children and family. May God’s peace, comfort, joy, protection and strength be yours through this holiday period.
The Logan Little Legends program has been designed to target children aged 4-8 years old and to encourage them to make new friends whilst having fun and getting fit at the same time.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College, in conjunction with Super Futsal, are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
It is amazing to think that our phones and many watches now have 100x – 10000x the computing power that took man to the moon. I hear stories of people gathering to watch the landing on the moon as not everyone had a TV. These days most households have up to 2 devices per person that people could be watching, in colour, whatever they want and whenever they want. Digital media, technology and screen time has increased significantly and has become a normal, and in some cases necessary, part of life.
So how do we manage this? How do we make sure that our children do not become mindlessly glued to the screen? Here are a few ideas to try out at home:
Sit down as a family and work out a plan. Write this down so you remember what it is you are trying to achieve and gain from this. Your child does not need to see the plan but it helps if you have a strategy. You can use the following as a guide for your plan.
Is your goal with your child connection? How are you wanting to interact with your child? What example do you want to show them? Write down the goal you have with the screen time in your house both for adults and for children. What are you wanting to achieve?
What are your family values? What character traits do you want your child to have? What do you know about your child – what are their dislikes and likes, hobbies etc.? What can they handle and what is it that they struggle with? Some people have great self-control while others need to work harder at this. How does your child manage responsibility? What are their responsibilities? How can you increase their experience of responsibility ie. chores, attend training or other extra circular activities, plan or attend a family event or just enjoy the outdoors?
You are the adult and the parent. You make the final decision. Set clear rules around screen time use, such as:
Parklands Christian College Technology Policy
Responsible Technology Use – Parklands’ Student Care and Wellbeing Google Site.
Coffee, Kids and Crazy podcast – Back to school and Screentime – By Loving on Purpose – Brittney Serpell.
Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner – Information on online safety and screen time activities.
Common Sense Media – Check on ratings, content and storylines. Plus many other resources.
Cyber Safety Solutions – Learn about safety for your child whilst online.
Family Contracts for Screen time – Use one of their templates or just use this as a guide when you write your own!
Welcome to the adventure of building great relationships with your child around appropriate use of technology. Enjoy your time with your child teaching, modelling and monitoring the screen time world!
Wow, and just like that, we have come to the end of the first term for 2021! Can you believe just how quickly time flies within the life of the school? We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and blessed Easter break. Take some time to celebrate Jesus and the meaning of Easter with your family.
We are really looking forward to starting next term with our annual Bush Dance with the boot-scootin’ “Beefa’s Bush Band”. Definitely a night full of so much fun, laughter and kicking those heels up for the entire family. This is a whole school community event. Invite all your family, friends and relatives, they are all welcome to attend. Save the date so you don’t miss out! Saturday 15th May 2021 – mark it in your calendar. The night will kick off at 5.30pm with a sausage sizzle and then from 6pm-8pm the live band. Admission is only $20 per family or $5 per person. Please note this is a no-alcohol event and parent supervision is required.
Our mission statement is: The Friendlies encourages harmonious and lifelong relationships within the Parklands parent body and school community. The committee provide opportunities for families to connect and fellowship at the various fundraising events they hold and serve at during the year. All money raised through these events is donated back to the College for the benefit of students. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another.
The Friendlies love to see new faces at our meetings. They are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our next meeting for 2021 will be on-site at school on Friday 7th of May at 3.45pm in room LL1 in the Prep area. We would love to see you there!
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Hello to all our Parklands families!
Year One has finished Term 1 at full speed. With daily phonics and decoding practice we have been developing fluency and accuracy when reading. The children have also been participating in daily writing activities and are working hard to develop good sentence structure and creative ideas. We have especially had fun reading Pig the Blob as we explored our unit on Being Healthy.
During Maths over the last few weeks we have been counting forwards and backwards, learning to add and subtract and exploring the value of numbers in tens and ones. We love learning through games and have fun learning together with our friends.
We also finished off our term of swimming with some fun games and a turn on the slide. Thanks to those parents who were able to help out during swimming lessons this term. We so appreciated it.
Year One is looking forward to the Easter Holidays and praying it is a safe one for everyone. We can’t wait to be back again for more growing and learning in Term 2!
Take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh & Year One
As we approach the Easter Holidays it is good to look back and celebrate our journey. The students have worked really hard on their learning this term. They have engaged well with Google slides and have produced some amazing Native Australian Wildlife presentations. In Maths we have been solving some inquiry questions. The students enjoyed investigating the problem and coming up with some possible solutions. Our plant experiments went well with each plant showing an expected outcome when we removed soil, water or sunlight from them. Overall it has been a productive term with some fun along the way. We wish you all a happy and safe Easter break and look forward to seeing you at the start of Term 2.
Blessings,
Julie Koplick, Hannah Swanborough and Christine Hollenberg
This month, Year 6 students have been working diligently on completing investigations into the HASS topic of ‘How have experiences of democracy and citizenship differed between groups over time and place, including those from and in Asia?’ This complex and ever evolving topic within Australian society has resulted in fantastic discussions. Students have shown an empathetic understanding of other people groups within our community.
Students have also been learning about Electrical Circuits within their Science unit! Students have enjoyed the electrifying lessons that have allowed them to play with simple circuits, lightbulbs, buzzers and motors. All students were tasked with creating an item that uses a simple circuit, which is beneficial to society. All students had a blast, enjoying working together and problem solving whilst letting sparks fly with their imagination and creativity! The end results were shockingly-great as many awesome creations were shown to the class (and played with by the teachers)!
We have also been learning the art of debating. Students have looked at the manner, matter and method of how public speaking is presented. All students have researched, prepared and presented some compelling debates on topics such as; should the voting age in Australia be lowered? Would extending the school day hours benefit students?
What a fantastic end of Term 1 we have had!
In Sync Kids OT have a satellite clinic within Parklands Christian College providing private Occupational Therapy Services specifically to students of the school. In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specialises in sensory integration and neurodevelopment.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapists or OT’s are focused on people’s occupations. Occupations aren’t just our jobs, they are also all the everyday activities we do, the things we do that give us purpose, that we enjoy, or things that we need to do like have a shower, get dressed, sleep, and learn at school.
Sometimes due to individual differences, developmental delays, illness, injury, or disability our daily occupations can become difficult to complete. Occupational therapists support people by assisting to bridge the gap between what they can do and what they need or would like to do.
Sometimes this means some hard work, exposure to new and different experiences, or practise to strengthen our bodies or learn new skills. Doing so better equips us to complete our everyday tasks and cope throughout the day.
Paediatric OT’s specialise working with children of all ages (and their families) to assist them in their daily occupations, such as; learning, paying attention, following instructions, sitting in a classroom, playing, and handwriting. Paediatric OT’s support the development of foundational skills required for such occupations at school and at home. OT’s do this by observing and enhancing children’s physical, sensory, cognitive, emotional and neurological development.
Is your child struggling at school or at home?
There are many things to process in a school day both within and outside of the classroom. Some kids struggle during school time, whereas other kids may put all their energy and effort into holding it together at school and then struggle upon coming home, which may present in the form of overreactions, tantrums or meltdowns due to overwhelm and fatigue. Kids struggling at school may present with behavioural concerns or avoidance of school work, often due to an underlying need or difficulty that is impacting on their performance and behaviour.
Assessment and therapy
An Occupational Therapist can assess your child to identify which areas are difficult, and where further development may be required. An OT can provide a treatment plan and strategies to support your child’s development and participation in school and home occupations. We aim to develop your child’s skill set, abilities and confidence in order for them to succeed at school and at home.
For any additional information regarding Occupational Therapy services, please contact Kylie McMahon kylie.mcmahon@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at the In Sync Kids OT website for more information http://www.insynckidsot.com
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 278th April, 2021.
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child commencing Wednesday 17 March. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Families are overusing screens as “babysitters” which could be contributing to developmental delays in children & their readiness for school, according to new research. UniSA research released this week showed “an overuse of screen time, in lieu of quality play, is substantially impacting children’s development, putting them behind their peers as they start school”. In SA almost 22% of children are considered developmentally vulnerable in areas such as physical health, language, communication & behaviour. The research study explored the concerns of more than 100 SA preschool directors. It found the over-reliance on screens “could be contributing to lower levels of social skill development, concentration, problem solving abilities & self-regulation – all key skills that improve school readiness,” according to a media statement on the research. Australian health guidelines for preschool-aged children (2-5 years) recommend no more than one hour of screens per day – TV, computers & smart devices.
Independent Schools Queensland – 5th March 2021
April term and monthly invoices have been issued – please contact Ann Ludlow 0417 170 379 if you have not received it. aludlow@parklands.qld.edu.au
Dear Parklands Family,
Easter is here, and we are about to finish Term 1, 2021. In 2020, it was estimated that 80 percent of Australians wanted to go camping over the Easter Break. And while international travel is still largely impossible, this camping season is predicted to be epic.
While we are enjoying the Easter Break, I would encourage us all to pause and embrace this very special time of the year. Let’s give thanks for the gift of Jesus and remember His death and resurrection. I know that the concept of Easter may appear morbid to some, and that remembering Jesus on the cross seems to be somewhat brutal, yet the symbol of the cross at this time of year is so much more than a symbol of death. Easter is a time for us to remember God’s great love for us, demonstrated by the sacrifice of Jesus.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Easter is about death AND resurrection! Jesus rose again (Mark 16), death could not contain the Son of God. Jesus is ALIVE, and we celebrate that we can know God, and see how much He loves us through the work and teachings of Jesus.
As we munch on chocolate, go on holidays and spend time together with family and friends, please pause and thank God for Jesus, the true reason we celebrate Easter. If you can, attend a local church service and be welcomed and inspired as you join with others to worship. You might also like to jump online and watch a service via Facebook or church website. Or, if you are travelling, do what my family does and run your own little service wherever you can.
Before we left Australia in 2016 and went to serve in Cebu, each Easter was spent camping on a property at the base of Mt Barney. We loved this Easter tradition, and had been camping with family and friends in this location for 22 years. During this time, our family celebrated Passover and Easter respectively. We would celebrate Easter by singing and remembering the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection found in the book of Mark. I love this tradition, and can’t wait to experience Easter in this way again soon.
What family traditions do you have in place over Easter? How do you pause and remember the bittersweet story of the cross? This year, we get to celebrate Easter as Australian tradition dictates because our government and community leaders are keeping us safe. Let’s do our part and stay safe and healthy while we travel and play. This Easter, no matter what we do, let’s pause and give thanks that we live in a nation that is managing COVID-19 so well.
I look forward to seeing you all after the holidays, safe and well. Please know I will be praying for our community this Easter, and may you be blessed as you pause and remember the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Gary Cully
Principal
Easter Story: Mark 14:12 – 16:20
Easter Travel
If you are travelling this Easter, remember:
Make sure you stay home when you’re sick and get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, keep a distance of 1.5 metres from others– that’s two big steps – and wash your hands regularly.
We are really excited to announce that our annual Bush Dance is coming up with the Boot scootin’ “Beefa’s Bush Band”. Definitely a night full of so much fun, laughter and kicking those heels up for the entire family. This is a whole school community event. Save the date so you don’t miss out! Saturday 15th May 2021 mark it in your calendar. The night will kick off at 5.30pm with a sausage sizzle and then from 6pm-8pm the live Band. Admission is only $20 per family or $5 per person. Please note this is a non-alcoholic event and parent supervision is required.
The Friendlies love to see new faces at our meetings. They are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our first meeting for 2021 will be on Friday 5th March at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas. We would love to see you there!
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
On Friday the 19th of March, Parklands joined with many other schools around Australia to promote the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.
Our college believes that when we work together as a community, a great deal can be done to prevent bullying and to protect students. Engagement from all staff, students and families is central to preventing bullying and creating a school climate of respect and inclusion.
We would like to thank you for your participation in helping promote these values. Here are some ways that you can help us tackle issues of bullying.
Here is the process for reporting an incident or concerns:
Stay involved and educated
For more information on our College Student Bullying Policy, please find this on our website:
http://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/3.60-Policy-Student-Bullying.pdf
To connect, honour, and equip the Parklands community through love.
Some of the support on offer:
Bullying. No Way! bullyingnoway.gov.au
eSafety young people esafety.gov.au/young-people
eSafety Guide esafety.gov.au/esafety-guide
eSafety Report esafety.gov.au/report
Kids Helpline kidshelpline.com.au
eHeadspace headspace.org.au/eheadspace
Youth Law Australia yla.org
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College in conjunction with Super Futsal are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do classes have started up again in the school hall (BSC) on Mondays 3.30 – 4.30 pm.
New students and previous students are welcome.
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new Sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
parklands Free come & Try Futsa-min
Parklands Christian College in conjunction with Super Futsal are super proud to be offering Futsal right here in our newly upgraded Baskerville Sports Centre. Super Futsal will be conducting a FREE come and try day on Wednesday 10th March 2021. Please see the flyer for Junior Boys and Girls and Adult times.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there is a level for everyone!
Make sure you register for the open day to avoid missing out! Registrations to parklands@superfutsal.com.au
Looking forward to a fantastic season of Futsal!
Great start to the year for our Primary students. The Logan West Sport Cluster which runs our Gala day sport competition passed on a decision that Semester one would be an Intra-School competition. We started our Basketball and Touch Football house competition. During Semester one students will have the opportunity to participate in both sports and hopefully improve their skills and find a sport they prefer and enjoy. Semester two if everything goes to plan we will go out and start our Inter-School sport competition.
The introduction of Primary USL has given our students a great opportunity to play competitive sport. The selected Yr 5 and 6 students are doing a great job developing their touch football skills.
| Girls | Boys |
| Isabelle Blandford Hannah Blote Emmy Campbell Amelia Drew Jessica Ebert Erin Germishuys Tawana Mutambi Sibella Sharman Layla Timu Ashleigh Tinson Ashlee Wilson Hayley Thomson |
Mason Clayphan Alex Davis Cooper Harbourn Harrison Korger Lachlan Mane Nate Lonergan Caleb MacFarlane Liam Tonges Raphael Van Derloos Heinrich Van Dyk Zach Clausen |
Great day with our 9 to 12 year old (Yr 3 to 6) students doing a great job in the water.
Girl born 2012: Olivia Hyde and Charlotte Tam
Boy born 2012: Aiden Beulau
Girl born 2011: Amelia Drew
Boy born 2011: Oliver Reise
Girl born 2010: Chloe Bobermien
Boy born 2010: Brandon Bainbridge
There was some impressive times swam with students breaking a few of our school records.
Boys 10 Year old 50m Freestyle- Oliver Reise: 39.69
Boys 10 Year old 50m Breaststroke- Oliver Reise: 1:04.69
Boys 10 Year old 50m Backstroke- Oliver Reise: 55.78
Boys 10 Year old 50m Fly- Oliver Reise: 1:00.84
Girls 11 Year old 50m Backstroke- Chloe Bobermien 47.47
Girls 11 Year old 50 m Fly- Chloe Bobermien 44.69
We have the CSSAQ swimming carnival coming up, which gives our students who qualified another opportunity to represent the school.
The representative sport season has got a few of our Primary students representing Parklands at the regional level.
| Southern Scorpion Representative | Sport |
| Chloe Bobermien | Swimming |
| Oliver Reise | Swimming |
| Emmy Campbell | Basketball |
| Keira Andryc | Basketball |
| Lachlan Mane | AFL |
Term 1 is a big representative season for school sport with a lot of the sport trials coming up in the next few weeks. Looking forward to giving more students an opportunity to represent our awesome school and the chance to make a Southern Scorpion team.
It has been awesome starting the year with the Yr 1 to 6 students taking part in the school swimming program and my preps having their PE lessons.
Thank you parents I have received some awesome emails about students participating in outside school sport and doing a great job, keep them coming. If you have any questions or concerns about PE lessons or representative sport please feel free to email cwerner@parklands.qld.edu.eu.
eSafety are offering a new parent webinar series in 2021 – eSafety’s guide to cyberbullying and online drama. We are encouraging parents in our school community to join one of the free webinars to learn how we can help young people develop the skills to be safer online.
esafety.gov.au/sid
A big congratulations to Grace Pacurariu (Yr 4) for being selected into the Australian Girls Choir.
Grace has had a passion for music and singing since she was a little girl! Grace loved to sing and when she turned 4 years old, she started singing in church with her father. She enjoyed this so much her parents decided to take her to professional singing lessons and she started with ‘Musical Creators’ and also joined the Parklands Christian College choir. Her passion and joy for music and people led her to decide to apply for a place in the Australian Girls Choir.
We are so happy and proud that she obtained a position in the Australian Girls Choir and know she will represent her parents and Parklands Christian School with pride – congratulations Grace!
Prep F has had a funtastic start to the year! We have been learning our numbers 0-10 and even used the numbers on the fence on the oval to engage our number recognition. Our hands on learning of our letters and sounds each day has us exploring with natural materials such as leaves for Ll and using household materials such as shaving foam! One of our favourites is playdough which we use nearly everyday to help with strengthening our hand muscles with exercises before writing and even use it to practice our numerals. We love learning and are having loads of fun too!
Mrs Foster and Mrs Lowe
Year One has had a busy few weeks since swimming began in week 3!
We are all working well together and have really been enjoying our learning as a whole class, in small groups and as individuals!
We’ve also been concentrating on sentence writing and are getting better at remembering our finger spaces. In Math we have been concentrating on numbers to 100 and enjoyed learning about addition. Math games are always a favourite!
Looking forward to sharing more about Term 1 next month!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
Learning, laughing and living have all been in abundance in the Grade Two classrooms! The students have been engaging with a diverse range of activities while focusing their studies on Native Australian Animals, life cycles and the changes in objects from past to present. Our Maths studies have been a revision of grade 1 concepts as well as rich enquiry tasks developing their problem solving skills. This term the students have been learning and applying their learning of google slides. Whilst doing so they have also been learning about online safety and how best to protect themselves and others while online. Our half way mark was capped off with a fabulous excursion to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where the students consolidated their learning while interacting with Australia’s unique fauna.
This month Year 6 students have been learning all things leadership. Our students have enjoyed leadership challenges and character building teamwork in our camp at Burleigh Heads CYC. The students participated in kayaking, tubing, raft building and lots of hiking. Once we returned to school the students were selected for their leadership roles in the Primary School. We’d like to congratulate all recipients of a badge position on their new responsibilities. This year is building up to be a great year of growth and development for our all our Year 6 team.
eSafety are offering a new parent webinar series in 2021 – eSafety’s guide to cyberbullying and online drama. We are encouraging parents in our school community to join one of the free webinars to learn how we can help young people develop the skills to be safer online.
esafety.gov.au/sid
The start to this academic year has been positive with students being settled and focused on their studies. With an increase in enrolments, our classrooms and outside areas seem busier than ever. It has been particularly exciting to welcome new senior students to the Parklands family and to see the transition of our Year 10’s into the senior phase of learning.
Our students:
On wearing school uniform correctly and with pride, on calm transitions and movement around the College, and on engagement in the classrooms.
Our relationships:
We value right relationship and want every student to know they are loved and welcomed. Partnerships with families are essential and we welcome parental involvement in your child’s learning journey.
We are heading towards the pointy end of the school term. The senior Pastoral Care teachers have been promoting study. Parents, please ask your child to view their study notes. In the new QCE system, it’s crucial that your child sets up and maintains effective routines for study habits to take place in their daily routines. QCAA recommends between 2-4 hours of study per subject, each week. Then, on top of this is homework and assignment completion.
Many may find themselves juggling school, work, family, church and extra-curricular responsibilities. Seniors have chosen senior study as their main vocation (rather than full-time work) so getting organised to use their time wisely and in a planned manner is key.
Parents, thank you for continuing to check your child has a weekly study routine and a regular study area that your child can withdraw to by habit, minimise distractions and where they can settle down quickly to organised and effective study.
Last week, Years 10-11 attended presentations by Elevate Education. These seminars were timed to assist your child to maximise their study techniques leading into the busy assessment time. The strategies can help improve study techniques, increase motivation, build confidence, and lift exam performance
Check out some of the resources at: https://au.elevateeducation.com/
Senior students have been encouraged to use a personal diary on a daily basis, for keeping track of important dates. We recommend the “myHomework Student Planner” APP. This is optional, however, all students must have some form of personal diary (electronic or paper based).
Weekly Overviews + Due Dates + Resources
Accessible through your child’s account, please ask them to log-in for you.
A snapshot of due dates emailed home early in each term. Please note, this can be subject to change.
For live and up-to-date information on assessment and key dates, accessible through your child’s account.
A reminder, we have many before, during and after school tutorial sessions – a variety of free programs run by secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
There are parental permission forms, for before or after school workshops. One of the many and varied workshops is our Zenith Club, run on a Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and coordinated by Miss Abby Dixon. Zenith Club is supervised by a variety of teachers. Your child may request to have a particular teacher meet at Zenith, when requiring extra support.
One example is the Senior English Support @ Zenith – Wednesday 3:30-4:30pm in Voc3-5.
Mrs Ross offers a weekly tutorial for Senior English, Year 10-12 students. Your child can come with questions, assessment tasks etc that will help support their English studies.
There are many other teachers across all subjects meeting their students at Zenith, often on request.
Senior Support
If your child is feeling unsure about their Senior pathway or if you have any concerns with how your child is managing the senior load, please make a time to talk with the following staff.
We have a great team of supporters so your child can work towards their God-given potential and to know they don’t need to travel alone. There must be a balance between academic demands, involvements in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
Pastoral Care (PC) teachers:
Julia Matthews:10a
Sister Monique Singh: 10b
Zachary Cunningham: 11a
Mercy Gunnampaty: 11b
Kristie Schulz: 12a
Tygue Crawford: 12b
Abby Dixon: Year 10 Coordinator
Elizabeth Lenton: Careers & Vocational Coordinator
Rebecca Wallis: Senior College Coordinator
We also have some amazing Social Workers, located in the RTC.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
A reminder to please obey the 40klm School Zone speed around the school as police officers will be monitoring this!
Please slow down to 20klm IN the property and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing and drop off areas!
Students and parents are reminded to ONLY cross AT the pedestrian crossing and to “stop, look right, left and right” before walking over the crossing.
Can I ask that you take it for granted that, students will not do the correct thing, so be very careful around our car park areas! Please also remind your child to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage to cars!
We ask that parents only park in the designated car parks and NOT on the “No Parking” grass area at the top of Hillcrest Road for sporting events.
Recently we seem to have lots of toys (dinky cars/trucks, teddies etc.) being brought to school. Please, can I ask that children do NOT bring toys or personal possessions to school? The reason for this school policy is that it causes problems when things get lost, broken, taken or cause disagreements when ‘swaps’ take place. The only time children can bring toys into school is for “show & tell” (items to be left in class) or if children have been asked to do so by teachers, as part of their learning.
Here is an article I found very interesting and I would like to share it with you. It’s not that we have lots of bullying and negative behaviour at Parklands but rather to inform you so that we are all on the same page and speaking the same language about ‘bullying’ when it comes to talking to our children and dealing with teachers and the RTC!
“Bullying is a word that’s wrapped in emotion” – Michael Grose
For many people bullying is associated with bad childhood memories. It’s been estimated that around 40% of people have experienced some type of bullying in the past. The ghosts from the past are never far away for parents and can sometimes influence the way we react to current circumstances, including when our own children experience difficulties in their relationships inside or outside school.
Bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects children’s natural right to feel safe and secure. It can adversely affect their learning, emotional well-being, further peer relations and their sense of self.
Types of Bullying
Bullying should not be confused with teasing, rejection, random acts of violence or physicality and conflict. While children will often tease or fight, this bickering should not be confused with bullying.
Bullying is the “on going”, willful desire to harm others and it takes on many forms that include physical and emotional abuse, intimidation, harassment and exclusion. Bullying is about lack of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse. Bullying is the selective, uninvited, repetitive ‘picking on’ of one person by another person or group.
It now has a well-publicised cyber-dimension which has moved the goalposts for many kids. In the past children could escape bullying behaviours they may have experienced by being at home. Cyber-bullying now means that kids can’t escape the bully like they once could.
Bullying is not the domain of one gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to show power, girls are more likely to use exclusion or verbal sarcasm, ‘put downs’ to assert themselves.
If you think, your child is being bullied.
If you think your child is being bullied then handle with care as children often don’t want to admit that they are on the receiving end of bullying. Ask them the probing questions like: How often does this happen? Who is doing this continual behaviour to you? Have you reported it to RTC and spoken to a / your teacher or Teacher Aide?”
We at Parklands don’t appreciate or tolerate ‘bullying’ and this sort of negative behaviour so encourage our students to use the FRIENDSHIP 8 ideas and also to report it to the teacher on duty, their class teacher OR the RTC, thereby allowing us to follow it up and deal with all parties concerned!
Our school hours are 8am – 3.30pm. We are unfortunately finding that several parents are taking advantage of the fact that students are brought up to Student Services after 3:30 but are still not arriving to collect their child/ren by 4pm.
Can we please ask that all students are collected by 3.30pm sharp or kindly advise Student Services of your late arrival?
Thank you for your support and understanding in this matter
Congratulations to the following students who have been selected according to their merits and in accordance with our school CLEAR values.
Well done to these students for already showing leadership characteristics / initiative and for being chosen to represent our school! They were represented with their badge at a special Leadership Assembly. We wish you well as you go about serving, leading and being ‘role models’ to others.
Captains:
Isabelle Blandford
Harrison Korger
Vice Captains:
Keira Andryc
Nate Lonergan
ART CAPTAIN:
Zoe Williams
MUSIC CAPTAIN:
Chloe Bobermien
LIBRARY CAPTAIN:
Kaitlyn Martin|
Evie Bartolic
Kate O’Callaghan
SPORT CAPTAINS:
Jack Finnila
Kobe Morgan
CHAPEL CAPTAINS:
Jessica Kent
Alex Davis
CLASS AMBASSADORS
We pray you have a wonderful year assisting and guiding students.
Dear Parklands Family,
In the lead up to Easter, I would like to reflect on what Easter might mean to us both as individuals, and as a community. And I’m talking about the real Easter, not the hot cross bun, commercial version. I’m talking about that time of year when we think about Jesus death and resurrection. No hype, no gimmicks, just the recorded historical account of the last days of Jesus. I believe that Easter is the single most significant day on the Christian Calendar, and represents a time for us all to pause and consider what the cross really means.
The cross is a symbol that is easily recognized all around the world, and elicits many different spiritual responses. For me, when I see the cross, I observe a symbol of hope born from tragedy and sacrifice. 2000 years ago, the son of God hung on a Roman cross and died as a symbol of God’s great love for me, and all humanity. It’s a confronting story, and I think it’s meant to be. Jesus died, terribly (Matthew 27: 32-56). Yet three days later He rose again (Luke 24). It’s a story full of terror and joy both, yet it is ultimately a story of perfect love.
As I have read the Bible over the past 32 years, I have learned about a God who created the Universe and everything in it, and yet this same awesome and powerful God who is vast beyond human comprehension is intimately interested in my life, and concerned about me and my connection with Him. He is so concerned in fact, that He sent a part of Himself to live and die among us so we might know His love and be in perfect relationship with Him. It sounds amazing and crazy right?
I didn’t always believe the stories of the Bible, let’s face it at surface level some of them are downright strange and miraculous. I totally understand why some people look at the Bible in utter bewilderment or outright disbelief. The stories are strange at first glance and defy logic. They are often logic bending, counter cultural, and just impossible. Yet, I have come to believe that the collection of stories that make up our Bible are indeed miraculous and strange, and quite rightly so. The author after all doesn’t play by the same rules of time and physics that we do. The author of all creation has a few tricks up His sleeve, that won’t make sense until the story is ended and the narrative is complete.
Despite the amazing and the miraculous, what is clear to me is that God loves us. It’s a perpetual theme of scripture that doesn’t let up for thousands of years. God loves His people, that’s you and me. He loves us no matter what we have done, thought or said. And although the story of His son’s life and death seems improbable, and downright impossible, it happened and it changed the world. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son…” (John 3:16). God did this for you and me, and all of humanity, past present and future. And this miracle, this impossibility that defies logic is symbolized by a simple yet symbolically powerful cross. A symbol of love.
As we approach Easter, what does the cross mean to you? I pray that we might all take the time to reflect on the Easter story and consider its meaning.
Gary Cully
Principal
Promo Poster – Shave for a cure
Powerpoint size promo poster – Shave for a cure
Mr Leembruggen (Lead Teacher of HPE and Sports Coordinator in the Secondary college) is currently running a Shave for a Cure campaign, to raise awareness and funds for the Leukaemia Foundation after his son’s recent diagnosis. The Year 12 cohort and the Lead Teachers in Secondary are pleased to host a very special a fundraising event on Thursday 1st April 2021, throughout the annual Cross-Country Carnival. Throughout carnival day, four key activities will be occurring to raise money to contribute to Mr Leembruggen’s Shave for a Cure campaign.
Activity 1: Accessorise! During the cross country carnival this year, students are encouraged to add accessories to their outfit in the colours of ORANGE and BLUE, the colours of the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave. Paint your nails blue, add orange ribbons or zinc! To do this, students must bring a gold coin donation.
Activity 2: Food for sale! The Year 12 PC class will be selling a range of food items on the day! Please see next page for a price list. There’s no need to pre-order, and all who attend the carnival (spectators, students and staff) are welcome to purchase.
Activity 3: Coloured Hairspray! The PCC Outreach Club will be providing orange and blue hairspray options for $2. Come and get some stripes, zig zags or polka dots!
Activity 4: Shave event! ALL the Lead Teachers and Year 12 PC Teachers in Secondary school have agreed to either shave or colour their hair in support of the campaign and the Leembruggen family – you’ll have to see who’s doing what on the day! Please use the link below to donate directly to the campaign, to sponsor Mr Leembruggen and the Lead Teachers. Cash donations can also be made on the day to the Year 12 food tent. Two professional barbers have kindly donated their time to complete this activity safety. This activity will occur straight after the Cross Country carnival, on the top oval. Bonus Activity: Mr Leembruggen will also be making a special appearance, and will be shaving his very long & scruffy grown beard as well!
Food Tent Price List:
Pre-ordering is not necessary, just arrive on the day and purchase. All spectators, students and staff are welcome to purchase from the Food Tent, which will be situated on the top oval from 8.30am. All profits from this stall will be donated to Mr Leembruggen’s Shave for a Cure campaign. Use the link below if you would like to donate directly:
https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=803260
For more information, please contact Kristie Schulz (Lead Teacher of Maths and Science in Secondary) at kschulz@parklands.qld.edu.au.
As our year continues into March, our journey through this year brings new and exciting developments.
The relocation of our Collaborative Centre has been completed, and students and staff have taken up residency from the beginning of week 5. Full classes are now functioning in the space, and the building is the Pastoral Care home for year 9 students. Along with year 9, the Collaboration Centre houses our STEM and Engineering programs.
Our Humanities and Arts staff are also in the building, having moved in during week four. Altogether, the Collaboration centre services 15 staff at various times of the week, becoming a truly collegial space for teamwork for staff and students.
I have also found a new home with my office moving to the same building. I am looking forward to a closer connection with staff and students moving forward.
Further developments are happening with the creation of a pathway linking the Collaboration Centre with the Technology Shed and Baskerville Sports Centre.
Our secondary students have been making use of the Library space during their break times. Students have been welcomed in during the second break, and have enjoyed the quiet retreat space and the opportunity to read, with students from years 7 to 12 accessing the many sitting spaces contained within.
Going forward, students in year 7 and 8 English are going to have specific English lessons held in the library space as we continue to build and promote the love of reading.
(We have staff enjoying the quiet space also!)
As we enter the second half of term 1, there are going to be assessments that are due. A schedule of dates was sent home at the beginning of term, and due dates for assessments should also be found on the subject websites. Students are encouraged to list their assessments in their diaries and on their calendars.
Through Middle School, assessment is sent home for our core subjects:
The opportunity is there for students to work on other assessments at home, but there is also class time given to their completion.
If students are struggling to complete assessment there are a number of strategies that could assist them:
An assessment journey is a reflection of learning. It is conducted over a long journey of experiences, with the end goal to be the improvement of student learning. We encourage students to complete their assessment to the best of their ability. We look for opportunity to celebrate their success and improvements, and we review assessment to look at progressing in the future.
Year 7 are currently halfway through term one.
It feels crazy for me to say that, as it feels like we have just welcomed 60 new faces into our Secondary school, but our beautiful Year 7’s have been here for five weeks now.
During the first weeks of term, Year 7 have fearlessly worked towards being prepared for class, moving around the college campus and setting up homework and assignment structures at home. I have had many wonderful talks with students about their budding curiosity in their school subjects and have enjoyed watching the students feel the ‘spark of joy’ in their learning.
I have encouraged the year 7’s to continue to show our Year 7 motto and college values as they move into the busy assessment season of term. Please talk to your child about how they are going to be prepared for the upcoming busy weeks of term.
Note – More about this below
It has been fantastic to see the Year 7’s using their diaries in their lessons.
Please remember to look at your child’s diary in the afternoon and discuss what homework and assignments they have to complete. This is building their time management and organisational skills to prepare for Senior Schooling and the workforce.
Miss Abby Dixon facilitates Zenith Club, an afterschool homework and study club where students have access to a safe, productive and quiet learning space to work on homework and assessment. Our teachers and Senior leaders volunteer their time to mentor and tutor younger students and assist them in preparing for their classes.
Zenith runs from 3.30 – 4.30pm in the Vocational Centre, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Miss Dixon can be emailed regarding this club adixon@parklands.qld.edu.au)
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
A Teacher’s Ten Study Tips for Middle School Students
https://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-middle-school/3521-study-skills-for-middle-school-students/
A lot of us grew up with detention in school – I know I did. Detention is typically a place where a student will sit for a period of time and a) do nothing, b) write lines, c) pick up rubbish or some other task under supervision. Usually these tasks have very little learning attached to them and is more about wasting a student’s own time for their misconduct.
As an RTP Facilitator, one of the misconceptions that I often hear is that the RTC is for “naughty” students and sometimes the RTC is perceived as a “detention” for these naughty students to come and be punished. When one looks from the outside in, with little education or understanding around the RTC, I understand how people can perceive the RTC to be this way. A child demonstrates a disruptive behaviour and leaves the classroom to attend the RTC due to this. Sounds like detention or punishment right? Wrong.
Detention has a negative connotation attached to it, where the RTC rather, is a space for students to learn responsibility, self-control and to devise strategies for positive life choices. It is very different to a detention as the student is thinking, self- reflecting, learning to think from another person’s perspective and developing a plan for future.
Where staff would usually supervise a detention, the RTP Facilitators exist to provide emotional support, to positively challenge and coach students through this process and then support them to re-engage in class and put their plan into place. Very different to detention.
To find out more about the responsible thinking process please go to our website at http://parklands.qld.edu.au/behaviour-education-rtp/
Conflict is a normal part of life. Teaching our kids how to resolve some of these friendship conflicts at school can be as simple as practicing these 8 steps:
How can you help your child resolvefriendship concerns?
Encourage them to try the ‘Friendship 8’
Ask them to let you know how they went and praise them for successfully putting these strategies into practice.
Remind your child about the importance of forgiveness and moving on.
Encourage your child to talk to their teacher if they have tried these friendship steps and still have been unable to resolve it.
If your child has been through these steps OR the seriousness warrants, encourage your child to report to the RTC.
Throughout the term teachers send the RTP Facilitators positive feedback about students via our Operation Snippet initiative. Staff members can also be sent snippets from other staff, students and parents. If you would like to honour any staff member in the school for their hard work please send a snippet to rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au or ajackman@parklands.qld.edu.au and we will make sure that it is passed on as a lego block.
Here are some great snippets we have had the privilege of giving to a student and staff member.
“This student did an excellent job reading this morning during a reading comprehension assessment. I am proud of the effort he gave to both his reading and to trying words he did not recognise.”
“Thank you for all of the time and effort you give to your staff. I feel grateful for the support that you give to me personally and I’m sure that many others feel the same. Thank you for your kindness and for seeing the best in people. It’s a pleasure working with you.”
Thank you for supporting this initiative and for helping us build each other up.
The Silent Signals are a way for our primary students to silently communicate with their classmates and teachers during class, without disrupting the lesson. Students may ask their teacher a question using the rocket hand, ask to go to the toilet or ask their neighbour to please be silent so they can listen. We encourage our students to try these out and you may even like to practice these at home. Talk to your child today if you would like to practice the Silent Signals at home.
Scroll down to see examples of the silent signals students have created to help them communicate with each other and the teacher more effectively.
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new Sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Dear Parklands Family,
I know I write about this every year, but I just love our Back to School BBQ and events like it. For those who didn’t attend, on Monday afternoon we had almost 200 parents plus children descend on the College to connect with our community and catch-up with staff. Our student leaders and volunteers served food and drinks while staff caught up with parents for an unhurried chat outdoors. We don’t often get chances like these to just socialize, and I appreciate these relaxed moments to simply get to know people better.
Toward the end of every year, I conduct many, many enrolment interviews and welcome dozens of new students to Parklands. During these interviews I get a brief snapshot into the lives of our prospective students and their families. It’s wonderful to be able to re-connect with these families in the New Year and see their children in our uniform happily playing with new friends. And it’s also nice to see our new families finding new friends and connecting with our culture.
This year, we are cautiously planning to conduct all of our favorite events that our community have grown to love. These events are designed to connect staff, students and parents as well as promote friendships between long term and new families. An increasing number of our students study at Parklands for up to 13 years, representing a solid amount of time in which to invest in relationships and belong to our community. I invite all of our families to come to as many events as you can and find a place at Parklands.
2021 has already come with its share of challenges. A COVID-19 vaccine is just around the corner, but it may be a while yet before we see our nation safely vaccinated. To this end, I invite us all to be vigilant, stay safe and keep healthy. Please be mindful of restriction in our community, and play your part to keep us and our school safe. Parents, whenever you are on site, please keep socially distanced and wash your hands. Drop and go as much as possible, and if you or your children are sick, please stay home.
I look forward to seeing you all throughout the year. If you ever have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to email me or make an appointment. I am out and about most mornings, welcoming students as they start their day. Feel free to find me as I wonder around, I welcome the connection.
Gary Cully
Principal
eSafety are offering a new parent webinar series in 2021 – eSafety’s guide to cyberbullying and online drama. We are encouraging parents in our school community to join one of the free webinars to learn how we can help young people develop the skills to be safer online.
esafety.gov.au/sid
eSafety are offering a new parent webinar series in 2021 – eSafety’s guide to cyberbullying and online drama. We are encouraging parents in our school community to join one of the free webinars to learn how we can help young people develop the skills to be safer online.
esafety.gov.au/sid
Welcome to our 2021 school year!
Eph 5:18b-19 “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms & hymns & spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.”
Welcome again to 2021! This year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. There are lots of ways for your child to be involved in music at Parklands, and our prayer is that they would learn not only the technical skills of playing instruments & singing, but that they would also come to do what the above verse says, making music in their hearts to the Lord. What better way to live!
Most Instrumental music lessons have commenced in week 2 of Term 1, with the exception of Give It A Go! lessons which will commence in week 3. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals are also beginning in the first few weeks of Term 1, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band which will commence in Term 2. Primary Choirs & Wind Ensemble will commence in week 3, while Secondary Choir is scheduled to begin in week 2.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3)
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6)
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12)
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience)
– Give It A Go! Band (Year 4, beginner band for woodwind, brass & percussion students in the GIAG programme)
All Choirs are open to students regardless of whether or not they’re having lessons, and no experience is necessary. The Give It A Go! Band is generally reserved for students in the Give It A Go! Programme as it caters for beginner students. Students wanting to play in the Wind Ensemble should consider having lessons either at school or outside of school to improve their skills.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year. Emails will be going home to Year 4 students in the next few weeks with more information, but this is an exciting development in our Give It A Go! Band Programme. If you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please read the point 1 below regarding costs & inclusions.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
Year 7 have officially started the academic year!
This year as a part of orientation, students, their Pastoral Care teachers, Mr. Elvery, Mrs. Braun, as well as the student’s main subject teachers had two days of connection, learning about Secondary school and fun.
The students, in their Pastoral Care classes participated in activities designed to form connections and bond as a class and cohort, as well as establish powerful relationships with their teachers. They went on a scavenger hunt around the college with Mr. Elvery, played games and bonded with their Pastoral Care teacher and discussed their goals for the year and received their Year 7 wristband with Mrs. Braun.
The students were also immersed in the setting up of iPads, learning to use their new college diary and the processes and daily organisation needed in Secondary.
Being organised and prepared for class can be a struggle for many Year 7 students. Previously, they may have had a tidy tray or place in a single classroom to keep their belongings. Whereas, now they are moving around classrooms, carrying materials required for a morning, middle and afternoon session, and remembering different subject requirements for different days.
Some ideas to help organise your child are to:
Being organised is a skill and healthy habit that takes time and a lot of practice. You child will need a lot of help, a lot of reminders and a lot of love to develop this skill.
Thank you to the many parents and students who attended the annual Back to School Barbeque on Monday night. It was wonderful to meet and connect with so many families within our college.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Welcome back to a great year. All students are now on site and working through timetabled lessons after our orientation programs have been completed. It is great to see year 9 back after their camp, which was a great success.
Camp was a great experience for the students. We had 76 students enjoying the fun and challenge of the Bornhoffen Camp grounds for three days – great way to spend the first three days of Year 9.
Students got to experience Abseiling, High Ropes, Team Building activities, Low Ropes course, and a Creek Walk activity through rocks and rapids. Students were challenged to push themselves past fears of heights, and to work together to successfully navigate various obstacles and challenges.
Alongside this were the evening games of Spotlight and Sardines, and the creation and cooking of damper through the middle of intermittent rain. (A massive thank you to Mr Braun for braving the rain to save the fire and the damper). The cook-up was a great success in the end.
A special thanks to the staff who assisted with the camp. Mrs Folcher, Mrs Harder, Mrs Crook, Mr Prevett, and especially Mr Braun for leading the camp. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
It is important to keep open lines of communication regarding the learning journeys of your children. We, as a college, are here to assist your child’s learning to the best of our ability. But it is a team effort. You know your child best, and we are here to work with you for the best outcomes.
If you need to contact a teacher, the best method is an email directly to them. If you have questions or concerns regarding homework, assessment, or student progress, please feel free to email and our teachers will be only too happy to answer.
There will be two sessions this year to be able to connect with your child’s teachers in person: beginning of term 2 and term 3. I would encourage you to take the time when this occurs to meet with the teachers and discuss together the pathway to success that you can help us to create.
Our year 9 students start the journey of elective subjects this year – subjects which they have chosen to suit their own personal learning journey. Sometimes these selections can be made incorrectly, and a realisation comes that ‘I wish I was in a different subject’. Students have until the end of week 3 (Feb 12) to submit a change-of-subject form and talk with me about their change of subject. This form requires a parent signature also, so they will talk with you about it.
Students will be notified of the approval via email, and will be free to attend the new subject from that point onwards. Past the cut-off date, students are committing to a full semester of study, with the next opportunity for change available in the beginning of term 3 (July).
It was fantastic being able to see so many families last week as they dropped their kids back to school. Such a great way to start the year having a 3-day week to ease the kids back into those early wake-up calls! They all seemed to settle quickly back into the school routine.
I love how our community really is able to connect together at events like the “Back to School BBQ”. There were so many new families and heaps of familiar faces there that we were able to say hello and have a chat with. Having a strong connection with each other is what our school is all about. Apart from learning of course!
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. If you would like to be kept updated on all things Friendlies just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Welcome back, I trust you took the opportunity to meet the Primary teachers at the Back to School BBQ, to ‘settle in’ and become accustomed to Parkland’s processes and procedures?
A special ‘Welcome’ to all our new parents and students. If unsure about anything, please feel free to ask a teacher, TA, Student Services, RTC or myself.
In wishing to keep all our students safe, here is a reminder of what we do to make the “Drop Off”’ process easier, quicker and more practical for parents: In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘Prep drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Year 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the stairs, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even having to get out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Year 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off or parking procedures where students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. If using the Drop Off Area just past the Pedestrian Crossing, please don’t leave your car or park in any of these Drop Off bays. Parents are reminded not to drop off students on the bend near the top exit gate of the Rosia Rd Car Park. If crossing the internal road, please only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing!
ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, where parents may park in any available bay and go and collect students from Prep to Yr. 6 Classrooms or Playground. Students are asked to remain in the Undercover Area until 3.30pm unless collected by a guardian or older sibling. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage!
On arrival in the morning, students are to put their bags in the port racks outside their classroom and then make their way to the supervised Undercover Area where they can play games and be ready for the start of day.
In the afternoon students can be collected, signed out on the iPads from 2.30pm onwards in the Undercover Area.
We ask that no students leave the Undercover Area on their own, without a guardian or older sibling BEFORE 3.30pm.
In wishing to give students the opportunity to eat and play through their day, we’ve extended the morning break time to match lunch, being 30 minutes. Students will sit and eat their food in the Undercover Area for 15 minutes before being released to go and play for the remainder of both breaks.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or to mix and match their academic with sport uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch and water bottles are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
We are very excited to announce the continuation of AUSLAN (sign language) in Years 5 to 8 at Parklands. Dr. Beth Tailby, a completely DEAF, very accomplished Auslan teacher will be presenting lessons to the Primary Yr. 5 & 6 students on a Thursday for a semester each.
Students will learn the alphabet, numbers etc. and the basic art of being able to sign!
‘Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication’.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimizing the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”.
On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us.
Products with a “may contain traces of nuts” warning is ok to bring to school but just should not be shared. In this instance, also remind students to wash their hands after eating such products! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard. Please don’t hesitate to ask a teacher or staff member if there is ANYTHING you need clarified!
Looking forward to a great year of working together!
Thank you
Bus letter to parents back to school
Bus Queensland Pty Ltd, in partnership with TransLink has bus runs that run to and from Parklands Christian College – information can be found on the website https://www.busqld.com.au/school )
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Parklands OSHC will be open for bookings for the upcoming September Vacation Care School Holidays. If you would like a booking form please don’t hesitate to contact us on: 3297 0577 or email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com or pop on down to the service to see our friendly staff situated in the prep building area.
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2021 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Welcome to 2021! This year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. There are lots of ways for your child to be involved in music at Parklands.
Most Instrumental music lessons will commence from week 2 of Term 1, with the exception of Give It A Go! lessons which will commence in week 3. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will also begin within the first few weeks of Term 1, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band which will commence in Term 2. Further information from Ensemble & Choir directors will be available closer to these start dates.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3)
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6)
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12)
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience)
We are sad to say farewell to Miss Laura Butler, who has been teaching voice at Parklands in 2020. All the students have thoroughly enjoyed their lessons with her & will carry fond memories along with the vocal technique she taught them. We are currently seeking to engage a new voice teacher in 2021; existing students will be notified when lessons are able to resume.
We’re excited to be welcoming our next group of Give It A Go! students this year. Emails will be going home to Year 4 students in the next few weeks with more information, but this is an exciting development in our Give It A Go! Band Programme. If you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please read the point 1 below regarding costs & inclusions.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $400 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4 & would like to be involved, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, voice, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano, guitar & voice. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded below, and are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
The tuckshop will be open EVERY day this year, Monday-Friday!
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
This year we will be starting a United Sports League with several other schools from around the region. Details are as follows.
When: Weeks 3-9, Monday afternoons
Divisions: Juniors (7/8), Intermediate (9/10), Senior (11/12) boys and girls team for each division
Time: Games will start at approximately 3:45pm. Up to 3 rounds if needed.
When: Weeks 3-9, Thursday afternoons
Divisions: Primary (Year 5/6)
Time: Games will start at approximately 3:45pm
Students will need to trial for USL touch. The same team will be used for the CSSAQ touch football competition in March. Year 7/8 will trial on Week 1 during Wednesday afternoon sport. Year 9-12 will trial in Week 2 during Wednesday afternoon sport.
During Wednesday sport this term, the USL touch football teams will be training. Seniors will be off campus for recreational activities. Year 7-9 will be doing sport rotations in the BSC and outdoor courts.
Week 2 – Tuesday 2 February at Parkinson Aquatic Centre. Please see the home comm for more information.
Check out our PCC Sport website for a full calendar of sporting events.
We welcome Mr Chase Werner as our new Primary PE teacher.
Mr Daniel Millward is acting Lead Teacher of PE and Sport as Mr Joshua Leembruggen will be on leave.
Fitness – 7:30 – 8:15am Monday & Friday with Mr Max Volau
Gym – Tuesday & Friday 7:30-8:15am with Mr Millward (Year 10-12)
Wednesday 4:30 – 4:30pm Girls Only with Mrs Harder (Year 10-12)
As the students would say; “Only a few more sleeps to go to the start of school”
I trust you have had a blessed festive season, a good school holiday and are looking forward to the start of the school term?
As per QLD Government Health requirements, this year again we are asking that parents not come on campus, unless absolutely necessary – excluding the First Day! We do understand that parents will be dropping off their children’s stationery boxes and taking students to new classrooms, so need to come on site (of course!).
Apart for Prep and all new parents, we are asking that parents kindly just drop off their children in the car park “drop off area”, like they did last year and then look to leave at your earliest convenience.
Parent Class Assistance and Support will not be encouraged at the start of the year, until we know more about the Covid plans, prescribed by QLD Health.
As swimming is off site, and the Aquatic Centre has their own COVID process and procedures, parents are allowed and encouraged/asked to offer their time, support and assistance!
ALL the ‘normal’ Covid plans and procedures of WASHING HANDS regularly, using hand sanitisers, PHYSICAL DISTANCING, keeping your child home IF they are sick and getting COVID TESTED will again be enforced this year, to keep everyone safe and healthy.
Thanking you in anticipation for your understanding and support in this regard.
I hereby wish to inform you of the following staff changes this year:
Louise McNabb has resigned to take up a position at her Church in Youth ministry. Mrs Hannah Swanborough, an amazing CHC student and past intern, will replace her in Yr. 2.
Daniel Patane was approached and has accepted a position at Faith Christian School of Distance Education. He’ll be replaced by Mrs Sharlene Bowater, a wonderful and regular supply teacher with us.
Clara Needs, after having been at Parklands for both her schooling life and then 10 years of teaching, has decided to have a break and change of direction for her career. She’ll be replaced by Mrs Melissa Wilson, who’ll go into Yr. 3 while Mr. Simon Ashley moves to Yr. 5.
Ben Lewis, was approached by Westside Christian College, where he previously went to school and worked, to come back and accept a Secondary PE teaching position. Mr Chase Werner has been appointed to take Primary Sport and PE to the next level.
Primary Chapels have been moved to a Wednesday afternoon and will hopefully resume sometime soon again when Government COVID restrictions are relaxed. We will inform parents and students of the occurrence, once we know more.
Term 1 PE Swimming Lessons for Years 1-6 will now take place in weeks 3-8 on a Monday for Yr. 3, 4 and 5 and on a Tuesday for Yr. 1, 2 and 6.
Prep swimming lessons will take place in term 3.
We again will not have Morning Assemblies in the Under Cover Area and students are asked to be collected directly from classrooms at 3.10pm of an afternoon (unless picked up during Structured Play time).
If not yet, very shortly you should be receiving the teachers ‘Welcome Letter’ informing you who your child’s teacher will be. If you haven’t received this informative email by Monday 25th Jan, would you please contact Nancy Abolins on 33804200 or via email on nabolins@parklands.qld.edu.au
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying and working through the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that students are with the right teacher and classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process. Please bear in mind that friendships aren’t the main reason for class placements, being with the teacher that best suits their learning style is the key factor!
A reminder, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
Here is a reminder of what we do to make the ‘Drop Off’ process easier, quicker, efficient and more practical for parents: In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Grade 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the gate, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even getting out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their normal day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Grade 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off / parking procedures and students can individually walk up or be escorted up to their classroom/undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. Please don’t leave your car or park in any of the Drop Off bays past the Pedestrian Crossing. ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, of being collected from classrooms at 3.10pm, unless collected during Structured Play time. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard.
Students will be informed (according to their time table) as to which days they need to wear Sport or Academic uniform! Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC / Uniform Store staff or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch bottles/boxes are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
| Year | Teacher |
| Prep F | Mrs Kerry Foster |
| Prep H | Mrs Sarah Hope |
| Yr 1 C | Mrs Kelly Clausen |
| Yr 1 D | Mrs Dayna Davis |
| Yr 2 K | Mrs Julie Koplick |
| Yr 2 S | Mrs Hannah Swanborough |
| Yr 3 K | Mr Joshua Kennedy |
| Yr 3 W | Mrs Melissa Wilson |
| Yr 4 B | Mr Michael Bradshaw |
| Yr 4 S | Mrs Sharlene Bowater |
| Yr 5 A | Mr Simon Ashley |
| Yr 5 E | Mrs Lisa Edwards |
| Yr 6 B | Mrs Jessica Bourchier |
| Yr 6 H | Mr Mark Holman |
Please note first day procedures are subject to change due to current Government COVID-19 health guidelines
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2021 Academic Year. Amidst the busyness and bustle of welcoming back our students this year, Parklands Christian College will turn 20 years old! Throughout the year, we will be celebrating turning 20 by remembering our foundations and the people and events that touched our lives throughout our history. I am excited and privileged to be able to tell our story and to remember pioneers and milestone that contributed to the wonderful College we have today.
With 44 students, a handful of faithful teachers and staff, and a desire to serve the families of Logan City, Parklands opened its doors in January 2001. In the first few years, our fledgling school operated from within the facilities of Parklands Christian Church, our neighbour and partner in ministry.
Over the next 20 years, Parklands acquired land of its own and served our local community faithfully, expanding its enrolled number of students to 750 across 2 streams P-12, with in excess of 125 staff. To this day, it is the desire of the College to reach more of our local community, and serving the increasingly diverse and complex needs of children, young people and their families in Logan City.
It has always been our desire to understand the needs of our local community and provide programs and facilities that connect with our community. In alignment with the demographic, interests and needs of our local population, and in consultation with our partner church ministry which has served Logan since 1984, we continue to develop a school that provides a quality education and:
As our site grows and develops, we praise God for His provision and faithfulness, and we are proud to serve our community in His name. Furthermore, we are committed to provide a school environment that celebrates diversity and cares for its students, staff and families. We trust that over the next 20 years, as our community grows and our site develops, that Parklands would continue to be a place where countless families will find a great education in a community full of love, acceptance and care.
Gary Cully
Principal
2021 Academic Year
As you return to our site in week 1, you may notice a few exciting changes around our site. As we prepare for our future building program, we have removed three demountable buildings, two of which have been placed on Church property. Our BSC floor is also getting a face-lift, as did our tech shed, and a BMX track receiving its finishing touches down near the dam, below the Cully Hospitality Centre. It’s been a busy holiday break, and there are a few more things to do throughout the year.
As we re-start the school year, we are mindful that COVID-19 is still a presence in our community, and as such we will need to be vigilant, stay healthy and be prepared to act should a future lock-down and disruption impact our community. Please stay up to date with the latest health information, and College community updates.
I look forward to seeing you all on site soon.
Gary Cully
Principal
WEEK 1: MONDAY 10/1/22 10.00am – 4.30pm, TUESDAY 11/1/22 10.00am – 4.30pm and THURSDAY 13/1/22 10.00am – 4.30pm.
WEEK 2: MONDAY 17/1/22 10.00am – 4.30pm, TUESDAY 18/1/22 10.00m – 4.30pm, WEDNESDAY 19/1/22 10.00m – 4.30pm and THURSDAY 20/1/22 10.00am – 4.30pm.
To book an appointment please go to:
https://calendly.com/uniforms/uniform-back-to-school-appointments
1. Choose your date and time then click Confirm.
Please do not book more than 3 appointment time slots per family.
2. Enter your name, email address and contact phone number then click Schedule Event.
3. Your appointment time will be emailed to you automatically.
(Check your junk mail folder if you do not receive your email).
4. To Schedule another Event for additional times, repeat process
5. To Cancel or Reschedule appointments – click on the link in your confirmation email. .
Uniform Shop location and parking: 24 Hillcrest Rd, Park Ridge
(located on the left hand side, at the end of Hillcrest Road)
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
/PCCUniforms
Purchase Uniforms Online
Uniforms can now be purchased online through QuickCliq.com.au
2021 TERM 1 SIGN UP ON NOW
FREE HOTSHOTS TRIAL LESSON
A new Sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis.
Come along for a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Welcome back to the new school year! Praying that you all had some time to relax with your families and friends over the holidays. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again and having the opportunity to meet some of our new families who have joined our school community.
If you are new to our school and wondering what The Friendlies are all about, we are what some schools might call their P&C committee. We are committed to loving, encouraging, and caring for all of our school community in practical ways. Our mission statement is “The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another”.
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. If you would like to be kept updated on all things Friendlies just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Dear Parklands Family,
Congratulations for making it through to the end of the 2020 Academic Year. As you start your holiday break, and head toward Christmas, I pray that your family find the time to re-connect and wind down. I love this time of year, and I love spending Christmas with my family. Our last few Christmases were spent on one island or another in the Philippines, soaking up the sun and the sand. While I loved having Christmas in a different and somewhat exotic location, what made it special was having my wife and kids (and a few good friends) with me, enjoying their company and sharing the adventure.
Having family close by makes any location “home”, and even though families can’t always spend Christmas together, I think most of us are always thinking about loved ones near and far during the festive season. This year I get to have most of my family come to me. My house will be a busy mess as I attempt to house, feed and entertain my siblings and parents, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
During this Christmas Break, please know that I will be thinking of our College Family as well. This year, I have re-appreciated the value of belonging to an extended school family, and have loved my interactions within the school. At the end of this year we said goodbye to our Year 12 students, and sent them into the world as prepared as we could possible make them. Feeling like pseudo parents, we watched them go with great expectation for an exciting future, a little sadness and anxiety, and our prayers and best wishes.
This year we also welcomed new members to our College Family, and I have loved watching our staff embrace our newest members with love and care. I was touched to see more than a few tears as students and teachers parted at the end of the year, with promises that they would see each other soon, and to stay safe! I suspect that even the most determined and grumpy teen will be looking forward to re-connecting with staff and fellow students in the New Year.
No matter your plans for this season, I pray you find the time to really appreciate your family and friends. May your Christmas celebration in 2020 be a blessing to you all, and may God grant you peace and rest despite the sometimes hectic nature of the holiday season. On Christmas Day, please stop and pause and consider the miracle of Christmas, and the giving of God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus.
Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Whatever tradition or routine you follow, God calls you to celebrate His love for us this Christmas, and welcomes you into His family. He is our great, Heavenly Father and His love is unending.
I trust you will have a great Christmas, and I look forward to welcoming you back in late January. May God bless you and keep you these holidays.
Gary Cully
Principal
In Term 1, 2021 Parklands will get involved in the inaugural United Sports League (USL) competition. USL will be for both primary (Thursday afternoons) and secondary (Monday afternoons) students. We are very excited for this opportunity and will aim to field teams in all divisions. Wednesday sport for secondary and Tuesday structured play will be used as training and preparation for the competition.
The United Sports League aims to provide students an opportunity to play in a weekly sporting competition that is of high quality and promotes individual growth, community and connection with other like-minded students and schools.
Below is the schedule for the year.
| Term | Sport | Venue | Divisions | Gender |
| 1 | Touch | Parklands Christian College | Primary (5/6), Juniors (7/8), Intermediate (9/10), Senior (11/12) | Boys
Girls |
| 2 | Basketball | TBA | Primary (5/6), Juniors (7/8), Intermediate (9/10), Senior (11/12) | Boys
Girls |
| 3 | Netball | TBA | Primary (5/6), Juniors (7/8), Intermediate (9/10), Senior (11/12) | Girls |
| 3 | Soccer | TBA | Primary (5/6), Juniors (7/8), Intermediate (9/10), Senior (11/12) | Boys
Girls |
In 2021 we welcome two new staff to the Sport & Physical Education Department. Mr Max Volau comes on as our coach and Mr Josiah McCarthy comes as our new Sports Operations Officer. We had them answer some questions to help get to know them better.
Last week two former Broncos players Matt Gillett and Jack Reed came to PCC to run a rugby league skills session with our 6H and 6B classes. This is all thanks to funding through the Sporting Schools program. The students were excited to learn off the players and test their skills against other class mates. Well done to Eleanor Krueger, Nic Emblem and Caitlyn Cresswell for receiving the Best Attitude Awards chosen by the Broncos players.
Do you feel loved when someone offers to take you out for a coffee? Or what about if they clean your house? Maybe if they straight out let you know that they love you? Knowing someone’s love language allows us the secret to making the people we care about know that we love them. What about your kids? How do they express and receive love?
As we head into the holidays and time with our families, consider how you can let your children know how you feel about them. If your child responds to words of affirmation, actions will not speak louder than words. Just by hearing the words ‘I love you’ can instantly make them feel loved. The words of affirmation child loves to be complimented and to hear that they are doing a good job and how. Maybe write them a note and let them know that you love them and what it is that you love about them.
A quality time person feels loved when they have your undivided attention. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like sitting down with them and asking them how they are. You may like to consider taking your child/ren out for a milkshake or baby chino, just you and them, or setting aside a time when they can choose the activity. It doesn’t have to cost a thing, even a walk or a trip to the park. Either way it’s about saying I’m making time to for you.
Perhaps your child responds well to receiving gifts. This does not necessarily mean that you need to be continually buying them things to let them know that you love them. This child loves the thoughtfulness and care behind a gift, so it may be picking a flower for them or making them something simple such as a card or scrap book of memories. Even though it may drive you crazy at times, let your child keep mementos from special occasions like napkins or stones. Whatever it may be, it’s simply something that says I was thinking about you.
If your child is an acts of service person then hopefully they will recognise your love for them every day in all that you do for them! But acts of service does not necessarily mean you have to do everything for them. Make your acts of service personal to this child. Perhaps cooking their favourite meal just for them or help them out with their assigned chore. You might like to work on building something together. This child feels loved when you take the time to do something as an act of love specifically for them.
To the child who experiences love through physical touch it’s pretty straightforward – nothing says I love you like cuddles, kisses, back rubs or holding their hand. But what about as your child becomes a teenager and suddenly your kisses and hugs seem unwanted or awkward to them? Especially in public! Because this child still experiences love by physical touch it’s important not to stop doing these things, but instead keep it age appropriate. When you are talking to your child sit next to them, maybe put your arm around them or rub them on the back. Physical presence is vital for this child.
To find out more about the 5 love languages, or to take the quiz to find out what your child’s love language is go to http://www.5lovelanguages.com/
I thought I’d include a link to ‘5 Principles to Stay Safe Online‘ resource for parents that you can share.
Have a safe and happy Christmas and we look forward to 2021.
Ring a bell, a wind chime, or anything else that creates a long trailing sound. Ask each child to listen, and silently raise their hand when they can no longer hear the sound. After the ringing ends, ask the children to continue listening to any other sounds they can hear for the next minute. When the minute ends, go around the room asking everyone to tell you what sounds they heard.
Reach Out Worry Time Helps control anxiety by scheduling worry so that it is confined to a specific time each day. (Free)
MindShiftIncludes strategies to relax and develop more helpful ways of thinking. (Free)
UniThriveIncludes self-care notices, gratitude and a relaxation centre (free).
@ppreciatePromotes good self-esteem and positive communication between young people.
Bully BeaterAssists teenagers to develop the skills needed to overcome a bully.
Friend MakerAssists teenagers to develop skills needed to make and keep a friend.
The Uniform Shop has now moved into the new location at the end of Hillcrest Road – 24 Hillcrest Rd.
| Monday | 8.00am - 10.00am |
| Tuesday | 2.00pm - 4.00pm |
| Thursday | 2.00pm - 4.00pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Wow, how this year has flown by! It seemed like just the other day I was welcoming this year’s Prep students and parents to the school for the first time. By the time you read this article the academic year will be finished and Christmas soon upon you.
Can I say we have had the most unusual year imaginable!
With COVID, quarantine, working from home and then all the strict COVID regulations and plans throughout this year, we have had to adapt, be flexible and just make it happen!
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the amazing teachers for their tremendous effort, dedication and support, this year!
Apart from all the ‘usual’ fun class teaching, sporting carnivals and great events, here are some features and highlights for the year:
In preparing for 2021, can we please ask that you allow the teachers, who only want the BEST for and who know your child here at school, to place them in the care of the right teacher next year? This ‘student placement process’ is taken very seriously and is extremely inclusive and involved taking into consideration factors like: academic ability & rigour, student & teacher personalities & character, social / behavioural and emotional factors, friendships, gender ratios etc.!
In the New Year, students will receive an informative “Welcome Letter” from their new 2021 class teacher notifying them as to which classroom they’ll be in. Thank you for not putting in any requests for staff or students and for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard.
– Miss McNabb has resigned and Mrs. Hannah Swanborough has been appointed to the Yr. 2 position.
– Miss Needs has resigned and Mr. Simon Ashley has moved to Yr. 5.
– Mrs. Melissa Wilson, a regular supply teacher, has been appointed to the Yr. 3 position, vacated by Mr. Ashley.
– Mr. Lewis has resigned and will be replaced by Mr. Chase Werner
– Mr. Holman (Yr 6 Teacher) will assist Mr. Jakins and take on the role of Assistant to the Head of Primary
– Mrs. Jones will be moving to the Grounds Team and Mrs. Kissick the Yr. 5 TA, (who was taking a year’s leave) will be returning to Yr. 5.
Teacher Aides for 2020 are as follows:
Prep F – Nicole Lowe, Prep H – Rachel Baskerville, Yr 1 – Angela Marsh, Yr 2 – Christine Hollenberg, Yr 3 – Sue Martin, Yr 4 – Elke Morgan, Yr 5 – Michelle Kissick, Yr 6 – Tanya Greene.
REMINDER:
Thank you everyone for your flexibility, understanding and support in making it through 2020! We wish you everything of the best for the Christmas Season and an enjoyable, safe holiday!
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday the 27th January 2021 for a fantastic New Year.
Program Information – Summer Camp
Nomination Letter – Summer Camps
Our training/come and try days are:
Tuesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for under 11
Wednesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for 12yr old and over
Thursday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for Senior players
62-82 Regency Drive, Regents Park
We accept get in the game vouchers where families are eligible.
We are on facebook and our website is www.southernstarsbaseballclub@gmail.com
Karen Gallpen
Vice President/Secretary
Southern Stars Baseball Club
0421 773 768
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Bus Queensland Pty Ltd, in partnership with TransLink, will be making several improvements to school bus services for Term 1 2021.
There is also information on our website regarding these changes. ( https://www.busqld.com.au/school )
Dear Parents & Carers
This update is provided in relation to various COVID – 19 border restriction.
As you are aware, the Queensland borders were opened to Victoria and New South Wales from 1st December 2020. The only current Queensland border restrictions relate to certain parts of South Australia. It is understood the South Australian restrictions will be reviewed by the Government later this week. See https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/border-restrictions for further details.
If you intend to travel over the Christmas Break, please be aware of border restrictions and hot spots to avoid. We want to keep our community safe and healthy, so please familiarize yourself with the latest border and hotspot information prior to travel.
This term, Year 7 students have learned about the water cycle, the value and importance of water, and some of the ways natural disasters involving water impact our lives. They have worked in small groups to research a natural disaster of their choice, and spent a few lessons creating a display to share with others. Some of the projects have utilised some very creative skills and clever fact-finding.
Congratulations to our Year 8A & 8C Business Studies classes who entered the annual “Buy Smart” competition and secured the Queensland School Champion prize.
During Term Three our Business students undertook a challenge posed by the Qld Office of Fair Trading called the “Buy Smart” competition. Students developed a creative project as assessment, to teach others about marketplace issues and their rights to help them become more informed consumers.
By becoming an informed consumer, they will have the skills and knowledge to:
The Buy Smart Competition is a way to get you thinking about these issues in a fun, creative way.
We are pleased to announce the Parklands won the overall Queensland School Champion prize and $1500. Amy Finch (8C) also took out 3rd prize in her Year 7 -9 category and won $150.
Congratulations to Miss Dixon and all students involved, we are extremely proud of your efforts.
What a year 2020 has been!
At the beginning of the year I had many wonderful plans and I will admit some of them were quite ambitious. I wanted my Year 7’s to be immersed in our Secondary community of love, to thrive as they tackled their academic studies and to be curious, creative and fearless as they flourished in 2020. As we began the journey of 2020 those plans quickly had to be put on hold.
This year has been a year of continual change, learning to be flexible, adjusting plans and building resilience.
I have been constantly amazed at how the Year 7’s have tackled the events that have come their way this year. They very quickly adjusted to Secondary College life and were practicing online learning before the end of term 1. They then spent most of term 2 learning from home via PCConline. Term 3 was disrupted by a short 2 week return to PCConline and term 4 has been a particularly busy term.
I have been so proud of the resilience the Year 7’s have develop this year. My grand plans may not have come to fruition this year, but God’s plan was greater and though this year has been tough, I have rejoiced in the community of love the students and staff have nurtured to support the Year 7’s in both their tough and joyful times this year.
Through the many challenges 2020 has brought us I have learnt some wonderful lessons from my Year 7’s:
Overall, 2020 has been a wonderful year full of laughter, joy and blessings. It has been wonderful to watch each of my Year 7’s grow into a more mature and independent young adult and I am so grateful to have spent the year with them.
I wish you and your family a blessed Christmas
I wish you and your family a blessed holiday break. May your break be a time of restoration and family connectedness as you take a reprieve from the daily routine of school runs, homework and assessments? May you have a joyful break and enjoy both spiritual and physical renewal and find rejuvenating rest in the mind and spirit of your family.
Amen
Dear Parents & Carers
This update is provided in relation to various COVID – 19 border restriction.
As you are aware, the Queensland borders were opened to Victoria and New South Wales from 1st December 2020. The only current Queensland border restrictions relate to certain parts of South Australia. It is understood the South Australian restrictions will be reviewed by the Government later this week. See https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/border-restrictions for further details.
If you intend to travel over the Christmas Break, please be aware of border restrictions and hot spots to avoid. We want to keep our community safe and healthy, so please familiarize yourself with the latest border and hotspot information prior to travel.
What an interesting year 2020 has been! There were definite challenges but nevertheless, the students continued to amaze us and we are so proud of how diligently they worked and how much they achieved.
We ended our year with our Friday Fun Day! We had a jumping castle water slide, snow cone machine, biscuit decorating and many other fun activities to keep us busy on the last day of school. We enjoyed pizza for lunch (thank you Tinson family) and ended our day with some snacks and a movie.
We cannot thank our Year 1 families enough for the tremendous support you have given us throughout the year. We are going to dearly miss our little ones and will not stop praying for them as they continue to Year 2 in 2021.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a most blessed holiday break with family.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Update from Park Ridge Transit
From Tuesday the 6th of October 2020 Park Ridge Transit will change the way that we display school route numbers on the destination signs.
They will be displayed as per the route number on the TransLink website for TransLink services. This means, am school services will be prefixed with 60__ and pm school services will be prefixed with 61__for Translink services.
For example: Instead of displaying “School Bus 33” we will now display “School Bus 6033” for the am and “School Bus 6133” for the pm.
Services from Cedar Grove (W services) will now display a prefix of 53 in the am and 63 in the pm. There are no changes to the numbers on Greenbank services.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us on (07) 3802 1233
Regards
Park Ridge TransitSchool Bus Passes for Westside Bus Company and Park Ridge Transit
Students who have a bus pass for travel will be required to obtain a new pass for the 2020 school year. If you are changing schools in 2020 (this includes moving to grade 7) or address you will need to contact our reception on (07) 3802 1233 and we will advise you of how to update your details. To avoid delays in receiving your pass we kindly request that you contact us prior to the end of the school year.
If you have no changes to your details, you will receive your new bus pass in the mail in early January.
Please note that there are limited reception facilities available at our Redbank depot and you should call before attending the depot as we maybe able to assist over the phone.
Bus Routes for Parklands
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
As the year comes towards a close we would normally be preparing for final concerts & ceremonies and we would have the opportunity to show what the students have been learning all year & how far they have progressed. While it is disappointing for them to not be able to perform live, we are planning to record some performances by the Give It A Go! Band, the Wind Ensemble & our choirs to make available electronically. Secondary Choir have already done some recording which we will hopefully be able to share with you soon.
All music lessons continue in Term 4, face-to-face on campus, until the weeks noted below. Please be assured that appropriate cleaning & distancing measures are still in place. Lesson timetables can be found on Mrs Patane’s window, or on the Instrumental Music website through the Secondary Directory.
All 2020 enrolments will automatically roll over into 2021 unless parents notify us that their child is not continuing lessons. This means that current students do not need to re-enrol for 2021. Please notify us of any withdrawals before the start of school next year.
Ensemble rehearsals will continue until the weeks noted below. Some Ensembles are active longer than others, so please check the list for your child’s group. These dates will also be communicated to students in rehearsals.
Wind Ensemble:
Give It A Go! Band:
Primary Junior Choir:
Primary Senior Choir:
Secondary Choir:
It’s never too late to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme, and enrolments are definitely open for 2021. Here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. The next Give It A Go! intake is in 2021 – offers have been sent home already & places are filling fast! Return your enrolment form ASAP to avoid disappointment!
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
Our year 9 students are a wonderful bunch of students and last term on September the 17th they embarked on a journey of service. They were out to raise money for the farmers who are struggling with drought. With an absolutely beautiful day for walking, the year 9 students began their walk from the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre and returned to school.
I am pleased to say that almost every student who participated in this event completed the full 20 km of our walking goal. This simple token of walking to raise funds is symbolic of the effort taken by our farmers who are facing drought and having it affect their livelihoods.
The money raised will go towards a registered charity Drought Angels, which is a not-for-profit organisation. Drought Angels is a charity full of BIG hearts, making a difference to Aussie farming families. They deliver support carefully wrapped with a listening ear and a warm hug, providing personalised and discreet financial assistance as their way of saying THANK YOU for all you do to put food on our tables and clothes on our backs. The Drought Angels team shares a passion for our farmers and is focused on keeping them on the land for future generations. With help, they will never be forgotten.
Through your generous donations via the Go Fund Me website and through cash donations I am pleased to say that they raised $3905.72. A thank you to the year 9 Pastoral Care Teachers Mr Braun and Mrs Crook. A thank you to Mr Elvery, Mrs Edgarton and Mrs Volkers for walking with the students the whole way. Of course a very big, “Well done!” to our year 9 students.
Connor Peacock competes in the sport of ‘Sprint Go Kart’ racing and has been racing since he was 7 years old. KA4 Junior is a highly competitive class, for kids aged 13-16 years of age and at age 11, he is the youngest person in the sports history to be competing in this category.
At age 11, Connor shows wisdom in his racing beyond his years and doesn’t allow the older kids to get the better of him. KA4 Junior has Connor racing his 100cc IAME KA100 powered Arrow X5 Go Kart, at speeds of 110kph bumper to bumper with other competitors around, just 2inches off the ground.
Over the racing year that was impacted by COVID 19, Connor still competed in 12 events at various tracks across Australia and managed to secure enough podium finishes to qualify in the top 30 kids in his class in all of QLD. This earned himself a spot at the QLD Kart Championship, which was held at his home track of Ipswich Kart Club over the October long weekend – which was a huge honour for him and an achievement in itself.
The QLD Kart Championship weekend saw Connor fight hard across 131kms of racing over 3 days and ultimately finish 10th in QLD for his class of KA4 Junior and moving him up the national rankings to stand 15th in Australia. As the youngest person to ever compete in this class at a State Championship level, Connor’s results are outstanding and something we are extremely proud of him for achieving.
Many thanks
Steven Peacock and Mr J
Year 1 has had a busy, yet fun Term 4 so far.
We are busy making memories as the end of 2020 is drawing near. Book Week was a wonderful highlight. Year 1 participated in a variety of activities in the classroom throughout the week as we enjoyed reading many of our favourite books. Dressing up as our favourite character was definitely entertaining. It is fabulous to see the children so excited about reading.
We have been revising many of our math concepts and daily math groups are keeping everyone engaged as they consolidate math skills. Our Sound and Light Unit in Science has been stretching our minds and the classes loved using mini torches while making discoveries about transparent, translucent and opaque objects.
Until next time! Take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Year 1!
Hello everyone and welcome back to term 4.
My name is Beth Tailby and I teach Auslan here at parklands on Thursday. My background has been in education for 27 years. I started as a teachers aide and then progressed to teaching, lecturing, finally receiving my PhD and working as a Principal Project Officer in EQ before returning to teaching. I lost all of my hearing about 16 years ago and slowly learned Auslan. Although I speak the same as a hearing person, I am blessed to have Auslan to fill the gaps and provide me access to conversations and give a proud identity of a Deaf Aboriginal Woman. I want to give this gift to everyone also.
Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are welcome to participate in Auslan for families on Thursday mornings at 8 am. If children wish to bring a friend they are very welcome to do so. Many Deaf and Hard of Hearing children who do not find a place within the Deaf community will find it hard to get support and access the curriculum with hearing aids or cochlear alone. When a person reads lips they only access a maximum of 30% of what is said and then have to make up the rest. This process is exhausting and will lead to fatigue and loss of information. Auslan provides a gap filler for those who are in this position. Those who are non-verbal for any reason, Auslan can provide a pathway for expression and access to their peers.
Last term we decided to introduce vocabulary in a different way. We organised with the kitchen staff to cook breakfast. Matthew and I had a ball, made a mess and ate a huge feed of pancakes. We would like to have more people participate so we can share breakfast together as a larger signing group.
Do not worry if you do not know any Auslan. It’s easy to learn. We are planning a walking weave where we walk around the school and learn relevant school based signs. We will again cook breakfast or maybe sit under a tree and have some basic conversations.
This Term I hope to see more of you there. We meet at the library at 8 am and will then take off on our Auslan adventure.
Take care everyone and again, I hope to see you all soon
Over the course of 2020 there has been a new initiative which has been started through the dedication of our College Arts Captains, Elissa Bailey and Jake West, called Open Mic. This has seen small concerts put on for students by students during break times in our Outdoor Theatre area near Student Services.
So far there have been three concerts through the year, occurring in terms 1, 3 and 4. We have had the privilege of being entertained by a variety of students from year 8 to year 12 with vocalists, instrumentalists and balladeers gracing the stage area.
We are hoping to continue the great initiative which was started this year into 2021, providing a performance opportunity for students of the Arts to entertain others within the college. Students who are interested in performing should talk with the 2021 College Arts Captains, Tori Hankins and Bryce West, or talk with Mr Elvery.
Jake West – Vocalist
Liam West – Pianist
Amy Finch – Vocalist
Dennis Popa – Piano-Accordion
Bryce West – Vocalist
Ethan Bronzi – Poet
Amelia Robertson – Vocalist and Ukulele
In acknowledgement of the difficult year our College community has endured, and in anticipation of the predicted slow recovery of our economy, Parklands has released the 2021 Fee Schedule with no overall increase. It is our hope that this small gesture will help our families prepare for the New Year with at least some good financial news. I know many of us are hoping that 2021 brings with it a little more stability to our community; I certainly am. However, if I am honest I think 2021 will bring its own challenges and trials. As I look on as England’s COVID-19 cases force another round of restrictions, I pray that Australia is spared the same fate. I would like to think that our current efforts are containing the virus and keeping us all safe, and I pray that is so next year.
There is a lot to look forward to next year and although 2020 is not yet finished, I can’t help but get a little excited for what we are doing here at Parklands. In 2021, we will commence a building program that will allow us to grow our current population of 730+ students, to a total of 1170 students. We will grow our school slowly and carefully and keep an eye on our culture over the next 13 years. Our first task will be to build an additional classroom for Prep in 2021, for occupancy in 2022 and then slowly but surely increase our student and staff population as that extra class travels all the way though to Grade 12 in 2034.
Right now we are drawing plans and asking our primary school teachers and teacher aides what they need in a modern, creative classroom space. We are asking questions about the way classes interact, how we use specialists and how we might integrate outdoor areas to complement our classroom experiences. We are excited to be building facilities that cater for both our present students and the students of the future, and we collectively dream about the place education has in the society of the future. It’s really exciting.
Amidst the discussions about buildings and the future, there are some things that will not change. Now, and into the distant future, Parklands will always be a community and family for our students. Together we will embrace the future of learning, but not at the expense of connection and our values. We will always put Christ first and aspire to be like Him (Ephesians 5:1-2). Our faith will ever be the rock on which we build our lives, and we will remain an institution that seeks to serve one another in faith, hope & love (1 Corinthians 13). Christ is our hope, and Parklands exists to lead children in “…the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Our school will, to the best of our collective ability, be a light to Logan City and a beacon of hope in a complex and sometimes hopeless world. Above all, we will remember that our school is not bricks and mortar, but the people in it.
And so as we launch into the exciting times ahead, let us all be reminded of the wonderfully unique school we have. Although we have had our challenges in 2020, our population united and together we emerged as a stronger community. And it is my prayer that as we venture into 2021 and beyond, that all of our families will experience the blessing of being part of the Parklands community.
Gary Cully
Principal
Thursday 9th October saw over 40 teams make their way to Coomera Indoor Sports Centre for the annual CSSAQ basketball competition. Parklands had teams in all 4 divisions, 2 boys and 2 girls’ teams. The quality of basketball on show is getting better each year, with our teams putting their best foot forward even with limited preparation. A highlight of the day was when our junior boys were in a really tight game against Citipointe, all our other teams were court side cheering and supporting them. Eventually sealing the win by one point. This show of support and team work is what makes sport so great. Well done to all students who represented Parklands so well through the day and thank you to the coaches for the time and effort you put in.
It was a great opportunity for students to finally get some game time this year. All teams gave 100% on a very hot day against some very tough competition. The boys touch were the standout team of the day winning two out of 5 games. Well done to all students.
The year 7 boys had one win, one draw and two losses. They showed plenty of heart and resilience playing most of the day with no subs. The year 9/10 boys played some awesome attacking rugby league and were rock solid in defence. They won all their games with only one sub. Well done to all the boys.
The teams all worked hard and played some creative and attacking rugby league. The year 3/4 and 5/6 B boys never gave up and showed great effort in all games. Both teams improved drastically throughout the day.
The 5/6 As won 2 out of 3 games and only lost their second game in a very close and tough match.
The day was complimented by some tackle clinics, tug of war and relay races to encourage team spirit.
Well done to all the boys!
A lot of us grew up with detention in school – I know I did. Detention is typically a place where a student will sit for a period of time and a) do nothing, b) write lines, c) pick up rubbish or some other task under supervision. Usually these tasks have very little learning attached to them and is more about wasting a student’s own time for their misconduct.
As an RTP Facilitator, one of the misconceptions that I often hear is that the RTC is for “naughty” students and sometimes the RTC is perceived as a “detention” for these naughty students to come and be punished. When one looks from the outside in, with little education or understanding around the RTC, I understand how people can perceive the RTC to be this way. A child demonstrates a disruptive behaviour and leaves the classroom to attend the RTC due to this. Sounds like detention or punishment right? Wrong.
Detention has a negative connotation attached to it, where the RTC rather, is a space for students to learn responsibility, self-control and to devise strategies for positive life choices. It is very different to a detention as the student is thinking, self- reflecting, learning to think from another person’s perspective and developing a plan for future.
Where staff would usually supervise a detention, the RTP Facilitators exist to provide emotional support, to positively challenge and coach students through this process and then support them to re-engage in class and put their plan into place. Very different to detention.
So then, now that we have clarified the difference between a detention facility and our RTC, it is important to understand the process that student’s experience when engaging.
If you think about it, each person is raised in a home and taught a wide selection of life skills as they age and interact with others. For example, being raised in a large family might mean that a child may learn how to interact confidently with different age groups or genders, or being raised with a sibling with a disability may teach another child how to have compassion and empathy for others and so on.
Not all children experience the same upbringing or learn the same skills. It makes sense for students to be referred to the RTC to learn the skills that they might not have been raised with. For example, at home it might be acceptable for a child to invade their siblings’ personal space in a playful way, however at school this might not be perceived as appropriate. The child might need to visit the RTC for a friendly chat with the RTP facilitator to have the difference explained to them or to consider how invading someone else’s space might make the other person feel.
Each time a student is referred, they are given the opportunity to utilise the Responsible Thinking Process to help them learn new skills such as how to manage conflict, how to follow class rules, how to be better prepared for class, how to be a kind friend and so on. This is done through discussion with the RTP Facilitator and also the completion of a RTP plan which enables students to think through self-reflective questions such as “what rule was I not following”, “how did this impact on others”, and “what is my goal for when I return to class”.
From what I have seen, students who are given the opportunity to come and discuss their behaviour or mistakes and learn from them – they tend to be much better off and well-rounded in the long run. Our team has found that when students are consistently referred, they are able to put their goals and strategies into practice. Eventually they come to a place where they have learned the skill of thinking before acting and ask themselves questions like “how will this make my friend feel” or “what will be the consequence of this behaviour”. Our goal is that a student will be able to successfully and independently implement the Responsible Thinking Process in time without needing to attend the RTC as often.
So if your child is regularly referred to the RTC for behaviour, please don’t see it as your child attending detention and being punished, rather, please see it as their opportunity to continue developing life skills and learning new ways of thinking.
I can’t believe we’ve only got about 4 weeks left of school for 2020 – wow, how time has flown!
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Teacher Aides, Specialists, RTC & LE Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying, working through and discussing the issues involved with student placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of student learning style, academic ability, student & staff personality, friendships, behavioural concerns, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process.
A reminder, we know the students at school and do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
The Parklands Christian College Awards Day ceremonies, will be taking place on Thursday 26th November. Occasions such as these are a time that would normally have us surrounded by parents, friends and supporters of the College. Sadly, due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, government restrictions and Parklands’ commitment to keeping our College community safe, the Awards Day ceremonies will be a student and staff only event this year. Parents, we ‘Thank you’ in anticipation for your understanding, assistance and support in regard to this decision!
The Awards Day ceremonies will be taking place during class time in 2 sessions. Prep to Year 2 will commence at 9am and conclude by 10:30am. The Year 3 to Year 6 ceremony will commence at 11am and conclude by 12:30pm. Cleaning of the auditorium will take place between the 2 sessions.
Although this will not be a typical Parklands Awards ceremony it will still be designed to celebrate the achievements of our students and encourage them in a public manner. As parents are not able to attend this event, we will have a professional photographer from MSP Photography present on the day to capture your child’s celebratory moments. As a gift, the College will be providing parents with an electronic copy of the photo, details of how to access this will be emailed at a later date.
I know this year’s Awards Day ceremonies are going to be totally different without parents attending but know, we’ll certainly do all we can to make it a memorable occasion and highlight for all students.
Please clearly label all uniform items with your child’s first and last NAME (not just initials).
We still have 3 weeks left of school plus students need to look smart for Awards Day so we are asking parents to please ensure that their children are correctly and neatly dressed every day – especially the correct WHITE sneakers. If unsure of the Primary Uniform Policy, please feel free to check our website, ask a class teacher or RTC staff. Appreciate your assistance and support in this regard.
When considering your child’s or young person’s digital diet it’s important to move beyond the notion of keeping kids safe to look at the types of activities their screen-time might be denying them.
There are many aspects to take into account including the maintenance of mental and physical health; fulfilling school and family duties and ensuring that young people develop a full gamut of real world communication skills.
For the sake of living a balanced life ensure your child has sufficient time for:
Obviously there will be times when all these needs are not completely balanced. There will be periods when screens are used more often and times when one or more valuable needs is neglected. But if we can use this as a guide and aim to fit the many key experiences our kids need into each day, we are much more likely to ensure our kids grow up with a healthy respect for their screens and a healthy respect for the many areas of their life that need to be nurtured.
Pray you have a wonderful rest of this term.
With only a 4 weeks left of the academic year the Year 7’s are fast approaching Year 8.
What a journey Year 7 has been for many of them.
From nervous and anxious students starting day one packing for every subject, just in case, to students who are (hopefully) confident in organising their own world, most of the time. Each student has grown in a variety of ways and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them.
Year 7 is a year of transition. A year of leaving behind being the oldest and tallest of the primary school and beginning being the ‘twelvies’ in Secondary school. It’s a year of learning to move between classrooms, packing the night before and being organised, switching mindsets as they change subjects and teachers, each who have a different teaching style. A year of managing homework that is not given out on a Monday and due back on Friday, but on differing days, and a year of developing new friendships as they are introduced to new people and find out more about themselves and their developing character.
On top of this our Year 7’s have spent 7 weeks learning from home, during our time of PCConline. Managing the additional stress of online learning and adapting to a different learning style very quickly. 2020 has sure encouraged the development of resilience and adaptability in our Year 7 students.
As we hurry towards the last few weeks of term, I have been encouraging the Year 7’s to celebrate their many successes this year and think on the skills and attitudes they wish to develop and work on in Year 8.
The students have been encouraged to finish well, placing their best efforts into their studies till the final day of the year. To continue to be fearless, curious and courageous in working on their assessment, creative in the classrooms, when confronting challenges and show their peers and the college community that the Year 7 cohort of 2020 is a loving one that supports and uplifts one another.
I would like to draw your attention to the Year 7 assessment schedule and the assignments and assessments (both worked on and completed in class time) that are coming up.
I look forward to celebrating the many success of 2020 with the Year 7’s as we begin to conclude a year that has not been like any other.
Our training/come and try days are:
Tuesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for under 11
Wednesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for 12yr old and over
Thursday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for Senior players
62-82 Regency Drive, Regents Park
We accept get in the game vouchers where families are eligible.
We are on facebook and our website is www.southernstarsbaseballclub@gmail.com
Karen Gallpen
Vice President/Secretary
Southern Stars Baseball Club
0421 773 768
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
It is that time of the year that everyone’s calendar starts filling quickly and before we know it there are no free weekends left! With that in mind and Covid restrictions easing slightly, a few of us from The Friendlies committee were finally able to gather together for a very long overdue morning tea. How wonderful it was to be able to catch up with everyone and be able to sit and connect with each other! We really missed those of you who couldn’t make it.
We briefly discussed the year we have had and decided with a unanimous vote that the 2020 Office Bearers will roll into 2021! Congratulations to our 2021 Office Bearers and thank you for serving our school community for another year.
Office Bearers for 2021 are as follows:
President: Angela Marsh
Vice President: Nicole Lowe
Secretary: Claire Dover
Treasurer: Renee Jackson
It was with great joy that we were also able to celebrate one of our members, Elke, who got married in the past year. We wish Elke and her husband Jasper all the happiness for their future together.
One of our long-time members and special friend, Christine has decided to step down from serving on The Friendlies. Christine has been volunteering for 13years on The Friendlies and has always been more than happy to help at all of our events, she will be greatly missed by us all. Chris is about to become a first time Grandma! We are so happy and excited for her family.
Next year, hopefully some of our community events will be able to take place. If you are new to our school and are wondering what The Friendlies are all about, our mission statement is:
The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College school community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another.
For Now, Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome back to Term 4, the last term of what has been a very challenging year for many in our College and wider College community.
As I commence Term 4 and begin to look forward to the end of the academic year events (such as they are), I do so with a sense of achievement amidst adversity and change.
Approximately 12% of our College population was significantly impacted by COVID-19, either in job losses, or cutbacks.
Furthermore, countless other families have felt the effects of the economic downturn and the slow depression of the Australian economy. Yet, as our community grappled with these challenging times, generosity and care blossomed, and those who had the capacity to care did so in various beautiful and charitable ways.
Along the way, our students have shouldered change remarkably well and embraced this change with little fuss or fanfare. Sure, there were occasional tears, tantrums and frustrating moments, but overall I am incredibly proud of our students as they display resilience beyond their years and experience. In particular, I marvel at the steely determination of our Seniors as they traverse new QCAA expectations and the ever changing landscape of schooling during a pandemic.
Through isolation, then quarantine, our Year 11 & 12 students have studied hard and pressed toward their goal, taking change and uncertainty in their stride. For some students, learning online was easy, as they embraced independent learning naturally. For others, learning away from the familiarity of school and a teacher’s direction was more challenging, if not a little lonely. Still others struggled with technology issues, family difficulties and other genuine strains and stresses beyond their control.
Similar strains and stresses were felt right across our school, during crucial times of assessing and reporting. To this end, many of our usual processes for gathering equitable and timely data were extremely complex and downright difficult.
While our reporting was able to take place at the standard times during the year, we faced challenges when equitably calculating our end of year awards data, and as such, some of our usual end of year awards will not be bestowed in 2020. We sincerely hope that this will be a unique event for 2020, and look forward to returning to our familiar and routine academic processes in the New Year.
Throughout the year, we have all had to manage change and accommodated discomfort and disappointments. The circumstances and limitations of 2020 were certainly not the way I wanted to start my years as Principal, nor did our teachers wish to change large portions of their coursework and planned activities. Students new to Parklands this year have tasted only a portion of our usual culture and common events, and we all mourn the loss of some of our rich cultural and academic events and experiences. As we look to 2021, some inevitable inconveniences will continue, but we will do our best to return our usual programs.
I invite everyone in our community to stay focused on finishing the year positively, and as well as we are able. I can’t imagine the trials that our Victorian counterparts are facing at this moment and pray for the schools in our Southern States who face challenges greater than our own.
I would also invite you to spare a thought for our brothers and sisters in developing countries that have no way to care for their population as we can. As I communicate with our friends in Cebu, I struggle to reconcile the strain and tragedy they experience each day as they enter their 7th month of lockdown, which is by all reports yielding little success. While I don’t wish to diminish the trials of our own country, I do look at my own trials with a sobering sense of perspective when compared to the trials of my friends and colleagues in the Philippines.
And so as I venture into Term 4 and the changes to come, I do so with an attitude of gratitude, and acknowledge that I am part of a resilient community, in a great nation with a huge capacity to care. I appreciate great friends, healthy family, and engaged and learning students. The academic year of 2020 has indeed been difficult and full of challenges. Yet amidst adversity, generosity and charity have thrived. Our students have displayed remarkable endurance and resilience and, despite some disappointments, we all look forward to ending the year and celebrating our culture and academic successes to the best of our ability, because after all, we have much still to celebrate.
Gary Cully
The Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) is designed to implement a Process (RTP) which teaches children and adults how to implement effective problem solving skills in order to achieve what they want without violating the rights of others. These skills can then be applied to a range of circumstances which in addition to classroom behaviour include managing sibling or peer disputes, parent-child disagreements, learning about and using key aspects of our personalities well, planning future academic success… and the list goes on!!
One of the strategies that we use to assist students remember this Process is planning. The plan acts as a guide to students and adults to assist them develop the cognitive process of independent responsible thinking.
A child or adult’s ability to develop the skills required for independent responsible thinking can become disrupted. One of the key disruptions we see in the RTC is fear.
Occasionally we have students who despite having previous RTC experiences begin demonstrating heightened fear responses such as crying, lying or anger. When we speak with these students we usually learn one of two root causes for the child’s fear. First, fear of a parent’s negative reaction or second, fear of punishment. These fear responses, if mild, do not necessarily act as a disruption. However, if a child becomes fixated on the punishment or parents reaction, demonstrates uncontrollable sobbing, or is even demonstrating fearful responses to the idea of RTC when they are simply being reminded of the classroom rules then it is highly likely that the fear is unhealthy and impacting on the child’s ability to focus on learning responsible thinking skills.
It is common for a student who is fearful of attending RTC to remember feeling afraid, their response such as crying, and their parent’s response such as disappointment or punishment. What we also notice is that fear-disrupted students are usually unable to remember why they were referred or what they learnt about managing future similar incidents. This response is identical from the littlies in prep to year 12 students and reflects the findings of the California Science Centre (N.D) which suggests that stress hormones make it easier to recall memories of emotional experiences.
Scientific studies have shown that heightened stress can “impair the development of the prefrontal cortex, the brain region that is critical for the emergence of executive functions including making, altering and following plans; controlling and focusing attention, inhibiting impulsive behaviours and developing the ability to hold and incorporate new information in decision making (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010).” Clearly these skills are integral to the development of independent responsible thinkers and should be cultivated from childhood right through to adulthood.
RTC is designed purposefully to be a safe place for students. It is common for students to demonstrate a mild fear response the first time they are referred to the RTC. Aware of this response the RTP Facilitators take special care of first-time students to help them have a positive RTC experience and memory. However equally important to our response is the parent’s response as this is the final stage of the process and the last memory the child will formulate in regards to their memory of the people, place and their interpretation of the experience.
This year we are aiming to irradiate fear responses in all students towards learning Responsible Thinking. So how can you help? Adults play a huge role in creating or reducing fear responses in children, a key reason for this is that children often develop fears by watching their parent’s own fearful reactions. You can help your child minimise their fear responses by following these simple ideas suggested by the California Science Centre (N.D.).
| Parent’s Guide to Childhood Fear | How to Apply this to RTC Related Fear |
| Talk to your child about their fears. Remember that to them, these fears are very real and serious | If your child is afraid of going to RTC talk to them about why they are fearful, was it a specific experience, a reaction, feelings such as embarrassment or disappointment? What role are you playing in this fear memory? |
| Help children prepare for future exposure | Talk positively to your child about what the RTC room looks like, the importance of writing a plan, the skills they will develop, the people they will meet. |
| Don’t allow children to avoid their fears completely as this can aid in worsening their fear | Encourage children to view RTC as a place to learn new skills which is exciting rather than asking them to avoid going to the RTC. If students avoid the RTC they will not only will they become more fearful but they will miss out on learning invaluable social skills. |
| Share with your child positive strategies you use to overcome your own fears rather than imposing your own fears on them. | If you believe RTC is a bad place or if you use RTC as a punishment your child is likely to view it the same way. However if you share how you use skills such as reflecting on how actions impact on others, how to plan future responses and how to talk calmly about problems your child will begin to utilise these strategies themselves. |
Finally what type of memory do you want your child to recall in the future when they are faced with problems?
In RTC we celebrate every opportunity for students and adults to become familiar with using responsible thinking. Why? Because our goal is for every student to graduate year 12 with the independent responsible thinking skills they need to navigate relationships, work places and life challenges.
Our training/come and try days are:
Tuesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for under 11
Wednesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for 12yr old and over
Thursday 5.30pm to 7.30pm for Senior players
62-82 Regency Drive, Regents Park
We accept get in the game vouchers where families are eligible.
We are on facebook and our website is www.southernstarsbaseballclub@gmail.com
Karen Gallpen
Vice President/Secretary
Southern Stars Baseball Club
0421 773 768
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Update from Park Ridge Transit
From Tuesday the 6th of October 2020 Park Ridge Transit will change the way that we display school route numbers on the destination signs.
They will be displayed as per the route number on the TransLink website for TransLink services. This means, am school services will be prefixed with 60__ and pm school services will be prefixed with 61__for Translink services.
For example: Instead of displaying “School Bus 33” we will now display “School Bus 6033” for the am and “School Bus 6133” for the pm.
Services from Cedar Grove (W services) will now display a prefix of 53 in the am and 63 in the pm. There are no changes to the numbers on Greenbank services.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us on (07) 3802 1233
Regards
Park Ridge TransitSchool Bus Passes for Westside Bus Company and Park Ridge Transit
Students who have a bus pass for travel will be required to obtain a new pass for the 2020 school year. If you are changing schools in 2020 (this includes moving to grade 7) or address you will need to contact our reception on (07) 3802 1233 and we will advise you of how to update your details. To avoid delays in receiving your pass we kindly request that you contact us prior to the end of the school year.
If you have no changes to your details, you will receive your new bus pass in the mail in early January.
Please note that there are limited reception facilities available at our Redbank depot and you should call before attending the depot as we maybe able to assist over the phone.
Bus Routes for Parklands
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2020 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Hello Parklands Families.
My name is Beth Tailby and I am teaching Auslan here at beautiful Parklands. We are offering families who have Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, parents, siblings etc. a space to share language and learn on Thursday mornings at 8am.
All levels and ages are welcome so please don’t worry if you don’t know any Auslan as we are ready to learn together.
We have decided to utilise the kitchen, the sports fields and other activities so we can have fun in different ‘voice off’ environments. Children are welcome to bring a friend if this makes them feel safer.
Looking forward to meeting you all next term.
On Monday 14th September, Year 11 Visual Art students went to Currumbin Beach to view the Swell Sculpture Festival. Swell is an annual event that draws together a diverse range of artists to display work in a public setting. This experience will be the stimulus for the Year 11’s upcoming senior assessment and artworks throughout next year. A diverse range of sculptures were displayed along the beach and near the walkway. In addition to the main exhibition, students also viewed the pop-up exhibitions ‘Westerly Swell’ and ‘Northerly Swell’; where they had the opportunity to talk with artists as well as view more works. It was a perfect day for this outdoor event!
To celebrate National Science Week 2020, the secondary Science ambassadors and I hosted an Escape Room experience for Year 6-12 students during morning tea breaks. In the experience, students were in a submarine, in search of the fabled Giant Squid, when a power outage left them trapped at the bottom of the ocean! They had to complete a number of puzzles and activities in order to restore power and resurface the submarine. I’m very happy to report that only 1 group of students remain trapped at the bottom of the ocean, as all others were able to restore the power and resurface! A very special thanks to the Year 11 Science Ambassadors; Meagan Elvery, Matt Kent, Steffanie Pottinger and Maya Cully along with Mr Mathews; for their time and enthusiasm in creating this special experience for other students.
Mrs Schulz
Hello Parklands Families.
My name is Beth Tailby and I am teaching Auslan here at beautiful Parklands. We are offering families who have Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, parents, siblings etc. a space to share language and learn on Thursday mornings at 8am.
All levels and ages are welcome so please don’t worry if you don’t know any Auslan as we are ready to learn together.
We have decided to utilise the kitchen, the sports fields and other activities so we can have fun in different ‘voice off’ environments. Children are welcome to bring a friend if this makes them feel safer.
Looking forward to meeting you all next term.
Ready, Set…here we go term 4!
Year 1 is looking forward to a fabulous term to end 2020! We will be learning all about Sound and Light in Science and during HASS lessons, we will be continuing on with our theme of Families, Past and Present.
Literacy and Numeracy will continue to be a major focus for us in Year 1. The students will participate in weekly whole class and group activities as they challenge themselves to reach their reading, writing and numeracy goals.
We look forward to sharing more with you as the term progresses. Please enjoy a few photos from the end of last term.
Take care!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
Welcome back to the start of an exciting and very busy Term 4.
I trust that you had an enjoyable, relaxing school holiday spent with family and friends or just enjoyed having the children at home and not having to prepare lunches, do homework, stress to get them to school prepared and on time.
We are continuing to review our process and procedures in the Primary in order to ensure the school is one in which our CLEAR values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect are presented and followed daily.
For the start of term 4, can you kindly check that ALL of your child’s Uniform Items and Lunch Boxes and Drink Bottles are clearly labelled with their FULL name? Can we also please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms/shoes. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to check the school’s website, contact your child’s teacher or the RTC.
Students may be collected anytime from 2.30pm but will unfortunately miss Structured Play time.
Students leaving in Structured Play need to be electronically signed out either in the Undercover Area or up at Student Services.
At the end of Structured Play (3.05pm), students go to class, line up for class roll call, collect their ports / bags and wait there to be collected by parents/guardian or older sibling. No student can leave the Undercover Area or classroom without any supervision. At 3.30pm those students that have not been collected, will be taken up to Student Services until collected.
Thank you for not requesting students to make their way ‘on their own’ and meet you at the car. If you need them before 3.10pm, please come up to the classrooms and collect them there.
Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard as we wish to keep all our students safe and accounted for!
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Grade 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in Senior Primary! Feedback from staff, parents and the Yr. 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
We have organized a Yr. 4 and 5 iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 20th October in Student Service’s Function Room, where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr. 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life.
Class teachers, Aides, all specialist teachers, RTC, LE Staff and myself spend an enormous amount of time discussing, praying about and working through the issues involved with student & class teacher placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process!
A reminder, due to the fact that we know the children and teacher / class environment, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for us as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship continue to develop between teacher, student and parent!
By: Michael Grose
The first habit from Stephen Covey’s wonderful book “The 7 habits of highly effective people” states that we should start every project or undertaking with the end in mind.
This principle holds true for any activity whether it’s planting your veggie patch; renovating a house or raising children. When you know what you are trying to achieve then choosing the right strategies becomes easy. The end game or goal for parents and teachers is Redundancy. Yep, you read it right. Your job is to make yourself redundant as an adult from the children you raise and teach at the earliest appropriate, possible age. When redundancy is your aim most of your time, effort and energy will go into promoting independence. You’ll stop doing things for kids and start giving them opportunities to do things themselves. You’ll spend most of your active parenting and teaching time teaching, explaining and prodding your child toward independence.
When independence becomes your priority then suddenly you’ve found a pathway to the development of other positive qualities and traits in your children including the key four – confidence, competence, creativity and character.
Here’s how:
Confidence comes from facing your fears and doing things for yourself.
Competence comes from the opportunity to develop self-mastery that independence offers.
Creativity is developed when kids solve problems themselves as opposed to someone solving them on their behalf, or worse, keeping kids safe. It’s amazing how resourceful kids can be when they are given the chance to resolve their own problems.
Character, which is essential for success, is forged under hardship and is needed if kids are to live a sturdy life. Kids need to be exposed to disappointment, failure and conflict if character strengths such as grit and perseverance are too be forged.
Independence takes many forms and adults are the gatekeepers for children’s independence.
Allowing kids to take responsibility and own their own problems builds confidence and competence. Start by expecting kids to help out at home and at school. Look for ways to develop self-help skills and don’t take their problems on as your problems.
It can be scary and also difficult developing independence in one big step. So smart adults intuitively develop junior versions of independence by breaking up big activities into digestible bits. Want your three year old to make the bed? Then start by arranging the teddies and the pillows (a junior version of making the bed) and let them work their way up from there. Similarly, want your ten year old to walk to school yet it’s currently out of their skillset? Then accompany them most of the way and let them walk the last 200 metres to school on his own. That’s a junior version of walking to school.
In all the noise and commotion about raising kids today it’s easy to forget that the job description for parents hasn’t changed since the dawn of time. Love them, bond with them, teach them and spend time with them. But also work like mad to develop their real independence so they become capable of handling what life will throw their way.
Trust you have a great term and rest of the year.
Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in a school academic year, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month. (“Attendance Matters,” 2018).
Regular school attendance allows your child to:
If your child is absent for a day, please ensure that Students Services is contacted. Encourage your child to contact the teachers for the subjects they missed that day so they can complete the classwork. Alternatively, they can check the subject websites (all students know how to do this) to see the content and lessons they missed.
A great way to help your child stay on top of their assessment and homework schedule, as well as develop independence for their senior years, is to make a weekly planner including family, sporting and extra-curricular commitments, building in time for actively working on homework and assessments and even some time to connect with siblings, pets and parents. Display this schedule in a prominent area and help you child stick to their plan. Ask, ‘What is on the schedule for today?’
I encourage my senior students to use the study schedule below and map out the term. It’s a great way to develop independence for senior school, further studies and work.
Welcome to Term 4! We are looking forward to an exciting and fulfilling end of the year with all the music students & we are looking forward to sharing some of their performances with you later in the term. Of course Covid-19 has made that extra challenging, but this is also a great opportunity for us to show the students that we never stop learning & growing, and that we can adapt to unusual circumstances.
All music lessons commence in week 1, face-to-face on campus. Please be assured that appropriate cleaning & distancing measures are still in place. Students will be using their own instruments and it is the responsibility of students & parents to clean their equipment before & after home practice, lessons & rehearsals. For piano students, the piano is carefully cleaned between every lesson, as well as at the beginning & end of the day. Percussion students must bring their own sticks & mallets. Lesson timetables can be found on Mrs Patane’s window, or on the Instrumental Music website through the Secondary Directory.
Ensemble rehearsals also commence in week 1, as this is an integral & fun part of learning & playing music. As most of our Ensembles are quite small in number, we have sufficient space for appropriate distancing & will take all steps to ensure this is maintained. We also have a cleaning regime in place that the students are getting used to, so it’s great for the students to still be able to play & sing together safely. Details for weekly rehearsals are as follows:
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30am in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Give It A Go Band: Wednesday 7:30am in the Student Services Function Room
Primary Junior Choir: Thursday 7:50am in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Primary Senior Choir: Tuesday 2:30pm in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30am in S1
While live performance opportunities are still not possible, we are making plans for recording as another way of sharing performances with the College family. More information to come.
It’s never too late to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. The next Give It A Go! intake is in 2021 – offers have been sent home already & enrolments for Year 3 students are due by Friday 23rd October.
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
On Thursday and Friday last week the Secondary Boys & Girls respectively played in the CSSAQ Football Gala Day at Park Ridge Panthers Football Club.
Across both days all students played courageously and represented the school with honor. There we’re some fantastic goals, leadership and sportsmanship on display which was amazing to see. Spectators from another school spoke with Mr P and Mr Lewis after the tournament and congratulated all of our students who they thought played throughout the day with great spirit and determination.
We look forward to the next CSSAQ Gala day which will be for Basketball in Term 4.
It is no secret that school sport in 2020 has taken a big hit and only lately has it been recommencing in the community. Last month, Year 12 student Katy Blackmore was presented with certificates from Jidokwan and Kukkiwan (International Taekwondo Associations) in recognition of grading to 2nd Dan Black belt. She has been involved in the sport of Taekwondo for a number of years as both a competitor and coach. Congratulations Katy in receiving these qualifications, particularly in a year where sport had come to a grinding halt. Your dedication to your chosen sport is to be commended and well done on continuing to coach the younger athletes involved in your club.
Katy is seen here receiving the certificates from her instructor and coach, Craig Drabsch of Reeves Taekwondo Greenbank.
Throughout this month, some of our Senior Visual Art students will have their artworks displayed in public exhibitions. Artwaves is an annual exhibition of works selected from secondary schools in the Logan area, coordinated by and held at Logan Art Gallery. This year the exhibition will run from Friday 11 September until Saturday 17 October. The works that will be featured from Parklands this year include:
B. Mitchell, Society
Another upcoming annual event in the Art calendar is the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art. This exhibition is a display of excellence for Year 11 and 12 students across the state, with regional exhibitions celebrating excellence in the area and a finalist exhibition at GOMA in 2021. This year the regional exhibitions will be digital. Student works entered from Parklands are:
Congratulations to all of our students, you have made some incredible work this year and it’s wonderful that your creative endeavours are being shared publically! There is also another opportunity to celebrate creative talent coming up – the Movements of Life Art Prize & exhibition, which was originally planned to coincide with the school Fete. Submission of works are due by the 18th of September – we are looking forward to receiving your entries in the Art Room or at Student Services. For more information, contact Sr Monique Singh msingh@parklands.qld.edu.au
Congratulations! Year 11 Business Certificate III Business RUOK day event!
RU OK? is an Australian non-profit suicide prevention organisation, founded by advertiser Gavin Larkin in 2009. It revolves around the slogan “R U OK?”, and advocates for people to have conversations with others. The Year 11 is Certificate lll Business class has supported the RUOK day event for their project over two terms by hosting a barbecue and a yellow on uniform event. The event raised over $700 to support the R U OK? Foundation.
As a group, we felt it was important to raise awareness for mental health and wellbeing among our school community. The event was very successful. A competition was held for the best-dressed teacher and the winners of the competition were Mrs Ross and Mrs Crook. The class that raised the most amount of money by wearing yellow with their uniform was 7B with the support of Mrs Thompson.
The Year 11 Certificate lll Business class would like to thank the teachers and our school community for their support. We would especially like to thank Mrs Furlonger and the hospitality team for their work in conjunction with our team by selling scrolls , Mrs Muller for helping the team with the decorations and the BBQ, Mrs Wallis for supporting the team with the Barbeque, Mrs Hollyer who assisted us behind the scenes, and Mr Paolino for guiding us the through the risk assessment for running a barbeque.
Year 11 Certificate lll Business students and Mrs Janelle Hughes.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Thanks you for the wonderful support and way all parents are using the Rosia Rd car park and Drop Off Zones. The process really is working well! Can I please ask that parents inform all other guardians/grandparents/siblings etc. of our process below (especially point 4)?
1 – Slow down and drive very carefully through the car parks
2 – Be very aware of the Pedestrian Crossing and ‘Lollipop Lady’ on duty
3 – Only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing and not up near the Gr 5 & 6 classes and top gate.
4 – “GO TO THE TOP TO DROP” on entering the Rosia Rd drop off area, please move up to the very last open bay you encounter to pull in. This will allow others arriving after you to have an open bay behind you.
Thank you for your support, cooperation and assistance to keep this all running smoothly and our students safe and sound!
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Grade 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Grade 6! Feedback from staff, parents and the Gr 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
Parents, IF your child has an iPad 2, 3, & 4 it’s possibly time to consider giving them a new iPad for Christmas, or at least factor in an upgrade some time over the next 12 months, this way you’re not forking out a lot of money in one hit for multiple siblings if the iPad becomes outdated and cannot be upgraded for school use!
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 13th October where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr. 4 and new Yr. 5&6 parents in attendance on the night.
While there are concerns about the negative impact of physical isolation is having on children’s learning, we should also be concerned about their mental health. Teachers and health professionals report that the strain of physical isolation is starting to show for many children and young people. Any anxiety and fear they experience is heightened by isolation from friends, lack of access to their usual sports and leisure activities and a lack of certainty about the future.
In these challenging times kids’ mental health needs to be a high priority. The following plan laid out by the experts at Parenting Ideas will show you how to lay a solid foundation for good mental health, and outline key behaviours that will help build the resilience and psychological strength that kids need in these difficult times.
A healthy diet, plenty of exercise and good sleep patterns are basic to good physical and mental health. Get the foundations right and you establish optimum conditions for your child to flourish even in difficult circumstances.
The ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ mantra that we grew up with needs to be updated to ‘healthy gut, healthy brain’. Recent research has revealed the links between a child’s gut health and good mental health. Kids who experience anxiety and depression typically have imbalances of adrenaline (which keeps the brain alert) and GABA (which calms the brain down), that can be rectified with good gut health.
A framework for healthy eating includes eating real rather than processed foods, consuming small and regular meals, starting each day with protein and complex carbs, drinking plenty of water and keeping kids away from caffeinated drinks.
Exercise not only promotes good mental health. It’s also a tool that kids can use to manage their mental states. Exercise and movement send endorphins through their bodies improving mood and relieving tension and stress. Exercise and movement relaxes the muscles and reduces feelings of anxiety that build up over time.
A framework for exercise includes starting the day with some movement, taking regular movement and game breaks, finishing the school day with movement that gets their limbs moving and hearts pumping.
The benefits of good sleep patterns are immense and far-reaching, impacting kids’ learning, memory and emotional stability. Sleep restores the brain to optimum conditions and rejuvenates the body, allowing hormone levels elevated during the day to return to normal. Consequently, sleep-deprived kids experience greater anxiety doing routine tasks and have a propensity for pessimistic thinking, which is associated with anxiety and depression.
A framework for good sleep patterns includes finding an optimum bedtime; creating a regular, relaxing routine, eating and exercising at the right time, creating a sleep sanctuary and getting up at regular times each day.
Mental health is complex and is impacted by many factors including a child’s social and emotional wellbeing. The following four pillars have an insulating effect on your child’s mental health, acting as circuit-breakers when life becomes difficult and complex.
As social beings we long for connection to others and a sense of belonging to groups. While time alone can be restorative, sharing experiences, thoughts and stories with others is absolutely essential to your child’s happiness and wellbeing.
A framework for social connection includes one-on-one time with family members and other loved ones, having shared family experiences to confirm a sense of belonging, having shared time and experiences with peers from school and the neighbourhood, and a connection with the broader community through shared experience, cause or goal.
The human mind is restless, taking us all over the place. It can make us feel happy recalling memories of loved ones or happy times and it can also drive insecurity connecting us to events in the past or future that fill us with dread, and make us feel anxious. Kids’ wandering minds need to take a rest and settle in the present, stopping their mental chatter, giving them the chance relax. Mindfulness is an essential mental health tool that enables children to keep their minds in the present moment, allowing them to feel safe and secure.
A mindfulness framework includes regular mindfulness exercises, doing one thing at a time, using mindfulness during an anxious moment, practising self-kindness and forgiveness.
The term ‘child’s play’ is demeaning to children and dismissive of the place of play in our lives. Play is absolutely critical to our happiness and wellbeing. Borrowing from the work of Dr. Brene Brown, play is defined as any activity that’s fun (therefore highly anticipated), free (that is, self-directed) and involves flow (we don’t want it to stop). Play helps kids manage anxiety and depression as it lifts their mood and is therapeutic by nature.
A play framework includes space and time for play, child-initiated activities, a mix of lone play and group activity, and some social or physical risk may be involved.
Recent studies highlight what we already knew – that time spent in natural environments benefits our happiness, our sense of wellbeing and reduces stress and tension. The rejuvenating benefits of time spent in the bush or by the sea may be difficult to acquire during times of physical isolation but walks to the park, spending time under a favourite tree or even bringing some green shrubs inside have proven to be just as beneficial to children’s mental health.
A time in nature framework includes management and reduction of screen time, exposure to natural environments in the neighbourhood, bringing the outdoors inside, and spending some time each day outdoors.
Our daily habits contribute to our wellbeing and mental health. Some habits such as spending too much time in front of a screen may be detrimental. There are a number of behaviours, when practised continuously, build our resilience and resistance to daily difficulties. These include:
Routine behaviours such as waking at the same time, having breakfast, exercising, showering and dressing get us ready for the day ahead. They underpin productivity, learning and wellbeing. Remove the structure provided by these foundation behaviours and many children and young people struggle, particularly those who are prone to anxiety and depression.
A foundation behaviour framework includes morning routines and rituals to prepare for the day, after school and evening wind down routines, and routines that prepare children for sleep.
Recognition of the benefits of deep breathing dates back to ancient Roman and Greek times when deep belly breathing was used to rid the body of impurities. Modern science informs us that deep breathing instantly engages our capacity to relax and stay calm. When a child becomes anxious or fearful their breathing becomes shallow. Taking deep, slow breaths when they become overwhelmed by anxiety is the quickest way to return to a calm state. Deep breathing has great preventative powers helping the mind stay in a state of focus and calm.
A deep breathing framework includes practising deep breathing spontaneously throughout the day, combining deep breathing with mindfulness practice, using deep breathing to restore energy when tired, and breathing deeply during an anxious moment.
If children and young people are not tuning into their emotions they are missing a rich vein of information that will assist decision-making, learning and importantly, their wellbeing. It’s relatively easy to tune to into behaviour and our thoughts, but much harder to detect our emotions. The skill of emotionally checking in, developed by Prof. Marc Brackett from the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence, helps children and young people to identify how they are feeling at any given time. It requires kids to stand still, close their eyes, take some deep breaths, identify and give a name to their feeling. This simple habit of checking, once practised and learned is a wonderful life skill to acquire.
Looking after your child’s mental health may seems like a mystery at times. But there is a great deal we can do. By laying a foundation for good general health and then working at maintaining the pillars of mental health and teaching kids the protective mental health behaviours you provide them with a solid framework for maintenance of good mental health that they can take into adulthood.
As I was leaving a pretty relaxed few days of the annual Associated Christian School’s Conference, I took a call from my cleaning manager. I took the call expecting nothing more than a benign request for more equipment or supplies in what was a busy season for our cleaning staff. Little did I know, that her call would send our school community into an unprecedented time of disruption and uncertainty, and put our humble little school on the map for unexpected reasons.
My first year as a Principal wasn’t the auspicious start to the leadership of Parklands Christian College that I thought it might be. I had visions of connecting with my school community, and forming genuine and long lasting relationships with staff, parents and community groups. I looked forward to running fetes, barbeques, attending sports carnivals, and participating in all the usual events that built community and enriched education. I had left Parklands in 2016 after being part of its foundational team and spending 14 wonderful years building the school. In late 2016, my wife Hannah and I (and our three children), were invited to serve as missionaries in the Philippines working with young women with tragic backgrounds. Upon our return to Australia in November of 2019, I was looking forward to re-entering Aussie life and getting back into my beloved craft of education. Little did I know…
I listened to our slightly nervous cleaning manager tell me that one of her staff had recently returned from interstate travel. Upon learning this, she insisted that this staff member be tested for COVID-19 before returning to work. This moment of good leadership and clear thinking from our cleaning manager probably saved our community and indeed our state from wider exposure to COVID-19. The staff member was tested and her result was positive, and we were probably going to be on the news.
My cleaning manager and I ended the phone call calmly enough, she was to ring Queensland Health, and I was to…what was on that disaster management plan? I can’t remember who I called first, but somewhere in the next 45 minutes, I had called the Parklands Executive, our Board and key staff, Independent Schools Queensland, Associated Christian Schools and my wife. With every conversation it slowly dawned on me that this was going to be serious, and that I wasn’t going to be able to deal with this tomorrow.
Upon my return to work, our Executive devised a plan based on the advice from Independent Schools Queensland and the now regular conversations with Queensland Health. Initially the decision was to simply quarantine those few staff that had been in direct contact with the infected staff member, and that an announcement to our community could wait until the next day. Unfortunately, at the very same time these discussions were taking place, staff were hosting a trade information evening with dozens of parents and students on site, and we needed to ask them to leave. Minutes after we cancelled this event and asked parents to leave because we had discovered COVID-19 in our community, the emails and calls started flooding in.
I felt for the Queensland Health staff on the phone, I really did. They weren’t just discovering a single Queenslander was infected, they were coming to grips with COVID-19 in a school community of 734 students, 130+ staff and almost 400 families, contractors, relief staff and visitors. The implications were staggering and decisions they made in the first few hours were going to be in the public forum almost immediately. Although the contact of the infected staff member with our community was extremely low, and the likelihood of exposure to the virus was unlikely, the decision was made to not only quarantine the few staff with direct contact, but also to close the school. By 11:30pm that first evening, we had our immediate instructions, produced an initial account of the events leading to this point, emailed staff and families, and I had drafted a media statement that I knew that I would need the following day.
Over the course of the night, the unofficial versions of what was going on at Parklands started to flow. The speculation on social media was something to behold, from both our school community and the wider community in general. Speculation soon turned to accusation, as people sought to understand what they were reading on social media. My wife insisted that I avoid reading anything on Facebook, and I took this advice and still know very little of what was posted in those early days.
The next morning I got up early and turned on the television, and was horrified to see a Channel 7 News reporter standing in the dark out the front of our school. As I arrived at school an hour later, dressed ready to face the media and armed with last night’s draft media statement, I met my Heads of School and a few key staff and refined our plan, edited our media statement and gave my first press conference at 9:00am. The press were actually very nice, and set my mind at ease. I think they could tell I was nervous. After reading my statement, I took questions. I found the experience quite good, and didn’t feel ambushed or taken by surprise. I thank God for all those media training courses I attended that I didn’t think I would ever need!
In the first 48 hours, as we were closing our school and preparing for quarantine, we thought we should get on the phone lines and answer the never ending calls coming in through our main line, after all, parents could be calling asking for help or clarification right? However, many of the calls came from outside of our school community, and we realised that there was little to be gained by fielding the many inquiries and requests from the general public. After taking these type of calls for a little over an hour, we closed our phone lines and shut down our Facebook site. Ironically, during this time we actually received 2 enrolment inquiries after parents had seen us on the news.
The next week was a blur of events that saw our community go from a simple school closure, to a school wide quarantine for all students and staff. I worked closely with the Metro South Public Health Unit from home, while our Senior Pastor, who is also on our school board, looked after our site due to his absence from our site during the period of exposure. I worked with a small team of staff and maintained lines of communication with our community via email and SMS, while the Executive Team rolled out our Online Learning platform, PCC@Home and generally kept the school running. I found myself up until midnight most nights drafting and re-drafting emails to parents as we released communications from Public Health to our parents and staff. Public Health and Parklands soon developed a rhythm of working together closely to provide up to date information about the conditions of quarantine and testing.
I am a big believer that good, regular communication keeps people reassured and feeling informed, and in general our community did feel informed. However, people had a lot of questions, and unfortunately some information from Public Health changed during the course of our quarantine. Over the weekend of our quarantine, Public Health announced that all staff and students had to be retested from day 10. The weekend of this announcement was probably my busiest since the crisis began, and my little team were swamped with emails. My team agreed on our responses, aligned our information and consistently and graciously replied to almost every concern and comment.
The only communications that came to me were the tricky ones. Some families really struggled to have their children retested, after all COVID-19 testing is not the most pleasant of experiences. In high stress times, people need someone to talk to, and fortunately the school was able to offer that service, albeit via email. We had countless emails asking good questions from concerned parents, and while we couldn’t offer the expertise of 13 HEALTH, we could certainly empathise with the difficult circumstances.
As quarantine progressed, and people resigned themselves to the inconvenience of staying home and isolating, the encouragement and thanks started to flood in from our school community, fellow schools, associations and friends. Our politicians gave us incredible support, and publically acknowledged the determination and courage of our community. We had our critics, but the wave of love I felt toward the end of our trial helped me to forget the difficulty, and reminded me why I love the Parklands community so much. One of my favourite gestures of appreciation was a delivery of doughnuts to my home. This simple gesture really touched me, not just because doughnuts are my favourite food, but because amongst the anxiety and stress everyone was feeling, people in my community still cared in a time when I felt very alone. Thank God for these thoughtful people in our lives who send encouraging emails, drawings, cards, gifts and texts!
We finished our time in quarantine by sending out gifts to those staff who took the brunt of the crisis, I thought this was the least I could do. We also sent gifts to the nurses who endured many days of conducting COVID-19 testing, and the Metro South Public Health Unit who I think of as my friends. We are forever grateful for the countless professionals that cared for us during this time. After this, we had a weekend to gather our thoughts before reopening the school on Monday 10th August. We made a big deal about our return from quarantine, and celebrated the reunification of our community.
Now that the media has gone, the critics have quietened and our students are back on site, we look forward to getting back to connecting with students and their families. We now set our sights to finishing Term 3, and making the best of a much disrupted 2020. I have a renewed empathy for Victorian Schools and the challenges they face as they endure extended periods of disruption and isolation, and pray for their swift return to normality, health and safety. I truly count my blessings and consider our community fortunate that no new cases of COVID-19 appeared in our community, and that God looked after us during our time of fear and uncertainty.
Galatians 25-26 Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Gary Cully
Hello to our wonderful families!
Year 1 has been very busy learning in our classrooms over the last couple of months.
We finished off our Science Unit about Chemical Changes. It was great doing experiments each week as we researched how materials change when heated or cooled.
During English activities we have been focussing on long vowel sounds and digraphs when learning about phonics and spelling. We have also been using our creative thinking when writing, using our daily writing prompts.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
Year 6 have been exploring micro-organisms in Science this Term. The cohort experienced an underwater themed escape room in the High School Science laboratories where they had to crack the codes and find the Colossal Squid.
They have also been conducting their own experiments where they had to gather data and evidence that supports their aim of finding what conditions are needed for mould spores to flourish.
In English and Geography the students are investigating different countries in Asia and creating interesting and comparative information reports. Students have used their technology skills to present their findings in a website or Google Slides.
Despite all the challenges of the year, the students have shown resilience and growth in their learning. We can’t wait to see what they can do next!
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
This year has been a year of connection.
Connection with families and loved ones over Zoom, maintaining a work connection and working online, churches have been having online services and small group ministries for months online, our busy social lives have moved to online meet up and Zoom barbeques and let’s not forget completing university, TAFE and school online.
This year has really solidified to me the importance of connection.
I have been talking to the year 7’s about the importance of maintaining connection with peers, school and self this year.
As I sit at my desk after returning from a very rambunctious class of Year 7 English I realise, again, that Year 7’s love connecting with their peers. In a simple activity of researching the plurals to words such as scissor, synagogue, thesis, bacteria and radius my beloved Year 7’s found a way to invent a rap song and my classroom hosted an epic rap battle between students. Even a simple handwriting activity can turn into a class debate about whether the song by Leona Lewis is ‘Bleeding Love’ or “Breathing Love’. Teenagers love forming connections with one another and seek opportunities to do so as often as they can.
I am reminded that whist our teenagers now seek connections over Tik Tok, Snap Chat and Messenger, I was writing letters and elaborately folding them into intricate secret envelopes and writing ‘for your eyes only’ on them to my friends in the 90’s. The medium, amount of time and intensity of teenager connection might have changed, but our kids are still seeking connection with peers.
I encourage you to take the time to speak to your teen about how you use to connect with your friends in your high school days, acknowledge their want for connection and set boundaries together around time mediums used and time spent connecting. I remember my mother being quite firm on the time I was allowed on the telephone calling my friends after school.
I have spent a lot of time this year reading professional journals, blogs, joining Facebook groups and talking with my colleagues about how teachers can maintain connection with their students during lockdown and teaching online.
Teachers have been reaching out and building connections with their students and classes over Google Classroom, Google Meets, emails, gifs, memes and videos. We know our students want to build connection and be connected with their classes and teachers have been working so hard to keep our kids connected and working.
How can we encourage students to build their own connections independently though?
Classroom teachers really help the Year 7’s manage this by breaking our assessment into smaller parts. The current Geography task is broken into 4 distinct parts and students have turn in / check point dates for each part. This breaking down of a larger task into its smaller parts is such an important skill and one that adults do automatically, but children and especially teenagers need assistance managing.
It’s hard being a teenager today.
I have had many conversations with students about how they struggle to disconnect from the world and find moments to be still. As a music teacher I love to teach about the importance of silence and that a moment’s pause can be make a piece of music so much better and completely transform the composition. I particularly love Silelius’ Symphony No.5 – III Finale, Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 9, Thirty Merc’s ‘My Completeness’ and Franz Schubert’s ‘Erlkӧnig.
During Year 7 Pastoral Care we focus on resilience, adjusting to Secondary School and how to be comfortable with yourself. Some ways to encourage your teen to be comfortable with themselves is to talk with them about:
During Week 6 the Year 7’s were blessed to have the Year 10 PC classes organise activities around the issue of Surviving High school and Resilience. The senior students facilitated group discussions, offering friendship and advice on topics including social media, homework, assignments, friendships, time management and what it means to be a PCC student.
Miss Abby Dixon, the Year 10 Coordinator, and the Year 10’s did a fabulous job and the Year 7’s are so grateful that the seniors chose to spend some time with us and impart their wisdom.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
If you would like a booking form or copy of the program please contact Miss Rachel via email or phone at: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com, 3297 0577 or pop on down to the service (situated in the prep area).
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2020 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Earlier this year, the college nominated Sarah as School Apprentice of the Year in the prestigious 2020 Queensland Training Awards. Each year, hundreds of school-based apprentices from around the State are nominated in these Awards and it is my absolute pleasure to announce that Sarah is a finalist in her category for the Metropolitan Region.
For most of her senior schooling, Sarah has had an interest in pursuing a trade based (diesel fitting) apprenticeship. After participating in various work placements in this industry, Sarah secured a mechanical fitting apprenticeship in year 11. A school based apprenticeship is not an easy path to juggle. Students must miss one or two days of school to attend work, all the while keeping up with their school and Tafe assessments. Of special note is Sarah’s strength of character to pursue a position in a (mostly) male dominated industry and I commend her on being a role model to her peers for pursuing her passions and working hard to achieve success in her chosen field . Much appreciation also goes to her employer Mendham Engineering for providing this opportunity especially during this challenging time of Covid-19 and to Sarah’s teachers and trade facilitators, student aides, and her family for supporting Sarah’s pathways and study pursuits.
Sarah will now take part in the Queensland Training Awards judging process which includes an interview with the judging panel and reflection on her trade pathway and working life in general.
Please join me in congratulating Sarah on this special achievement and we wish her all the best for the finals which are set for 10th September.
Young people are facing an employment crisis and their mental health is being affected by the concerns there won’t be enough jobs for them in the future.
The Skillsroad 2020 COVID-19 Youth Review has found the biggest issue facing Australians aged 15 to 24 is mental health, as many feel “isolated, unsafe and need better tools to navigate their rapidly changing world”. Now more than ever young Australian’s need relevant, practical career-related advice, resources and support.
Read more here: bit.ly/YouthSurveySnaps
What a challenging term it has been! Despite the disruption of this term, students are continuing to enjoy their musical activities & we are still looking ahead & making plans to grow our programme in 2021 & beyond. We have finally launched our Give It A Go! Band for this year, appropriately distanced, and the students are having a great time together.
All music lessons are continuing face-to-face on campus. Please be assured that appropriate cleaning & distancing measures are in place. Students will be using their own instruments and it is the responsibility of students & parents to clean their equipment before & after home practice, lessons & rehearsals. For piano students, the piano is carefully cleaned between every lesson, as well as at the beginning & end of the day. Percussion students must bring their own sticks & mallets. Lesson timetables can be found on Mrs Patane’s window, or on the Instrumental Music website through the Secondary Directory.
Ensemble rehearsals have all re-commenced, as this is an integral & fun part of learning & playing music. As most of our Ensembles are quite small in number, we have sufficient space for appropriate distancing & will take all steps to ensure this is maintained. We also have a cleaning regime in place that the students are getting used to, so it’s great for the students to still be able to play & sing together safely. Details for weekly rehearsals are as follows:
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30am in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Give It A Go Band: Wednesday 7:30am in the Student Services Function Room
Primary Junior Choir: Thursday 7:50am in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Primary Senior Choir: Tuesday 2:30pm in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30am in S1
While live performance opportunities are still not possible, we’re definitely putting creative thought into other ways of sharing performances with the College family.
It’s never too late to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. The next Give It A Go! intake will be in 2021 – Year 3 students will be hearing about this very soon!
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
Hello everyone,
We hope that wherever this newsletter finds you – that you and your loved ones are well and safe.
These are certainly interesting times to be living in. If someone asked us what we would be doing in 5 years time, 5 years ago, we would never have guessed that we would be in quarantine with our families, working from home and supporting students in their learning online. One thing that we can say though despite all the change, challenge and inconvenience, is that we have an incredible Parklands community.
If you are in need of assistance or help in this time, the Student Care and Wellbeing team would love to offer support to you and your families in any way that we can. If you or your children are struggling or need someone to talk to, we hope you would reach out.
Please feel free to email us at rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au if you have any questions or concerns or if you would like to organise a time to speak to one of our team for support.
Please also check out the great resources that can be found on the Student Care and Wellbeing google site.
Some additional services you can contact for support:
Headspace
Lifeline – PH: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue – PH: 1300 22 4636
Kids Help Line – PH: 1800 55 1800
Some strategies to help ease anxiety or worry in this time:
Thank you for your time and if you require anything further please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you,
The Student Care & Wellbeing Team
As we embark on another round of PCC@Home, our Secondary classes are off to a great start! Our teachers have worked very quickly to bolster their subject Sites, and will be maintaining continuity of learning through the Sites, Google Classroom and, for some, live lessons later in the week through Google Meet. Our students are well equipped to embrace this, having used the same platforms through our previous PCC@Home as well as using these tools in their face to face classes. If, however, your child has any concerns, they are encouraged to contact their subject teacher or a Coordinator for help.
We realise there are a variety of home circumstances, both for students and their families as well as for teachers, and therefore we will all embrace flexibility and do the best we can. When we return on site and are all together again, teachers will reevaluate individual and class progress and adjust as needed to move forward.
Our wonderful student aides in the Learning Enrichment department continue to provide excellent support to their students, and I thank them for the adjustment they make from in person to support to moving this online so very well. Our RTC staff are also available to the Parklands community to offer support during this week, and afterwards.
Mrs Wallis (Senior College Coordinator) and I are very mindful of our Year 12 students and their specific challenges and fears through this unique year, and especially again now. We have been in contact with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), who have offered their support and assurance. Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) applications have opened and information has been shared with our Year 12 students, for those interested in further study. Mrs Wallis and I are running optional small group Meets during quarantine with Year 12 students who would like to discuss the process with us.
On a personal note, I’d like to express my gratitude for the support and encouragement offered by parents and students during this time. It meant so much to me, and to all of our executive team, to have our community rally around us. Thank you. If we can be of any support during this time, please make contact and let us know.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Monday 24th August, 2020
Please refer to the home communication as to the different possibilities which will be confirmed closer to photo day.
Your photo order envelopes were sent home in Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Monday 24th August, 2020
Please refer to the home communication as to the different possibilities which will be confirmed closer to photo day.
Your photo order envelopes were sent home in Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Sign-on is on August 16, 23 and 30 at Hubner Park 9-12am bottom Clubhouse for junior boys and girls aged 8 to 17 or via playcricket.com.au. The season starts 10 October in MSW Competition, with 1330 players in age groups U10 – U17. Park Ridge has fielded junior teams for 40 years, they all play on turf and any questions contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Term 3 is well and truly underway!
Student have been busy learning and engaging with their teachers and their subjects.
In English, students are reading the novel Holes by Louis Sachar and discussing the issues of fate, destiny and luck, cruelty verse kindness, justice, power, poverty and education, man verse nature and confidence and the development of one through their choices. In Geography, the live-ability of places are being assessed due to a criteria of student developed environmental, economic and social factors. And in Music, students are revising foundation music concepts, learning about the elements of music and practicing playing piano with two hands.
Indeed, term three is a busy term.
Year 7’s at Parklands are blessed to have a school diary that they use for organisation, planning and timetabling out their school commitments. Diaries help students keep their thought organised, set and achieve their goals, relieve stress and boost their memory. A diary is an essential tool for both long-term and short-term goal planning and personal development.
At Parklands Year 7 students receive take home homework for English and Mathematics, and take home assignments for English, Mathematics, Science and History in Semester 1 and Geography in Semester 2.
All students should be using their diary to track and organise their homework for English and Mathematics and for setting time aside to work on their assignments.
They can also use their diaries for planning extension work, when they need to bring something in to class and for writing down their assessment due dates.
The diaries are also an excellent communication tool between home and school. Parents can use the diaries to communicate uniform to RTC or to open a dialogue with a teacher regarding homework and assignments questions.
I encourage all parents to use the diary when their child arrives home as a connection point for asking the questions, ‘How was your day today?’, ‘Do you have any homework?’ or ‘What assignments are we working on this afternoon?’
In conclusion, for Year 7 students, homework and the planning of homework using a paper diary is extremely useful for learning and practising the skills of time management, organisation, discipline with keeping to set dead Guidelines and preparing them for work life post school.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
We would like to extend our thanks to all of our Parklands families for your patience, cooperation and encouragement during this last week. We each have personally appreciated the messages of support and the rallying of our community as we navigate this challenging situation. Now, even with the uncertainty of the second round of scheduled testing, we move into another season of PCC@Home, a season that will hopefully last just this week (Monday 3 to Friday 7 August inclusive). Our Education team have prioritised flexibility into our approach, as we appreciate the various circumstances that students, families and teachers are facing. Some may be able and wanting to fully engage with a comprehensive learning program, while others will be navigating personal pressures, technology restrictions, testing and other logistical and emotional challenges.
Our goal is to minimise interruption to learning as much as possible, share the Parklands care that is core to who we are, and provide a sense of stability during quarantine. We absolutely do not want this week (in spite of the new testing requirement) to be any more stressful for families than it already is, so please be flexible and have your children engage with PCC@Home to the degree that is comfortable for your circumstances. All going well, we will return to face to face learning on Monday, 10th August, when we will work with students to regroup and make adjustments as needed as we move forward. If you anticipate that your child can’t engage at all with learning from home, please let us know. Teachers will give direction for their year level/subject, which may vary from person to person as we are also mindful of the stress and challenges that teachers are personally facing. They have had very little time to prepare for online learning and therefore will be doing the best they can within their own personal constraints.
We understand that there has been no preparation for this event and the circumstances involving our previous PCC@Home learning allowed for significant preparation of learning resources. Our aim for this quarantine period is to provide learning experiences in our core literacy and numeracy focuses, whilst making learning relevant and accessible to the real world. Whilst being conscious of the unprecedented circumstances, we aim to provide continuity of learning through our modified learning program and Google Sites platform. Our teachers have prepared their year level Google Sites, so you can access your child’s learning in the same way via PCC@Home as you did in Term 2. We are aware that our primary students may not have access to learning resources and devices, and may have siblings they share devices with, so be realistic and flexible with expectations of their learning journey. If you have any questions or concerns about the learning, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher directly.
Not sure what it’s like at home but teachers and the RTC are experiencing many students just not listening to and following instructions. This behaviour is evident when lining up, in the classroom for lessons, out on the ovals or while students are running around playing! Staff are making a concerted effort to get the students to “Stop, Look, Listen and DO”
We aren’t exactly sure why this ‘non listening behaviour’ is becoming more evident but research from UQ and Harvard University have offered up a few suggestions – due to modern electronic gadgets “common communication skills” are being used less (children don’t know of or get to practise the social skills to listen, hold a conversation and follow instructions).
Children are so busy and pre occupied in this ‘instant society’ that they appear / are rushed to move onto the next experience so thereby don’t listen to or fully comprehend instructions.
In class this is what good listening has been encouraged to ‘look and sound’ like:
We are asking that parents assist us by getting their children to practice these listening skills at home and to be reminded of them daily before coming to school. Thanking you in anticipation for your support in this regard.
This semester we will again get the students to focus on using kind words to each other or saying NOTHING bad at all as well as trying to have friendly actions to one another in the Primary School! We will again be reminding students about ways to treat each other so as not to ‘bully’ because bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects many children in all schools. It breaks a child’s natural right to feel safe and secure and can affect a child’s performance, their peer relations and his or her self-esteem!
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
Class Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, class process or procedure, class behaviour, calendar events etc, that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call.
If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
Specialist lessons (HPE – Mr. Lewis, Music – Mrs. Patane, Art – Mrs. Bazley, Library – Mrs. Kerr or
Student Services – Mrs. Oxley, Mrs. Sampson or Mrs. Swinn
RTC – Mr.Crawford, Miss Robinson or
LE – Mrs. Jo Anderson
If you don’t get resolve or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher or specialist, would you kindly then contact myself, Grant Jakins through Student Services?
Thank you for speaking to the correct person so as to assist you best with your question or concern.
Dear Parklands Family,
In the midst of a season full of questions, one of the most common questions that I am asked is, “…so, how’s your first year going as a Principal”? When Queensland first went through isolation, people asked this question as a sign of sympathy, with a pat on the back and a wink of the eye. Now when people ask me this, they do so with a tone of disbelief and wonder. I must admit, over the past few days I have also gone about the tasks at hand with a little disbelief and wonder. Honestly, it’s been a wild ride, and I have had to learn a lot in a very short time. I am surrounded by a great and professional team who I would be lost without, and our College Board have been a source of wisdom, affirmation and great encouragement.
I have been particularly encouraged by the support from our parents and students. Parents have asked numerous important questions, myself included, and so have our children. Our team has done our very best to field questions and glean answers from Public Health. Public Health themselves have struggled from time to time to articulate the best course of action, yet together we have been able to keep our school community safe so far, and maybe even kept Queensland a little safer in the process.
As we have navigated the past week, I have talked, emailed and messaged many people. I have listened to distressed parents, and I have empathised with their concerns. There are also a lot of angry and emotive people out there, full of fear and blame. In the early days of the school’s closure, we had to close our phone lines and shut-down our Facebook pages and block out the anger and accusation. While my contact with the media has been pleasant and professional, there was a great deal of speculation published across the news, social media and even local forums. At times I looked on in wonder, and simply shook my head as mass media fed the masses.
As things begin to quieten down, and we get on with the business of keeping safe and healthy, I reflect on my journey over what personally felt like a very intense time. Early in my career, my mentor and friend Ps David Baskerville taught me a simple, yet powerful truth that can be found in the Proverbs (Old Testament). Proverbs 15 states;
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (NIV).
Over the course of my career as an educator, and as a husband and father, I have found the wisdom of this proverbs to be a truth that has served me well. A kind word, and a soft response cuts through the heat of emotion, and drives away uncertainty and hostility leaving space for people to come together. This is a season for people to come together, and for harsh words to be forgotten. Anger, fear and blame will not serve our community well when the important task before us is to heal and restore.
Right now, I call on our community to forget harsh words and leave behind anger, even though a little anger might be justifiable right now. Instead, let’s move toward restoration and coming back together as an extended family on 10th August, God willing. Let our children remember this season as a time of unity and solidarity. Together, we can get through the rest of quarantine and see each other once again in our classrooms, playgrounds, sports fields and art rooms next week. Life will be different as we embrace a new normal. However, our lives past this point, and indeed post pandemic will be a new chance to embrace that which we have come to appreciate during isolation…each other.
Gary Cully
Welcome back to Term 3. I write to you on a cool and windy winter morning, trying to warm after standing in the car park and welcoming back our students. As I thaw out, I look out my office window watching 734 students walking off to class, some eagerly and some with the memory of holidays still firmly etched in their minds. I hope you all had a good, and well deserved break. I was fortunate enough to spend my break with friends and family, as they came to see our new house for the first time. After moving back from the Philippines, our family of five squeezed in with my father in law who lives in the Redlands for 6 months while we searched for a house close to school. I can now say we are happily locals, and I am enjoying a short 15 minute drive to and from school each day.
I spent most of my childhood growing up in and around Shailer Park, before the Hyperdome (which used to be a very cool water slide park), and while most of that area was virgin bush. I went to Kimberly Park State Primary School, and then rode to Shailer Park State High School every day. Now when I visit the area, I don’t recognise much of the streets and suburbs that seemingly go on forever, and I marvel at the population growth Logan City has experienced over the past 20+ years. In fact you don’t have to venture far from our school these days to see evidence of swift growth. In the time that I was away, the space between Park Ridge and Marsden is almost exclusively filled with new high density housing estates, and we are being told to expect an approximate population of 25,000 extra people in Park Ridge alone.
As the needs of our local population change, and as demand grows for good schools in our area, the College considers how we might serve the needs of our growing local community. To this end, we have re-engaged our architect and have re-commenced discussions regarding our Master Plan. We are conscious that the economic impacts of COVID-19 may still impact our College families in the months and even years to come, yet as we emerge from isolation in a healthy financial situation, we feel confident to cautiously pursue our building plans. We do this out of a motivation to serve our local community, and welcome new families into our culture. We are not looking to grow quickly, nor are we seeking to become a big school. Rather, with careful planning and attention to cultural details, we wish to extend our capacity to care for our students, and invest in their lives as they become all that God wants them to become.
For the remainder of the year, we will be developing our plans and raising funds to hopefully start preparing for a third stream (class group) of students that would commence in 2023. In the meantime, my attention will be focused on emerging from isolation well, and re-establishing a sense of normality as we strive to provide our students with a rich and wholesome education. Excursions, camps and community events will slowly be re-introduced to our program, and it is my sincere hope that we will be able to end our year with most, if not all of our usual and much loved events. There will be changes and disruptions in the season ahead, but I again thank you all in advance for your patience and grace as we navigate these uncertain times.
May you be blessed as we travel through this term together.
Gary Cully
Sign-on is on August 16, 23 and 30 at Hubner Park 9-12am bottom Clubhouse for junior boys and girls aged 8 to 17 or via playcricket.com.au. The season starts 10 October in MSW Competition, with 1330 players in age groups U10 – U17. Park Ridge has fielded junior teams for 40 years, they all play on turf and any questions contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
As the holidays draw to a close, we consider the term before us – a little closer to what used to be normal, but still some uncertainty remains. We would like to think that music can provide some anchor of stability to students in this still uncertain time, & to that end we will be resuming as many musical activities as safely possible in Term 3.
From Week 1, all music lessons will be face-to-face on campus. If families are continuing to self-isolate, there may still the option to join a lesson via Zoom. Please notify your teacher so this can be arranged, and we will do our best to include your child as fully as possible in the lesson. For those having face-to-face lessons, please be assured that appropriate cleaning & distancing measures will be in place. Students will be using their own instruments and it is the responsibility of students & parents to clean their equipment before & after home practice, lessons & rehearsals. For piano students, the piano is carefully cleaned between every lesson, as well as at the beginning & end of the day. Percussion students must bring their own sticks & mallets.
With the prospect of a slightly more normal Term, our Brass, Woodwind & Percussion lessons will revert to rotating timetables. Timetables will be communicated by email & will be available on PCC@Home shortly.
We are keen for Ensemble rehearsals to re-commence where possible, as this is an integral & fun part of learning & playing music. As most of our Ensembles are quite small in number, we have sufficient space for appropriate distancing & will take all steps to ensure this is maintained. Details for rehearsals are as follows:
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30am in Mrs Patane’s Music Room
Give It A Go Band: Wednesday 7:30am in the Church Auditorium
Primary Choirs: arrangements to be communicated by Mrs Patane
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30am in S1
While live performance opportunities are still not possible right now, we’re definitely putting creative thought into other ways of sharing performances with the College family. Information about those events will be communicated at a later date.
It’s never too late to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. The next Give It A Go! intake will be in 2021.
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
When you hear Powerful Person, most people think of the controlling, loud, life of the party, aggressive and a domineering individual. Yet these people are not what GOD considers powerful. 2 Corinthians 3:17 – ‘Now the LORD is the SPIRIT and where the SPIRIT is there is FREEDOM’ Galatians 5:13 discusses the fruit of the Spirit and what they look like. This is what a powerful person looks like!
Here are 8 traits of a powerful person:
Powerful people understand that it is their job to control themselves. They do not try to control, convince, or manipulate other people or their behaviours. They know it doesn’t work, and it’s not their job. They focus their energy on being able to control themselves regardless of what others may or may not do.
Powerful people are able to consciously and deliberately create the environment in which they want to live. They don’t try to get people to respect them; they create a respectful environment by showing respect. They deliberately set the standard for how they expect to be treated by the way they treat others. As they consistently act in responsible, respectful, and loving ways, it becomes clear that the only people who can get close to them are those who know how to show respect, be responsible, and love well.
Powerful people are happening. They are happening all the time. They are not controlled or infected by their environment. Powerful people refuse to play the victim by shifting responsibility for their choices onto others. Letting other people dictate how they are going to feel or what they will choose to do. They happen to their circumstances rather than letting their circumstances dictate to them what they will do or how they will feel.
Powerful people empower others to be powerful. When powerful people encounter a powerless person, they are not tempted to dive into any unhealthy emotional ties or attachments. They hear a victim’s sob story and ask, “So what are you going to do about that? What have you tried? What else could you try?” These questions empower powerless people with owning their responsibility and their capacity to make choices and how they can control themselves. This is the only option a powerful person will offer to powerless people: become powerful, make choices, and control yourself. Powerful people demonstrate what it means to be powerful.
Powerful people have a vision and mission for their life, and can use the events of each day, whether positive or negative, to direct themselves toward that vision. Powerful people do not simply react to whatever is happening today. They are able to take responsibility for their decisions and the consequences of those decisions–even for mistakes and failures. They can respond to today and create tomorrow.
In Matthew 11:7 Jesus talks about John not being a reed swayed in the wind. So popular opinion or the pressure of others does not sway the language of powerful people. They know exactly what they want and how to communicate their desires. A powerful person says, “I will. I do. I am.” Powerful people can say both “Yes” and “No,” and mean it. Others can try to manipulate, charm, and threaten, but their answer will stand.
A powerful person’s choice to love will stand, no matter what the other person does or says. When powerful people say, “I love you,” there’s nothing that can stop them. Their love is not dependent on being loved in return. It is dependent on their powerful ability to say “Yes” and carry out that decision. This protects their love from external forces, or from being managed by other people. Powerful people keep their love on and say “I can handle your mistakes, I love you!”
Powerful people can be who they say they are on a consistent basis. And because they know how to be themselves, they invite those around them to be themselves. Only powerful people can create a safe place to know and be known intimately. They say, “I can be me around you and you can be you around me. We do not need to control each other, and we don’t want to control each other.”
We are all growing to be a powerful person. Powerful people are ok with making mistakes and take the opportunity to learn. No matter what happens know that every step we are learning and moving towards the person that GOD created us to be!
Enjoy the journey of being a powerful person!
Check out some more information at Student Care and Wellbeing Team. Information from Danny Silk’s Blog – Loving on Purpose
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Monday 24th August, 2020
Please refer to the home communication as to the different possibilities which will be confirmed closer to photo day.
Your photo order envelopes were sent home in Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
A huge welcome back to term 3 from Year 1!
We also welcomed Mr Melvold to Year 1 today. He is studying his Teacher Aide course and will be doing some practical hours with us at Parklands.
We enjoyed an amazing first day back. We wrote all about our holidays and illustrated our work. We were proud of how hard they worked and super impressed with their sentences!
We are looking forward to a fabulous time of learning over the next 10 weeks. We will be learning all about physical and chemical changes in Science and we’ll be jumping back into the past as we learn about Then and Now in our HASS unit.
We look forward to sharing more fun with you throughout the term.
Take care,
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so it may be the result of an underlying speech and language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile private certified practicing speech-Language Pathologist with 24 years of generalised and highly specialist experience having worked with Kindy, Primary and Secondary Students.
Michelle Sparg, a certified practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, is in her 9th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers and learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our College, please contact Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435492716.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Monday 24th August, 2020
Please refer to the home communication as to the different possibilities which will be confirmed closer to photo day.
Your photo order envelopes were sent home in Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
I trust you had a lovely holiday break, having spent time doing the nice, fun and or relaxing things you enjoy, with family and friends?
At the start of this semester I wish you and the students everything of the best for the term that lies ahead.
All students should have received a modified ‘End of Semester Report’ via email (for the first time) at the conclusion of last term. If you haven’t received it, please kindly contact Nancy Abolins in Student Services on 3380 4702.
This report should confirm what your child’s teacher has informed you of, or given you feedback on throughout the term as to how your child has progressed.
On Wednesday 22nd July we have our Primary P/T Interviews (which will take on the Profile Evening style) of being done in the classrooms, where you can book an interview ‘on line’, to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for the Informative Email with more information, booking times and procedures!
A reminder that students should be on site by 8.25am the latest and ready for the start of the school day by 8.30am sharp. Would you please assist us in reminding students of these procedures and do all you can to have students on campus by 8.25am the latest. We thank you for your support and understanding in this regard.
For the start of Term 3, could you please ensure ALL uniform items, lunch boxes/water bottles and bags are clearly relabeled with your child’s name? Ensure that black shoes are polished, hair is cut and the correct uniform items are worn – jumper with Academic Uniform and the tracksuit jacket with Sport Uniform. Please also check students are wearing predominantly WHITE, leather upper sneakers / sand shoes with their sports uniform.
If unsure about any uniform requirements, please feel free to check the School Website (Online Store – Uniform Policy – Primary) or ask the RTC staff or class teachers. Thank you for your understanding and assistance in this regard.
An ongoing emphasis has been placed on ‘child safety, social distancing, washing hands’ from the beginning of term 2 whereby we’re continually reminding students to: stay 1.5m apart, regularly wash hands, walk on the concrete, stay under the verandahs or covered areas when raining and moving around the school, don’t push and shove and walk in single file up and down the stairs, play nicely and safely on the playgrounds and to have “KIND words and FRIENDLY action” when at school. Can we ask that you please remind your child to do likewise when at school?
Parents, social distancing/DROP & GO/collecting students from classrooms of an afternoon are ALL still in place for this term. Please also be very careful and vigilant around the pedestrian crossing, when opening car doors in the car parks and to please stick to the 20 km/h speed limit when driving through the school?
Can we please remind all parents and students that the safest and only place to cross the Rosia Rd car park should be at the pedestrian crossing and not just before the top exit gate, close to the Gr 5 classrooms! THANK YOU for your support in keeping our students safe!
Life is a wonderful but sometimes bumpy journey. Everyone experiences setbacks, frustrations and hard times at different times in their lives. We can’t protect young people from the stress of all the possible setbacks in their life but we can teach them the coping skills that promote resilience. Recent research studies have suggested that today’s children may be less resilient than those of previous generations and more in need of opportunities to learn resilience skills.
There are many skills that we can teach students to provide them with a resilience ‘tool kit’ for coping with life and being successful. We can teach our children to be optimistic by, for example:
Many children become unnecessarily distressed and fearful because they distort a situation or they have incorrect and unhelpful beliefs that make it less likely that they will attempt to solve a problem.
Examples of such thinking include:
Young people also need to learn skills for being confident as part of their ‘resilience tool kit’. These skills include:
It’s evident that young people with well-developed social skills are more likely to be resilient and to have a good support network of friends when needed. Key social skills can be taught and practiced in a range of classroom and playground situations. Skills for knowing triggers of anxiety or anger can be taught and finding the confidence to act courageously when necessary, are also an important part of a young person’s resilience ‘tool kit’.
Through many areas of the curriculum, teachers can encourage their students to develop and try to live by our values such as Christlikeness, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, Cooperation and Acceptance of differences. Parents can reinforce and role model these situations and ideas at home, thus offering the child every opportunity to see resilience in action!
Looking forward to a wonderful term of doing your child’s education together.
| Monday | 8.00am - 10.00am |
| Tuesday | 2.00pm - 4.00pm |
| Thursday | 2.00pm - 4.00pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
The month of May holds a week to celebrate National Volunteers, what a perfect time to acknowledge our Friendlies team. I am extremely proud of our amazing Friendlies team who endlessly throughout the year volunteer their precious time to serve our community. Each and every one of them have such a huge servant’s heart. It is such a privilege and brings me so much joy to serve alongside them. Congratulations team!
This season has been a time of reflecting what we class as important in our lives and what the future may hold. For us as a committee we have been unable to hold any community events, but we have continued to bless and support many families through various times in their lives. We have been reminded that God is a God of love and we are here to serve our community and share the love of Christ with everyone we meet.
The Friendlies team are committed to loving, encouraging and caring for all of our school community. Our mission statement is “The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another”.
We will continue to uphold our school community in prayer to get through this season. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Philippians 4:13
This term we made the decision to cancel our Friendlies meetings. Restrictions are changing daily so hopefully we will be able to meet at some stage in Term 3. In the meantime if you would like to know more about what we do and how you can be involved email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Virtual Hugs to you all!
The Friendlies Team J
It has been so lovely having our students back in class. I think the children were also super excited to be back with their friends once again. We are so grateful for every child in Year 1 and we love experiencing all the different gifts each one brings to our classrooms. Each day is definitely a blessing and we are grateful.
The children have worked hard to settle back into school life. We are building up our routines once again and readjusting to larger groups again. A few highlights since returning have been our daily push up challenges. The children have been bringing smiles to our faces as they challenge themselves to do push ups each day.
We also took part in the National Simultaneous Read Aloud Day on Wednesday 27th May. At 11am we read the hilarious book, ‘Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas’ by Lucinda Gifford, along with thousands of children across Australia. We then participated in some literacy based activities which we are sure you have seen up in the Year 1 windows!
Take care everyone and stay safe!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Year 1’s
This term the Year 2’s have been learning about Logan’s history. We have discussed differences in the past and present and Mrs Koplick even brought some awesome antique pieces in that we could see and touch. There was an iron, a lantern and even a waffle iron!
We were all so excited to come back to school on the first day after isolation but we had no idea that 300 balloons would meet us on the other side of the door! Needless to say that between the two classes of Year 2 students that 600 balloons (300 in each classroom) caused quite a memorable day back at school. The day ended with them all being popped, so some would say it ended with a bang! Welcome back Year 2!
Miss McNabb, Mrs Koplick and Mrs Hollenberg.
What a joy it’s been to celebrate the return of all of our students back on site together as a community! The Year 11 & 12 students enjoyed having the campus to themselves for a couple of weeks, as they worked with teachers in ensuring their senior learning and assessments are on track. Then we celebrated the return of Y7-10 in Secondary, first as they arrived at school, then during their first break with different celebrations happening for each year level, and our student leadership team assisting. Bubble wands seemed to be a hit in the morning, at least with the staff, who seemed to enjoy playing with bubbles as much as the students seemed to enjoy being greeted with them!
As our PCC@Home drew to a close, we spent an afternoon with all Primary and Secondary teachers, celebrating the wonderful effort they put into creating and levelling up our online learning. See photos below of this celebration along with the student return celebrations. I’m so grateful to all of our staff for how they each adjusted their work tasks in order to support students and families, as well as each other during that season. We also reflected on our practice during PCC@Home, considering what elements of that high-level online learning could be brought into our everyday practice, and I am excited to see how this progresses. We’ve also surveyed our students to hear their perspective, so that together we can continue to provide the best education possible for our Parklands students.
And so I close with a great big THANK YOU to our parents, carers, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends who supported children during PCC@Home. Thank you for your support from home, to whatever extent you were capable of with your own unique circumstances. Thank you for your support of our teachers. What a wonderful community we have!
Whilst this initial stage of PCC@Home is finished, we are conscious that the broader season isn’t over, that many families will remain affected for some time. While we remain hopeful that the government’s roadmap will remain on track, we are conscious that we don’t know exactly what Semester 2 will bring, and we’re prepared to again be flexible and adjust as needed in order to look after our students. Having experienced the way our community united in the first half of this term, I am grateful to be able to confidently move into the next stages of 2020, grateful for the opportunity to serve the Parklands community and grateful that we are all working together for the best for our children.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring all students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their track suit and academic jumpers or even wearing non-school jumpers. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC, uniform store or check our website for photos and details. Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, water bottles and LUNCH box items are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
Due to COVID 19, all students will be receiving a modified ‘End of Semester Report’ at the conclusion of this term. This amended report will inform you as to how your child has progressed both first Term and this virus affected (on and off site learning) Term.
On Wednesday 22nd July, we plan to have our Primary PROFILE Evening style Parent/Teacher Interviews in the teacher’s classrooms, where you can book an interview to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for more information and booking times and procedures! If this day doesn’t suit you, please feel free to arrange a suitable day and time with your child’s teacher.
Talking about the end of term – we only have a few more weeks of school left then we break up for the Winter Holidays on Friday 19th June and return for Term 3 on Tuesday 14th July.
If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying then you’ll know how problems always seem bigger when you keep tossing them around in your head. It can seem like everything is stacked against you. When this happens you’ve got to find the off switch so you can get away from your worries for a while. The same principle holds for children and teenagers when they worry. Their problems just seem to get bigger and they need to turn them off or tone them down so they can ease their anxiety. There are eight easy-to-learn strategies that you can teach your kids to prevent them from ruminating – going over the same thoughts and worries over and over again.
1. Broaden their vision
Kids get tunnel vision when they worry. They often can’t see the bigger picture. For instance, a young person may fret over minor work matters such getting the exact font match for an assignment they are working on, and neglect to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day. Sometimes it takes a wise adult to remind children and young people about what really is important to them.
2. Put their attention elsewhere
Placing attention away from worries is an age old technique for parents and teachers. Commonly known as distraction, the act of focusing attention on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good mental health. Examples of distractions include – going outside, playing a game, shooting some basketball hoops or listening to music.
3. Give the worry a name
Somehow giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable. My favourite picture storybook for toddlers ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof‘ by Hazel Edwards personifies fear of the dark as a friendly hippo. Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.
4. Put your worries in a jar
Wouldn’t it be great to put all your worries into a safe and throw away the key? As an adult you may do this when you take time out to watch your favourite TV show; or lose yourself wandering for hours online. Children need something a little more practical. They can write their worries on some paper and lock them in away in a jar by the side of the bed at the end of the day. It’s good to know that their worries can’t get out because they are locked up tight.
5. Limit talking time
It’s good if kids can talk about what’s on their mind but talking needs to be contained to prevent their worries from dominating their lives. Set aside ten minutes a day to talk about their worries and then put worry time aside until tomorrow.
6. Normalise rather than lionise their anxiety
Anxious kids are very sensitive to their parent’s concerns and worries. One way we build their concerns is by continually reassuring them that things will be fine. One reassurance should be sufficient most of the time followed by “I’ve already talked to you about that.” Continually going over old ground can allow worries to linger longer than necessary.
7. Give him the tools to relax
My wife relaxes in front of the TV, which is sufficient for her to take her mind off her worries. Some people need a bigger set of tools including mindfulness and exercise to help us neutralise our worries.
8. Move baby move
Get kids moving. Physical exercise is not only a great distraction but it release feel-good endorphins that help children and young people feel better and more optimistic about the future.
For more on anxiety and the tools you need to support you raise kids who worry or feel anxious, our Parenting Anxious Kids online course is a fantastic resource.
Have a wonderful break and school holiday spent with family and friends.
Monday 25th May, we welcomed back Years 2-10 on site, re-uniting the entire school population. It was so good to see our students smiling faces, and listen to their excited chatter about being back, and seeing friends and teachers. And so a normality settles over our site once again, as the time table re-starts and the vast majority of our programs re-commence. There are still some elements of our school that won’t return to normal until restrictions are eased, but I am sure by Term 3, that our school will be back in the swing of things.
It’s been an interesting season hasn’t it? In the early weeks of the pandemic, it was hard to keep up with the ever changing health advice, rules and restrictions. During these complex early weeks, it was hard to provide advice to our families and give you all a clear picture of what would come next. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the wider College community for the patience and grace you extended us during this time. Furthermore, I want to acknowledge the many families who encouraged us during this time, with words of affirmation, support and encouragement. We also appreciated the food! We had several deliveries of pizza, donuts and a variety of packed goods and chocolates. Some days, I think these kind gestures got me through.
I also wish to acknowledge how hard it was to be a good parent during isolation. During this season, parents had faced not only great change in the workplace, but also in the home. As a dad, I struggled to know how to best help my children study and work from home. Fortunately, my children have been doing home schooling for the past 4 years as we lived and served in Cebu. Maya, Lauren & Judah, kicked into home-school mode and largely picked up from where they left off. However, even with their prior knowledge of working from home, the adjustment was significant, and at times the stress was high. So to all of those parents out there that survived isolation and relied on PCC@Home, I congratulate you! Balancing life’s responsibilities is complex under normal circumstances, so doing this and managing your children’s learning journey is a rare achievement, well done.
As we surveyed students, staff and parents, we gathered a lot of useful information and identified a few trends. In particular, I was interested to see how solidly students depend on their teachers, and this didn’t change much across the year levels. This has given us much to think about as we endeavour to train our students to become increasingly self-reliant. We also identified how much students rely on their peers for support, both emotionally and in their learning journeys. I look forward to exploring the impacts of collaborative learning (on and off line) and how it could play a part in a child’s schooling. Lastly, we heard from many parents that it was a challenge to know how much their child should actually be doing, despite the instructions provided on PCC@Home. For me, these comments reinforce the need for clear and simple communication, and we will keep talking about the best ways to keep parents informed.
Overall, I have been encouraged by our community’s response to COVID-19 and the subsequent period of isolation. Our community responded graciously, and generously, even to the point of families offering to contribute to the fees of those doing it tough. What a great place to be a part of! As we navigate these last few weeks of term, and we return to our normal rhythms, I pray that our students will appreciate what a gift it is to be at school, and join together as a community once again. I trust that as we close out the term, and as we navigate the remaining restriction and changes, that we all appreciate and value community, and enjoy reconnecting with one another.
Gary Cully
Principal
I write this article today after saying goodbye to our dear friend and work colleague Mr Rob Helliwell. Rob passed away on Saturday 23rd of May, after a long battle with his health. While we as a school community will miss him terribly, we know that he is now at peace, without pain and in the arms of his Heavenly Father.
I first met Rob in the very early years of building our school. Rob came to us offering to help where he could and he freely contributed to the life of the college for almost 20 years. Rob had his fair share of health battles along the way, and it was a privilege to support him and his wife Karen through these challenging times. Rob taught both in the Primary and Secondary schools, and as his health became more challenging, he transitioned to our property team in the role of Workplace Health and Safety officer. No matter where Rob found himself in the school, he served diligently and with an ever present smile.
Although most have now graduated, many students will remember Mr Helliwell as a kind, fatherly figure with a dry, quick wit. He was creative, resourceful and knew the value of maintaining a good relationship with his students. His colleagues adored him, and he understood our college culture, and contributed to it faithfully, year after year.
We will miss seeing Rob around our site, as we mourn the loss of one of our own. Our hearts go out to the Helliwell family during this sad time, and we pray they find some peace in the knowledge that Rob impacted many lives through the Ministry of Parklands Christian College, and will be dearly missed.
It is amazing to think that our phones and many watches now have 100x – 10000x the computing power that took man to the moon. I hear stories of people gathering to watch the landing on the moon as not everyone had a TV. These days most households have up to 2 devices per person that people could be watching, in colour, whatever they want and whenever they want. Digital media, technology and screen time has increased significantly and has become a normal and in some cases necessary part of life.
So how do we manage this? How do we make sure that our children do not become mindlessly glued to the screen? Here are a few ideas to try out at home:
Sit down as a family and work out a plan. Write this down so you remember what it is you are trying to achieve and gain from this. Your child does not need to see the plan but it helps if you have a strategy. You can use the following as a guide for your plan.
For further information please check these out:
Parklands Christian College Technology Policy
Responsible Technology Use – Parklands’ Student Care and Wellbeing Google Site
Coffee, Kids and Crazy podcast – Back to school and Screentime – By Loving on Purpose – Brittney Serpell
Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner – Information on online safety and screen time activities
Common Sense Media – Check on ratings, content and storylines. Plus many other resources.
Cyber Safety Solutions – Learn about safety for your child whilst online.
Family Contracts for Screen time – Use one of their templates or just use this as a guide when you write your own!
Welcome to the adventure of building great relationships with your child around appropriate use of technology. Enjoy your time with your child teaching, modelling and monitoring the screen time world!
Friday 29th May
The Senior Visual Art students held their first exhibition of the year last Friday. The works displayed reflect months of planning, development and research, as well as lots of hard work! The artworks stemmed from the units ‘Art as Code’ (Year 11) and ‘Art as Knowledge’ (Year 12) and were developed according to inquiry questions devised by the students. The exhibition featured a range of 2D, 3D and time-based media, including painting, installations, assemblages and video works. Congratulations art students on your outstanding efforts!
Welcome back to school, from the sounds in the playgrounds it seems students are generally happy to be back on campus. We are of course delighted to have them too. As classes resume, so face-to-face music lessons have resumed in week 6. Many students have been engaged with lessons online during the shut-down, & the teachers have all enjoyed seeing their progress continue despite a disruption to the normal routine.
From Week 6, all music lessons except for Guitar & Drum Kit will resume face-to-face on campus. If families are continuing to self-isolate, there is still the option to join a lesson via Zoom. Please notify your teacher so this can be arranged, and we will do our best to include your child as fully as possible in the lesson. For those having face-to-face lessons, please be assured that appropriate cleaning & distancing measures will be in place. Students will be using their own instruments and it is the responsibility of students & parents to clean their equipment before & after home practice, lessons & rehearsals. For piano students, the piano is carefully cleaned between every lesson, as well as at the beginning & end of the day. Percussion students must bring their own sticks & mallets.
Considering all the changes that have taken place this term, we have decided to keep lesson times static as far as possible for the remainder of Term 2. This will be reconsidered for Term 3, depending on circumstances at the time. Timetables have been communicated by email & will be available on PCC@Home shortly.
We are keen for Ensemble rehearsals to re-commence where possible, as this is an integral & fun part of learning & playing music. As most of our Ensembles are quite small in number, we have sufficient space for appropriate distancing & will take all steps to ensure this is maintained. Details for rehearsals are as follows:
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30am in Mrs Patane’s Music Room, beginning in week 6
Give It A Go Band: commencing in Term 3
Primary Choirs: arrangements to be communicated by Mrs Patane
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30am in S1, beginning in week 6
While live performance opportunities are not available right now, we’re definitely putting creative thought into other ways of sharing performances with the College family. Information about those events will be communicated at a later date.
Just to give you a taste of what some of the students got up to in the Zoom lessons, enjoy below some photos from “Crazy Hat Day”, “Crazy Scarf Day” & “Crazy Hair Day”…
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
Hasn’t term 2 been crazy!
I am so very proud of how the Year 7’s have stepped up and taken to PCC@home!
It is certainly a difficult transition to make from packing their school bag, being organised for class and coming to a physical room and interacting with a teacher to learning online. I’m sure every home has had moments of joy and a few tears as we have all transitioned to working online.
Can I encourage you all the keep the discussions lines open in your home with your Year 7 student, as we come to a busy time of term, both in the potential staggered return to school and with drafts of assignments becoming due.
Have a daily conversation with your child asking:
In our combined Year 7 Google Classroom I have set a challenge each weekend to encourage the students to put their devices down and get outside or to be creative with their family.
One of the challenges asked students to join in the #gettymuseumchallenge by recreating a popular painting or photograph with what they had in isolation.
We had some fantastic submissions with Justin Hunt being Charlie Chaplin, Jordana O’Neil channeling Pro Hart and Georgia Holland using her younger sister Grace as the star in her recreation of Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’.
May I take this time to wish you and your family health and peace during this time.
Breathe a spirit of love and self-discipline into our community that we continually promote and protect our families and our most vulnerable. Strengthen our witness to embody examples of compassion, mercy and love. Support and protect our health care workers, teachers, essential workers and all who serve the community and others before self. We trust in your great compassion and unconditional promise always to be with us.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Hello to all our wonderful Year 1 families.
We have been proud beyond words of everyone’s hard work to make this term flow smoothly. We are so grateful for your support and kind words of encouragement.
Our kiddos are, of course, super stars and we have been blown away by their amazing efforts and fabulous attitude as they embarked on their learning journey at home and at school. We have been encouraged by all the photos we’ve seen of your children working at home- thank you. We cannot wait until we are all together again, but until then, be safe, take care and stay healthy.
We miss you!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
Psalm 3:5 “I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.”
I love the picture I see in my head when I read this psalm – I curl up asleep in a clearing of a field & the Lord’s giant wings of protection surround me so that all is calm as I sleep. The storm may rage outside, but I know in His hands I am safe. I pray that you have felt those wings of protection during this season, even if your circumstances haven’t been perfect or what you expected. I also hope that playing music has given your children an outlet for some of their big feelings during this time, which can sometimes be hard to put into words but may be more easily expressed through music.
Instrumental & vocal lessons have begun to happen online, with a few technical hitches of course, but it’s been great to see students engaging with their music teachers. Some students are at home & some are at school, but it’s ok – we’re finding ways to get them together virtually, and they enjoy seeing their friends on the screen. It is still important for them to have a variety of activities to do, so please make sure your children are still practising, daily if possible. We teachers love seeing what they have accomplished each week!
While partial shut-down conditions exist, Ensemble rehearsals will remain suspended. There will be no choir or band rehearsals until this changes. Once this changes, students will be notified about the resumption of regular rehearsals.
If students are looking for inspiration, there are lots of videos on YouTube which could be helpful and enjoyable. I hope you and your families continue to find opportunities to make and enjoy music during this time, and we look forward to being able to do that together at school soon.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
__PCC Music Department Guidelines with form
I think we’re going to make it!
Recently we sent out a survey to our students asking how they are going, and received some great feedback regarding PCC@Home. We will also survey our parent population to see how our Mums, Dads and carers have been faring during isolation. In the news recently, we have seen an increasingly lively debate about when students should return to school, and how safe such a move will be for our community. The Federal Government are now urging a return to school, while Queensland seems set to keep kids at home until week 6. Presently, Independent Schools Queensland who represent the private school sector, have urged the Government to consider returning Senior Students to their schools. Whatever the outcome, Parklands remains poised to care for our community and supporting our students on and off site.
We are almost there. Before we know it, week 6 will be upon us and kids will be back to school. But what will school and indeed our community be like after isolation and beyond COVID-19? Surely there are many businesses out there right now asking themselves why they pay expensive leases on properties when their workers could operate from home? Will this period of disruption change some of our work and cultural habits that have never really been questioned before now? And how will education be impacted? Schools, including our own have poured money and resources into going online, and we would like to think that this effort and expense will be useful beyond isolation.
As we grapple with the notion of “online education” and “learning at home”, we have been reminded about what is truly valuable about education…at a bricks and mortar school. As usual, our students have helped us appreciate why we love coming to school every day. Connection! Overwhelmingly, when we asked our students what they miss most about coming to school each day, they say “our teachers” and “our friends”. When I ask the teachers what they miss about teaching via a computer, they immediately say something like “my kids”, and many say this with tears in their eyes. Schools are made for connection. We are made for connection, and when connection is broken or changed, something within us cries out to be restored with those from whom we have been separated.
We are all eager to have the whole school community back on our site as soon as possible. I look forward to the day when I can greet people in the car park of a morning, and talk to students in the playground. As the impacts of COVID-19 are fully realised and understood on our economy, society and in education, there will inevitably be some changes. However, I am confident that as we emerge from isolation, we will all be reminded of the things we truly value and have missed. And we have missed our students!
I look forward to being reunited with you all again soon, and remind you that we are almost there. Keep reaching out if you need help, and let us support you during this season. I encourage you all to stay connected to Parklands, and participate in the many online initiatives designed to keep us feeling united as a community. Keep an eye on Facebook and contribute as best as you can and join the fun.
May God bless you and keep you all safe.
Gary Cully
Principal
The Premier has announced that from next Monday, 11th May, 2020, students in Prep, Year 1, Year 11 and Year 12 will be able to return to school.
Children of essential workers and vulnerable children will continue to be able to attend school for supervision. If you have other extenuating circumstances that mean you would like your child to attend school, please contact your child’s teacher or Student Services to discuss this matter further.
For students in Years 2 – 10, the current PCC @ home based learning arrangements will remain in place. If low COVID-19 transmission rates continue, students in Years 2 – 10 will be able to return to school from Monday 25 May, 2020. Confirmation of this step will be made by 15th May 2020.
It is recognised that some parents may choose to keep your child at home due to concerns about COVID-19 and this decision will be respected. If parents choose to do this, I ask that you kindly notify Student Services to discuss how we can support you as you continue to offer learning @ home for your child.
Top 5 tips for schooling @ home
Having children at home doing their schooling is a new experience for many parents and carers all over the world at the moment. Here are five tips to keep you sane, your learners on track, and make it work in your home:
Encourage your child to go through the same routine every morning as if they were going to regular school; get up on time, get ready, have breakfast, dress in appropriate clothes, and be ready to start at their computer at the same time each morning.
Your child might be fortunate enough to have an ideal space with a desk in their own bedroom, but if not choose and create a space in the home that will give them the best possible environment for learning, with minimum distractions, and make it their ‘school HQ’. Maybe somewhere quieter (or find some noise-cancelling headphones?), with good lighting, and a bit out of the way. It might also help to have a clear desk or shelf nearby to arrange resources.
Children like structure. Organise the day into a schedule, and involve your child to give them some leadership and ownership of their school day, and so they have buy-in. This will also give them an opportunity to develop their soft skills, like teamwork and effective communication. Include breaks to suit their personality and age, such as more frequent breaks for younger children and longer learning sessions for older children. Visual aids can be helpful too, like a printout of the schedule on the wall, or – if there’s more flexibility in their week – a schedule with rearrangeable subject cards pinned on a corkboard.
At home, staying on task for the equivalent of a full school day can be a challenge for many children (and their parents and carers!), and may not actually be necessary to achieve their learning for the day. Choose a reasonable amount of time for your child to be on their computer, engaged in active learning. Without the usual between-class breaks and other school activities, it may be about 4-5 hours each day. And while schools may be implementing ways to enable parents to get more involved in their child’s learning if you were not a subject expert before, you are not expected to be one now, and schools also understand that many parents still have their own work to do. Do what you can to be available for your child and help them find solutions if they ask, but otherwise, allow them to manage their work as much as they can on their own (and don’t feel guilty about it!).
There are excellent online education resources available, for ALL subjects and people and organisations around the world have responded to this global situation by offering children new and special virtual experiences. Check our Parklands Year Level Sites, explore online, and help your child take advantage of what is available that interests them. Examples include storytime readings for #OperationStorytime, by well-known authors on their Instagram feeds, or on Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Many zoos and museums are offering virtual tours, webcasts and digital resources. Children can even enjoy subject lessons from world experts, like biology with Sir David Attenborough and science with Professor Brian Cox, via the BBC’s Bitesize Daily website!
I hope these points proves useful and beneficial as we can all get through this together.
Everyone must practise good hygiene to protect themselves and others against infection and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Good hygiene practises include:
One way to slow the spread of coronavirus, is physical distancing (also called social distancing). The more space between people, the harder it is for the virus to spread. There is a range of measures schools are taking to support physical distancing and reduce transmission within the practical limitations of a school environment.
Message for parents: if your child is sick, they must not go to school. You must keep them at home and away from others. Remember to maintain social distancing from other parents and teachers when attending school, including when dropping off and picking up your children.
Message for children: tell your parent, guardian or teacher if you are feeling sick.
Message for teachers: do not come to work if you are sick or in a vulnerable person category.
Message for all adults: the greatest risk of transmission in the school environment is between adults. It is of upmost importance that teachers and parents alike maintain social distancing between themselves and each other at school.
Schools are already engaging in creative and innovative ways to engage their students online and in-person, while practising social/physical distancing and minimising risk. These include:
Thank you all for doing your bit to keep our school community safe and sound and virus free!
Learning isn’t bound by the school gates. Research indicates that ongoing parental involvement in children’s learning reaps benefits in many ways, including shaping positive attitudes to learning and supporting student achievement. Finding practical ideas for parents to engage in learning in a way that is fun and purposeful takes time that classroom teachers don’t always have.
Learning Potential Resources can help. This parent-friendly website is free to access and provides a range of literacy and numeracy activities designed to support the Australian Curriculum for primary school children.
Visit the Learning Potential Resources website
Browse by year level band and discover:
Enjoy the time spent learning and having fun together.
Ms. Sarah Mitchell, the NSW Education Minister has urged parents battling to balance jobs and their children learning @ Home, not to expect too much from themselves, saying younger students don’t have to complete all the work per lesson or try follow the structure of a ‘normal’ school day.
Sarah Mitchell’s comments come as education experts said trying to replicate a full school day of learning @ Home could be counterproductive for younger students. Ms. Mitchell, who has a child in year 1, said she understood the pressure of balancing learning from Home lessons with her work. “I want to say to parents and carers, please don’t expect too much from yourself. I think it would be sufficient for lower primary school kids to do a bit of maths, reading and writing, and then have some fun learning by doing – baking, building puzzles/Lego and making things from items around the home.”
Even though your child is now at home, we want to assure you we are still very much committed in partnering with you by providing your child with a quality and continuous education. Our Primary School teachers are dedicated to provide instruction and guidance to support your child’s learning during this season of uncertainty.
Together we will get through this!
Challenge yourself physically, learn about mental health, engage in some friendly rivalry and help Parklands support mental health and suicide prevention through The Push-Up Challenge.
Over the course of 21-days in May you’ll be challenged to complete 3,046 push-ups in total, representing the number of lives lost in Australia to suicide in 2018.
You can complete all 3,046 push-ups by yourself, or get a team together and work together towards the combined daily target.
To get involved:
If you have any queries, please contact the good people at The Push-Up Challenge through their website www.thepushupchallenge.com.au
All of our Parklands families are being impacted in some way during this uncertain season. We are in this together with you and are also navigating similar family and parenting dilemnas alongside your family. Our Wellbeing Team have put together some parent blogs such as this article, to reflect some of the journeys we have been having at home. Mr Crawford has 5 children and spent a number of weeks working from home, Mrs Broughton has had a three-year-old in isolation and Mrs Jackman who lives in Ireland with three teenagers is now in week 5 of total lockdown. Find out more about what it is like for our team who are navigating isolation, parenting and online learning. Keeping our Love on has never been so important.
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s behaviour or wellbeing please don’t hesitate to contact the Student Care and Wellbeing team at rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au.
In addition to this, there is information now available online on topics such as how to support your child’s wellbeing or navigate behavioral concerns. There are a wide range of resources available for parents to peruse on the Student Care & Wellbeing portal and in the Parent Lounge.
While supporting your child through environmental and social changes, education at home and general life experiences every parent has stories about their child’s tantrums and meltdowns. Our own parents will have some pretty good stories too; we have all been on an emotional development journey. Knowing the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum will help you to determine how to support your child effectively and apply good quality emotional regulation skills.
To effectively deal with meltdowns it is important to be proactive and not reactive. Identifying the child’s anxiety and its cause is your starting point. Then try to calm the child as this will reduce the chances of a full-blown meltdown. Once the meltdown has started all you can do is make sure everyone is safe, reduce stimulation levels and if possible address the problem at hand. PLEASE never attempt to restrain a child during a meltdown once they are in a safe environment. They will only fight against your attempts and increase the intensity of self-aggression and aggression towards you! It is too late to stop the meltdown – simply let the meltdown take its course.
These ideas have had varying degrees of success depending on the individual and if you are able to catch before going into full meltdown;
There are some great strategies that we use at school to educate your child to recognise when they are escalating in their emotions and take responsibility before triggering a meltdown. One of our favourite moments is when a child brings themselves for a chill out before erupting. We see this even as young as prep age, once children know what you mean by fun/no fun or fun/room, they start to develop an internal reflective process that helps them to make this decision with minimal prompting from parents. Just the other day I was visiting a friend and I noticed their daughter was missing from the room so I asked where she went; her parents simply explained ‘she took herself too her room until she was ready to be fun’. Boom! That is a golden moment. When she returned we had a lot of fun.
Check out these links on the Student Care and Wellbeing Team’s Google Site
Our Secondary staff have spent Week 10 of first term improving our existing Google Sites, Google Classrooms and other electronic resources to a higher level to enable PCC@Home. It’s been exciting to see their enthusiasm and passion shine through, and I’m really grateful for their effort. It’s also been terrific to see our Secondary students trialling PCC@Home and working out their own ways of managing their learning, and all the logistics, from home. We’ve seen some wonderful moments throughout Week 10, and if we continue this approach for Term 2 then I have full confidence that our students and staff will be engaged in quality learning.
Being the parent of a fourteen year old girl, I am conscious of how to set up our home and routines to best set up my daughter for success – please refer to Mr Cully’s email for tips about that. I’m particularly conscious of device usage, and I encourage all of our secondary families to have a look at the parent resources on the eSafety Commissioner page at https://www.esafety.gov.au/.
Thank you for your support this term, we’ve really appreciated all the well wishes and gestures from parents in support of our staff during this challenging time. I’m praying all families have a relaxing break and special Easter time, and I look forward to continuing to partner with families in each child’s educational journey in Term 2.
Jessica Grounds
Head of Secondary
As we all prepare for our Easter Break, I realise that this holiday season is going to be a unique event in Australian history. Never before has the Australian public been required to stay confined to their homes and literally sit out a holiday. One of the things I was most looking forward to upon our return to Australia, was re-commencing our family camping tradition. Easter is that time of year when the conditions are perfect for exploring the great outdoors and camping was our favourite way of getting out of town and into the Australian bush. However, this Easter will not be our time to re-ignite our love for camping. I fear these holidays will be filled with walks around the local streets followed by extended movie marathons. It’s hard to get your head around these changes isn’t it? We enter unchartered territory over the weeks and months to come.
I remember that when we arrived in Cebu in 2016, we were quite overwhelmed with the rate of change. We couldn’t find the food we liked, the restaurants we were used to, or go on family adventures the same way we did back home. The change was hard, and at times a little overwhelming. And yet, three years later we looked back and wondered what we were worried about. We adapted, changed a few things and generally made life work in a foreign land. It wasn’t easy, but we got there, together.
Before we left Australia to live and work in the Philippines, we signed our 3 children up to the Brisbane School of Distance Education (BSDE). BDSE is a schooling at home program, which attempts to mirror a school program in an online environment. To a large degree, my kids made this work with the help of a full time Filipino teacher/tutor. However, for the first month or so we couldn’t find a teacher to help our kids, so it fell on us to make it work. Blessedly, we eventually found a wonderful local tutor to help us manage our children’s education which allowed us to work full-time at Bloom. But up until that point, we had to teach our own kids! I thought as an educator that this would be easy. My kids are smart right? I have taught hundreds of kids throughout my career, how hard could it be?
The pain was real. It’s tough teaching your own kids. It’s tough grasping the content. And it’s tough trying to follow someone else’s program. We got through, but it was a steep learning curve. So as we head into an uncertain Term 2, with rumours of closure and disruption, we should all prepare for a season of learning from home. And I offer the following advice as one who has ventured to teach his own children.
Remember that the College has provided an online learning space (PCC@Home), and this is not the same as school, so don’t try to replicate school conditions. Teachers are setting manageable and realistic levels of work, and everyone will manage the workload differently. Don’t be discouraged if there are a few bumps in the beginning, reach out for help as much as you need. When you feel your frustration building, take a break…as many as you need.
We are here for you, you are not alone. We promise to keep you updated as we prepare for whatever comes in Term 2. We are trying our very best to develop a curriculum that works no matter where our students are located. This next season represents many challenges for us all, but I am confident that together we can survive 2020.
During this hectic time, and as we break for Easter, let’s pause and remember what is important. Our immediate concerns regarding COVID-19 will understandably consume our attention, but let’s also remember that Easter is that special time every year where families can remember God’s greatest gift to humanity – Jesus. The story of Easter is the single most powerful narrative that reminds us of God’s great love, and His desire to be in relationship with His creation (us). Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are restored to our heavenly Father who loves us so much. This is “good news”, and a truth worth remembering and celebrating in the midst of our present uncertainty.
May God bless you and keep you all safe.
Gary Cully
Principal
While the current circumstances can create distraction from what we recognise as normal, it is good to be able to reflect on what has been a great term of success and achievement for Middle School at Parklands.
Some of the Highlights
This year saw the start of the Secondary journey for 60 year 7 students. Through the weeks of term 1, our Year 7 students have made the adjustment from Primary school to Secondary school expectations and processes with great success. We are blessed to have a wonderful group of students in Year 7 who are enthusiastic about the journey of learning and participating in Secondary. It has been a pleasure to help them navigate their path so far with the brilliant assistance and guidance from Mrs Alanah Braun (Year 7 Coordinator).
At the beginning of term, we started Year 9 at Camp Bornhoffen with a series of outdoor challenges and individual learning activities. Students were well engaged and had a great time experiencing Creek Walking, High Ropes and Abseiling. This camp sets our students up to challenge themselves to overcome situations that appear difficult, but can be successfully navigated.
We have taken the step of starting a new student leadership position at Parklands – Middle School Leaders. These students are chosen by staff from our Year 9 cohort, recognising that student leadership potential is present throughout their journey in Secondary.
Middle School Leaders will have opportunity to engage specifically with our year 7 cohort as a peer-mentor and encouragement, work alongside our Senior Leaders during College events and activities, and will be directly involved in the second half of the year with transition activities and process for our current Year 6 cohort.
Our Middle School Leaders for 2020 are:
During this time, there will be a lot of different aspects for us to consider which are new. The most important thing at this time is that school does not become an increased burden and stress for students and their families. Teachers will be adding information and expectations to their subject web pages, which students are already familiar with. Continue to engage with this platform going forward.
Regardless of what next term looks like, we will communicate our thoughts and expectations as a college to you at all times. We are planning for a continued approach to online learning into the start of term 2, so continue to follow websites with your children for further directions and information.
I trust you have a wonderful family holiday break, and we look forward to connecting with you again in Term 2.
God Bless
Thank you for a good, productive first Term even with all the changes and uncertain times of late.
My prayers are for you, your family and the Parklands community during this very interesting ‘season’.
Ms. Sarah Mitchell, the NSW Education Minister has urged parents struggling to balance jobs and their children ‘Learning from Home’, not to expect too much from themselves, saying that younger students don’t have to complete all the lessons and try to follow the structure of a normal school day. Sarah Mitchell’s comments come as education experts said trying to replicate a full school day of ‘Learning at Home’ could be counterproductive for younger students. Ms. Mitchell, who has a student in year 1, said she understood the pressure of balancing ‘Learning from Home’ lessons with work. “I want to say to parents and carers, please don’t expect too much from yourself. I think it would be sufficient for lower primary school kids to do a bit of maths, reading and writing, and then have some fun.”
Please see below some ideas/suggestions to keep your family busy, active and hopefully amused during the holidays:
Please remember that it is important for students to stay home but also to keep active and not to spend a lot of time alone in their bedrooms.
by Michael Grose
Have you ever opened up your mouth and heard your own parents speak?
I’d frequently speak to my kids when they’d been less than perfect and I could hear my father speaking. I’d use the same words, same tone of voice and same body language as my father. The similarity was a little spooky.
This happens because the genes ‘from the past’ are very strong impacting not just our communication but our parenting as well. Kids copy their parents. Temperament, gender, genetic and birth order factors all play a part in shaping kids. They signify the differences between children’s behaviour, attitudes and interests. It’s in children’s similarities that the impact of parenting is seen.
Are all your kids tolerant, generous, kind and forgiving, perhaps some less than others? If so, there’s a good chance that you possess those qualities or, at least, one parent displays those qualities.
Children learn what they live
When kids live with gratitude, encouragement and affection on a daily basis they are more likely to adopt those behaviours themselves. In fact, those types of behaviours become part of their values system. They may shy away from these behaviours in adolescence yet most kids will return to their core values in their twenties and beyond. Most kids find their identity only after they’ve rejected it.
Similarly, when kids live with criticism, mean-spiritedness and intolerance they are more likely to display those attitudes. Teachers and schools can impact children’s attitudes and behaviours but it can be hard to override the values that kids develop at home. Kids are more likely to reflect their parents’ attitudes and behaviours than those of their teachers.
Do you like what you see?
Take a good look at your kids’ attitudes, behaviours and values, particularly how they treat others. If you like what you see then give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve done a good job through both overt teaching and modelling of raising a person in your likeness.
If you’re not happy with what you see – I’m not referring to the out-of-character, poor behaviour that kids at times display due to fatigue, a stage or some other unknown reason (kids will be kids) – but if you cringe when you see some of the attitudes and behaviours that your kids routinely show then some self-reflection may be the order of the day. That’s nothing necessarily to be ashamed of. Kids get front row seats to the very best and very worst of their parents’ behaviours. We just need to make sure that our best is amplified and our worst is minimised or, at least, not witnessed by our kids.
It helps to sit down with your partner or a trusted friend and review the type of person that’s on display for your kids every now and then. It will be a worthwhile exercise both personally and as a parent. As your kids are a reflection of you, start the reflection process by looking at the behaviours, attitudes and states of mind they have in common. If you’re happy with what you generally see daily, then you’re okay and doing a great job.
Now while students are at home and or on holiday would be a good time to observe and monitor these behaviours.
I pray that you have a good, well deserved school break or even ‘Lockdown’ if you are at home with the children and family.
May God’s peace, comfort, joy and strength be yours through these times of uncertainty.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 28th April, 2020
Your photo order envelopes were sent home via your child week beginning Monday 23 March.
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Dear Parents/Carers,
Edition 5 of VET news was emailed to parents and carers on 31st March.
No doubt we have all observed and are experiencing the huge impact in our community caused by COVID-19. I wanted to take the time to acknowledge the strength and resilience of our young students as they have quite admirably and steadily responded to numerous changes and upheavals in their daily timetables.
Changes and amendments to vocational programs are varied therefore, I will continue to communicate with individual students and their parents/guardians as these changes occur.
General V.E.T. Information due to current Government guidelines (due to the COVID-19 restrictions)
Students on Apprenticeships and Traineeships should:
Students enrolled with TAFE or private colleges.
In the meantime…..
Students will have been updated from their Parklands teachers regarding school curriculum and how to move forward with online learning. Please continue to communicate with teachers regarding submission of assessments and study links.
If students find themselves with some spare time, the current circumstances could be an opportunity for students to start or update their resume as well as research jobs and employment industries of interest.
A range of resume templates are available on the PCC Intranet site as well as cover letter and interview tips and other recruitment information https://sites.google.com/a/parklands.qld.edu.au/vocational-education-training/
I encourage students to continue to search for future courses and opportunities that you may be interested in doing. We may be living with some barriers at present, however this does not mean our curiosity needs to stop – keep searching, stay curious!
As we approach the end of term – albeit in the middle of a partial shutdown of school – please ensure you read V.E.T. News for other sources of information. I would like to wish all Parklands families a calm and peaceful Easter break.
Please keep in contact and if you have questions or queries regarding vocational education and training, please send me an email.
Kind regards
Dee Hudson
V.E.T. Officer
vet@parklands.qld.edu.au
Over the past 2 Fridays students selected in the CSSAQ touch football teams have enjoyed a full day of fierce competition. On Day 1 the junior boys, junior girls and Intermediate Girls played many games putting in 110% effort working hard for each other all day. The college was very proud to see every player showing respect for each other and the opposition and a second to none ‘never give up attitude’. Special mention to the Junior Boys and junior girls who made it to the play offs but just fell short.
Day 2 saw the Senior Boys, Senior Girls and Intermediate Boys take the field. Parklands had a very successful day with the Senior Boys making the semi-final but just missing out, while the Senior Girls did not have a final series but won 2 of their 5 group games. The highlight of the day was the Intermediate Boys putting on an absolute master class winning all their group games and eventually beating tournament favorites Mueller College in the Grand Final! Again, all 3 teams represented the college in amazing fashion and as a community are very proud of all your effort.
For more photos of the day please check out Parklands Facebook page!
Last Tuesday the 10th of March 2020 Parklands welcomed the Brisbane Roar Academy Under 13’s, 14’s 15’s 16’s 17’s and 18’s squads to the Baskerville Sports Centre. The teams and their coaching staff utilized our amazing sporting facility and were very impressed by its professional layout. I caught up with Brisbane Roar Academy Director, Mr Warren Moon, to ask how his teams went and what they thought, “The Facilities are fantastic” he said. “We are only located 10 mins down the road in Browns Plains and these facilities gives us an added option to our ever changing training program. We have just launched Brisbane Roar Futsal so hopefully we can continue to use these great facilities at Parklands”. We look forward to hosting Brisbane Roar again soon.
If selected to attend a Met West regional trial, the regional trial levy of $22.00 is to be paid online through the link on the Metropolitan West School Sport website https://metwestschoolsport.eq.edu.au
When you visit the home page of the MWSS website you click on the link for the online shop. There is also a link on the MWSS website home page, ‘How to guide for payment’, that helps you through the payment process. You will need to follow the guidelines on how to successfully pay the levy.
Payment of levy will also be able to be processed on your mobile device.
No money will be collected by the Regional Convenor at the Regional Trial.
As always, no paperwork + no payment means the student will not trial.
Exodus 15:21a “And Miriam sang this song: ‘Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously…’”
Psalm 96:2 “Sing to the Lord; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.”
In these uncertain & unprecedented times, it can be easy to find ourselves getting anxious, and I have certainly found that happening in my own life during these last few weeks. The Scriptures remind us not just to remember that the Lord will triumph and that He still saves, but to sing to Him, to make music in our hearts, and in fact to sing these things to each other too. What a wonderful gift the Lord has given us, the ability to express truth in music and song, and what a powerful gift to give to our children.
While partial shut-down conditions exist, Ensemble rehearsals will be suspended. There will be no choir or band rehearsals until this changes.
We are currently making preparations for instrumental & vocal lessons to continue online, in a similar fashion to academic classes. This will involve the use of either Google Meets or Zoom, and we will send more detailed information and instructions once this is ready to go. We are very keen for all students to remain engaged with music learning, and it is almost more important now for them to have a variety of activities to do, so please make sure your children are still practising even if they don’t have a lesson scheduled for week 10. It’s also something fun to do in the holidays!
If students are looking for inspiration, there are lots of videos on YouTube which could be helpful and enjoyable. I hope you and your families find opportunities to make and enjoy music during this time, and we look forward to being able to do that together at school soon.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
On Friday the 20th of March, Parklands joined with many other schools around Australia to promote the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.
Our college believes that when we work together as a community, a great deal can be done to prevent bullying and to protect students. Engagement from all staff, students and families is central to preventing bullying and creating a school climate of respect and inclusion.
We would like to thank you for your participation in helping promote these values. Here are some ways that you can help us tackle issues of bullying.
Here is the process for reporting an incident or concerns:
http://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/3.60-Policy-Student-Bullying.pdf
It was such a joy to be able to hold our Family Portrait Day last month. It was a huge success! It was so lovely to see so many families coming out to have their portrait taken. The best part for me personally was being able to have a chat and connect with different families throughout our school community who we might not always get to see.
The photographer also commented on several occasions just how lovely all of our families were especially all the teenagers just happily being photographed with their families. She said they normally get attitude from all the teenagers. How nice was that to hear that our families stood out from other schools at showing love for one another. Go Parklands!
The Friendlies team are committed to loving, encouraging and caring for all of our school community. Our mission statement is “The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another”.
If your family are doing it tough in this difficult time and have been affected by unemployment or cut-backs due to the Covid-19, please let the College know by contacting our Administration team to discuss how the school can help care for your family. We can get through this together!
We will continue to uphold our school community in prayer to get through this season. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Philippians 4:13
Enjoying spending quality time with your loved ones over the Easter break.
Virtual Hugs to you all!
The Friendlies Team
If selected to attend a Met West regional trial, the regional trial levy of $22.00 is to be paid online through the link on the Metropolitan West School Sport website https://metwestschoolsport.eq.edu.au
When you visit the home page of the MWSS website you click on the link for the online shop. There is also a link on the MWSS website home page, ‘How to guide for payment’, that helps you through the payment process. You will need to follow the guidelines on how to successfully pay the levy.
Payment of levy will also be able to be processed on your mobile device.
No money will be collected by the Regional Convenor at the Regional Trial.
As always, no paperwork + no payment means the student will not trial.
Parkinson Aquatic centre was the venue for our annual swimming carnival on the 5th of February. Students from 9 yrs through to opens participated in a great day of fun and competition. There were races for students to progress to the next level and also an opportunity for our year 12 class to compete in the novelty race consisting of swimming a lap with a pool toy. The staff relay teams also got to showcase their swimming ability in the staff v seniors relay battle. The rivalry between Joshua and Samuel continued with Joshua taking out the day. Thank you to all who participated and congratulations to our age champions for 2020.
9yrs Oliver Reise
10yrs Lachlan Mane
11yrs Levi Harbourn
12yrs Jayden MacFarlane
13yrs Samuel Garlick
14yrs Tyger Cervanjak
Marlon Moses
15yrs Isaac Krueger
16yrs Tommy Patton
Open Benjamin Shiach
9yrs Sophie Ker
10yrs Chloe Bobermien
11yrs Annabelle Rauwendaal
12yrs Mikaylah Ker
13yrs Georgia Knowles
14yrs Sandy Marsh
15yrs Charlotte Reise
16yrs Hannah Takada
Megan Elvery
Open Jessica Benson
All the best to those students going on to represent our college at the upcoming SDS and CSSAQ swimming carnivals.
Orions Little Lifesavers Flyer
All are welcome to attend our Prayer Group meeting at Student Services at 8:30am on the following dates:
Monday 30th March 2020
www.parkridgesoccer.majestri.com.au
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
Students can come along to the class or contact Colin for more information on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
If you are new to our school and wondering what The Friendlies are all about, we are what some schools might call their P&C committee. The thing that makes us stand out from other school’s P&C’s is that we are committed to loving, encouraging and caring for all of our school community. Our mission statement is “The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another”.
We are excited to be holding a Family Portrait Fundraiser this term on Saturday 21st of March 2020. What a great excuse to get the kids together to have a family photo with you! For only a $15 booking fee you will receive one 10”x13” family portrait along with a keyring. An adult needs to be in this photo. The remaining portraits taken may be purchased if you wish to do so on the collection date (TBA). There is no obligation to purchase more photos. If you would like to secure a spot (please choose the first available time slot) click on the link: http://www.trybooking.com/BIGFT for more details please refer to the College Calendar.
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our first meeting for 2020 was cancelled due to the flash flooding. The March meeting is now our first meeting for 2020. It will be held at Jimboomba Maccas on Friday 13th March at 6.45 pm. We would love to see you there!
If you are not available to come to meetings but would like to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
The media and those around us can spread a lot of hype and pressure about year 12, but putting things into perspective can really help to avoid becoming overwhelmed. The final year of secondary school is important, but it will not be the most important year of your life. Keep things in perspective because you’re far more than your ATAR score or your QCE certificate.
Your performance in Year 12 is only a measure of your ability in a test or exam at one point in time. It does not control your future success or happiness. If you feel overwhelmed at school or something isn’t quite working for you right now, then talk to your teachers, or Mrs Wallis and/or myself to find out what your options are. Remember there are many ways to reach your goals.
For more resources about surviving Year 12 and looking after your child’s mental health go to Beyond Blue Youth Beyond Blue Surviving Year 12 .
And don’t forget to remind your child there is life after Year 12 exams!
Whatever your child wants to do with their life, there’s always a way for them to achieve their objective. If they have determination and a positive attitude, and are willing to do whatever it takes, they can always get where they want to go – they might just have to take a different route to get there.
VETis – Vocational Education and Training in Schools
Senior school students are increasingly combining their studies with vocational training in a bid to improve their employability and tertiary education options. As well as school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, vocational education and training in schools (VETis) programs involve qualifications for a multitude of professions – from Certificate I to Diploma level. Undertaking VETis can provide students with the skills to immediately secure work or continue their training as a second-year apprentice after school. It can also be used as a pathway to university.
Using Business as an example, a student may do a Certificate III in Business (at school) and then go on to study a Diploma in Business before undertaking a business degree at university. Or in the case of children’s services, if you complete a Certificate III whilst at school, then go on to do a Diploma after school, you may gain credit at university for completed units. Areas of vocational courses currently studied by Parklands students include electrotechnology, children’s services, hospitality, engineering, diesel fitting, sport and recreation/fitness, retail, graphic design, beauty services, health support, fashion design/technology, animal studies and rural studies.
For more information on VETis. VETis
VET in Senior (Year 10, 11, 12)
Parklands Christian College
Onsite VET classes
Year 10: Certificate I in Active Volunteering, Certificate III Hospitality
Year 11: Certificate II in Engineering Pathways, Certificate II in Hospitality, Certificate III Fitness
Certificate III Business
Year 12: Certificate II in Engineering Pathways, Certificate II in Hospitality, Certificate III Fitness
Certificate III Business
TAFE/private colleges (off-site)
Eleven of our students are off-site at various TAFE campuses completing certificates in
One student has commenced a Certificate III in Screen and Media at the Queensland School of Film and Television.
SATS (School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships)
Currently, we have 14 students employed as paid school-based apprentices or trainees (SATs) in the following industries. These opportunities would not be possible without the generous involvement of employers in the local and wider South East region and the college is grateful for their commitment to our students.
In next month’s news:
“How do I find a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship”?
Welcome to our fabulous Give It A Go! Band students! It’s been very exciting to hear students making their first sounds on a new instrument & to see their faces light up. We’re so pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to so many students. There are lots of ways for your child to be involved in music at Parklands – you can start music lessons at any time of the year, please download the attached file to access more information and an enrolment form.
The most recent exciting development in our Instrumental department is the commencement of vocal lessons. Singing lessons are now available to students across the College from Years 5-12, with our experienced and qualified singing teacher. If your child would like to have singing lessons, you can enrol them by completing the attached enrolment form & returning it to Student Services.
We’re excited to be welcoming our third group of Give It A Go! students this year, and we have in fact opened places up to Year 4 students as well. We’ve had lots of interest from these Year 4’s, so it’ll be great to have these students learning music. Term 1 involves lessons only, then in Term 2 we will bring all the students together to form the Give It A Go! Band. Band rehearsals will be Wednesday mornings, starting at 7:30am.
Instrumental music lessons are settling into their rhythm, and Give It A Go! lessons have just begun in week 5. Choir & Wind Ensemble rehearsals are all underway, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band which will commence in Term 2. Further information from Ensemble & Choir directors will be available closer to these start dates.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3)
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6)
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12)
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4-6 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4-6, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability. When a Group of 2 or 3 is not available, students will be offered a 20min private lesson for $22/20mins.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Sync Kids OT are located in the Ark room at Parklands. In Sync Kids aim to make every child successful at being a kid by nurturing their foundational skills, encouraging confidence and increasing independence at school and home.
Occupational Therapy can assist children who experience: difficulties with self-regulation and attention, poor coping and participation in the classroom, delays in gross motor (sports) or fine motor skills (handwriting), challenges with visual tracking or visual perceptual skills and social/emotional difficulties.
Contact Katie to discuss to enquire about occupational therapy services for your child on 0424142404 or email Katie-leigh.paulsen@insynckidsot.com.
You can also check out the website www.insynckidsot.com more information.
A student’s speech, language & communication skills form the foundation for all learning at school.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
• Understanding/Comprehension
• Talking/Language Expression
• Pronunciation
• Reading and writing/literacy
• Listening
• Learning
• Grammar
• Spelling
• Voice
• Fluency/Stuttering
• Socialising and friendships
• Behaviour.
If so, it may be the result of an underlying Speech and Language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life-improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private, certified practicing Speech Pathologist with over 23 years of generalised & highly specialist Speech Pathology experience having worked very successfully with Kindy, Primary & High School students across many varied contexts in 3 countries.
Michelle is in her 8th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers & learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
Assessment & therapy are offered at school within school hours. It is convenient for busy parents as well as for students who can be seen during school hours when they are not too tired to learn.
Therapy goals are planned according to the student’s current strengths and needs in the light of their current curriculum demands in collaboration with school staff.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our school, please contact:
Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435 492 716.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 28th April, 2020
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
It has been wonderful to see students and families return for the new academic year. During our orientation program, senior students have been challenged to think about their goals for the year ahead and to make some practical applications in getting organised to start the year off strongly. As we are well into the second week of Term, all seniors should have established a nightly study and revision routine, which will assist in the busy weeks ahead.
Academic success is not simply to do with ones intellectual ability but has much to do with a well-developed study skills. Setting up and maintaining effective routines for study habits to take place is key for the start of the year. For some senior students, the problem can be in organising themselves to use their time in a structured and planned manner.
We ask that parents continue to offer assistance by encouraging your child to talk through their goals and to make use of both a diary (electronic or paper version) and to develop a study planner. Parents can also assist greatly by ensuring that their child has a dedicated workspace for study. A regular study area then becomes a recognised space that students can withdraw to by habit, where they can settle down quickly to organised and effective study. Students are encouraged to only have items on desks that relate to their study, keeping it clear of other gear which may cause distractions.
Senior students have been encouraged to use their diaries on a daily basis, for keeping track of important dates. This year’s booklist recommended the “myHomework Student Planner” APP. This is optional, however, all students must have some form of personal diary.
Other areas to assist with being organised include:
Weekly Overviews + Due Dates + Resources
A snapshot of due dates emailed home early in each term. Please note, this can be subject to change.
For live and up-to-date information on assessment and key dates, accessible through your child’s account.
Recently, an outline of the before, during and after school tutorial sessions was emailed to families and students. These include a variety of free programs run by secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
Secondary Tutoring Program 2020
There are parental permission forms that need returning, for before or after school workshops. One of the many and varied workshops is our Zenith Club, run on a Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and coordinated by Miss Abby Dixon. Zenith Cub is supervised by a variety of teachers. Your child may request to have a particular teacher meet at Zenith, when requiring extra support.
Year 10 and Year 11 students are able to request a change of subject up until Friday 14th February, after which subjects are locked in for the semester. If your child is feeling unsure about their academic pathway, please encourage them to speak with Mrs Hudson (Vocational Education & Training Officer), their Pastoral Care (PC) teacher, Abby Dixon (Year 10 Coordinator) or myself. We are passionate about senior students knowing there are options and to be in a pathway that matches their interest, skillset and ability – so they can work towards their God given potential.
I trust that your child has had a positive start to the new school year. If your child needs any assistance in organising a study schedule, please encourage them to see their Pastoral Care teacher or myself. It is important that there is a balance between academic demands, involvements in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College I would be very happy to meet and talk in person. Please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
A reminder to please obey the 40klm School Zone speed around the school as police officers will be monitoring this!
Please slow down to 20klm IN the property and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing!
Students and parents are reminded to ONLY cross AT the pedestrian crossing and to “stop, look right, left and right” before walking over the crossing.
Can I ask that you take it for granted that, students will not do the correct thing, so be very careful around our car park areas! Please also remind your child to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage to cars!
We ask that parents only park in the designated car parks and NOT on the “No Parking” grass area at the top of Hillcrest Road for sporting events or on the grass area next to the fire service road below the Yr. 5 classrooms.
Recently we seem to have lots of toys (walkie talkies, Pokémon cards, trucks, teddies etc.) being brought to school. Please, can I ask that children do NOT bring toys or personal possessions to school? The reason for this school policy is that it causes problems when things get lost, broken, taken or cause disagreements when ‘swaps’ take place. The only time children can bring toys into school is for “show & tell” (items to be left in class) or if children have been asked to do so by teachers, as part of their learning.
Here is an article I found very interesting and I would like to share it with you. It’s not that we have lots of bullying and negative behaviour at Parklands but rather to inform you so that we are all on the same page and speaking the same language about ‘bullying’ when it comes to talking to our children and dealing with teachers and the RTC!
“Bullying is a word that’s wrapped in emotion” – Michael Grose
For many people bullying is associated with bad childhood memories. It’s been estimated that around 40% of people have experienced some type of bullying in the past. The ghosts from the past are never far away for parents and can sometimes influence the way we react to current circumstances, including when our own children experience difficulties in their relationships inside or outside school.
Bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects children’s natural right to feel safe and secure. It can adversely affect their learning, emotional well-being, further peer relations and their sense of self.
Types of Bullying
Bullying should not be confused with teasing, rejection, random acts of violence or physicality and conflict. While children will often tease or fight, this bickering should not be confused with bullying.
Bullying is the “on going”, willful desire to harm others and it takes on many forms that include physical and emotional abuse, intimidation, harassment and exclusion. Bullying is about lack of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse. Bullying is the selective, uninvited, repetitive ‘picking on’ of one person by another person or group.
It now has a well-publicised cyber-dimension which has moved the goalposts for many kids. In the past children could escape bullying behaviours they may have experienced by being at home. Cyber-bullying now means that kids can’t escape the bully like they once could.
Bullying is not the domain of one gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to show power, girls are more likely to use exclusion or verbal sarcasm, ‘put downs’ to assert themselves.
If you think, your child is being bullied.
If you think your child is being bullied then handle with care as children often don’t want to admit that they are on the receiving end of bullying. Ask them the probing questions like: How often does this happen? Who is doing this continual behaviour to you? Have you reported it to RTC and spoken to a / your teacher?”
We at Parklands don’t appreciate or tolerate ‘bullying’ and this sort of negative behaviour so encourage our students to use the FRIENDSHIP 8 ideas and also to report it to the teacher on duty, their class teacher OR the RTC, thereby allowing us to follow it up and deal with all parties concerned!
Our school hours are 8am – 4pm. We are unfortunately finding that several parents are taking advantage of the fact that students are brought up to Student Services after 3:30 but are still not arriving to collect their child/ren by 4pm.
Can we please ask that all students are collected by 4pm sharp or kindly advise Student Services of your late arrival?
Thank you for your support and understanding in this matter
Congratulations to the following students who have been selected according to their merits and in accordance with our school CLEAR values.
Well done to these students for already showing leadership characteristics / initiative and for being chosen to represent our school! They were represented with their badge at a special Leadership Assembly. We wish you well as you go about serving, leading and being ‘role models’ to others.
CAPTAINS: VICE CAPTAIN
ART CAPTAIN: Anabelle Langfield
MUSIC CAPTAIN: Bobbie-Leigh Dean
LIBRARY CAPTAINS: 1. Megdalena Muluberhan & 2. Jesse Rose
SPORT CAPTAINS: 1. Natalia Marsh & 2. Judah Cully
CHAPEL CAPTAINS: 1. Sarah Bazley & 2. Cody Doolan
CLASS AMBASSADORS
We pray you have a wonderful year assisting and guiding students.
Each year, we take our College Captains to Canberra for the Compass Leadership Conference, and two of our alumni who live in Canberra kindly make the effort to meet up with us while we’re there. Both Tina and Philip have siblings at the school, Tina’s sister is on staff with us, and I just love how connected in their families are with our Parklands family. Seeing these past students, who I taught in Maths and Science classes, is such a highlight, as I get to see them thriving in their adventures as young adults. Indeed, a highlight at many of our College events, such as fete, is the many alumni who join us for the event. To see our students all grown up and living their life, and to know that they care enough to come back to us and to say hi, is so heart-warming as an educator. At Parklands, it’s not the career that we are primarily wanting to know about – though of course we want each student to leave well-equipped for work or further study – but ‘are they okay?’ Knowing that life is complex and it can take some time to find their niche, we want to know that they are equipped to navigate these complexities of the ups and downs of life. Do our alumni have quality relationships with their family and friends, are they progressing on their spiritual journey, are they thriving, do they know their worth? These are what reassure us, along with a joy at hearing the varied work and studies that our alumni move on to.
The connections made as students are valuable and can be ongoing, both with specific teachers and with the College. We consider our teachers to be “role-model disciplers”, to love our students while educating them. To see Tina and Philip, and no doubt many more alumni throughout 2020, to see them thriving, is such a joy, and as we partner with families in the educational journey of our current students, so too do we come alongside families to love our students, educate them, and seek to encourage them to thrive.
Year 7 are currently halfway through term one.
It feels crazy for me to say that, as it feels like we have just welcomed 60 new faces into our Secondary school, but our beautiful Year 7’s have been here for six weeks now.
During the first weeks of term, Year 7 have fearlessly worked towards being prepared for class, moving around the college campus and setting up homework and assignment structures at home. I have loved seeing them use their new school diaries to organise their worlds.
I have had many wonderful talks with students about their budding curiosity in their school subjects and have enjoyed watching the students feel the ‘spark of joy’ in their learning.
I have encouraged the year 7’s to continue to show our Year 7 motto and college values as they move into the busy assessment season of term. Please talk to your child about how they are going to be prepared for the upcoming busy weeks of term.
– Do they need help with an assignment task?
– Can you together set up an afterschool study structure?
– Can you use Zenith Club on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon?
– Do they need to talk about their feelings before they can begin planning and working on assessment and setting up a study structure (sometimes a hug or sometime of connection with a loved one is just what was needed)
– What positive choices can they make to be a powerful person this term?
– What positive choices can they make to help their peers be their best?
Miss Abby Dixon facilitates Zenith Club, an afterschool homework and study club where students have access to a safe, productive and quiet learning space to work on homework and assessment. Our teachers and Senior leaders volunteer their time to mentor and tutor younger students and assist them in preparing for their classes.
Zenith runs from 3.30 – 4.30pm in the Vocational Centre and Miss Dixon can be emailed regarding this club adixon@parklands.qld.edu.au)
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
I love seeing our students in our white, blue and red uniform. It’s a uniform that is distinct, and sets our students apart, clearly identifying our students as part of the Parklands community. As a parent, I like seeing my kids go off to school in uniform, but sometimes it’s a little hard to keep up with all the school rules, regulations and schedules around uniform. Sometimes it would be easier to stop caring if their uniform is washed, or they are wearing the correct socks. In the teenage years it’s increasingly difficult to manage the uniform of someone who is old enough to dress themselves. For a few children, uniform can become a complex issue, as the filter of friends, trends and popularity influences their self-image. During these times, it’s tempting for some parents to back off, abdicate responsibility or even add to the complexity by allowing slips in standards to avoid conflict.
I get it, believe me! I have been dealing with uniform issues with students for much of my career. I have seen students cry over cutting their hair, removing makeup or handing over jewellery. I’ve even seen my fair share of parents in tears over their children’s choices, and the distress some people experience when a teen or pre-teen is unhappy. As a parent, I have endured uniform complaints and I have faced the wrath of a grumpy child forced to comply with school rules. During these difficult moments, all I can do is offer my empathy and understanding. And during these times, it’s important to remember that in only a few short years, most kids will look back at their aversion to rules, and roll their eyes and laugh at their own behaviour. One day our children will realise that school rules are pretty insignificant next to the rules and expectations they will work with for the rest of their adult lives.
Our rules are not designed to “crush self-expression” or “supress individuality”…true statements! Our rules do offer students boundaries about how they dress, removes judgement and comparisons over clothing and fashion, encourages basic compliance, and promotes community and team spirit. There is no Biblical basis from which we derive our rules, nor is there any research to suggest uniform in-of-itself improves grades. Our rules are simply a set of expectations about how our community operates on a day by day basis, year after year. Our uniform rules may change over time, but the spirit of our policies and procedures will endure to simplify and enhance the school experience for us all. Our rules are consistent and equitably applied, and while a very small percentage of our students have occasional uniform malfunctions or suffer from poor choices regarding our rules, we work hard at maintaining a reasonable and sensible set of rules around uniform.
As a community, we need to band together and stay committed to our values, culture and rules, and I thank the majority of parents who do this regularly. When families join our school, our policies and procedures around uniform are clearly explained and are published online for all to see. Parents are responsible to leave their children at Parklands each day with the resources they need, and in full and correct uniform, and College Staff are responsible to spend their time educating children and managing their care, and it’s a big enough job without adding uniform infringements to it. Please help your student attend school in full and correct uniform every day, from the hat on top of their heads, to the leather shoes on their feet. For more information about uniform, please visit our web site at http://parklands.qld.edu.au/uniforms/
Mr Gary Cully
Principal
Mr. Gary Cully
Principal
From Saturday 29th February to Tuesday 3rd March, our College Captains, Ms Grounds and I attended the Compass Student Leaders Conference in Canberra. Over the four days of conference, our students were inspired to think deeply about some big questions of life, grapple with the biblical story, and consider what they believe. I know our students return from this conference each year very challenged, and sometimes a little shaken as they consider their place and purpose in the school, the wider community and even in life. Every year I attend this conference, I am similarly challenged, shaken and inspired afresh to deeply consider my place in our school community, my family and the wider community, and how I am uniquely placed to serve. And as I consider my place and purpose, I have to acknowledge that my life today and even my history, is a part of a greater narrative that connects us all and sets the foundation for a story to come.
What is he on about I hear you saying? What story are we connected to? Well, I’m talking about a story that we are all connected to. As we live together as neighbours, friends, relatives and community members, we are connected. We each bring our unique gifts, talents and abilities to the story. We have passions, opinions, bias and bents. Some are sporty, some academic and some both. Some of us love the outdoors, and some enjoy small spaces. Some of us believe in God, others are still searching. We have all experienced happiness, sadness, tragedy and joy. And yet despite our various differences, similarities, beliefs and history, we are connected through our children, schools, sports clubs and churches. We live in neighbourhoods teeming with people, drive in shared spaces and shop, play and entertain and find entertainment in homes, shopping centres, and parks. We are busy, noisy and surrounded by people, and yet people still tragically cry out in search for connection and still search for their place in a story.
What story are you connected to? Is your story shaped by tragedy? Perhaps your story is an adventure? How do you write your story? Are you a victim or survivor? Are you the author, or do you feel your story is written for you? I think some of these questions are important for us to be able to answer, because “history is who we are and why we are the way we are” (David McCullough). In other words, everyone needs to appreciate their past to understand their present, and likewise our kids need to be part of a greater narrative to help them to continue the story. I would like to think that our shared Parklands Family, in some small way will provide a foundation from which our students can build their life and write their story. However, it is the story of family that will most shape the story of our children, and we need to be careful what we are writing on the pages of their early lives.
Like an increasing number of Australians, I came from a broken family, and when my mother and father divorced the pages of my life were irrevocably marked. This breakdown in family connection impacted my perception and changed a little of my thinking, attitudes and behaviours. Likewise, when a family experiences change, tragedy or trauma, each member’s pages are written upon uniquely, and the following pages are tinged with the story of the pages before. As a parent, I need to make sure I am writing valuable things on my kids’ life pages that sets up a positive foundation for the next chapter, as best as I can. As a father, I need to be mindful that the challenging chapters of my past do not provide a foundation of tragedy in my kid’s lives. Instead, I want to use my story to teach them that pain and sorrow can be survived, and learned from. Life is tough, and I can’t protect my children from “life”, but I can start their story well, and then release them when the time is right to continue writing and find their place in the greater narrative and connect with others who will help them to keep writing their story.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 28th April, 2020
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Year 1 have been busy exploring numbers to 100. We had lots of fun this week in Math groups as we practised recognising, matching and building two-digit numbers, as we learned about place value. It was a tricky concept, but the kiddos challenged themselves to keep learning and it was great to see them cooperating together. We also enjoyed collecting data about our favourite ice cream flavours and displaying the information in fun picture graph.
We are continuing to explore all things living in our Science Unit this term. The children have so much knowledge about so many amazing living creatures. They are not only learning about this in Science, but are extending their reading and writing knowledge as they learn all about non-fiction books and information reports.
Year 2 has had a very busy month learning about Life cycles and our local indigenous people Yugumbeh.
We were visited by a Parklands parent, Mr Miller, of the Jirrbal, Baboram and Tableland Yidinji people. The students removed their socks and shoes and sat on the grass while they listened to Mr Miller talk about indigenous culture and their connection to the land. Some students were given the opportunity to play a didgeridoo and use the clap sticks while another attempted to throw a spear using a woomera. It was way harder than it looked! Also did you know the mob in the northern part of Queensland only has two seasons while the Yugambeh country has 6?
We have been studying life cycles of various living things including plants, frogs and bees. Please be sure to check out your child’s work hanging around the year 2 classrooms.
In math we have been focussing on number and algebra in particular place value, skip counting and addition and subtraction problems. 2M was able to use vege chips, lattice biscuits and mint lollies to practise place value and then eat afterwards.
A lot of us grew up with detention in school – I know I did. Detention is typically a place where a student will sit for a period of time and a) do nothing, b) write lines, c) pick up rubbish or some other task under supervision. Usually these tasks have very little learning attached to them and is more about wasting a student’s own time for their misconduct.
As an RTP Facilitator, one of the misconceptions that I often hear is that the RTC is for “naughty” students and sometimes the RTC is perceived as a “detention” for these naughty students to come and be punished. When one looks from the outside in, with little education or understanding around the RTC, I understand how people can perceive the RTC to be this way. A child demonstrates a disruptive behaviour and leaves the classroom to attend the RTC due to this. Sounds like detention or punishment right? Wrong.
Detention has a negative connotation attached to it, where the RTC rather, is a space for students to learn responsibility, self-control and to devise strategies for positive life choices. It is very different to a detention as the student is thinking, self- reflecting, learning to think from another person’s perspective and developing a plan for future.
Where staff would usually supervise a detention, the RTP Facilitators exist to provide emotional support, to positively challenge and coach students through this process and then support them to re-engage in class and put their plan into place. Very different to detention.
To find out more about the responsible thinking process please go to our website at http://parklands.qld.edu.au/behaviour-education-rtp/
Conflict is a normal part of life. Teaching our kids how to resolve some of these friendship conflicts at school can be as simple as practicing these 8 steps:
How can you help your child resolve friendship concerns?
Encourage them to try the ‘Friendship 8’
Ask them to let you know how they went and praise them for successfully putting these strategies into practice.
Remind your child about the importance of forgiveness and moving on.
Encourage your child to talk to their teacher if they have tried these friendship steps and still have been unable to resolve it.
If your child has been through these steps OR the seriousness warrants, encourage your child to report to the RTC.
Throughout the term teachers send the RTP Facilitators positive feedback about students via our Operation Snippet initiative. Staff members can also be sent snippets from other staff, students and parents. If you would like to honour any staff member in the school for their hard work please send a snippet to
rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au or ajackman@parklands.qld.edu.au and we will make sure that it is passed on as a lego block.
Here are some great snippets we have had the privilege of giving to a student and staff member.
“This student did an excellent job reading this morning during a reading comprehension assessment. I am proud of the effort he gave to both his reading and to trying words he did not recognise.”
“Thank you for all of the time and effort you give to your staff. I feel grateful for the support that you give to me personally and I’m sure that many others feel the same. Thank you for your kindness and for seeing the best in people. It’s a pleasure working with you.”
Thank you for supporting this initiative and for helping us build each other up.
The Silent Signals are a way for our primary students to silently communicate with their classmates and teachers during class, without disrupting the lesson. Students may ask their teacher a question using the rocket hand, ask to go to the toilet or ask their neighbour to please be silent so they can listen. We encourage our students to try these out and you may even like to practice these at home. Talk to your child today if you would like to practice the Silent Signals at home.
Scroll down to see examples of the silent signals students have created to help them communicate with each other and the teacher more effectively.
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I am showing you that I am being quiet |
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I have swallowed my words and will wait for my turn to speak |
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Later Alligator
I need to focus so please tell me in the next break time |
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I am concentrating on my work |
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Think of the answer in my head, charge up my rocket hand and shoot my rocket into the air. SILENTLY |
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T for Ask the Teacher
I am trying to do my own work, please ask the teacher your question |
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I am letting the teacher know I need to go to the toilet without interrupting the class. |
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Please stop talking to me, I am not going to talk back to you. |
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Business Hands
My hands are interlocked in front of me and I am waiting for the teacher’s instructions. Just like my dad does! |
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Carpet Champs
This is the “C” sign to remind me to sit like a Carpet Champ.
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When I am a Carpet Champ this is what you will see: · My legs are crossed · My hands are in my lap · My mouth is closed · My eyes are on the teacher My ears are open |
It has been wonderful to see students and families return for the new academic year. During our orientation program, senior students have been challenged to think about their goals for the year ahead and to make some practical applications in getting organised to start the year off strongly. As we are well into the second week of Term, all seniors should have established a nightly study and revision routine, which will assist in the busy weeks ahead.
Academic success is not simply to do with ones intellectual ability but has much to do with a well-developed study skills. Setting up and maintaining effective routines for study habits to take place is key for the start of the year. For some senior students, the problem can be in organising themselves to use their time in a structured and planned manner.
We ask that parents continue to offer assistance by encouraging your child to talk through their goals and to make use of both a diary (electronic or paper version) and to develop a study planner. Parents can also assist greatly by ensuring that their child has a dedicated workspace for study. A regular study area then becomes a recognised space that students can withdraw to by habit, where they can settle down quickly to organised and effective study. Students are encouraged to only have items on desks that relate to their study, keeping it clear of other gear which may cause distractions.
Senior students have been encouraged to use their diaries on a daily basis, for keeping track of important dates. This year’s booklist recommended the “myHomework Student Planner” APP. This is optional, however, all students must have some form of personal diary.
Other areas to assist with being organised include:
Weekly Overviews + Due Dates + Resources
A snapshot of due dates emailed home early in each term. Please note, this can be subject to change.
For live and up-to-date information on assessment and key dates, accessible through your child’s account.
Recently, an outline of the before, during and after school tutorial sessions was emailed to families and students. These include a variety of free programs run by secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
Secondary Tutoring Program 2020
There are parental permission forms that need returning, for before or after school workshops. One of the many and varied workshops is our Zenith Club, run on a Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and coordinated by Miss Abby Dixon. Zenith Cub is supervised by a variety of teachers. Your child may request to have a particular teacher meet at Zenith, when requiring extra support.
Year 10 and Year 11 students are able to request a change of subject up until Friday 14th February, after which subjects are locked in for the semester. If your child is feeling unsure about their academic pathway, please encourage them to speak with Mrs Hudson (Vocational Education & Training Officer), their Pastoral Care (PC) teacher, Abby Dixon (Year 10 Coordinator) or myself. We are passionate about senior students knowing there are options and to be in a pathway that matches their interest, skillset and ability – so they can work towards their God given potential.
I trust that your child has had a positive start to the new school year. If your child needs any assistance in organising a study schedule, please encourage them to see their Pastoral Care teacher or myself. It is important that there is a balance between academic demands, involvements in extra-curricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College I would be very happy to meet and talk in person. Please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
All are welcome to attend our Prayer Group meeting at Student Services at 8:30am on the following dates:
Monday 3rd February 2020
Monday 2nd March 2020
Monday 30th March 2020
www.parkridgesoccer.majestri.com.au
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
Mr. Gary Cully
Principal
I write this article as I wait to walk down to the Back to School Barbeque. This event is one of those special moments in our year when parents of kids from Prep to Year 12 come together as part of the larger Parklands Family. These connections are special to me and many of my staff, but I do sometimes wonder how much we truly appreciate the value of connections like this. I believe that Schools and Churches represent one of the few remaining vestiges of traditional community in our society. The notion of ‘community’ is changing, and some of the modern methods of social connection are beyond my comprehension. For instance, my son “connects” with his cousins through an online gaming community. To me this seems amazing, high tech and not a little bewildering. It’s not lost on me that my 11 year old son is connected with relatives hundreds of kilometres away, in ways that I am yet to fully comprehend. Similarly my daughters connect with friends from the Philippines via Messenger, and share images and stories within a community that crosses seas and continents. It’s impressive!
We are all made for connection, and in our modern high tech world, there seems to be no limits to how we can connect in a community. As a parent, my challenge is to appreciate the vast number of ways our kids can connect and familiarize myself with the many and varied ways the modern child communicates and interacts with friends, gamers, and online groups. I may not really want to know how to post an image on Instagram, but for the safety and connection with my children, I will. I don’t enjoy gaming, but to connect with my boy, I will. Our kids will ever be drawn to connection, and their chosen medium is increasingly via methods that only a generation ago were things of Science Fiction & Fantasy. I realise that if I am going to stay connecting to my kids, I must boldly go where I have never gone before, and participate in an online world. However, I do want my kids to meet me half way.
In an attempt to connect with my kids and know their interests, they need to appreciate that they too have a responsibility to stay connected with me. It’s hard to convince an 11 year old boy to put his iPad down and “come join the family”! It’s even harder to suggest to a teenage girl that life won’t end if they don’t reply to that post until after joining the family for dinner. Yet, it is their responsibility to connect with their parents and siblings, because that’s what families do, and it’s important to stay connected. These are the modern trials of parenting, and it’s tough, at times down right annoying and it takes fortitude.
So which community is your child connected to? Is there balance? Are you uncomfortable with whom they are connected? If your answers to these questions cause you to uncomfortably pause, I feel your pain, you are not alone. I want my kids ‘community’ to be with people I know and understand. I want them to explore the world, but not at the expense of family, and good relationships. I need to know they are safe, learning good values, and participating in healthy communities and build them up and enrich their lives. I can’t say I am winning on all these fronts yet, but I pray for my kids each day that they might find great connections with people, that will endure and give them joy. And I encourage us all to similarly pray and watch over our children and encourage good connections in great communities.
As I walked to the end of the jetty, I noticed these foreboding steps (photo below) leading into the bay. This resonated with how I felt about walking into 2020, like I am heading down these steps into the ocean of life, learning, fun and cameraderie that is 2020. We don’t know what exactly we will face, but we know that there will be highs and lows, because, well, life. The descriptor of “foreboding steps” reflects my headspace at the time, standing at the top of the steps looking sceptically at what is to come. Some of our students may be feeling that way too.
For our Year 7 students, the water of a secondary school may look quite intimidating, though hopefully a little exciting too. Our senior students face the choppy waters of the new senior system, which appears unfamiliar to both them and their parents. And for our middle schoolers, the water holds the challenges of navigating teen life, a rapidly developing brain, changing relationships, and learning how to be social and working out who they are and their place in the world.
We face water that may be choppy at times, but we will link arms, as we metaphorically did in 2019, and support each other through it. Some staff, students and parents may actually enjoy the unique challenges of those moments and their strengths will come to the forefront. At other times, the water will be calm, sun shining, cool breeze, and we’ll have some fun throwing a beach ball around. Those who struggle with catching a ball (is my metaphor wearing thin here?!!) will have the support of the others.
Until this point in early January, I’d been examining the waters of 2020 with some hesitancy. To be honest, 2019 was quite wearying with the varied challenges that we faced, notably implementing the biggest change in Queensland schooling in forty years. But as I walked along this stretch of water, I reflected on how well God held Parklands through 2019, and the wonderful team that I was surrounded with, as we worked together to maintain a loving school community that helped each individual thrive. As that gratitude swelled and I gave thanks for each of the successes, small and large, that we experienced in 2019, I felt the excitement for the new year build, along with the confidence that our God is with us.
I now find myself on the precipice of 2020, ready to run down those steps, grinning, to bombdive into the water. Will you link arms with me and embrace the adventure that is the waters of 2020 together?
PS where in Brisbane do you think these photos were taken? Send me your guess at Twitter:@exigua, linkedin:Jess Grounds, or jgrounds@parklands.qld.edu.au. I may have let the location slip at Assembly, so ask your child for a hint!
Year 7 have officially started the academic year!
This year as a part of orientation students, their Pastoral Care teacher, Mr. Elvery, Mrs. Braun, as well as the student’s main subject teachers has 2 and a half days of orientation, connection and fun.
The students, in their Pastoral Care classes participated in activities designed to form connections and bond as a class and cohort, as well as establish powerful relationships with their teachers. They went on a scavenger hunt around the college with Mr. Elvery, played games and bonded with their Pastoral Care teacher and discussed their goals for the year and received their Year 7 wristband with Mrs. Braun.
The students were also immersed in the setting up of iPads, learning to use their new college diary and the processes and daily organisation needed in Secondary.
Being organised and prepared for class can be a struggle for many Year 7 students. Previously they may have had a tidy tray or place in a single classroom to keep their belongings. Whereas, now they are moving around classrooms, carrying materials required for a morning or afternoon session and remembering different subject requirements for different days.
Some ideas to help organise your child are to:
• Have an area set aside for school items
• Only pack for what is needed for the day
• Have a separate box for books and texts not used that day
• Label all items
• Have the timetable and booklist on display
• Pack the night before
• Talk to your child about how being organised is a healthy habit and skill that can be transferred to their sport team, music lesson, part-time job and life in the coming years. Not just a chore you use for school.
Being organised is a skill and healthy habit that takes time and a lot of practice. You child will need a lot of help, a lot of reminders and a lot of love to develop this skill.
Thank you to the many parents and students who attended the annual Back to School Barbeque on Monday night. It was wonderful to meet and connect with so many families within our college.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Welcome back, I trust you took the opportunity to meet the Primary teachers at the Back to School BBQ, to ‘settle in’ and become accustomed to Parkland’s processes and procedures?
A special ‘Welcome’ to all our new parents and students. If unsure about anything, please feel free to ask a teacher, TA, Student Services, RTC or myself.
In wishing to keep all our students safe, here is a reminder of what we do to make the “Drop Of”’ process easier, quicker and more practical for parents: In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘Prep drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Grade 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the stairs, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even having to get out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Grade 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off or parking procedures where students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. If using the Drop Off Area just past the Pedestrian Crossing, please don’t leave your car or park in any of these Drop Off bays. Parents are reminded not to drop off students on the bend near the top exit gate of the Rosia Rd Car Park. If crossing the internal road, please only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing!
ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, where parents may park in any available bay and go and collect students from Prep, the Undercover Area or Playground. Students are asked to remain in the Undercover Area until 3.30pm unless collected by a guardian or older sibling. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage!
On arrival in the morning, students are to put their bags in the port racks outside their classroom and then make their way to the supervised Undercover Area where they can play games and be ready for the start of day and assembly.
In the afternoon students can be collected, signed out on the iPads from 2.30pm onwards in the Undercover Area.
We ask that no students leave the Undercover Area on their own, without a guardian or older sibling BEFORE 3.30pm.
In wishing to give students the opportunity to eat and play through their day, we’ve extended the morning break time to match lunch, being 30 minutes. Students will sit and eat their food for 15 minutes before being released to go and play for the remainder of both breaks.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or mix and match their academic with sport uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch and water bottles are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
– Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, class process or procedure, class bahaviour, calendar events etc. that you please contact the teachers directly. They are your first port of call!
– If you require information about specialist lessons, please contact the following specific staff members directly:
HPE – Mr. Lewis,
Music – Mrs. Patane,
Art – Mrs. Bazley,
Library – Mrs. Jill Kerr
Student Services — Mrs. Oxley or Mrs. Abolins
RTC – Ms. Godwin, Mrs. Broughton, Miss. Robinson or Mr. Crawford
– If you wish to discuss a matter further after having spoken to the relevant teacher, would you kindly then contact me through Student Services?
We are very excited to announce the introduction of AUSLAN (sign language) into Years 5-8 at Parklands. Dr. Beth Tailby, a completely DEAF, very accomplished Auslan teacher will be presenting lessons to the Primary Yr. 5 & 6 students on a Thursday for a semester each.
Students will learn the alphabet, numbers etc. and the basic art of being able to sign!
‘Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication’.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimizing the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”.
On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us.
We ask that you kindly avoid sending in:
Products with a “may contain traces of nuts” warning is ok to bring to school but just should not be shared. In this instance, also remind students to wash their hands after eating such products! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard. Please don’t hesitate to ask a teacher or staff member if there is ANYTHING you need clarified!
Looking forward to a great year of working together!
Thank you
Welcome to all our wonderful families to Year 1 2020!
Well done on surviving the first week back. The children did extremely well and are beginning to adjust to the school routine once again, after a very long holiday break.
We had a great time getting to know one another and enjoyed participating in lots of back to school activities. We also talked about our holiday adventures and worked hard to write and draw about the highlights.
We can’t wait to see what the year will hold for all of us and are excited to dive into our learning! The students particularly showed a keen interest in our science topic for this term – living things. Everyone was keen to share what they already knew about living things and could tell us about many interesting creatures from around the world.
Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead. We can’t wait to share our adventures with you!
Welcome back to 2020!
The grade 2 students have had an awesome start with lots of learning already happening. This term we are investigating life cycles of various living things, and learning about our local indigenous country Yugumbeh. The students will be applying their learning from History and Science into an English Information report.
We’ve been establishing a good reading habit each day and encourage you to continue the love of reading at home. Pictured below is 2K opening up book parcels and exploring which genre of book they like to read. You will also see Grade 2M pictured during their reading time enjoying reading.
Miss McNabb, Mrs Hollenberg and myself look forward to getting to know you throughout the year and encourage you to stay involved in your child’s learning journey.
Yours sincerely,
Julie Koplick
Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening is therefore vital in early childhood, particularly for conditions such as ‘lazy eye’, which if not detected early can lead to blindness.
A Registered Nurse will be visiting the school in 2020 to commence vision screening for all Prep Year children. If you wish to have your child participate in this free vision screening program, please complete and sign the consent form sent home with your child and return this to your child’s class teacher as soon as possible. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of your child’s screening.
Please note that if your child has had a vision assessment in the past 12 months it is not necessary for him/her to participate in this screening program. If this is the case, please complete the consent form and indicate that you do not wish for your child to participate, and ensure that you follow the schedule of reviews recommended by your eye health professional.
The consent forms will be getting sent home to prep families (via prep student) on the first day of school. Forms need to be returned by Friday 7th Feb.
Welcome back to school in 2020! This year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. There are lots of ways for your child to be involved in music at Parklands! We’ve received lots of new enrolment forms already, which is great to see – you can start music lessons at any time of the year, please download the attached file to access more information and an enrolment form.
Instrumental music lessons will commence from week 2 of Term 1, with the exception of Give It A Go! lessons which will commence in week 4. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will also begin within the first few weeks of Term 1, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band which will commence in Term 2. Further information from Ensemble & Choir directors will be available closer to these start dates.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
– Primary Junior Choir (Year 2 & 3)
– Primary Senior Choir (Years 4-6)
– Secondary Choir (Years 7-12)
– Wind Ensemble (Years 4-12, woodwind, brass & percussion students with minimum 12 months experience)
We’re excited to be welcoming our third group of Give It A Go! students this year, and we are in fact beginning to open places up to Year 4 students as well. Emails will be going home to Year 4 students in the next few weeks with more information, but this is an exciting development in our Give It A Go! Band Programme. If you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please read the point 1 below regarding costs & inclusions.
Instruments on offer in the Give It A Go! Band Programme will include:
– Flute
– Clarinet
– Saxophone
– Trumpet
– Trombone
– Percussion (includes drums, auxiliary & mallet percussion)
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4-6 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4-6, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability. When a Group of 2 or 3 is not available, students will be offered a 20min private lesson for $22/20mins.
Enrolment forms are available for download below, or by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome back to the start of what is going to be a great year! We are looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that are ahead of us for 2020. As the new academic year approaches, it’s time to get organised, plan out the year and be ready for the busyness that comes with school life. Below is some important information to assist with getting organised. Don’t forget to keep checking the College Calendar and Facebook for the latest details in our Secondary College.
First Day Orientation Procedures
Middle School
Year 7 and 8: Wednesday 29 January
(Sport Uniform)
Year 9: Wednesday 29 January (Camping until Friday 31 January)
Senior College
Years 10-12: Thursday 30 January
(Summer Academic Uniform)
| Year | Pastoral Care Teacher |
| Yr 7a | Mr Daniel Millward |
| Yr 7b | Mrs Sharon Thompson |
| Yr 8a | Mrs Maegan Redman |
| Yr 8b | Mr Wayne Schulz |
| Yr 8c | Mrs Jaclyn Kelly |
| Yr 9a | Mrs Rhoda Crook |
| Yr 9b | Mr Michael Braun |
| Yr 10a | Miss Julia Matthews |
| Yr 10b | Sister Monique Singh |
| Yr 11a | Mr Zachary Cunningham |
| Yr 11b | Mrs Mercy Gunnampaty |
| Yr 12a | Miss Jessica Grounds |
| Yr 12b | Mr Joshua Leembruggen |
New Staff Members
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the following staff members to the Secondary College team:
and we’re delighted to have Mrs Kristie Schulz return from maternity leave.
Profile Evenings
Our Secondary profile evenings are a great opportunity to connect with teachers to discuss the progress of your child’s achievements through the year. This year’s evenings are planned for the following dates:
Assessment
Secondary students will undertake progressive assessment throughout the course of their studies at various times throughout each term. Please note that assessment due dates will be scheduled at many different times across each term so consistent attendance is advised. As per QCAA’s QCE handbook (Section 6.6: Illness and misadventure), if assessment is missed due to family holidays we cannot approve requests for extension. Parklands therefore expects all students to only take holidays during the designated school holiday times.
Camping Programs
Our Middle School Camping program for Year 9 will take place this year during week 1. Our students will be at the following location:
We highly value the outcomes of our camping program and as such it is a compulsory part of the academic program. Parents of students not attending camp should notify the Head of Secondary via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: jgrounds@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Senior College, some of the Student Leadership team will either be travelling to the 2020 Compass Christian Schools Conference in Canberra from 28th February to 3rd March, and others will attend the Sports Leadership Camp at Burleigh Heads from 1st to 3rd March. The Year 11 Leadership Camp will be run as a compulsory camp for all of our Year 11 students at Emu Gully in Term 3, from the 16th to 18th September. More details regarding this camp will be forthcoming.
We trust that 2020 will be a blessed year, and we are looking forward to working with you all. If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: celvery@parklands.qld.edu.au or rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
All are welcome to attend our Prayer Group meeting at Student Services at 8:30am on the following dates:
Monday 3rd February 2020
Monday 2nd March 2020
Monday 30th March 2020
www.parkridgesoccer.majestri.com.au
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
School Bus Passes for Westside Bus Company and Park Ridge Transit
Students who have a bus pass for travel will be required to obtain a new pass for the 2020 school year. If you are changing schools in 2020 (this includes moving to grade 7) or address you will need to contact our reception on (07) 3802 1233 and we will advise you of how to update your details. To avoid delays in receiving your pass we kindly request that you contact us prior to the end of the school year.
If you have no changes to your details, you will receive your new bus pass in the mail in early January.
Please note that there are limited reception facilities available at our Redbank depot and you should call before attending the depot as we maybe able to assist over the phone.
Bus Routes for Parklands
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsbookings@bigpond.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2020 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Welcome back to the new school year. Can you believe we are in the year 2020! Praying that you all had some time to relax with your families and friends over the holidays. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again and having the opportunity to meet some of our new families who have joined our school community.
We have started the new year by receiving all of the Woolworths Earn and Learn resources. We were able to bless the teachers on their first day by having all their resources ready for them to start their year. It’s always exciting at the end of a promotion when we receive and see what we were able to order with our points from the stickers that you all collected. Thank you to everyone who was able to collect stickers last year. Without you these things wouldn’t be possible!
We are continuing with our recycling bins this year. They are located in various areas of the school. All the kids really loved helping to take care of our environment recycling all their poppers, bottles and cans last year. The recycling bins onsite are for all our staff, students and visitors to use. You are also more than welcome to bring in any of the approved recycling items and place them in one of our allocated bins. Together we can help the environment and raise money for valuable resources for our school.
If you are new to our school and wondering what The Friendlies are all about, we are what some school’s might call their P&C committee. The thing that makes us stand out from other school’s P&C’s is that we are committed to loving, encouraging and caring for all of our school community. Our mission statement is “The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another”.
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our first meeting for 2020 will be on Friday 14th February at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Welcome to 2020! This year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our new Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage our existing students to continue to learn & grow. There are lots of ways for your child to be involved in music at Parklands!
Instrumental music lessons will commence from week 2 of Term 1, with the exception of Give It A Go! lessons which will commence in week 4. Choir & Ensemble rehearsals will also begin within the first few weeks of Term 1, again with the exception of the Give It A Go! Band which will commence in Term 2. Further information from Ensemble & Choir directors will be available closer to these start dates.
Ensembles & Choirs include:
We’re excited to be welcoming our third group of Give It A Go! students this year, and we are in fact beginning to open places up to Year 4 students as well. Emails will be going home to Year 4 students in the next few weeks with more information, but this is an exciting development in our Give It A Go! Band Programme. If you or your child are interested in being a part of this programme, please read the point 1 below regarding costs & inclusions.
Instruments on offer will include:
There are a number of ways to be part of our growing Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year beginner programme for Year 4-6 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-off $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Many places for this are currently filled, however we do have a number of vacancies across most instruments. If your child is in Year 4-6, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms are also available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome to Parklands Christian College. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and the Student Care & Wellbeing Team. My name is Miss Bernii Godwin and I have been employed at Parklands to facilitate the Student Wellbeing & RTP (Responsible Thinking Process) since 2012. I have a Masters qualification in Social Work and a Grad Certificate in Neuropsychotherapy which complements my undergraduate study (Bach Human Services/Bach Criminology). I also have over 15 years’ experience in the field of education and human behaviour.
The Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) has a wonderful team of staff including Mr Justin Crawford, Miss Laura Robinson, Mrs Angela Broughton, Mr Zac Wassenberg, Mrs Angela Jackman and Mrs Joanne Edwards. Together we are able to not only help students make positive informed choices, but we also have the time to get alongside students and support them to develop their social and emotional skills. You will quickly notice that we run this process fairly differently from other schools, and that we pride ourselves in keeping parents informed, involved and positive about their child’s success story.
This information pack is designed to provide you with an overview of how Responsible Thinking is taught to students at Parklands, its purpose and our overall goal for each child’s schooling journey. As you learn about the Responsible Thinking Process, and how this is applied at Parklands please use this info pack to seek the answers to any questions that may arise.
In addition some of the useful websites you may wish to access include:
RTP Information:
http://parklands.qld.edu.au/behaviour-education-rtp/
RTP Resources, Tips and Myths and Plan Examples
RTP Q&A Primary and Secondary:
http://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/RTC-QandA-Primary.pdf
http://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/RTC-QandA-Secondary.pdf
If you would like to discuss this further please feel welcome to pop in to the RTC to visit, phone or send through an email rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au.
1. Jan 2020 Meet our Team for 2020 dark background
Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening is therefore vital in early childhood, particularly for conditions such as ‘lazy eye’, which if not detected early can lead to blindness.
A Registered Nurse will be visiting the school in 2020 to commence vision screening for all Prep Year children. If you wish to have your child participate in this free vision screening program, please complete and sign the consent form sent home with your child and return this to your child’s class teacher as soon as possible. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of your child’s screening.
Please note that if your child has had a vision assessment in the past 12 months it is not necessary for him/her to participate in this screening program. If this is the case, please complete the consent form and indicate that you do not wish for your child to participate, and ensure that you follow the schedule of reviews recommended by your eye health professional.
The consent forms will be getting sent home to prep families (via prep student) on the first day of school. Forms need to be returned by Friday 7th Feb.
As the students would say; “Only a few more sleeps to go to the start of school”
I trust you have had a blessed festive season, a good school holiday and are looking forward to the start of the school term?
Primary School First Day Procedure – Tuesday 28th January
| Grade | Teacher |
| Prep F | Mrs Kerry Foster |
| Prep H | Mrs Sarah Hope |
| Gr 1 C | Mrs Kelly Clausen |
| Gr 1 D | Mrs Dayna Davis |
| Gr 2 K | Mrs Julie Koplick |
| Gr 2 M | Miss Louise McNabb |
| Gr 3 A | Mr Simon Ashley |
| Gr 3 K | Mr Joshua Kennedy |
| Gr 4 B | Mr Michael Bradshaw |
| Gr 4 P | Mr Daniel Patane |
| Gr 5 N | Miss Clara Needs |
| Gr 5 E | Mrs Lisa Edwards |
| Gr 6 B | Mrs Jessica Bourchier |
| Gr 6 H | Mr Mark Holman |
Class Placement
On Friday you will receive your ‘Welcome Letter’ informing you who your child’s teacher will be.
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying and working through the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that students are with the right teacher and classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process. Please bear in mind that friendships aren’t the main reason for class placements, being with the teacher that best suits their learning style is the key factor!
A reminder, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
ROSIA RD CARPARK and DROP OFF AREAS
Here is a reminder of what we do to make the ‘Drop Off’ process easier, quicker, efficient and more practical for parents: In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Year 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the gate, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even getting out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their normal day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Year 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off / parking procedures and students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. Please don’t leave your car or park in any of the Drop Off bays past the Pedestrian Crossing. ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, explained by staff. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard.
UNIFORMS
Students will be informed (according to their time table) as to which days they need to wear Sport or Academic uniform! Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day?
If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC / Uniform Store staff or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch bottles/boxes are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
Trusting you have a great year as we look to work together to educate your child.
Mr Grant Jakins
Head of Primary
Mr Gary Cully
Principal
Welcome back to Parklands and the 2020 Academic Year. The staff and I have had a great start to the year, and we are all looking forward to seeing our students and their families on site very soon. This will be a year of firsts for me, and I am excited to meet new families, and talk to the many new faces I see around our school. I am particularly excited to bring my own children back to Parklands, and look forward to seeing them back in an Australian classroom after spending 3+ years of home schooling in Cebu, Philippines.
My family and I have been back in Australia since November. Over the Christmas and New Year period, we have been busy re-connecting with family and friends near and far. During this time we have driven as far North as Rockhampton and Yeppoon, returning to Brisbane via Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast. All up I clocked up over 3000km in a few short weeks! Despite the massive amount of driving (well, it is for me), I was so glad to be able to connect with my family and good friends once again. These connections are special to me, and well worth the effort to spend hours and hours in a car, with three kids.
Being connected these days is becoming increasingly more complex and difficult. We are all busy, and in many of our families, both parents are holding down full or part time employment. Our kids attend sport, after school activities and they often need endless amounts of transportation between scheduled commitments. Amidst the busyness, finding time to connect can sometimes seem all too hard. But it’s worth the effort. All too soon, our kids are living independently and our chance to significantly invest in them is past. My eldest daughter now has her learners permit and has started her 100 hours of driving practice. I often look over at this young women in the driver’s seat and wonder how it came to this? Who is this young adult sitting next to me? How much longer is she going to be under my roof and in my direct care? I realise my time with her is an increasingly precious commodity, and I am aware that my connection with this teenager is dependent on the work I do in our relationship now.
In a similar way, I am deeply interested in the connections within our school, and wider school community. Building good community is important, and by forming solid and lasting relationships within the Parklands community is not only a great way to stay connected with teachers, but is an investment in a relationship with your child. The schooling years, although sometimes stressful, are short. These years will pass by sooner than we would like, and our time navigating these years which are full of precious and unique experiences, will only happen once per child. Our children will remember these years with fondness (I hope), and they will also remember our presence or otherwise during this time. I never want my child to say that “dad wasn’t interested”, or “he never helped with assignments”. I want to sit down with my kids, and their kids and laugh about their first day at school, or the time you went to camp. I want to be able to pull out photos where my whole family is present and together at awards nights, graduations and formals. I want to keep certificates that celebrate everything from good colouring-in, to dux of Grade 12. I want to build memories and connection with my kids. Yes, it’s hard, and sometimes is downright taxing, but inevitably it will be worth it.
Let me encourage us all to invest in connection, and embrace this precious time as parents. Together, let’s celebrate the great relationships we have with our kids, and strengthen them through being present, attentive and interested. May God grant us all the wisdom and ability to seek connection with our kids in 2020.
As another school year comes to a close, I would like to take the time to congratulate all of our Year 10-12 students. It has been an incredibly rewarding year and a delight to work alongside every senior student, who have largely demonstrated great attitudes to their studies, and perhaps of greater importance, a respect and care for those around them. It has been an incredibly busy time, with many end of year events taking place.
The Secondary Awards Night was a time of celebration, for students and their families, of individual achievements for the academic year.
Of special mention are our trophy recipients as follows:
Christlikeness Award: Ethan Bronzi
Dux: Renzo Tagaro
Principals Award: Amelia Ives
Christlikeness Award: Amelia Robertson
Dux: Amelia Robertson
Principals Award: Sarah Balmer
Christlikeness Awards: Joshua Clausen & Emma Walton
Dux: Ryan Mitchell
Principals Award: Alyshia Ritchie
Year 12 Vocational Excellence Award: Corey Muller
Congratulations to both our Awards recipients and all of our senior students on their achievements, we are very proud of every student.
We have also welcomed in our new student leadership for 2020. A very warm congratulations to the following students.
College Captains: Elizabeth Edwards & Amelia Robertson
College Vice-Captains: Toby Ross & Tieriney Holmes
Vice-Captains Arts: Elissa Bailey & Jake West
Vice-Captains Missions: Karah Sullivan & Jacinta Wendt
Vice-Captains Academic: Jessica Benson & Toby Ross
Vice-Captains Community: Katy Blackmore & Kelsey Hawken
Sports Captains Joshua House: David Martinez-Santana & Claire Ogilvie
Sports Captains Samuel House: Abby Hudson & Georgia Payne
We have farewelled the graduating “Class of 2019” who have been a wonderful class of seniors to work alongside. It’s been a huge journey, totalling thirteen years of formal education. There have been countless extracurricular activities that have formed a well-rounded experience of school life combined with the huge task of completing senior school work. Earning your Year 12 qualifications is a major task; often combined with the juggling of school based traineeships or apprenticeships, casual jobs, and church, sporting and family commitments – this equals an immense workload. I have once again admired the resilience of our graduates, particularly throughout the gruelling senior years. It has definitely been through much grit, determination and hard work that every one of our seniors have now completed their journey in secondary school successfully. Well done graduates! And, a special mention to all our families and the PCC team, who have contributed to the journey of each young person as they embark of life after school! We pray they seek God’s direction to lead their future paths.
To finish, we celebrated with the Year 12 formal at Sirromet Winery on Friday 15th November. It was a wonderful evening of celebrations.
After a very busy and productive academic year for all, happy summer holidays! Prayers for a blessed Christmas season with your families and I very much look forward to seeing you all in 2020. May God bless you and keep you so abundantly.
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Wow, and with the blink of an eye the 2019 school year has finished!
The recycling bins for any empty cans, bottles, and poppers will remain at the school next year. This will be an ongoing fundraising event with all proceeds going directly back into our school community. Feel free to bring in any empty cans, bottles or poppers from home and pop them into any of the allocated recycling bins.
It’s that time of the year that we seem to sit back and reflect on the year that has been. Sitting at the Primary Awards Night always fills my heart with pride and so much joy seeing all the kids and how much they have accomplished over the year.
The Friendlies have had another busy year and we have thoroughly enjoyed holding all of our community events. These events wouldn’t be possible without all of your support. We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who have supported our events this year! We have such an amazing school community who enjoy coming together in unity and who always have a fabulous time of fellowship with each other at all the community events.
Thank you to our amazing Friendlies team who are more than happy to volunteer their time throughout the year at all of our events. Looking forward to seeing where 2020 takes us!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe holiday break and a Merry Christmas.
Looking forward to a fabulous 2020!
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
What a year it has been for music at Parklands! We have seen the launch of another new ensemble for wind, brass & percussion students, the Wind Ensemble, as well as our second year of our Give It A Go! Band Programme. Our choirs keep going from strength to strength & as I’m writing, the piano students are having a Christmas Party & playing for each other – it’s wonderful to see so many students getting involved & finding such joy in music.
Our 2019 Give It A Go! students have finished their programme and had a fantastic year. It’s been wonderful watching these young players grow & learn & experience music, and of course these students can choose to continue into Private or Shared lessons in 2020. Enrolment forms for these have been sent home, so now is the time to have that discussion with your child.
Offers for the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme have been made & many forms have been returned. We’re so excited about the building interest from these students! Lessons will begin in week 4 of Term 1, 2020. We can’t wait to share the fun of music with more students!
There’s always a chance to be part of the Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year programme for Year 5 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-time $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Most places for this are currently filled, however we do have vacancies for trumpet, baritone & percussion. If your child is in Year 5 or 6, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Do you have a musical instrument at home, maybe under the bed or in your closet, that you no longer need or use? Would you like to find it a new home?
If you do have a brass, woodwind or string instrument at home that you would like to donate to the College’s growing instrumental music programme, we would love to hear from you. If it is in good working condition & suitable for our needs we will look after getting it serviced, so all you would need to do would be to bring it to the Instrumental Music office in the Music Centre on Tuesdays or Fridays, or Student Services on any other day, and we will assess it.
Instruments we would be looking for include:
– Flutes
– Clarinets
– Saxophones
– Bass clarinets
– Trumpets
– Trombones
– Baritones
– Euphoniums
– Violins
– Violas
– Cellos
Other instruments such as oboes, bassoons, French horns, tubas, double basses & xylophones are not being used in the programme yet, however we would love to expand into using those instruments in the future so any donations would be welcome.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Senior Choir
Semester 2 2019 was another big semester of Primary Sport. Lots of memorable moments were had throughout Sport and PE. To recap on a successful semester, some of the highlights were
– Ethan Jackson- 1st Shot put, 3rd Discus
– Justin Hunt- 1st Shot Put, 3rd Discus
– Zachary Hollenberg- 1st 100m, 200m, Long Jump, 2nd in the Shot put and 3rd in Discus and 800m
– Lachlan Mane- 2nd 800m
– Tayla Thomson 2nd 800m
– Emmy Campbell 2nd Long Jump
– Chloe Bobermein 3rd Shot Put
Looking forward to many more memories in Primary Sport in 2020.
Mr Lewis
What a year 2019 has been!
At the beginning of the year I will admit that the reality of looking after eighty, 12-13 year olds was bewildering. I constantly wondered on how I would make each child feel cared for and valued, that I knew their name and knew them as an individual, rather than just one of my many Year 7 students. Let alone adding the massive and never-ending workload of a teacher. For me 2019 has been a lesson in juggling my time, taking every moment to be a positive influence, even when you are tired, drained, stressed and needing a moment to relax. I have also learnt so many wonderful lessons from my year 7’s this year:
Overall, 2019 has been a wonderful year full of laughter, joy and blessings. It has been wonderful to watch each of my Year 7’s grow into a more mature and independent young adult and I am so grateful to have spent the year with them.
I wish you and your family a blessed Christmas
During the Year 8 orientation week next year, you child will visit the Logan Library and hopefully be signed up for a Logan library card. Apart of being able to borrow books, the library also has an excellent variety of online resources, e-books, audiobooks and online journals. Library card holders are able to access tuition services, online assignment writing help, learn a new language with Mango Languages, stream music, podcasts and movies and access Ancestry Library in addition to the libraries programming and coding classes.
During the summer holidays the library has many different holiday events and classes on. Booking in for the classes is essential, as I am sure they will fill up quickly.
Museum of Brisbane holiday program – https://www.museumofbrisbane.com.au/whats-on/
GOMA – https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/brisbane-qagoma-events-calendar
Flipside Circus – http://www.flipsidecircus.org.au/classes/
Cobb & Co Museum – Toowoomba – https://cobbandco.qm.qld.gov.au/Events+and+Exhibitions/Events+and+Activities/Holiday+Programs#.XeBojkYzY2w
With the implementation of the new Queensland syllabus in 2019, we have been contacted by some educational organisations offering workshops to students wanting to improve in their studies. If you or your student are interested in viewing some of the workshops available for senior students, please view the link below.
https://www.edvantageqld.com/workshops
Year 10 students who chose to study Literature in Semester Two enjoyed a visit from local poet and musician, Bruce Vernon. Bruce introduced our Term Four unit “Lest We Forget – The Poetry of War” by performing a rendition of “I was only 19: A Walk in the Light Green”, made famous by Australian band Redgum. Students and teachers were impressed with Bruce’s recitations of his own poetry, and enjoyed hearing his inspirational stories of working alongside Australian servicemen and women as a carer in a New South Wales Veteran’s aged care facility. Bruce’s most important message to our students was to have faith in themselves, despite what anyone else says they can or cannot do, and to live their best lives in the freedom for which many Australians fought and died. We are grateful to Bruce for his time and interest in our students.
Year 1 would like to send an enormous thank you for all your support during 2019. We have had an amazing year, full of fun, hard work and wonderful learning experiences and we are so proud of every little step achieved by each and every class member.
We ended our Year 1 year with a fabulous trip to SeaWorld. The children conducted themselves beautifully and enjoyed learning many new things about all the animals we saw during our time together.
We pray that you all have a most wonderful holiday break and we look forward to seeing everyone again around school in 2020! Merry Christmas!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Year 1.
With our Secondary students finished for the year, all of our curriculum delivered, and all special events completed, I say thank you to each family who have partnered with us in 2019. It has been a joy to work with every student and their family during their educational journey this year, and to see our students grow and thrive. Thank you for your support this year, and for entrusting your student/s to our care. What a privilege it is for our Secondary staff to work alongside these remarkable, enthusiastic and talented children.
As a staff, we continue on site for the first week of December, closing out the year, finalizing reports, doing some internal training, and preparing for 2020. I trust each student has had a relaxing start to their well-earned holiday break, and as they enjoy the freedom from school rules, I encourage students (& seek parent support) to be mindful of complying with rules when they return in January. An example is if boys find this current mullet craze appealing, then please ensure that hair cuts are neat and conservative and a minimum of blade 2. If hair is dyed for fun during the break, then please ensure it returns to a natural colour in January. And please note our piercing rules – no piercings for boys, while girls may only have one set of earrings in the lower lobe – if a student has an extra piercing, then they must be able to wear a clear stud when they return on site in 2020. The other area to be mindful of is in sport shoes, which must be cross trainers that are fully leather upper (for safety in our classrooms). Our full uniform policy can be found on our website at parklands.qld.edu.au/uniforms. I encourage parents and children to read this before making any fun changes during this break, so as to be compliant upon the return to school next year. Thank you so much for your support in this.
And fun is exactly what I hope for for each of our students this summer break, in a safe context, along with good quality rest, time with family and friends, and an adventure or two. I wish students and families a very merry Christmas, spent celebrating the birth of Jesus alongside family and friends, and a happy new year. I look forward to catching up with everyone in 2020, either as current families or for our recent graduates, as alumni at our community events.
Wow, how this year has flown by! It seemed like just the other day I was welcoming this year’s Prep students and parents to the school for the first time. By the time you read this article the academic year will be finished and Christmas soon upon you.
Can I say we have had a busy but very enjoyable year! Apart from all the ‘usual’ fun class teaching, sporting carnivals and great events, here are some features and highlights for the year:
In preparing for the new decade of 2020, can we please ask that you allow the teachers, who only want the BEST for and who know your child here at school, to place them in the care of the right teacher next year? This ‘student placement process’ is taken very seriously and is extremely inclusive and involved taking into consideration factors like: academic ability & rigour, student & teacher personalities & character, social / behavioural and emotional factors, friendships, gender ratios etc.!
In the New Year, students will receive an informative “Welcome Letter” from their new 2020 class teacher notifying them as to which classroom they’ll be in. Thank you for not putting in any requests for staff or students and for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard.
– Mrs. Rachael Abbot has resigned and Mr. Simon Ashley has been appointed to the Yr. 3 position
– Mrs. Hope and Mrs Edwards’ contracts have been renewed and they will continue in Prep and Yr. 5 respectively
– Miss Strubin will take on the position of Primary PLC Facilitator
– Mrs. Jenny Bayer (Resource Room legend) will be leaving us at the end of the year and Mrs. Jillian Kerr (Yr. 4 TA) has been appointed as the Library Coordinator
– Mrs. Anissa McMillan (Prep Student Aide) will be finishing up with us at the end of the year
– Mrs. Kissick the Yr. 3 TA, (is taking a year’s leave). She and her family will be travelling around Australia and Mrs. Sue Martin will be replacing her
– Mrs. Elke Morgan will be the Yr. 4 TA for next year
– Mrs. Marshall (Cooke) the Yr. 6 TA’s will be moving up into Middle School Learning Enrichment and Mrs. Tanya Greene is replacing her
– Mrs. Wenban (Warman) the Yr. 6 Student Aide will be moving up into Middle School Learning Enrichment
Prep F – Nicole Lowe, Prep H – Rachel Baskerville, Yr 1 – Angela Marsh, Yr 2 – Christine Hollenberg, Yr 3 – Sue Martin, Yr 4 – Elke Morgan, Yr 5 – Sonya Jones, Yr 6 – Tanya Greene.
We continue to “welcome” parent involvement in the classrooms, at functions / sporting events / HPE swimming and in all areas of the school so as to help the teacher but also to add value to your child’s education. It’s wonderful to see mums and dads reading to children, helping tie shoe laces after swimming and sitting on the bus going off on an excursion or camp. Please feel free to continue to offer your assistance to the staff!
Thank you everyone for a great 2019! We wish you everything of the best for the Christmas Season and an enjoyable, safe holiday! We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday the 28th January 2020 for a fantastic New Year.
Greetings
I am reflecting on this moment as I write my thoughts. I have been writing Newsletters each month since 1980, and I pondered on what I should write as my closing thought.
I could write about my great successes, my humiliating failures, the students that excelled, or ones that have struggled, or I could comment on what we set out to achieve in those early days of Christian Schools, and how that has changed to be a recognized mainstream educational group.
But on reflection, I will write on how I have changed.
I started at Calvary Christian College in 1980 after a successful early career as a Professional Engineer. I was very sure I could make it work. I had a solid grounding in Finance and Management, I had been a Leader in Youth for Christ during my youth, and I knew my Bible from cover to cover.
I knew I was right. My daughter Wendy, now 45+ years old and mother of five, often speaks of these times. It is very humorous now, but I remember the trauma I put her and many students through as I functioned with the attitude of “I am right”.
This is common to most of us in the first half of life, and maybe, many of you are wondering why I would change from this. Isn’t this the mark of a strong and decisive leader?
Transformational change is something that done to us, rather than a choice we make to adjust to a new idea. This came to me in the disguise of the death of our little grandson after six months of life. All my theories, sureties, beliefs and assumptions came crashing down over this time and I had no answers.
I was in pain and alone.
With good spiritual counsel, this became my transforming moment. A time when I realized God was still in charge and He was changing me.. From this time forward, I became open to inclusion of all, accepting of failure, looking beyond the teenager to the man or woman they would become and encouraging parents and staff in their difficult moments.
I learnt to let go, and let God. I began the journey of releasing control and being a part of a team, a school community and a citizen of Logan.
If you are reading this and wishing the young dominate man would have continued, I can only say that this journey cannot be rushed. Our choice is whether we move to the second part of our life or continue to stay with control, power and being right.
I am so glad I did the journey and responded to the call of God as a young man. I have had a wonderful life.. It has been a joy to serve you all.
We have a new man now in training to lead the school. He is Gary Cully, a fellow traveller in the establishment of Parklands, and a friend. He has a desire to continue this journey in his life and in the School.
Good bye, and may the peace of God be your portion over this Christmas break.
God bless
David Baskerville
Do you feel loved when someone offers to take you out for a coffee? Or what about if they clean your house? Maybe if they straight out let you know that they love you? Knowing someone’s love language allows us the secret to making the people we care about know that we love them. What about your kids? How do they express and receive love?
As we head into the holidays and time with our families, consider how you can let your children know how you feel about them. If your child responds to words of affirmation, actions will not speak louder than words. Just by hearing the words ‘I love you’ can instantly make them feel loved. The words of affirmation child loves to be complimented and to hear that they are doing a good job and how. Maybe write them a note and let them know that you love them and what it is that you love about them.
A quality time person feels loved when they have your undivided attention. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like sitting down with them and asking them how they are. You may like to consider taking your child/ren out for a milkshake or baby chino, just you and them, or setting aside a time when they can choose the activity. It doesn’t have to cost a thing, even a walk or a trip to the park. Either way it’s about saying I’m making time to for you.
Perhaps your child responds well to receiving gifts. This does not necessarily mean that you need to be continually buying them things to let them know that you love them. This child loves the thoughtfulness and care behind a gift, so it may be picking a flower for them or making them something simple such as a card or scrap book of memories. Even though it may drive you crazy at times, let your child keep mementos from special occasions like napkins or stones. Whatever it may be, it’s simply something that says I was thinking about you.
If your child is an acts of service person then hopefully they will recognise your love for them every day in all that you do for them! But acts of service does not necessarily mean you have to do everything for them. Make your acts of service personal to this child. Perhaps cooking their favourite meal just for them or help them out with their assigned chore. You might like to work on building something together. This child feels loved when you take the time to do something as an act of love specifically for them.
To the child who experiences love through physical touch it’s pretty straightforward – nothing says I love you like cuddles, kisses, back rubs or holding their hand. But what about as your child becomes a teenager and suddenly your kisses and hugs seem unwanted or awkward to them? Especially in public! Because this child still experiences love by physical touch it’s important not to stop doing these things, but instead keep it age appropriate. When you are talking to your child sit next to them, maybe put your arm around them or rub them on the back. Physical presence is vital for this child.
To find out more about the 5 love languages, or to take the quiz to find out what your child’s love language is go to http://www.5lovelanguages.com/
Ring a bell, a wind chime, or anything else that creates a long trailing sound. Ask each child to listen, and silently raise their hand when they can no longer hear the sound. After the ringing ends, ask the children to continue listening to any other sounds they can hear for the next minute. When the minute ends, go around the room asking everyone to tell you what sounds they heard.
Reach Out Worry Time Helps control anxiety by scheduling worry so that it is confined to a specific time each day. (Free)
MindShiftIncludes strategies to relax and develop more helpful ways of thinking. (Free)
UniThriveIncludes self-care notices, gratitude and a relaxation centre (free).
@ppreciatePromotes good self-esteem and positive communication between young people.
Bully BeaterAssists teenagers to develop the skills needed to overcome a bully.
Friend MakerAssists teenagers to develop skills needed to make and keep a friend.
My son has just started end of year 9 at Parklands and we live in Weedbrook Street, Park Ridge. (new estate off Park Ridge Road). There are no buses that run from there to the school and I am going to have to pay for taxis to and from school. If anyone lives nearby that could help out with travel to and from school, please contact Maria on 0421 648 172.
I am happy to contribute to the cost in petrol.
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
All the kids have loved helping to take care of our environment recycling all their poppers, bottles and cans. The recycling bins onsite are for all our staff, students and visitors to use. You are also more than welcome to bring in any of the approved recycling items and place them in one of our allocated bins. Together we can help the environment and raise money for valuable resources for our school. This project can only be made possible with all of your help! Let’s join together and recycle!
We had the opportunity to hold another Bunnings BBQ last month. We are so blessed to have an amazing team who are always more than willing to give up time on their weekend to be out serving our community. A big thank you to everyone who was able to help. Thank you again to Greg and Sarah Tinson who kindly donated 100 cans of soft drink and all the sliced onions. Sarah and Greg are parents of students at the school and owners of several Dominoes stores. They are always more than happy to support our events, we appreciate them greatly.
The Friendlies held our annual general meeting last month. It is with great pleasure to announce our office bearers for 2020:
President: Angela Marsh
Vice President: Nicole Lowe
Secretary: Claire Dover
Treasurer: Renee Jackson
Congratulations to our 2020 office bearers and thank you for volunteering for another year of serving our school community. We have been quite overwhelmed by your continual words of encouragement, and the way our school community has come together to support each other. Thank you all for fully supporting all of our events and fundraisers!
Our next meeting date will be announced at the start of the new year in 2020.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
| 1 November, 2019 | Basketball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
|---|---|
| 1 November, 2019 | Girls Soccer Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| 1 November, 2019 | Softball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| 1 November, 2019 | Touch Football Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| 1 November, 2019 | Volleyball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| 1 November, 2019 | Carols on the Green 6-8pm |
| 7 November, 2019 | Celebration Instrumental Evening |
| 12 November, 2019 | Year 6 Graduation Morning |
| 12 November, 2019 | Secondary Awards Night and 2020 Captains Induction Ceremony |
| 13 November, 2019 | Year 12 Red Frogs - Life After School |
| 14 November, 2019 | Year 11 Australian Anti Ice Campaign |
| 15 November, 2019 | Year 12 Graduation |
| 18 November, 2019 | Year 4 Street Science Incursion |
| 22 November, 2019 | Last Day Years 10 & 11 |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
With only a 5 weeks left of the academic year the Year 7’s are fast approaching Year 8.
What a journey Year 7 has been for many of them. From nervous and anxious students starting day one packing for every subject, just in case, to students who are (hopefully) confident in organising their own world, most of the time. Each student has grown in a variety of ways and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them.
Year 7 is a year of transition. A year of leaving behind being the oldest and tallest of the primary school and begin being the ‘twelvies’ in Secondary school. It’s a year of learning to move between classrooms, packing the night before and being organised. Switching mindsets as they change subjects and teachers, each who have a different teaching style. A year of managing homework that is not given out on a Monday and due back on Friday, but on differing days, and a year of developing new friendships as they are introduced to new people and find out more about themselves and their developing character.
As we hurry towards the last few weeks of term, I have been encouraging the Year 7’s to celebrate their many successes this year and think on the skills and attitudes they wish to develop and work on in Year 8.
The students have been encouraged to finish well, placing their best efforts into their studies till the final day of the year. To continue to be fearless, curious and courageous in working on their assessment, creative in the classrooms, when confronting challenges and show their peers and the college community that the Year 7 cohort of 2020 is a loving one that supports and uplifts one another.
I would like to draw your attention to the Year 7 assessment schedule and the assignments and assessments (both worked on and completed in class time) that are coming up.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the college awards night on the 12th of November and celebrating the many success of your child.
Isabelle travelled to Melbourne on the school holidays in October to compete at the World Skate Oceania Artistic Roller Skating Championships in Cadet Ladies Figures and Cadet Ladies Freeskating.
The World Skate Oceania Championships is the first international competition for Isabelle and there were 9 skaters in her event (5 from Australia and 4 from New Zealand).
She qualified for Oceania by placing 4th at the Australian Artistic Roller Skating Championships (Nationals) in July this year – only the Top 5 skaters in Australia are chosen to represent their country.
Isabelle had a fantastic skate and came home with a Bronze Medal in Cadet Ladies Freeskating!
We are so very proud of her – well done Isabelle!
The Jimboomba Times has done a great story on her in the Local Sport section https://www.jimboombatimes.com.au/sport/ and she has been nominated as a candidate in the running to win the Young Sportsperson of the Year at the City of Logan Sports Awards on November 2 at the Logan Metro Sports Centre.
Cambodia was an incredible experience that has changed my heart forever. As a team, we were not 100% sure what we were about to see or what we were about to experience but it was a thousand times better than what we could have predicted. This opportunity has opened my eyes wider than I ever thought possible, and I have learnt to be grateful for even the smallest things – three meals a day and a roof over our head is such a wonderful blessing.
This trip was a fantastic learning experience that helped me to push boundaries and realise new potential in myself and others. The local Khmer RAW Crew were amazing people who have beautiful hearts and helped to make this trip what it was. Their personal stories of growing up in slum villages touched our hearts and to hear what they have overcome is truly inspirational. The families who we also helped through our building days were beautiful, clever (chelat) people and so thankful for what we were doing. By building this toilet block we were able to save lives, which can be hard to comprehend, but these people do not have access to safe clean water. Therefore, by doing this, we can give them safe places to wash themselves and go to the bathroom, it also further protects the children as they are no longer at risk to being sold as they have a home and a toilet block.
I was able to learn so much from these amazing and happy people and God truly worked through us in everything we did for them. I would recommend this trip for anyone who is interested in experiencing a different culture and ready to lend a helping hand to those in need. Cambodia you will forever have a piece of my heart, I am forever changed.
Parklands’ annual Student Mission Trip to Cambodia with #RAWImpactOrgis a fantastic and eye-opening cultural experience for Year 11 and 12 students to see the effects of poverty in a third-world country first hand. We learn as much about ourselves and our teammates as we do about the inspirational and happy people living in Cambodia! Let me tell you about our most recent trip that took place over the last school holidays.
Our trip started at Brisbane Airport on the 21st of September. The whole team was full of energy and eager to take off on our adventure. After 2 flights with a quick stopover in Singapore, we finally make it to our destination: Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The following 7 days in Cambodia’s capital included: 2 cultural immersion days in which the team visited various NGOs, historical sites and local markets; 3 days at RAW’s Every Piece Matters (EPM) village outside the city doing house maintenance, building a toilet/shower block and vegetable garden alongside locals, the flooding and water level so high that we had to get boats out to the build site each day.
We spent 1 day at a local Government School running a Community Fun Day. The fun day was one of my highlights! Emma, Tieriney and I led a group of 12 boys around 8 or 9 years of age, through health, craft and game classes run by other students and staff before serving them lunch. The language barrier was hard to overcome at first but we all had so much fun!
After a day of traveling, the next stage of our trip included 2 project days at Koki, a village in the Kratie Province about 5 hours from Phnom Penh. Here we supported RAW’s bamboo plantation project by planting 253 BANANA TREES, (breaking a record!). These plants supply water and nutrients for the bamboo during the dry season while supplying bananas for the locals to eat and sell for profit.
By this stage of the trip, the team was proud of the progress we had made but began to feel a little weary. We bid our RAW Crew farewell and for the remaining 2 days of our travels, we recuperated in Siem Reap – a 7-hour bus ride from Koki – before beginning our journey back to Australia over Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of October.
Let me just say a huge thank you to this year’s team! All students, staff, mentors and RAW Crew were true blessings, who made meaningful and invaluable contributions to our group! I am also so grateful for all the supporters involved in this life-changing adventure. I encourage all staff and students to consider applying for future mission trips, once in their Senior years. Our next student trip being in June-July 2020. It truly is a life-affirming experience!
Once I graduate this year, I’ll have the privilege of joining our 2020 Missions Team as a Student Mentor in Cambodia once again….I honestly can’t wait!!!!
Ah cuun & Lia san hi! (Thank you and see you later)
Congratulations to Steffanie Pottinger who was recently recognised for her volunteering efforts at Jimboomba Redbacks Australian Football Club. Steffanie was awarded President’s Award as recognition for her ongoing assistance with the running of the club.
Do you have a musical instrument at home, maybe under the bed or in your closet, that you no longer need or use? Would you like to find it a new home?
If you do have a brass, woodwind or string instrument at home that you would like to donate to the College’s growing instrumental music programme, we would love to hear from you. If it is in good working condition & suitable for our needs we will look after getting it serviced, so all you would need to do would be to bring it to the Instrumental Music office in the Music Centre on Tuesdays or Fridays, or Student Services on any other day, and we will assess it.
Instruments we would be looking for include:
– Flutes
– Clarinets
– Saxophones
– Bass clarinets
– Trumpets
– Trombones
– Baritones
– Euphoniums
– Violins
– Violas
– Cellos
Other instruments such as oboes, bassoons, French horns, tubas, double basses & xylophones are not being used in the programme yet, however we would love to expand into using those instruments in the future so any donations would be welcome.
On Thursday 7th November we will be holding our final concert for 2019. This will be a great time to hear how our students have all progressed throughout the year, and a great celebration for our Give It A Go! Band Programme students. Both the Give It A Go! Band & the Wind Ensemble will be featured, along with the Secondary Choir & an assortment of small groups.
Our 2019 Give It A Go! students have just a few short weeks left until the end of their programme, but of course these students can choose to continue into Private or Shared lessons in 2020. Enrolment forms for these have been sent home, so now is the time to have that discussion with your child.
Offers for the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme have been made & many forms have been returned. We’re so excited about the building interest from these students! Lessons will begin in week 4 of Term 1, 2020. We can’t wait to share the fun of music with more students!
All weekly rehearsals will continue in Term 4 as normal:
Give It A Go! Band: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Primary Junior Choir: Wednesday 7:45-8:15am
Primary Senior Choir: Wednesday 2:30-3:10pm
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30-8:15am
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
A lot of us grew up with detention in school – I know I did. Detention is typically a place where a student will sit for a period of time and a) do nothing, b) write lines, c) pick up rubbish or some other task under supervision. Usually these tasks have very little learning attached to them and is more about wasting a student’s own time for their misconduct.
As an RTP Facilitator, one of the misconceptions that I often hear is that the RTC is for “naughty” students and sometimes the RTC is perceived as a “detention” for these naughty students to come and be punished. When one looks from the outside in, with little education or understanding around the RTC, I understand how people can perceive the RTC to be this way. A child demonstrates a disruptive behaviour and leaves the classroom to attend the RTC due to this. Sounds like detention or punishment right? Wrong.
Detention has a negative connotation attached to it, where the RTC rather, is a space for students to learn responsibility, self-control and to devise strategies for positive life choices. It is very different to a detention as the student is thinking, self- reflecting, learning to think from another person’s perspective and developing a plan for future.
Where staff would usually supervise a detention, the RTP Facilitators exist to provide emotional support, to positively challenge and coach students through this process and then support them to re-engage in class and put their plan into place. Very different to detention.
So then, now that we have clarified the difference between a detention facility and our RTC, it is important to understand the process that student’s experience when engaging.
If you think about it, each person is raised in a home and taught a wide selection of life skills as they age and interact with others. For example, being raised in a large family might mean that a child may learn how to interact confidently with different age groups or genders, or being raised with a sibling with a disability may teach another child how to have compassion and empathy for others and so on.
Not all children experience the same upbringing or learn the same skills. It makes sense for students to be referred to the RTC to learn the skills that they might not have been raised with. For example, at home it might be acceptable for a child to invade their siblings’ personal space in a playful way, however at school this might not be perceived as appropriate. The child might need to visit the RTC for a friendly chat with the RTP facilitator to have the difference explained to them or to consider how invading someone else’s space might make the other person feel.
Each time a student is referred, they are given the opportunity to utilise the Responsible Thinking Process to help them learn new skills such as how to manage conflict, how to follow class rules, how to be better prepared for class, how to be a kind friend and so on. This is done through discussion with the RTP Facilitator and also the completion of a RTP plan which enables students to think through self-reflective questions such as “what rule was I not following”, “how did this impact on others”, and “what is my goal for when I return to class”.
From what I have seen, students who are given the opportunity to come and discuss their behaviour or mistakes and learn from them – they tend to be much better off and well-rounded in the long run. Our team has found that when students are consistently referred, they are able to put their goals and strategies into practice. Eventually they come to a place where they have learned the skill of thinking before acting and ask themselves questions like “how will this make my friend feel” or “what will be the consequence of this behaviour”. Our goal is that a student will be able to successfully and independently implement the Responsible Thinking Process in time without needing to attend the RTC as often.
So if your child is regularly referred to the RTC for behaviour, please don’t see it as your child attending detention and being punished, rather, please see it as their opportunity to continue developing life skills and learning new ways of thinking.
Last term on September the 19th our year 9 students embarked on a journey of discovery. With the day turning into an absolute beautiful day for walking, the year 9 students began their walk from the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre to school. So why were these year 9 students walking that distance to school? To raise money.
They were raising much need funds for farmers by conducting a Walk for a Farmer. I am pleased to say that every student who participated on this event completed the full 20 km of our walking goal. This simple token of walking is symbolic of the effort taken by our farmers who are facing drought and having it affect their lively hoods.
The money raised will go towards a registered charity Drought Angels who is a not for profit that provides support for farmers facing drought, flood, fire and other natural disasters.
The most interesting part of this journey was that the year 9 students persevered through the entire journey without complaint or assistance, even when they thought that 20km was a very long way. Through your generous donations and fundraising we managed to raise $3919. Well done year 9.
On Thursday 31st October, Senior Visual Art students opened their final exhibition for 2019. Works displayed are from Years 10 – 12, and showcase a wide variety of Art Media and Creative inquiry. All students have developed their personal focus and works stem from this focus through a process of research, experimentation, development and resolution. This exhibition will be on display in the Function Room until Friday 15th November – if you have not yet had the chance, come and have a look at this diverse collection of works from our talented students!
Sister Monique Singh
The fifth Parklands Business Market Stall Event was held on Tuesday October 29th in the Function Room! Business and Economics students are so grateful to the Parklands community who came out in support of the young entrepreneurs. Grandparents, parents, primary students and primary staff provided the first wave of customers, and secondary students and staff joined them a little later to purchase from a range of items including sausages, fried rice, spring rolls, cupcakes, chocolate fountain, popcorn, fudge, milkshakes, lollies, slushies, brownies, cookies, etc. and to try their hand at the lob-o-choc tables and hoop toss.
The event was a huge success for the sixty students who participated, and it was gratifying to observe students developing excellent business skills in a hands on environment. Skills developed included business planning, preparation, food safety, organising, operational, customer service and financial skills as team members celebrated breaking even and then growing their profits as the day progressed.
A 10% charity donation from each team will be transferred to Bloom Philippines before Christmas.
Well done boys and girls!
Odette Watson and Abby Dixon
My son has just started end of year 9 at Parklands and we live in Weedbrook Street, Park Ridge. (new estate off Park ridge road). There are no buses that run from there to the school and I am going to have to pay for taxis to and from school. If anyone lives nearby that could help out with travel to and from school, please contact Maria on 0421 648 172.
I am happy to contribute to the cost in petrol.
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 1 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will receive a Parklands Hamper Bag late Term 3/early Term 4. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
Term 4 is flying by in Year One and we are well onto our way to finish the year on a high! Learning is in full swing. We have been reading, writing, exploring, discussing and experimenting across all the learning areas.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh
At the beginning of Term 4 the Year 3 students visited Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to increase their scientific understanding about animals and their biomes. The students were involved in an education session where they were given clues and had to work out what animal they thought the clues belonged to and the matching biome. The students then got to meet a rainbow lorikeet, a magnificent tree frog, a black headed python and a koala. In their small groups students were able to feed the kangaroos and watch different shows including the birds of prey flight show and the sheep dog show. Students enjoyed visiting the platypus area, dingo enclosure, seeing a wide range of koalas and watching the sleepy wombat. Thank you to all of the volunteers who came to assist the students on the excursion, which ensured we had an awesome day!Mr Kennedy, Mrs Abbot & Mrs Kissick
I can’t believe we’ve only got about 3 weeks left of school for 2019 – wow, how time has flown!
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Teacher Aides, Specialists, RTC & LE Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying, working through and discussing the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, student & staff personality, friendships, behavioural concerns, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process.
A reminder, we know the students at school and do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student. Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
Due to the ever increasing number of students and the size of our auditorium, this year again we plan to divide up the evening and have 2 Awards Night Ceremonies on Thursday 28th November.
We’ll have the Prep to Year 2 Awards Night Ceremony from 6 – 7.15 pm in the auditorium and after dismissing these students and parents during the break / intermission, we’ll invite the Year 3-6 parents and students into the auditorium to commence their Year 3-6 Awards Night ceremony starting at 7.30 – 8.45 pm. A more detailed Awards Night letter for BOTH ceremonies will be forthcoming.
I know this year’s Awards Nights are going to be another tremendous highlight for us, not only because they will allow each and every student to be encouraged, rewarded and esteemed for their effort but also because we normally have so many parents joining us to celebrate their child’s achievements. It’s also going to be great to see and hear the Year level item performances and students walking across the stage to be presented with their certificates.
This for us is such a blessing and what teaching is all about!
Please clearly label all uniform items with your child’s first and last NAME (not just initials). We still have 3 weeks left of school plus looking smart for Awards Night, so are asking parents to please ensure that their child/ren are correctly and neatly dressed every day – especially the correct WHITE sneakers. If unsure of the Primary Uniform Policy, please feel free to check our website, ask a class teacher or RTC staff. Appreciate your assistance and support in this regard.
We are seriously looking for parents and or grandparents on a daily basis who can assist teachers with fun tasks like: changing readers, reading to/with students, doing exciting group activities etc. If you’d be willing to hear more about volunteering, please feel free to talk to a teacher, contact Student Services or Mr. Jakins (Head of Primary).
When considering your child’s or young person’s digital diet it’s important to move beyond the notion of keeping kids safe to look at the types of activities their screen-time might be denying them.
There are many aspects to take into account including the maintenance of mental and physical health; fulfilling school and family duties and ensuring that young people develop a full gamut of real world communication skills.
For the sake of living a balanced life ensure your child has sufficient time for:
Obviously there will be times when all these needs are not completely balanced. There will be periods when screens are used more often and times when one or more valuable needs is neglected. But if we can use this as a guide and aim to fit the many key experiences our kids need into each day, we are much more likely to ensure our kids grow up with a healthy respect for their screens and a healthy respect for the many areas of their life that need to be nurtured.
God Bless
Mr J
Greetings
I pause and reflect on another year almost completed, and write some thoughts before the Class of 2019 graduate and begin their journey of “life after School”. This is something I have watched, and participated in from the early 1980s at Calvary Christian College, Townsville through to this present day.
I have seen so much over this time; change of governments, change of educational procedures, change of government funding process, starting two Christian Schools, one in the deep North, and one in the Capital city, and the vast number of students who have passed through these schools, some now in their early 50s (we started Calvary in 1980 with High school students) through to the little Preps just starting their journey with us.
I reflect briefly on two items that stand out for me in this journey. The first is the transformational change I have seen in students after they have left school, especially the “difficult” ones. The other item is the wonderful team who guide them through their journey in school. Our team really seek the best for every child in their care.
In recent times, when I have been attending a School or Church Conference, a grown man or woman will often come up to me and say “Hello Mr B”. Immediately I know I am talking to a past student. So I respond with “What Grade were you in when you remember me?”. Often it will be at primary level, when they were so much smaller than they are now. After a short shake down to try and find a common reference, we begin to talk, and I hear about their life after school. Continually, I hear them mention “the quality of relationship with teachers”, and “Chapel stories”, which gave them foundations for life. When I piece it all together, it is such a joy to hear that a moment in a school chapel, or the care and advice of a teacher, or both, were the key to inspiring them to pursue a life that has brought out the best in them. Often I am quite surprised when I remember the child, and now see who the adult in front of me has become.
Last week I was at a Church Conference and I caught up with Alan. He was a lost and bewildered boy in my Calvary School. He was unhappy and aggressive much of the time. He left in Grade 11 because he would not change his behaviour, and sadly, he went badly downhill from there. After a lengthy prison term, he was released and left Townsville to find his Dad, who he had never met. He achieved this, but then realized he was empty again, and he needed to avoid the traps of his old life. He found himself back in a Church. He met a young lady and they both went to Bible College. They married, and he began to be involved in ministry to “lost youth”. Through this time, he developed the joy of being a Pastor and helping others who were heading down the same path he had followed. I had the joy of being at his Induction Service to become a Pastor, and he has been a loving, caring Pastor in a country town for the last 7+ years. We had lunch together at the last Conference, and his comment “I never forgot the care of my teachers”, was the standout of his changed life.
We have a tremendous team at Parklands. We have a team who teach Primary and a similar team for Secondary. In addition to this, we have a team who help those students who struggle with their Learning, and those who are still unsettled in school Behaviour requirements. If we blend these all together with the continual oversight of the Heads of School, and the vast team of Mums and others who are supporting the students and teachers as Teacher Aids; we have a fantastic, caring team in our school. Further to this, many in the team often take on extra tasks like “After School” tutorials, or opening the Sports and Workshops early, for students to do activities before class, which they enjoy. They also put up their hand to do lots of extras during the week. The Mission Team bring much of this together with the journey to another culture, and we see the transformation it brings in the life of the older students as they plan and prepare for their future life.
Our Admin and Property teams round it out by supporting interaction between Home and School, along with keeping the school finance, grounds and equipment working and ready for use. I could go on with so much more, but I close with this thought.
Our school has deliberately followed a path of relational care as our most important focus. We are teaching Life to every child first, followed by all the skills they desire to learn and master. We believe that each child in our school has a God given gift that we, along with parents, seek to develop. We are graduating another Senior class this month, and they are such a delight. Each of them with their own unique gift have added to the life in the school. The key to life, is then to see them use this gift for God’s purpose in whatever field they find themselves in. This brings a joy and happiness in life which is so fulfilling.
I have experienced this in my life because of my parents and teachers and that which I also have freely received, I seek to pass on to all who pass through our school.
For updates on the upgrade to Mount Lindesay Highway between Rosia Road and Stoney Camp Road, please read below.
God bless
David Baskerville
Our Secondary students and staff have had a wonderful 2019 to date, a year that has brought challenges, joys, kindness and growth. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge our Secondary Staff, who have worked extraordinarily hard throughout this year and have done so while maintaining a healthy environment of care and support for each other and for our students. Our staff are always hard working but with some extra complexities across Queensland education this year, they have been truly impressive and I am grateful for every one of them. May I encourage you to share a ‘thanks’ or email some encouragement to your child’s teachers/aides/administrative staff/RTC staff/LE staff/etc, and encourage your child to do the same, as we are truly blessed at Parklands with passionate, dedicated, talented, giving, caring and hardworking staff.
At our first staff meeting and Chapel this term, I challenged Secondary to ‘finish 2019 well’. This involves maintaining or improving the excellent work ethic that we’ve seen in so many, looking after ourselves and looking after each other by maintaining care, enthusiasm and momentum through these final weeks of the year despite our possible weariness, and keeping our standards high. This includes uniform standards, which I will discuss next.
I’ve been very please overall this year with our students’ presentation and compliance with our uniform policy. Thank you for your support with this, and also for sending notes when something goes awry. We know issues can crop up with uniform items, and I really appreciate when Secondary parents send a note/email explaining this, it really affirms our partnership – thank you.
Our uniform policy remains the same, however we have seen some uninvited additions in this first week of term, which need to be remedied please. Some reminders that we would appreciate your support with:
Please refer to our uniform policy http://parklands.qld.edu.au/uniforms for more information. We appreciate your support in maintaining our dress standard.
Our secondary staff are prepared for and looking forward to a fantastic Term 4 with your children. And I personally look forward to seeing you at some of our upcoming events!
The Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) is designed to implement a Process (RTP) which teaches children and adults how to implement effective problem solving skills in order to achieve what they want without violating the rights of others. These skills can then be applied to a range of circumstances which in addition to classroom behaviour include managing sibling or peer disputes, parent-child disagreements, learning about and using key aspects of our personalities well, planning future academic success… and the list goes on!!
One of the strategies that we use to assist students remember this Process is planning. The plan acts as a guide to students and adults to assist them develop the cognitive process of independent responsible thinking.
A child or adult’s ability to develop the skills required for independent responsible thinking can become disrupted. One of the key disruptions we see in the RTC is fear.
Occasionally we have students who despite having previous RTC experiences begin demonstrating heightened fear responses such as crying, lying or anger. When we speak with these students we usually learn one of two root causes for the child’s fear. First, fear of a parent’s negative reaction or second, fear of punishment. These fear responses, if mild, do not necessarily act as a disruption. However, if a child becomes fixated on the punishment or parents reaction, demonstrates uncontrollable sobbing, or is even demonstrating fearful responses to the idea of RTC when they are simply being reminded of the classroom rules then it is highly likely that the fear is unhealthy and impacting on the child’s ability to focus on learning responsible thinking skills.
It is common for a student who is fearful of attending RTC to remember feeling afraid, their response such as crying, and their parent’s response such as disappointment or punishment. What we also notice is that fear-disrupted students are usually unable to remember why they were referred or what they learnt about managing future similar incidents. This response is identical from the littlies in prep to year 12 students and reflects the findings of the California Science Centre (N.D) which suggests that stress hormones make it easier to recall memories of emotional experiences.
Scientific studies have shown that heightened stress can “impair the development of the prefrontal cortex, the brain region that is critical for the emergence of executive functions including making, altering and following plans; controlling and focusing attention, inhibiting impulsive behaviours and developing the ability to hold and incorporate new information in decision making (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010).” Clearly these skills are integral to the development of independent responsible thinkers and should be cultivated from childhood right through to adulthood.
RTC is designed purposefully to be a safe place for students. It is common for students to demonstrate a mild fear response the first time they are referred to the RTC. Aware of this response the RTP Facilitators take special care of first-time students to help them have a positive RTC experience and memory. However equally important to our response is the parent’s response as this is the final stage of the process and the last memory the child will formulate in regards to their memory of the people, place and their interpretation of the experience.
This year we are aiming to irradiate fear responses in all students towards learning Responsible Thinking. So how can you help? Adults play a huge role in creating or reducing fear responses in children, a key reason for this is that children often develop fears by watching their parent’s own fearful reactions. You can help your child minimise their fear responses by following these simple ideas suggested by the California Science Centre (N.D.).
Parent’s Guide to Childhood Fear |
How to Apply this to RTC Related Fear |
| Talk to your child about their fears. Remember that to them, these fears are very real and serious | If your child is afraid of going to RTC talk to them about why they are fearful, was it a specific experience, a reaction, feelings such as embarrassment or disappointment? What role are you playing in this fear memory? |
| Help children prepare for future exposure | Talk positively to your child about what the RTC room looks like, the importance of writing a plan, the skills they will develop, the people they will meet. |
| Don’t allow children to avoid their fears completely as this can aid in worsening their fear | Encourage children to view RTC as a place to learn new skills which is exciting rather than asking them to avoid going to the RTC. If students avoid the RTC they will not only will they become more fearful but they will miss out on learning invaluable social skills. |
| Share with your child positive strategies you use to overcome your own fears rather than imposing your own fears on them. | If you believe RTC is a bad place or if you use RTC as a punishment your child is likely to view it the same way. However if you share how you use skills such as reflecting on how actions impact on others, how to plan future responses and how to talk calmly about problems your child will begin to utilise these strategies themselves. |
Finally what type of memory do you want your child to recall in the future when they are faced with problems?
a) A positive memory which can recall the behaviour which needs change, their goal and the steps they will take to reach their goal.
b) A negative memory that they felt afraid and their reaction such as crying, hiding or lying in response to perceived potential emotional pain?
In RTC we celebrate every opportunity for students and adults to become familiar with using responsible thinking. Why? Because our goal is for every student to graduate year 12 with the independent responsible thinking skills they need to navigate relationships, work places and life challenges.
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
On Thursday 17 and Friday 18 October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo. These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 22 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Wednesday 30 October 2019 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 1 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
Carols on the Green Program:
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Available to purchase
Sausage Sizzle and Soft Drinks
Coffee (from the Coffee Club Coffee Cart)
Glow Sticks/Toys
RAWimpact Cambodia Products
SHE Rescue Christmas Gifts
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 1 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will receive a Parklands Hamper Bag late Term 3/early Term 4. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
As a part of our focus on careers, Year 10 students have the valuable opportunity to participate in work experience in Term 3.
The College firmly believes in giving students every opportunity to experience real life education settings and therefore would implore parents to support this work experience initiative. Work experience involves Year 10 Senior College students in a 5-day block whereby they observe different aspects of work and may assist with tasks allocated by their supervisor.
We are grateful for the generous support of our local employers who encourage and mentor our students in the workplace.
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Join the fun and excitement of Little Athletics, Friday nights from October to March, Henderson Road, Jimboomba. Children participate in a range of events designed to develop their athletic skills in a fun and family friendly environment. Little Athletics develops the basic motor skills of running, jumping, walking and throwing. In this children also develop strength, flexibility and coordination which are the basic requirements of all sports.
Sign on dates for the new season are:
Saturday 24th August 9.00am – 3.00pm
Friday 30th August 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
Welcome back to the start of an exciting and very busy Term 4.
I trust that you had an enjoyable, relaxing school holiday spent with family and friends or just enjoyed having the children at home and not having to prepare lunches, do homework, stress to get them to school prepared and on time?
We are continuing to review our process and procedures in the Primary in order to ensure the school is one in which our CLEAR values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect are presented and followed daily.
For the start of term 4, can you kindly check that ALL of your child’s Uniform Items and Lunch Boxes and Drink Bottles are clearly labeled with their name? Can we also please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to check the school’s website, contact your child’s teacher or the RTC.
Students may be collected anytime from 2.30pm but will unfortunately miss Structured Play time.
Students leaving in Structured Play need to be electronically signed out either in the Undercover Area or up at Student Services.
At the end of Structured Play (3.05pm), students go to class, line up for class roll call, collect their ports / bags and are taken up to the Undercover Area. They are only allowed to leave the Under Cover Area of an afternoon, when collected by a guardian or older sibling. No student can leave the Undercover Area without any supervision. At 3.30pm those students that have not been collected, will be taken up to Student Services until collected.
Thank you for not requesting students to make their way ‘on their own’ and meet you at the car. If you need them before 3.30pm, please come up to the Undercover Area and collect them there.
Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard as we wish to keep all our students safe and accounted for!
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Aides, all specialist teachers, RTC, LE Staff and myself spend an enormous amount of time discussing, praying about and working through the issues involved with student & class teacher placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process!
A reminder, due to the fact that we know the children and teacher / class environment, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for us as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship continue to develop between teacher, student and parent!
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Grade 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in Senior Primary! Feedback from staff, parents and the Yr. 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
We have organized a Yr. 4 and 5 iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 15th October in Student Service’s Function Room, where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr. 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
The first habit from Stephen Covey’s wonderful book “The 7 habits of highly effective people” states that we should start every project or undertaking with the end in mind.
This principle holds true for any activity whether it’s planting your veggie patch; renovating a house or raising children. When you know what you are trying to achieve then choosing the right strategies becomes easy. The end game or goal for parents and teachers is Redundancy. Yep, you read it right. Your job is to make yourself redundant as an adult from the children you raise and teach at the earliest appropriate, possible age. When redundancy is your aim most of your time, effort and energy will go into promoting independence. You’ll stop doing things for kids and start giving them opportunities to do things themselves. You’ll spend most of your active parenting and teaching time teaching, explaining and prodding your child toward independence.
When independence becomes your priority then suddenly you’ve found a pathway to the development of other positive qualities and traits in your children including the key four – confidence, competence, creativity and character.
Here’s how:
Confidence comes from facing your fears and doing things for yourself.
Competence comes from the opportunity to develop self-mastery that independence offers.
Creativity is developed when kids solve problems themselves as opposed to someone solving them on their behalf, or worse, keeping kids safe. It’s amazing how resourceful kids can be when they are given the chance to resolve their own problems.
Character, which is essential for success, is forged under hardship and is needed if kids are to live a sturdy life. Kids need to be exposed to disappointment, failure and conflict if character strengths such as grit and perseverance are too be forged.
Independence takes many forms and adults are the gatekeepers for children’s independence.
Allowing kids to take responsibility and own their own problems builds confidence and competence. Start by expecting kids to help out at home and at school. Look for ways to develop self-help skills and don’t take their problems on as your problems.
It can be scary and also difficult developing independence in one big step. So smart adults intuitively develop junior versions of independence by breaking up big activities into digestible bits. Want your three year old to make the bed? Then start by arranging the teddies and the pillows (a junior version of making the bed) and let them work their way up from there. Similarly, want your ten year old to walk to school yet it’s currently out of their skillset? Then accompany them most of the way and let them walk the last 200 metres to school on his own. That’s a junior version of walking to school.
In all the noise and commotion about raising kids today it’s easy to forget that the job description for parents hasn’t changed since the dawn of time. Love them, bond with them, teach them and spend time with them. But also work like mad to develop their real independence so they become capable of handling what life will throw their way.
Trust you have a great term and rest of the year.
Welcome back to Term 4!
Year 1 is ready to end our year on a high. We pray all our Year 1 families had a wonderful holiday break. We can’t wait to hear about what the children all got up to over the last 2 weeks.
We ended Term 3 with an exciting visit from our local fire brigade. They talked to us about fire safety at home and at school and then we were lucky enough to have a quick turn holding the fire hose! While visiting us, they got an emergency call, so had to leave in a hurry, with sirens going! The kids were very excited.
We also participated in an incursion to conclude our Sound and Light Unit for Science. The incursion was entertaining and very hands on. The children really enjoyed it and behaved beautifully.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh.
Wow! Such an incredible night of fun was had by everyone who attended the Spring Dance. With well over 300 people DJ Steve kept the dance floor bopping. He even had the parents up doing a dance-off against the kids! A special thank you to the wonderful committed Friendlies Team who are more than happy to give up their valuable time volunteering at all of our events to ensure everything runs smoothly. We would also like to thank Michelle and Sandra from The Village Square Coffee Club for supporting all of The Friendlies events.
If you didn’t get the chance to come and say hello to us at our last Bunnings BBQ you have another opportunity this month. We will once again be at Bunnings on Sunday 13th October 2019 doing a fundraiser BBQ. We will be there from 8am – 4pm. If you are out and about why not pop down and say hello and maybe grab a sausage or two! A huge thank you to Greg and Sarah Tinson who are parents of students at our school and also owners of several Dominos stores for donating all the sliced onions for our BBQs. We really appreciated not having to slice 35kg of onions!
All funds raised by The Friendlies at any of our events are for the benefit of our students at Parklands. Recently we bought new bikes and outdoor equipment for down in our Prep area. It brings so much joy seeing the excitement on the Preppies’ faces being able to use all the new equipment.
We love to take care of our environment. One of the ways we can do this is by recycling. The Friendlies are excited to announce that we have seven recycling bins onsite now at the college for all our staff, students and visitors to place their cans, poppers and bottles in. You are also more than welcome to bring in any of the approved recycling items and place them in one of our allocated bins. Together we can help the environment and raise money for valuable resources for our school. This project can only be made possible with all of your help! Let’s stick together and recycle!
The next Friendlies meeting is on Friday 11th October 2019 at Jimboomba Maccas at 6.45pm. This meeting is our annual AGM. All positions will be up for nomination. If you are currently a member of The Friendlies, we encourage you to come along and make your vote count! This will also be our last meeting for 2019.
For further information on any of our events please email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Greetings
On Monday, this week, Parklands lost one of its great founders.
I received the news in a phone call from our Pastor Mike Warman. He simply said “Greg Radke has drowned in a dam while doing excavation work to help his neighbour”. This was so typical of Greg. Ps Mike did not know much more than that, and we I still don’t know the specific details other than he was in some way trapped in the machine when it tipped over in the dam.
Greg was a loving, caring, gentle, generous and sincere man.
My first contact with him was in Parklands Church in 1999. I had just arrived at from my School at Calvary, Townsville. The Pastor, Rod Jobe, announced that I was here to start a school, and if there was anyone who could help, please make contact with me. That was the day I received the now famous “$10 note and the short note from an elderly lady in the Church”. It still hangs on the wall of my office to remind me of the humble beginnings of the school, and of the miracle supply as we seek to do God’s purpose in our daily tasks.
The next week, Greg Radke searched me out in church and asked how it was all progressing. I told him of a few of the immediate tasks I was starting on, but stressed that if we could not buy the large block of land next to the Church, we would have no basis on which to build a school. To that he said “Let me help you. What do you need?”
I told him that the Pastor and I would be meeting with the owner of the land during the week and I would keep him informed. In that meeting, the owner was accepting of the idea that we would seek to buy his land, but we needed a starting point which we could manage, and he needed immediate cash for his retirement. We agreed on $35,000 up front payment, non-refundable, and then a period of 3 years before full payment. If this final payment was not made, then all would return to the owner, and we would have nothing.
The paying off of that large commitment is another miracle story when all seemed lost, and then I met with an old school mate who was the Schooling Banker for Westpac.
For the deposit, Greg immediately stepped up with a very generous gift to the school, and using those funds, we were able to secure the land at the initial starting agreement.
Greg then accepted the role of a founding Board Member of the school, and held that role for the first 5 years of the school, and with his various contacts and equipment, was able to help us and fund us in the tidy up of the new property that has become the School.
He was a wonderful friend and supporter. He never wanted the lime light, but I knew he always had my back.
In recent times, we named the second sports oval in his honour, and we will always remember him as one of the key persons who founded Parklands Christian College.
It is a time of sadness for all who knew him, but we will meet again in the Resurrection, which is that great hope of all who place their trust in Jesus Christ.
God bless
David Baskerville
Principal
While a short term, this is probably one of the busiest terms of the year for the whole school, and that of course includes Performing Arts. Carols on the Green, Awards Nights, Grandparent’s Day & final concerts for the year make up just some of the performance activities going on in these short 8 weeks. Please make sure you check your emails frequently, & make note of performances in which your child or children might be involved.
Our 2019 Give It A Go! students have been doing so well, as you would have heard at recent performances. They just have a few short weeks left until the end of their programme, but of course these students can choose to continue into Private or Shared lessons in 2020. Enrolment forms for these will be sent home during this term, so now is the time to start having that discussion with your child.
Offers for the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme will be coming out very early in Term 4. Enrolment forms are due back by the end of week 2 so please watch your inbox for those, and lessons will begin in week 4 of Term 1, 2020. We can’t wait to share the fun of music with more students!
As previously mentioned, there are an increased number of performances in Term 4. Please pay close attention to any Home Communication from Ensemble Directors, both Choirs & Bands, as all students are expected to attend all performances. It is also important that students are guided in the art of time management so that they get all their school work done, fulfil all their performance obligations, and have sufficient rest to maintain their overall health. Please be aware of your child’s needs in all these areas, and help them to manage themselves in a healthy way.
All weekly rehearsals will continue in Term 4 as normal:
Give It A Go! Band: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Primary Junior Choir: Wednesday 7:45-8:15am
Primary Senior Choir: Wednesday 2:30-3:10pm
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30-8:15am
There’s always a chance to be part of the Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Thanks,
Alison
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2019 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
School Bus Passes for Westside Bus Company and Park Ridge Transit
Students who have a bus pass for travel will be required to obtain a new pass for the 2020 school year. If you are changing schools in 2020 (this includes moving to grade 7) or address you will need to contact our reception on (07) 3802 1233 and we will advise you of how to update your details. To avoid delays in receiving your pass we kindly request that you contact us prior to the end of the school year.
If you have no changes to your details, you will receive your new bus pass in the mail in early January.
Please note that there are limited reception facilities available at our Redbank depot and you should call before attending the depot as we maybe able to assist over the phone.
Bus Routes for Parklands
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
| August 2, 2019 | CSSAQ Girls Netball Competition |
|---|---|
| August 5, 2019 | Prep Swimming Program |
| August 5, 2019 | Year 9-12 Drama Excursion-Storm Boy |
| August 8, 2019 | Year 12 QCS Workshop |
| August 8, 2019 | Year 10 Red Frogs - Identity Presentation |
| August 9, 2019 | Year 10 Music excursion - QLD Symphony Orchestra |
| August 13, 2019 | Year 8 Secondary College Subject Information Evening 6:30-7:15pm |
| August 13, 2019 | Year 9 Secondary College Subject Information Evening 7:30-8:30pm |
| August 14, 2019 | Year 9 Stem Excursion - Bridge Building Competition |
| August 15, 2019 | Year 11 Red Frogs - Party Safe |
| August 15, 2019 | Year 11 & 12 Visual Art Exhibition |
| August 27, 2019 | CSSAQ Secondary Athletics Carnival |
| August 29, 2019 | Fathers Day Stall |
| September 6, 2019 | Year 10 Cert 1 Active Volunteers Afternoon Tea and Expo |
| September 16, 2019 | Parent Prayer Group 8:30-9:30 |
| September 16-20, 2019 | Year 10 Work Experience |
| September 18, 2019 | Year 1 Sound and Light Incursion |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Parklands Staff and Families would like to take this opportunity to thank the Tuckshop Convenors and Volunteers for the outstanding job they do in serving our Parklands community. 2019 has been a great year for our Tuckshop and we are really grateful to Marie Rushin, Anita Sprange, Kerrie Spears, Tracey Green and Linda Cartwright for all the time and effort they put in to running it. You are much appreciated.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
On Thursday 17 and Friday 18 October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo. These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 22 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Wednesday 30 October 2019 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 1 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
Carols on the Green Program:
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Available to purchase
Sausage Sizzle and Soft Drinks
Coffee (from the Coffee Club Coffee Cart)
Glow Sticks/Toys
RAWimpact Cambodia Products
SHE Rescue Christmas Gifts
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 1 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will receive a Parklands Hamper Bag late Term 3/early Term 4. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
At this time of term everyone could do with a sleep in!
Queensland Heath recommends that for teenagers to be fully rested and prepared for learning, they require roughly 8 – 10 hours of sleep per night.
Sleep allows your body to rest and your brain to process the day’s information. Good quality sleep helps:
• Learning, memory and concentration
• Support emotional health and well-being
• Decision making
• Improves energy levels, promotes healthy growth, metabolism and immune systems
Without enough sleep, you are likely to feel sluggish, cranky and moody, have low energy, and find it hard to concentrate and learn. Prolonged periods of inadequate sleep can also affect your immune system leading your body to feel feeling run down and unwell.
Better Health Victoria states that most teenagers only get about 6.5 – 7.5 hours of sleep a night, with many getting less. The effects of ongoing lack of sufficient may include:
• Lack of concentration
• Shortened attention span
• Lack of enthusiasm
• Moodiness
• Poor decision making
• Inability to manage stress
• Increased number of ‘sick days’ due to tiredness
It is so important during school terms, but especially in the weeks leading up to revision and examination week, to set a bedtime routine that incorporates appropriate use of technology, while balancing family time, academic studies and personal time.
Sourced from Better Health Victoria
• Choose a relaxing bedtime routine; for example, have a bath and a hot milky drink before bed, or use meditation or mindfulness activities. Gentle yoga may also help.
• Avoid screens such as computers, TV or smart phones, loud music, homework or any other activity that gets your mind racing for at least an hour before bedtime.
• Avoid stimulants in the evening like coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks.
• Keep your bedroom dark at night. Your brain’s sleep–wake cycle is largely set by light received through the eyes. Try to avoid watching television or using smart phones right before bed. In the morning, expose your eyes to lots of light to help wake up your brain.
• Do the same bedtime routine every night for at least four weeks to make your brain associate this routine with going to sleep.
• Start your bedtime routine a little earlier than usual (for example, 10 minutes) after four weeks. Do this for one week.
• Add an extra 10 minutes every week until you have reached your desired bedtime.
• Get active during the day so you are more physically tired at night.
• Set up a comfortable sleep environment.
• Set up a regular wake-up time.
• Avoid staying up late on the weekends. Late nights will undo your hard work.
• Remember that even 30 minutes of extra sleep each night on a regular basis makes a big difference. However, it may take about six weeks of getting extra sleep before you feel the benefits.
The September holidays are fast approaching.
I have encouraged my Year 7’s to continue to work hard till the end in their full-time role of being students, and then enjoy their holiday break to rest and recuperate before a busy term 4.
I wish you and your family a safe and blessed holiday break!
We are so blessed to live in a beautiful area of Queensland with so many parks, beaches, museums and art galleries and walks around us.
Just a few potential holiday ideas
| Museums | Parks and Nature walks | Day Trips |
| Queensland Museum | Robelle Domain | The Abbey Museum |
| Museum of Brisbane | Redcliffe Lagoon | Maleny Dairies |
| Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) | Shorncliffe – Sandgate | Boombaba – Mt Nebo |
| Queensland Maritime Museum | JC Slaughter Falls | Boonah |
| The Workshops Rail Museum | Brisbane River walk | Stanthorpe |
| Brisbane Science Centre | Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk | Byron Bay |
When you hear this most people think of the controlling, loud, life of the party, aggressive and a domineering individual. Yet these people are not what GOD considers powerful. 2 Corinthians 3:17 – ‘Now the LORD is the SPIRIT and where the SPIRIT is there is FREEDOM’ Galatians 5:13 discusses the fruit of the Spirit and what they look like. This is what a powerful person looks like!
Here are 8 traits of a powerful person:
Powerful people understand that it is their job to control themselves. They do not try to control, convince, or manipulate other people or their behaviours. They know it doesn’t work, and it’s not their job. They focus their energy on being able to control themselves regardless of what others may or may not do.
Powerful people are able to consciously and deliberately create the environment in which they want to live. They don’t try to get people to respect them; they create a respectful environment by showing respect. They deliberately set the standard for how they expect to be treated by the way they treat others. As they consistently act in responsible, respectful, and loving ways, it becomes clear that the only people who can get close to them are those who know how to show respect, be responsible, and love well.
Powerful people are happening. They are happening all the time. They are not controlled or infected by their environment. Powerful people refuse to play the victim by shifting responsibility for their choices onto others. Letting other people dictate how they are going to feel or what they will choose to do. They happen to their circumstances rather than letting their circumstances dictate to them what they will do or how they will feel.
Powerful people empower others to be powerful. When powerful people encounter a powerless person, they are not tempted to dive into any unhealthy emotional ties or attachments. They hear a victim’s sob story and ask, “So what are you going to do about that? What have you tried? What else could you try?” These questions empower powerless people with owning their responsibility and their capacity to make choices and how they can control themselves. This is the only option a powerful person will offer to powerless people: become powerful, make choices, and control yourself. Powerful people demonstrate what it means to be powerful.
Powerful people have a vision and mission for their life, and can use the events of each day, whether positive or negative, to direct themselves toward that vision. Powerful people do not simply react to whatever is happening today. They are able to take responsibility for their decisions and the consequences of those decisions–even for mistakes and failures. They can respond to today and create tomorrow.
In Matthew 11:7 Jesus talks about John not being a reed swayed in the wind. So popular opinion or the pressure of others does not sway the language of powerful people. They know exactly what they want and how to communicate their desires. A powerful person says, “I will. I do. I am.” Powerful people can say both “Yes” and “No,” and mean it. Others can try to manipulate, charm, and threaten, but their answer will stand.
A powerful person’s choice to love will stand, no matter what the other person does or says. When powerful people say, “I love you,” there’s nothing that can stop them. Their love is not dependent on being loved in return. It is dependent on their powerful ability to say “Yes” and carry out that decision. This protects their love from external forces, or from being managed by other people. Powerful people keep their love on and say “I can handle your mistakes, I love you
Powerful people can be who they say they are on a consistent basis. And because they know how to be themselves, they invite those around them to be themselves. Only powerful people can create a safe place to know and be known intimately. They say, “I can be me around you and you can be you around me. We do not need to control each other, and we don’t want to control each other.”
We are all growing to be a powerful person. Powerful people are ok with making mistakes and take the opportunity to learn. No matter what happens know that every step we are learning and moving towards the person that GOD created us to be!
Enjoy the journey of being a powerful person!
Year 1 has been a buzz with a variety of exciting activities! We are really enjoying our learning this term and are learning to work a little more independently as well as developing our abilities to work with our peers.
Book Week was an amazing success this year! We enjoyed rich, literacy activities for the entire week and we had so much fun reading more books than ever! Dressing up as one of our favourite book characters was of course a highlight of the week!
We also enjoyed having a very special visit from some Year 7 students, who came to read stories to us. I think all the students really appreciated this time and we are looking forward to doing it again soon.
Enjoy the last few weeks of term!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Year 1
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 1 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
Carols on the Green Program:
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Available to purchase
Sausage Sizzle and Soft Drinks
Coffee (from the Coffee Club Coffee Cart)
Glow Sticks/Toys
RAWimpact Cambodia Products
SHE Rescue Christmas Gifts
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 1 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will receive a Parklands Hamper Bag late Term 3/early Term 4. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
The wait is over! This Friday 6th September is our Primary Spring Dance. This dance is for any current students from Prep to Year 6. A night not to be missed, come and be entertained by DJ Steve who will keep you bopping the whole night long. Entry is only $5 per person, payable at the door on the evening. The BBQ and Coffee Club Cart kicks off at 5.30pm and DJ from 6pm – 8pm. Please note this is a non-alcoholic event. Hope to see you all there!
Last week we had the pleasure of holding a sausage sizzle fundraiser at the school’s Instrumental evening. So many children were there ready to share their talent to all the parents. There were a range of instruments from the GIOG Band ready to share what they had learnt so far this year. Both Primary Senior and Junior choir students attended the evening and also did amazing performances.
We are excited for a chance to be out and about in the community by holding a BBQ at Browns Plains Bunnings on Saturday 14th September 2019. This is an excellent opportunity for us to be able to showcase our school and share the love of God to the community of Logan!
The next Friendlies meeting is on Friday 11th October 2019 at Jimboomba Maccas at 6.45pm. This meeting is our annual AGM. All positions will be up for nomination. If you are currently a member of The Friendlies, we encourage you to come along and make your vote count! This will also be our last meeting for 2019.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Recently we seem to have lots of toys (walkie talkies, trucks, teddies etc.) being brought to school. Please, can I ask that children do NOT bring toys or personal possessions to school? The reason for this school policy is that it causes problems when things get lost, broken, taken or cause disagreements when ‘swaps’ take place. The only time children can bring toys into school is for “show & tell” (items to be left in class) or if children have been asked to do so by teachers, as part of their learning.
Thanks you for the wonderful support and way all parents are using the Rosia Rd car park and Drop Off Zones. The process really is working well! Can I please ask that parents inform all other guardians/grandparents etc. of our process below?
1 – Slow down and drive very carefully through the car parks
2 – Be very aware of the Pedestrian Crossing and ‘Lollipop Lady’ on duty
3 – Only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing and not up near the Gr 5 & 6 classes and top gate.
4 – “GO TO THE TOP TO DROP” on entering the Rosia Rd drop off area, please move up to the very last open bay you encounter to pull in? This will allow others arriving after you to have an open bay.
Thank you for your support, cooperation and assistance to keep this all running smoothly and our students safe and sound!
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Grade 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Grade 6! Feedback from staff, parents and the Gr 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
Parents IF your child has an iPad 2, 3, & 4 it’s possibly time to consider giving them a new iPad for Christmas, or at least factor in an upgrade some time over the next 12 months, this way you’re not forking out a lot of money in one hit for multiple siblings if the iPad becomes outdated and cannot be upgraded for school use!
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 15th October where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr. 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimising the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”. On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts. We also have students with medical direction to eat nuts and this complicates the scenario.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us.
• We ask that you kindly avoid sending in:
· Any fresh nuts
· Spreads containing nuts (e.g. peanut butter and Nutella)
· Muesli bars or biscuits that list nuts as an ingredient
· Packages of mixed fruit that contain nuts
· Chocolate bars that contain nuts (e.g. picnic, snickers)
• Talk to the teacher before sending food to school for parties.
• If your child eats peanut butter before school, please make sure they wash their hands before coming to school.
Bringing products with a “may contain traces of” or “may contain traces of nuts” warning is OK to bring to school but just should not be shared.
This leaves lots of other things that ‘can be packed’ as a school lunch option:
· Sandwiches/rolls/wraps with any filling at all other than possibly a nut spread
· Any fruits or vegetables
· Yoghurts, custards, dairy snacks, cheese
· Sultanas or other dried fruits
· Muesli bars that do not contain nuts as an ingredient (there are lots of different oat bars, fruit bars, muesli bars, milo bars, k-time twists without nuts)
· Biscuits, crackers etc. that do not contain nuts
· Corn or potato chips
· Cakes, slices that do not contain nuts
· Pikelets, muffins, donuts
· Rice cakes, rice crackers
· Popcorn
There will be lots of other things as well; it’s just a matter of quickly scanning any packaged snacks to make sure they do not list nuts as an ingredient. Thank you for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard as we look to keep our Anaphylactic students safe!
Parking DURING school hours events (carnivals, rehearsals, practices, events) Parents are asked to check the map below regarding areas where they are asked to park (GREEN): Church Carpark (Gate 1)
Student Services Carpark (Gate 2)
Sport Overflow Carpark behind groundsmen shed (Gate 4)
Rosia Rd Carpark (Gate 5 & 6).
Parents are asked NOT to park along either side of Hillcrest Road (RED areas on the map below).
As I write this, it’s the morning after the night before, our very first Instrumental & Choral Evening. We heard from both our Primary choirs, both our bands, a collection of piano solos & vocal duets & trios, & a string quartet, in a wonderful evening of music. All the students gave their best efforts, and I was very proud of their performances. Special mention must go to some of our Grade 6 students for their assistance both during the day as well as during the evening; Georgia Knowles did a fantastic job helping with the Primary Junior Choir, Emily O’Callaghan took initiative to do important jobs without being asked, & James Pottinger played music with groups he doesn’t normally play with, while playing multiple parts at once. Thanks & congratulations to these students! Thanks also to the Friendlies for hosting a Sausage Sizzle prior to the concert, which set a great atmosphere for a most enjoyable night.
After the concert last night I was reading the news and came across a fascinating article about the correlation between students learning music & their academic achievement. The body of research into this is increasing by the year, but this article just gives a little snapshot of the findings. You can read the article here: https://www.abc.net.au/classic/read-and-watch/news/music-students-do-better-in-school/11345696
Students in Year 4 will begin to consider in Term 3 how they might like to be involved in the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme. They have all filled in preference forms for which instruments they’d like to play, and in week 9 all students will have the chance to try the instruments out. Offers will be made early in Term 4. We can’t wait to share the fun of music with more students!
All weekly rehearsals will continue in Term 3 & into Term 4 as normal:
Give It A Go! Band: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Primary Junior Choir: Wednesday 7:45-8:15am
Primary Senior Choir: Wednesday 2:30-3:10pm
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30-8:15am
There’s always a chance to be part of the Instrumental Programme – here’s how your child can be involved:
1. Private lessons – all ages
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
2. Shared lessons – all ages
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Year 11 student, Sarah, recently commenced a school-based apprenticeship with a local automotive and earthmoving business – mechanical engineering. On completion of the apprenticeship at the end of Year 12, Sarah will be on her way to achieving her objective of becoming a qualified fitter and turner. Whilst learning important on-the-job skills, Sarah will also be studying TAFE units, which will include but not be limited to Perform engineering measurements, Work safely and effectively in manufacturing and engineering, Interact with computing technology, Use power tools/hand held operations, Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices.
Sarah, congratulations on your new journey, the College is proud of all your achievements and we look forward to supporting you through your pathway.
The RUOK? foundation is an organisation created by Gavin Larkin in 2009 when he chose to champion just one question to honour his father (who committed suicide in 1995) and that question was “Are you OK?”.
RUOK?’s vision is a world where we’re all connected and protected from suicide. Sadly, this is an issue with teenagers as quite often they feel overwhelmed with the pressures and hardships of life. RUOK?’s mission is to inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them and support anyone struggling with life. This year, the Grade 11 Cert III in Business class held RUOK? Day on Monday the 26th of August and we would like to thank all of the Parkland community for coming and supporting our RUOK? Day Sausage Sizzle. We made $581.15 profit. All proceeds will be donated to the RUOK? Foundation. We are amazed at the overwhelming support from the students and staff which resulted in a complete sell out of all stock (sorry to the few that missed out). We also witnessed students sitting together, enjoying their lunch and engaging in meaningful conversations which is exactly what RUOK? Day is all about.
Don’t forget to keep the conversation alive with the people you care about.
By Kallen Stark (Cert 3 in Business class)
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is inviting players 8-16 years old to sign-on using: playcricket.com.au for the coming season, use 4125 as the postcode when asked, then select Park Ridge Panthers CC and follow the prompts. Any Questions, contact Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058 concerning the sign-on procedure, training starting 16/9/19 at 6pm at Hubner Road, Park Ridge.
Lewis Mills Mob: 0413 656 058
Cats holiday clinic 4 October 2019
Netball holiday clinic for all young netballers. Paula Stuart (head coach of QUT Wildcats) will be joined by cats players to work on improving your netball skills and have a lot of FUN includes sauasage sizzle for lunch..
To register go https://www.trybooking.com/BEMQZ.
Join the fun and excitement of Little Athletics, Friday nights from October to March, Henderson Road, Jimboomba. Children participate in a range of events designed to develop their athletic skills in a fun and family friendly environment. Little Athletics develops the basic motor skills of running, jumping, walking and throwing. In this children also develop strength, flexibility and coordination which are the basic requirements of all sports.
Sign on dates for the new season are:
Saturday 24th August 9.00am – 3.00pm
Friday 30th August 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels. Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
Greetings
We have just had Fathers Day, and it was a joy for me to spend time with our children and grand children. Joyce and I have 7 grown children and 16 grand children between 1 and 15 years of age. Parenting is such a challenging task. We really don’t get any trial run at the task, and often the only model we have, is our memories of our parent’s attempt to raise us during our youthful, and difficult years. We often give our parents a very low score when we are young, but with the passing of time, raise this score many times over as we come to understand their love for us. This was definitely my situation. With the passing of each decade of my life, I would reflect of the changed pattern of thinking and behaviour in my life and realize how much influence my Father and Mother had for the good. But this takes time. I have mentioned in earlier newsletters that we are really expecting to much to soon of our children, and at the latter end we realize how much the journey of life does teach each of us.
My father was a very generous man. Both He and Mum prioritized the education of their children over cars, houses and holidays. Yet we always felt we had the best holidays on a deserted island called Stradbroke, where we walked everywhere and had cold pump showers each night. They have both passed on owning a modest three bedroom home in Hillcrest, however all six of their children received an excellent start in life with a Grammar School education, and we all went on to receive University degrees. Mine was a little slower than my sisters, but I remember the lovely dinner with the whole family that Dad paid for to celebrate my Engineering Degree. It was to him, Mission Impossible, achieved.
The wealth that was recognised by all the carers of Mum and Dad in their final years, was the constant flow of children and grand-children through their home and in Aged Care. They were rarely alone, and in their final days, it was 24/7 attendance… because we all loved and cared so much for the parents that had first loved us.
I am now living in my 70th year of life, and I have seen how I want to finish. This was initially echoed in my grandchildren’s name for me, Gonga. This was the special name that I and my brothers and sisters called our grandfather, and when he passed, I determined as a young teen age boy that I would be like Gonga. I saw my Dad become that grandfather to my children, just as his father was to me, and now my children are watching me pass on the true meaning of Gonga to their children.
So a generous, giving life is still my guiding light. My Dad volunteered his skills to the school as the Business Manager for six years to get us started, and I want to bless the school in the same manner. I know that old age is often seen as a time of doing all “my” things, but I have seen the model that giving back in old age is a precious gift to the generation just starting. So I will journey forward as Gonga to my grand children, but I would also like to continue to be MrB to a generation of children still working through the school, and in some way, continue to give to them that which I have freely received and so fulfilling a comment from my Gonga that I have always remembered ….. “I have passed on to you, that which I also have received”.
I pray that your family had a wonderful Winter break!
Schools are such busy places; full of deadlines, assessments, drafts, practices, rehearsals and club meetings, that it is so nice to have some time to recuperate and reconnect as a family without the pressure of the early morning school rush.
Term three is well and truly underway with draft’s due dates quickly approaching. The Year 7 Pastoral Care teachers have been working with their form classes to make sure their students are on track, adding their assessments to their homework app, checking the school calendar and planning a study schedule.
A great way to help your child stay on top of their assessment and homework schedule, as well as develop independence for their senior years, is to make a weekly planner including family, sporting and extra-curricular commitments, building in time for actively working on homework and assessments and even some time to connect with siblings, pets and parents. Display this schedule in a prominent area and help you child stick to their plan. Ask, ‘What is on the schedule for today?’
I encourage my senior students to use the study schedule below and map out the term. It’s a great way to develop independence for senior school, further studies and work.
I have challenged Year 7 to be prepared for their classes this term with all the necessary books and stationery.
Add some time to the weekly schedule this week to go through the 2019 booklist and make sure you have all the necessary equipment.
I also speak to my students about scheduling in time each night to pack their school bag, so in the morning they are organised and prepared for class.
Park Ridge Panthers Cricket Club is offering an invitation to join the most successful club in the Logan area for junior Cricket for ages 8-17 year old boys and girls to play in the MSW Cricket Association, having 136 teams in ages from U10-U16 competitions playing Saturday Mornings between 8-11.45am. Park Ridge has three turf wickets and we are the only Club in Australia that have a Turf wicket for U10’s. We have Australian Cricket Academy at the Club to assist in Junior Cricket development. Join on Sunday 11th and 18th August from 9-12am at 157 Hubner Road, Park Ridge, or sign-on online, or call Lewis Mills on 0413 656 058.
Colin Garrick is currently conducting Moon Lee Tae Kwon Do self defence classes in the Baskerville Centre, Parklands Christian College, on Monday afternoons 3.30 to 4.30pm.
There is currently space for another 10 students. He is offering a FREE Uniform (value $60) to all new participants.
The first class is a FREE trial class and we have generous family discounts.
For more information phone Colin on 0438 865 800 or email colingarrick@gmail.com
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2019 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
| August 2, 2019 | CSSAQ Girls Netball Competition |
|---|---|
| August 5, 2019 | Prep Swimming Program |
| August 5, 2019 | Year 9-12 Drama Excursion-Storm Boy |
| August 8, 2019 | Year 12 QCS Workshop |
| August 8, 2019 | Year 10 Red Frogs - Identity Presentation |
| August 9, 2019 | Year 10 Music excursion - QLD Symphony Orchestra |
| August 13, 2019 | Year 8 Secondary College Subject Information Evening 6:30-7:15pm |
| August 13, 2019 | Year 9 Secondary College Subject Information Evening 7:30-8:30pm |
| August 14, 2019 | Year 9 Stem Excursion - Bridge Building Competition |
| August 15, 2019 | Year 11 Red Frogs - Party Safe |
| August 15, 2019 | Year 11 & 12 Visual Art Exhibition |
| August 27, 2019 | CSSAQ Secondary Athletics Carnival |
| August 29, 2019 | Fathers Day Stall |
| September 6, 2019 | Year 10 Cert 1 Active Volunteers Afternoon Tea and Expo |
| September 16, 2019 | Parent Prayer Group 8:30-9:30 |
| September 16-20, 2019 | Year 10 Work Experience |
| September 18, 2019 | Year 1 Sound and Light Incursion |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Save the date, you don’t want to miss the Primary Spring Dance! A night filled with fun, games, dancing and lots of laughter. Hope to see you there!
We are excited for a chance to be out and about in the community by holding a BBQ at Browns Plains Bunnings on Saturday 14th September 2019. This is an excellent opportunity for us to be able to showcase our school and share the love of God! We would love to see you all to so why not drop in and say hi!
The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College school community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another.
All families within our Parklands community are always welcome to come to any of our meetings. Our next meeting is on Friday 9th August 2019 at Park Ridge Maccas from 6.45pm.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Its 8:42am here in Cebu on a Monday morning. My kids have been up since 5:30 this morning to log onto their lessons and join their Australian classmates online through Brisbane School of Distance Education. They do this every morning without prompt or complaint, and I marvel at their self discipline and positivity. I would never have been that motivated at their age. So far today I have navigated the crazy Cebu traffic, taking 30 minutes to travel 2km, and never made it out of second gear, said “maayong buntag” (good morning) to the girls on the early morning baking shift, opened up the office, consumed the days first coffee and discussed its calibration, participated in devotions, worshiped, and now I sit at my desk typing this short article while the girls are exercising, which is part of our weekly Monday morning routine. As I look out my window on the second floor of the Henry Hotel where Bloom’s offices, sugar room and devotions space reside, I see a dusty city coming to life. The traffic, which has built to a congested state of utter turmoil, passes ever so slowly along the main road that feeds Cebu City from out-lying Talamban to the North. The locals make their way on Jeepney of all shapes, sizes and states of decay, which are lovingly decorated with various themes ranging from Disney, Avengers, Batman and Star Wars. My favorite is the “Frozen” Jeepney that passes Bloom several times a day, and proves that great artistic feats can be achieved here, and that Disney should look for its artists here in Cebu. Jeepneys really do add an impressive splash of colour to an otherwise drab city landscape.
As I peer out my window, I have to look through the thousand black electricity and data cable in various states of disrepair. Most cables are bunched together and cable tied in bundles as thick as your leg, with many strands hanging down into traffic, on pedestrians and tangled in trees. All cabling here is insulated, but I do worry when I ride my bike through the busy streets that one day I might receive a kick from dangling cables if I don’t stay vigilant. Between dangling electrical cables, roaming dogs and hundreds of busy pedestrians all competing for road space, driving is an exhausting activity only performed by the brave. On my motor bike there is an extra danger that I have come to be aware of…spitting. Spitting here is far more socially accepted. In fact, the noisy collection of spit and its subsequent expulsion can be heard wherever you are. My particular fear however is when passing cars on my bike. Me and/or my bike have been spat on several times as I have been dodging and weaving through traffic, and Jeepneys are a real threat as they carry a dozen potential sources of sputum projectors. Needless to say, I am very careful as I pass vehicles or pass under bridges.
As I continue to look outside I notice an elderly little man walking down our street carrying two stainless steel bucket with lids, balanced on a pole over his shoulder. He calls “Taho“, and people stop to buy a little 5 peso snack. Taho is soft tofu, which is processed to a consistency that is very similar to custard. Brown caramelized sugar is added giving it sweetness and it is topped Sago pearls. I really like it, but it is an acquired taste and is unlike anything I have tasted in Australia. Actually, I can confidently say that about much of the street food here, which ranges from harmless snacks like corn and peanuts to things like cooked chicken embryo “balut”. I have attempted to consume balut many times, convincing myself each time that it will be okay, it is just chicken. Alas, every time I bring that egg to my mouth and look at the chicken embryo contained therein, complete with a few feathers, head and little beak, I inevitably change my mind, much to the laughter of the locals trying to coerce me to eat it. I pride myself on my ability to try almost anything, and I have eaten spiders, cockroaches and crickets, but I draw the line at unborn chickens still in their eggs.
Our café is open by now, and slowly but surely Bloom will start serving coffee, cakes and sandwiches, if we are lucky we might even take a large cake order today. The café usually gets busy before and after lunch, and it is increasingly exciting to see more and more customers returning for our products. Our staff and students are amazing at what they do, and I am so very proud of their professionalism and progress. It’s a real honour to be part of their professional and personal growth, and to see the team mature into a competent and confident cohesive unit. I look back over the past few years that we have been in Cebu and can’t help but feel privileged and even a little proud of what we have all accomplished. I am amazed at how God has used our humble gifts and talents to create Bloom Cebu, and in the process bless us one hundred-fold with experiences that have shaped our perception of the world, of ourselves and of His great love for humanity.
Soon we hand over to our national leaders, and entrust Bloom and its precious staff to them. Now they are the ones to start the day, check the coffee, open the office and run devotions, and as they increase, so we must decrease. As we count down, and with less than 50 days to go, we step back in a far more significant way and hand over our ‘baby’ to the people it was always intended to serve. What an honour. What a privilege. And what a heart ache!
Mr Gary Cully
During the winter break, Year 10 student Sienna (along with 35 other high school students from SE Queensland), participated in the Griffith University Growing Tall Poppies physics program.
Thank you to Griffith University for the opportunities available to our students.
Year 10 student, Ethan, attended a 2-day TV & Radio program at University of Southern Queensland, Springfield during the winter holidays.
Ethan had such an amazing time, he has since registered to take part in the program again next term, this time opting for the Radio industry experience. Thank you USQ for providing this fabulous opportunity to our students!
Year 12 student, Courtney, is celebrating the completion of her Certificate III in Hospitality. For the past 18 months, Courtney worked one day a week at a local cafe, completing over 375 hours on-the-job training and 12 units of study; whilst completing school assessments and commitments. Courtney has a passion for the hotel/tourism industry and is interested in furthering her skills in this industry after she graduates from Parklands in November. We take this opportunity to thank the local employers who support and encourage our students in vocational pathways.
Courtney, the college is very proud of you and wish you all the best for your future!
2013 graduate, Ashley, recently completed a massive achievement of a Bachelor of Secondary Education and a Bachelor of Special Education (Double Degree).
Ashley, congratulations on your achievements and successes! Your passion for educating and supporting people with special needs is inspirational and we look forward to following your future career and life journey.
Year 10 student, Zak, spent 5 days of his winter break attending the Junior Physics Odyssey at University of Queensland. JPhO is a five-day (non-residential) program for Year 10 students with an interest in physics, science and mathematics.
The program aims to develop students’ problem-solving skills as well as an appreciation and understanding of physics. By presenting physics in a format that complements Senior Physics, JPhO introduces students to the formal study of physics through lectures and tutorials, provides hands-on experience of physics through experiments and workshops in which to explore ideas in modern physics at forums as well as tours of research labs.
Welcome to Term 3! This is a very busy term for our College musicians & singers, with many performances happening this term as well as the Year 4 students preparing for the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme. We hope to see many of you at some of the performance events this term.
On Tuesday 6th August some of our GIAG students will perform some small items at Primary Chapel. This is a great chance for them to show what they’ve learned this year, & for the Year 4’s to see & hear the instruments they’ll be able to play next year. On Wed 14th August the Secondary Choir will perform at Secondary Chapel. These students have been working hard on some really challenging repertoire this term, so come along and hear them show what they’ve done.
Thursday 15th August is our 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme Parent Information Evening for Year 4 parents, starting at 7pm in the Student Services Function Room. Please mark that in your diary and come along to hear about how the GIAG programme works.
On Thursday 29th August we are holding our first Instrumental Evening, an early evening concert as a chance for our performance groups & some soloists to perform. There will be a fundraising sausage sizzle to support the Friendlies starting at 5pm in the courtyard outside the Church Auditorium, & the concert will begin in the Church Auditorium at 6pm. Students who are performing will need to arrive by 5:30pm in full academic uniform with their instrument & music where applicable. You will have the chance to hear both our Primary Choirs, both the Give It A Go! Band & the new Wind Ensemble, and a range of other small group works. We hope you can join us for an evening of fun & fine music.
Students in Year 4 will begin to consider in Term 3 how they might like to be involved in the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme. There will be a GIAG Parent Information Evening in week 5, on Thursday 15th August at 7pm, which will give everyone an idea of how the programme runs, so we hope as many Year 4 parents as possible can make it to that. Later in Term 3 the students will have the chance to try the instruments out & tell us which ones they think they’d like to do, before offers are made early in Term 4. We can’t wait to share the fun of music with more students!
All weekly rehearsals will continue in Term 3 as normal:
Give It A Go! Band: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Primary Junior Choir: Wednesday 7:45-8:15am
Primary Senior Choir: Wednesday 2:30-3:10pm
Secondary Choir: Friday 7:30-8:15am
It’s never not too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
The Parklands Uniform is specifically designed so that student’s would not only appear handsome but would also be comfortable. Furthermore, we encourage students to wear their uniforms proudly as school representatives.
Parents are responsible for ensuring that their child is in full school uniform each day. In the event that this is not possible we would greatly appreciate if you could please contact uniformpass@parklands.qld.edu.au to notify the school of the discrepancy (alternatively please feel free to write a note or phone ahead ). If an explanation from home is not received parents will be contacted via email or phone so that a plan to rectify the issue can be discussed.
Please take the time before purchasing any new items to review the primary and secondary uniform policies which can be found on the school website https://parklands.qld.edu.au/uniforms/
If you have any queries about this policy please contact an RTP facilitator on 33804219.
2020 will be upon us in a few months’ time and with the New Year often comes the purchase of NEW SHOES.
Congratulations to all the girls who competed in the CSSAQ Netball Competition on Friday 2nd August. The girls had a great day of fun, competing against schools from across Brisbane. They worked hard within their teams, communicated with each other well and grew in their skills across the day. The girls can be especially commended for their sportsmanship. They showed the love of Christ encouraging one another and the other teams.
Mrs Thompson’s Junior Team came 2nd within their pool and played in the finals coming 4th overall. Mrs Swinn’s Intermediate Team came 3rd in their pool and played in the finals coming 6th overall. Mrs Bryant was very proud of the girls Open Team for their perseverance and giving their best in every game. A special mention goes to Rachel Swinn who received a trophy for the ‘Most Valuable Player’ for her division. Congratulations Rachel! You played competitively with skill and showed great sportsmanship!
Mrs Bryant, Mrs Thompson and Mrs Swinn
“Let a feast be prepared and let a proclamation be made that the curse is lifted, the ogre is dead, the princess lives, and there is going to be a wedding!”
And so, after many months of rehearsal and three fantastic shows, it was with a loud cheer in celebration that the curtains closed on our 2019 secondary college production, “The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood.”
For those who came to watch one of the three performances, we thank you for your support and encouragement (with a note of special appreciation to those who might have been drawn into the action by harbouring some sharp and unsafe objects, hindering the escape of the rotten fairy Carabosse and her broom, or bouncing a beachball around the auditorium).
Above all, we would like to commend all the students and staff who invested many months of hard work and dedication into the preparation and rehearsals of this production to make it a successful and enjoyable show. We are truly so proud of you. The show allowed many students to form and develop friendships and create long-lasting memories, whilst also demonstrating some of their gifts and talents, and having the opportunity to learn new skills. Across Years 8-12, there were 40 students in the onstage cast, 8 backstage crew, 4 technical crew, and 6 in the hair and makeup team. There were also numerous students who assisted in other ways, including set construction and painting, hospitality and ticket collection. They were guided by 8 performance and backstage staff members, as well as 6 staff members who led the construction and visual design for the sets and props. A huge thank you also goes out to the staff who coordinated and volunteered with the catering for all events. These events are so important for nourishing our sense of community and giving all staff and students a chance to work together.
But now, it is time for the sets and costumes to be packed away, and for Wednesday afternoons to return to normal. Perhaps however, a line from the script, a melody from one of the songs, or a memory from the time together might linger in our minds for a little longer and make us smile. And above all, may we be reminded frequently about the power of Love and its ability to overcome any ogres we might face.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
Year 1 is experiencing a wonderful start to Term 3 and despite many winter illnesses, most of the children have returned ready to learn in the classroom.
This term Year 2 is engaging in many discussions about the world around them. Our science lessons involve investigating Chemical reactions through science experiments. Learning about God’s wonderful creation has been exciting, and sparking many questions.
We are also learning all about the continents of the world this term. With the help of a funky rap we are beginning to remember all 7 continents! There is also a world map in our rooms which shows where each of our families come from in the world and it’s so surprising to see that we don’t all come from Australia, but as far as Romania, India, or the United Kingdom! Learning about the differences in cultures has been very interesting seeing how different God has made each of us, but how similar we all really are.
I trust you are all keeping warm and healthy for these final moments of our Brissie winter! August has rolled around, which brings with it busyness for all our senior students. As I’m writing this article, there is just 3 ½ weeks before the commencement of the Year 11 two week exam block commences just and 4 ½ weeks for Years 10 and 12 Examination period. Attendance is so very important. It makes a significant impact on learning when days are missed. If sickness or extenuating circumstances arise, and an exam or assessment deadline is missed, medical documentation, dated the day of the missed assessment, must be submitted to the Coordinator of school.
Thank you for encouraging solid attendance rates and for not planning family holidays or day trips in term time, especially as we get well into the business end of the school term.
Year 10 have settled well into Semester 2, their “pre-senior” semester, prior to the official stages of senior schooling start in Year 11. This is not the time to trial subjects and be settled into subjects that lead directly and smoothly into Year 11. We promote minimal movement of subjects in Year 11. Year 10 teachers are currently delivering Year 10 Australian Curriculum and Settled into Semester 2 pre-senior
Year 10’s have a presentation this week, “Red Frogs: Identity seminar. We value a quality education but value the person more. This talk aims to give young people information and tools to help them understand their worth and value in the hope they will then make choices based on this understanding rather than choices that could potentially harm them. Pastoral Care teachers will follow up this talk by sharing about our worth and value in Gods eyes.
Tuesday 13 August is our annual Senior College information evening for current Year 9 students and families (Year 10, 2020). This night is an opportunity to learn about the QCE system, about Atars and Vocational Pathways, school subjects and programs that are on offer in Senior College. Shortly after this information evening, your child will receive an email with a link to choosing 2020 subjects online. Please note that some subjects are capped, so the classes are offered on a first in, first serve basis.
The Year 12 Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test will be conducted in the Function Room, located off Student Services, on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th September. Parklands encourages all students to attend. This test is compulsory for all Year 12 students who intend to be eligible to receive an OP score for Tertiary entrance. Students who are non-OP eligible may also elect, and are encouraged, to sit the QCS test. Students who elect not to sit the QCS Test are not required to be at school for the two days of testing, as there will be no Year 12 classes. These students should utilise this time to prepare for their exams and complete other assessment requirements.
Prayers are with all our Yr12 students, who are currently in the midst of a very busy Term 3 and are in final QCS preparations. For the remainder of this year and beyond we pray that each graduating student makes choices to align with all that God intends them to be.
Our Year 11 Pastoral Care teachers, Mr Cunningham and Mrs Smith are very excited about the upcoming Leadership camping program, which will be held from 18th to 20th September at Emu Gully. As a valued part of our college curriculum, all Year 11 school students are required to attend this compulsory camp in preparation for their final year of schooling. Please note that if your child would like to apply for a badged leadership position, they must attend the camp. All Yr11 should be communicating with employers about time off for this period of time. If you wish to discuss any aspect of the camp, please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) has a role in operating a centralised tertiary application system. Year 11-12 students have received the “QTAC: Guide to Tertiary Courses” booklet. This resource provides valuable information about courses at public and private universities, Tafe and other tertiary centres. This is an exciting and possibly daunting time to explore the possibilities of “What Next”? The entry requirements, including expected OP’s, prerequisites and course lengths are included.
All seniors are encouraged to spend some time exploring potential courses of interest. Yr12 students are to apply online to QTAC, for offers for tertiary study after school. Registration has now opened and seniors are encouraged to keep exploring options and to make a time to meet with Mrs Hudson or Mrs Wallis for individual support in choosing preferences.
The first step is for seniors to decide what courses they would like to apply for. If your child is unsure of “What Next”, that is not unusual. It is sometimes a difficult decision, so we encourage the following:
The Year 12 Pastoral Care teachers, Miss Grounds & Miss Matthews, along with Mrs Hudson and myself are all very happy to assist. Please contact us via email or through the College office on 3380 4200 if we can be of assistance.
When your hobby becomes a passion and then a reality, it’s a pretty exciting time! Brock Paine (Year 12) has enjoyed racing go-karts at his local racetrack since he was very young. As he grew, he improved and moved from racing karts to racing cars. He has now been Circuit Racing for three years and recently had an opportunity that most people would think was a once in a lifetime chance! Over the Easter break, Brock attended Bathurst as a racer rather than a spectator. Being invited to race his own racecar at Mount Panorama, in the wheel prints of the mighty V8 Supercars, was a fantastic experience that Brock thoroughly enjoyed. Only very few people are granted this chance; Brock was invited after placing second at the Queensland Championships. What a great honour for Brock, one that we hope to see repeated in the future.
Having your own racecar requires a lot of work and Brock has done an amazing job at focusing on his school commitments as well as attending his race commitments. He and his family have been responsible for all the costs and repairs to the vehicle, and have travelled to various race events throughout Queensland and New South Wales.
Brock has attended Parklands Christian College since Prep in 2007 and is currently completing Year 12. His friends know him as a fun and loyal person who will always offer a helping hand. Brock works hard to love out our College values and we are so proud of Brock and his achievements inside and outside of school.
Congratulations, Brock, on your wonderful achievements! We can’t wait to cheer for you in the V8’s in the future.
All are welcome to follow Brock on his racing Facebook page – BMP Motorsport.
Tracey Green
Learning Enrichment
A reminder to please ensure your child is correctly and neatly dressed in the ‘correct’ uniform each morning. If they are incorrectly dressed would you please provide us with a written explanation and remind them to go to the RTC to collect a Uniform Slip FIRST thing of a morning? We are also finding quite a few unmarked / unlabelled items of clothing, bottles and Tupperware, which makes it impossible to return to the right owner. Kindly assist us to ensure ALL items brought to school are correctly labelled! Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard.
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Year 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Year 4! Feedback from staff, parents and the Year 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 15th October where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Year 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
Not sure what it’s like at home but teachers and the RTC are experiencing many students just not listening to and following instructions. This behaviour is evident in the undercover area of a morning/afternoon, in the classroom for lessons, out on the ovals or while students are running around playing! Staff are making a concerted effort to get the students to “Stop, Look, Listen and DO”
We aren’t exactly sure why this ‘non listening behaviour’ is becoming more evident but research from UQ and Harvard University have offered up a few suggestions – due to modern electronic gadgets “common communication skills” are being used less (children don’t know of or get to practise the social skills to listen, hold a conversation and follow instructions).
Children are so busy and preoccupied in this ‘instant society’ that they appear / are rushed to move onto the next experience so thereby don’t listen to or fully comprehend instructions.
In class this is what good listening has been encouraged to ‘look and sound’ like:
We are asking that parents assist us by getting their children to practice these listening skills at home and to be reminded of them daily before coming to school. Thanking you in anticipation for your support in this regard.
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures? Class Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments,process or procedure, class behaviour, calendar events etc, that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call. If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
Specialist lessons (HPE – Mr. Lewis
Music – Mrs. Patane
Art – Mrs. Bazley
Library – Mrs. Bayer
Student Services – Mrs. Oxley, Mrs. Swinn, Mrs Sampson
RTC – Mrs. Elvery, Mr.Crawford, Miss Robinson
LE – Mrs. Jo Anderson
If you don’t get resolve or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher or specialist, would you kindly then contact myself, Grant Jakins through Student Services? Thank you for speaking to the correct person so as to assist you best with your question or concern.
This semester we will again get the students to focus on using kind words to each other or saying NOTHING bad at all as well as trying to have friendly actions to one another in the Primary School! We will again be reminding students about ways to treat each other so as not to ‘bully’ because bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects many children in all schools. It breaks a child’s natural right to feel safe and secure and can affect a child’s performance, their peer relations and his or her self-esteem!
Definition of Bullying:
Bullying is not a once off incident but the repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons.
Bullying is not the domain of either gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys will use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to wield power over others, girls are more likely to use exclusion or subtle verbal sarcasm to assert themselves over their victims.
Bullying is more prevalent in primary schools than secondary schools, although the type of bullying varies with age. As boys get older there is a gradual decrease in the amount of physical bullying but an increase in verbal intimidation. It would appear that bullying reaches a peak around the age of eight or nine years of age, which is true for girls and boys.
While siblings or children often tease or sometimes fight physically with each other, this bickering should not be confused with bullying. The bullying involves an imbalance of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse.
Behaviours that are not bullying include:
Cyber bullying refers to bullying that is carried out through information and communication technologies. Likewise not all online issues are cyber bullying. Source: www.bullyingnoway.gov.au
We at Parklands, through the RTC and Wellbeing Team, work closely to monitor ALL behaviour and assist the students to make better choices!
Greetings
We are now past half way for 2019 and my last Newsletter advised all readers that I was making plans for next year to work with an Assistant in my role of leading the school. Last week my wife and I had the joy of the safe arrival of our 16th grand child, Lenny David Conwell. I am reminded with all these moments that I am coming to the end of a long and enjoyable journey. It is a reflective time for me as I write these Newsletters and I reach back in my memories over the past 40 years of being in leadership of a Christian School. I would like to take this opportunity to pick up on the growing conflict between technology and the development of a child in all aspects of their life. In these thoughts, I will reach back to the memories of my own journey and reflect on life today to draw out the foundations that has guided me through life.
I first put my fingers on a computer keyboard at QIT when the program writing was all on paper, and a saved program was punched on a tape stream. I programmed Cooling Tower design on this first computer and thought “could it ever get better than this”. It did with the invention of a desk top computer which I first saw at Computer Joe’s shop in Townsville in 1984. The computer he showed me was a Hitachi Peach. It had a colour screen and twin floppy disk drives and it ran GW Basic. He convinced me that this computer was so advanced it would still be good in 20 years. I bought it and became an expert in GW Basic programming. As I reflect back on the days before computers; before mobile phones and before the instant camera and post to the web; I ponder on whether we have improved our lot with technology, or caused greater stress on students that I never faced. What is it that we as a society have done to ourselves and our children that causes this? Our society seems to be obsessed with instant rewards, instant information and “image” rather than “character”.
The Victorian Government has now banned mobile phones from school use in an effort to stop “social media bullying” and refocus students on good human interaction in their lunch breaks. Several of my staff recently attended a conference with me where the keynote speaker spoke on these things as the key issues facing Christian Schools into the future. I am reminded of the well-known Bible verse written in ancient times, but still so true today “ Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
The arrival of instant access to information seems, at first glance, to be a good thing. It means we can keep abreast of what is happening at this moment anywhere in the world. We know exactly what all our friends are doing, and we are seeing all their pictures immediately. So the modern phone becomes our “must have” gadget otherwise we are disconnected from life. This is what the current thinking is.
In the early days we called it information overload. There is only so much information we can hold at one time, and sadly the important things get lost in the noise of everything.
Relationships are so important in the development and sustaining of our character. Relationships are best formed in the presence of the other person, but that means less friends, inconvenience in getting together, and putting away the technology and just talking. It has been the process of human living from the beginning, and has only changed in recent times because of technology.
Our Christian belief is that the presence of God is always within us. Our sense of self is far deeper and secure when we realise that we have a relationship with a loving God who has
designed us for this purpose. As this awareness has grown in my life, I have learnt to be at peace with who I am, and have no need to hold a profile on a social media page. I have learnt to care for the person in my current situation in real time. It may seem ineffective in saving the world, but it matters most to me. My resilience has come from doing life with people, and seeking to contribute in every interaction I have with others. As I look forward, knowing the trends that are developing in schools, I am convinced that the wellbeing of each child will become increasingly important as their starting point for life, and that this will only be found in good real relationships with others which was modelled so clearly in the life of Jesus.
God Bless
We are happy to announce that we have students again at Bloom Cebu!
Bloom celebrated the commencement of its 4th cohort of students to start our training course here at Bloom Life Training Philippines. Seven very happy and eager young women attended their first class on 15th July and thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they explored all that Bloom has to offer them. Please pray with us as we welcome our students into the Bloom Family, and begin their journey toward healing, hope and a future.
Under our new scholarship model, students are now sent to Bloom via sponsoring NGO’s and generous individuals who wish to pay for the total tuition fees for a period of 12 months to 2 years. If you would like to consider sponsoring future students and help them gain invaluable industry experience and gain a nationally accredited qualification, please contact us. Sponsorship costs are typically $235 per month and covers tuition fees, materials and ingredients, uniform and a daily allowance for the student while they study.
PARK RIDGE TENNIS
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps and lessons every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2019 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
| July 18, 2019 | Year 11/12 Economics Excursion |
|---|---|
| July 18, 2019 | Year 12 Tech Students Nursery Road State Special School |
| July 23, 2019 | Senior Art Excursion - Logan Art Gallery/Berrinba wetlands |
| July 30, 2019 | Year 11&12 excursion - Ignite Youth Careers Expo |
| August 2, 2019 | CSSAQ Girls Netball Competition |
| August 5, 2019 | Prep Swimming Program |
| August 5, 2019 | Year 9-12 Drama Excursion-Storm Boy |
| August 8, 2019 | Year 12 QCS Workshop |
| August 8, 2019 | Year 10 Red Frogs - Identity Presentation |
| August 9, 2019 | Year 10 Music excursion - QLD Symphony Orchestra |
| August 13, 2019 | Year 8 Secondary College Subject Information Evening 6:30-7:15pm |
| August 13, 2019 | Year 9 Secondary College Subject Information Evening 7:30-8:30pm |
| August 14, 2019 | Year 9 Stem Excursion - Bridge Building Competition |
| August 15, 2019 | Year 11 Red Frogs - Party Safe |
| August 15, 2019 | Year 11 & 12 Visual Art Exhibition |
| August 27, 2019 | CSSAQ Secondary Athletics Carnival |
| August 29, 2019 | Fathers Day Stall |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Coming up this term we will be holding our annual Primary Spring Dance. Save the date, Friday 6th September 2019. If you have a child in Primary School, they don’t won’t to miss out! This year we have DJ Steve who will be keeping the kids entertained on the dance floor all night with fun games and lots of prizes to be won. For all you Coffee and hot chocolate lovers, Michelle from Browns Plains Village Square Coffee Club will be on site. There will also be a sausage sizzle from 5.30pm available for purchase. The dance kicks off at 6pm – 8pm. Admission for the dance is only $5 per person (payable on the evening). The Spring Dance is for current students enrolled in 2019 from Prep – year 6. Please note this is a non-alcoholic event.
We are very excited to announce that we will also be holding a community BBQ at Bunnings Browns Plains on Saturday 14th September. What a magnificent way to showcase our school by being out and about in our community. It will be wonderful if you are out to drop in and say hi, we always love to see some familiar faces too!
Woolworths Earn and Learn promotion is now finished. A massive thank you for all of you who collected stickers for our school. We had a fantastic response and together as a school collected 1177 full sticker sheets which equals 70620 stickers. These stickers are now being redeemed for valuable educational resources!
Have you ever read The Friendlies part in this newsletter and wondered who we are or what we do? Why not come along to one of our meetings, we are always welcoming to any of the parents within our school community. Our next meeting is on Friday 9th August 2019 at Park Ridge Maccas from 6.45pm.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
The College Fete on Sat 1stJune was the first performance for both this year’s Give It A Go! Band & our brand new Wind Ensemble, and if you were there I think you’ll agree they both did very well. Performing outside is always hard, so our students are to be commended for their outstanding effort so early in the year. It was fantastic to hear all our choirs as well, and so much music from every Primary class – music is alive and well at Parklands!
In Term 3 we are planning our first Instrumental Evening, an early evening concert as a chance for our performance groups & some soloists to perform. There will be a fundraising sausage sizzle to support the Friendlies starting at 5pm in the courtyard outside the Auditorium, & the concert will begin at 6pm. We hope you can join us for an evening of fun & fine music, more details will be made available in Term 3.
All weekly rehearsals will continue in Term 3 as normal:
Give It A Go! Band rehearses Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Wind Ensemble rehearses Wednesday 7:30-8:15am
Primary Junior Choir rehearses Wednesday 7:45-8:15am
Primary Senior Choir rehearses Wednesday 2:30-3:10pm
Secondary Choir rehearses Friday 7:30-8:15am
Give It A Go! Band Programme in 2020
Students in Year 4 will begin to consider in Term 3 how they might like to be involved in the 2020 Give It A Go! Band Programme. There will be a parent Information Evening near the middle of the term which will give everyone an idea of how the programme runs, so we hope as many Year 4 parents as possible can make it to that. Later in Term 3 the students will have the chance to try the instruments out & tell us which ones they think they’d like to do, before offers are made early in Term 4. We can’t wait to share the fun of music with more students!
It’s never not too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
It is amazing to think that our phones and many watches now have 100x – 10000x the computing power that took man to the moon. I hear stories of people gathering to watch the landing on the moon as not everyone had a TV. These days most households have up to 2 devices per person that people could be watching, in colour, whatever they want and whenever they want. Digital media, technology and screen time has increased significantly and has become a normal and in some cases necessary part of life.
So how do we manage this? How do we make sure that our children do not become mindlessly glued to the screen? Here are a few ideas to try out at home:
Sit down as a family and work out a plan. Write this down so you remember what it is you are trying to achieve and gain from this. Your child does not need to see the plan but it helps if you have a strategy. You can use the following as a guide for your plan.
Is your goal with your child connection? How are you wanting to interact with your child? What example do you want to show them? Write down what goal you have with the screen time in your house both for adults and for children. What are you wanting to achieve?
What are your family values? What character traits do you want your child to have?
What do you know about your child- what are their dislikes and likes, hobbies etc.? What can they handle and what is it that they struggle with? Some people have great self-control while others need to work harder at this. How does your child manage responsibility? What are their responsibilities? How can you increase their experience of responsibility- ie. chores, attend training or other extra circular activities, plan or attend a family event or just enjoy the outdoors?
You are the adult and the parent. You make the final decision. Set clear rules around screen time use. Such as:
Once you have established the family rules/guidelines with screen time STICK to them. No matter how you feel this is a boundary that you have set up and your child needs to know they can trust your word. If they chose to fight this rule one afternoon, use the LOKOP one liners – Fun or room? If they consistently ask you for screen time. Yes you can as soon as (add in the job or condition that you need to have meet).
There are ratings for a reason. Use these as a bench mark to work from and be aware of what they are wanting to play or watch. What works for one child may not for another. Just because their friends are playing this game or watching that show or movie does not mean that it is good/right or appropriate for them. So what is the level of your child and work with that, yes it may be different for each child. They will say that is not fair, your answer could be – I know… probably so…
What are they up to? What are they watching and what are they playing? Who are they talking with and too? What is that game about and what do you need to do in the game. The latest game craze at the moment is Fortnite. What is the rating for this game? Do you know what it is and what they need to do in this game? Regularly check and ask questions, even have a go yourself and make this a connection point with your child.
Keep informed about what tasks are required for their subjects. Sometimes they will need to access technology, but there are may tasks that do not require this. Parents can fall into the trap of thinking because their child is ‘studying’ they are using technology appropriately. This is a myth, study and exam week results in the highest incidents of online bulling across Australia. Why? Students are bored, easily distracted and stressed. This is a terrible combination for reacting negatively toward peers. During weeks 8 and 9 of term please turn up the vigilance!!!
Talk with your child. Ask them about the screen time they are doing, what game are they playing and what shows are they watching? What is it about or what do you need to do? Why is this fun to watch this or play this? Join in, sit down and watch with them for a moment, play the game with them or watch them play and ask questions. Be interested in their interests and their screen time activities.
Whilst your child is at school they are required to use their technology for class work only. If a student needs to contact a parent they are required to phone them from student services. We ask parents to please refrain from texting or emailing their child during school hours.
For further information please check these out:
Coffee, Kids and Crazy podcast – Back to school and Screentime – By Loving on Purpose – Brittney Serpell
Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner – Information on online safety and screen time activities
Common Sense Media – Check on ratings, content and storylines. Plus many other resources.
Cyber Safety Solutions – Learn about safety for your child whilst online.
Family Contracts for Screen time – Use one of their templates or just use this as a guide when you write your own!
Welcome to the adventure of building great relationships with your child around appropriate use of technology. Enjoy your time with your child teaching, modelling and monitoring the screen time world!
As you read this article, there are less than 2 weeks to go until our opening performance of The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods! Have you bought your tickets yet?
The last few months and weeks have been a flurry of activity as students across Years 8-12 have been practicing their lines, building and painting set pieces, creating costumes, and developing hair and makeup designs in preparation for our secondary production. On the last Friday of holidays, while everyone else was eagerly anticipating their return to school and making the most of their last opportunity to rest, our hard working cast and crew got up early and met at the Logan West Community Centre for an all-day rehearsal of the performance.
We are all excited to invite you and your family to come along to The Sleeping Beauty in The Woods.
It is a comedy adventure, suitable for all ages, that follows an intrepid prince on his quest to save the sleeping princess, who is not as much of a damsel in distress as the fairytales want us to believe.
There are three performances:
Evening Shows – Friday 26th and Saturday 27th July:
The show commences at 7:00pm, food is served from 6:15pm
Both evening performances will be catered by the Hospitality team before the show and during the intermission. The catering is included in the ticket price.
Adults (12 and over) are $15 each
Children (2-11) are $10 each
Infants under 2 are free of charge if they share a seat with a paying adult
Matinee Show – Saturday 27th July:
The show commences at 12:00pm
Adults (12 and over) are $10 each
Children (2-11) are $6 each
Infants under 2 are free of charge if they share a seat with a paying adult
This performance is not catered, but a sausage sizzle ($1.50ea) will be available after the show.
All shows have a 20 minute intermission.
The performances will be held at the Logan West Community Centre: 2 Wineglass Drive, Hillcrest. There is plenty of free parking available on site.
To order your tickets, please go to the following website: https://www.trybooking.com/517974
Payment is via Credit Card only.
Please come and support the wonderful work of our students and staff as we celebrate the gifts and talents of so many in our school community, and join together as we embark on this entertaining quest to defeat evil and wake the sleeping beauty.
There is an opportunity for parents to contribute to the life of the school by volunteering their time in the tuckshop.
The tuckshop has been growing since moving to the new facility and with growth in sales we would really love your help!
I trust you had a lovely holiday break, having spent time doing the nice, fun and relaxing things you enjoy with family and friends? At the start of this semester I wish you and the students everything of the best for the term that lies ahead.
All students should have received an ‘End of Semester Report’ in the post at the conclusion of last term. If you haven’t received it in the post, please kindly contact Admin. This report should confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Afternoon / Night or has given you feedback throughout the term as to how your child has progressed.
On Wednesday 31st July we have our Primary P/T Interviews up in the Function Room, where you can book an interview ‘on line’ to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for the Informative Letter with more information, booking times and procedures!
For the start of Term 3, could you please ensure ALL uniform items, lunch boxes/water bottles and bags are clearly relabeled with your child’s name? Ensure that black shoes are polished, hair is cut and the correct uniform items are worn – jumper with Academic Uniform and the tracksuit jacket with Sport Uniform. Please also check Yr. 1-6 students are wearing predominantly WHITE sneakers / sand shoes with their sports uniform.
If unsure of any uniform requirements, please feel free to check the School Website (Online Store – Uniform Policy – Primary) or ask the RTC staff or class teachers. Thank you for your understanding and assistance in this regard.
A reminder that we have our Prep to Gr 3 (Under 9 yr. olds) Athletics Day Carnival at the school up on the top sports oval on MONDAY 22nd July. A letter explaining the day’s process, procedures and program will be forthcoming!
We’re looking forward to seeing lots or parents and grandparents attending the lower Primary carnival and supporting the students as they give of their best!
An ongoing emphasis has been placed on ‘child safety’ from the beginning of the year whereby we’re continually reminding students to: walk on the concrete, stay under the verandahs or covered areas when raining and moving around the school, don’t push and shove and walk in single file up and down the stairs, play nicely and safely on the playgrounds and to have “KIND words and FRIENDLY action” when at school. Can we ask that you please remind your child to do likewise when at school?
Parents, please be very careful and vigilant around the pedestrian crossing, when opening car doors in the car parks and to please stick to the 20 km/h speed limit when driving through the school?
Can we please remind all parents and students that the safest and only place to cross the Rosia Rd car park should be at the pedestrian crossing and not just before the top exit gate, close to the Gr 5 classrooms! THANK YOU for your support in keeping our students safe!
| Life is a wonderful but sometimes bumpy journey. Everyone experiences setbacks, frustrations and hard times at different times in their lives. We can’t protect young people from the stress of all the possible setbacks in their life but we can teach them the coping skills that promote resilience. Recent research studies have suggested that today’s children may be less resilient than those of previous generations and more in need of opportunities to learn resilience skills.
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The Personal Skills of RESILIENCE
There are many skills that we can teach students to provide them with a resilience ‘tool kit’ for coping with life and being successful. We can teach our children to be optimistic by, for example:
Many children become unnecessarily distressed and fearful because they distort a situation or they have incorrect and unhelpful beliefs that make it less likely that they will attempt to solve a problem.
Examples of such thinking include:
Young people also need to learn skills for being confident as part of their ‘resilience tool kit’. These skills include:
It’s evident that young people with well-developed social skills are more likely to be resilient and to have a good support network of friends when needed. Key social skills can be taught and practiced in a range of classroom and playground situations. Skills for knowing triggers of anxiety or anger can be taught and finding the confidence to act courageously when necessary, are also an important part of a young person’s resilience ‘tool kit’.
Through many areas of the curriculum, teachers can encourage their students to develop and try to live by our values such as Christlikeness, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, Cooperation and Acceptance of differences. Parents can reinforce and role model these situations and ideas at home, thus offering the child every opportunity to see resilience in action!
Looking forward to a wonderful term of doing your child’s education together.
Greetings
I take this opportunity to answer a regular question that I am asked, that being “Who will lead the school next year?”. The quick answer is “I will still be here”, however I would like to share the Board’s plans for a transition of leadership that we have every confidence will be good for all.
A little history to explain the journey to this consideration.
We opened the doors of Parklands Christian College in 2001 for just Primary students from Year 1 to Year 6. This gave us two years to prepare for high school starting with Year 8 in 2003.
Because of my previous involvement in Calvary Christian College at Townsville, I had made many friends who were leading schools throughout Queensland. As I approached the start of High School at Parklands, the Principal of Mackay Christian College, who is a good friend, brought a young male teacher down to visit me with recommendations that he would love the opportunity to pioneer the secondary part of our College.
His name was Gary Cully. History now shows that not only did he do a great job with that first class of students, but he established and led with distinction, a fully functioning secondary school. While he was teaching, he pioneered the Behaviour Education program, developed a Learning Enrichment program, pioneered the Missions program to Cambodia, established a management system in our school centred around Student Services. In his spare time he developed the gardens to what they are today.
I am sure this list could be added to in so many areas of the life of the school because he was everywhere making our school work. Throughout this time I was spending time talking about my experiences with him and directing him to training programs and involvement to the wider Christian School community to broaden his experience and prepare him for future leadership.
He was well aware that the opportunity to lead Parklands was simply a timing issue, and against this backdrop he led another Missions trip to Cambodia and during that trip he was approached by a Mission group to consider leaving the comfort of Australia and setting up a Vocational Education & Training School for disadvantaged young Filipino women in Cebu. After much consideration he said “yes”.
I honour Gary in this decision. In spite of all my plans, I could only share with him my own experiences of career plans being changed by the call of God on my life. I shared with him all the anxious times I had experienced because I said “yes” to these calls, because it meant leaving all my security and trusting God.
Gary and his family have established a wonderful Vocational Training School in Cebu, giving many girls healing, hope and a future. After almost 3 years of successful operations, its leadership is now being handed over to a local Filipino team who are eager and ready to take the reins. In the midst of this transition process, I contacted Gary to advise him that we were looking for a person to lead Parklands. He has agreed to join with me next year, in what can only be described as “the old team together again”, and over an undetermined time, I will help him understand all the things a Principal does.
It is something we have not set a time on; however I am keen to lessen my load to just helping around the school, and spend more time with our many grandchildren. Our sixteenth grandchild will be born in the next month.
God bless
Mr B
Bailey Muller volunteered at the PCYC community event (as part of his Active Volunteering hours) called Embrace today in Beenleigh. It’s a family fun run/obstacle race. He was so stoked to have met Jeff Horn (boxer) and got a pic with him.
The Year 10 Active Volunteering class participated in a practical activity of making meals for our family food bank freezer. These meals go out to families in our community in times of need. The students had a fabulous day and prepared a delicious meal.
This term the Year 12 Cert II Sport and Recreation students (Ella, Nathanial and Jasmine) have been planning training sessions and delivering them to other students every Friday. A huge thank you to their peers and all the Year 4 students who assisted them in achieving competency with their practical coaching tasks. The students participated with enthusiasm in a gym session, soccer, Oz tag and finishing off with a boot camp for the fittest of the bunch. A lot of fun was had by all!
Year 10 student, Zak, spent 5 days of his winter break attending the Junior Physics Odyssey at University of Queensland. JPhO is a five-day (non-residential) program for Year 10 students with an interest in physics, science and mathematics.
The program aims to develop students’ problem-solving skills as well as an appreciation and understanding of physics. By presenting physics in a format that complements Senior Physics, JPhO introduces students to the formal study of physics through lectures and tutorials, provides hands-on experience of physics through experiments and workshops in which to explore ideas in modern physics at forums as well as tours of research labs.
She’s coming! She’s coming! I can hear the roar of Aurora arriving!
Students and staff from the Secondary College are proud to invite you to our 2019 production, The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood. There will be three performances held over the 26th and 27th of July; Friday evening, Saturday matinee and Saturday evening. This performance is perfect for all ages – from the very young, to the young at heart.
This is the story of Sleeping Beauty that we all know and love – the beautiful princess tragically cursed to prick her finger and fall asleep for a hundred years – or is it? This particular princess is sick of being overprotected by her parents and seeks a life of adventure, away from her body guards and out of the dull kingdom where everything sharp has been banned. With only hours to go before the spell defaults, the wicked fairy and her sassy sidekick Broom, come up with a punning clan, sorry, a cunning plan. Throw in an ogre, a shark, a giant spider, some punk princesses, an intrepid prince and his faithful hound, and a cast of other amusing characters, and this hilarious performance promises to break any preconceptions of this fairytale that you might already have.
Over 60 students from Years 8-12 are involved in all aspects of this production; from onstage performance, to backstage and technical crew, hair and makeup, to set construction, painting and costuming. They have spent months preparing and are excited to showcase their talents and skills.
We would love for you and your family to join us on this side-splitting adventure. Tickets will be available for purchase soon.
Term 2 is counting down, and Year 1 have been discovering how learning can be fun as we continue to explore many new topics.
We took at break on May 22nd at 11am to read “Alpacas with Maracas”, along with the rest of the country for a special simultaneous reading event! The children loved the story and enjoyed participating in a few activities based on the story. It is so wonderful to see the students engage in various books so far this year. We are all getting to know our favourite stories and authors and get excited as we introduce more books into the classroom.
In the last few weeks of term we will be finishing off our units. We loved experimenting with food this term as we explored physical and chemical changes. We are also looking forward to our first excursion for the year to consolidate our HASS unit about Daily Lives, Past and Present. Look out for photos in the next newsletter!
Until next time!
Year 1 Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
It was wonderful to see our community join together at the College Fete, with not just staff, students and parents but also extended family, past students, community representatives, and families who visited Parklands for the first time. Personally, my Uncle and Aunt and my brother and his family were present for the event, which added an extra special dimension for me as I shared ‘my school’ with my family. It is ‘my school’ for all of us, isn’t it? Not just a job, not just where you send your kids, but the ‘my’ indicates that heart investment that we each have. And that heart was evident on Saturday, as warmth and friendliness were the dominant atmosphere.
Now though, we focus in on the remaining few weeks of the term, with all of the end of semester busyness well and truly underway. Our students are busy with their final assessment items for the semester, and we are very proud of how hard our students (and teachers!) work to give their best effort. Even when we’re at maximum busyness, we maintain our culture of care, with students and staff sharing smiles and “hello” as we pass each other. Small gestures such as this are encouraging indicators of the warm and caring climate within our Secondary College, which intentionally balances the academic pressures.
As students journey through Secondary, they learn valuable skills such as time management, breaking tasks into specific steps, collaborating with others and so on. This doesn’t always come easily though – learning these skills is part of growing up – so if your child needs help please encourage them to seek help from their classroom teacher, their pastoral care teacher, the Middle School or Senior College Coordinator (Mr Elvery/Mrs Wallis), an RTC facilitator or from a Learning Enrichment aide – we are all here to help young people! There is always someone to help.
Greetings
Since my last Newsletter, Australia has had the National Election and the result is a clear majority to the Liberal National Party. The Christian Schooling movement across Australia is very much at peace with this outcome. Parklands is a member of the National group of Christian Schooling, which is across many Church connected Schools, many Independent Schools with Christian in purpose, and across every State in Australia.
I was one of the founders of this Association when I was a much younger Principal leading Calvary Christian College in Townsville in the 1980s. I was very aware of my isolation, which resulted in many trips to Brisbane and Sydney, meeting with other school leaders, and this led to the formation of the two Christian Schooling groups, one at State level, and one at National level.
This National Group had its annual Conference in Canberra the week immediately after the Election. We were all very relieved with the outcome. There are many comments in the media seeking to explain the way Australia voted in this election. The information I am receiving from our National body is that Australians still have a core value in Christian purpose, and any attempt to remove these values will be resisted by the bulk of Australians.
There was much dis-information released in the lead up to the election, but our school group held to the stated position that we are schools serving our local communities without exclusions, but we do want to employ staff who hold to our values to provide the education consistent with our purpose.
We now watch with interest as the Government considers the Freedom of Religion as equal to other core social pillars of our Nation. Our local Member was Mr Bert VanManen, and he was elected with an increased vote.
On the Saturday just gone we held our school Fete. I acknowledge the tremendous effort of our Staff and our many Parents who turned up for a full day’s work on our Fete. It is a joy to share the journey with you all. Thank you so much for all your help in making Parklands the school that it is. We were overwhelmed with the attendance. Every carpark in the School, Church and Top House property was packed to capacity.
This event is the front door to our school and it allows many families to come and look around the school. Almost every enrolment enquiry comes from a Fete visit. We are aware that many want to come to our school, and we do all we can to provide space, however we also have significant debt from our big projects, being the Sports Centre, Vocational Education classrooms, and Hospitality Centre, and we must reduce this debt before we can plan our next set of buildings. I continue to do Enrolment interviews in every spare slot in my working week and have many more to do. There are many times when a gap will occur in a class outside of the Prep and Grade 7 entry points. We immediately offer these spots to students on the Waiting List. The opportunity of joining the school earlier than Grade 7 should be considered if the opportunity comes.
We are close to the end of the first Semester, and School Reports will be prepared and posted out during the holiday break.
The Senior Student calendar shows that it’s getting busy with many final assessments due prior to the Year 10 and 12 formal exam block next week. The Year 11 students also continue to work very hard this term, completing their assessments in class time, due to the structure of the new QCE system. Due to the demands of assessment, extra activities are being kept to a minimum, for the remainder of term. The following are some exciting reflections on recent undertakings in Senior.
In addition to school based news, we also enjoy acknowledging additional achievements by our students.
Congratulations to Katy Blackmore…Year 11.
In April, Katy received Gold in the Queensland State Taekwondo Championships, beating her opponent by a convincing 57-4. Recently, she attended state selections and will go forward to represent Queensland at Nationals as State Champion. Katy has won two (2) gold and one (1) bronze medal. We are proud to hear about her dedication and accomplishments – well done Katy!
On Friday Friday 24 May, Year 10 visited the Brisbane Careers & Employment Expo at the Convention Centre. The Expo is a leading careers, training and education event and offers the opportunity for students to connect with organisations for guidance, clarity and opportunities in relation to career options. The students were great fun, and showed much interest and enjoyment in the excursion. Well done Year 10.
Year 10 students have participated in a senior subject information session to learn about the new QCE system and to consult with Lead Teachers, Vocational teachers and industry experts about subject choices for Year 11. It was an exciting time for students thinking through their options for their future endeavours.
The Year 11 Food & Nutrition class have been working with their teacher, Mrs Hughes, on developing a product based on egg whites or egg yolks that would be suitable for sale at the markets. They have utilised their problem solving skills to explore, develop, and generate a solution to the problem they were presented. After trialling and experimentation, the students have produced some excellent products that would sell well at any markets. Well done students!
The Food and Nutrition class spent the day in the Cully Hospitality centre learning the basic principles of cheese making. They worked exceptionally well in their groups during the five and a half hour workshop that contained a mix of theory and practical work to produce Camembert cheese. The workshop relates to food chemistry concepts in the senior Food and Nutrition curriculum. The students will be entering the Royal Queensland Show’s (Ekka) Student Made Cheese Competition in June, after their cheese has matured. After making the cheese, the students are required to look after their cheese for six weeks before they are judged and the winners are awarded. This was a fantastic learning experience and we are very proud of how the Food and Nutrition students worked collaboratively to create safe and hygienic white mould cheese. We look forward to sharing the cheese with the students and their families early next term.
The students planned and prepared a meal for their current Year 12 teachers, under the guidance of their teacher, Mrs Furlonger. They worked extremely well collaborating, assisting each other and completing many tasks until the event was finalised. Thanks for the great effort, girls!
I hope you enjoyed the photos of some of our amazing Seniors.
We are praying for health and low stress levels during this busy time of assessment. Please remind your child that there are many before, during and after school workshops where their teachers are happy to provide some extra support.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, I would be very happy to meet and talk in person. Please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
I trust your child has a safe and blessed holiday break soon,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
What an incredible night of fun and laughter everyone had who came out and supported our Bush Dance! With over 300 people we kicked up our heels and danced along to the live entertainment, Beefa’s Bush Band. Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers and the year 10 volunteers. Without each and every one of you, the night wouldn’t have been the success it was! We also would like to thank Michelle and Sandra from the Coffee Club at Village Square at Browns Plains for always providing freshly brewed coffee at all of our events.
Woolworths Earn and Learn are off to a flying start, we have been receiving heaps of stickers and sticker sheets. You can drop your completed sheets or stickers in the collection box at Student Services or at or Park Ridge Woolworths collection box. Please remember to only use the official Woolworths Earn and Learn Sticker sheets and only fill the spaces provided. There are plenty of extra sheets available at Student Services. This promotion runs throughout the whole of this term so be sure to collect those stickers if you are doing your groceries at any of the Woolworths stores.
Why not come to one of our meetings and get to know our Friendlies team? We would love to meet some new families from our school! Our next meeting is at Jimboomba Maccas at 6.45pm on Friday 14th June 2019.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
Students from the Year 10 Active Volunteering class assisted with the annual Friendlies Bush Dance, held on campus on a balmy Saturday evening in May.
“It was such a pleasure having the Year 10 Active Volunteers with us last night. They all were a huge asset to our team. We had over 300 people at the Bush Dance and all the volunteers were fantastic at doing everything we required them to do and managed to also dance and join in the fun with lots of our younger students. They assisted with setup and all stayed for longer than was expected to help us tidy up. The Friendlies really appreciated their help”, said Mrs Angela Marsh, Friendlies Committee.
Thank you for a wonderful and enjoyable Term 2.
We have experienced many exciting and lovely events this term that have filled our Parkland’s experience with joy, fun and wonder – Profile Evening, Cross Country, Naplan, Yr 4 Camp Day, Team Games Day, incursions, excursions and normal school lessons.
NAPLAN TESTING
I must say the students seemed to be very well prepared, settled, calm and eager to write the tests this year. Some even commented they were, “Keen to see how well they are doing academically this year!” Thank you very much to the Year 3 and Grade 5 parents for assisting us in explaining the value and purpose of the testing as well as ensuring our students got a good night’s sleep, healthy breakfast and plenty of water during that testing week. A very BIG ‘Thank you’ also needs to go to the wonderful Yr 3 and 5 staff (Mrs. Abbot, Mr. Kennedy and Miss Strubin, Mrs. Pokorny) for the awesome work they have done to prepare the students this year for the tests! We now look forward to receiving the student reports and results later in the year.
UNIFORMS
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their track suit and jumper tops or even wearing non-school jumpers. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC, uniform store or check our website for photos and details. Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, water bottles and LUNCH box items are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
REPORTS
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ in the post at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon or Profile Night or has given you feedback on as to how your child has progressed this term.
On Wednesday 31st July, we have our Primary P/T Interviews up in the Function Room, where you can book an interview to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for more information and booking times and procedures!
Talking about the end of term – we only have a few more weeks of school left then we break up for the Winter Holidays on Friday 21st June and return for term 3 on Monday 15th July.
How to read a report card?
Reports cards can be long and confusing with school speak throughout them. Here I will explain:
You are looking for two things as you read each of the subject reports this will help you establish what your child’s strengths are and whether they are working to the best of their ability. Before looking for the A’s, B’s to E’s in the achievement section, read the Comment/s. Does the teacher say that your child is working to the best of their ability? Feedback from teachers is the key to improvement as it tells you and your child what they need to be working on – a way forward. Reports cards are one way of doing this.
Secondly, look at ‘Conduct’ statements as to how they are presenting / conducting themselves in all area of schooling.
2. How to involve your child in reading the report card?
The best thing to do is ask questions and get them to come up with how they think they went in the subject/term/semester. How did you think you went? Which results are you pleased with? What do you think was the cause of the result in this subject?
Rewards – We need our kids to do things and be self-directed, not because they will get into trouble or get a reward. “If they are focused on the outcomes (stickers,money, rewards) this leads to a loss of interest in process and an unhealthy need for approval of others” (Sue Roffey, www.wellbeingaustralia.com.au/wba/). We need to focus on intrinsic rewards such as life satisfaction, autonomy, task persistence, positive
social relationships, a love of learning and better performances.
appropriate for their age– autonomy not control.
Praise their: o Effort and persistence
o planning & organization
o engagement in learning
o seeking help & feedback
o problem solving
o decision making
FINDING THE OFF SWITCH WHEN KIDS WORRY
If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying then you’ll know how problems always seem bigger when you keep tossing them around in your head. It can seem like everything is stacked against you. When this happens you’ve got to find the off switch so you can get away from your worries for a while. The same principle holds for children and teenagers when they worry. Their problems just seem to get bigger and they need to turn them off or tone them down so they can ease their anxiety. There are eight easy-to-learn strategies that you can teach your kids to prevent them from ruminating – going
over the same thoughts and worries over and over again.
Kids get tunnel vision when they worry. They often can’t see the bigger picture. For instance, a young person
may fret over minor work matters such getting the exact font match for an assignment they are working on, and
neglect to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day. Sometimes it takes a wise adult to remind
children and young people about what really is important to them.
Placing attention away from worries is an age old technique for parents and teachers. Commonly known as
distraction, the act of focusing attention on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good
mental health. Examples of distractions include – going outside, playing a game, shooting some basketball hoops
or listening to music.
Somehow giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable. My favourite picture storybook
for toddlers ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof‘ by Hazel Edwards personifies fear of the dark as a friendly
hippo. Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.
Emily Fotek competed at State Clubs Championships at Gymnastics QLD and won Gold State Champion.
Emily then went on to represent QLD in Team Event at the Australian Championships held in Victoria on the 20th – 21st May 2019.
QLD Team Event in Level 8 she won Gold!!!!
Emily then competed in individual event and WON GOLD OVER ALL LEVEL 8 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION!!!!
Congratulations Emily, on this amazing achievement! Your dedication and commitment to training and competing has been outstanding!
Will Garlick with his silver medal and his coaches at the National Christian School Games.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back, adjust easily, or recover quickly from disappointment or difficulties. Some children are naturally more resilient due to their temperaments while others need guidance to help them develop this trait! Building resilience is a continual process that is a normal part of a child’s development. It requires adults to be supportive and empathetic as children experience opportunities to learn and grow. Here at Parklands we recognise that improving resiliency can enable students to respond more positively and adaptively within the school environment. From this recognition springs our Resilient ME+YOU+US program.
Resilient ME: a seven week after school program offered to Grade 4 to 6 students which focuses on the individual development of resiliency. Email jedwards@parklands.qld.edu.au for more details.
Resilient YOU: a Prep to Grade 6 classroom initiative which focuses on a topical friendship skill each week.
Resilient US: a night set aside during the Loving our Kids on Purpose course which focuses on equipping parents with the same language of resilience which students are hearing at school. You do not need to be attending the Loving our Kids on Purpose course to attend the Resilient US component. Email jcrawford@parklands.qld.edu.au for more details.
In addition we also offer our Learning for Life Prep to Grade 3 program, and Resilient Friends which is a once-off session focusing on improving social skills in a peer-related context.
Here’s some great articles on building resilience in your child:
https://psychcentral.com/lib/10-tips-for-raising-resilient-kids/
I was blessed to be able to attend a Student Wellbeing and Mental Health conference recently and hear the latest research and findings in relation to a myriad of concerns with growing up in a highly stimulated digital age.
At these conferences, I often hear phrases such as, ‘views more stimuli than previous generations’, ‘does not actively seek downtime away from digital stimulation and adrenaline addicting devices and activities’ and ‘are addicted to seeking the next exciting high.’ These comments really struck me, when on the train home I noticed that every person in my carriage had their eyes glued to a screen and headphones in, bad music loudly blaring through cheap headphones. They were indeed plugged into a variety of different stimuli and riding that over-stimulated adrenaline high.
I cast my eyes to my Year 7’s and how often I see what I call the ‘iPad finger itch’ occurring in class. Perhaps, they just ‘had’ to check the time on their iPad (a wall clock in every classroom), or they ‘had’ to straighten and caress their iPad while working in class. Students often want to jump straight to the technology aspect of a task, activity or assignment, instead of slowing down their process and planning out the way they want to attack the task and working step by step through a process. Perhaps you have seen similar at home. I certainly have with my nephew, who wants an iPad in the car with him to drive to the park that is just a few short kilometres away.
In this over-stimulated and adrenaline fueled time how can we help our teens zero in on their homework, revision work, assignments and prepare for upcoming examinations. Especially seeing that in a few short years they will be entering the workforce and expected to sustain extended periods of focus and regulate their work schedules to achieve their outcomes.
Answer your concerns. When you know you have a strategy to tackle a task, you have a plan of attack!
Students – Work on this with your parents! It’s so cool to know your parents are in your corner wanting to help you!
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
| June 19, 2019 | 10b Cert 1 Active Volunteering Incursion - Family Food Bank |
|---|---|
| June 19-21, 2019 | Year 10 Trade Taster Work Experience |
| June 20, 2019 | Grade 1 Hungry Caterpillar Play Performance |
| June 21, 2019 | Basketball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| June 21, 2019 | Netball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| June 21, 2019 | Oztag Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| June 21, 2019 | Soccer Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| July 18, 2019 | Year 11/12 Economics Excursion |
| July 18, 2019 | Year 12 Tech Students Nursery Road State Special School |
| July 23, 2019 | Senior Art Excursion - Logan Art Gallery/Berrinba wetlands |
| July 29, 2019 | Year 8 Geography Excursion - Gold Coast |
| July 30, 2019 | Year 11&12 excursion - Ignite Youth Careers Expo |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2019 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Greetings.
Once there was a time when all official items for the school community came through this Newsletter, and then Facebook was invented. I am aware that most who will read this Newsletter have a Facebook interaction. Last month, through a process of different communications to different audiences, the Facebook readers became aware that I was talking to Gary Cully about Parklands. So I thought I should try and clarify this for the school community.
Next week I celebrate the start of my 70th year of life. This means my 69th birthday. As I look back and reflect on those years I remember the adventures, the school days, the heartaches, my early days in the field of engineering, and the journey in leading two Christian Schools. I have had a wonderful life. In reflecting on this, I see two things that have clearly guided my life to this point. They are “saying yes” to the call of God when those moments came, and learning to trust God and allow Him to change me during very difficult times in my life.
I am now very aware that “age does weary us”. I used to run 1hr 22min half marathons in my early forties, but at the last Cross Country day, I was unable to catch the little runner who did his best to beat me home. It is a delight for me to come to school and do the job that I love. However, it is only an interim role as I move slowly but surely towards old age. I am still young at heart, but l know I am not as sharp as I used to be.
Many are now aware that I have been talking to Gary, who helped me build this school, starting with the role of teacher in the first Year 8 class and eventually becoming the Head of Secondary School. If all goes according to plan, he will join with me in the school from the start of 2020 to assist me in my role, and any further appointment would then be for the Board of the school to announce.
Another major event coming in the next few weeks is a National Election.
Independent schools are generally comfortable with what each potential government is prepared to offer in recurrent funding to assist families who chose an Independent School for their children. The issue of concern is more about the freedoms we enjoy in this country. We have all seen campaigns over our lifetime to give all citizens in Australia equality as stated in the rules of the Nation. However, there are issues arising where people are wanting to reduce the freedoms enjoyed by a part of the community because of conflict with another issue. This is the case currently with Freedom of Religion as defined in a public utility such as a school.
We care for all in our school and this aligns with our Christian purpose, but we believe that a community of a Christian School needs to be able to select people who hold to both the value of teaching and the commitment to Christian purpose. We remain hopeful that both major parties will support this fundamental right.
The school continues to grow towards a full two stream from Prep to Yr 12. There is the continuing issue that most classes are full. Our full Primary classes coming through to transition to Secondary are giving little space for extra student intake. As we approach the start of 2020, we are advising enquiring families that many of our classes are full and additions can only come from gaps in existing classes. It should be noted that when gaps occur, we offer these to students on our Waiting List which means students are now coming into the upper grades of primary in preparation for secondary schooling at Parklands.
A school needs to be planned in land, resources, finance and education. This I have done carefully from its beginning to this time. There are two guiding principles that I have held to in building Parklands that come from my previous experience in Townsville.
The first is that big, crowded schools are not necessarily a good thing, and secondly, the senior school needs a variety of resources to allow students to achieve their potential. These must be in place to ensure continued growth in the senior years. We have the Resource Centre, Science Labs, Manual Arts, Music Centre and Sports fields. We recently added a large Sports Centre and a Hospitality Centre. Our future planning will include Drama and Engineering facilities. We continue to buy land when it becomes available.
Our next emerging project is to plan a three stream Primary School on the location of our first demountables. This will be a long drawn out process with several stages of development, and high demands on our finances. The end result will eventually be a three stream Primary then continuing into a three stream Secondary. This will allow us to have two medium sized parts to our school with each offering students the potential to develop their gifts and talents.
This is my dream for Parklands.
Mr B
Most house fires start in the kitchen, so remember:
If you are concerned about the fire risks in and around your home, call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) to book your free SafeHome visit or book online at www.qfes.qld.gov.au
embRACE_Signature Event 2019_Poster_A4_final
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2019 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
| May 2, 2019 | 9-12yrs old Primary Athletics Carnival |
|---|---|
| May 8, 2019 | Year 10 Elevate Education Presentation-Time Management |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 11 Elevate Education Presentation-Ace Your Exams |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 8 Elevate Education Presentation-Junior Time |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 11 & 12 Visual Art Exhibition 1 |
| May 21, 2019 | Year 4 CYC Excursion |
| May 24, 2019 | Year 10 Excursion-Brisbane Careers Expo |
| May 28, 2019 | Year 7 History Incursion-Living History |
| June 19, 2019 | 10b Cert 1 Active Volunteering Incursion - Family Food Bank |
| June 19-21, 2019 | Year 10 Trade Taster Work Experience |
| June 20, 2019 | Grade 1 Hungry Caterpillar Play Performance |
| June 21, 2019 | Basketball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| June 21, 2019 | Netball Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| June 21, 2019 | Oztag Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
| June 21, 2019 | Soccer Primary Interschool Sport Gala Day 3 |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Are you all ready for a night full of fun for the entire family…… The time has arrived for our annual Bush Dance, Saturday 18th May 2019 is the night you don’t want to miss! Be ready to kick up your heels with live entertainment with Beefa’s Bush Band. Sausage sizzle available to purchase from 5.30pm, and then from 6pm-8pm the live band will play. Admission is only $20 per family or $5 per person. (payable at the door on the night) Make sure you invite all your family and friends. Hope to see you there! Please note this is a non-alcoholic event and parent supervision is required.
Woolworths Earn and Learn Stickers has now begun! Such a fantastic program where the school receives so many valuable resources just from everyone who shops at Woolworths collecting the stickers and either filling up the official Woolworths sticker sheets and dropping them in the collection box at Student Services or at Park Ridge Woolworths collection box. You are also able to just drop your stickers into the collection boxes and we have helpers who are more than happy to place them on the official sticker sheets for you. There are also extra Woolworths Sticker Sheets available at Student Services. Please remember to only use the official Woolworths Earn and Learn Sticker sheets and only fill the spaces provided.
We do love to see new faces at our meetings, they are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our first Meeting for Term 2 will be on Friday 10th May at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Term 2 has got off to a great start with the beginning of Band rehearsals. Both the Give It A Go! Band & our new Wind Ensemble began rehearsals in Week 1 of Term 2, and the students are sounding amazing already! They’re all preparing for their first performances at the College Fete on Sat 1stJune, and we will be thrilled to present them to you.
Please make sure your child arrives at school at 7:20am on rehearsal days so they are ready to begin playing at 7:30. There is always setup to do at the beginning, and many hands make light work. There are chairs & stands to get ready, and they’re all part of the team.
All choirs are continuing to rehearse and are starting to sound wonderful. Secondary Choir meets on Friday 7:30 – 8:15am in S1, Primary Junior Choir rehearses from 7:45-8:15am on Wednesday, & Primary Senior Choir rehearses from 2:30-3:10pm also on Wednesday. New members are always welcome!
It’s never too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year programme for Year 5 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time.
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Thanks,
Alison Harbottle
Year 12 student, Emma, recently completed a Psychology Unit as part of the University of Southern Queensland’s University Headstart program. Mrs Wallis had the pleasure of attending Emma’s graduation at USQ Springfield campus.
As a University Head Start student, senior students may study one university subject during a semester, allowing students to start your university studies early. Most universities offer this pathway; students may enquire via the VET department of the school – vet@parklands.qld.edu.au.
Congratulations on an outstanding achievement, Emma!
As part of the Certificate I in Active Volunteering and the “Students as Active Volunteers Initiative” (SAAVI), the Year 10a students recently spent a morning cooking meals for the Parklands Food Bank. The Food Bank serves as a giving initiative for Parklands families in their time of need.
For more information regarding the Certificate I in Active Volunteering go to https://volunteeringqld.org.au/training/students-as-active-volunteers-initiative
The Year 10 Certificate I in Active Volunteering “Student of the Term” is selected for outstanding efforts and an amazing attitude towards their volunteering.
Miss Kayley Lane has been selected Student of the Term for Term 1. Kayley assisted the teachers and teacher aides with the 2019 Prep orientation day, the Back-to-School BBQ and assisted with the PCC LOKOP program over 4 weeks, assisting with childminding and delivering interactive activities to the siblings.
Kayley has now completed the required 20 hours of volunteering that contribute towards completion of the Certificate I Active Volunteering.
Congratulations Kayley – keep blessing those around you!
The Parkland’s values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect lead us to have the desire to be looking after the wellbeing of our students. The Student Care and Wellbeing team are there to provide the support, encouragement, gentleness, challenge and love that is required for our students to have a good and healthy wellbeing.
We do this in many different ways through programs, courses for parents, presentations, class room visits, individual sessions and referrals to outside services. We want the students to get the best information and understanding on the topics that affect them. Topics such as grief and loss, resilience, interacting with friends, dealing with circumstances of life, working with difficult people, showing honour, being a powerful person, demonstrating loving on purpose and dealing with conflict. These are normal life issues that we face and getting support and learning through these is the best way to be a powerful person.
We know that there will be times when there is conflict at school between people especially in the playground. Energy is high, competitive natures and differing opinions come out through the playing of sports and games in the breaks. It is good and healthy to have manageable levels of conflict in our lives. As children grow they require the conflict to be able to teach them new skills and understandings in working with people. This is healthy growth, but through this conflict (as we all know through our own experiences) people sometimes make mistakes and do not deal with conflict appropriately. So they need help to be able to learn the skills in respectfully dealing with conflict.
Knowing this, the Student Care and Wellbeing team is the safe place for students to come and learn from this conflict and the mistakes that they have made in their interactions with others. We encourage our students to inform us about an incident that may have occurred in the playground, so that all involved can get the appropriate support for their wellbeing and learning.
We appreciate your understanding of the college privacy restrictions which mean that we are not able to discuss with you the outcomes related to other students. This also means that your child’s involvement or information is protected from being discussed with others. We will however, advise you if there are any outcomes or actions relating to your child.
Please find the link to the policies relating to this topic –
https://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/3.60-Policy-Student-Bullying.pdf
https://parklands.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/3.22-Policy-Dispute-Resolution.pdf
Our values and tools of supporting students lead to positive resolutions of conflict. Through this process there are skills to learn for all the students involved. Skills that take repetition and time to learn. Yes, healthy resolution and communication through conflict feels like hard work. Every time they work through a conflict and learn from this experience with the appropriate support from the Student Care and Wellbeing team they are building the skills to be powerful people.
For some more great tips on the communication and dealing with conflict check out Danny Silk’s Blog – Learning how to fight fair. http://www.lovingonpurpose.com/blog/learning-how-to-fight-fair
Commitment and dedication are two things Emily Fotek demonstrates regularly in her passion of gymnastics. Every afternoon Emily leaves school early to make training on time and work on her routines. Over the Easter school holidays, Emily competed at the Queensland State Gymnastics Championships. The competition was held over 2 days where Emily finished 1st and was crowned Level 8 State Champion. She was also selected in the Queensland State Team to compete at the Australian National Championships in Melbourne May 20th-24th. Congratulations on your selection Emily, and all the best for the Nationals.
In week 2 the college held their annual 9-12yrs and 13-18yrs Track + Field carnivals.
This is always a great opportunity for the students to show their house colours and support each other as they compete in a number of events throughout the day.
The 13-18yrs carnival was won by Joshua 1897 points, defeating Samuel on 1705.
The 9-12yrs canirval was a tight finish with all students competing for their house. Samuel won the day on 1303 points, defeating Joshua on 1281 points.
The 2 carnivals were great days and we thank all staff, volunteers and students for making it one to remember. Congratulations to all the age champions on a huge effort across all events.
9yrs
Emmy Campbell
Lachlan Mane
10yrs
Hayley Thomson
Ashtyn Jackson
11yrs
Georgia Holland
Justin Hunt
12yrs
Ella Leau
Zac Hollenberg
13yrs
Jacinta Hicks
Hudson Hunt
14yrs
Zac Brown
Charlise Sargeant
15yrs
Dallas Hudson
Tommy Patton
16yrs
Charlotte Lee
David Martinez
Opens
Bianca Dikanovic
Shem Jackson
Mondays- Cardio and Cross Country Training- 7:30-8:15am on Top Oval
Fridays- Athletics- 7:30- 8:15am in Top Oval
Boys Years 3 to 6 Rugby League Training – Tuesday 2:30-3:20pm
Term Two is such a busy term in the life of a school with a lot of excursions, incursions, sporting opportunities, the Arts department fiercely rehearsing an upcoming production and Duke of Edinburgh students preparing for their first overnight hike in May.
Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in a school academic year, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month. (“Attendance Matters,” 2018).
Regular school attendance allows your child to:
– Cement learning and understanding
– Connect with their classroom teacher daily, building a relationship of trust and academic integrity
– Receive support with learning, assessment and projects
– Involved themselves in specialist subjects (the arts, sport, design technology and digital technologies)
– Connect with their peers face to face, rather than via other forms of media
– Practice and master organisational and timetabling skills that will be used in further studies and the workplace.
If your child is absent for a day, please ensure that Students Services is contacted. Encourage your child to contact the teachers for the subjects they missed that day so they can complete the classwork. Alternatively, they can check the subject websites (all students know how to do this) to see the content and lessons they missed.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| 7a | Academic | Academic | Sport | Sport | Academic |
| 7b | Academic | Academic | Sport | Academic | Sport |
| 7c | Academic | Academic | Sport | Sport | Academic |
Public Holiday Anzac Day: Thursday 25th April
Secondary Athletics Carnival: Wednesday 1st May
9-12yrs old Primary Athletics Carnival: Thursday 2nd May
Public Holiday Labour Day: Monday 6th May
Secondary Profile Evening: Tuesday 7th May
Years 7 & 9 Naplan: Tuesday 14th , Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th May
Welcome back to Term 2!
We have hit the ground running in Year 1 and everyone was excited to catch up with friends and share all about our holidays. We also had the opportunity to watch a beautiful puppet theatre show about life in the reef! It was wonderful.
As always, in Term 2, we will have a heavy focus on literacy. We are learning about Recounts in English and will be extending our knowledge and use of reading strategies to help us become remarkable readers!
We are continuing our unit on Past and Present in HASS and Science is going to see us participating in some cool experiments as we learn about Physical and Chemical Changes.
Can’t wait to see what term 2 has in store for us!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
At the beginning of this term, Year 5 visited the Caboolture Historical Village. This trip helped the students to go back in time to over one hundred years ago, where they experienced aspects of school and life in that era. The students participated in four activities and were immersed in life during the colonial time. The eye opening job of washing without a machine, making machinery and tools without electricity and only the skills of a blacksmith, gem sieving and the life of a lone bush ranger, amongst many other elements, really engaged the students. The day took them on a journey of life over a century ago whilst comparing it to their everyday lives today. It was a day thoroughly enjoyed by all!
“The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008.
A reminder we have our annual Year 3 & 5 National Testing again this term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the various tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Year 3 & 5 parent please provide their child with a good breakfast and ensure they are at school on time these days:
• Tuesday 14th May — Language conventions & Writing
• Wednesday 15th May — Reading
• Thursday 16th May — Numeracy
• Friday 17th May — Catch-up tests for students absent on 14, 15 or 16th May.
Please remember that NAPLAN results are only a ‘snap shot’ and not a full, true reflection of your child’s academic performance! It would be best to look at the NAPLAN results in consultation with the Term 2 report results and the teacher’s comments from their interview.
If you don’t wish for your child to do the NAPLAN Testing, please feel free to contact Mrs. Jo Anderson – in the Learning Enrichment Department.
We have enjoyed wonderful times in Chapel, now on a Tuesday afternoon. It’s been great to see so many parents and grandparents joining us as we listen to memory verses, sing a couple of songs, hear a story from Mr. B and esteem our ‘student of the week and awardees’. I can honestly say that Chapels are the highlight of my week!
A very big “Thank you” needs to go out to all the amazing people who have made Chapel possible each week: Mr. Holman, Mrs. Bazley and Patane for the IT / lighting and sound, Mr. Baskerville for his words of wisdom, teachers and students for leading song worship, Miss Rachel Baskerville & Strubin for the announcing awards, Mrs. Lowe for doing up the award power point slides, teachers attending to the classes and staff and parents preparing the students for their memory verse. Without everyone playing their part, Chapels would not be as enjoyable as they are, Thank you!
Can I please take this opportunity to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
Class Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, process or procedure, behaviour, calendar events etc. that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call.
– If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
Specialist lessons (HPE – Mr. Lewis, Music – Mrs. Patane, Art – Mrs. Bazley, Library – Mrs. Bayer or
Student Services – Mrs. Oxley, Mrs. Swinn or
RTC – Ms. Godwin, Mr.Crawford, Mrs. Broughton, Miss Robinson or
LE – Mrs. Jo Anderson
If you don’t get resolve or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher, would you kindly then contact myself, Grant Jakins through Student Services?
A big ‘Thank you’ to all those parents that took the opportunity to visit classrooms to see their child’s profile and took extra time to catch up with teachers on the Profile Preview afternoon. This assisted to reduce the set interview process on our formal Profile Evening!
If you haven’t as yet met with your child’s teacher and still wish to do so, please make an appointment to see them at a mutually agreed upon time.
A reminder to please slow down (20klm) and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the Prep area and pedestrian crossing! Students have been reminded to stop, look right, left and right before walking over the crossing but can I ask that you take it for granted, that they will not do the correct thing. Please also remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage.
A big Thank YOU to Mrs. Ann Schatkowski who does an amazing job keeping everyone safe when using the pedestrian crossing!
Learning isn’t bound by the school gates. Research indicates that ongoing parental involvement in children’s learning reaps benefits in many ways, including shaping positive attitudes to learning and supporting student achievement. Finding practical ideas for parents to engage in learning in a way that is fun and purposeful takes time that classroom teachers don’t always have.
Learning Potential Resources can help. This parent-friendly website is free to access and provides a range of literacy and numeracy activities designed to support the Australian Curriculum for primary school children.
Browse by year level band and discover:
• Everyday ideas – simple activities for home and out and about
• Practise together – offline activities to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills
• Practise online – interactive games and videos.
Enjoy the time spent learning and having fun together.
What a term, it is a surreal feeling that we are already heading into the school holiday break. As we enter the break time, I thought it would be nice to share some of what the Seniors have been working on. It has been a productive and solid start to the year.
Year 12 have commenced their final year strongly by setting up good study habits and generally organising themselves well to achieve their goals for this year. Further work has been completed on familiarizing themselves more with QCS Test preparation, for later this year. We have also had many of the Year 12 sign up into traineeships and apprenticeships, working hard to balance their senior studies with employment opportunities. We are proud of the way Year 12s have started the year and pray they find their pace and also have some fun this year.
Year 11 has focused on developing a sound work ethic and life balance by discussing how to have good study habits, how to organise themselves and how to set and achieve their goals. We are proud of how the Year 11 students have started the new QCE system this year. Below are some photos of a variety of classes, more sharing of other classes will come. Well done to all the Year 11’s on their start to the year.
Year 10 have focused on investigating the world of work, jobs they are most suited to, and how to find and prepare for employment opportunities. They have been guided towards growing into young adults, whilst exploring their God given strengths and talents for future career opportunities. As part of their Senior College experience, students have had two sessions with Mrs Hudson and Mrs Wallis on SET Planning (Senior Education and Training Plan). Year 10 families are invited to make a booking, through the profile evening booking page, to discuss their child’s thoughts on senior school subjects, and thoughts at this stage for future work and study opportunities.
If your child needs more assistance with study and school work or subject choices and pathways, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s pastoral care teachers, the classroom teachers or myself.
I am available through Student Services or via email: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Richest blessings and a safe and blessed Easter time,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
In Visual Arts in Practice, students have been learning acrylic and spray painting techniques including blending, colour mixing and stencilling. They are currently working on a collaborative mural on the exterior art room wall. Next term they will apply these skills to design and paint the sets for the College play.
The Year 11 Visual Art class is experimenting with colour and repetition in an installation… in the art room. The unit they are studying is Art as Code, and investigating the colour codes and effect created with the interplay of natural colours in man made repetition (the windows).
While the experiment pictured is the ‘repetition’ focus, there have been many focus areas, where students have learnt about relevant contemporary artists and conducted their own experiments. They then choose one experiment to extend upon for a final resolved work for this unit.
Year 11 Biology have been very busy in Term 1! They are currently designing and conducting their own investigations, using the theory and practicals we have covered from Unit 1 materials about cells and multicellular organisms. Their experiments are really thoughtful and interesting, looking forward to their results and analysis!
In the Chemistry class, Year 11 students are carrying out their experiments for their assessment. Their experiments are focused on investigating the effect of temperature and concentration on the rate of a chemical reaction. One group, chose to investigate the effect of pH on the solubility of a compound.
In Essential Mathematics, students are cooking the recipe they chose in order to complete their Maths assignment. They are using ratios and rates to calculate the quantities and cost of ingredients for a dinner party of 50 people.
The KRANK program runs from Saturday 6 April to Thursday 18 April with plenty of free or low cost activities on offer for Logan kids aged 5-17 years. Bookings can be made by contacting the activity provider listed.
Woolworths Cricket Blast School Holiday Flyer A4 (Logan)
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is running vacation care over the Easter holiday period including Friday 5th April. The service will be operating from 6.30am-6pm daily. We currently have limited spots available for care during this time period. Should you wish to utilize our services over the vacation care period please contact us on 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com to discuss availability, or alternatively pop in to see us in the prep building area.
Children will be able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests and the Vacation Care Program.
We look forward to assisting with all your Vacation Care needs.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
| April 1, 2019 | Year 2 It's Rocket Science Incursion |
|---|---|
| April 1, 2019 | Year 7 FTT Boomerang Bag Incursion |
| April 4, 2019 | Year 11 Excursion Future Filmmakers Seminar |
| April 24, 2019 | Whole College ANZAC Day Service |
| April 30, 2019 | College Photo Day |
| May 2, 2019 | 9-12yrs old Primary Athletics Carnival |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 10 Elevate Education Presentation-Time Management |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 11 Elevate Education Presentation-Ace Your Exams |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 8 Elevate Education Presentation-Junior Time |
| May 8, 2019 | Year 11 & 12 Visual Art Exhibition 1 |
| May 21, 2019 | Year 4 CYC Excursion |
| May 24, 2019 | Year 10 Excursion-Brisbane Careers Expo |
| May 28, 2019 | Year 7 History Incursion-Living History |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Coming up next month we have our annual Bush Dance with live entertainment – Beefa’s Bush Band. Lock this date into your calendar now… Saturday, May 18! Sausage sizzle available to purchase from 5.30pm, and then from 6pm-8pm the live band will play. A night filled with lots of kicking up those heels and having fun for the entire family! Admission is only $20 per family or $5 per person. (payable at the door on the night) Please note this is a non-alcoholic event and parent supervision is required.
Woolworths Earn and Learn Stickers are back! This is a fantastic program where the school receives so many valuable resources just from everyone who shops at Woolworths collecting the stickers and either filling up the official Woolworths sticker sheets and dropping them in the collection box at Student Services or at Park Ridge Woolworths collection box. You are also able to just drop your stickers into the collection boxes and we have helpers who are more than happy to place them on the official sticker sheets for you. There are also extra Woolworths Sticker Sheets available at Student Services.
Whether you are staying home or going away over the Easter break, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very safe and relaxing Easter. Looking forward to seeing you all next term.
The Friendlies do not have a meeting over the school holidays so due to the Easter break our next Meeting will be on Friday 10th May at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas. We do love to see new faces at our meetings, they are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
As Term 1 finishes, we are pleased to hear a lot of joyful noise coming from all our Instrumental Music students. All lessons are now underway, and all the students are learning new things & making good progress. It’s such a joy to see their worlds expanding, and to see the joy on their faces when they learn something new.
The next exciting thing in Term 2 will be the start of Band rehearsals. Both the Give It A Go! Band & our new Wind Ensemble will begin rehearsals in Week 1 of Term 2, and parents should have received email notification of rehearsal times & venues by now. They are as follows:
Give It A Go! Band: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am, Student Services Function Room
ALL STUDENTS BRING: Instrument & book
Wind Ensemble: Wednesday 7:30-8:15am, Music Centre Studio
ALL STUDENTS BRING: Instrument & display folder
Please make sure your child arrives at school at 7:20am so they are ready to begin playing at 7:30. There is always setup to do at the beginning, and many hands make light work. The first rehearsal is on Wednesday 24th April.
All choirs are continuing to rehearse and are starting to sound wonderful. Secondary Choir meets on Friday 7:30 – 8:20am in S1, Primary Junior Choir rehearses from 7:45-8:15am on Wednesday, & Primary Senior Choir rehearses from 2:30-3:10pm also on Wednesday. New members are always welcome!
It’s never too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year programme for Year 5 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time.
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Thanks,
Alison Harbottle
In some trade areas employers are more likely to take on an apprentice who has a driver’s licence. This is especially true in the construction industry where there are multiple and changing worksites. Having to depend on parents and/or public transport to get to the worksite may not be practical or even possible.
If you are interested in applying for an apprenticeship, especially in the construction industry, consider applying for your learner licence when you become eligible (16 years of age). Once you turn 17, have 100 hours or more of supervised driving experience and pass the practical driving test, you will be issued a provisional licence. This licence allows you to drive unsupervised. Visit the Department of Transport and Main Roads website to find out more about obtaining a driver’s licence.
Concentration is the ability to focus and control your attention. Some people seem to be born with it, the rest of us have to learn how to do it. The good news is that anyone can improve his/her ability to concentrate. The following are strategies to help you get there.
Make sure you get plenty of sleep. It is difficult to concentrate when you are tired. Regular exercise and healthy eating are also important.
Set realistic and specific study goals for yourself (e.g. I will go up one grade in English next exam)
Develop regular habits of study – same desk, same time, etc
Work in a place that is free of distractions (in front of the TV is probably not the best place!). De-cluttering your desk will help too
When you sit down to study, make a plan of what you want to achieve that session and cross off items as you complete them
Begin working immediately – don’t wait for inspiration
Attend to one thing at a time
When you start to lose focus, get up and take a walk
There are a number of Careers and Employment Expos around Queensland in 2019. The Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo is a leading careers, training and education event in Queensland. The event offers the opportunity for students, job seekers and career changers of all ages to connect with organisations for guidance, and opportunities in relation to career and the events pages below:
Upcoming Events:
20/07/0201 to 21/07/2019
Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO) and QLD Work Skills and Career Expo
Brisbane
15/05/2019 to 16/05/2019
Gold Coast Careers Festival
Gold Coast
23/05/2019
Cairns Youth & Careers Expo
Cairns
24/05/2019 to 25/05/2019
Brisbane Careers & Employment Expo
Brisbane
23/07/2019
Sunshine Coast Daily Careers Expo
Sunshine Coast
05/08/2019
Townsville Careers Expo
Townsville
Tafe Queensland provides opportunities for future students to see and experience their campuses and courses through specific information sessions, open days, career expos and industry networking events. As event dates become available information will be provided in the future bulletins.
It is highly recommended to attend an open day event at the university (or universities) you wish to apply to for studies next year. The open day gives you an opportunity to talk to lecturers and current students about the courses you are interested in. You can also check out the campus, the support services offered and social and cultural activities available. Open days usually occur between July and early September each year.
The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation provides scholarships that enable Indigenous students in financial need to attend leading Australian schools and universities. The program is founded on the belief that students will have the greatest chance of succeeding at school if the decision to enrol is one made by the family and the student in conjunction with the school.
Indigenous Accountants Australia is a combined network of the major accounting bodies in Australia – CPA Australia and the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. They raise awareness of the benefits of accounting within Indigenous communities and connect Indigenous students to careers in the business world. Together they work with some of the major employers in the business world to promote accounting as a profession and offer support to all Indigenous students undertaking business, finance and accounting studies.
To find out more, visit the website.
Katie-Leigh Paulsen
Senior Occupational Therapist
In Sync Kids OT are located in the Ark room at Parklands. In Sync Kids aim to make every child successful at being a kid by nurturing their foundational skills, encouraging confidence and increasing independence at school and home.
Occupational Therapy can assist children who experience: difficulties with self-regulation and attention, poor coping and participation in the classroom, delays in gross motor (sports) or fine motor skills (handwriting), challenges with visual tracking or visual perceptual skills and social/emotional difficulties.
Contact Katie to discuss to enquire about occupational therapy services for your child on 0424142404 or email Katie-leigh.paulsen@insynckidsot.com.
You can also check out the website www.insynckidsot.com more information.
A student’s speech, language & communication skills form the foundation for all learning at school.
Does your child experience difficulties in any of the following areas?
If so, it may be the result of an underlying Speech and Language difficulty. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice. Speech Pathologists assess and provide life-improving treatment, support and care.
Michelle Sparg is an independent, mobile, private, certified practicing Speech Pathologist with over 23 years of generalised & highly specialist Speech Pathology experience having worked very successfully with Kindy, Primary & High School students across many varied contexts in 3 countries.
Michelle is in her 8th year of working successfully at our school alongside students, parents, teachers & learning support staff to maximise learning potential within the classroom.
Assessment & therapy are offered at school within school hours. It is convenient for busy parents as well as for students who can be seen during school hours when they are not too tired to learn.
Therapy goals are planned according to the student’s current strengths and needs in the light of their current curriculum demands in collaboration with school staff.
For further information on this highly valued service currently offered at our school, please contact:
Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435 492 716.
Greetings to you and your family! My name is Gayle Moore and I am a counselling psychologist, registered with AHPRA. I am pleased to offer my services one day a week at your school to help your child with difficulties and challenges that may be impacting their mental health.
The types of issues I typically help children and adolescents with include: managing anxiety or low mood, improving social functioning with peers, finding constructive ways to deal with stress, adjusting to new family situations, assertiveness around conflict, increasing resilience and self-esteem, addressing self-harming or suicidal thoughts, and creating healthy boundaries both online and in real life.
What we work on depends very much on the experiences, thoughts and emotions that your child brings on the day, as well as their age and developmental stage. In the first session we ascertain what the goals of therapy are, both for the child and for the parent, and work together to build a plan on how to achieve these goals. I always approach these goals with a focus on empowering your child to believe that they can succeed, and so that they feel like they have a strong voice in this process. We use expressive ways for your child to address their challenges, including the use of role plays (for example, when trying out assertive responses), as well as play therapy, games around understanding emotions, and the use of imagination in relaxation and emotion regulation. My approach is to engage your child creatively so that they can generate helpful thought processes and understand their emotions in a way that makes it easy for them to remember what they have learnt. There will also be sessions where children prefer to ‘just talk’ and ‘let it all out’, and times for quiet reflective listening. Depending on the age of your child, I would encourage you to talk with them about what they have learnt or spoken of, with respect for greater independence and privacy in the older grades.
Please contact me on gayle@grace-psychology.com.au or 0430 515 527 to request further information and a registration pack. Wishing you all the best for 2019!
We have some big news to share… the Cully Family will be returning to Australia at the end of this year!
As we make plans to leave Cebu, we feel sad to say goodbye to somewhere that has so thoroughly become our home. Our time here has been precious to our entire family and we will miss Cebu and the friends we have made here very much. It has been an honour and privilege to serve with Bloom, and we trust God will continue to bless this vital ministry long into the future. In January 2020, I will be returning to Parklands Christian College to work with the Principal of the College to see it continue to be a significant ministry in Logan City. It is another ministry that I love and enjoyed being a part of for 14 years. I never really anticipated returning to Parklands, however, the opportunity to return to be a part of the leadership team at Parklands has been offered to me, and for a range of reasons we believe the timing is right to return to Australia. At this stage Hannah is yet to decide what she will be doing when back in Australia, and is considering her employment options and direction.
We leave Bloom Cebu in very capable hands, and are very proud of our competent, professional and compassionate leadership team. The Bloom Leaders have been a true God-send to our organisation, and an amazing blessing to us personally. They are our colleagues and our friends, and we will miss them dearly. We have every confidence that this team will be able to run Bloom and care for its beneficiaries with care and compassion and they have our full support and encouragement to shape Bloom into all that God would want it to become. To this end, I would like to announce the appointment of Miss. Ivy Aloy, as the new General Manager of Bloom Cebu. We want to train, equip and transition Ivy to General Manager throughout the second half of the year and see her functioning as GM prior to our departure. We are delighted that she has humbly accepted this position, and look forward to helping her prepare for this role.
As I look back over the past 3 years, I have seen God work in my life, and the life of my family, developing in us a love for His people and a commitment to serve. We have been stretched, challenged and blessed beyond our wildest dreams, and we return to Australia changed. Hannah and I have particularly enjoyed our learning journey as managers, educators, counsellors and sometimes-parents of our Bloom beneficiaries. These precious girls who we came here to serve have left an indelible mark on our lives and has taught us so much about life and its challenges. Above all else, we will miss them and our Bloom leaders, yet we know that even though we may be many miles apart, we are uniquely family now and share a bond that will last a life time.
Thank you to our supporters at Parklands who have kept us here serving in Cebu, we couldn’t have done it without you. We remain ever thankful for your generosity in prayer, encouragement and in financial giving, we are truly humbled by your faith and belief in us, and we love and appreciate you all. As we navigate the rest of the year, we look forward to sharing more of our stories. Keep praying for our ministry in Cebu and the exciting things God is doing through Bloom.
Term one is such a busy term.
Students are getting use to a new format of schooling, carrying their books for each session with them, different and exciting teachers, new subjects, new classrooms, new friends and new academic content and assessment methods.
At the beginning of the term the Year 7’s were encouraged to set achievable goals for this term. Their goals could be related to organisation: academic achievement; engagement with classes; setting a mindset of learning; being mentally prepared for class; or they could work towards a personal goal to develop firm friendships; meet new people or interact with their peers and staff positively. Now that term has come to an end, I encourage you to talk with your child about their established goals and ask:
Helping you child establish their learning goals for next term is such a powerful tool in being able to engage with their learning and help them feel and know that you back them and want to achieve success with them.
I love reading and most flat surfaces in our house are littered with books, both fiction and non-fiction, that I am planning too or currently reading.
I encourage you to continue to inspire and encourage your child to read during this holiday break. Have siblings read to each other aloud, have your child read to you whilst making dinner or driving.
Whilst reading you could ask your child the following questions to help make reading an ‘active’ skill rather than passively reading the words on the page. Active readers engage with texts, the concepts and ideas behind the page and comprehend what they are reading.
Ask
I wish you and your family a safe and happy Easter break.
Lord, the resurrection of Your Son
has given us new life and renewed hope.
Help us to live as new people
in pursuit of the Christian ideal.
Grant us wisdom to know what we must do,
the will to want to do it,
the courage to undertake it,
the perseverance to continue to do it,
and the strength to complete it.
Colour Weave Collaboration at the Museum of Brisbane – Sat 6 April
Add your own weave to our collaborative artwork installation for a fun creative experience the whole family will enjoy. Inspired by the designs and pattern making techniques in The Designers’ Guide: Easton Pearson Archive, this paper weaving project enables all ages to connect and share in the joy of making. https://www.familiesmagazine.com.au/event/colour-weave-collaboration-brisbane/2019-04-06/
The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard | New Farm – Sat 13 April
Whilst this is not on the Southside – it is worth the trip! The Lord Mayor’s Children’s Concerts are a new series of fun and engaging free performances taking place during school holidays! When a boy jumps the fence to retrieve his rogue soccer ball, he unwillingly finds himself on the stage of the world’s most famous theatre with The Bard by his side. What follows is pure midsummer magic framed by a whimsical chase through the streets of Elizabethan London. The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, https://www.familiesmagazine.com.au/event/the-boy-the-bear-the-baron-the-bard-new-farm/
Ukulele for Beginners at the Logan Library
Have you ever dreamed of learning the ukulele? If so, join us for a free hands-on workshop. Suitable for ages eight and over. https://loganlibraries.org/whats-on/event/ukulele-for-beginners/
Green Screen & Action Figures at the Logan Library
Create your own pocket-sized animation studio with pipe-cleaner action figures and pocket green screen. Learn how to use some free apps for easy animation. https://loganlibraries.org/whats-on/event/green-screens-and-action-figures/
Performing Arts Classes with NIDA
NIDA Open is inviting children and young people to put their imagination into action over the autumn holidays, with performing arts classes designed to excite and inspire.
https://www.brisbanekids.com.au/family/fly-trapeze-learn-circus-circus-arts-school-holiday-program/
Griffith Sports School Holiday Program
The Griffith Sport Active Kids School Holiday program is designed to show your kids all the different ways they can keep active plus teach them some pretty cool skills along the way. https://www.brisbanekids.com.au/family/griffith-sports-school-holiday-program/
Brisbane City Football Club Holiday Clinic
All clinics are full of exciting football games, technical exercises, competitions and small sided matches/tournaments, run by our Youth & Academy Football Director – David Minnis.
https://www.brisbanekids.com.au/family/soccer-clinic-school-holidays/
We cannot believe that we have completed our first 10 weeks in Year One! We have already learned so much and have all worked hard to keep up with our busy daily routine.
This term was all about routines and relationships – getting to know our teachers, getting to know our friends and learning to manage ourselves in various situations. While doing all these things, the children have also been stretching and growing their brains as we focused on reading, writing, math and all other learning areas.
We have experienced working in different situations, such as, whole class, groups, partners and sometimes by ourselves.
A highlight over the last few weeks has been creating our habitat dioramas! The children have loved getting ‘crafty’ and can’t wait to bring home their creations at the end of term.
We pray everyone has a wonderful holiday break and a most blessed Easter as we remember all that Jesus has done for us!
Happy Easter from all of us. Looking forward to a fruitful term 2!
This term the Year 2 classes have been learning about Forces and Transportation. All of which culminated into a fun morning of Rocket Science. In English we have been learning about rhyming poetry. The students did a fantastic job on their poetry presentations. They have also been building their critical thinking skills in Design and Technology with the creation of a ‘Balloon Powered Car’. The students enjoyed their swimming lessons throughout the heat of the summer and trained hard for their Cross Country run. This year we have added Touch Typing to the curriculum which has been a big hit with most of the students enjoying their lessons. Along with more access to technology came the important lessons on Internet Safety. Year 2 excelled at leading the whole primary school in worship at Chapel. It has been a wonderful start to the year. We wish you all a safe and blessed Easter Holiday and look forward to seeing you all return for Term 2.
Wow! What an amazing term 1 we have had in Year 3. This term we looked at what life was like in the ‘olden days’ in Logan and compared photographs of then and now to see the similarities and differences. The highlight of this term for the students was our excursion to the Beenleigh Historical Village. This excursion allowed the students to understand what it was like to live in the Logan area in the ‘olden days’. The students got to experience washing using a washboard, what school was like when their great-grandparents were in school, timber cutting and life as a fire fighter.
We hope that you all have a safe and fun Easter break.
Mrs Abbot, Mr Kennedy and Mrs Kissick
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 30th April, 2019
Your photo order envelopes were sent home via your child week beginning Monday 25 March. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
For any enquiries, please feel free to contact MSP Photography 3848 3946 or email admin.seq@msp.com.au
This year, as part of the College Fete, the Art Department held an Exhibition and Art Competition. In the week leading up to the display, a panel of three judges decided which works would be awarded winning prizes and encouragement awards, according to skill and how well the exhibition theme ‘Interconnected’ was expressed. Lesley Nicholson from Logan Art Gallery was our guest panellist, together with Kaela McNamara and Jhoanna Tagaro.
Prizes were awarded as follows:
Additionally, Fete-goers had the opportunity to vote for their favourite artwork in the People’s Choice Award, which was tallied by 3pm. The winner of the People’s Choice Award was Emily O’Callaghan (Year 6). All winners received certificates and art supplies donated by Eckersley’s Arts and Crafts. Some works were also sold via silent auction throughout the Fete. Congratulations to all winners!
Sr Monique Singh
The Year 7’s at Parklands were blessed to have Living History Australia come and present a day where history came to life!
The students were able to immerse themselves in the world of Ancient Rome, becoming senators, servants, noble men and women and a few were even cast in the roles of slaves and gladiators.
After a stimulated and engaging presentation the students were able to touch and handle many secondary sources replicas and reproduction items from a variety of eras.
The afternoon was active and one with gladiatorial combat (with foam swords and a special appearance from Miss Grounds), Celtic wrestling, Roman legionary marching and Greek Olympic Games all occurring.
Year 7 are congratulated on their respectful and polite behavior during the day.
A. Braun, Mrs. A. Harder, Mrs. D. Braybrooke and Mrs. C. Burns
Zenith Club warmly invites secondary students to participate in an afternoon STUDY club which promotes a welcoming and ENRICHING learning environment. Here you can access PERSONALISED HELP from teachers, a quiet space to study as well as perfect place for COLLABORATE with peers.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We have experienced students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC or check our website for details.
Please ensure that ALL uniform items, water bottles and lunchboxes are clearly labeled you’re your child’s name.
Sports Uniform Prep – Year 6:
Average sizing (generally speaking) is size number per age (a 6 year old is usually fitted with a size 6, an 8 year old size 8 etc.) Polo shirts must be long enough to cover hips when arms are raised.
Sports Shorts must be of modest length (not too short).
Girls Primary Tunic/Dress Year 1 – 6 (Kids sizes 4 – 18)
Average sizing (generally speaking) is size number per age (a 6 year old is usually fitted with a size 6, an 8 year old size 8 etc.) up to size 18.
Length – should be on the knee and not be above the knee.
Boys Primary Uniform Years 1 – 6 (Kids sizes 4 – 18)
Average sizing (generally speaking) is size number per age (a 6 year old is usually fitted with a size 6, an 8 year old size 8 etc.) up to size 18.
Shirts must be long enough to cover hips when arms are raised.
Shorts must be of modest length (not too short).
“The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008. A reminder we have our annual Year 3 & 5 National Testing again next term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the various tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Year 3 & 5 parents please provide their child with a good breakfast and ensure they are at school on time these days:
Monday 29th April – 2.45pm to 4pm in your child/ren’s classroom. This time is used to view your child’s work, see their desk, tidy tray and ‘catch up’ with the teacher.
Tuesday 30th April – 2.45pm to 8.30pm in your child/ren’s classroom. Please ensure you book your 15 min time slot appointment on line.
What is behavior? Many people associate the word behaviour to “unwanted actions” such as “being naughty” or other similar negative meanings. The reality is we are all using behaviours all day every day. Behaviour is simply anything a person Does, Says, Thinks, Feels.
Whenever we are doing, saying, thinking or feeling something we would prefer not to, we can simply say “I am using a behaviour I would like to know how to change”.
You must also understand that wanted behaviours and unwanted behaviours cannot exist at exactly the same time. Thus, the more time we spend using wanted behaviours, the less time we have using unwanted behaviours. Putting it mathematically, our goal will be to:
INCREASE OUR USE OF WANTED BEHAVIOURS WHICH WILL IN TURN LEAVE LESS TIME AVAILABLE FOR UNWANTED BEHAVIOURS TO OCCUR
Lastly you must understand that successful behaviour change CANNOT occur unless we successfully understand the reason why the behaviour is occurring in the first place. That is, it must be understood that ALL BEHAVIOUR IS HAPPENING FOR A REASON. By acknowledging this reason, we are acknowledging that behaviour is not random and to successfully understand the reason, we must understand behaviour as a science. Do not judge behaviour; rather observe it as a person’s communication tool… a communication tool to tell us “something is going on they DO NOT feel equipped to manage”.
Our body is our biggest communicator and will be the first sign to tell us we are experiencing a tension. Learning to listen to the body is a science in itself but one that is ignored by many people. Give credit to the body and listen to it as it will be your biggest support in truly changing your unwanted behaviours. A body free of tension is soft and relaxed. Anything that is NOT this means something is going on that the person is finding uncomfortable in some way.
Identify what a person’s body does to communicate they are experiencing something they do not feel equipped to manage … a Challenging Situation.
What is it about the current situation that the person finds uncomfortable, difficult or challenging?
Micro analyze to find the real challenge – sometimes it’s just the smallest of triggers
What is it about this situation that a person does feel completely equipped to manage … they don’t feel like they have the skills to completely support them
What skill is needed so the person can self-master the identified challenging situation?
Once the new skill has been learnt and is being used the person will feel equipped to manage the original challenging situation (thus no longer needs the use of the old unwanted behaviours).
‘Behaviour Change’ is simply about supporting people to develop the skills to manage the tensions in life they currently DO feel equipped to manage. This is relevant for ALL people and ALL un/wanted behaviours, Children – Teenagers – Adults!
By: Michael Grose
I trust and pray you have a wonderful holiday with family.
Greetings
I recently watched a TV News item which highlighted a growing trend in primary and high school students. A Brisbane School Principal has advised all the school parents at a particular school of the concern in seeing the types of violent computer games the students were playing. The Principal claimed that primary students were unhappy when not allowed to play on their devices, and focus on school work was falling. It listed three destabilizing influences; loss of interest in physical play, violence in the games, the inability to withdraw from the game. Over the last eighteen years of Parklands, I have noticed that an increasing number of “gadgets” coming into everyday life for a student. This is technology that was only in our dreams when I was young, if we could dream these items at all. Each break through has added another dimension, and we ask, “What is the limit?”.
In the meantime, our children are accepting this a normal, and “killing” as a normal routine in a game. And then we have an event like what happened in Christchurch and we are all shocked. Firstly with the extent of the killing, and then that it was able to be streamed live into our gadgets, and thousands watched the video before it was shut down,
Sadly today, with all the media and images presented, students can easily feel that there is nothing to look forward to “because they have already seen the future and it is not nice.”
I have deliberately tried to adjust the offerings at Parklands to include Sport and Vocational Education. These were not offered when I was at Grammar school. These subject areas offer alternatives to just looking to technology as a “occupier of a student’s time”, and a make-believe world because one is not smart enough to go to university. Uni is only one pathway to accomplishing a person’s career dreams. While other pathways may not appear as straight and may take a bit longer to navigate, young people should be encouraged to not give up on their dreams. Don’t rob them of their opportunities in life by just giving them a new gadget.
I started my working life as an apprentice Fitter & Turner. It became the foundation of so much that I am today.
I spoke to Senior boys last week about incorrect use of technology with the ease of photo transmission to anyone. We have watched in recent times, a senior man in a Church system, jailed for unacceptable use of cameras at school. Along with violent games we now have phone cameras being used for unacceptable behaviour that was unthinkable and impossible in my time. I reminded the boys that Google is on record for not deleting any data it has collected, and as such, what an embarrassment this would be if things on our modern gadgets were displayed before us when seeking a significant role or appointment in society in thirty years’ time.
It rests with all of us to use any technology wisely, and to not lose our humanness.
Education, in this social and economic context, becomes as much, if not more, about life-long learning skills and values than it does about the acquisition of specific content knowledge or technology skills. Literacy & Numeracy remain critical skills in any learning process, but other skills have equal importance. These include: the ability to think critically, problem solving, decision making, creativity, collaboration, flexibility and most importantly, right choices.
With the Australian and global workplace changing so rapidly, school must be about preparing students for life – a life in which they will need to be able to adapt, change and learn. In a world where one absolute certainty is an increasing rate of change, great strength is drawn from a faith in a loving creator God who never changes. Faith is trusting God even when all else is shifting around us.
At Parklands we strive to provide the very best opportunities we can for each individual student to become all God wants them to be. To achieve this goal we must partner with parents to develop the lifelong learning skills and values which will prepare our young people to engage in a rapidly changing world and yet remain grounded in bedrock, a solid foundation of values which help them interpret their world.
This holiday break we celebrate Easter, a time when we reflect on the death of Jesus, but also rejoice on Easter Sunday that through His resurrection, we have life eternal through our trust in Him.
In this I place my hope for the future.
I now ask you to refer to the Mission article in this newsletter to read the update from Gary Cully, my good friend and colleague, with regard to his family returning to Australia and Parklands Christian College.
God bless you all.
MrB
Year 5 and 6 students had their first out of three Gala days for the semester on March 15th. Parklands had students compete in Oztag, Netball, girls basketball and boys soccer at a variety of local venues. All Parklands teams did their best and had a very enjoyable day. Some standouts of the day were Netball A girls remaining undefeated, A Boys soccer, lost 1 and won 5. Basketball A girls and Oztag boys won all their games. Congratulations all students and we cannot wait until the next Gala day in term 2.
Parklands had 40 students compete at the CSSAQ Swimming carnival on 18th March. All students gave their very best and swam well throughout the day in what was a very tough competition. Special mention to Tyger Cervenjak who came third in the 13yrs breastroke. Parklands came 9th in the Primary and 7th in the Secondary competitions.
The prep to year 12 Cross Country will take place on Thursday 4th April. Students have been practising in PE and HPE classes and are looking forward to what should be a great day of competition and fun. Students will arrive for school at the normal time with races kicking off at 9:00am. Prep to 3 races will finished by 10:30am and 9yrs and older races will be finished by 12:00pm then students will head back to class for the remainder of the day.
Parklands has had a large number of students being selected in Southern Scorpions District teams already in term 1. Some of these students have already competed at the Regional trial and others will compete week 10 term 1 and next term. Special mention to Isaac Krueger to was selected as a shadow player for the 15yr boys Met West AFL team. Isaac is only 14 so this is a great achievement.
| Ailoe | David | 8B | Swimming |
| Anderson | Kieran | 11 | Rugby League |
| Benson | Jessica | 11B | Swimming |
| Cervenjak | Tyger | 7C | Swimming |
| Challen | Kai | 7C | Swimming |
| Finnila | Max | 6 | Rugby League |
| Garlick | Samuel | 7B | Swimming |
| Halvey | Ashton | 8 | Touch Football |
| Hellyer | Ella | 6H | Swimming |
| Hicks | Jacinta | 7 | AFL |
| Hicks | Jacinta | 7 | Football |
| Holland | Georgia | 6 | AFL |
| Howlett | Jake | 6 | AFL |
| Hunt | Justin | 6 | Rugby League |
| Jackson | Ethan | 7 | Rugby League |
| Kemp | Caela | 7 | AFL |
| Kemp | Caela | 7 | Touch Football |
| Knowles | Georgia | 6B | Swimming |
| Krueger | Isaac | 9 | AFL |
| Krueger | Isaac | 9B | Swimming |
| Macleod | Jasper | 9B | Swimming |
| Ogilvie | Clare | 11B | Swimming |
| Parkinson | Grace | 9 | AFL |
| Patton | Tommy | 9A | Swimming |
| Penfold | Lily | 11B | Swimming |
| Reise | Lucy-Anne | 5N | Swimming |
| Sorbello | Andrew | 8 | AFL |
| Sullivan | Abbey | 8B | Netball |
| Swinn | Rachel | 8B | Netball |
| Takada | Hannah | 10B | Netball |
| Van Dyk | Carli | 5N | Swimming |
Mondays- Cardio and Cross Country Training- 7:30-8:15am on top oval
Fridays- Power and agility training- 7:30- 8:15am in BSC
Boys Years 3 to 6 Rugby League Training – Tuesday 2:30-3:20pm
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
Blue Jays Netball – phone Sarah Houghton 0431 006 643 for more information
Parklands Outside School Hours Care is situated within the school grounds of Parklands Christian College in the Prep Building Area. The service operates for before school, after school and vacation care. Before and after school care offers a nutritious breakfast/afternoon tea and children are able to engage in a variety of activities based on their interests.
During the school term the service operates from 6:30-8:30am and 3:00-6:00pm (with office staff available from 2pm), and vacation care from 6:30am-6:00pm. Parklands OSHC have qualified educators and encourage parents and families to pop into the service to discuss any care needs, suggestions or ideas or alternatively via phone 3297 0577 or email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.
We currently have limited spots available for before and after school care and advise families that a current 2019 enrolment is required to accept all bookings including emergency care bookings.
We look forward to assisting with all your care needs.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
| March 1, 2019 | Primary Scenic Rim Rugby League 9s Gala Day |
|---|---|
| March 1, 2019 | Year 10-12 Drama Incursion-Physical Theatre |
| March 4, 2019 | Parent Prayer Group 8:30-9:30am |
| March 5, 2019 | Year 9 Relationship Seminar |
| March 7, 2019 | Year 8 Relationship Seminar |
| March 7, 2019 | Year 12 English excursion - Single Asian Female |
| March 8, 2019 | Secondary CSSAQ Senior Girls and 9/10 Boys Team Touch Competition |
| March 8, 2019 | Year 7 Relationship Seminar |
| March 12, 2019 | College Twilight Tour |
| March 14, 2019 | Year 9 History Excursion - The Commissariat Store Brisbane |
| March 18, 2019 | CSSAQ Swimming Carnival - 9-18 yrs old |
| March 22, 2019 | Missions Dinner and Auction |
| March 27, 2019 | Parent Prayer Group 8:30-9:30am |
| March 29, 2019 | Grade 3 Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum Excursion |
| April 1, 2019 | Year 2 It's Rocket Science Incursion |
| April 1, 2019 | Year 7 FTT Boomerang Bag Incursion |
| April 4, 2019 | Year 11 Excursion Future Filmmakers Seminar |
| April 24, 2019 | Whole College ANZAC Day Service |
| April 30, 2019 | College Photo Day |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
We are excited to announce that our annual Bush Dance is coming up with the Boot scootin’ “Beefa’s Bush Band”. Definitely a night full of so much fun, laughter and kicking those heels up for the entire family. This is a whole school community event. Save the date so you don’t miss out!
Saturday 18th May 2019 mark it in your calendar. The night will kick off at 5.30pm with a sausage sizzle and then from 6pm-8pm the live Band. Admission is only $20 per family or $5 per person. Please note this is a non-alcoholic event and parent supervision is required.
The Friendlies love to see new faces at our meetings. They are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our next meeting for 2019 will be on Friday 8th March at 6.45pm at Jimboomba Maccas.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our email list.
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies Team
Last week saw the first Give It A Go! Band Programme lessons for 2019 – everyone had a great time! Of course it’s never too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year programme for Year 5 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-time $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Most places for this are currently filled, however we do have vacancies for trumpet, baritone & percussion. If your child is in Year 5, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2, or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Give It A Go! lessons began in Week 4, with Band rehearsals beginning in Term 2. Private & shared lessons began in weeks 2 & 3 but students can begin at any time. Enrolment forms for lessons are available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
All choirs have now started rehearsing for the year. Permission forms for choir are still available from either Mrs Patane or Mr Elvery. Secondary Choir meets on Friday 7:30 – 8:20am in S1, and we’ve got some fantastic repertoire lined up for this year. Primary choirs have begun rehearsing also, but it’s still not too late to join. Junior Choir rehearses from 7:45-8:15am on Wednesday, & Senior Choir rehearses from 2:30-3:10pm also on Wednesday.
The Give It A Go! Band will commence in Term 2 after the students have had some lessons in Term 1. Band rehearsal times & venues will be confirmed towards the end of Term 1. More advanced students will also come together in a more advanced ensemble towards the end of Term 1. If you have a Grade 6 or 7 child who either did GIAG last year or learned an instrument at their primary school and are keen to continue, this would be the more suitable band for them.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
A day in the life of a Retail Trainee – Dylan Laurie
School leavers need to be prepared for life beyond the school gates long before they walk through them. Students often just think about getting over the hurdle of exams with little thought as to what comes next.
Parklands Christian College encourages students to think about their career aspirations early on in their senior years and we endeavour to provide them with the information and tools they need to make educated decisions.
Some helpful hints for students in their senior years.
Get your child thinking about the types of things that drive them and make them feel good, whether it is working with people, animals or technology, travelling, being indoors or outdoors. Which industries best suit their interests? Don’t let them fall into the trap of following in the footsteps of others or feeling undue pressures to go down a path that isn’t suited to their skill set or personality.
myfuture is Australia’s national online career information and exploration service that assists career planning, career pathways and work transitions. myfuture provides information and support for career development for individuals, and for those who support or influence career choices. The myfuture website was developed in 2002 and has an annual audience of over 1.8 million users, it has the broadest reach of any national career exploration service. This service is free of charge; your child may like to create a profile for themselves and use the interactive activities which allow users to explore occupations by preferred learning areas.
Students should then do some research to understand exactly what the career involves. Seek out work experience or if that’s not possible, simply talk to people. This will help the student get a more realistic view of what the career would entail.
Help your child make a plan by breaking down the steps they need to take to get into their career. This will help make the goal feel more achievable and keep them on track.
A career is more than just a job. You need to love what you do and continue to grow and develop so as to evolve with the ever-changing world of work. Keep an open mind and explore all options – you never know where it might take you.
Students over the age of 14 years are encouraged to apply for a TFN, even if not working yet. Tax File Number – when do I need one?
A Tax File Number (TFN) is a unique number issued by the Australian Tax Office (ATO). It is required for:
The easiest way to get a TFN is to:
Visit the ATO website for details about this process.
Year 12 students intending to apply for tertiary study in 2020 should apply for their TFN this year to avoid any delays early next year.
It is highly recommended to attend an open day event at the university (or universities) you wish to apply to for studies next year. The open day gives you an opportunity to talk to lecturers and current students about the courses you are interested in. You can also check out the campus, the support services offered and social and cultural activities available. Open days usually occur between July and early September each year. This bulletin will inform you of open days as dates become available.
| Upcoming Events: | |
| 08/05/2019 | 08/05/2019 QUT Parent Information Seminar Brisbane |
| 27/07/2019 | Australian Catholic University Open Day Brisbane |
| 27/07/2019 | University of Southern Queensland Open Day Springfield |
| 28/07/2019 | QUT Open Day Gardens Point Campus Brisbane |
| 04/08/2019 | University of Queensland Open Day St Lucia Brisbane |
| 10/08/2019 | University of Queensland Open Day Gatton |
| 11/08/2019 | Griffith University Open Day Gold Coast |
| 11/08/2019 | Griffith University Open Day Nathan Brisbane |
| 11/08/2019 | Griffith University Open Day Southbank |
| 18/08/2019 | 18/08/2019 University of Southern Queensland Open Day Toowoomba |
| 24/08/2019 | University of Southern Queensland Open Day – Ipswich Ipswich |
Friendship issues are common. In fact, most students will struggle socially or experience friendship issues in their schooling years. I would also go as far as to say that not only are these experiences normal, but they can also be healthy and vital for personal growth and social learning. Some exposure to conflict and friendship issues can build resilience, create self-awareness, teach students how to communicate and learn compromise.
As a college, we want our students to receive support, guidance and help in how to resolve and manage any of the difficult circumstances or social interactions that they face.
Some examples of some of the friendship issues we might encounter from our students on a daily basis might include the following:
Whilst these behaviours are not acceptable or encouraged at Parklands, we understand that as imperfect humans and children (professional mistake makers), they will occur. When they occur, we want to make sure we are able to support and provide education to the involved students. Discussions that we might facilitate include things like learning empathy (ie. How would you feel if someone did that to you? How do you think that behaviour made that person feel?), assertiveness (ie. How to say “no” or stand up for oneself in a healthy way) and forgiveness and releasing of those who have hurt them.
Sometimes as adults, we can be too quick to jump in, become too involved and try to resolve these issues for children. And for good reason too! We don’t like to see children hurting or upset or issues occurring longer than they need to. We do this with the best intentions and from a place of protectiveness. But something that this job has taught me is that children are clever and with support and healthy and positive advice, are more than capable of resolving things themselves (with our help in the background).
Our role as adults is to model healthy relationships and conflict resolution to the children in our lives. This means we should be teaching them to be responsible for themselves and their own behaviour, regardless of what others choose to. We should be teaching them that it is healthy to apologise when mistakes are made, even if it was an accident or unintentional. And we should be releasing them to go and try these things with their peers and friends and then asking how they went implementing those strategies.
But the answer isn’t to ignore the problem altogether. When friendship issues are ongoing and unresolved, it can be damaging to those involved. Furthermore, we would even suggest that when these friendship issues are left unattended to and unresolved, there becomes a chance that these will become issues of bullying.
Bullying is a separate issue altogether to that of friendship issues. Sometimes we can be quick to label a friendship issue or conflict as an issue of bullying. It is really important to distinguish between when an incident is a “friendship issue” and when it is “bullying” as the impact and then resolution of these issues are very different.
As defined in our College policy, bullying is described as, “an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or group misusing their power over one or more persons.”
It is important to note that a single incident, conflict or fight between two students of the same age does not constitute as bullying. These things are to be expected. To be deemed as bullying, it needs to be an ongoing, repeated thing by an individual or group of people who have power. So for example, an older student in a higher grade consistently teasing and intimidating a younger student would be an example of power imbalance and bullying. Another example could be where a taller and stronger student pushes another smaller student around. The power imbalance in their size and strength as well as the consistent behaviour would deem this as bullying.
Our college is dedicated to the wellbeing of its students. Our policies outline that “the college will act to keep students safe” and this includes in instances of bullying.
The College will also aim to prevent bullying from occurring by constructing and delivering educational programs and initiatives in the primary, middle and secondary school to educate students. Some examples of this would be the Shine, Strength and Mentoring programs.
When this kind of bullying or behaviour is occurring, it is vital that the college be informed through the Student Care and Wellbeing team and Heads of School as soon as possible. If the college is not informed of this, it is impossible to help resolve issues. We promote the importance of reporting any incidences on the day that they occur so that we are able to investigate and help resolve these concerns. It means that we can provide support to those who are being affected and also put in place some protective measures to reduce and prevent this kind of behaviour from re-occurring.
Furthermore, students and parents and who wish to report concerns or observations of bullying, are able to do so by making an appointment to talk in person, via email and over the phone to the Student Care and Wellbeing too. Where some might not be comfortable with this, there is also a specific email address that families and individuals are able to send bullying concerns through to. The email address is safety@parklands.qld.edu.au.
Once investigated and the details of the incident are made clear, our team or the Heads of School will follow this up with the involved students. This may mean that the students will meet to discuss what occurred and give or receive an apology and in most circumstances, parents will be informed.
For further information around our Bullying Policy, please refer to this on our Parklands website at https://parklands.qld.edu.au/policies/
For additional information around bullying and how to respond to it, please visit https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/NationalDay
We appreciate the efforts of all parents, students and staff members in keeping Parklands safe for all. Thank you for doing your part and for your support J
If your looking for a fun way to get ready for the school cross country why not check out this upcoming event.
Length: 3 hour foot rogaine
Date: 31 March 2019
Time: 9am to 12pm, map handout at 8am
Location: Bunyaville State Forest
Team Size: Teams of 2 to 5
Categories: Mixed, Male and Female Teams
Age Classes: Junior, Open, Veteran, Super Veteran plus Family and Novice categories
Cost: $25 Full, $20 Concession (full time students under 25), $10 Under 14s
For further details: https://qldrogaine.asn.au/event-calendar/mini-rogaine/
As part of leadership development for our sport captains, they attend a 3 day camp in early March at CYC Burleigh. It is an action packed few days which is physically demanding and challenging. The aim of the camp is to challenge the students in various capacities, take them out of their comfort zone and get them to develop and grow their own leadership capacity.
In amongst beach riding, water rafting, stand up paddle boarding, canoeing and surfing; the captains also spend some time reflecting on what is a good leader and identify their own leadership style and practical ways they can implement them in their role. It is also a time to plan the year ahead in sport and develop ways to continually improve the culture of sport and increase participation for all students.
Thanks to the teachers for giving up part of their weekend and making it all possible and the students for representing yourselves and our school so well. Looking forward to the year in sport.
Year 7 are currently halfway through term one.
It feels crazy for me to say that, as it feels like we have just welcomed 80 new faces into our Secondary school, but our beautiful Year 7’s have been here for five weeks now.
During the first weeks of term, Year 7 have fearlessly worked towards being prepared for class, moving around the college campus and setting up homework and assignment structures at home. I have had many wonderful talks with students about their budding curiosity in their school subjects and have enjoyed watching the students feel the ‘spark of joy’ in their learning.
I have encouraged the year 7’s to continue to show our Year 7 motto and college values as they move into the busy assessment season of term. Please talk to your child about how they are going to be prepared for the upcoming busy weeks of term.
1. Have a consistent safe place to study
2. Don’t wait until the last minute
3. Don’t rely on your memory (use tools to help you)
Note – More about this below
4. Stay organised and don’t just shove everything into one book
5. Use parents or peers to help you study
6. Talk to an accountability partner about how you are going
7. Ask for help, early!
8. Prioritise school (think of the holidays as your reward)
At Parklands, we use the app ‘myHomework Student Planner’. This application helps students keep track of their homework, set reminders to individual tasks, check off completed tasks and prioritise their tasks.
Link to app store
Miss Abby Dixon facilitates Zenith Club, an afterschool homework and study club where students have access to a safe, productive and quiet learning space to work on homework and assessment. Our teachers and Senior leaders volunteer their time to mentor and tutor younger students and assist them in preparing for their classes.
Zenith runs from 3.30 – 4.30pm in the Vocational Centre and Miss Dixon can be emailed regarding this club adixon@parklands.qld.edu.au)
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Year One has been very busy this month! Swimming lessons began a few weeks ago and the children are all managing well considering the time it takes out of the day. A big thank you to all the parents who have helped at the pool and back at school with shoelaces. We appreciate your time and effort in helping us provide this important activity for the children.
We are learning many new things about words and books! The children are experiencing a wide range of activities as they continue to make connections with letters, sounds, words and sentences. They really enjoy listening to stories and we love reading in Year One which is fantastic!
A highlight this month was growing some alfalfa sprouts during science time! The children are extending their knowledge about different characteristics of living things. We have also been exploring various habitats and are looking forward to starting our dioramas in the next couple of weeks.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis, Mrs Marsh and Year One
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 30th April, 2019
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
Senior Hospitality and Home Economics’ students went on an excursion to the Sofitel Brisbane Central, Hotel to experience the hospitality industry first hand. Students were happy to learn about great customer service and customer satisfaction while enjoying the amazing breakfast buffet. After the students worked their way through a variety of a great treats ranging from a large array of pastries, cereals, fruits, eggs cooked to order, waffles, pancakes and many other fabulous breakfast foods the students were taken on a tour of the hotel. The students have been fortunate to observe and experience both the customers and staff’s perspective through the front and back of house tour. The tour took us through beautiful hotel rooms, up to the Club lounge, gym and function rooms before exploring the staff only areas including the staff lift and stairwell, kitchens, training rooms and staff canteen. This was a great experience for our students providing an in sight into the professional and personal attributes for effective hospitality staff.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on Tuesday 30th April, 2019
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
If you are able to volunteer to serve in our tuckshop, please contact MarieRushin via email at mrushin@parklands.qld.edu.au or mobile 0422 637 370 .
Zenith Club warmly invites secondary students to participate in an afternoon STUDY club which promotes a welcoming and ENRICHING learning environment. Here you can access PERSONALISED HELP from teachers, a quiet space to study as well as perfect place for COLLABORATE with peers.
Our school hours are 8am – 4pm. We are unfortunately finding that several parents are taking advantage of the fact that students are brought up to Student Services after 3:30pm but are still not arriving to collect their child/ren by 4pm. If you are held up in traffic or are expecting to arrive after 3:30pm please notify student services 3380 4237.
A reminder to please obey the 40klm School Zone speed around the school as police officers will be monitoring this!
Please slow down to 20klm in the property and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing!
Students and parents are reminded to ONLY cross AT the pedestrian crossing and to “stop, look right, left and right” before walking over the crossing.
Please take it for granted that, students will not do the correct thing, so be very careful around our car park areas! Please also remind your child to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage to cars!
We ask that parents only park in the designated car parks and NOT on the “No Parking” grass area at the top of Hillcrest Road for sporting events or on the grass area next to the fire service road below the Yr5 classrooms.
Here is an article I found very interesting and I would like to share it with you. It’s not that we have lots of bullying and negative behaviour at Parklands but rather to inform you so that we are all on the same page and speaking the same language about ‘bullying’ when it comes to talking to our children and dealing with teachers and the RTC!
“Bullying is a word that’s wrapped in emotion” – Michael Grose
For many people bullying is associated with bad childhood memories. It’s been estimated that around 40% of people have experienced some type of bullying in the past. The ghosts from the past are never far away for parents and can sometimes influence the way we react to current circumstances, including when our own children experience difficulties in their relationships inside or outside school.
Bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects children’s natural right to feel safe and secure. It can adversely affect their learning, emotional well-being, further peer relations and their sense of self.
Types of Bullying
Bullying should not be confused with teasing, rejection, random acts of violence or physicality and conflict. While children will often tease or fight, this bickering should not be confused with bullying.
Bullying is the “on going”, willful desire to harm others and it takes on many forms that include physical and emotional abuse, intimidation, harassment and exclusion. Bullying is about lack of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse. Bullying is the selective, uninvited, repetitive ‘picking on’ of one person by another person or group.
It now has a well-publicised cyber-dimension which has moved the goalposts for many kids. In the past children could escape bullying behaviours they may have experienced by being at home. Cyber-bullying now means that kids can’t escape the bully like they once could.
Bullying is not the domain of one gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to show power, girls are more likely to use exclusion or verbal sarcasm, ‘put downs’ to assert themselves.
If you think, your child is being bullied.
If you think your child is being bullied then handle with care as children often don’t want to admit that they are on the receiving end of bullying. Ask them the probing questions like: How often does this happen? Who is doing this continual behaviour to you? Have you reported it to RTC and spoken to a / your teacher?”
We at Parklands don’t appreciate or tolerate ‘bullying’ and this sort of negative behaviour so encourage our students to use the FRIENDSHIP 8 ideas and also to report it to the teacher on duty, their class teacher OR the RTC, thereby allowing us to follow it up and deal with all parties concerned!
Congratulations to the following students who have been selected according to their merits and in accordance with our school CLEAR values.
Well done to these students for already showing leadership characteristics / initiative and for being chosen to represent our school! They were represented with their badge at a special Leadership Assembly. We wish you well as you go about serving, leading and being ‘role models’ to others.
CAPTAINS:
Katherine Blandford
Daniel Crawford
VICE CAPTAINS:
Zara Korger
Zach Smart
ART CAPTAIN: Ruby Taylor
MUSIC CAPTAIN: Georgia Knowles
RESOURCE / LIBRARY CAPTAIN:
Jasleen Bhullar
Hudson Spears
SPORT CAPTAINS:
Justin Hunt
Max Finnila
CHAPEL CAPTAINS:
Emily O’Callaghan
James Pottinger
CLASS AMBASSADORS
Jasmine Hurst 2M
Emily Abolins 3K
Jake Howlett 1D
Georgia Belsten 3A
Jayden MacFarlane 4P
Chelsea Pool PREP H
Cody Costin PREP F
Mikaylah Ker 5N
Amelia Kissick 5S
Chloe Kristensen 1C
Ella Hellyer 4B
Tayla Thomson 2K
Keith Vang 6H
Hayden Carthouser 6B
LITTER LEGENDS
Lilly Munn
Ely Pohlmann
Hamish Kirk
Patrick Beard
Daniel Crawford
Emily Abolins
Elliana Kerr
Callista McKinnon
Georgia Knowles
Jayden MacFarlane
Zach Smart
James Pottinger
Noah Zienius
Learning for Life Legends:
Ezekiel Midson
Hannah Marino (Yr 4)
We pray you have a wonderful year assisting and guiding students.
In the words of Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon by which you can change the world”. As a teacher, seeing students go out into the world well prepared and ready to make a difference is all the motion I need. I love the fact that Parklands is much more than just a great academic program, we teach for life.
We strive to be a caring and accepting school that offers various options to provide a holistic approach to education. As a College, we try to show kingdom living through all our classes and interactions with students and families. Don’t get me wrong, we are human and by no means perfect, but we strive to show care and live by the kingdom principles of not judging, forgiving, and being loving.
We focus on a strong academic foundation and work towards each senior student having a pathway to match their interest, skillset and ability – to work towards their God given potential. In conjunction with this, we value each student above results, as focusing completely on the area of academic achievement, could be at the expense of supporting students in other important areas of life. In valuing strong educational outcomes and in supporting a comprehensive learning of our students, you will note a variety of programs and workshops on offer throughout the year. Some of the scheduled sessions include motivational workshops, past students and staff sharing stories of their journeys, study skills workshops, seminars on safety and knowledge such as legal seminars and SU Red frogs, careers expos, digital awareness talks through to driving and road safety.
By this time of year, your child will have got to know their Form Class and Pastoral Care (PC) teachers a little more. The idea of these sessions is to primarily focus on providing support and care, so that in the busyness of school and life, when some may experience high stress, there is a connection for receiving extra support, to stay safe and flourish. Please encourage your child to talk to their PC teacher, Mrs Hudson, Miss Grounds, the Learning Enrichment (LE) team, the Wellbeing team (RTC) or myself, when some extra support may be needed. There are many staff championing your child’s cause and who are willing to do the journey and offer that extra bit of something that can make all the difference.
We do live in an age that has many challenges and pressures. As such, I would like to promote a couple of programs and resources that build up our Young people, please see the great resources below.
Year 12 – on three (3) positive Schoolies options which are life impacting in a helpful way. Please note, they do book up really fast.
SU-Schoolies 2019, are giving away $100 discount to any of the five SU-Schoolies events: Hawaii, Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Sunny Coast or Melbourne!
To pocket this PRIZE, all you need to do is three simple things:
-Like our SU-Schoolies Facebook page
-Share this post
-Tag five of your friends who you’d bring with you on SU-Schoolies in the comments of THE POST (link below)!
https://www.facebook.com/116813268407814/posts/2179308715491582?sfns=mo
The winner will be announced via the SU Facebook Page on Friday 22 March!
https://www.rawimpact.org/trip/elevate2020/
RAW Impact’s ELEVATE trip is dedicated especially for school leavers! ELEVATE is an overseas trip focused on driving powerful change and providing life-changing experiences.
https://www.schooliesunearthed.com.au/
For more information, see the websites listed with each option.
Magazine: bella rae (meaning beauty and grace)
bella rae: The magazine world can be superficial and trashy, oftentimes giving unreliable information. Bella rae aims to be a resource young women can trust. In the pages of this magazine you will find a vibrant collection of real stories – featuring ordinary women pursuing their passions, starting businesses, overcoming hardships and exploring their talents and creativity. You will find expert advice on relevant issues such as study stress and friendships as well as recipes, art, craft and practical wisdom on navigating relationships, fitness and wellbeing. You will also find a diverse representation of young women – including a variety of body shapes, skin tones and ethnicities. You will not find any body shaming, sexualised young people, swear words, celebrity gossip, sex tips or an overload of advertising.
This magazine focuses on cultivating value, beauty and purpose in our girls. When we talk about beauty, we focus on character and the beauty of the soul, rather than outward appearance.
The Senior Student calendar shows that it’s getting busy with many draft and final due dates coming up. For some, this can bring on unhealthy levels of stress. Please remind your child that there are many before, during and after school workshops where the hard working secondary teachers will work provide some extra support.
Have you heard about the new and improved Zenith Club? Your child can also ask a specific teacher if they are able to meet at Zenith. Miss Dixon has provided a great new space in the Vocational Education classrooms (VOC3&4). Feel free to email Miss Dixon if you have any questions about Zenith at: adixon@parklands.qld.edu.au
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, I would be very happy to meet and talk in person. Please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Warmest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
While our College House captains went on their sport camp, the rest of the Student Leaders attended the Compass Schools Conference again this year. Held in Canberra, it’s a four day residential conference which encourages students to grapple with deep concepts of the Christian faith. The themes of creation, fall and redemption challenge students both in their personal faith journey as well as their leadership journey, with the excursions to Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial providing examples and stimulus for further consideration of what it means to be a leader in Australia, and how our student leaders can influence our nation.
Once again, I found it a joy to travel with our lovely young leaders who represented Parklands with excellence, through their exemplary behaviour, integrous character, and kind hearts. They thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity and we will continue to develop these thoughts and challenges set during this conference throughout the rest of the year as they work to lead the College.
Greetings
I am having an interesting conversation with my wife about my age as my next birthday is almost upon me. She says I am 68. I tell her I am just two months from starting my 70th year of life. Regardless of who is right, it is a time of reflection that has grown within me during my journey of from the early days of leading my first Christian School in Townsville in 1980.
Parenting is such a challenging task. We really don’t get any trial run at the task, and often the only model we have, is our memories of our parent’s attempt to raise us during our youthful, and difficult years. We often gave our parents a very low score during that time, but with the passing of time, we raise this over and over again. This was definitely my situation. With the passing of each decade of my life, I reflected on my changed pattern of thinking and behaviour, and began to realize how much good influence my Father and Mother had for me. But this takes time. In my first School in Townsville, I was a young father and really expecting too much too soon of my children and school students. Yet in my older age, I have had the joy of meeting so many of those students, who, along with my children, have become wonderful people. Often what I hear them say is “You always encouraged me”. It took me many years before I understood the power of encouragement.
My father was a very generous man. Both he and Mum prioritized the education of their children over cars, houses and holidays. Yet we always felt we had the best holidays on a deserted island called Stradbroke, where we walked everywhere and had cold pump showers each night. At the time of their passing, they only owned a modest three bedroom home in Hillcrest, however all six of their children received an excellent start in life with a Grammar School education, and we all went on to receive University degrees. Mine was a little slower than my sisters, but I remember the lovely dinner with the whole family that Dad paid for, to celebrate my Engineering Degree. It was to him, Mission Impossible, achieved.
The richness of this care flowed back to Mum and Dad in their final years, with the constant flow of children and grand-children through their home and in Aged Care. They were rarely alone, and in their final days, it was 24/7 attendance… because we all loved and cared so much for the parents that had first loved us.
My grandchildren’s name for me is Gonga. This was the special name that we all called our grandfather, and when he passed, I determined as a young teen age boy, that I would be like Gonga. It has been a beacon for me to know and remember the power of encouragement from a Grandfather, and every time one of my grandchildren calls this name, I remember the true meaning of Gonga.
So a generous, giving life is still my guiding light. I am here to help the school, and I have seen my grandfather model of giving back in old age, as a precious gift to the generation just starting. So I will journey forward from here as Gonga to my grandchildren, but I would also like to be Mr B to a generation of children still working through the school, and in some way, continue to give to them also, that which I have freely received in my upbringing.
David Baskerville
Principal
Year 7 have officially started the academic year!
This year as a part of orientation students, their Pastoral Care teacher, Mr. Elvery, Mrs. Braun, as well as the student’s main subject teachers headed off to the Berrinba Wetlands for a morning of connection, activity and fun!
The students, in their Pastoral Care classes participated in activities designed to form connections and bond as a class and cohort, as well as establish powerful relationships with their teachers. They went for a nature walk and scavenger hunt around the wetlands with Mr. Elvery, played games and bonded with their Pastoral Care teacher and discussed their goals for the year and received their Year 7 wristband with Mrs. Braun.
Once returning to school the students were immersed in the setting up of iPads, walking around the college site and learning about the processes and daily organisation needed in Secondary college.
Being organised and prepared for class can be a struggle for many Year 7 students. Previously they may have had a tidy tray or place in a single classroom to keep their belongings. Whereas now they are moving around classrooms, carrying materials required for a morning or afternoon session and remembering different subject requirements for different days.
Some ideas to help organise your child are to:
• Have an area set aside for school items
• Only pack for what is needed for the day
• Have a separate box for books and texts not used that day
• Label all items
• Have the timetable and booklist on display
• Pack the night before
• Talk to your child about how being organised is a healthy habit and skill that can be transferred to their sport team, music lesson, part-time job and life in the coming years. Not just a chore you use for school.
Being organised is a skill and healthy habit that takes time and a lot of practice. You child will need a lot of help, a lot of reminders and a lot of love to develop this skill.
Thank you to the many parents and students who attended the annual Back to School Barbeque on Monday night. It was wonderful to meet and connect with so many families within out college.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Logan City Council’s Live Well Logan program is now offering Soccer for Kids aged 5-10 years.
The sessions will run weekly on Tuesdays from 4-5pm at Waller Park, Browns Plains and are only $5pp. Sessions commence the week beginning 28 January and bookings are required.
Register online at https://www.gingersport.com.au/activities/council-sessions/logan-city-council-programs
For more children’s activities for only $5pp or less in Logan, visit www.logan.qld.gov.au/livewell
You can apply for up to $150 for your child’s sport or active recreation participation.
Visit www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding and follow the link ‘for parents and kids’or call 13 74 68 to find out more.
Get Started Vouchers are part of the Queensland Government’s Get in the Game initiative.
Round 13 will open for application on 6 February 2019
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
It was fantastic to have the opportunity to meet some of the new families in our school community and catch up with some of our existing families at the Information Back to School BBQ. We pray you have all settled back into school and are enjoying our school community. We’ll be looking forward to meeting all our new families within the school as the term progresses.
The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College school community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. Our first meeting for 2019 will be on Friday 8th February at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas.
If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Please find attached all of the Bus routes, that have been made available to Parklands families.
Bus Queensland now offer 3 pick ups in the afternoon outside Prep with various routes.
- Departing 3:22pm
- Departing 3:31pm
- Departing 3:45pm
As this is a service offered by Bus Queensland (not PCC) please direct all further enquires to Bus Queensland on 3802 1233 or email customers@busqld.com.au
Instrumental lessons are beginning & the year is well and truly underway! Of course it’s never too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year programme for Year 5 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-time $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Most places for this are currently filled, however we do have vacancies for trumpet, baritone & percussion. If your child is in Year 5, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Give It A Go! lessons will begin in Week 4, while private & shared lessons are beginning in weeks 2 & 3. Enrolment forms for lessons are available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Ensemble rehearsals are starting to get going, particularly for choirs. Permission forms for Choir are available from either Mrs Patane or Mr Elvery. Secondary Choir begins in Week 2 on Friday 7:30 – 8:20am in S1. Primary choirs will begin in weeks 3 & 4, with rehearsal times to be confirmed very soon.
The Give It A Go! Band will commence in Term 2 after the students have had some lessons in Term 1. Lessons will commence in Week 4, and Band rehearsal times & venues will be confirmed towards the end of Term 1. More advanced students will also come together in a more advanced band towards the end of Term 1. If you have a Grade 6 or 7 child who either did GIAG last year or learned an instrument at their primary school and are keen to continue, this would be the more suitable band for them.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Welcome to the new school year! My name is Dee Hudson and I work 5 days a week in the role of Vocational
Education and Training (V.E.T.) Officer; I am located in Room SC6 (Study Hall) in the Senior Science Block;
this is my 8th year in the role.
I thoroughly enjoy working in the V.E.T. role and have a genuine care and commitment to assisting yourself
and your child/children in their senior phase of schooling. The V.E.T. area is a fast-paced and constantly
expanding area and it is not possible to always have a complete knowledge about everything career or
vocational, however if students have a particular interest or passion, I will endeavour to delve a little deeper
and find out more information. I also encourage your child to do their own research into their career interests
and ask questions of their family, friends and other contacts, myself included.
So, welcome to 2019 – I look forward to getting to know our senior cohort and families a little better as the year
progresses. The function of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Department is to establish
relationships with students and parents to ensure that students in the senior phase of learning are provided
with vocational training and workforce skills to kick-start their career. The V.E.T. Department operates under
the guidance of myself and Mrs Rebecca Wallis, Head of Senior School alongside a caring teaching team that
enables the college to offer various certificates on-campus. Students are also informed of School-based
Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SATs) opportunities, Work Experience programs, Tertiary Open Days,
Scholarships, OP Information, assistance with resumes and provided with the portals to seek or begin their
chosen post-school pathway.
Parent V.E.T. News is emailed to parents on a fortnightly basis during term time.
I also communicate via the following methods:
Students may also access comprehensive information such as resume templates, SAT information, OP
information and more at the PCC VET Google site PCC VET. Students will need their school login details for
this site and I encourage them to make a habit of using this site.
Students over the age of 14 years are encouraged to apply for a TFN, even if not working yet. You can apply
for a TFN at a participating Australia Post retail ouTLET if you’re an Australian resident and able to attend an
interview. There is no fee for lodging a TFN application.
If you are an Australian resident the easiest way to apply for a TFN is to:
Year 12 student, Jayden Tiainen, recently commenced a school-based diesel fitting apprenticeship with a local mechanical and earthmoving repair company.
Jayden is thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to learn and work on various types of machinery with an awesome team.
For more information regarding school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, email vet@parklands.qld.edu.au or go to https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/apprentices/sats
Our Year 10 students are off to a great start with their volunteering hours for the Certificate I in Active Volunteering.
Dylan, Lauren and Bailey were a great help at the swimming carnival yesterday and we appreciate their efforts in ensuring the day ran smoothly.
In this album, we are celebrating how the Year 10 Active Volunteering students are giving back to their community. Certificate I in Active Volunteering course provided by Volunteering Queensland (Registered Training Organisation #6020), is now being delivered to the whole Year 10 cohort. In keeping with the college Christian ethos of “culture of care” and giving to others, the Certificate I in Active Volunteering entails 5 units of competency and 20 hours (equivalent of 3 working days) of volunteer placement at a non-profit or charitable organisation. The main benefits for students taking part in this program are real world skills, a sense of community connection, and QCE credit. The Certificate I in Active Volunteering gives students vital skills to prosper in their volunteering roles, while providing a solid foundation for any career path they pursue in the future. Volunteering offers students an ideal pathway into a range of industry areas. Furthermore, research shows that if a young person participates in volunteering they will have more opportunity to be engaged and connected in their community and increased likelihood to obtain paid employment opportunities.
Conflict is a normal part of life. Teaching our kids how to resolve some of these friendship conflicts at school can be as simple as practicing these 8 steps:
Encourage them to try the ‘Friendship 8’
Ask them to let you know how they went and praise them for successfully putting these strategies into practice.
Remind your child about the importance of forgiveness and moving on.
Encourage your child to talk to their teacher if they have tried these friendship steps and still have been unable to resolve it.
If your child has been through these steps OR the seriousness warrants, encourage your child to report to the RTC.
Throughout the term teachers send the RTP Facilitators positive feedback about students via our Operation Snippet initiative. Staff members can also be sent snippets from other staff, students and parents. If you would like to honour any staff member in the school for their hard work please send a snippet to rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au or ajackman@parklands.qld.edu.au and we will make sure that it is passed on as a lego block.
Here are some great snippets we have had the privilege of giving to a student and staff member.
“This student did an excellent job reading this morning during a reading comprehension assessment. I am proud of the effort he gave to both his reading and to trying words he did not recognise.”
“Thank you for all of the time and effort you give to your staff. I feel grateful for the support that you give to me personally and I’m sure that many others feel the same. Thank you for your kindness and for seeing the best in people. It’s a pleasure working with you.”
Thank you for supporting this initiative and for helping us build each other up.
The Silent Signals are a way for our primary students to silently communicate with their classmates and teachers during class, without disrupting the lesson. Students may ask their teacher a question using the rocket hand, ask to go to the toilet or ask their neighbour to please be silent so they can listen. We encourage our students to try these out and you may even like to practice these at home. Talk to your child today if you would like to practice the Silent Signals at home.
Scroll down to see examples of the silent signals students have created to help them communicate with each other and the teacher more effectively.
If you are able to volunteer to serve in our tuckshop, please contact MarieRushin via email at mrushin@parklands.qld.edu.au or mobile 0422 637 370 .
Zenith Club warmly invites secondary students to participate in an afternoon STUDY club which promotes a welcoming and ENRICHING learning environment. Here you can access PERSONALISED HELP from teachers, a quiet space to study as well as perfect place for COLLABORATE with peers.
Welcome back, I trust you took the opportunity to meet the Primary teachers at the Back to School BBQ, to ‘settle in’ and become accustomed to Parkland’s processes and procedures?
A special ‘Welcome’ to all our new parents and students. If unsure about anything, please feel free to ask a teacher, TA, Student Services, RTC or myself.
In wishing to keep all our students safe, here is a reminder of what we do to make the “Drop Of”’ process easier, quicker and more practical for parents:
In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Grade 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the stairs, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even having to get out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Grade 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off or parking procedures where students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. If using the Drop Off Area just past the Pedestrian Crossing, please don’t leave your car or park in any of these Drop Off bays. Parents are reminded not to drop off students on the bend near the top exit gate of the Rosia Rd Car Park. If crossing the internal road, please only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing!
ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, where parents may park in any available bay and go and collect students from Prep, the Undercover Area or Playground. Students are asked to remain in the Undercover Area until 3.30pm unless collected by a guardian or older sibling. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage!
On arrival in the morning, students are to put their bags in the port racks outside their classroom and then make their way to the supervised, Undercover Area where they can play games and be ready for the start of day and assembly.
In the afternoon students can be collected, signed out from 2.30pm onwards in the Undercover Area.
We ask that no students leave the Undercover Area on their own, without a guardian or older sibling BEFORE 3.30pm.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or mix and match their uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch and water bottles are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
It gives me great pleasure to announce that we are continuing to provide the wonderful Support -a- Reader Program again this term. Students will be invited to attend a one on one and or very small group reading sessions with a qualified instructor. Students will be taught the basics of reading, phonics, letter recognition and reading techniques will also be worked on so as to improve the students reading level and comprehension. Can we please ask that students not be taken home early on the day they have Support -a- Reader during Structured play time?
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
‘Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication’.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimizing the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”.
On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us.
Talk to the teacher before sending food to school for parties.
If your child eats peanut butter before school, please make sure they wash their hands before coming to school.
Products with a “may contain traces of nuts” warning is ok to bring to school but just should not be shared. In this instance, also remind students to wash their hands after eating such products! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard. Please don’t hesitate to ask a teacher or staff member if there is ANYTHING you need clarified!
If you are able to volunteer to serve in our tuckshop, please contact MarieRushin via email at mrushin@parklands.qld.edu.au or mobile 0422 637 370 .
Looking forward to a great year of working together!
Thank you
It has been wonderful to see students and families return for another year of school. Recently, Senior College students have been challenged to think about their goals for the year ahead and to make some practical applications in getting organised to start the year off strongly. As we enter the second week of the term, all seniors should have established a nightly study and revision routine, which will assist in the busy weeks ahead.
There is much discussion on academic success having more to do with well-developed study skills rather than intellectual ability. Setting up and maintaining effective routines for study habits to take place is key for the start of the year. For some senior students, the problem can be in organising themselves to use their time in a structured and planned manner. Parents can offer assistance by encouraging their child to talk through their goals and encouraging them to make an actual plan for study. Parents can also assist greatly by ensuring that their child has a dedicated workspace for study. A regular study area then becomes a recognised space that students can withdraw to by habit, where they can settle down quickly to organised and effective study. Students are encouraged to only have items on desks that relate to their study, keeping it clear of other gear which may cause distractions.
Senior students have been encouraged to use their diaries on a daily basis, for keeping track of important dates. This years booklist recommended the “myHomework Student Planner” APP. This is optional, however, all students must have some form of personal diary.
Other areas to assist with being organised include:
Recently, an outline of the before, during and after school tutorial sessions was emailed to families and students. These include a variety of free programs run by secondary staff who are passionate about supporting student learning.
I trust that your child has had a positive start to the new school year. If your child needs any assistance in organising a study schedule, please encourage them to see their Pastoral Care teacher or myself. It is important that there is a balance between academic demands, involvements in extracurricular activities as well as time for relaxation and enjoyment.
If you have any questions or concerns about Senior College, I would be very happy to meet and talk in person. Please make contact through the College office or via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Warmest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
“Too steep for children”. This phrase was used by three separate groups of well-meaning hikers as they passed our group who were hiking up Fluted Cape. My daughter and I travelled to Tasmania last October holidays to spend time with our friends, Cara and her four children aged between 6 & 12. Bruny Island provided the rugged coastline for our 2.5 hour walk, resulting in an elevation of 280m!
As we embarked on this walk, with all of five minutes of “research”, we set ourselves the goal of completing the walk in 1.5 hours, not realising what lay ahead ie the elevation of 280m. Early on in the walk, we saw the view (see photo) of the stunning cliffs, and I asked Cara “We’re not climbing all the way up there are we?” and as we both considered it, we smiled and naively both said, “Nah!”. But as we later discovered, yes, that’s exactly where the trail was taking us!
Having rounded a bend and started up the incline, we passed a group who told us that the hill will flatten out soon and there’s a lovely view there. They went on to say that the path continues but that it is “too steep for children”, but the view is nice enough at that level and we could just turn around as they did. We thanked them and continued on, and I heard Cara mutter, “how steep is too steep? They don’t know my kids, they’re tough”. Personally, I was wondering how tough I am and whether it would be too steep for me!
We reached the flat part, enjoyed the view, and as our kids started repeating, “the next bit is too steep for children”, Cara responded with “Let’s just try the next section, you can do that bit”. This became a theme, as our children and other passersby said “too steep for children”, Cara would say, “Just try the next bit”. Following the narrow path along the cliff edge, we soon had more behind us than in front, and the kids stopped repeating “too steep for children” and they just got on with it. One of the children had a mild fear of heights, but with some mental fortitude even she determined to make it to the top. And that we did – at a stunning 280m above sea level, we celebrated grit and determination and enjoyed the incredible view (photos don’t do it justice).
I spent the descent considering what we’d just accomplished. It was reasonable to presume that the children couldn’t do this particular hike. It was a bit scary at times. It was extremely steep at times. It was very hard work. Those who advised us that it was “too steep for children” were well-meaning and only trying to help. However watching my friend Cara believe in her children and encourage them to not limit themselves based on what others said or by fear or tiredness, was a powerful lesson for them, and for me. I reflected on whether there are areas of my life where I limit my daughter…or myself…or our students.
Do we listen to the “too steep for children” equivalents in our own lives? Do we speak these limitations over others? Or do we encourage our kids to believe in themselves, to work hard, to be determined to achieve their goals, to just give it a go and try the next bit?
In education there’s a catchy phrase at the moment called Growth Mindset, which is pretty much all about resilience, determination and giving learning a go. It’s such an important attitude and I’m really glad that it’s a focus area in education. Within the classroom, we encourage our students to overcome preconceived ideas of ineptitude and instead to try new activities and to set goals for their learning. We get alongside our students when they struggle and encourage them to keep going, to take the next step, to try a different way.
After my Bruny Island hike up a cliff, I am more passionate than ever about having a secondary college where our staff and students are determined. Determined to try. Determined to have high quality relationships. Determined to achieve. Determined to look after each other. Determined to be all that God would have us be.
Greetings
“I am sitting quietly at my office desk with my pen poised, ready to write my last Newsletter comment. This is something I have done every month since 1981. All students and staff are now on the Christmas break and I am reflecting on what I might close this chapter of my life with.
I have seen so much over this time; change of governments, change of educational procedures, change of government funding process, two Christian Schools, one in the deep North, and one in the capital city, and a vast number of students ranging from students now in their early 50s (we started Calvary in 1980 with High school students) to little Preps just starting their journey.
So what do I write about in my closing Newsletter?”
These words were penned in December 2016 as I prepared to Retire at the ripe old age of 67.
I will serve as Principal again for at least the next twelve months while the School Board seeks to find my replacement. The Christian School community is very aware of Parklands, and there will be a keen interest from people in these schools, however we are seeking a person who has an understanding of the ways of Parklands. In a book that all the Board read recently, the concept of “the same DNA” was used to describe the type of person who enables a school culture to continue unchanged after the Founder has retired.
We have a couple of people that meet this criteria, and we will definitely approach them.
Some have kindly asked how Joyce and I have adjusted to the change from our relaxed days. We saw a lot of the grandchildren during this break, and just as I returned to the School, Ruth, our daughter, advised that our #16 grandchild is on the way. Joycee will spend a lot of time with her while I am back at school.
Our major building programs were completed last year, resulting in a marvellous Sporting facility and Vocational Education facility, including a state of the art Hospitality Centre. Our next build will be more classrooms for the Primary, but that is a few years away.
I also draw your attention to the new Bus run that has been offered to us to serve the Hillcrest – Regents Park area. Bus Qld have provided this as an equal response to our help to set up their new bus depot. I trust it will help families with alternatives to travel to and from school.
Our new Grade 7s have settled in well, and I look forward to seeing them grow and develop within our school, and I look forward to meeting the new parents in our school. The Back to School BBQ and Information evening this week will give me opportunity to start that connection.
God bless
David Baskerville
PS I really did miss you all. It is a joy to be back to help.
On Wednesday the 6th of February the college took part in their annual 9-18yrs swimming carnival. The rain was coming down but that didn’t dampen the spirit of the students.
With plenty of colour shown by all, the team spirit was evident from JOSHUA and SAMUEL houses. We had great student involvement with the team relays, novelty races and teacher vs student events. It was a great way to showcase the talent the college has in the pool as well as having fun and building team spirit between the houses and students.
Congratulations to Joshua who won the day with 2490 points over Samuel’s 2296.
9yrs
Emmy Campbell
Marcus Boorman
10yrs
Lucy-Anne Reise
James Gray
11yrs
Carli Van Dyk
Jayden MacFarlane
12yrs
Ella Hellyer
Samuel Garlick
13yrs
Jada Miller
Tyger Cervenjak
14yrs
Ella Cotter
Jasper Macleod
15yrs
Hannah Takada
Bayden Hellyer
16yrs
Jessica Benson
Opens
Lily Penfold
Nathanial Lovaszi
Mondays- Cardio and Cross Country Training- 7:30-8:15am on oval starting on 11th Feb
Fridays- Power and agility training- 7:30- 8:15am in BSC starting on 15th Feb.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Research clearly identifies that animals are a valuable tool for increasing oxytocin production and therefore reducing cortisol levels which directly reduces the experience of stress or anxiety in humans.
Animals not only help increase a relaxed and fun environment which increases learning engagement but are also a social lubricant offering unconditional acceptance regardless of an individual’s circumstance therefore down regulating stress activation.
We are very excited to announce that in 2019, we will have our own dog to work with the Student Care & Wellbeing team to support students with behavioural, wellbeing and learning needs. The dog will be an Australian Cobberdog. These are specially bred hypoallergenic dogs that are genetically designed for their quiet temperament.
For the first year, the puppy will undergo significant training. Class visits and school wide engagement will not commence until it has completed its 12 months of obedience and assistance training.
Bernii Godwin
Senior Social Worker/SC&W Coordinator
Masters of Social Work; Bach of Human Services (Youth and Family major); Bach of Criminology & Criminal Justice. Grad Cert Neuropsychotherapy (current)
Onsite Monday-Friday
bgodwin@parklands.qld.edu.au
Laura Robinson
Social Worker/RTP Facilitator
Bachelor of Social Work
Onsite Monday-Friday
lrobinson@parklands.qld.edu.au
Justin Crawford
Social Worker/RTP Facilitator
Loving Our Kids On Purpose Program Administrator/Year 9 Strength Facilitator
Bachelor of Social Work
Onsite Monday-Friday
jcrawford@parklands.qld.edu.au
Angela Broughton
RTP Facilitator
Year 9 Shine Facilitator
Bachelor of Human Services/Youth Work
Onsite Monday & Thursday
abroughton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Zac Wassenburg
RTP Facilitator
Yr 5 Strength Facilitator/Primary Mentor Element
Bachelor of Theology
Onsite Tuesday
zwassenberg@parklands.qld.edu.au
Angela Jackman
Administration Support
Works offsite from Ireland
ajackman@parklands.qld.edu.au
Jo Edwards
RTP Facilitator/Resilient Friends Program\Resilient ME Facilitator/Year 5 Shine Facilitator
Bachelor of Human Services
Onsite Monday-Friday
jedwards@parklands.qld.edu.au
Michelle Kissick
RTP Administration Support
Loving Our Kids On Purpose Assistant
mkissick@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
Alabaster Kids&Youth theatre is designed to give young people the opportunity to engage in a real stage performance every semester. We are a faith based theatre company that produces an original musical every semester, our goal is to train, inspire and prepare young performers for the arts industry.
Semester One we are working on an original Musical called The Hood. Full of Hip Hop and Contemporary dancing, fairytale costumes and an unsuspecting storyline. We also have an exciting new timetable for this show that is inclusive of distance education students and school based students. You can pick which class works best for your family in the registration process. Your children will have a fun and growing experience being involved in this creative community of storytellers.
After January 31st we cannot take anymore performers, so jump online and register your child, you wont regret it!
Bethany Carlos
Director
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Welcome to 2019! This year promises to be another year of growth & excitement in the Parklands Instrumental Music Programme as we welcome our Year 5 Give It A Go! students and continue to encourage students from last year to learn & grow.
It’s not too late to be part of the Instrumental Programme in 2019 – here’s how your child can be involved:
This is a one year programme for Year 5 students, giving them the opportunity to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument in small groups during school time. There is a one-time $500 levy for the year which covers all lessons & band rehearsals, a tuition book & use of a school instrument for one year. Most places for this are currently filled, however we do have vacancies for trumpet, baritone & percussion. If your child is in Year 5, would like to be involved & hasn’t already received an offer, please contact us at instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Private lessons are available for piano, guitar, drum kit, most woodwind & and all brass & stringed instruments. Lessons are scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $30/30mins.
Shared lessons are available for all of the above instruments except piano. Lessons are again scheduled mostly during school time, & fees are also billed by & payable directly to the instrumental teachers at $18/30mins for a Group of 2 or $14/30mins for a Group of 3, pending availability.
Enrolment forms are available by emailing instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
2019 also promises further development in our Ensembles programme, as we will be launching a more advanced Band for the students who have already completed the Give It A Go! Band Programme in 2018. Our 2019 Give It A Go! students will form their own Concert Band in Term 2, so it will be wonderful to see our Ensembles Programme growing also. Primary & Secondary Choirs of course will also continue, so there are lots of ways for your child to be involved in music at Parklands!
Mrs Alison Harbottle
Back to School Information Night & BBQ 2019
All students with no change of school or home address details will have a new bus pass printed. These will be available for collection from the Park Ridge Transit office between 14th January 2019 to 25th January 2019. Once the first day of school arrives no passes will be available for collection as they will be sorted and sent out with the school bus drivers.
New applications for the 2019 school year are being accepted at the Park Ridge office now and throughout the school holidays.
Some bus route times have changed. Please call Park Ridge Transit on 3802 1233 or email info@busqld.com.au if you have questions regarding bus passes or bus routes.
Whether you are a returning or new family. I would like to wish you a warm welcome to our Secondary College, and a special welcome to our Year 7 students and families.
Year 7 is the beginning of an exciting time in an adolescent’s life. A time of transition and change. A child’s body and mind will go through many physical, chemical, emotional and social changes during these important years as they move towards adulthood.
Year 7 is a key focus area in the Secondary college. The first year of high school is vital in developing, consolidating and establishing independence, good homework and study habits, working as a cohort and team, accepting responsibility and developing strategies towards making good choices and right relationships. These are reflected in the schools Restorative Thinking Pedagogy, Christian Life Skills, Pastoral Care program as well as the connections formed between staff, students and in partnership with the parents and guardians.
We want our students to flourish in Year 7 and remember that they are creative, fearless, curious and loved.
To be creative is not simply a practice left for the arts. You do not need to be a good artist, sculptor, musician or graphic artist to be creative. Year 7 teachers want to inspire our student to use their imagination, create and manipulate original ideas and use their creativity to change the world. Our heavenly Father is the master creator and we honour him by using never doubting our creativity. We are made to be creative.
Fear is derived from the old English word ‘fǣ’ for calamity or frighten. To be fearless is to actively not let these feelings of anxiety and fright overcome you and control you. The beginning of a new year at school or perhaps starting at a new school can certainly be a time where fear might be experienced. Isaiah 41:10 says, ‘I have chosen you and have not rejected you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.’ There will be moments during Year 7 where our students might feel overwhelmed, anxious and worried. At Parklands, we work through this drawing strength from God’s promise, and the community of love within the Parklands community.
‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ (William Yeats) At Parklands we encourage our students to be curious and filled with the strong desire to know and investigate any chosen topic, to find the hidden details, to be inspired to read as much information as possible, to infer and predict conclusions and to share your curiosity with
Year 7 staff cannot wait to start 2019 and are looking forward to inspiring our students to be fearless, inspired and creative and the know they are loved. I know this year will be a blessed year full of joy, connection and learning.
If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: abraun@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alanah Braun
Year 7 Coordinator
Back to School Information Night & BBQ 2019
All students with no change of school or home address details will have a new bus pass printed. These will be available for collection from the Park Ridge Transit office between 14th January 2019 to 25th January 2019. Once the first day of school arrives no passes will be available for collection as they will be sorted and sent out with the school bus drivers.
New applications for the 2019 school year are being accepted at the Park Ridge office now and throughout the school holidays.
Some bus route times have changed. Please call Park Ridge Transit on 3802 1233 or email info@busqld.com.au if you have questions regarding bus passes or bus routes.
I trust you have had a blessed festive season, a good school holiday and are looking forward to the start of the school term?
| Grade | Teacher |
| Prep F | Mrs Kerry Foster |
| Prep H | Mrs Sarah Hope |
| Gr 1 C | Mrs Kelly Clausen |
| Gr 1 D | Mrs Dayna Davis |
| Gr 2 K | Mrs Julie Koplick |
| Gr 2 M | Miss Louise McNabb |
| Gr 3 A | Mrs Rachael Abbot |
| Gr 3 K | Mr Joshua Kennedy |
| Gr 4 B | Mr Michael Bradshaw |
| Gr 4 P | Mr Daniel Patane |
| Gr 5 N | Miss Clara Needs |
| Gr 5 S | Miss Elizabeth Strubin |
| Gr 6 B | Mrs Jessica Bourchier |
| Gr 6 H | Mr Mark Holman |
By now you should have received the ‘Welcome Letter’ informing you who your child’s teacher will be. If you haven’t as yet received this informative email, would you please contact Sheryl Cherry in the Admin office on 33804200 or via email on scherry@parklands.qld.edu.au
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life.
Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying and working through the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that students are with the right teacher and classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process. Please bear in mind that friendships aren’t the main reason for class placements, being with the teacher that best suits their learning style is the key factor!
A reminder, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
Here is a reminder of what we do to make the ‘Drop Off’ process easier, quicker, efficient and more practical for parents: In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Grade 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the gate, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even getting out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their normal day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Grade 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off / parking procedures and students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. Please don’t leave your car or park in any of the Drop Off bays past the Pedestrian Crossing. ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, explained by staff. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard.
Students will be informed (according to their time table) as to which days they need to wear Sport or Academic uniform! Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day?
If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC / Uniform Store staff or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items, lunch bottles/boxes are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
Trusting you have a great year as we look to work together to educate your child.
Mr Grant Jakins
Head of Primary
Welcome back to the start of what is going to be a great year! We are looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that are ahead of us for 2019. As the new academic year approaches, it’s time to get organised, plan out the year and be ready for the busyness that comes with school life. Below is some important information to assist with getting organised. Don’t forget to keep checking the College Calendar and Facebook for the latest details in our Secondary College.
Year 7: Wednesday 30 January
(Sport Uniform)
Years 8-9: Wednesday 30 January (Camping until Friday 1 February)
Years 10-12: Thursday 31 January
(Summer Academic Uniform)
| Year | Pastoral Care Teacher |
| Yr 7a | Mr Tygue Crawford |
| Yr 7b | Mr Joshua Leembruggen |
| Yr 7c | Mrs Sharon Thompson |
| Yr 8a | Mr Lindsay Huf |
| Yr 8b | Mrs Mandy Ross |
| Yr 9a | Miss Abby Dixon |
| Yr 9b | Mr Michael Braun |
| Yr 10a | Mr Kristoff Todd |
| Yr 10b | Mrs Odette Watson |
| Yr 11a | Mr Zachary Cunningham |
| Yr 11b | Mrs Cleo Smith |
| Yr 12a | Miss Jessica Grounds |
| Yr 12b | Miss Julia Matthews |
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the following staff members to the Secondary College team:
and we’re delighted to have Mrs Jessica Holman return from maternity leave.
Our Middle School Camping program for Yr 7-9 will take place this year during weeks 1 and 3. Our students will be at the following locations:
We highly value the outcomes of our camping programs and as such it is a compulsory part of the academic program. Parents of students not attending camp should notify the Head of Secondary via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: jgrounds@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Senior College, the Student Leadership teams will either be travelling to the 2019 Compass Christian Schools Conference in Canberra from 1st to 5th March or to the Sports Leadership Camp at Burleigh Heads from 3rdto 5th March. The Year 11 leadership camp will be run as a compulsory camp for all of our Year 11 students at Emu Gully in Term 3, from the 18th to 20th September. More details regarding this camp will be forthcoming.
Our team of caring and proficient secondary staff are looking forward to welcoming our students back to school and we have a wonderful year of learning experiences planned!
We give a warm welcome to all families and staff to our school for 2019. We trust that you have had a refreshing break over the Christmas period, and are looking forward to the opportunities that will come in the new year.
We especially welcome the new students, staff and families coming to our school this year, and trust that your time with us will be very enjoyable.
During the holiday break, the Governing Council of the school made a significant decision to change the leadership of our school. In doing so, we have invited Pastor David Baskerville, our Founding Principal, to return and lead our school this year while we consider the options on leading our school in the year ahead.
We would like to acknowledge the significant input of Mr Johannes Solymosi over the last two years and thank him for his care and dedication.
If you have not met our founder, he is known by all as Mr B and is very approachable. He is, by his definition, an Engineer who God called to lead Christian Schools. His first school was Calvary Christian College, Townsville, which he led for 20 years, before returning to Brisbane in 2001 to care for his parents, and to start Parklands Christian College.
We know the school is in very good hands, and we look forward to meeting with all families at our Back to School Barbeque.
Ps Mike Warman
Board Member
On behalf of Board Chairman, Mr John Blasé
I have always enjoyed my time and labours at Parklands. It has been a wonderful journey watching the school grow from a bare farm paddock into the school we have today.
I chose to retire at the end of 2016 to spend time with my wife and family, and I continued with my association with the school as a tradesman and groundsman, and continued on the Governing Board as a Director. When the request to help came, I was very happy to provide the necessary leadership until we can decide on our way forward. It is most probable that I will be leading the school for the next two years in some capacity.
I am looking forward to meeting all the students again, and spending time with them in Chapel, class and sports, and watch them grow to become all that God has planned for their life.
God bless
Mr David Baskerville
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
“Beat school holiday boredom by checking out the FREE and low cost activities on offer for 5-17 year olds in the KRANK School Holiday program by visiting www.logan.qld.gov.au/krank.”
PGL Kindilan. Day Camps JAN 2019PGL Kindilan. Day Camps JAN 2019
See attachment for further information.
QCB-180905-1244 Recruiting Montage
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Wow, and with the blink of an eye, the 2018 school year has finished!
What an amazingly busy year it has been. Sitting at the Primary Awards Night last week my heart was filled with pride seeing all the kids and how much they have accomplished over the year. It’s definitely that time of the year that we tend to look back and reflect on the year that has just been.
We have an amazing school community who enjoy coming together in unity and who always have a fabulous time of fellowship with each other. Looking forward to seeing where 2019 takes us!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe holiday break and a Merry Christmas.
Looking forward to a fabulous 2019!
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Danny Silk’s Life Academy has been an amazing experience for me. It is an online course that I have been completing and I would highly recommend it to anyone. There are so many incredible, practical life lessons and deep teaching from the word which reveals the very heart and nature of our God when it comes to our relationships, our parenting, our leadership, our actions and our love.
One of the things that stood out for me was from the Leadership Track, was where Danny illustrates the importance of covenance with the people you’re surrounded by and in relationship with. He uses an illustration talking about the California Redwoods, a vast forest of trees aged about 1500 years old, standing 30 stories high, lining the coast of California.
For centuries these trees have been hit year in, year out with winds and storms and hurricanes and haven’t gone down. The interesting thing about these trees is that the tap root of any normal tree is typically 30% of the height of the tree that means these redwoods should have 100 foot tap root. But the California Redwoods only have a 6 foot tap root. The reason why these gigantic trees are able to withstand such incredible elements is because they have a lateral root system which stretches out and holds on to each other, pulling tighter and tighter until there’s no wiggle room. When the storms come they don’t go down because they’re holding onto each other. There’s strength in their unity, their partnership and covenant with one another to hold onto each other and keep each other standing up. It’s an “I’m not going down because you’re not going down,” mentality. And a “You’re wellbeing depends on me hanging onto you and vice versa”.
This is a beautiful picture of what it should be like working with people in the workplace, church life, family, relationships and parenting. We can either hold each other up or pull each other down and it’s what we bring into our relationships that determines the strength of our relationship and covenant with one another.Our lives and our wellbeing depends heavily on the people we’re surrounded by and are in covenant with, more than most would realise or choose to believe. It’s how we were created, to depend on each other and to need others to sharpen us, strengthen us and be blessed by.
God never designed us to be alone or to be isolated. In fact even after God had created the earth and all living things in it, including Adam, He says in Genesis 2:18, “…’it is not good for the man to be alone…’”. This was in a time before sin, where humankind had PERFECT relationship and harmony with God, where God was completely and readily available to us. Yet Adam’s aloneness was, in God’s own words, “NOT GOOD”. God creates Eve, founding human relationships and covenant. It’s this design of relationship and covenant with each other that completes creation in Genesis.
Proverbs 18:1 says, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire, he breaks out against all sound judgment.”
It’s not good for us to be alone, we need each other. Therefore our relationships matter, our connection to one another matters and our commitment to each other matters. The people around you and their idea and practice of covenant has an impact, for good and for bad.
We must not only choose those relationships wisely but we need to COMMIT to those relationships and covenants in order for us to become strong, powerful and healthy people. The strength and health of those relationships determine the strength and health of your life and wellbeing. The storms of life will not take us out if we commit to our covenant with one another, to hold each other no matter what is thrown at us.
Year 12 student, Thomas Parker was a finalist in his category “School-based Apprentices” for his outstanding achievements during senior school. Thomas commenced a gasfitting apprenticeship in Year 10 and in addition to his apprenticeship, graduated Year 12 with a Certificate I in Construction, Certificate I in Engineering, Certificate II Sport and Recreation and Certificate II in Active Volunteering. Thomas was also awarded the Inaugural Parklands V.E.T. Excellence Award at the annual PCC Secondary Awards Night.
Thomas, we are very proud of you and your massive achievements during your time at Parklands and wish you every success for the future. Congratulations!
Year 11 student, Corey has started off his summer holidays with a work experience placement with local electrician, DMV Electrical. Corey has thrown himself wholeheartedly into the job – assisting with maintenance of multiple light switches and powerpoints, air conditioning units, checking connections, and as seen here, working in confined spaces such as roofing cavities and sheds.
Much appreciation is extended to our local employers for their continued support of our students in their work experience placements.
Year 9 student, Noah, was keen to do some work experience before the end of the year – Noah has an interest in boilermaking and he sourced his own work placement, at Kingy’s Enterprises. Noah’s first day involved all facets of workplace health and safey; skills learnt this week include steel cutting and fabricating. Thank you to the staff at Kingy’s Enterprises for making this placement possible for Noah.
Year 1 would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you for all your support this year! The year has flown by so quickly and we were honoured to be a part of it and have truly enjoyed getting to know each and every child. It has been amazing to see them all grow and change and we pray for a wonderful year ahead as they continue their learning journey.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Gowreah and Mrs Marsh
Wow, how this year has flown by! It seemed like just the other day I was welcoming this year’s Prep students and parents to the school for the first time. By the time you read this article the academic year will be finished and Christmas soon upon you.
Can I say we have had a busy but very enjoyable year! Apart from all the ‘usual’ fun class teaching, sporting carnivals and great events, here are some features and highlights for the year:
In preparing for 2019 can we please ask that you allow the teachers, who only want the BEST for and who know your child here at school, to place them in the care of their next year’s teacher? This ‘student placement process’ is taken very seriously and is extremely inclusive and involved taking into consideration factors like: academic ability & rigour, student & teacher personalities & character, social/behavioural and emotional factors, gender ratios etc!
In the New Year, students will receive an informative “Welcome Letter” from their new 2019 class teacher notifying them as to which classroom they’ll be in. Thank you for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard.
We wish Robyn and Lisa everything of the very best for the future.
Prep C – Angela Marsh
Prep H – Nicole Lowe
Yr 1 – Rachel Baskerville
Yr 2 – Christine Hollenberg
Yr 3 – Michelle Kissick
Yr 4 – Kristal Cooke
Yr 5 – Sonya Jones
Yr 6 – Jill Kerr
REMINDER:
We continue to “welcome” parent involvement in the classrooms, at functions / sporting events / HPE swimming and in all areas of the school so as to help the teacher but also to add value to your child’s education. It’s wonderful to see mums and dads reading to children, helping tie shoe laces after swimming and sitting on the bus going off on an excursion or camp. Please feel free to continue to offer your assistance to the staff!
Thank you everyone for a great 2018! We wish you everything of the best for the Christmas Season and an enjoyable, safe holiday! We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday the 29th January 2019 for a fantastic New Year.
As another school year comes to a close, I would like to take the time to congratulate all of our Years 10-12 students. It has been a remarkable year and most pleasing to work alongside every senior, who have largely demonstrated great attitudes to their studies, and perhaps of greater importance, a respect and care for those around them. It has been an incredibly busy time, with many end of year events taking place.
The Secondary Awards Nights was a time of celebration, for students and their families, of individual achievements for the academic year.
Of special mention are our trophy recipients as follows:
Christlikeness Award: Toby Ross
Dux: Jake West
Principals Award: Abby Hudson
Christlikeness Award: Lisha Mathews
Dux: Ryan Mitchell
Principals Award: Nathaniel Lovaszi
Christlikeness Awards: Joshua Prevett & Chloe Sampson
Dux: Bronte Robertson
Principals Award: Tanyce Booth
A special mention to the recipients of the inaugural “Vocational Excellence Award”.
This award is presented to both a Year 11 and a Year 12 student who has demonstrated great diligence and commitment to a Vocational Education pathway combined with their senior school studies. The student must also demonstrate: a mature attitude towards workplace safety issues, produces quality work in both practical and theoretical components, displays initiative, has the ability to work independently or as part of a team, and demonstrates desirable work habits.
Year 11 Vocational Excellence Award: Courtney Jurd
Year 12 Vocational Excellence Award: Thomas Parker
Congratulations to all of our senior students on their achievements, we are very proud of every student.
We have farewelled the graduating “Class of 2018” who have been a wonderful class of seniors to work alongside. It’s been a huge journey, totalling thirteen years of formal education. There have been countless extracurricular activities that have formed a well-rounded experience of school life combined with the huge task of completing senior school work. Earning your Year 12 qualifications is a major task; often combined with the juggling of school based traineeships or apprenticeships, casual jobs, and church, sporting and family commitments – this equals an immense workload. I have once again admired the resilience of our graduates, particularly throughout the gruelling senior years. It has definitely been through much grit, determination and hard work that every one of our seniors have now completed their journey in secondary school successfully. 100% of our graduating students will receive their Queensland Certificate of Education. Well done seniors! And, a special mention to all our families and the PCC team, who have contributed to the journey of each young person!
Of greater importance than gaining qualifications has been the character and integrity that the senior class have so aptly displayed. Through all the busyness of school life, we have been thrilled to see the seniors grow into fine young adults. Many have led by Christ’s example and exceeded our expectations in so many ways. My prayer is that all of our graduating students trust in, and really lean on God in life’s journey ahead. To finish, we celebrated with the Year 12 formal at Sirromet Winery on Friday 16th November. It was a wonderful evening of celebrations.
We have also welcomed in our new student leadership for 2019. A very warm congratulations to the following students.
College Captain: Ryan Mitchell
College Captain: Lisha Mathews
Vice-Captain (College): Joshua Clausen
Vice-Captain (College): Taylor Gray
Vice-Captain Arts: Taylor Gray
Vice-Captain Academic: Emma Walton
Vice-Captain Academic: Olivia Pohlmann
Vice-Captain Community: Alyshia Ritchie
Vice-Captain Community: Courtney Jurd
Vice-Captain Missions: McKeeley De Thier
Sports Captain Joshua House: Bianca Dikanovic
Sports Captain Joshua House: La Vie Tumaini
Sports Captain Samuel House: Ella Bailey
Sports Captain Samuel House: Nathanial Lovaszi
After a very busy and productive academic year for all, happy summer holidays! Prayers for a blessed Christmas season with your families and I very much look forward to seeing you all in 2019. May God bless you and keep you so abundantly,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
In these holidays, I will finally see my little 1.5-year-old niece Alessandra for the first time. She is my brother’s first child and they live in Germany, making our family reunions rare but highly-prized occasions. Needless to say that I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to connect with my German family over the Christmas break.
We often talk about Parklands being a family or having the qualities of one. I was drawn to this school because of it and immediately experienced the family atmosphere when I arrived two years ago. Students and all of us staff members benefit greatly from the sense of belonging that the Parklands family creates.
There are many ways to describe a strong family. One example is this “Family Strengths Inventory”:
1. Strong families express appreciation and affection. They speak in positive and affirming ways and express the love they have for each other.
2. Strong families have a strong commitment to each other. They are deeply committed to promoting each other’s happiness and welfare and show their commitment by investing time and energy in family activities.
3. Strong families spend enjoyable time together. They enjoy being together and know that if they don’t prioritise and schedule time together, it won’t happen. Sometimes, love is spelt t-i-m-e.
4. Strong families manage stress and crisis effectively. They are not immune or exempt from difficult days and challenging situations, but they develop strategies so they can pull together, rather than fall apart.
5. Strong families have a sense of spiritual well-being. Whatever the expression of their spiritual lifestyle, there are consistent themes of guiding values and ethics, as well as a commitment to important causes.
6. Strong families have effective and positive communication patterns. They talk to each other and listen to each other and may have specific ground rules on how they communicate in respectful, loving ways.
This helps me better understand the strength of our Parklands family: We go to great lengths to affirm each other and express love and care to students, staff and our wider community. We put a lot of effort into our “family” activities with the goal to benefit each other. We spend a large part of our lives together and try to make this time fun and enjoyable for all. We certainly also support each other as we walk through the low points in life together and acknowledge that no one is free from difficulties. We are committed to our faith and our shared CLEAR values and have open lines of communication with each other.
Thank you for another great year of belonging to the Parklands family. I wish you and your “real” family a blessed and safe Christmas holiday and look forward to welcoming you back in the new year.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
Sometimes I wonder what students must think about our school. On the day I’m writing this, we first had them all come together to learn, listen and participate in our Remembrance Day assembly. Then, our Year 9s hosted a scrumptious morning tea for some of the residents from Regis Age Care who visit us each year on this occasion. Others went to class to learn their Maths with a ground-breaking new individualised learning program. Some received their sports awards, others had a choir performance at the shopping centre, and many were asked to complete a survey on the closeness of relationships between peers at our school. Some had their instrumental music lessons today, enjoyed a meal from the tuckshop, attended Learning for Life during ‘structured play’ time or Resilient Me after school. I’m sure a few also used the opportunity to develop their character in our RTC today.
Before these events happen, they usually cross my desk as a plan outlined on a “green form”. Whenever I sign them, I get to ask myself the question: What’s the purpose?
Is the purpose to just keep students busy and entertained so they would be more agreeable to our learning demands? Or do we believe that providing a variety of opportunities for students is just expected of a school like ours and hence, we really have no other choice than to offer them?
When God created us as human beings, he made us in His image and He said that what he had created was “very good”. He created us with a spirit, soul and body. He created us to be connected to others just like the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are connected. But that creation was only the beginning. His idea for us was to take our spirit, soul and body; our gifts and talents; our relationships and resources he gave to us and make them the best they can be. The more we become and enact all that God has created us to be and do, the more we flourish. And anything that helps us on the pathway to this flourishing is good and worthwhile.
This is how I see all the various areas in our school coming together. Each one of our students has a unique purpose and hence, each one will have their own pathway to become all they can be. That’s why variety in a school is important. Between the family and school, we get to work together to find and nurture the individual qualities of our children and students. What a great privilege this is!
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
In Secondary, we have used various opportunities such as assemblies, chapels and classes to discuss with our students the importance of ‘finishing well’. As the year winds down we ask for your support of our uniform policy both at our special events as well as every remaining school day. It may also help to have a refresher read of the policy during the holidays, before making decisions on haircuts, piercings or shoe and uniform purchases. I’d like to draw your attention to the following aspects in particular:
Please refer to our uniform policy http://parklands.qld.edu.au/uniforms/ for more information. We appreciate your support in maintaining our dress standard.
We are in the middle of many events at the moment, as we celebrate Christmas, every student at Awards Night, and our Senior cohort at Graduation. It is such a delight to work alongside families and a privilege to help each student on their educational journey. Let’s finish this year well!
Kind regards
Jess Grounds
Head of Secondary
This year we saw the introduction of Team Games 2 in October which included touch and basketball. Parklands sent four teams to compete, a boys and girls team in both sports. All teams did their best and played very well in the hot conditions. The girls basketball team displayed awesome teamwork throughout the entire day and made it all the way to the Grand Final where they lost narrowly to citipointe. Well done to all students on a great day of competition.
This week we celebrated the year of sport in primary and secondary. Thankyou to all the parents and families who came to support the awards. We had 2 great guest speakers, Ben Ikin and Stefan Mauk, who spoke about their careers and adversities through their life. They were well received by all and were a great addition to the day. We would like to thank all the students and parents who contributed and supported sport throughout the year, it always makes for a better atmosphere.
Congratulations to all the award winners from 2018 and a special mention to our sportswoman and sportsman of the year. These students have worked hard all year and competed in the majority of the schools events and gone on to represent the Southern District or Met West.
Primary- Jacinta Hicks
Jnr- Samantha Bayer
Snr- Georgia Payne
Primary- Justin Hunt
Jnr- Tommy Patton
Snr- Joel Smith
The annual Business Market Stalls event was held on Tuesday October 23rd in the Function Room at Student Services. Seventy students from year 8-12 participated in planning, organising and running their own stalls offering a range of tasty and interesting items. New this year was a Virtual Reality and a Hotdog stall. All the stalls received fantastic support from the community. We are especially grateful to the primary Grandparents who chose to attend after the Grandparent’s Day event in the Church. The Business and Economics students had a fantastic time, and enjoyed interacting with the different ‘target markets’ including primary students, their peers in the secondary school, grandparents, staff, and a few members of the wider community. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to develop a range of valuable business, entrepreneurial, employment and mathematical skills within a biblical context of justice, ethics and integrity.
We would like to thank the students, staff and community of Parklands for their support. We couldn’t do it without you!
Mrs. Watson
Parklands goes international! On the 8th – 10th October 2018, the annual EduTech Asia conference was held in Singapore. EduTech is a giant in the STEM Education sector – it’s a conference held in many different continental iterations (Edutech Africa, US, Australia, Asia) and is a meeting place for leading STEM professionals, schools and Tech companies to share their current practices. This year there was close to 3000 delegates!
I was invited to speak at EduTech after we published a series of articles in one Teacher Magazine earlier in the year about STEM Studies at Parklands. I was asked to share our implementation strategy as a case study for transdisciplinary STEM in curriculum time, on behalf of Mr Cunningham and the STEM team.
It was incredible to be immersed in professional collaboration regarding best practice in STEM Education, and the most wonderful confirmation of our philosophy and program at Parklands. We can truly say that we are among the world leaders in our thinking, as many other countries are now turning to the type of STEM Ed philosophies we have had in practice for the past three years. Whilst our program may not seem to be the biggest or flashiest, it has a strong foundational philosophy based on the leading research in the area and our implementation strategies are a praised example of best practice. We can proudly share that we have tangibly contributed to the knowledge base around implementation advice.
I was able to make some fantastic networking connections with STEM Ed professionals all around the world, as well as facilitate some really productive and insightful conversations. During my duties as a roundtable moderator, I was able to learn about STEM initiatives in many countries including Mexico, Vietnam, the US, the UK, Phillipines, China, Japan and Singapore. I truly believe that STEM Education is stronger when we share our knowledge. It was really inspiring to be a part of a conference that encouraged teachers in professional collaboration. I was only the representative of a team of people from Parklands who really believe in what we are doing. It was a privilege to share on behalf of everyone involved in STEM Studies.
Mrs Schulz
All students with know change of school or home address details will have a new bus pass printed and they will be available for collection from the Park Ridge Transit office between 14th January 2019 to 25th January 2019. Once the first day of school arrives no passes will be available for collection as they will be sorted and sent out with the school bus drivers.
New applications for the 2019 school year are being accepted at the Park Ridge office now and throughout the school holidays
Please call Park Ridge Transit on 3802 1233 or email info@busqld.com.au if you have questions regarding bus passes or bus routes.
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Thank you to all the families who have already generously donated Hamper bags. There is still time to return your hamper bags (with or without groceries) to Student Services.
Year One has been busy this term and the end of the year is drawing near. We have been learning about seasons in Science and looking closely at weather changes and how living things adapt to survive all these seasonal changes.
In History this term we are sharing ways our families celebrate special events. We are learning how some celebrations can become traditions in our families and have been fascinated when reading about celebrations in other countries around the world!
We are looking forward to our excursion to Sea World later in the term and all the special memories that will no doubt be made during our last few weeks of our schooling for 2018.
Mrs Gowreah, Mrs Clausen and Mrs Marsh
This term has been a whirlwind. The Year 2 classes have been learning all about the ‘Life Cycles’ of plants and various animals. We have all been fascinated by the hungry silkworms and their amazing ability to cocoon. Hopefully before the term ends we will see the transformation into a moth. We have also seen frog eggs hatch into tadpoles and are eagerly following their transformation into a frog. A very big thank you to Mrs Kelly Taylor and Mrs Mandy Ross for providing the animals to grade 2 classes. The last picture was supplied by Mrs Ross so that we can show the frog that spawned the eggs.
Mrs Koplick, Mrs Edwards, Mrs Hollenberg
This term in science we are learning about living things. As part of our study of living things we went on an excursion to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The students got to have some hands on experience with our Australian wildlife, holding a koala and feeding kangaroos. This excursion helped to enhance the students knowledge of biomes and of the amazing wildlife we have here in Australia. Thank you to all the parents who came along to help.
Mr Kennedy, Mrs Buckley and Mrs Jones
All students with know change of school or home address details will have a new bus pass printed and they will be available for collection from the Park Ridge Transit office between 14th January 2019 to 25th January 2019. Once the first day of school arrives no passes will be available for collection as they will be sorted and sent out with the school bus drivers.
New applications for the 2019 school year are being accepted at the Park Ridge office now and throughout the school holidays
Please call Park Ridge Transit on 3802 1233 or email info@busqld.com.au if you have questions regarding bus passes or bus routes.
I can’t believe we’ve only got 3 weeks left of school for 2018 – wow, how time has flown!
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Aides, Specialists, RTC & LE Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying, working through and discussing the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process.
A reminder, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and I look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
Due to the ever increasing number of students and the size of our auditorium, this year again we plan to divide up the evening and have 2 Awards Night Ceremonies on Thursday 29th November.
We’ll have the Prep to Yr 2 Awards Night Ceremony from 6 – 7.15 pm in the auditorium and after dismissing these students and parents during the break / intermission, we’ll invite the Year 3-6 parents and students into the auditorium to commence their Year 3-6 Awards Night ceremony starting at 7.30 – 8.45 pm.
A more detailed Awards Night letter for BOTH ceremonies will be forthcoming!
I know this year’s Awards Nights are going to be another tremendous highlight for us, not only because they allow each and every student to be encouraged, rewarded and esteemed for their effort but also because we normally have so many parents joining us to celebrate their child’s achievements. It’s also going to be great to see and hear the year level item performances and excited students walking across the stage to be presented with their certificates.
This for us is such a blessing and what teaching is all about.
Please clearly label all uniform items with your child’s first and last NAME (not just initials).
We still have 3 weeks left of school plus looking smart for Awards Night so are asking parents to please ensure that their children are correctly and neatly dressed every day. If unsure of the Primary Uniform Policy, please feel free to check our website, the student’s diary, ask a class teacher or RTC staff.
We are seriously looking for parents and or grandparents on a daily basis who can assist teachers with fun tasks like: changing readers, reading to/with students, doing exciting group activities etc. If you’d be willing to hear more about volunteering, please feel free to talk to a teacher, contact Student Services or myself for more information.
When considering your child’s or young person’s digital diet it’s important to move beyond the notion of keeping kids safe to look at the types of activities their screen-time might be denying them.
There are many aspects to take into account including the maintenance of mental and physical health; fulfilling school and family duties and ensuring that young people develop a full gamut of real world communication skills.
For the sake of living a balanced life ensure your child has sufficient time for:
Obviously there will be times when all these needs are not completely balanced. There will be periods when screens are used more often and times when one or more valuable needs is neglected. But if we can use this as a guide and aim to fit the many key experiences our kids need into each day, we are much more likely to ensure our kids grow up with a healthy respect for their screens and a healthy respect for the many areas of their life that need to be nurtured.
Mr Grant Jakins
On the 30th October, Parklands Christian College Middle School students hosted their annual Middle School Display Expo.
Student hosts were nominated by class teachers to represent their subject areas and talk with parents and students about their experiences in Middle School.
The Expo is designed to celebrate the work that students engage with at Parklands, and to share their experiences with year 6 students and parents who are transitioning into Middle School next year. The displays consisted of resources which students engage with, as well as samples of student work across all of the learning areas.
This event then continued into the Information Evening for parents of Middle School students in 2019. Information was presented by our Head of Secondary (Miss Jessica Grounds), Year Level Coordinator for year 7 in 2019 (Mrs Alanah Braun) and myself.
If you are a parent of a Year 7 student in 2019 and missed the information night, could I encourage you to book an appointment with me as soon as possible so that we are all able to start 2019 on the same page.
There are a number of events still to come to close out the year.
During week 6 we will celebrate with our students at our Secondary Awards Night. This event will occur on Tuesday 13th November beginning at 7.00pm. On Friday 16th November, we will celebrate with the whole college the graduation of our year 12 cohort, and induct the new student leaders for 2019.
Week 7 is recognised as Revision Week for Middle School. This week will see classes revising work which has been covered during the term in preparation for exams. Students will also hand in final copies of assignments. Please encourage your child to focus and do their best at this time.
Week 8 is the Middle School exam week. There will be a timetable released shortly showing the exams for Middle School during this week. Again, we would encourage students to be focused and do the best they can.
During week 8 we will hold a lunch for students on Thursday 29th Nov to acknowledge year 9’s graduating from Middle School.
On Friday 30th November, we have our end of year celebration to Wet ‘n’ Wild for Middle School students. All those attending will need to have a swim shirt for the day, water and lunch, and are advised to have a pair of thongs for walking around the park. Students will require closed in shoes and dry clothes for bus travel.
We are encouraging our students to finish the year well, and to be all that God wants them to be.
Mr Colin Elvery
Middle School Coordinator
Please note that from the beginning of 2019, all instrumental enrolments will be handled through the Music Centre by the Instrumental Music Co-ordinator. If your child is already learning piano, drums, guitar or strings, you will need to fill out a College enrolment form. Enrolments will be continuous until we receive notification of withdrawal from you, so you will not have to fill out a new form each year. Forms will be available from your child’s teacher during this term, and we would appreciate them being returned before the end of the school year as this will assist us enormously with planning & scheduling for 2019.
If your child wishes to begin learning an instrument but not as part of the Give It A Go! Band Programme, please email instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au and we can get the right information to you. Lessons are open to students of any grade right across the College, both private lessons and lessons shared as a group of 2 or group of 3.
Two weeks to go! This year’s Give it A Go! Band students have two more weeks of lessons to finish off what has been an amazing year of learning and fun for them. We are so incredibly proud of everything they have achieved this year, and also incredibly appreciative of the hard work of our teachers, Mr Warden, Mrs Harris, Mr Davies & Mrs Harbottle.
To mark the end of this year’s programme, we will be holding a Celebration Concert on Wednesday 14th November at 2pm in the Church Auditorium. All of Years 4-6 will be attending to support their peers, and of course parents & extended families are also welcome . The students will perform in small groups and as the full band, so we hope you can join us for a wonderful afternoon of music.
There is so much excitement building in Year 4 as these students are enrolling in Give It A Go! for 2019! If your child received an offer but you haven’t returned your form yet, please do so as soon as possible, as forms were due on Friday 2nd Nov to Student Services. We have a waiting list of students to whom we weren’t able to offer a place initially, so if your child is not participating then we’d love to be able to offer their place to someone who’s eagerly waiting.
If your child did not receive an offer for Give It A Go! in 2019 and is desperate to be involved, they can still join the programme for a slightly discounted levy if you are able to access your own instrument. Maybe you already have a flute or clarinet at home from an older child, or would like to buy, hire, or borrow one. For more information or advice on instruments, please email instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Of course all of our Choirs, both Primary & Secondary, performed beautifully at Carols on the Green. These students have learned much through their experiences in the Choirs this year, and we hope they will continue in 2019, either in the same choir or the next Primary choir, and now our Year 6’s can continue on into Secondary Choir in 2019!
What a year it has been for Music here at Parklands! We are thrilled to have begun our Give It A Go! Band Programme, we are very proud to now have a Secondary Choir, and we are very much looking forward to what the Lord has for us in this area in the years to come. Thankyou for being with us on this journey, and for supporting your children along the way.
Mrs Alision Harbottle
The Friendlies held our annual general meeting last month. Catherine Smart has decided to step down from her position as Vice President next year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Catherine for her many years of service to the Friendlies committee. We have been truly blessed to serve alongside you!
It is with great pleasure to announce our office bearers for 2019:
President: Angela Marsh
Vice President: Nicole Lowe
Secretary: Renee Jackson
Treasurer: Claire Dover
Congratulations to our 2019 office bearers and thank you for volunteering for another year of serving our school community.
We have been quite overwhelmed by your continual words of encouragement and the way our school community has come together this year. Thank you all for fully supporting all of our events and our fundraisers!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe holiday break. Looking forward to a fabulous 2019!
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
As Vocational Education and Training Officer, I feel privileged to be in a position that allows me to provide senior students with a taste of the “real world”; to give them the opportunity to plant their own seed, and begin to mature and grow, such as the tree of life. The month of November is a joyous, yet somewhat emotional, time as schooling staff prepare to farewell these precious young people whom we have watched over as they encounter various challenges and situations. I wish our graduating Year 12’s much success in the coming years and congratulate each and everyone of you on your academic, sporting and personal achievements.
To our current Year 9, 10 and 11 students – I look forward to seeing you for a brand new year in 2019.
I would like to highlight the achievements of the following Year 11/12 students who have recently completed a tertiary or work-based qualification via vocational studies.
Tanyce Booth, Certificate II Health Support (TAFE)
Tianna Curling, Certificate III Hospitality (Mondaze Cafe)
Elisabeth Degen, Certificate III Business (Commonwealth Bank)
Elyssa Edwards, Certificate III Makeup (TAFE)
James Higgins, Certificate II Rural Studies/Certificate II Animal Studies (TAFE)
Kassidy Lane, Certificate III Design Fundamentals (TAFE)
Ella Lubach, Certificate III Business Admin (part-completion)
Connor Mackenzie, Certificate II In Electrotechnology (Career Start, TAFE)
Thomas Parker, Certificate III Gasfitting
Tayla Shergold, Certificate III in Media (TAFE)
Joel Smith, Certificate III in Carpentry (apprenticeship)
Lachlan Tilley, Certificate III in Carpentry (apprenticeship)
Ryan Williams, Certificate II in Retail (Woolworths)
Jacob Ballantine, Certificate II Telecommunications (TAFE)
Taylor Gray, Certificate II Health Support (TAFE)
Ryan Mitchell, Certificate IV Crime and Justice (TAFE)
Corey Muller, Certificate II Engineering
Sarah Price-Bowie, Certificate III Design Fundamentals
Jayden Tiainen, Certificate II Engineering
Certificate III in Business
Jagger Coxon, Callum Dagg, Joel Kilmartin, Montana Weber
Certificate II in Sport & Recreation
Jagger Coxon, Callum Dagg, Aaryn Dejong, Niklaus Fedrick, Ella Lubach, Thomas Parker, Joel Smith
Certificate I Engineering
Cooper Birch, Jagger Coxon, Callum Dagg, Niklaus Fedrick, Ella Lubach, Jasper Martinov, Thomas Parker, Joel Smith, Lachlan Tilley
Mrs Deanne Hudson
V.E.T. Officer
Lately I have been spending time reading and watching some of Danny Silk’s resources around creating a culture of honour in the home, work place and interpersonally with others. It has made me think more and more about the things that I can do personally and professionally to help construct a culture of honour wherever I go.
I thought I might share a couple of thoughts from what I am learning at present in this area and hopefully it will inspire, encourage and challenge you in the way that it has for me.
Firstly, I think it is important to understand that honour is valuing other people regardless of their differences. Honour does not necessarily mean that we agree with everything that a person does or believes. Creating a culture of honour in any environment starts with the personal decision to choose to place honour and value on others, regardless of what they choose to do. Now here is the kicker – honour is choosing to love and respect others, even if they are choosing to behave in a way that is not respectful, loving or in agreement with you.
That is all very easy to say and think and quite challenging to put into practice. Danny expresses that we do not know if there is honour in the relationship until it is tested with a problem or until something goes wrong and that our response in those situations display the level of honour we have. For example, it is all well and good to show honour to a child when they are listening, following your instructions, and speaking nicely to you. It is a completely different story when they are speaking disrespectfully and arguing with you.
It is easy to show honour and respect to a friend when they are being a loyal and supportive friend, but it is more challenging to show honour to a friend when they say something negative about you. When there is honour in a relationship, even if others are not being respectful, we are still able to control the way we choose to respond to what is in front of us. We can choose to speak kind words, stay in control of ourselves and think before we act.
Whenever there is conflict and a confrontation, we often picture people arguing, raising their voices and becoming emotional to express their feelings and convey their perspective. I am sure that we have all witnessed or experienced at some point in our life a conflict where this has happened and things have not been resolved or able to be repaired after this. However, Danny describes the importance of confronting with the goal of connection. When two people discuss their issues or conflict with the intent of becoming closer and working through the concerns, the conversations and approach is very different. When two people honour each other by confronting with the goal to connect, often the content of the discussion is filled with grace and understanding, the way they speak is kind and they are able to hear and take on feedback because the goal stays the same even if the discussion is heated – “that I want to connect with you better and I want to work through this”.
Those are my two main thoughts that I wanted to share, but there are many more concepts in Danny’s teaching that have positively helped me personally and professionally to be better at loving others and honouring them. If you are interested in reading or watching more of his teaching, he has developed several different programs, some of which you can borrow from the college library. In addition to this, we also run Danny’s Loving Our Kids on Purpose programs several times throughout the year and his Life Academy courses are also available online. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is interested. You are more than welcome to contact our Student Care and Well-being team if you have any questions around the programs and courses or Danny’s teaching.
For further information around the Life Academy, please visit https://loving-on-purpose-life-academy.thinkific.com/
See attachment for further information.
QCB-180905-1244 Recruiting Montage
Come and try BASEBALL each Tuesday from 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Do you like to throw and hit a ball and enjoy playing in a friendly fun team? Then come and give baseball at Southern Stars a try.
If you are interested and would like information, please contact:
Nathan – 0407 014 529 or
Karen – 0421 773 768 email us at
southernstarsbaseballclub@gmail.com
New season starts October and will go through until March 2019. All ages 5 and above, male and female. Junior Players $165 for a season which includes club shirt and hat.
Call Shane Harris on 0411 129 952 or email greenbankcricket@gmail.com
| Thursday 1st November | Year 6 Graduation and Morning Tea Celebration |
|---|---|
| Friday 2nd November | Carols on the Green |
| Wednesday 7th November | Year 5&6 Choir Carols at Grand Plaza |
| Wednesday 7th November | Whole College Remembrance Day Service |
| Friday 16th November | Year 12 Graduation Ceremony and 2019 Captains Induction |
| Friday 16th November | Year 12 Formal |
| Friday 19th November | Year 4 Incursion - Street Science |
| Tuesday 20th November | Year 1 Excursion - Seaworld |
| Wednesday 21st November | Year 2 Excursion - Eaglby Wetlands |
| Wednesday 28th November | Year 6 Transition Day |
| Thursday 29th November | Year 9 Graduation Lunch |
| Thursday 29th November | Year 9 Graduation Lunch |
| Thursday 29th November | Primary Awards Night |
| Friday 30th November | Middle School Wet n Wild |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
During the final week of Term 3 our Year 11 students attended Leadership Camp at Emu Gully, Helidon, which is based around the ANZAC’s; of working together and leaving no one behind. A vast array of activities were experienced and each activity increasingly worked on building character, respect, and of leading by example. A “Can Do” attitude was evident in all and we are proud as each student gave their very own 100%.
As the Year 11 students embark on their final year of schooling, they are all leaders and will be great role models. Throughout the three-day camp, the students continuously displayed courage and determination in facing, at times, very confronting situations. They definitely stepped up as the pressure was increased. They were there for each other, and made sure that all their team members successfully completed each challenge. It was a very special time to draw together as a cohort and the camaraderie amongst the group was certainly evident.
The model of the servant leader is the most fitting style that we look to for our senior student leadership at Parklands. It is the style of leadership that Jesus demonstrated so aptly. A leader that knows each person personally, that isn’t afraid to get in and do the job and really get to know the people around them. A leader that is willing to make sacrifices and put others before themselves.
The Year 11 Pastoral Care teachers, Mr Cunningham and Mrs Smith, observed qualities of character that we could respect in all these students leading the school in 2019, they will indeed be an example to all those around them.
After the busyness of QCS and Term 3 exams, Year 12 students have been encouraged to keep thinking through their six (6) preferences for QTAC by continuing to research courses they may be interested in pursuing after school. A reminder that your child must register with QTAC, applications for Semester 1 & 2, 2019 are now open and universities have different due dates.
I encourage everyone interested in applying for a course of study beyond school, to go to QTAC’s website to read in more detail at:
Yr11-12 students have been reminded to regularly check their Student Connect account with Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA). This account provides students with access to their learning account and results. This is particularly important for Yr12, as this information is used to feed information for the QCE. A thorough check of personal information, school subjects and any Vocational Education courses must be completed. Please notify Mrs Hudson or Mrs Wallis if there are any discrepancies. Go to: https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au/
All Year 10-11 students have chosen next year’s subjects. If your child changes their mind, that’s okay, they will just need to fill out a “Change of Subject” form, located at Student Services. At Parklands we strive to work alongside each student to map out a pathway that is best for your child. The right pathway, to match your child’s interests, skillset, and aligned with future choices, will help to increase student confidence and motivation and ultimately to achieve greater results. If you would like to talk more about pathway options, or if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact myself or Mrs Deanne Hudson via Student Services or direct via email at: dhudson@parklands.qld.edu.au or rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
I trust you are all refreshed for the final and busiest term of the year. I definitely look forward to working alongside your child and as usual please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any support or if you have any questions. The best contacts are through the email listed above or via the College office.
Warmest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
I believe that charity begins at home!
Here is why: Back in my childhood, beggars used to knock on our door to ask for food. My parents would invite them to sit with us around the table and share in the family meal. I looked at the strange men with eyes wide open as the first seeds for compassion and care were sown into my heart. I remembered the Good Samaritan who showed kindness and generosity to a foreigner: My parents were like him! Charity does begin at home.
I also believe that if charity begins at home, it should not end there. Hence, as an extension of the home, charity continues at Parklands. The seeds of compassion and care start growing as children are given opportunities to love their “neighbour” – first their friends; then all other school students; people they meet during their volunteering hours in Year 10; and finally even the poorest of the poor living in the slums of Cambodia.
By attending our mission trip during the school holidays, some of our brave senior students chose to allow their compassionate hearts to be enlarged by including the people of Cambodia. I had the amazing privilege to accompany them on this trip during the school holidays. It was an eye-opener for me.
Could I urge you to read my report on this trip! It explains what we do in Cambodia and more importantly, why. It’s important for all of us at Parklands to know.
It is my prayer for our students that charity begins at home, continues at school and eventually becomes part of our children’s lives, whatever that may look like for them. We are all called to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” (Proverbs 31:8) and to “not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). We are asked to care for the poor, the disabled, the lame, the blind, the marginalised, the widows, orphans and foreigners – in short, anyone who cannot repay us, and we will be blessed (John 14:14).
This is what makes life worth living: The Good Life is the life lived for others. It is in giving that we receive.
Please find my Cambodia Mission Trip report in this newsletter.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
I had the privilege to attend the Parklands Cambodia Mission Trip for the first time. Please find below my report on our trip and importantly, my reflections on the importance of this program.
The first few days in Phnom Penh were about acclimatisation as we first had to digest a severe culture shock. The traffic in the Cambodian capital, the rubbish and the smells, the lack of proper plumbing, the fear of stomach bugs, etc. made me feel far out of my comfort zone. At the same time, we were introduced to a myriad of people and different NGOs who are all tackling the many roots and consequences of severe poverty from different angles. It was fascinating to learn first-hand about how RAW Impact and other organisations approach the many issues in this country and by doing so contribute to the intricate and complex system of care for the poor, destitute and powerless. We also visited historical sites that taught us how the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot caused this country to spin into a social and economic disaster that is responsible for many of the country’s issues of today.
Because of the recent widespread flooding in Cambodia that also impacted Taskor village on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, we didn’t do our usual building program there. Instead, our first day in Taskor was spent running a Family Fun Day for the kids of that village. There were 270 children for whom RAW Impact and the three schools visiting at that time had organised a program. We did various craft activities, ran health education classes and I got to be a music teacher again to teach the kids new songs. What a wonderful experience to connect with the children of this community, see them smile and laugh just like our kids over here. It was most beautiful.
Our second day in Taskor was about distributing much-needed food to families who were identified as most in need of emergency care. Most of those families live on not much more than $1 per day or have fallen prey to enormous debts and hence when a natural disaster strikes, they have little to no means to support themselves. We went out in boats to visit these families, sat in their houses (consisting of one room shared by a whole family) and talked to them about their stories. Some of them live in slums that could get evicted with less than 24 hours’ notice, in houses whose bamboo floors dangerously creaked under our weight. Many of the local RAW crew grew up in similar conditions and helped us to be culturally sensitive (and not to be poverty tourists). What a privilege it was to meet these people and especially those kids who had attended the day before. They were all so precious.
Our next stop was in a provincial town further north, where RAW has “adopted” one of the poorest communities in Cambodia called Ko Ki. Most of the people living there had been living in slums elsewhere and had been relocated by the government without the necessary support to thrive there. To empower these people, RAW Impact is working towards building an industry around the growing of bamboo in which the locals can be employed. It’s a big vision and our little part in this was to build a storage shed for the heavy machinery that is needed for it. We spent three days labouring in the heat and mud and saw most of the structure get completed. It was an amazing experience to contribute to something that meaningful, and a great lesson in sustainability and how even small contributions are part of the whole picture.
By the time we were finished in Ko Ki, we were absolutely exhausted. But going home then would’ve been premature. Instead, we were treated with a few nights in a nice hotel in Siem Reap, and a day program that included a visit to Angkor Wat, an awe-inspiring cultural heritage site of the Khmer Empire from the 12th century. This site is deeply connected with the cultural identity and pride of the Khmer people – and something you must experience to understand the Khmer.
The trip leaves me with many thoughts about our missions program: How it benefits not only some of the poorest of the poor in Cambodia but also in profound ways our students and staff, our school as a whole, and even our society that needs young people who have learned to look beyond themselves, who are not ignorant of the suffering and problems faced by the billions of people around the world and who are prepared to do their part to alleviate suffering in a way that only they can do.
In our increasingly self-absorbed society, we need people who are ready to look beyond themselves; who are compassionate; and who have seen and experienced the dark side of our world. They are not ignorant of the suffering and problems faced by billions of people, and have experienced some ways that they can help. Those people will be more likely to identify opportunities to make a positive impact not only in Cambodia but around the world as well as at home.
Compassion, love and care can be ideas that we may fully endorse but never enact. The Bible speaks of faith in the same way: without action, it is not really faith. For these values to develop, a first-hand experience is absolutely necessary. It needs to be personal and we must come face-to-face with the people we are to care for, especially if they are different to us. It needs to involve “doing” rather than just thinking.
There are very worthwhile causes and people who require our love and compassion in Australia and closer to home. In choosing Cambodia, we have a mission field that takes us further out of our comfort zone than most places closer to home. The more different and challenging the environment, the greater the potential for personal development and change, and the more cause for self-reflection about the things and life we take for granted.
In summary, we have something very good going on here at Parklands. Our missions program is second to none that I have seen or heard of. Our missions coordinator has perfected the students’ preparation in Cambodian classes, developed an itinerary that maximises the impact, enjoyment and safety of our students, and provides support for the re-integration and after-care of students once they arrive back in their normal life with their new experiences weighing on them.
Other opportunities and approaches exist and many of them would certainly be valuable too; however, we have developed a unique Parklands approach to missions and a fruitful partnership with RAW and it will be good for us to protect and grow what we have.
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
Come & Try flyer with border & pics
See attachment for further information.
QCB-180905-1244 Recruiting Montage
Come and try BASEBALL each Tuesday from 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Do you like to throw and hit a ball and enjoy playing in a friendly fun team? Then come and give baseball at Southern Stars a try.
If you are interested and would like information, please contact:
Nathan – 0407 014 529 or
Karen – 0421 773 768 email us at
southernstarsbaseballclub@gmail.com
New season starts October and will go through until March 2019. All ages 5 and above, male and female. Junior Players $165 for a season which includes club shirt and hat.
Call Shane Harris on 0411 129 952 or email greenbankcricket@gmail.com
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Welcome back to Term 4! We hope you all had a wonderful relaxing break and are ready for another fun-filled term! Here we are, already in the last term of the year. Wow this year seems to be going by so quickly! We had an extremely busy term 3. It has been such a blessing for us to be able to meet so many new families and have the opportunity to fellowship with all our families at the different events that have been held.
Last month The Friendlies Spring Dance had over 200 kids plus their parents up and dancing the night away. What an incredible time everyone had! Active8 4 Kids definitely had everyone out on the dance floor, they did an amazing job at keeping all the kids entertained. So many happy faces as the kids laughed and danced the night away. It was an absolute joy to see so many parents up having a dance with their kids too. Thank you to Michelle and Sandra from The Coffee Club, Browns Plains Village Square, they are always at all of our events supporting us and keeping the coffee flowing. We also had four Year 10 Active Volunteers who joined our team for the evening. They even managed to be out on the dance floor interacting with our Primary Students. Well done James, Kallen, Reuben and Toby, your help was greatly appreciated! It has been a pleasure having you as part of our team this year. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this a fabulous night.
At the start of the year we were collecting Coles Sports for Schools vouchers. As a school we were able to collect 51977 vouchers! We were then able to redeem the vouchers for a range of sporting equipment for free! At the end of term 3 the sporting equipment arrived from Coles. Check out some of the equipment we received! Thank you to everyone and their families who were able to collect vouchers!
We have been overwhelmed from the support we had for the Cadbury Freddo Chocolate fundraiser. Thank you so much to all the families who participated. Thanks to all of you, all of the boxes of chocolates are now sold.
A big shout out to our Friendlies Team, each and everyone plays an equally important role to ensure that all of our events run smoothly! The Friendlies are parents of children in our school community who are dedicated to sharing God’s love while working in unity to ensure that all of our community events run smoothly. We share a passion for our God, our kids and our school community. Everyone from our school community is welcome to come along and join us at any of our meetings or events.
Our next Friendlies meeting is on Friday 12th October 2018 at 6.45pm at Jimboomba Maccas. Everyone is welcome to attend! If you would like more information about The Friendlies or any of our events or fundraisers, please email Angela Marsh friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
It is amazing to think that our phones and many watches now have 100x – 10000x the computing power that took man to the moon. I hear stories of people gathering to watch the landing on the moon as not everyone had a TV. These days most households have up to 2 devices per person that people could be watching, in colour, whatever they want and whenever they want. Digital media, technology and screen time has increased significantly and has become a normal and in some cases necessary part of life.
So how do we manage this? How do we make sure that our children do not become mindlessly glued to the screen? Here are a few ideas to try out at home:
Sit down as a family and work out a plan. Write this down so you remember what it is you are trying to achieve and gain from this. Your child does not need to see the plan but it helps if you have a strategy. You can use the following as a guide for your plan.
Is your goal with your child connection? How are you wanting to interact with your child? What example do you want to show them? Write down what goal you have with the screen time in your house both for adults and for children. What are you wanting to achieve?
What are your family values? What character traits do you want your child to have?
What do you know about your child- what are their dislikes and likes, hobbies etc.? What can they handle and what is it that they struggle with? Some people have great self-control while others need to work harder at this. How does your child manage responsibility? What are their responsibilities? How can you increase their experience of responsibility- ie. chores, attend training or other extra circular activities, plan or attend a family event or just enjoy the outdoors?
You are the adult and the parent. You make the final decision. Set clear rules around screen time use. Such as:
What are they up to? What are they watching and what are they playing? Who are they talking with and too? What is that game about and what do you need to do in the game. The latest game craze at the moment is Fortnite. What is the rating for this game? Do you know what it is and what they need to do in this game? Regularly check and ask questions, even have a go yourself and make this a connection point with your child.
Keep informed about what tasks are required for their subjects. Sometimes they will need to access technology, but there are may tasks that do not require this. Parents can fall into the trap of thinking because their child is ‘studying’ they are using technology appropriately. This is a myth, study and exam week results in the highest incidents of online bulling across Australia. Why? Students are bored, easily distracted and stressed. This is a terrible combination for reacting negatively toward peers. During weeks 8 and 9 of term please turn up the vigilance!!!
Talk with your child. Ask them about the screen time they are doing, what game are they playing and what shows are they watching? What is it about or what do you need to do? Why is this fun to watch this or play this? Join in, sit down and watch with them for a moment, play the game with them or watch them play and ask questions. Be interested in their interests and their screen time activities.
Whilst your child is at school they are required to use their technology for class work only. If a student needs to contact a parent they are required to phone them from student services. We ask parents to please refrain from texting or emailing their child during school hours.
For further information please check these out:
Coffee, Kids and Crazy podcast – Back to school and Screentime – By Loving on Purpose – Brittney Serpell
Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner – Information on online safety and screen time activities
Common Sense Media – Check on ratings, content and storylines. Plus many other resources.
Cyber Safety Solutions – Learn about safety for your child whilst online.
Family Contracts for Screen time – Use one of their templates or just use this as a guide when you write your own!
Welcome to the adventure of building great relationships with your child around appropriate use of technology. Enjoy your time with your child teaching, modelling and monitoring the screen time world!
Please note that from the beginning of 2019, all instrumental enrolments will be handled through the Music Centre by the Instrumental Music Co-ordinator. If your child is already learning piano, drums, guitar or strings, you will need to fill out a College enrolment form. Enrolments will be continuous until we receive notification of withdrawal from you, so you will not have to fill out a new form each year. Forms will be available from your child’s teacher during this term, and we would appreciate them being returned before the end of the school year as this will assist us enormously with planning & scheduling for 2019.
We are entering the final term of our first year of the Give It A Go! Band Programme. It has been so rewarding to see so many students experiencing instrumental music at this level for the first time, and hearing so many of them enjoying the experience & doing so well. Give It A Go! lessons will run until week 6, and College instruments will need to be returned at that last lesson in week 6.
We have also developed a way for these students to continue lessons next year in a slightly different format. More information will be available in the next few weeks about how this year’s Give It A Go! students can continue learning in 2019.
At the same time we have been preparing to make offers to students who will be in Year 5 in 2019 to participate in next year’s Give It A Go! Band Programme. The Year 4’s all had the opportunity to try playing the instruments we are offering next year, and it was wonderful to see the excitement on their faces! This programme will from now on be offered each year to Year 5 students, as an introductory experience for instrumental music. We are unable to offer everyone a place, sadly, but we do have capacity for about half the cohort to participate. These offers will be made in week 1 of Term 4 – watch your inboxes!
Our final performances for the year are also coming up in the next few weeks, in the form of Carols on the Green. Look out for some outstanding students there!
Of course all of our Choirs, both Primary & Secondary, are preparing for Carols on the Green also. These students have learned much through their experiences in the Choirs this year, and we hope they will continue in 2019, either in the same choir or the next Primary choir, and now our Year 6’s can continue on into Secondary Choir in 2019!
Finally, a huge Congratulations to Amy Finch in Year 6 who has been accepted to participate in the first ever SHEP Primary Choir programme. SHEP (State Honours Ensemble Programme) is a set of events run by the Queensland Conservatorium of Music which bring together the top vocalists & instrumentalists from across the state with guest conductors & teachers for a weekend of rehearsals & fun, culminating in a concert for their parents & friends. Amy was chosen from a field of over 1800 applicants, so we are thrilled that she will be representing Parklands at this inaugural event. Well done, Amy!
Zechariah 4:10 says “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” I believe that is a word in season for us right now, I believe the Lord is rejoicing in our small beginnings, and that from these beginnings He will grow these students, He will grow our College, and He will glorify His name in this area. We are raising next-generation worshippers, and I think the Lord loves to see that! Thankyou to the whole College community for your support throughout this year, and especially to Mr Solymosi who has been 110% behind the Give It A Go! Band Programme from before the beginning. The best is yet to come!
Mrs Alison Harbottle
Week 10 of Term 3 saw the Year 10 cohort venture out into the “real world” and participate in work experience. Students travelled far and wide with some venturing out of the Logan region which adds to the positive experience.
Work experience is one of the most valuable activities that a student can do to support their career choices and personal development.
Work experience provides students with time at a workplace to learn about an occupation or industry. Students may observe others doing their job, try various tasks or do a combination of watching and working. It is an opportunity to develop skills and networks, learn about the world of work and to decide what kinds of things they would like to do.
Parklands students secured their placement in a variety of industries including retail, local council gymnasium and aquatic centre, veterinary, hairdressing, automotive mechanics, computer and animation technology, administration, Queensland Police, cake baking and design, Magistrates Court, graphic design, magazine publication, hospitality, child care, fashion, food retail, fencing trade, food preparation, butchery, Arboriculture , bus and coach fabrication, dental, skincare and beautician clinic, education and film.
The feedback received from employers was very positive on all levels; we are very proud of the hard work completed by all the students and wish to thank all the employers for their support and encouragement.
After 4 years of crawling through roofs and studying hard at Tafe, 2014 graduate Jarryd Parkinson is now a fully qualified electrician. Jarryd is grateful to his family and friends for all their encouragement and support and for the foundations of education and care received during his time at Parklands.
Congratulations Jarryd!
We are super proud of (2014 Alumni) Pilot Officer Brittney Jackson. Congratulations on your recent graduation at the Royal Australian Air Force Officers’ Training School Brittney….we look forward to following your adventures!!
Year 12 student, Alicia, spent the last two days of her term break working on location at Grand Plaza and gaining valuable work experience with personal stylist, Susie The Stylist. Fashion and styling are a passion of Alicia’s and we are grateful to Grand Plaza and Susie for providing this valuable opportunity for our student.
Since being back in Australia the one question everyone keeps asking is what was your favourite part and what impacted you the most about Cambodia? Every time I just go quiet and don’t have the correct words. I can’t pin point exactly how I feel and that’s unlike me as I always have something to say. Saying that, I loved the whole experience and it was a very impacting trip. It made me realise how good I’ve got it and that I shouldn’t take anything for granted and make the most of my good life. Those family’s in Cambodia don’t have the lives that we have. They are living on as little as 1 bowl of rice a day to feed their family of 6, surrounded by bodies of water where only boats can be used to go too and from. Seeing how life changing a bag of rice and noodles can be to a family meant a lot. These family’s have got literally nothing yet they have the biggest smiles on their faces that just light up the room. It’s truly amazing.
But it wasn’t until I heard Salins story who is one of the media boys that works for raw impact that everything really hit home and made me realise how lucky I have it. A Khmer boy who grew up like the kids in these villages who has come to achieve amazing things working for raw and is one of the most talented people I know. It was truly inspiring how much RAW can make a difference in people’s lives. This trip is one I will never forget and will cherish forever.
With confidence, I can say that taking a step of out my comfort zone to travel to Cambodia was the BEST decision I have ever made. I was exposed to a kind of poverty I cannot comprehend, a kind of poverty I believe shouldn’t exist in our world. Yet amongst the sadness of what I was seeing, my heart continued to be filled by the beautiful smiles and unexplainable happiness of the local people who’s lives I became a part of for a short period of time. These people taught me to be grateful for every single part of my life, inspired me to be resilient through harder times and reminded me that there is always a reason to smile and show love towards others. I knew I was travelling to Cambodia to make a difference in the lives of others, but words can’t properly comprehend the difference it made to my life too.
Here are some of my amazing team members and I pictured with Mrs Pov. Mrs Pov’s house was destroyed in the recent flooding and her husband built this temporary shack on a tiny strip of land beside the road. The stress of the floods and relocating proved too much for Mr Pov and he sadly passed away 4 weeks ago. With only 3 flimsy walls to this shack, Mrs Pov is often wet and always vulnerable now on her own.
With a need to now provide for herself and her 2 adult children and grandchildren, Mrs Pov borrowed $50 from a friend to purchase enough items to start a little roadside shop. This loan has become a huge burden and brought shame on the family as it could possibly take up to 10 years to repay. Mrs Pov is only earning up to 75cents a day from her shop and still needs to pay for her own living expenses such as food and water daily.
As part of our flood relief work with Raw Impact, we were able to deliver a food package consisting of a months worth of rice, noodles, soy and fish sauce, salt, sugar and other food items. She was so grateful and allowed us to spend time with her, chatting, hearing her story and then our team prayed for her.
As heart breaking Mrs Pov’s story is, she is just one of many…it was such a privilege to be able to help her and make a difference in her life in this small way.
The College Mission Trip to Cambodia changed my life and I am so glad that I decided to go.
This day would have to be one of my favourites in my whole life. We travelled to extremely poverty struck areas, slum villages just across the river from Phnom Penh. Some of the homes we saw had been so flooded that the water was at the roof and others were small shacks sitting just inches above the filthy water. Still, even in such devastation and poverty there were so many happy communities with smiling villagers shouting “Suesaday!” (Hello!) at those who pass by. These beautiful families lacked basic life necessities that nobody should ever have to go without. As we recognised that this was not okay, our school missions team through Raw Impact, provided a food package to some of the poorest and most vulnerable families in this village. We prayed for them, showed them that they are important and told them that they are not forgotten. We were able to show them that God loves them deeply. What a blessing to be able to make a small difference in the lives of those who need it the most.
In July Isabelle Podlich travelled to Perth for the Australian Artistic Roller Skating Championships.
Isabelle had an extremely successful National Championships, achieving many personal goals and podium finishes. She was 1 of only 3 Australian International level Juvenile freeskaters competing in 2 freeskating programs (short and long programs) at the competition – with one competitor from Victoria and another from South Australia.
Each event was highly competitive with the best of each State skating their hearts out for the chance to win! Isabelle’s final placings for the week of competition were:
Juvenile Girls Figures – Bronze Medal
Precision (Team event) – Gold Medal
Juvenile Girls Freeskating – 4th place out of 8 skaters
Open Short Ladies Freeskating – (5th place out of 9 skaters)
Isabelle also competed in her final competition of the year last weekend and came away with 2 first places in Juvenile Figures and Juvenile Freeskating and also took home the Overall 1st place trophies in both of those disciplines – a fantastic end to an amazing year.
Futsal Queensland are looking to run a weekly comp at our school. Please see the flyer for more details and contact information.
https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/getinthegame/getstarted/apply
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 2 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Hamper Gift Giving
6:00pm—8:00pm: Available to purchase
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 2 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will have received a Parklands Hamper. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
On Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo.
These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 16 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Thursday 25th October, 2018 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
I trust that you had an enjoyable, relaxing school holiday spent with family and friends or just enjoyed having the children at home and not having to prepare lunches, do homework, stress to get them to school prepared and on time?
We are continuing to review our process and procedures in the Primary in order to ensure the school is one in which our CLEAR values of Christlikeness, Learning, Excellence, Attitude and Respect are presented and followed daily.
For the start of term 4, can you kindly check that ALL of your child’s Uniform Items and Lunch Boxes and Drink Bottles are clearly labeled with their name? Can we also please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to check the school’s website, contact your child’s teacher or the RTC.
Students may be collected anytime from 2.30pm but will unfortunately miss Structured Play time.
Students leaving in Structured Play need to be electronically signed out either in the Undercover Area or up at Student Services.
At the end of Structured Play (3.05pm), students go to class, line up for class roll call, collect their ports / bags and are taken up to the Undercover Area. They are only allowed to leave the Under Cover Area of an afternoon, when collected by a guardian or older sibling. No student can leave the Undercover Area without any supervision. At 3.30pm those students that have not been collected, will be taken up to Student Services until collected.
Thank you for not requesting students to make their way ‘on their own’ and meet you at the car. If you need them before 3.30pm, please come up to the Undercover Area and collect them there.
Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard as we wish to keep all our students safe and accounted for!
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life.
Class teachers, Aides, all specialist teachers, RTC, LE Staff and myself spend an enormous amount of time discussing, praying about and working through the issues involved with student & class teacher placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process!
A reminder, due to the fact that we know the children and teacher / class environment, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for us as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship continue to develop between teacher, student and parent!
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Year 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in Senior Primary! Feedback from staff, parents and the Year 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
The first habit from Stephen Covey’s wonderful book “The 7 habits of highly effective people” states that we should start every project or undertaking with the end in mind.
This principle holds true for any activity whether it’s planting your veggie patch; renovating a house or raising children. When you know what you are trying to achieve then choosing the right strategies becomes easy. The end game or goal for parents and teachers is Redundancy. Yep, you read it right. Your job is to make yourself redundant as an adult from the children you raise and teach at the earliest appropriate, possible age. When redundancy is your aim most of your time, effort and energy will go into promoting independence. You’ll stop doing things for kids and start giving them opportunities to do things themselves. You’ll spend most of your active parenting and teaching time teaching, explaining and prodding your child toward independence.
When independence becomes your priority then suddenly you’ve found a pathway to the development of other positive qualities and traits in your children including the key four – confidence, competence, creativity and character.
Here’s how:
It can be scary and also difficult developing independence in one big step. So smart adults intuitively develop junior versions of independence by breaking up big activities into digestible bits. Want your three year old to make the bed? Then start by arranging the teddies and the pillows (a junior version of making the bed) and let them work their way up from there. Similarly, want your ten year old to walk to school yet it’s currently out of their skillset? Then accompany them most of the way and let them walk the last 200 metres to school on his own. That’s a junior version of walking to school.
In all the noise and commotion about raising kids today it’s easy to forget that the job description for parents hasn’t changed since the dawn of time. Love them, bond with them, teach them and spend time with them. But also work like mad to develop their real independence so they become capable of handling what life will throw their way.
Trusting you have a great term ahead.
Mr Grant Jakins
On the last day of Term 3, the Year 3 students were visited by Mel from the Street Science crew. To begin the day we enjoyed a Science show where the students were able to watch, interact and consolidate their learning about friction, heating and cooling. After the use of flames, liquid nitrogen and friction by the expert, the students split into their class groups to complete experiments themselves. The first experiment involved testing the temperature of ingredients as they were mixed together. This saw the students using digital thermometers as they watched the temperature of the first mixture go up the second mixture go down. After this the students experimented as to which surfaces helped ice melt faster and which kept it cold longer. The students enjoyed the experience and were very talkative and excited to share their findings with each other.
We look forward to learning about animals, their classifications and the biomes they associate with, in Science for Term 4.
Mrs Abbot, Mr Kennedy, Mrs Jones and Mrs Buckley
During Term 3 Year 4 made an exciting journey to South Bank to visit the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the GOMA Art Gallery. Most of the students hadn’t experienced a live orchestra and were amazed at the wonderful sounds coming from live music as they listened to the “Babar the Elephant” story. Many students have said they are inspired and can’t wait for to be involved in the Give it A Go Band program in 2019.
Lunch was enjoyed by all at South Bank before participating in some fun activities at the “We can be Heroes” children’s exhibition at GOMA. The highlight for the students was making themselves into a digital superhero and seeing themselves on the big screen.
We’d like to thank Mr Jakins and all the parent helpers for giving up their time and assisting in making this fun day such a success.
Primary Arts teachers and Grade 4 teachers.
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 2 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Hamper Gift Giving
6:00pm—8:00pm: Available to purchase
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 2 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will have received a Parklands Hamper Bag. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
On Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo.
These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 16 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Thursday 25th October, 2018 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
| Thursday 11th October | Sporting and Extra Curricular Photo Day |
|---|---|
| Friday 12th October | Sporting and Extra Curricular Photo Day |
| Tuesday 16 October | Grade 7 Logan City Council Immunisation Program |
| Tuesday 16 October | Chess competition Yr 7-12 |
| Friday 19th October | Year 3 Excursion - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary |
| Tuesday 23rd October | Year 12 Biology & Year 10 STEM Bee Group Incursion-Beehive Installation |
| Thursday 25th October | Year 10 YFS Legal Seminar - Age of Consent |
| Tuesday 30th October | Senior Art Exhibition 3 |
| Tuesday 30th October | Year 9 Drama Incursion-Commedia Workshop |
| Tuesday 30th October | Middle School Information Evening |
| Tuesday 30th October | Year 12 Hospitality Practices Excursion |
| Wednesday 31st October | Rugby friendly game against Chisholm |
| Thursday 1st November | Year 6 Graduation and Morning Tea Celebration |
| Friday 2nd November | Carols on the Green |
| Wednesday 7th November | Whole College Remembrance Day Service |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
On the 28th August, Parklands Christian College celebrated the artist talents of many students with our Arts Gala Evening.
Our amazing line up featured elements of Music, Visual Art, Drama and Dance from students across years 2 – 12. Parents and guests were privileged to view artwork from our Primary, Middle School and Senior College Visual Art students. They were then entertained with over 25 different acts and presentations, spanning across three different performance stages, in both indoor and outdoor venues.
Everything from small vocal performances, string performances, piano performances, solos and duets, primary junior and senior choirs, secondary choir, senior drama students, and the Give-it-a-Go Concert Band were on display, and all students did a remarkable job.
Parents and guests were then treated to a wonderful dessert, prepared and served by our fantastic hospitality staff and students in our brand new hospitality centre.
A big thank you goes out to the staff and students who worked extremely hard to prepared students for performance, and were instrumental in putting a night like this together. A very big thank you is extended to all of our parents and guests who attended the evening – your support for the students is greatly appreciated.
Performance Date Claimer: 2nd November
Our next major community event at Parklands will be our community carols, held on site on the evening of 2nd November. Look for more information coming shortly.
There are many exciting exhibitions on at this time that Parklands students are involved in. As well as displaying current work at the College’s recent Arts Gala Evening, senior students Elisabeth Degen and Bronte Robertson have been entered in this year’s Creative Generation award, a state-wide competition for Year 11 and 12 students. Elisabeth’s work has been on display at A.B. Paterson College on the Gold Coast as part of Creative Generation’s Regional Exhibition (25 August – 3 September). Bronte’s work will also feature in Logan Art Gallery’s Artwaves 2018 Exhibition (7 September – 13 October), together with works by Kassidy Lane, Chloë Smith, Noah van Leeuwen and another work by Elisabeth Degen. Artwaves is an annual exhibition of work sourced from talented high school students in the Logan region. Selected by both gallery staff and visual arts teachers, Artwaves is a showcase of the wealth of imagination and creativity present in the area. Congratulations to all our students representing Parklands in these exhibitions!
Sr Monique Singh
Visual Arts Teacher
The Senior Hospitality Class planned and prepared an Italian themed dinner to showcase the development of their skills and knowledge within the Hospitality industry. They used a variety of 21st century skills including creative thinking, collaboration, teamwork and ICTs (information and communication technology skills) to create a fabulous three course meal. The New Hospitality Centre was the perfect setting and allowed parents to experience this great space while enjoying a meal prepared and served by their child.
The Year 11 & 12 Hospitality and Home Economics students experienced a day at the Ekka exploring Food and Fibre. Students enjoyed the fashion parade that focused on natural fibres from well established designers, up and coming designers and students from TAFE.
We explored the Agricultural pavilion and discovered ways that we can help to care for this earth, the resources we use and our farmers for long term benefits for everyone. We saw some amazing produce from schools as well as talented people’s cakes, preserves, crafts and incredible sewing.
The day finished off with the Woolworth’s cooking demonstration and some great taste testing while learning how to reduce our food waste at home.
A great day was had by all!
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 2 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Hamper Gift Giving
6:00pm—8:00pm: Available to purchase
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 2 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will receive a Parklands Hamper Bag late Term 3/early Term 4. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
Oh Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo.
These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 16 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Thursday 25th October, 2018 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) has a role in operating a centralised tertiary application system. Year 12 students have received the “QTAC: Guide to Tertiary Courses” booklet. This resource provides valuable information about courses at public and private universities, Tafe and other tertiary centres. This is an exciting time to explore the possibilities of “What Next”? The entry requirements, including expected OP’s, prerequisites and course lengths are included.
Year 12’s have been encouraged to spend some time exploring potential courses of interest, after the presentation by QTAC earlier in the year. Seniors register and apply online through QTAC to receive offers for further study after school: https://applications.qtac.edu.au
Registration is now open all year round with an application fee of $43, if paid between 2nd August 2018–28 February 2019.
There is much information available on scholarships. Year 12 have been encouraged to research what is on offer by the University they are interested in attending. QTAC also provides some information on scholarships at: https://www.qtac.edu.au/scholarships This is an area that cannot be left too late, as supporting evidence is often required.
Your child can view the PowerPoint resource, on the Pastoral Care website, for applying to QTAC.
The Year 12 Pastoral Care teachers, Jess Grounds & Julia Matthews, along with Dee Hudson and myself are happy to meet to provide some further guidance for scholarship and QTAC applications. Please contact us via email or through the College office on 3380 4200.
The following websites contain useful information to help students make informed choices when planning career pathways and choosing school subjects.
When thinking about what school subjects to choose and what you might like to do after school, we encourage the following:
* Talk with families, friends and employers about future job opportunities.
* Visit trade and careers expos. Mrs Hudson’s VET news contains much information on these opportunities. You can also check Uni websites and make a time to talk to University Careers advisors.
* Go back and read “Job Outlook”. This has descriptions and much information on hundreds of occupations. This is helpful in making those connections between jobs, senior subject pre-requisites, and future study required to get that job.
* Read up on information in the QTAC booklet for post school tertiary study opportunities.
I am very excited to be a part of our 2018 Leadership camping program, along with the 11 Pastoral Care teachers Mr Cunningham and Mrs Smith, which will be held from 19th to 21st September at Emu Gully. As a valued part of our college curriculum, all Year 11 school students are required to attend this camp in preparation for their final year of schooling. Please note, that all participants, even those who do not like the outdoors, report that this is the best camp ever! It is also an important time for students wanting to apply for a badged leadership position. We do, however, see all of our Year 12’s as leaders, which is why we request the attendance of all. If you would like to discuss any aspect of the camp, please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at:rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Scripture Union (SU) – Five really cool destinations. Places are booking up fast, go to the following website for more details: https://su-schoolies.com/
RAW Impact – Giving back to perhaps refocus and recharge. For more information, go to: https://www.rawimpact.org/trip/elevate2019/
I am always available to talk about your child’s senior schooling journey so please don’t hesitate to contact me to make a time to meet, should this be helpful.
Warmest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
On Friday, 31 August, we officially opened our amazing new Secondary College facilities: The John Blase Building (containing the Vocational Training Hub) and the Cully Centre for Hospitality. I’ve attended quite a few opening ceremonies, but I find that ours have a special quality about them. We’re not “just” celebrating state-of-the-art buildings; nor are we “just” enjoying the prospect of students achieving their personal best through purpose-built learning spaces. No, we delight in seeing our children participate in a thread of God’s great story that can be traced back through the generations. Their learning at Parklands is not only the beginning of a great new chapter in the life of our school, but it’s also the culmination of other people’s chapters that God weaves together in the stunning tapestry of life. In short, when John Blase, Gary Cully and the people around them got connected, they had no idea that one day, their legacy would be preserved in the form of two buildings. But God’s story is amazing and we are privileged to participate in it.
I want to share with you the introductions to John Blase and Gary Cully that were read out at the Official Opening ceremony. This will help those of you who may not know those two people to understand the background of the building names.
John Blase (by Johannes Solymosi)
Most of the students in attendance today would still vividly remember chapels with David Baskerville – Mr B. The stories he told were always larger than life, but they also communicated that his story was only one small – yet spirited – part of God’s much larger story. Introducing children to life in God’s story was his passion.
John Blase is the son of George Blase, who was called “Mr Sunday School” for his commitment to Children’s Ministries in the 1950s. A little boy was sitting in Sunday School listening to the stories of the Bible told by George Blase: That boy was Mr B.
John Blase’s and David Baskerville’s stories have this shared beginning, and hence, it was no wonder that when they finally met in the late 1990s, they discovered a kinship in their desire to build a ministry to children which would eventually become a Christian school in Park Ridge.
At that time, John Blase had retired and was volunteering as the Church Administrator. The new school was to be set up in the Church Hall, but substantial capital works on the building were required before the necessary approvals would be given. John consequently provided the funds that were used towards these works out of his retirement savings, which allowed the College to have its first home in the Church.
Further finances were required to purchase the first block of land on which to build the school. Generous people, some of which are here today, gifted or loaned these finances. It was Mr B and John Blase who decided to take the risk for these funds together by signing the contract that enacted the purchase of the College’s first block of land. John had the opportunity to walk away from this substantial commitment but gladly accepted the responsibility. He became a Founding Board Member and is now the Chairperson of Parklands Christian College Limited, a company that over 17 years has seen its first donation of $10 increase to assets valued at nearly $30M.
I have the privilege to meet with John once a week. He is one of the most well-read people I know and brings me interesting books or articles to read nearly every week, which start great conversations and thoughts about the purpose of our education.
I have come to appreciate him greatly as someone who leads by example and with complete integrity. He understands that the culture of a school is determined around the boardroom table, and so he leads us gently, patiently, but with resolve, to enact a Culture of Care, Christlikeness and Excellence through our corporate governance.
John would have been too humble to allow us to name this building in his honour, so we kept it a secret from him until today. This building contains our Vocational Training Hub, used by our Senior Students to study vocational education courses. The naming highlights John’s interest in vocational training which arises from his life’s experiences at work.
Gary Cully (By David Baskerville)
It gives me great pleasure to introduce Mr Gary Cully, a Friend and Fellow colleague, who travelled with us on the great journey of building Parklands. We started with just a small primary school in 2001, and we were ready to move into our first secondary class in 2003. I needed a person to carry out this task. My good friend and fellow Principal from Mackay Christian College, said “I have just the man for you”, and he brought Gary Cully down to see Parklands, and while Gary wandered around looking at our small beginnings, Craig Murison and I negotiated a transfer for Gary from Mackay to Parklands. And then we told him about it. From that point on, Gary seized the task of building the Secondary School at Parklands. He nurtured that founding Grade 7 class through to Graduation, and along the way, he continued to build the vision and culture of what he believed Parklands could become. So along with conventional subjects of English, Maths and Science, he introduced Behaviour education, Learning Support, Google systems and networks, Academic and Vocational education, and Community life.
To achieve this, he went out and found the people he needed for this growing school. Bec Wallis, Bernii Goodwin, Jess Grounds, James Smith to mention a few, who picked up the load with him in very humble beginnings, and are now leaders of major sections of this school. I spoke to Gary along the way and encouraged him to not just manage education, but to develop a real pastoral heart for the children and families in our community. This he did in a big way, and he introduced a Missions program, with a good friend of his family, Amanda Young, and they started to take the senior classes to Cambodia, to understand and participate in a culture that has so little, yet so loving and appreciative for what they do have.
This journey changed Gary also, and in 2016, with a flourishing secondary school now in the secure hands of the team he built, he went with his family to the Philippines to establish with his Church, an outreach training centre in Hospitality for girls at risk. This is now his passion, and he has taken a week out of his time, to return to us for this special occasion.
He was, and is, a remarkable man. A real gift to the Parklands. He was central in the building of the Parklands team and programs that we have today. We miss him.
We are naming the Hospitality Centre after him, to honour him and the dream he had to provide this type of building and training, for all students, to equip them with skills, that open doors for opportunities in life.
The very thing he is now totally committed to in his Training Center in Cebu, the Philippines.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
We would like to thank all the parents of Year 1 students for their time in preparing costumes for their child for the Book week parade last Tuesday (they were all amazing) and for their support for “Fiver for a Farmer” day last Friday. The children were very excited about both events and had lots of fun on both days.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Gowreah and Mrs Marsh
Throughout this term, we have been learning about Information Reports, specifically focused on Endangered Animals. With this, we were able to enjoy a day at Australia Zoo where we were able to see many different and endangered animals. We were also treated to a ‘Chat and Pat’ where we met a Koala, Woma Python and Blue Tongue Lizard! We learnt all about their habitat, diet, why they are endangered and what we can do to help. Afterwards we were then free to roam around the zoo, some students were even lucky enough to see the animal they were writing about!
Thank you to all the parents who came along to support us on our discoveries for the day!
Mr. Mark Holman, Mrs. Dayna Davis & Ms. Kristal Cooke.
You are invited to attend our annual Carols on the Green. Join us on Friday 2 November as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy an evening of carolling. This special family friendly carols event will be held outdoors from 6:00pm behind the Administration building, off the side of our top oval.
Bring a picnic or avail yourself to our sausage sizzle and drinks which will be on sale for the duration of the evening. We will reserve the slope for all those bringing picnic rugs, but for those families needing seating, we can accommodate BYO camping chairs on the lower area in front of the stage. Please note this is a non-alcoholic and non-smoking event.
6:00pm—8:00pm: Carols on the Green
Hamper Gift Giving
6:00pm—8:00pm: Available to purchase
Christmas is a time when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus. To celebrate this precious gift, we want to give to those in our local community who are in need. Join us on 2 November with your Parklands Hamper Bag containing your choice of non-perishable items below.
Every family will receive a Parklands Hamper Bag late Term 3/early Term 4. Please Note: If you are unable to attend the carols, please drop your hamper bag (with or without groceries) into Student Services.
Oh Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo.
These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 16 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Thursday 25th October, 2018 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
Thank you for the wonderful support and way all parents are using the Rosia Rd car park and Drop Off Zones. The process is really working well. Can I please ask that parents inform all other guardians/grandparents etc. of our process.
1 – Slow down and drive very carefully through the car parks
2 – Be very aware of the Pedestrian Crossing and ‘Lollipop person’ on duty
3 – Only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing and not up near the Yr 5 & 6 classes and top gate.
4 – “GO TO THE TOP TO DROP” on entering the Rosia Rd drop off area, please move up to the very last open bay you encounter to pull in, this will allow others arriving after you to have an open bay.
Thank you for your support, cooperation and assistance to keep this all running smoothly and our students safe and sound!
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Year 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Grade 6! Feedback from staff, parents and the Yr 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
Parents IF your child has an iPad 2, 3, & 4 it’s possibly time to consider giving them a new iPad for Christmas, or at least factor in an upgrade some time over the next 12 months, this way you’re not forking out a lot of money in one hit for multiple siblings if the iPad becomes outdated and cannot be upgraded for school use!
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 9th October where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimising the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”. On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts. We also have students with medical direction to eat nuts and this complicates the scenario.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us.
We ask that you kindly avoid sending in:
Talk to the teacher before sending food to school for parties.
If your child eats peanut butter before school, please make sure they wash their hands before coming to school.
Bringing products with a “may contain traces of” or “may contain traces of nuts” warning is OK to bring to school but just should not be shared.
This leaves lots of other things that ‘can be packed’ as a school lunch option:
There will be lots of other things as well; it’s just a matter of quickly scanning any packaged snacks to make sure they do not list nuts as an ingredient. Thank you for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard as we look to keep our Anaphylactic students safe!
The following sport are being offered at these venues by the following coaches this semester:
Touch Football – Greenbank Raiders – Mark Holman and Dayna Davis
Girls AFL – Parklands CC – Liz Strubin
Boys AFL – Park Ridge State High – Grant Jakins
Basketball – Baskerville Sport Centre – Ben Lewis
Girls Volleyball – Yugumbir SS – Clara Needs
We look forward to seeing lots of parents and family members supporting our players on a Friday as they give of their best each week.
Mr Grant Jakins
Head of Primary
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
Excursion Permission Form DIGI
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
See attachment for further information.
QCB-180905-1244 Recruiting Montage
Come and try BASEBALL each Tuesday from 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Do you like to throw and hit a ball and enjoy playing in a friendly fun team? Then come and give baseball at Southern Stars a try.
If you are interested and would like information, please contact:
Nathan – 0407 014 529 or
Karen – 0421 773 768 email us at
southernstarsbaseballclub@gmail.com
New season starts October and will go through until March 2019. All ages 5 and above, male and female. Junior Players $165 for a season which includes club shirt and hat.
Call Shane Harris on 0411 129 952 or email greenbankcricket@gmail.com
https://www.illustrating-man.com/camp-list/
Get in quick! Bookings are now open for the September/October KRANK School Holiday program.
The KRANK program runs from Saturday 22 September to Saturday 6 October with plenty of free or low cost activities on offer for Logan kids aged 5-17 years.
https://www.logan.qld.gov.au/community-support/community-development/krank
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available for anyone to come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
We had so much fun meeting so many people who live in our local community at our sausage sizzle at Bunnings Browns Plains. There were quite a few people that we were able to share with what makes our school stand out from the other schools. Thank you to those amazing families from Parklands who came down to show their support it was great to see so many familiar faces too!
Don’t forget this Friday night we have our Spring Dance to look forward to for our Primary students, Prep – grade 6. Music will be provided by Active8 Kids Entertainment, who were hugely loved at our dance last year! The dance will be held in the Baskerville Sports Centre on Friday, 7th September 2018. We will have a sausage sizzle running from 5.30pm and the dancing will kick off at 6pm – 8pm. The Coffee Club Van with Michelle will also be available for purchase on the night. The Spring Dance is for current students of Parklands only. Entry for the dance is only $5 per child, payable on the night. It will be great to see heaps of the primary students there!
Thank you once again to everyone for your incredible support in our Cadbury Freddo Chocolate fundraiser. All money is now due back to Student Services J
Our next Friendlies meeting is on Friday 12th October 2018 at 6.45pm at Jimboomba Maccas. This meeting is our annual AGM, all positions will be up for re-election. To be eligible for nomination you must be a current member of The Friendlies. Everyone is always welcome to attend! If you would like more information about The Friendlies or any of our events or fundraisers, please email Angela Marsh friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Power struggles come with the territory of parenting. Before they can even talk, the awesome little people we have the privilege to raise start to exert their wills and test their boundaries.
All too often as parents, we struggle to manage ourselves well in these power struggles, and end up reaching for tools like anger and punishment to feel powerful and regain control of the situation. When we do, though we may “win” in getting our child to do what we want them to do in the moment, we ultimately lose by causing collateral damage to our heart-to-heart connection with them. If this becomes a pattern in our parenting, we will ultimately sabotage the goal of raising our kids to be powerful adults who care about being responsible for their half of connection with us and others. Therefore, it’s vitally important that we navigate through our power-struggle moments in ways that protect the heart-to-heart connection we’re building with our kids.
The following three tools for avoiding power-struggle pitfalls are ones I learned years ago, when my dad first discovered Love & Logic. After becoming certified and using them every day with my own kids, I discovered another layer of appreciation for them. I hope you find them as helpful as I do!
When I ask parents to tell me their top “triggers” in a power struggle, disrespect is always at the top of the list. For many parents, encountering disrespectful language or behavior is the quickest way for them to lose it and react in a punishing or controlling way. Unfortunately, reacting to disrespect with disrespect (and punishment and control—as opposed to healthy discipline—are inherently disrespectful) does not teach our kids to be respectful. We shouldn’t ignore or tolerate disrespect; rather, we must learn to respond to it in a way that allows us to uphold the standard of respect we’re trying to teach.
Lately, one of the most common power struggles I have with my kids happens around homework. They have been known to push the disrespect button in their attempts to get me to change the expectation of when their homework assignments will be done. When the sass starts flying and the comments are saturated with rudeness, my first response is this: “Wow. The way you are talking is not fun for me. I’d love to talk to you when you’re ready to be respectful. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”
In an argument, the goal of connection gets replaced with the goal of being right, and disconnection is usually the result. This is why no one really wins in an argument. As parents, it is easy to think we are being helpful by trying to communicate why things are the way they are, only to find ourselves on a slippery slope headed right into a painful argument. It’s important to keep ourselves from engaging when our kids throw down the invitation to argue.
One-liners are short responses that help you refuse to engage in a disrespectful argument over something you are requiring from your child. The top five one-liners to memorize and use are: “Probably so.” “I don’t know.” “That could be.” “Nice try.” “I know.”
Say that your child wants to argue about why they have to complete to chores before they play outside. This is the moment to choose a one-liner instead of a lecture. For example:
“But why? Don’t you believe that I’ll do it later tonight?”
“Probably so.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“You are being so ridiculous!”
“That could be.”
“None of my friends’ parents are this mean!”
“Nice try.”
“You are so mean!”
“I know.”
Remember, the goal of these is to keep you from entering a disrespectful argument. You are choosing to protect your connection with your child, even if they are not. Also, make sure you stay away from sarcasm when using these one-liners.
I have a big soft spot—and a trigger point—with this one. Teaching my kids to love and be respectful toward each other is a massive priority in our home. So, of course, when they decide one day to speak cruelly or just plain annoy each other, I have to admit I can get pretty frustrated—especially when all three are going at it with one another at once! However, losing it and screaming, “Be nice to your brother/sister!” isn’t the most effective way to encourage kindness. (Perhaps you’ve tried that one too?) Again, we need a respectful way to require respect from our kids.
This is a tool I bring out when a sibling conflict erupts in the car or when we’re in a time crunch to go somewhere. I simply ask my kids, “Do you need a referee? I charge $10 a minute, and I take cash, toys, and hard work as payment.”
My kids have learned that I’m not kidding when I say I will be expecting payment. I remember Delani and Ady once fighting over a spot in the car when we were already running late. I let them know I could help referee if needed, then stood there watching as they continued their squabble, making sure they didn’t get physical with each other.
After a few minutes, they stopped and looked at me. I said, “Don’t worry, girls. You only owe me $30 so far. Go ahead and keep fighting about this.” They immediately quit arguing, climbed into their seats, and buckled up.
I got in the driver’s seat and asked, “You done?”
“Yes!”
“Great. Let’s go.”
Once we got back home, I asked how I should expect payment. It ended with them doing extra chores, which was fine with me. I had a lot of laundry to do that day. Win for mom!
The heart behind these tools is to help you take good care of yourself as a parent in the power struggles. When you feel frustrated and overwhelmed, these will help you manage you. Our goal as parents should be moving toward our children and protecting our connection with them at all times. They are watching our every move, and the most important thing we can give them is a powerful display of self-control and a heart for connection.
Moms and dads—you’ve got this!
On Monday 3rd September the Year 11 Certificate III Business class delivered R U OK? to secondary students. The events purpose was for the business students to plan and deliver an awareness event. The students were very passionate about cause and delivering an effective awareness campaign as well as a delicious morning tea. The R U OK? message is an important message for any teenager. Life does have its ups and downs and the students were reassured that it’s okay to not be okay, however it is important to have someone to connect with and talk to. There were lots of meaningful conversations generated by the event and all the funds raised was donated to the R U OK? foundation who support help services like Kids Help Line, Beyond Blue and Lifeline.
On Monday 27th of August the Year 10 Volunteer students were celebrated. All of these amazing students have been serving and helping our community. Toby Ross summed up the students perfectly in the speech he delivered on the day. “Volunteering is a unique practise that has the capacity to strengthen and enhance communities and the individuals who participate. This experience has enriched all of the students, personal growth and development as they had to step outside of their comfort zones and challenge themselves. It is outside of our comfort zones where the change happens, sometimes we have to be uncomfortable and really test our limits for greater things to happen”.
Students also received a certificate of appreciation form Volunteer Queensland as part of the National Student Volunteer Week Celebrations.
https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/getinthegame/getstarted/apply
This wonderful programme keeps going from strength to strength, with our students performing recently at the Arts Gala. Even though it was quite cool outdoors, they played a number of pieces very well and should be proud of their efforts.
We are also very excited to be getting ready for our second round of the Give It A Go! Band Programme. In the coming weeks, our Year 4 students will take an excursion to hear the Queensland Symphony Orchestra & in the days after will have a chance to try playing the woodwind & brass instruments themselves in preparation for Give It A Go! in 2019. More information will be sent to Year 4 parents in the next few weeks & there will be an information night early in Term 4.
It was very encouraging to hear so many instrumental perform at the College Arts Gala last week. A number of students played piano solos & we even heard a cello! Congratulations to all students who performed so well.
Both the Junior & Senior Choirs also performed at the Arts Gala in late August. It’s wonderful to hear these young voices and to see the joy on their faces as they sing. Congratulations to both choirs on beautiful performances!
Our Secondary Choir is also developing well, and performed well at the Arts Gala. They have been working hard to learn new repertoire and develop their sound, and should be commended for the work they have done so far.
We have just a few more performances in Term 4, and that will wrap up what has been a momentous year for music here at the College. We are very proud of all the students, and look forward to building on the foundation we have laid this year.
August was a busy month with 4 CSSAQ carnivals taking place. It started with football as the boys and girls teams played in a gala day at Hubner Park. This was over 2 days and was well received by all teams involved. It was a chance for our school to broaden its capacity by taking on the best christian schools in Brisbane.
The Track & Field day followed this with 9-18yrs participating at QEII on the 21st of August. Most students achieved personal best results, which is a testament to the effort and training put in during the lead up to the carnival. The 9-12yrs team finished 2nd overall and the 13-18yrs finished 9th. Well done to all who participated on the day.
Lastly we finished with the CSSAQ Netball tournament held on Friday the 31st August. The girls have been training weekly in the lead up to this day and it showed on the court. Three teams represented Parklands, and each student put their best effort forward. The Year 7/8 team got the best result finishing 4th overall for the day.
A number of times today, the girls were praised for not only their playing skills, but their excellent sportsmanship. Our teams were always respectful, played hard and, even when they were tired or frustrated, they kept their excellent attitudes and care for one another.
On the 9th of August our Rugby League squad attended a gala day at Waterford RLFC. We had 3 teams compete in the 7, 8 and the 9/10 division. For a lot of these boys it was their first chance to play competitive rugby. All the teams tasted victory on the day with huge efforts put in by all. We look forward to similar results in the last gala day in term 4.
Last month the College competed at the district level carnival with 17 students making the representative team. On the 28-29th of August these students competed at the Met West Regional Carnival at QEII. This competition is the best athletes in Metropolitan West area competing for a spot in the Regional side.
Parklands had 3 Students make this team, Ethan Jackson for Shotput and Zach Hollenberg for 100m and Justin Hunt for High Jump. This is a great achievement by these boys who will compete at the State Carnival at Cairns in October this year. Well done to all the students who made it this far.
Nathanial Lovaszi, Callum Dagg, Samantha Bayer, Justin Hunt, Hudson Hunt, Jay Fotek Abbey Sullivan, Max Finnila, Georgia Payne Tayla Thompson, Ella Leau, Tommy Patton Ethan Jackson, Josh Smart, Zacary Brown, Jacinta Hicks, Zachary Hollenberg.
Futsal Queensland are looking to run a weekly comp at our school. Please see the flyer for more details and contact information.
| Monday 3rd September | Yr 11 Cert 3 in Business - RUOK day morning tea |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 4th | QCS Test Year 12 - 7:45am |
| Wednesday 5th | QCS Test Year 12 - 7:45am |
| Friday 7th | Primary Spring Dance |
| Monday 10th | Secondary Exam Block |
| Wednesday 12th | Yr 4 Excursion - Qld Symphony Orchestra and Goma |
| Monday 17th | Year 10 Work Experience |
| Year 8 Art Excursion | |
| Prep Ocean Life Incursion | |
| Wednesday 19th | Prep Testing |
| Year 11 Leadership Camp 7:15am | |
| Thursday 20th | Yr 9 Walk for a Farmer 7:45am |
| Prep Testing | |
| Yr 1 Excursion - Wolston Farmhouse | |
| Friday 21st | Primary Free Dress Day |
| Gr 11 Leadership Camp 7:15am | |
| Yr 2 Cultural Day and Street Science Incursion | |
| Yr 3 Incursion Street Science | |
| Saturday 22nd | Spring Break |
| Students Cambodia Mission Trip | |
| Monday 8th October | Term 4 Commences |
| Tuesday 9th | Yr 7 Art Excursion Yr 9 Art Excursion |
| Primary ipad Information Evening 6:30pm | |
| Thursday 11th | Sporting and Extra Curricular Photo Day |
| Friday 12th | Sporting and Extra Curricular Photo Day |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
On the 14th August, there will be a Secondary College Information night regarding the selection of subjects for 2019. This evening is aimed at our current year 8 and 9 students, and their parents.
We give the opportunity for students to select some of their subjects in year 9 to allow them to explore pathways which they feel will suit their interests and abilities. Core subjects such as English, Math, Science and History/Geography remain compulsory for the year, but others are up for personal choice. The subject evening is an opportunity to explain the choices and pathways available to students for year 9, and how this leads further through to Senior College.
The evening will begin at 6.30pm for current year 8 parents and students, and will continue on with a subject display, offering opportunity to question teachers regarding workloads and opportunities. At 7.30pm, there will be a presentation aimed at parents and students of current year 9’s. This will talk through year 10 choices, and Senior College pathways, aligning with the new Senior Schooling model in Queensland.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school with your query. Hope to see you all there.
Our Middle School Pastoral Care program continues this term with new themes and opportunities to build character in the life of our students.
The purpose of our program is to cater for the emotional development of our individual students, to ensure that we have a supported student body, and that they are sure and confident of the gifts and talents, which God has placed in their lives.
Our Year 7 students have embarked on two different programs in term 2 which I spoke about in the May newsletter. One class participated in the Resilient Me program, teaching students skills of resilience in regards to different circumstances, while the other year 7 class worked through “Surviving High School”, based on the work of Sharon Witt. This term sees those classes change programs, so that by the end of term 3 all of year 7 will have participated in both programs.
Year 8 students this term are participating in Youth Alpha: a program designed to explain the basics of Christianity, and what it means when you say, ‘I am Christian’. Students will talk through Christian ideologies such as ‘Who Jesus is’, ‘What it means to pray’, and ‘How to be a Christian today’.
Year 9 students are working through a joint unit this term called, “Walk for Water”. The focus of this unit is the opportunity to help others who are less fortunate than we are.
Students look through the themes and lessons from the book of John, and are made aware of the struggles of others around the world, especially in the access to basics of life such as water. The unit culminates in an opportunity to raise funds for a struggling community through a 20km walk on the second last day of term.
In the past, our focus for this unit has been raising funds for a village in Africa to access fresh water. This year, given the plight of our Australian farmers, we are going to focus on what we can do to help those in our own ‘backyard’. Students will collectively decide which charity organisation their funds will go to in order to assist our drought-stricken farmers.
This unit also aligns with our opportunity for students in year 9 to achieve the Bridging Level of the Duke of Edinburgh award. If you would like any more information on our programs, please do not hesitate to contact me.
On Tuesday 28th August, Parklands Christian College will host our Arts Gala Evening. This is a great opportunity to display the skills and talents of our Arts students across the whole college.
There will be presentations from our performance groups within the college, such as choirs, ukulele club, instrumental program, secondary drama classes and college worship team, with further presentations from individual students on a variety of instruments. Alongside this will be a reception and artistic display from our college Visual Arts students in Primary and Secondary.
The night will have two stages with various performances running concurrently, with a conclusion at the main stage featuring our new Parklands Christian College Primary Concert Band. This will be followed by a supper prepared by secondary hospitality students at our new Hospitality building.
Looking forward to a fantastic evening of presentations, and a celebration of the Arts at Parklands.
I attended a small primary school in a village called Polling, 50 km south of Munich. There was only one class per year level, and everyone knew each other. I walked to school with my neighbours, spent my afternoons in the forest or on my bike and would be home for dinner. These were four years of primary schooling that provided a strong sense of belonging.
In Year 5, German students transfer to a high school. Mine was in a city called Weilheim, a four-kilometre bike ride away from my home. We were welcomed with the sounds of the school’s Jazz Big Band on the first day. Now, there were about seven classes per year level. I felt very small in this big school, but it helped that some of my friends came along to that school too. I had my first experience of a failed exam in Year 5 and also received my first written demerit for disrupting a Biology class. Good times!
Looking back to my high school years, I also felt a strong sense of belonging to my much bigger high school, and I wonder why. I think there are two reasons: Firstly, I had some good friends in my class whom I frequently visited after school (in Germany, school usually finishes around 1 pm!). Because of those friendships, I felt a sense of belonging to my class. Secondly, I soon joined the school’s Jazz Big Band and now made friends with other students, even older ones. This gave me a second group of students and staff to whom I felt a strong connection.
Now I believe that my well-being at school was influenced by my well-belonging! Because I felt connected to smaller groups within the school, I felt connected to the school as a whole. This gave me a feeling of safety and security, even in a large, bureaucratic institution that is a German high school, which, back then, may never have even thought of student well-being as something to be concerned about.
At Parklands, we already are a school of well-belonging. We have a school-wide commitment to our culture of care; we take time to know each student well; we prioritise to be connected with each other (Danny Silk has taught us this); and we teach our students the skills of being and remaining connected to each other.
As a rope is stronger the more strands are twisted or braided together, students’ sense of belonging is stronger the more relationships and connections they can form. As we continue our journey at Parklands, let us remain committed to helping our students develop many strands of belonging that will hold them firmly and securely during the turbulent times of growing up.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
At Jimboomba Little Athletics we are getting ready for another exciting season of family fun and fitness and would like you to join us!
We run a Friday evening competition under lights from September to March commencing at 5:45pm at the athletics centre on Henderson Road, Jimboomba. We welcome athletes of all abilities from five to 19 years to come and have a go at sprint races, hurdles, middle distance, long jump, high jump, triple jump, shot put, discus and javelin (events dependent on age). Plus we run a 60 minute play athletics program for Tiny Tots (aged 3 and 4 years) focusing on skills development.
It is a cheap sport to do as there is no weekly fee. Training is provided. Learn new skills and meet new friends. It will be loads of fun.
Sign on days are Friday 24th and Friday 31st August from 5:30pm to 7:30pm or any time after the season starts.
For further information call Jimboomba Little Athletics on 0403 917 097, visit our website at www.jac.asn.au, or like us on Facebook!
Are you looking to upgrade your teachers from the TAE40110 to TAE40116?
Parklands Christian College will be holding a TAE40116 upgrade onsite via Registered Training Organisation “Blueprint Career Development” on Monday, 8th October 2018.
At only $495 per participant, you will find Blueprint’s price highly competitive. Blueprint also offer an extra support day for an additional $100 per participant to help them get across the line faster.
Blueprint is proudly the first RTO in Australia to receive approval to deliver the TAE40116 so your teachers will find our streamlined process simple and efficient through a combination of credit transfer, RPL, classroom and online delivery with telephone support available every step of the way.
The upgrade program will consist of TAEASS502 as well as the gaps between the old and new TAEASS401 and TAEASS403. Participants will be required to complete tasks afterwards to meet the performance requirements of all units.
PLAN NOW and book a session for your teachers.
| 1. Choose your date 2. Download the Upgrade enrolment form here 3. Download the Accelerated Teacher Program enrolment form here 4. Email to bookings@blueprintcd.com.au 5. Click here to download the 1-day Upgrade program flyer |
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available for anyone to come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
On Friday, 20th July, the South East Region Queensland Training Awards celebrated the top achievers in training in this state at a wonderful ceremony at Movie World on the Gold Coast.
Across 14 categories, the awards recognise individuals and organisations that strive for and have achieved success, best practice and innovation in vocational education and training (VET). The awards showcase all that is great about VET in Queensland, with categories for apprentices, trainees, vocational students, teachers and trainers, as well as training providers and employers.
As finalists in the South East Region Final, three Parklands students were celebrated at the awards ceremony. Aaryn Dejong completed a Certificate III in Hospitality with The Coffee Club; Aaryn’s achievements gained him the position as one of three finalists in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander category. Tahlya Anderson and Oliver Lee each completed a Certificate III in Individual Support at Logan Hospital in 2017; Tahlya and Oliver were finalists in the Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year. We are very proud of all three students for all that they have achieved and for reaching the regional finals.
Please join us in celebrating each of them. Mrs Hudson V.E.T. Officer
For more information about the QTA https://training.qld.gov.au/qta/winners-and-finalists/regions/se-winners-finalists
https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/getinthegame/getstarted/apply
Candace Nieves recently graduated the Bachelor of Veterinary Technology.
Candace Nieves, Parklands graduate of 2014
My journey started in 2015 when I was accepted into the Bachelor of Applied Science at the University of Queensland Gatton campus. I moved just over an hour away from my family and began living in one of the colleges on campus. Adjusting to my new lifestyle was both challenging and fun. I made quite a few close friends that I still see and chat with regularly.
Studying courses that I was interested in was what really made me enjoy furthering my education. I eventually transferred into a bachelor of Veterinary Technology and flourished even more at University. Animals have always been a passion of mine and now I finally have a degree that qualifies me to help them to some degree.
I still have the ambition to further my education by enrolling in a bachelor of veterinary science in the coming year and hope to keep moving forward and using my love of animals to help others around me.
Congratulations Candace!
A massive thank you to all of the amazing families who have supported the Friendlies in our Cadbury Freddo Chocolate fundraiser. We have had an overwhelming response from our school community for this promotion. We have had so many families asking for extra boxes to sell! Just a friendly reminder that all money and unsold chocolates are due back to Student Services by Thursday 16th August 2018.
Other exciting news is that we have been given the opportunity to promote our school in our local community by holding a sausage sizzle at Browns Plains Bunnings on Sunday, 19th August 2018. If you are out and about, please come down and say hello and grab a sausage or two. It will be great to see some familiar faces from our school on the day!
We also have our Spring Dance for our Primary students Prep – grade 6 to look forward to at the end of this term. Music will be provided by Active8 Kids Entertainment, who were hugely loved at our dance last year! The dance will be held in the Baskerville Sports Centre on Friday, 7th September 2018. We will have a sausage sizzle running from 5.30pm and the dancing will kick off at 6pm – 8pm. Entry for the dance is only $5 per child, payable on the night. It will be great to see heaps of the primary students there!
All money raised from any of our events or fundraisers go directly back into our school community.
Our next Friendlies meeting is on Friday 10th August 2018 at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas. Everyone is welcome to attend! If you would like more information about The Friendlies or any of our events or fundraisers, please email Angela Marsh friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies
A reminder to please ensure your child is correctly and neatly dressed in the ‘correct’ uniform each morning. If they are incorrectly dressed would you please provide us with a written explanation and remind them to go to the RTC to collect a Uniform Slip FIRST thing of a morning. We are also finding quite a few unmarked / unlabelled items of clothing, bottles and Tupperware, which makes it impossible to return to the right owner. Kindly assist us to ensure ALL items brought to school are correctly labelled! Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard.
In wishing to offer our Senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Year 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Year 4! Feedback from staff, parents and the Yr 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 9th October where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
Many teachers and the RTC are experiencing many students just not listening to and following instructions. This behaviour is evident in the undercover area of a morning/afternoon, in the classroom for lessons, out on the ovals or while students are running around playing! Staff are making a concerted effort to get the students to “Stop, Look, Listen and DO”
We aren’t exactly sure why this ‘non listening behaviour’ is becoming more evident but research from UQ and Harvard University have offered up a few suggestions – due to modern electronic gadgets “common communication skills” are being used less (children don’t know of or get to practise the social skills to listen, hold a conversation and follow instructions).
Children are so busy and pre occupied in this ‘instant society’ that they appear / are rushed to move onto the next experience so thereby don’t listen to or fully comprehend instructions.
In class this is what good listening has been encouraged to ‘look and sound’ like:
We are asking that parents assist us by getting their children to practice these listening skills at home and to be reminded of them daily before coming to school. Thanking you in anticipation for your support in this regard.
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
Class Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, process or procedure, class behaviour, calendar events etc, that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call.
If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
Specialist lessons (HPE – Mr. Lewis, Music – Mrs. Patane, Art – Mrs. Bazley, Library – Mrs. Bayer or
Student Services – Mrs. Oxley, Mrs. Swinn, Mrs Sampson or
RTC – Mrs. Elvery, Mr.Crawford, Miss Robinson or
LE – Mrs. Jo Anderson
If you don’t get resolve or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher or specialist, would you kindly then contact myself, Grant Jakins through Student Services?
This semester we will again get the students to focus on using kind words to each other or saying NOTHING bad at all as well as trying to have friendly actions to one another in the Primary School! We will again be reminding students about ways to treat each other so as not to ‘bully’ because bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects many children in all schools. It breaks a child’s natural right to feel safe and secure and can affect a child’s performance, their peer relations and his or her self-esteem!Definition of Bullying:
Bullying is not a once off incident but the repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons.
Bullying is not the domain of either gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys will use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to wield power over others, girls are more likely to use exclusion or subtle verbal sarcasm to assert themselves over their victims.
Bullying is more prevalent in primary schools than secondary schools, although the type of bullying varies with age. As boys get older there is a gradual decrease in the amount of physical bullying but an increase in verbal intimidation. It would appear that bullying reaches a peak around the age of eight or nine years of age, which is true for girls and boys.
While siblings or children often tease or sometimes fight physically with each other, this bickering should not be confused with bullying. The bullying involves an imbalance of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse.
Behaviours that are not bullying include:
Cyber bullying refers to bullying that is carried out through information and communication technologies. Likewise not all online issues are cyber bullying. Source: www.bullyingnoway.gov.au
We at Parklands, through the RTC and Wellbeing Team, work closely to monitor ALL behaviour and assist the students to make better choices!
On the 30th and 31st of July Parklands sent an athletics team to the Southern District Track and Field Carnival.
This was a carnival for both Primary and Secondary students who excelled the Parklands Athletics Carnival at the end of term 2. We had 48 students compete over the 2 days with many of them placing in the top 3 of their event. With such great results we had 16 students make the district team who will compete in the Met West Carnival at the end of August. All the students put in great effort throughout the carnival and reflected our CLEAR values consistently.
We would like to congratulate Hudson Hunt on his commitment to training’s throughout the year and also receiving Age Champion for the 12yr boys division at the carnival. Well done Hudson on a huge effort.
Just a reminder that we have 4 CSSAQ carnivals coming up in the next 3 weeks. This Thursday and Friday we have our Secondary Boys and Girls soccer teams playing at Hubner Park. The 21st of August is the CSSAQ Track and Field carnival and Friday the 31st is our Secondary Netball carnival held at MDNA Coorparoo.
Good luck to all our teams competing during this time.
Mr Leembruggen, Mr Lewis, Mr Gilmore
Term 3 is speeding by and we are busy in Year 1 as always.
The children are really enjoying learning about what life was like in the ‘olden days’ and have been fascinated as we discuss photos from the past of places as well as playgrounds, living conditions and of course technology. Stay tuned for more information later this term regarding an upcoming ‘fun day’ about daily living in the past.
In math, Year 1 is continuing to consolidate their understanding of numbers to 100. We are learning to see patterns in numbers that help us with addition and subtraction, as well as other strategies that make solving word problems easier.
The fete was a highlight for many this term. It was lovely to see so many of our Parklands families at the fete and they were all beautiful as they performed on centre stage with the song, ‘If I Were a Butterfly’.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Gowreah, Mrs Marsh
We are becoming much more “tech savvy” in Year 2. We are learning to create Google Docs with much less support than before, and we practice reading and segment our spelling words online!
Reading is often one of our favourite activities – whether we are reading silently, aloud in groups, to a friend, on the chrome books, or even having a story read to us – reading is great!
This term we will be making our own volcanos and watching them erupt. Stay tuned for more on this exciting event.
Mrs Koplick, Mrs Edwards, Mrs Hollenberg and Mrs Buckley
This term, in Digital Technologies, the Year 3 are learning about computer programming. We started off the term with an activity where the students worked in pairs to build a lego model. One partner read and described the instructions (without showing the pictures) while the other student followed the verbal instructions. The students were able to understand the difficulties that programmers face when creating computer programs and how important it is to give clear instructions when programming. We will be completing other programming activities throughout the term using block programming on the Chromebooks.
Mr Kennedy, Mrs Abbot and Mrs Jones
Every week, we have a different Resilient YOU focus for our students. These topics assist the students with friendship skills for life. The students discuss the topics and also love making a mini-performance demonstrating a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ example for the topic of the week. As a class we discuss their points and ideas and make connections to how we can apply these beyond school as well! It certainly is a highlight of the week!
Mrs Strubin, Miss Needs and Mrs Kissick
It has been a great start to Term 3 in Year 6 with the start of all of our new topics. This term in Geography we are comparing the differences between Australia and Asia and how that affects our lives. In Health we have been learning about healthy and unhealthy drinks with some surprising results!
All Year 6 students are excited about our Science topic for the term which is micro-organisms. We learnt a lot and had a lot of fun with our first experiment this term involving the micro-organism yeast.
Mr Holman, Mrs Davis and Ms Cook
Oh Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo.
These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 16 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Thursday 25th October, 2018 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
Hasn’t the month of August come around quickly! It is definitely a time in which Seniors start to get busier with their schooling responsibilities. As I’m writing this article, there are only four and a half weeks until exam block commences, which leads me to think that attendance rates are so important. It makes a significant impact on learning when days are missed. Of course we understand that there are days of sickness or circumstances that are unavoidable. Thank you for encouraging solid attendance rates and for providing reasons, and medical certificates, if days of absence fall on days when senior assessment is due.
The term is starting to get busy. All seniors are encouraged to attend one or more of the before/during/after school tutorials and clubs that their teachers are running. Zenith Club is also a great way to be a part of peer study groups, to have some individual support or to have a structured space for completing work. Your child can ask a specific teacher if they are able to meet at Zenith. See details of the various groups and times outlined on the College calendar. There are also posters around the College outlining these times.
There is much happening this month, some of which is outlined below.
Our annual Senior College information evening is aimed at current Year 9 students and families (Year 10, 2019). This night is an opportunity to learn about the QCE system, ATAR eligibility, and the subjects and programs that are on offer in Senior College. There will be opportunity during the evening to ask questions about school subjects, further study and the workplace of teaching staff, and representatives from Tafe, Universities and Training Organizations.
Our current Year 10 and families (Year 11, 2019) are also most welcome to attend, should it be helpful to listen to the presentation again and to ask teacher’s or guests questions about subjects and careers. Our Year 10’s have been encouraged to decide on subject choices this semester, to be settled into their pathway for Year 11.
Shortly after this information evening, your child will receive an email with a link to choosing 2019 subjects online. Please note that some subjects have pre-requisites and some are capped, so the classes are offered on a first in, first serve basis.
If you have any questions about subject choices and career options, please ask Mrs Hudson or Mrs Wallis.
The Year 12 Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test will be conducted in the Function Room, located off Student Services. Parklands encourages all students to attend. This test is compulsory for all Year 12 students who intend to be eligible to receive an OP score for Tertiary entrance. Students who are non-OP eligible may also elect to sit the QCS test. Students who elect not to sit the QCS Test are not required to be at school for the two days of testing, as there will be no Year 12 classes. We encourage that this time is utilized to prepare for the upcoming exam block and to complete other assessment requirements. PCC will start the day with Year 12 by providing a breakfast across the two days of testing. Please refer to the home communication for further information or email me at any time.
Year 12’s are encouraged to pace themselves and to be working solidly now, to avoid high levels of stress in the busiest part of the school term. Prayers are with all our Yr12 students, who are currently in the midst of a very busy Term 3 and are in final QCS preparations. For the remainder of this year and beyond we pray that each graduating student makes choices to align with all that God intends them to be.
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) has a role in operating a centralised tertiary application system. Year 12 students have received the “QTAC: Guide to Tertiary Courses” booklet. This resource provides valuable information about courses at public and private universities, Tafe and other tertiary centres. This is an exciting time to explore the possibilities of “What Next”? The entry requirements, including expected OP’s, prerequisites and course lengths are included.
Year 12’s have been encouraged to spend some time exploring potential courses of interest, after the presentation by QTAC earlier in the year. Seniors register and apply online through QTAC to receive offers for further study after school: https://applications.qtac.edu.au
Registration is now open all year round with an application fee of $43, if paid between 2nd August 2018–28 February 2019.
There is much information available on scholarships. Year 12 have been encouraged to research what is on offer by the University they are interested in attending. QTAC also provides some information on scholarships at: https://www.qtac.edu.au/scholarships This is an area that cannot be left too late, as supporting evidence is often required.
Your child can view the PowerPoint resource, on the Pastoral Care website, for applying to QTAC.
The Year 12 Pastoral Care teachers, Jess Grounds & Julia Matthews, along with Dee Hudson and myself are happy to meet to provide some further guidance for scholarship and QTAC applications. Please contact us via email or through the College office on 3380 4200.
The following websites contain useful information to help students make informed choices when planning career pathways and choosing school subjects.
When thinking about what school subjects to choose and what you might like to do after school, we encourage the following:
* Talk with families, friends and employers about future job opportunities.
* Visit trade and careers expos. Mrs Hudson’s VET news contains much information on these opportunities. You can also check Uni websites and make a time to talk to University Careers advisors.
* Go back and read “Job Outlook”. This has descriptions and much information on hundreds of occupations. This is helpful in making those connections between jobs, senior subject pre-requisites, and future study required to get that job.
* Read up on information in the QTAC booklet for post school tertiary study opportunities.
I am very excited to be a part of our 2018 Leadership camping program, along with the 11 Pastoral Care teachers Mr Cunningham and Mrs Smith, which will be held from 19th to 21st September at Emu Gully. As a valued part of our college curriculum, all Year 11 school students are required to attend this camp in preparation for their final year of schooling. Please note, that all participants, even those who do not like the outdoors, report that this is the best camp ever! It is also an important time for students wanting to apply for a badged leadership position. We do, however, see all of our Year 12’s as leaders, which is why we request the attendance of all. If you would like to discuss any aspect of the camp, please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at:rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Scripture Union (SU) – Five really cool destinations. Places are booking up fast, go to the following website for more details: https://su-schoolies.com/
RAW Impact – Giving back to perhaps refocus and recharge. For more information, go to: https://www.rawimpact.org/trip/elevate2019/
I am always available to talk about your child’s senior schooling journey so please don’t hesitate to contact me to make a time to meet, should this be helpful.
Warmest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
| Wednesday 1st August | Primary Teacher Interviews |
|---|---|
| Thursday 2nd | Yr 11/12 Chemistry - ANCQ Chemistry Quiz |
| Yr 10-12 English Shadespearse Incursion | |
| Yr 11/12 Tech Incursion - The big issue presentation | |
| Friday 3rd | Yr 11/12 Cert 11 Sport & Rec Excursion |
| Monday 6th | Yr 4 Incursion - Think Food, rethink waste |
| Wednesday 8th | Ladies Cambodia Trip 2019 information night |
| Thursday 9th | Yr 10 Red Frogs Presentation |
| Secondary Rugy League Gala Day7:30am | |
| CSSAQ Girls SoccerCompetition | |
| Yr 12 QCS Mini Workshop | |
| Friday 10th | Yr 10-12 Drama Incursion |
| Monday 13th | ROYAL QLD SHOW DAY - LOGAN CITY |
| Yr 9 Stem Excursion | |
| Tuesday 14th | ICAS Maths Competition |
| Yr 8 and 9 Secondary College information evening | |
| Wednesday 15th | Yr 10 STEM excursion - 7:30 |
| Thursday 16th | Yr 11/12 Home Economics EKKA Excursion |
| Friday 17th | STUDENT FREE DAY - Loving on Purpose Conference |
| Tuesday 21st | CSSAQ Primary Athletics Carnival Primary 7:45am |
| CSSAQ Primary Athletics Carnival Secondary 1:20pm | |
| Wednesday 22nd | Yr 6 Excursion - Australia Zoo |
| Thursday 23rd | Yr 10 YFS legal Seminar |
| Yr 11/12 Tech Incursion - The big issue presentation | |
| Yr 11/12 PE Excursion | |
| Friday 24th | Hospitality Incursion Celebration Dinner |
| Tuesday 28th | Yr 9 Art and Yr 12/12 Visual Art excursion |
| Arts Gala Evening 6pm | |
| Thursday 30th | Fathers Day Stall |
| Friday 31st | CSSAQ Girls Netball Competition 7:15amCSSAQ Girls Netball Competition 7:15am |
| Monday 3rd September | Yr 11 Cert 3 in Business - RUOK day morning tea |
| Tuesday 4th | QCS Test Year 12 - 7:45am |
| Friday 7th | Primary Spring Dance |
| Monday 10th | Secondary Exam Block |
| Wednesday 12th | Yr 4 Excursion - Qld Symphony Orchestra and Goma |
| Monday 17th | Year 10 Work Experience |
| Year 8 Art Excursion | |
| Wednesday 19th | Prep Testing |
| Thursday 20th | Yr 9 Walk for Water 7:30am |
| Yr 1 Excursion - Wolston Farmhouse | |
| Friday 21st | Primary Free Dress Day |
| Gr 11 Leadership Camp 7:15am | |
| Yr 2 Cultural Day and Street Science Incursion | |
| Yr 3 Incursion Street Science | |
| Saturday 22nd | Students Cambodia Mission Trip - Spring Break |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
Oh Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October, MSP Photography will be on site to take the extra-curricular and sporting group photos, including a ‘Whole College’ Photo.
These photos are available for purchase through payment envelope.
Personalised payment envelopes listing all the photos your child appeared in will be sent home on approx. 16 Oct. Please read the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
If you wish to purchase a ‘Whole College’ Photo, these payment envelopes will be available from Student Services. Please follow the instructions on these envelopes for your preferred method of payment.
You have until Thursday 25th October, 2018 to purchase at this price.
Orders placed after this date will incur a $20 late fee (as the images will then be archived).
All orders will be processed after the cut off date advised above, and distributed through the school within approximately 21 days.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of your photo day experience with us, please contact our office on 3848 3946 or by email on admin.seq@msp.com.au
What an exciting time it has been for our Year 5 & 6 Give It A Go! Band students! Saturday 28thJuly saw their very first public performance at the College Fete, which of course was not only their first performance, but they are the first Concert Band the College has ever formed. They played 4 pieces very well, with a strong sound and good sense of time, which is fantastic for such young players. We are tremendously proud of these students and how much they have achieved in such a short time, and we are of course looking forward to hearing them again later in the year.
Later this term the Year 4’s will get a chance to try playing the band instruments as we invite participation in next year’s Give It A Go! Band programme. We hope this will be an exciting day for the students, and look forward to the growth of our fledgling music programme.
Both the Junior & Senior Primary choirs also performed admirably at the College Fete on Saturday. It was lovely to hear these students’ beautiful voices in a variety of songs, and they should all be commended for their performance.
The Senior Primary choir also performed at the Beenleigh Eisteddfod on Tuesday 24thJuly. This was a great performance experience for these students, and a good chance to see other choirs and perform in a larger, more public venue. No doubt the students took away many lessons from this experience.
The College Fete was truly a day of firsts, as this was also the first performance of our newly-formed Secondary Choir. Although small in number, these students have shown commitment & dedication to producing such a beautiful sound after such a short time, and we look forward to them developing their sound and going from strength to strength through the rest of the year.
Our next key performance date is our Arts Gala on Tuesday 28thAugust here at the College. This will be a display of many forms of the Arts – visual art & drama as well as music. Many of our Senior music students will be performing on this evening, along with the Secondary Choir & the Give It A Go! Band. We look forward to seeing you all there!
The Responsible Thinking Process is used in all the classrooms throughout the College to assist the students to learn and follow Parklands rules and values. The process is utilised by teachers when a student or group of students are causing repeated disruption or are not being safe. The teacher initiates a conversation with the student when they are disrupting by asking a student a set of questions (as per the posters).
For this to take place the student will have not been following the College rules, this could be a student talking to another student, calling out, being out of their seat or anything that is disrupting the learning of that student or other’s. When this occurs the student has the opportunity to then refocus their attention on their learning and continue to complete the lesson. If that student then continues to not follow the class rules, the teacher will ask the student the set of questions a second time. The teacher can ask “What did you say was going to happen the next time you disrupted?” and “Where do you need to go now?” The student is then referred to the Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) to complete a plan.
This is done for a range of reasons. By this stage, the student has repeatedly disrupted other students and the teacher from their work that it is beneficial for others if the student has space from the classroom. In addition to this, the student themselves is in a position where they are not able or willing to learn and it is therefore best for them to have a break from the classroom environment to speak with someone, receive support and have time to come up with ideas on how they will re-engage in class later.
An email is sent home to parents at the end of the day to communicate to you what has occurred during the day. The referral and the email does not mean the child has been bad, it means the choice they made during that class was not a good choice for their learning – remember they made thousands of good choices the rest of the day! The purpose of the plan is to come up with better choices next time they are feeling they may disrupt, and we ask them to focus on what they will do next time, rather than the mistake they made to go to RTC. The RTC is just another classroom in the College that teaches children to become responsible thinkers.
When a student was asked to share their perspective for this newsletter article, one of them stated the following:
“The RTC helps when you’ve done something wrong. You get asked the questions, then you know you need to stop doing it [the behaviour]. I like it because it helps me stop what I’m doing and focus on what I should be doing and following the teacher’s rules. They give me help if I put up my hand but they won’t give me help if I call out. They want me to do a plan so I can learn for next time to put my hand up.”
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
For the past 2 years, the Cully Family have been living and working in Cebu Philippines, serving with Bloom Asia. Cebu is regarded by the International Justice Mission as the current hot spot in Asia for Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC). Bloom seeks to serve in this region to give female survivors of this insidious industry, vocational training and employment, giving them a hope for the future. We joined the Bloom family in 2016, relocating our family to Cebu so that the 3rd Bloom Cafe & Training Center – Bloom Life Training Philippines could open and serve young Cebuano women who desperately need Christ, and the love, hope and healing that only He can bring. We bring our expertise and experience in Health and Education respectively to our roles as General Managers at Bloom-Cebu, and we are passionately committed to loving, serving and upholding the dignity of our precious students and employees, through the creation of a safe, sustainable and highly respected place of healing, training and employment.
Bloom Life Training Philippines opened it’s training doors in November of 2016. During that time we have had the privilege of training, empowering, equipping and emotionally supporting 27 women on a day to day basis. We were recently able to take our staff away on a weekend worship retreat where we shared an incredible time together teaching our Bloom girls about the true heart of worship and living a life that is honoring to God through everything we say and do. It was an extremely emotional weekend and the Holy spirit presence was evident as we had many girls experience healing over bad memories, we had one particular girl who was given a vision that she will be the “light” of Jesus to her unsaved family. We continue to thank God for these incredible moments and acknowledge that in those times when we feel inadequate and overwhelmed by our girls complicated lives and trauma, that He has an amazing rescue plan for their life and his extraordinary love is the true redemption these beautiful girls need so desperately.
After an 18-month journey of navigating Government red-tape, Bloom Cakes & Coffee officially opened its doors on 20th July, 2018. Bloom Cakes & Coffee is the retail arm of our operation here in Cebu and allows us to sell our girl’s wonderful sugar creations to the public. We are all very, very excited to be open, and we look forward to not only having a busy café, but to start selling impressive cake creations that we think will wow Cebu. Thanks to our many Parklands supporters who have waited patiently with us and have dreamed about this day.
o Prayer Points
Mr Gary Cully
General Manager Cebu
Bloom Life Training Philippines Inc.
Welcome back to Term 3! We pray that everyone had a wonderful break and are all ready for a funfilled Term! The Friendlies are very excited to be holding a Cadbury Freddo Chocolate Drive this Term. Every family in the school should have received a box of 50 Freddo Variety Chocolates. They were sent home with the youngest member of each family on Thursday 19thJuly 2018. All chocolates are only $1.00 each to purchase. All profit made from this fundraiser will go directly back into our school community. All money and unsold chocolates are due back to Student Services by Thursday 16th August 2018.
We were very honoured to recently donate $5000 towards the purchase of new instruments for the Give It A Go Band that started in the Primary School. We feel it’s a wonderful opportunity given to the grade 5 students to be able to try out for different instruments and the possibility of being selected to join the school band.
We also have our Spring Dance for our Primary students Prep – year 6 to look forward to at the end of this term. Music will be provided by Active8 Kids Entertainment, who was a huge success at our dance last year. The dance will be held in the Baskerville Sports Centre on Friday, 7th September 2018.
If you’re coming along to the school fete on Saturday 28th July 2018, come and say hi to us at “The Friendlies Chill Out Zone”. We’ll be situated up on the oval. Come and have a rest from walking around and a chat, we will also be selling Zooper Doopers for only 50c each!
Our next Friendlies meeting is on Friday 10th August 2018 at 6.45pm at Park Ridge Maccas. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you would like more information about The Friendlies or any of our events and fundraisers, please email Angela Marsh friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies
In semester 1, the 10 Business and 11/ 12 Economics students took part in the ECOMAN program. Pitcher Partners Accountants, Auditors and Advisors Practice hosted our students in their impressive Queen Street office. Students attended a 3-day program during which they were trained on the ECOMAN simulation program. The program was originally developed by financial institutions to train Swedish finance graduates on financial management. The current program has been adjusted for Australian students and is co-hosted by the Queensland Private Enterprise Centre (QPEC) and Griffith Business School.
Students had a fantastic time adopting management roles and steering a company through changing economic conditions. The program presented a wonderful opportunity to learn about the commercial realities of owning and managing a business in a real world, hands on environment.
“ECOMAN gave us students a unique glance at the business world and showed us what it’s like being in an industry responding to changing economic conditions “ by Tieriney Holmes.
Mrs Odette Watson
Do you live in Boronia Heights near Maclean Court? Are you available to help with transport for a year 7 female student? I am willing to contribute to the cost of fuel. Please call 0450 866 125 if you can help out. Thank you.
Welcome back to Term 3!
It is great to see everyone back at school. The children seemed to really enjoy their holiday break and it has been wonderful hearing all about their adventures.
We started off the term with an exciting visit from our local Firefighters. They spoke with the children about fire safety and correct emergency procedures for both at school and at home. The highlight was definitely having a turn of the fire hose one the truck. It was a wonderful morning.
We are looking forward to an exciting term, with many more learning adventures to come!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
Last term, Year 6 had been learning about many great new things, one including Australian History and the Suffrage Movement! Because of this, we decided to have a Colonial Day. On Colonial Day, we came dressed in colonial style clothes and participated in some colonial style activities. We made damper in the kitchen, tried some dot painting and had our photos taken. We also had a protest in front of the whole primary school! It was great to see all students and teachers involved in dressing up and enjoying each part of the whole day. All students enjoyed their time experiencing Colonial Day!
Also last term, Year 6 had been learning about healthy lifestyles, in particular, sedentary and non-sedentary activities. To go with this, we decided to attend Planet Commando at Yatala, to encourage students to challenge themselves with non-sedentary activities. It was a great day had by all, and was great to see many students push themselves to achieve their best.
Mr Gowreah and Mr Holman
Miss Cook
I have three children, 2 high school and 1 primary needing pickup and drop off from Boronia Heights area two and three times a week. Very willing to contribute for fuel and time.
Please contact Kaylene Spencer 0428 182 540 if you can help.
Thank you
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
Are you looking to upgrade your teachers from the TAE40110 to TAE40116?
Parklands Christian College will be holding a TAE40116 upgrade onsite via Registered Training Organisation “Blueprint Career Development” on Monday, 8th October 2018.
At only $495 per participant, you will find Blueprint’s price highly competitive. Blueprint also offer an extra support day for an additional $100 per participant to help them get across the line faster.
Blueprint is proudly the first RTO in Australia to receive approval to deliver the TAE40116 so your teachers will find our streamlined process simple and efficient through a combination of credit transfer, RPL, classroom and online delivery with telephone support available every step of the way.
The upgrade program will consist of TAEASS502 as well as the gaps between the old and new TAEASS401 and TAEASS403. Participants will be required to complete tasks afterwards to meet the performance requirements of all units.
PLAN NOW and book a session for your teachers.
| 1. Choose your date 2. Download the Upgrade enrolment form here 3. Download the Accelerated Teacher Program enrolment form here 4. Email to bookings@blueprintcd.com.au 5. Click here to download the 1-day Upgrade program flyer |
Starlettes 6-12 years old Promotional Flyer
The Brisbane Roar are bringing their Roar Active Program to the following ever popular indoor locations. This is an ideal way to gain extra skills and game awareness while having FUN
2nd 3rd 4th July- Brisbane City Indoor Sports Centre, Newmarket -9:00am – 12:00pm
2nd 3rd 4th July- Brisbane City Indoor Sports Centre, Coorparoo – 9:00am – 12:00pm
9th 10th 11th July- Morayfield Indoor Leisure Centre. Morayfield – 9am-12pm
Wonderful clinics for children to learn new skills while having FUN playing our beautiful game in a safe environment.
July 5th Caloundra Indoor Stadium 9am-12pm
July 12th Brisbane City Indoor Sports 9am-12pm
The World Cup day involves no coaching or drills just match play. We get the children into teams with their friends and they represent a country –
It’s a simple concept but all children just love game play – the 3 hours is pretty intensive with round robin group games and then finals resulting in multiple games with little time off the pitch.
We pump out of the music and let the players weave their magic and have FUN
To view and register these clinics please go to www.roaractive.com.au and select Holiday Programs.
Tell your friends, places will be limited and we hope you can join us for some Football fun with our Brisbane Roar Coaching Team.
KEEP YOUR CHILD ACTIVE, HEALTHY & INTO SPORT!
MULTI-SPORT CLASSES
Calamvale
ATHLETICS
BASEBALL
BASKETBALL
CRICKET
GOLF
HOCKEY
RUGBY
SOCCER
TENNIS
Tuesdays – Lessons only $12 (3-6yrs) and $17 (7-10yrs).
Book a FREE TRIAL!
3376 3388
info@youngsports.com.au
www.youngsports.com.au
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
| Monday 16th July | Fitness and Dance Program - Prep to Yr 3 |
|---|---|
| Thursday 19 | Yr 12 Technology Excursion |
| Yr 9 Presentation-Discover My Future Tafe Presentation | |
| Friday 20th | Yr 11/12 Economics - QUT Economics Day |
| Monday 30th | SSDSS District Athletics Carnival 10-19 year old |
| Tuesday 31st | SSDSS District Athletics Carnival 10-19 year old |
| Secondary Profile Evening | |
| Wednesday 1st August | Primary Teacher Interviews |
| Thursday 2nd | Yr 11/12 Chemistry - ANCQ Chemistry Quiz |
| Yr 10-12 English Shakespeare Incursion | |
| Friday 3rd | Yr 11/12 Cert 11 Sport & Rec Excursion |
| Monday 6th | Yr 4 Incursion - Think Food, rethink waste |
| Thursday 9th | Yr 10 Red Frogs Presentation |
| Friday 10th | Yr 10-12 Drama Incursion |
| Monday 13th | ROYAL QLD SHOW DAY - LOGAN CITY |
| Wednesday 15th | Yr 10 STEM excursion |
| Thursday 16th | Yr 11/12 Home Economics EKKA Excursion |
| Friday 17th | STUDENT FREE DAY - Loving on Purpose Confernece |
| Tuesday 21st | CSSAQ Primary Athletics Carnival Primary 7:45am |
| CSSAQ Secondary Athletics Carnival 1:20pm | |
| Tuesday 28th | Year 9 Art and Year 11/12 Visual Art Reverse garbage |
| Arts Gala Evening 6pm |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
Year 12 student, Ella, recently commenced a school-based traineeship at Harley Property Valuations. In conjuction with her senior school subjects, Ella will work one day per week and complete study units which will contribute to completion of Certificate III in Business Administration through the Professional Real Estate Registered Training Organisation. Congratulations on all your hard work Ella!
2014 Parklands Alumni recently graduated at the Queensland Police Academy.
She will commence her first year at Karana Downs Police Station. Congratulations, we are proud of you and wish you every success in your new career!
Resilience is the ability to bounce back, adjust easily, or recover quickly from disappointment or difficulties. Some children are naturally more resilient due to their temperaments while others need guidance to help them develop this trait! Building resilience is a continual process that is a normal part of a child’s development. It requires adults to be supportive and empathetic as children experience opportunities to learn and grow. Here at Parklands we recognise that improving resiliency can enable students to respond more positively and adaptively within the school environment. From this recognition springs our Resilient ME+YOU+US program.
Resilient ME: a seven week after school program offered to Grade 4 to 6 students which focuses on the individual development of resiliency. Email jedwards@parklands.qld.edu.au for more details.
Resilient YOU: a Prep to Grade 6 classroom initiative which focuses on a topical friendship skill each week.
Resilient US: a night set aside during the Loving our Kids on Purpose course which focuses on equipping parents with the same language of resilience which students are hearing at school. You do not need to be attending the Loving our Kids on Purpose course to attend the Resilient US component. Email jcrawford@parklands.qld.edu.au for more details.
In addition we also offer our Learning for Life Prep to Grade 3 program, and Resilient Friends which is a once-off session focusing on improving social skills in a peer-related context.
Here’s some great articles on building resilience in your child:
https://psychcentral.com/lib/10-tips-for-raising-resilient-kids/
The team has been very busy with progressing the reading of the College throughout the last Semester with a number of projects now ready to go.
We are happy to announce that we will be starting a new homework reading program in Prep this Semester. We will be sending home these new readers on Monday, Week 2 of this term. These beautifully illustrated, fun, decodable readers will be a great way of engaging students in reading and consolidating their knowledge of synthetic phonics at home.
We are also thrilled to be introducing a brand new innovative reading program into Prep this semester and Year 1 next Year. The ILR program has been developed over the last three years by Hillcrest Christian College, in conjunction with the Mamone family. Appropriately named I Love Reading, the program is designed to equip children with the skills of reading so that they develop a love for reading to learn. Not only is it based on synthetic phonics but also provides students with a colour and number system to help them crack the code of reading.
The benefits of the program are
We are very enthusiastic about introducing this to Prep and are looking forward to seeing great excitement and quick progression of reading.
The College has been very excited with the enthusiasm that everyone has displayed towards the ordering of book club this year. We would like to take this opportunity to say a very big THANK YOU to all of the families that have ordered through Scholastic Book Club. The orders that have been made have contributed to the schools overall total and has allowed us to purchase books for the classroom libraries. At the end of last Term, we were able to put in an order for more than $700 worth of books. We appreciate all of your support and look forward to sharing the rewards of this with our students.
We would also like to say a big THANK YOU to Mrs. Abbot who has been coordinating our Scholastic Book Club this year and also to Mrs. Kerr who has taken over from Mrs. Abbot whilst Mrs. Abbot is away on long service. You are both greatly appreciated for your dedication and passion for reading.
Mrs Daley
Director of Primary Studies
I trust you’ve had a great holiday break and spent time doing the fun and relaxing things you like, with family and friends.
At the start of this Semester I wish you and the students everything of the best for the term that lies ahead.
All students should have received an ‘End of Semester Report’ in the post at the conclusion of last term. This report should confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Afternoon / Night, or has given you feedback throughout the term as to how your child has progressed.
On Wednesday 1st August we have our Primary P/T Interviews up in the Function Room, where you can book an interview ‘on line’ to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for the Informative Letter with more information, booking times and procedures!
For the start of Term 3, could you please ensure ALL uniform items, lunch boxes and bags are clearly relabeled with your child’s name. Ensure that shoes are polished, hair is cut and the correct uniform items are worn – jumper with Academic Uniform and the tracksuit jacket with Sport Uniform. Please also check Yr 1-6 students are wearing predominantly WHITE sneakers / joggers with their sports uniform.
If unsure of any uniform requirements, please feel free to check the School Website (Online Store – Uniform Policy – Primary), the RTC staff or class teachers. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this regard.
A reminder that we have our Prep to Yr 3 (Under 9 yr. olds) Athletics Day Carnival up on the top sports oval on MONDAY 23rd July.
A letter explaining the day’s process, procedures and program will be forthcoming!
We’re looking forward to seeing lots or parents and grandparents attending the lower Primary carnival and supporting the students as they give of their best!
An ongoing emphasis has been placed on ‘child safety’ from the beginning of the year whereby we’re continually reminding students to: walk on the concrete, stay under the verandahs or covered areas when raining and moving around the school, don’t push and shove and walk in single file up and down the stairs, play nicely and safely on the playgrounds and to have “KIND words and FRIENDLY action”. Can we ask that you please remind your child to do likewise when at school?
Parents, please be very careful and vigilant around the pedestrian crossing, when opening car doors in the car parks and to please stick to the 20 km/h speed limit when driving through the school? Can we please remind all parents and students that the safest and only place to cross the Rosia Rd car park should be at the pedestrian crossing and not just before the top exit gate, close to the Yr 6 classroom!
THANK YOU for your support in keeping our students safe!
Life is a wonderful but sometimes bumpy journey. Everyone experiences setbacks, frustrations and hard times at different times in their lives. We can’t protect young people from the stress of all the possible setbacks in their life but we can teach them the coping skills that promote resilience. Recent research studies have suggested that today’s children may be less resilient than those of previous generations and more in need of opportunities to learn resilience skills.
There are many skills that we can teach students to provide them with a resilience ‘tool kit’ for coping with life and being successful. We can teach our children to be optimistic by, for example:
Many children become unnecessarily distressed and fearful because they distort a situation or they have incorrect and unhelpful beliefs that make it less likely that they will attempt to solve a problem.
Examples of such thinking include:
It’s evident that young people with well-developed social skills are more likely to be resilient and to have a good support network of friends when needed. Key social skills can be taught and practiced in a range of classroom and playground situations. Skills for knowing triggers of anxiety or anger can be taught and finding the confidence to act courageously when necessary, are also an important part of a young person’s resilience ‘tool kit’.
Through many areas of the curriculum, teachers can encourage their students to develop and try to live by our values such as respect, cooperation and acceptance of differences. Parents can reinforce and role model these situations and ideas at home, thus offering the child every opportunity to see resilience in action.
Looking forward to a wonderful term of doing your child’s education together.
Mr Grant Jakins
Head of Primary
As we gear up for the second half of this year, I trust that your family is refreshed from the winter break and that students are excited to be returning to the College for Semester Two. Report cards have been issued and are an excellent opportunity for students to reflect on their academic effort and performance in Semester One and set goals for the rest of the year. This reflective practice is of great value here at Parklands; our staff also regularly reflect on their practice, ongoing as well as particularly during the recent student free week. Also during that week the secondary teaching staff collaborated on planning for the new senior system and spent time learning during professional development from Dr David Collins, who spoke on neuroscience-driven thinking on wellness. This was key learning for our staff, building on our existing knowledge in this field and applying theory to the classroom. Our teaching staff are looking forward to this next semester and to continuing working alongside your child as they thrive.
As I’ve reflected on our Secondary College during this break, I’ve considered what would best be highlighted in order to help each student thrive this semester. The key areas I’d like us to focus on are existing features of Secondary, but which I am now bringing to the forefront:
As we all embark on this next semester together, please be encouraged that there is plenty of support for students and their families – the classroom teacher, the Learning Enrichment team, the RTC team, and the Middle & Senior College Coordinators – so please let us know if we can be of any help.
Kind regards
Jess Grounds
Head of Secondary
I don’t know about you, but I was all smiles on the first day of school when I saw all of our students coming back, excited to see their friends and teachers again. These students are the reason we get up each morning, and their flourishing as a person is what we consider our calling. Parklands is very quiet during the holidays, but the sound of kids is what our campus is made for. So, welcome back everyone to the second half of the school year, I’m delighted to see you again.
This term will have many highlights. The final preparations for our Fete next Saturday are in full swing and I hope to see you there! It’s a great opportunity to bring your friends along and show them why the Parklands community is so special. If you know of a parent who has always wanted to build a billy cart with their son or daughter, this is their best chance to do it!
Our Loving on Purpose conference with Danny Silk is less than four weeks away, too. We are very excited to hear from Danny on whose ideas much of our behaviour education program is built. This conference is open to parents and anyone else who is interested in learning from this influential speaker and author on how to truly connect with the people around you. Other Christian schools will also be sending delegates. It will surely help us as a school to continue building our culture of care, love and acceptance into the fabric of who we are.
I often get the opportunity to visit other schools and attend conferences to stay in tune with the broader conversation about education in our nation. In recent years, I have noticed that this conversation increasingly realises the immense impact of student wellbeing and connectedness on the flourishing of young persons. The growing number of schools that visit our RTC every year also demonstrates the interest in this area. In a world where “social” media is increasingly leaving us isolated, the focus on real connections with the people around us seems more urgent than ever. I’m grateful that Parklands as at the forefront of this journey because it enables us to share what we have found to be working with other schools. So I pray that the Loving on Purpose conference will be a blessing to all those who attend.
Then there will be the official opening of our two new buildings on the 31 August, to which I invite you very warmly. Years of planning before my time at Parklands have gone into this new development and now that it’s here and operating, our gratefulness to God is beyond measure. What is particularly exciting for me is to see students and teachers embracing the concept of flexible learning spaces in our Vocational Training Hub. These learning areas certainly don’t look like traditional classrooms but can be configured to meet the needs of different subjects, students and learning activities. Come along on the 31st August to see these spaces yourself!
These are only three of this term’s events. Hundreds of other things, large and small, happen at Parklands each term. Life in a school is certainly never dull. It’s a privilege to be sharing this life with you.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
Being a school principal never gets old or boring. Every day holds new ideas, challenges and encounters in areas as diverse as governance, finance, employee and industrial relations, stakeholder engagement, project and operations management, educational leadership, and much more. While I find all of those areas equally fascinating, a highlight of my weekly routine is Monday’s education meeting with the key educational leaders of our school. I thought that you might be interested to know some of the topics we have recently been discussing as we implement our strategic plan.
The “Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools” (we call it the Gonski 2.0 report) was recently released, and we were pleased that many of the recommendations in the report are supporting the direction of our strategic plan. Especially the chapter on “equipping every student to grow and succeed in a changing world” resonated with us. The idea that every student has an individual level of competence and therefore requires learning experiences targeted at his or her level sits well with us. Since the beginning of the formal education system, educators have tried to fill the minds of students with the knowledge they should learn in their respective grade level. However, we know very well that the variance of academic attainment between students in each class is as large as six or more years. Unfortunately, schools still haven’t developed many workable ways to target education to the individual student rather than the whole class. Schools also haven’t found many ways to make the learning progress of each student very visible. If a student sits on a C for years, it means that significant learning has taken place which should be recognised. So what could we do to make the actual progress visible?
These discussions have led us to research an exciting new Maths education approach based on the above ideas. We will conduct a trial of this approach with a few classes next semester. The education team will be responsible for monitoring this trial and then decide whether to roll it out more widely into our school. Our Learning Enrichment team has also been working on the idea of individualised learning. In partnership with a few teachers, they have begun to embed the Australian Curriculum’s new “Progression Scales” in the Individual Education Plans of some students. This will give us an insight into how to use an individualised learning approach in the area of literacy. I am very excited about both of those trials.
I’ll keep the other areas a bit shorter: Four of our teachers have recently formed a study hub, and together they have enrolled in a course at Christian Heritage College. Two of them are studying towards a Graduate Certificate and the other two towards a Master of Christian Education. Their research into the Christian education implications of contemporary issues in our society has been a source of great inspiration for our discussions. Our staff just never stop learning!
Another area for discussion has been the implementation of a second language at Parklands which will have to be embedded in every Queensland school from 2020, at least from Year 5 to Year 8. As always, our discussions start with the purpose of the change and how it connects with the mission and values of our school. Apart from regular languages, the Australian Curriculum also features AUSLAN as a fully equivalent language, and we’ve been discussing how our mission might be advanced by choosing this sign language to be studied.
The new Queensland system of senior assessment and tertiary entrance has also featured heavily in our meetings. We need to adequately prepare our Year 10 students for the higher expectations of this new system so that they can hit the ground running in Year 11 and have experience in utilising “higher-order” thinking skills. Most senior subjects will be replaced next year by this system, which is a massive undertaking but handled very well by our senior teachers.
And then there are topics such as when to use technology (and especially, when not to use it) to advance student learning; how to implement our recent student wellbeing survey; and how to guide the social learning of younger students from older ones who are role models in living and breathing the Parklands values.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of topics that are of interest to the education team at Parklands, but it might give you a little insight and appreciation for the excellent work that the educational leaders of our school do every day to prioritise the development and well-being of your children. Please pray that God will continue to grant us his guidance to make wise decisions for the benefit of all.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
Our days in Year 1 are always full of interesting conversations! We are learning so many things about ourselves and each other every single day! It is fantastic to see children developing friendships as the year progresses and we have spent quite a bit of time this term talking about what it means to be a good friend and how we can cooperate and show others we care.
We are stretching their ‘thinking brains’ in many areas of learning. Science lessons have been a highlight this term as they have been taking a ‘hands on’ approach to learning about physical and chemical changes. The children enjoyed working through simple experiments with various foods to discover how heating and cooling can make matter change.
In literacy, the children are becoming better writers as they add a wider range of interesting vocabulary to sentences. They have also been creating wonderful recounts. Mrs Davis and Mrs Clausen are enjoying reading about all the places children visit with their family and friends. Last week Year 1 consolidated o’clock time and had fun making clocks using paper plates. They look fantastic and were extremely useful.
Thank you for all your ongoing support in Year 1. We are looking forward to wonderful end to Term 2 and pray that you and your families stay well during the Winter months.
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Davis and Mrs Marsh
On the 14th May, the intrepid Year 4 classes set out on an adventure!We left early in the morning, and headed to beautiful Tallebudgera Creek to meet with the camp team from CYC Burleigh. They had a fun filled day planned for us!
After a full day of sun-soaked adventures our inspired Year 4’s returned exhausted but prepared and full of anticipation for what their Year 5 Camp will have in store for them.
Mr Patane, Mr Bradshaw and Mrs Kerr
This term in Year 5 our students have been learning about persuasive writing. To develop their writing skills, students had various writing activities, with one task being to advertise their school. Here’s what some of our Year 5 students came up with about PCC:
Miss Needs, Miss Strubin and Mrs Kissick
Some fantastic news – the following three Parklands students have been chosen as finalists in the Qld Training Awards nominations for the South East Region. Congratulations to these students who have worked hard, juggling their school work and workplace commitments. Finalists will compete for top spot in their region at the regional final held on 20 July 2018 to be held at Movieworld.
Name: Tahlya Anderson (2017 graduate)
Qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support
Training provider: TAFE Queensland
Group training organisation: The Maxima Group Incorporated
Host employer: Logan Hospital
Name: Oliver Lee (2017 graduate)
Qualification: Certificate III in Individual Support
Training provider: TAFE Queensland
Group training organisation: The Maxima Group Incorporated
Host employer: Logan Hospital
Name: Aaryn Dejong
Qualification: Certificate III in Hospitality
Training provider: Prestige Service Training
Group training organisation: Prestige Service Training
Host employer: Coffee Club Jimboomba
School: Parklands Christian College
Thank you for a wonderful and enjoyable Term 2.
We have experienced many exciting and lovely events this term that have filled our Parkland’s experience with joy, fun and wonder – Profile Evening, Cross Country, Naplan, Yr 4 Camp Day, Team Games Day, incursions, excursions and normal school lessons.
I must say the students seemed to be very well prepared, settled, calm and eager to write the tests this year. Some even commented they were, “Keen to see how well they are doing academically this year!” Thank you very much to the Year 3 and Year 5 parents for assisting us in explaining the value and purpose of the testing as well as ensuring our students got a good night’s sleep, healthy breakfast and plenty of water during that testing week. A very BIG ‘Thank you’ also needs to go to the wonderful Yr 3 and 5 staff (Mrs. Abbot, Mr. Kennedy and Miss Strubin, Miss Needs) for the awesome work they have done to prepare the students this year for the tests! We now look forward to receiving the student reports and results later in the year.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day. We are experiencing students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their track suit and jumper tops or even wearing non-school jumpers. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC, uniform store or check our website for photos and details. Please ensure that ALL uniform items, water bottles and LUNCH box items are clearly labeled with your child’s name.
These House Polo Shirts are available to purchase from the Uniform Shop.
The sizing and prices are as follows and have now been added to our PCC online Uniform Store:
Kids sizes 4 – 16 $25 each
Adults sizes S, M, L & XL $28 each
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ in the post at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon or Profile Night or has given you feedback on, as to how your child has progressed this term.
On Wednesday 25th July, we have our Primary P/T Interviews up in the Function Room, where you can book an interview to discuss your child’s report with their class teacher. Be on the lookout for more information and booking times and procedures!
Talking about the end of term – we only have a few more weeks of school left then we break up for the Winter Holidays on Friday 22nd June and return for term 3 on Monday 16th July.
Reports cards can be long and confusing with school jargon throughout them.
Here I will explain:
You are looking for two things as you read each of the subject reports. This will help you establish what your child’s strengths are and whether they are working to the best of their ability. Before looking for the A’s, B’s to E’s in the achievement section, read the Comment/s. Does the teacher say that your child is working to the best of their ability? Feedback from teachers is the key to improvement as it tells you and your child what they need to be working on – a way forward. Reports cards are one way of doing this.
Secondly, look at ‘Conduct’ statements as to how they are presenting / conducting themselves in all area of schooling.
The best thing to do is ask questions and get them to come up with how they think they went in the subject/term/semester. How did you think you went? Which results are you pleased with? What do you think was the cause of the result in this subject?
Process centred praise is more effective than praising intelligence e.g. “You are smart” develops a fixed mindset whereas praising effort develops a growth mindset (Dweck, 2010). Kids who get too much praise are less likely to take risks, are highly sensitive to failure and are more likely to give up when faced with a challenge. Check whether your child has a fixed or growth mindset http://mindsetonline.com
We need our kids to do things and be self-directed, not because they will get into trouble or get a reward. “If they are focused on the outcomes (stickers, money, rewards) this leads to a loss of interest in process and an unhealthy need for approval of others” (Sue Roffey, www.wellbeingaustralia.com.au/wba/). We need to focus on intrinsic rewards such as life satisfaction, autonomy, task persistence, positive social relationships, a love of learning and better performances.
Praise their:
Have a wonderful break and school holiday spent with family and friends.
| Tuesday 5th JUNE | Yr 6 Excursion -Get Active |
|---|---|
| Friday 8th | Concert Band Rehersals 7:30am |
| Monday 11th | Secondary EXAM BLOCK WEEK |
| Tuesday 12th | Year 5 Excursion - St Helena Island |
| Year 6 Incursion - Colonial Day | |
| Wednesday 13th | Prep Incursion - A trip to the Farm |
| Thursday 14th | Yr 1 Fire Education visit |
| Friday 15th | Concert Band Rehersals 7:30am |
| Monday 18th | Year 10 Trade Taster Work Experience week |
| Pizza Fundraiser | |
| Tuesday 19th | Twilight Tour Year 7 2019 |
| Friday 22nd | 9-12 years old Athletics Carnival |
| Saturday 23rd | WINTER BREAK - LADIES CAMBODIA MISSION TRIP |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
Our students are busy with their final assessment items for the semester, and we are very proud of how hard our students (and teachers!) work to give their best effort. It’s been a busy term once again with not just curriculum progress but also various other opportunities as incursions and excursions as well as our many clubs and tutorials. Through all this, it is heartwarming to hear of students doing acts of kindness and sharing encouraging words with each other. Even the smiles and “hello” that are shared as we all pass each other around campus are an encouraging indicator of the warm climate and caring atmosphere within our Secondary College, bringing a healthy balance to the academic pressures. It’s also been encouraging to see an excellent standard of uniform from most students as we transitioned to our winter uniform. A few reminders, with the overarching principle being that when a student is wearing our Parklands uniform they must be in full and complete uniform, regardless of the location or time of day:
We recommend that family holidays be taken during school holidays whenever possible, but we also realise that sometimes unique opportunities become available to families and that a student may need to miss a significant amount of school. In this instance, where a student will be absent for 10 days or more, the family is required to apply for exemption to the Principal. This form (“Application for exemption for a child or young person enrolled at Parklands Christian College”) can be provided by the relevant Coordinator (Senior School Coordinator – Mrs Bec Wallis; Middle School Coordinator – Mr Colin Elvery) or from Student Services. On completion of the form, it is to be submitted to the Principal via Administration. Parents/carers will then be informed of the outcome, our staff will make a note, and your child will then liaise with the relevant coordinator to make arrangements for catching up on missed work, completing assessment, etc.
In the interest of ensuring the safety of all our students, it is our process for parents to go to Student Services to sign out their child, if they are leaving the College early on a particular day. All communication between student and parent during the school day must go through Student Services to ensure clear communication and appropriate supervision of students.
Beat school holiday boredom by checking out the FREE and low cost activities on offer for 5-17 year olds in the KRANK school holiday program by visiting www.logan.qld.gov.au/krank
Starlettes 6-12 years old Promotional Flyer
The Brisbane Roar are bringing their Roar Active Program to the following ever popular indoor locations. This is an ideal way to gain extra skills and game awareness while having FUN
2nd 3rd 4th July- Brisbane City Indoor Sports Centre, Newmarket -9:00am – 12:00pm
2nd 3rd 4th July- Brisbane City Indoor Sports Centre, Coorparoo – 9:00am – 12:00pm
9th 10th 11th July- Morayfield Indoor Leisure Centre. Morayfield – 9am-12pm
Wonderful clinics for children to learn new skills while having FUN playing our beautiful game in a safe environment.
July 5th Caloundra Indoor Stadium 9am-12pm
July 12th Brisbane City Indoor Sports 9am-12pm
The World Cup day involves no coaching or drills just match play. We get the children into teams with their friends and they represent a country –
It’s a simple concept but all children just love game play – the 3 hours is pretty intensive with round robin group games and then finals resulting in multiple games with little time off the pitch.
We pump out of the music and let the players weave their magic and have FUN
To view and register these clinics please go to www.roaractive.com.au and select Holiday Programs.
Tell your friends, places will be limited and we hope you can join us for some Football fun with our Brisbane Roar Coaching Team.
On Friday June 1st we had 5 students represent the Southern District at the Regional Met West Carnival. The students competed against 4 other districts within our Metropolitan West Region. Well done to Callum Dagg (7th) and Hudson Hunt (9th) for making the reserve team for the State Carnival later in the year. We commend the athletes for doing extra training on the Monday and Friday morning sessions run by Mr Lewis and Mr Gilmour, and also outside school hours.
Well done to the students on a great effort.
An awesome day of competition was seen on Monday the 28th at the CSSAQ Team Games. Parklands had two boys Soccer teams and one girls Netball team compete against other Christian schools. All students gave their best and represented Parklands with pride. Congratulations to Miss Strubins’ Senior Netball Team who won their final against Muller 3-2. Well done girls.
Upcoming Dates
In term 2 we had Emily Fotek (Yr6) compete at a National Gymnastics event in Canberra. She represented QLD in both individual and team events. Emily competed hard and came away with a 2nd overall in her floor routine and her QLD Team won the competition. Well done to Emily on a great result.
Isabelle Podlick (Yr 8) competed in the 2018 Queensland Artistic Roller Skating State Championships held over the May long weekend and achieved some outstanding results!
She skated in 4 events and took home 2 Gold medals and 1 Silver medal in her individual events plus 1 Gold medal for a team event:
Isabelle is the 2018 Queensland State Champion for International Juvenile Girls Freeskating and she will now represent Queensland in all of the above events at this year’s Australian Championships in Perth from 7th July to 13th July.
This year will be Isabelle’s 6th year as a competitive artistic roller skater and she is the only International level Juvenile freeskater competing in 2 freeskating programs (Short and Long programs) on the Queensland Team at this year’s Australian Championships.
She is very excited to be travelling to Perth and this will be her third trip away interstate to compete – she has previously travelled to Adelaide (2015) and Melbourne (2016).
Isabelle is very dedicated to her sport and trains very hard, spending up to 13.5 hours skating each week. She is currently perfecting her double jumps (2 full rotations and landing on one foot), and hopes to perform these jumps by the competition.
Congratulations, Isabelle! We wish you all the best at the Australian Championships!
For those who follow the Parklands Facebook page, you will have seen photos last Friday of our first ever Parklands Concert Band rehearsal! Nearly 50 students gathered excitedly in the Function Room at 7:30am on Friday 1st June – probably the coldest day so far this year – to bring everyone together with their instruments and play together as a band. After finding everyone a seat we warmed up with a hearty rendition of “Hot Cross Buns”, and then proceeded to work through our first band piece, “Power Rock”. What a sound!
All the students did an exceptional job, and everyone had a wonderful time playing together. At the end of the rehearsal Mr Warden recorded the finished product for posterity; hopefully we can look back in 12 months and hear the progress made!
Parents are asked to please make these payments promptly.
Details are as follows:
$120 to be paid:
1. In person at Administration
2. By credit card over the phone
3. Direct Deposit
Parklands Christian College
BSB: 034115
Account no: 169944
Reference: <surname & initial> GIAG
The Junior Choir are busy as always, getting ready for their Fete performances early in Term 3. These little ones rehearse early on a Wednesday morning, with much enthusiasm despite the cold!
Our Senior Choir are also preparing for their Fete performance, but in addition they are busy getting ready for their entry in the Beenleigh Eisteddfod in the same week. This will be an exciting opportunity for our students to perform in public, but also a chance for them to see and hear many other school choirs. Much can be learned from observing others, so this will be a valuable learning opportunity.
The Secondary Choir is going from strength to strength, with a strong core of students attending weekly. This choir is making a beautiful sound and we very much look forward to their first performance at the College Fete in Term 3, followed soon after by another performance at Arts Gala.
Some of these things are indeed small beginnings, but what a mighty oak tree grows from a tiny acorn! We are very excited about these developments in the musical life of our College, and pray that the Lord will continue to guide us and our students as we walk this journey with them.
The study of English comprises of many areas including, speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar and punctuation. It is the teaching and embedding of communication and literacy skills, enabling interaction and exploration of God’s created world. The Australian Curriculum states “The study of English is central to the learning and development of all young Australians. It helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and … individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate and build relationships with others and with the world around them”.
Reading is an essential part of this study and influences many areas of school life. It is therefore, paramount that we do our very best to provide students with the skills and desire to become good readers. At Parklands we are committed to making continuous improvements in what and how we teach all areas of the curriculum and this year we are focussing our attention on how to bring the joy of reading to life in our Primary College.
The teaching of Reading is a partnership between home and school and is included in many areas within life. As parents, we start the love of reading from a very early age as we read bed time stories to our children. We continue to grow reading curiosity as we walk around shops, create shopping lists, read signs and introduce our little ones to the wonder of the world they live in. All of these interactions occur before children even reach school age and this love of reading should continue as they embark on the journey of formal education.
As teachers we do our very best to continue this love of reading by using books in every aspect of the curriculum. With new technology we use programs, videos and digital books to create an enthusiasm around the art of learning to read. The development of phonological awareness and the learning of synthetic phonics is foundational to the art of decoding words and cracking the code of reading.
We have some exciting READING ventures coming throughout the year.
This term we introduced Scholastic Book Club to not only enable students to purchase books for themselves but also allow us to buy new books for our classrooms. A big thank you to Mrs Abott who is coordinating this program for us. We have already earnt $500 that we will spend on classroom libraries.
Next Term we are excited to introduce new Australian Decodable Readers into the Prep homework program. We will be having a morning tea on Tuesday the 19th of this month if you would like more information about these books. Decodable Readers Australia state “the secret of getting kids to read is to give them books they CAN actually read”. These beginner books, with a range of Australian animal characters, will allow students to use the phonics they are learning to crack the code of reading. We hope that parents and students will find these books funny and engaging.
We also have an emphasis on book week coming up in August. Thank you to Miss Strubin for coordinating an Author to come and read to the students and games and activities that she has planned for Library time. Children will also be encouraged to dress up as their favourite character or Author. Please stay tuned for more information about this event.
Finally, we are in the process of exploring new reading programs to support the already fabulous job we do in reading throughout lower primary. It will great to see the continued growth in this area as we gradually bring in new pedagogy and resources throughout the rest of the year, which help to make reading easy, fun and enjoyable.
Thank you and Happy Reading!
Mrs Daley
Director of Primary Studies
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Our annual Bush Dance was a huge success, with close to 300 people kicking up their heels on the dance floor to Beefa’s Bush Band. The night was filled with the sound of laughter from everyone having so much fun. It was a wonderful opportunity for so many families to meet each other.
It is always fantastic to have Michelle and Sandra from the Browns Plains Coffee Club, Village Square, who are always so supportive of all our events. A big thank you to all our Friendlies team along with the three Year 10 active volunteers who set everything up and helped on the night. Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our school. Each and every one of you helped to make the night the wonderful night it was! These events wouldn’t be possible without all of your support.
Our next meeting is at Jimboomba Macca’s, Friday 8th June at 6.45pm. If you would like any further information you can email Angie Marsh, friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies
We are coming to the end of a very busy semester which has been filled with many memorable moments, both in and out of the classroom, and has included a range of exciting excursions across many subjects; through to major sporting events such as Cross Country and Brisbane Christian Schools competitions. Senior students have also participated in Elevate Education seminars and attended the annual Careers Expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre. All in all it has been a semester filled with rich learning experiences and we are very proud of our Seniors.
Throughout this term, Year 10 students have participated in SETPlan sessions to assist them in thinking through decisions regarding their futures. Mrs Hudson and I continue to work very closely with the senior students and aim to individualise each senior student’s learning pathway to meet their goals and expectations for senior school. We are continuing to enjoy getting to know all the Year 10 families in individual family meetings, where we are discussing options for Senior College and beyond in person. We are open to meeting with Senior College families at any time the need arises, please contact us through Student Services or via email, if we can be of further assistance.
At present, seniors are commencing their semester exams. It has been a jam-packed semester. Our prayers and blessings are with all students as they finalise their assessment. We pray they each have a wonderful and well-deserved winter holiday break to relax and recharge with family and friends over this time.
Be Present – Every Day Counts
Attendance is such an important factor in school success. Studies show that from the early years, students who attend school regularly perform better in school than peers who are frequently absent. Chronic absence, regardless of the reason, is identified as an important early warning sign that a student is at risk for school failure and early dropout. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days. Many factors can contribute to student absenteeism including valid reasons such as health issues.
At PCC, we really value attendance. In Senior College, students sign the Senior Learning Agreement form, which states: If I am absent at any time, a suitable explanation will be given to the Head of Secondary accompanied by a note from parents; otherwise my enrolment may be withdrawn. If I do not attend an exam or am absent on the day an assignment is due, I understand that a medical certificate is needed, as outlined in the Senior College Assessment Policy.
The Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA), whom we align with, allows 10 days of unexplained absence per year, after which a student can be at risk of not graduating that year level. We encourage all students to possess a 90% or greater attendance record for the school year, or to provide medical documentation, as required, when absent. We wish to promote healthy attendance rates so that each child can achieve all that God wants them to be.
School refusal by the child can be very difficult. We encourage parents and carers to respond to their child’s refusal to attend school by seeking support from school staff, as there are ways to help turn this behaviour around. Schools and parents working collaboratively can help resolve this with appropriate support and time to find what will work for your child or adolescent.
Did you know?
Missing 2 days a month, you miss 10% of the school year.
The more absences you have, the more negative the impact on academic success.
Even being late matters. Being late by 15 minutes a day results in missing two weeks of education during the school year.
Richest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
Being “stuck” in one’s discomfort can be explained by understanding the triune brain and how neural looping occurs. Paul MacLean’s (1990) model of the triune brain, refers to three distinct parts of the brain, the reptilian complex, the limbic system or paleomammallian complex and the neo cortex or neomamillian complex (Rossouw, 2017; Montgomery, 2013).
The reptilian complex is fully developed at birth and governs the physiological aspects of survival by increasing blood flow to this section of the brain (Montgomery, 2013). This section of the brain is often thought of as the primitive brain or responsive brain; it is referred to as the survival brain (Montgomery, 2013).
The limbic system is partially developed at birth and needs ques from the environment as it develops to make it operational (Montgomery, 2013). The limbic system actually refers to a cluster of systems which regulate emotions including the thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus (Montgomery, 2013). This system is much more responsive to developing memories that result from negative experiences than from positive experiences; it is referred to as the emotional brain or impulsive brain (Montgomery, 2013).
The last part of the brain to develop is the neo cortex; at birth it is undeveloped and largely unoperational (Montgomery, 2013). The neo cortex is fully developed at approximately 24 years old. The neo cortex is responsible for executive function and has the ability to down-regulate other functions; it is referred to as the smart brain (Montgomery, 2013).
In its simplest form the development of neural pathways is encouraged or discouraged due to environmental stimuli which may be considered either safe or unsafe. In a safe environment the survival brain and impulsive brain remains calm, as a result the smart brain can fire effectively and make decisions, evaluate situations and environmental stimuli, make sense of experiences and categorise these effectively allowing the person to make adjustments and positive choices about their life (Montgomery, 2013). Alternatively, in an unsafe environment, the impulsive brain is triggered and as a result blood flow becomes concentrated on the amydalic system within the limbic system thereby decreasing the blood flow to the prefrontal cortex and resulting in an inability to think due to up-regulated stress (Robinson, 2014). When this happens the smart brain is basically ‘off grid’ and needs to be reengaged before executive functions can occur which allow the person to make positive choices about their outcomes.
As mentioned earlier the memories stored in the limbic system are more enhanced by negative experiences than positive ones (Rossouw, 2017). The experience of becoming stuck is a reflection of neural looping in which the limbic system relies on these negative memories. In brief, neural looping occurs when the amygdala sparks the hippocampus; in other words, when the impulsive brain fires up the memory centre it activates a loop which stimulates the impulsive brain (emotional centre) further (Robinson, 2014). As a result of this process reoccurring the person becomes stuck in their experiences and consequent behavioural reactions.
In order to explain this principal Donald Hebb founded the notion that ‘neurons that fire together, wire together’, contending that repetition creates neutral pathways which reinforce behaviour regardless of whether it is positive or negative (Cozolino, 2010). This suggests that once a loop is created the person may become stuck in that repeated behavioural response (Cozolino, 2010). However, Michael Merzenich, as described by Henson & Rossouw (2013) by contrast suggests that the same can be true for ‘neurons that fire apart, wire apart’, thus asserting that the loop or experience of being stuck can be suitably broken through changing the neural pathway, much like a circuit breaker.
Melissa Glenwright (2014) provides an excellent metaphor to understand how persons become stuck and unstuck through neural looping. Using the metaphor of a highway Glenwright (2014) explains that through repetition a specific path or neural connection becomes stronger; the stronger it becomes the more likely the person will take the same path in the future eventually creating a ‘superhighway’. In order to break this cycle, the person needs to start creating a new pathway or ‘road’. At first this may be an off-road track, but via a process of repetition the track will eventually become a road and slowly develop into a superhighway itself, thus increasing the likelihood that the person will choose that pathway in the future (Glenwright, 2014). The old highway will eventually break down from disuse in the form of glial cells (Glenwright, 2014).
This metaphor brings to mind a similar concept, though theologically referring to salvation, described in Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV, 2011), “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” It could be surmised that breaking old neural loops (habits/behaviours) and using the debris to create new neural loops could result in the person becoming ‘unstuck’; further this is a difficult task and requires a deliberate change, support and repetition.
Cozolino, L. (2010). The neuroscience of psychotherapy: healing the social brain (2nd Ed.). New York: WWW Norton & Company.
Glenwright, M. (2014). How Samantha used neuroscience to build a pathway out of social anxiety disorder. In Rossouw, P.J. (Ed.). (2014). Neuropsychotherapy: theoretical underpinnings and clinical applications (p.p. 353-369). USA: Mediros Pty Ltd.
Henson, C. & Rossouw, P.J. (2013). BrainWise Leadership: Practical neuroscience to survive and thrive at work. Sydney: Learning Quest.
Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). (2011). Biblica Inc.
MacLean, Paul D. (1990). The triune brain in evolution: role in paleocerebral functions. New York: Plenum Press.
Montgomery, A. (2013). Neurobiology essentials for clinicians: what every therapist needs to know. New York: WWW Norton & Company.
Robinson, N. (2014). Christine: An adolescent and social anxiety disorder. In Rossouw, P.J. (Ed.). (2014). Neuropsychotherapy: theoretical underpinnings and clinical applications (pp. 73-90). USA: Mediros Pty Ltd.
| Wednesday 2nd MAY | Year 1 Incursion Very Hungry Caterpillar Play |
|---|---|
| Friday 4th | SDSSS District Cross Country Carnival 10-19yr olds |
| Monday 7th | Labour Day Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 8th | Yr 11/12 Biology Excursion |
| Yr 10 Visual Art Excursion | |
| Thursday 10th | Mothers Day Stall |
| Friday 11th | Yr 10-12 Excursion Career expo |
| Monday 14th | Yr 4 CYC Day Camp |
| CSSAQ Cross Country Carnival | |
| LoKoP Course 6:30pm | |
| Tuesday 15th | Yr 10-12 Art Students Excursion |
| Naplan Yr 3,5,7,9 | |
| Wednesday 16th | Naplan Yr 3,5,7,9 |
| Saturday 19th | Family Bush Dance 5:30pm to 8pm |
| Monday 28th | CSSAQ Primary Team Games |
| Tuesday 29th | ICAS Science Competition yr 4-6 |
| Tuesday 5th JUNE | Yr 6 Excursion -Get Active |
| Monday 11th | Secondary EXAM BLOCK WEEK |
| Wednesday 13th | Prep Incursion - A trip to the Farm |
| Thursday 14th | Yr 1 Fire Education visit |
| Saturday 23rd | WINTER BREAK |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
On the 15th to 17th May, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will sit exams for the National Assessment Program of Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). This is an important part of our educational journey as it provides useful feedback for student progress against the rest of the country. We do not view NAPLAN as a competition between schools, but as useful information for both schools and home regarding student achievement. The assessments have been designed to assess the understanding of students at the particular year levels, and give opportunity to track progress from previous years. The testing process takes place across the three days, with language and literacy testing on the Tuesday and Wednesday, and Numeracy testing taking place on the Thursday. For students who may miss the test days due to illness, there will be opportunity to catch the tests up on the Friday. We are encouraging students to make sure they are rested for the three days, have had a good and healthy breakfast for each morning, and turn up to school ready to do their best. Data from the testing is paired with our own assessment data to try and best cater for student growth and development. An honest representation in the testing is most helpful to this process.
For the Middle School, there will be small disruptions to the timetable, which will also affect our year 8 students. We will keep disruptions to a minimum, and students will be notified of necessary room changes in advance. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school with your query.
Our Middle School Pastoral Care program has seen some enhancements of the past couple of years, with further ongoing development to continue. The purpose of our program is to cater for the emotional development of our individual students, to ensure that we have a supported student body, and that they are sure and confident of the gifts and talents, which God has placed in their lives. Our Year 7 students embark on two programs over the course of terms 2 and 3. One class will participate in the Resilient Me program – a program designed in conjunction with Mrs Joanne Edwards and our Student Wellbeing team. Students will be taught the skills of resilience in regards to different circumstances so they can develop the self-confidence needed to tackle life successfully. The other year 7 class will work through a program called, Surviving High School. Based on the work of Sharon Witt, students will look at important skills such as Goal setting, self-management, and dealing with high school logistics. By the end of term 3, all year 7 students will have undertaken both programs.
Year 8 students are participating in Teen Talk, a program based on another work by Sharon Witt. Students will tackle issues such as being supportive, dealing with criticism, peer pressure, and bullying through a discussion and activity based program.
Year 9 students have been working through a rotation of electives this year. The first of these is the Shine and Strength program: a biblical based program designed to help students understand the strength and beauty that God has created them all to have. The second program is our Cyber-safety course. Student safety is extremely important to us, and it is imperative that we equip our students with the right tools to navigate the cyber world safely.
Our third element involves a focus on community. In a new initiative for this year, we are introducing our year 9 students to the bridging program of the Duke of Edinburgh award. The course allows students to experience four different sections: service, physical recreation, skill, and adventurous journey, and we have designed our Pastoral Care program for year 9 students to be able to complete the bridging award as a part of their school responsibilities.
There will be a home communication for students who wish to register for the award in the next week. The bridging award allows students to achieve and certificate of completion, which students can add to their resume, and allows a taste of the possibilities for those who may wish to pursue the Bronze, Silver, or Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards in the future.
Year 7 students are studying the early stories in the bible for Christian Life Skills this term. One story of feature is that of Noah’s Ark. In order to offer opportunity to interact with the story, students from 7B headed out onto the school oval on Wednesday May 2nd to mark out the dimensions of the ark, in a hope to gain a better perspective of the magnitude of the task given to Noah.
Students took the measurements directly from the Bible, and converted them to modern units of measurement for our activity. We then proceeded to head out with a trundle wheel and measure the dimensions of the ark. In the photo attached, each small black mark is a student, placed at intervals of 15 metres. The result is a vessel measuring approximately 137 metres in length and 24 metres in width. The height, 14 meters, was a little difficult to represent. That was one big boat!
Mr Colin Elvery
Coordinator of Middle School
As I look out of my window, God’s creation smiles at me in its full glory. It’s a sunny autumn day with fresh air, blue skies and a profound sense of peace and tranquillity. How gorgeous is our world at this time of the year!
But if I were to pick up my phone, turn on the TV or read the newspaper, the smile would turn into a frown. I would plunge into a world of grief, tragedy and failure. This world is dark, sinister and its stories are always new versions of the same evil kind.
The story of good and evil has been playing out since the beginning of our history. Now, we are preparing our children to enter the stage. How do we do that? How can we prepare them to be well-adjusted, secure and hopeful in the midst of a story with such strong opposing forces?
I recently attended a ‘Cafe Conversation’ hosted by Christian Heritage College’s Millis Institute. David Baskerville came too, and we enjoyed a lively debate between Dr Ben Myers (Director of the Millis Institute) and ABC’s Scott Stephens on a related topic. In the course of the night, Mr B mentioned a scripture from Romans 16:19 that made me think. Paul’s counsel to the Roman church was this: “I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil”.
This might give us a clue. It seems to say to us: Give children experience, knowledge and good judgement on anything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable (Philippians 4:8). If those things are in focus on centre stage, young people will have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this world of which they are a part. They will experience their worth as part of a worthy creation. They will become wise as to what is good. What a great start to life.
In regards to being innocent to evil, I don’t think that it is the same as being ignorant of it. After all, even Jesus himself reminded his disciples to be “wise as serpents” as they went out into a hostile world. Children need to be gradually prepared to encounter the evil side of our world and know how to deal with it. But they would lose their innocence if they became experienced and savvy about all things evil. There seems to be a certain distance to it which is good to keep and which protects their innocence.
Without claiming to have the answers to my above questions, I have come to believe that one thing is true for the healthy development of children: They learn a lot from their successes. If they grow up flourishing and succeeding in an environment that esteems the values and character found in the person of Jesus, they will have all the chances of becoming wise as to what is good. The rest will fall into place.
Unfortunately for us grown-ups, successes no longer teach us anything. They often inflate rather than soften our ego. This is where failure starts to become very useful. But that’s a whole other story.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
We are in the heart of our Cross Country season with students training and competing in carnivals throughout the term.
On May 4th the College took the best runners from 10-18yrs to the Southern District Cross Country Carnival. This carnival is the schools pathway to achieve representative level in their chosen sport. We had 21 students attend the day and 6 students make the Southern District Scorpions team, who will compete at the Regional Carnival on the 1st of June. Thankyou to all the students who represented the College. Congratulations to the students who are moving into the next level, and to Tommy Patton and Callum Dagg who won there races.
The school will finish off their cross country season at the CSSAQ cross country carnival on the 14th of May which will be held at Limestone Park in Ipswich. Please check the sports website for further information.
Primary school are also looking forward the the CSSAQ Team games where the College will take 2 boys Soccer and 2 Girls Netball teams. This is a day where the students can compete in a round robin tournament against other Christian schools in the greater Brisbane area.
Good Luck to all the students competing in the upcoming carnivals, the College is cheering you on.
Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and melodious song,
With trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.
We have certainly started this fantastic new program with a bang, and the students seem to be having a blast! By now most students have their instruments at home and are hopefully practising, so many of you will be hearing the fruits of their efforts. They are certainly keen and excited when coming to lessons, and many of them are already making wonderful sounds on their instruments. Later this term we will get them all together to form the College’s first Concert Band, and I think they’ll be surprised at how good they sound together. Look out for their first performance, that won’t be far away!
Heading towards Term 3 we will be looking to expand the Instrumental Program into the Secondary School, giving opportunity for students to learn brass, woodwind & percussion instruments. Similar to the Give It A Go program, lessons will be in small groups but students will generally need to provide their own instrument. This would be ideal for any students who perhaps have learned at a previous school and would like to pick up their instrument again. Lessons will be in class time but on a rotating timetable so that the same class is not missed all the time. More information will be available later in Term 2, we hope there will be many students interested.
Our Primary Choirs are active as ever, with great attendance and much enthusiasm from all students. Both Choirs are excited about upcoming performances near the end of Term 2, and we look forward to hearing what these beautiful young voices are capable of.
Our brand new Secondary Choir has also got off to a great start this term, with fantastic attendance increasing each week and full participation from all students. The sound they are making so far is incredible for such a new group, and we are very excited about the potential of this group of young people. Their first performance will be coming up in the near future too, so watch this space! Any students still interested in joining the Choir are most welcome, please see Mr Elvery.
This is a very exciting time for music here at Parklands Christian College. We are thrilled to be able to expand the opportunities available to our students, and see them having so much fun in the process. While not all of them will grow up to become professional musicians, they will all carry the benefits of music with them for the rest of their lives.
Mrs. Alison Harbottle
Instrumental Music Co-ordinator
Parklands Christian College
This term, we are learning all about ‘fun on the farm’ and Prep this month has been busy, busy, busy! Our teachers have introduced us to ‘heart’ and ‘brain’ words, and we are using these, along with our knowledge of sounds to begin reading and writing.
In Science, we have been exploring different materials and commenting on their observable properties. In the coming weeks, we will plan, design and create our own boat and test these, allowing us to use a variety of scientific enquiry and critical thinking skills.
Our learning this term will culminate in a fantastic incursion where we really will experience ‘Fun on the Farm’. More information to come throughout the term!
One of our favourite times of the week is Chapel, especially the songs with actions. We have also begun sharing our memory verses at Chapel!
Ms Kunne, Ms Hollands, Miss Baskerville and Mrs Lowe
The year 2 classes this term are studying Water safety, Water Cycles and Water Conservation. Unlike my era of education our kids are well informed on how they can preserve our natural water sources. In the past two weeks they have been doing group work exploring the Water Cycle and making their own Water Cycle exemplar.
At the end of Term 1 our classes had fun in creating some awesome Easter artwork. It was a great way to wind down after a term of hard work.
Mrs Koplick, Mrs Edwards and Mrs Hollenberg
“The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008.
A reminder we have our annual Yr 3 & 5 National Testing again this term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the various tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Yr 3 & 5 parent please provide their child with a good breakfast and ensure they are at school on time these days:
Please remember that NAPLAN results are only a ‘snap shot’ and not a full, true reflection of your child’s academic performance! It would be best to look at the NAPLAN results in consultation with the Term 2 report results and the teacher’s comments from their interview.
We have enjoyed wonderful memories in Chapel on a Tuesday morning. It’s been great to see so many parents and grandparents joining us as we listen to memory verses, sing a couple of songs, hear a story from Mr. Solymosi and esteem our ‘student of the week and awardees’. I can honestly say that Chapels are the highlight of my week!
A very big “Thank you” needs to go out to all the amazing people who have made Chapel possible each week: Mr. & Mrs. Braun and the IT / lighting and sound crew, Mr. Solymosi and his words of wisdom, Mr. Elvery and senior students leading song worship, Miss Rachel Baskerville announcing awards and doing up the award power point slides, teachers attending to the classes and staff and parents preparing the students for their memory verse. Without everyone playing their part, Chapels would not be as enjoyable as they are, Thank you!
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures?
Class Teachers ask that if you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, process or procedure, behaviour, calendar events etc. that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call.
If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
Specialist lessons (HPE – Mr. Lewis, Music – Mrs. Patane, Art – Mrs. Bazley, Library – Mrs. Bayer or
Student Services – Mrs. Oxley, Mrs. Swinn or
RTC – Ms. Godwin, Mr.Crawford, Mrs. Broughton, Miss Robinson or
LE – Mrs. Jo Anderson
If the issue is not resolved or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher, then please contact me through Student Services.
A big ‘Thank you’ to all those parents that took the opportunity to visit classrooms to see their child’s profile and took extra time to catch up with teachers on the Profile Preview afternoon. This assisted to reduce the set interview process on our formal Profile Evening!
If you haven’t as yet met with your child’s teacher and still wish to do so, please make an appointment to see them at a mutually agreed upon time.
A reminder to please slow down (20klm) and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Students have been reminded to stop, look right, left and right before walking over the crossing but can I ask that you take it for granted, that they will not do the correct thing. Please also remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage.
A big Thank YOU to Mrs. Ann Schatkowski who does an amazing job keeping everyone safe when using the pedestrian crossing.
Learning isn’t bound by the school gates. Research indicates that ongoing parental involvement in children’s learning reaps benefits in many ways, including shaping positive attitudes to learning and supporting student achievement. Finding practical ideas for parents to engage in learning in a way that is fun and purposeful takes time that classroom teachers don’t always have.
Learning Potential Resources can help. This parent-friendly website is free to access and provides a range of literacy and numeracy activities designed to support the Australian Curriculum for primary school children.
Visit the Learning Potential Resources website
Browse by year level band and discover:
Mr Grant Jakins
Head of Primary
A massive thank you to all the families and staff who collected the “Coles Sports for Schools” vouchers. The promotion is now finished in-store. If you have any vouchers still at home could you please bring them back to school by Friday 11th May and drop them in the box located in Student Services!
Last year we participated in the “Woolworths Earn and Learn” promotion, the kids will remember collecting stickers from Woolworths and eagerly putting them onto sticker sheets. Together as a school, we collected 60180 stickers which the teachers were able to use on valuable resources. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Check out all the resources we received!
We have our annual Bush Dance this month with the amazing “Beefa’s Bush Band”. The Bush Dance is something for the whole family, this is an event where it doesn’t matter how old you are, you will have a night filled with fun and laughter! Save the date, Saturday 19th of May 2018, in the Baskerville Sports Centre Make sure to put it on your calendar! Bring the whole family and your friends, you don’t want to miss out! The night will kick off at 5.30pm with a sausage sizzle and then from 6pm Beefa’s Bush Band. Entry is $20 per family or $5 per person, payable on the evening. Hope to see you all there!
If you’re thinking you would like to get more involved with different events or are wanting to meet other families within our school community, why not come along to one of our Friendlies meetings. Anyone from our school community is more than welcome to come to any of our meetings. Our next meeting is at Park Ridge Macca’s, Friday 11th May @ 6.45pm. If you would like any more information you can email Angie Marsh, friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies
On Saturday 21st April, Logan City Council hosted a breakfast to thank who they call the heroes of the community “their volunteers”.
Over 500 guests attended the breakfast; they were sincerely thanked by the local councillors and received a badge of honour. We were very proud to represent the many student volunteers from Parklands. Logan has a current register of 34000 volunteers. It was very humbling to hear multiple stories and efforts of our community heroes who received recognition awards. It is also very inspiring to witness our next generations who are heavily involved and invested in serving their community.
Joshua and Corey, Year 11 students
The UQ Academic Board have approved changes to the selection process for UQ’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program that will impact current high school students.
These changes will be progressively introduced over the coming years, allowing students ample time to prepare.
There are two main changes to the selection process for the MD Program at UQ:
Our revised admission process is designed to ensure the highly sought-after places in the MD program are offered to applicants who demonstrate the attributes and abilities most suited to the profession of medicine, and most likely to succeed in the MD program.
We aim to select applicants who are representative of the populations we serve and whose goals align with our vision:
Contact UQ Admissions on admissions@uq.edu.au or call us on (07) 3365 2203.
Headstart University (Study University While at School)
The following universities in Queensland offer programs that enable high achieving students in Years 11 and/or 12 to have a university experience through studying a university subject. The subjects may be free and may provide credit towards a university degree at the end of Year 12 and/or guarantee entry to a degree at the end of Year 12. Successful completion of a university subject will contribute credit towards your Queensland Certificate of Education and may give you bonus points towards your university application when you apply through QTAC. Entry to these programs must have the support of your school and your parents.
Universities often hold information sessions to inform students and their parents about these programs. Find out about these sessions on the websites listed above.
Each year we treat our staff and students, and take them away for the weekend. We use this time to bless the girls and give them the opportunity to learn and have fun with work colleagues. Our theme for this year’s retreat was “Heart of Worship”. We felt that this year our girls needed the opportunity to stop, reflect, pray and focus on God. We were able to take the girls through various activities that gave them space to pause and consider God, and consider what it means to worship Him. Each session helped the girls examine themselves, their gifts, talents and creative passions and how they might use them as an expression of worship and gratitude. Many of the girls expressed how valuable they thought the sessions were, and have expressed interest in learning more.
During their down time, the girls enjoyed the facilities of the little resort that we stayed at. It was a quirky little place, providing our girls with lots of ways to have fun, relax, take hundreds of selfies and just spend time together away from work. Hannah and I refrained from entering the water on the weekend, preferring to stay away from the hundreds of people crowding the pools and slides. We were also the only foreigners in the resort that weekend, and we didn’t feel brave enough to make a spectacle of ourselves by donning our swimwear.
These special events always remind us that God has given us a unique and privileged opportunity to serve here in the Philippines. It really is so special to be able to care for our girls and invest in their lives, giving them healing and hope for the future.
If you would like to help us provide this event every year, we would love to hear from you. We need sponsors who will commit to funding this special event each year, enabling us to build this event into our calendar regularly. Can you help us? Please email Gary at gary@bloomasia.org if you can help.
Mr Gary Cully
General Manager Cebu
Bloom Life Training Philippines Inc.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY (no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
A lot of us grew up with detention in school – I know I did. Detention is typically a place where a student will sit for a period of time and a) do nothing, b) write lines, c) pick up rubbish or some other task under supervision. Usually these tasks have very little learning attached to them and is more about wasting a student’s own time for their misconduct.
As an RTP Facilitator, one of the misconceptions that I often hear is that the RTC is for “naughty” students and sometimes the RTC is perceived as a “detention” for these naughty students to come and be punished. When one looks from the outside in, with little education or understanding around the RTC, I understand how people can perceive the RTC to be this way. A child demonstrates a disruptive behaviour and leaves the classroom to attend the RTC due to this. Sounds like detention or punishment right? Wrong.
Detention has a negative connotation attached to it, where the RTC rather, is a space for students to learn responsibility, self-control and to devise strategies for positive life choices. It is very different to a detention as the student is thinking, self- reflecting, learning to think from another person’s perspective and developing a plan for future.
Where staff would usually supervise a detention, the RTP Facilitators exist to provide emotional support, to positively challenge and coach students through this process and then support them to re-engage in class and put their plan into place. Very different to detention.
So then, now that we have clarified the difference between a detention facility and our RTC, it is important to understand the process that student’s experience when engaging.
If you think about it, each person is raised in a home and taught a wide selection of life skills as they age and interact with others. For example, being raised in a large family might mean that a child may learn how to interact confidently with different age groups or genders, or being raised with a sibling with a disability may teach another child how to have compassion and empathy for others and so on.
Not all children experience the same upbringing or learn the same skills. It makes sense for students to be referred to the RTC to learn the skills that they might not have been raised with. For example, at home it might be acceptable for a child to invade their siblings’ personal space in a playful way, however at school this might not be perceived as appropriate. The child might need to visit the RTC for a friendly chat with the RTP facilitator to have the difference explained to them or to consider how invading someone else’s space might make the other person feel.
Each time a student is referred, they are given the opportunity to utilise the Responsible Thinking Process to help them learn new skills such as how to manage conflict, how to follow class rules, how to be better prepared for class, how to be a kind friend and so on. This is done through discussion with the RTP Facilitator and also the completion of a RTP plan which enables students to think through self-reflective questions such as “what rule was I not following”, “how did this impact on others”, and “what is my goal for when I return to class”.
From what I have seen, students who are given the opportunity to come and discuss their behaviour or mistakes and learn from them – they tend to be much better off and well-rounded in the long run. Our team has found that when students are consistently referred, they are able to put their goals and strategies into practice. Eventually they come to a place where they have learned the skill of thinking before acting and ask themselves questions like “how will this make my friend feel” or “what will be the consequence of this behaviour”. Our goal is that a student will be able to successfully and independently implement the Responsible Thinking Process in time without needing to attend the RTC as often.
So if your child is regularly referred to the RTC for behaviour, please don’t see it as your child attending detention and being punished, rather, please see it as their opportunity to continue developing life skills and learning new ways of thinking.
A new Sign on is about to start for Hot Shots Tennis come and have a free trial lesson and see if you like it.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet & Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up.
We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Peewee Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds & advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Lessons & Social comps every week night & now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354 at Park Ridge Tennis.
Many parents and teachers are concerned about cyberbullying. It is a serious problem that can hurt young people, families and school communities. Cyberbullying is also a complex problem that is often invisible to parents and teachers.
In February the Premier appointed a group of Queenslanders who are passionate about stopping cyberbullying of young people. The Queensland Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce is chaired by well-known author and commentator, Madonna King, and includes members with knowledge and expertise in education, youth health and wellbeing, law, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, disability and families.
The Taskforce needs your help to develop a framework for Queensland to help reduce cyberbullying of young people. They want to hear from parents, carers, students, teachers and other experts in schools. In particular, the Taskforce wants to hear about your ideas to:
Email the Taskforce at antibullyingtaskforce@premiers.qld.gov.au
Upload your ideas as a submission on the Taskforce website
https://qld.gov.au/cyberbullyingtaskforce
Come to a public forum in 12 Queensland locations including Brisbane, Cairns, Rockhampton and Charleville. For information about forums visit https://qld.gov.au/cyberbullyingtaskforce
Everyone can be part of the stand against cyberbullying. Ms King and the Taskforce members look forward to hearing from you.
A student’s Speech and Language skills form the foundation for all learning at school.
If so, it may be the result of an underlying Speech and Language difficulty.
Michelle Sparg is a private certified practicing Speech Pathologist with over 20 years of experience. Michelle has worked successfully at our school for a number of years working alongside students, parents and teachers to maximise learning potential within the classroom. Assessment and therapy are offered at school within school hours in collaboration with students, parents and staff.
For further information, please contact:
Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435 492 716.
If you have any questions about the above services provided please contact Jo Anderson via email at janderson@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
At the end of Term 1 the Year 3 students visited the Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum. We were praying for a mostly fine day, as it had been a bit wet and God looked after us. The students participated in a number of activities including extinguishing an invisible fire with an old fire hose from a 1950s Dodge fire truck, which the students were then able to carefully climb onto and have a photo. The classes stepped back in time as they visited the old school room, experienced writing on slates, learnt about the different rules and the dreaded cane. We were fortunate to see the blacksmith at work in his workshop. He branded some wood for us with PCC and a map of Australia (minus Tasmania). The students also used a two person cross cut saw (with adult led guidance) to saw off pieces of timber. Once the students had participated in their experiences, they were able to explore the old houses, jail, museum and church that are also located on the grounds. Thank you to Mrs Davis for taking 3K on the excursion and to all of the parent helpers who volunteered their time to make the excursion a memorable learning experience.
Mrs Abbot, Mr Kennedy, Mrs Jones and Mrs Buckley
| Monday 23rd April | Primary Profile Preview Afternoon |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 24th | College Photo Day |
| Primary Profile Evening | |
| Yr 11 Outback Spectacular Excursion | |
| Wednesday 25th | Anzac Day Public Holiday |
| Thursday 26th | Incursion Yr9 English, Yr10 History, Yr11/12 Drama |
| Monday 30th | Yr 12 English Excursion |
| LoKoP Course 6:30pm | |
| Wednesday 2nd May | Year 1 Incursion Very Hungry Caterpillar Play |
| Friday 4th | SDSSS District Cross Country Carnival 10-19yr olds |
| Monday 7th | Labour Day Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 8th | Yr 11/12 Biology Excursion |
| Yr 10 Visual Art Excursion | |
| Thursday 10th | Mothers Day Stall |
| Friday 11th | Yr 10-12 Excursion Career expo |
| Monday 14th | Yr 4 CYC Day Camp |
| CSSAQ Cross Country Carnival | |
| LoKoP Course 6:30pm | |
| Tuesday 15th | Yr 10-12 Art Students Excursion |
| Naplan Yr 3,5,7,9 | |
| Wednesday 16th | Naplan Yr 3,5,7,9 |
| Monday 28th | CSSAQ Primary Team Games |
| Tuesday 29th | ICAS Science Competition yr 4-6 |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
As the mother of a 12 year old, I was interested to recently read that “from the age of about 12, children want to stay up later because they’re not tired, and will also want to sleep in for longer”. That puts us all, as parents of secondary students, in the same boat here, with our children’s brain development going through rapid and fascinating changes which result in all sorts of behaviours, even affecting sleep patterns! Queensland Independent Schools Parents Network (www.parentsnetwork.qld.edu.au) is a valuable source of information on current schooling issues, with resources for topics such as sleep, cybersafety, family, health and wellbeing. Parents and carers may be interested in their upcoming, free webinar on 17 May ‘Is Your Teen Getting Enough Sleep’. Their webpage holds some interesting statistics like the preceding one, including their reference to Somnia Sleep Psychology’s claim that “adolescent sleep problems are widespread, with 1 in 2 barely getting enough sleep to function well during the day” which can result in “depression, anger and time management issues.” 1 in 2!!!!! I’m so grateful to be living in the age of neuroscience to have some scientific understanding of what’s going on for my daughter, and I hope that some of you find this resource of help too.
www.parentsnetwork.qld.edu.au/2018/04/09/is-your-teen-getting-enough-sleep-free-may-parent-webinar
iParent – where you can learn about the digital environment and how to help your child have safe and enjoyable online experiences – has been launched by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner (www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources/iparent). Just this week they released their Screen Smart Parent Tour which has practical tips and advice about managing online issues for parents and carers to help your child have safe and enjoyable experiences online. They have other resources on topics such as social networking and online gaming.
As we help our children adjust their sleep patterns or gaming habits for their return to school this week, I am very pleased to share that Secondary has had a lovely start to the term. Thank you for your support with uniform compliance and preparedness, I’m very grateful to be partnering with you as we support your children through their educational journey.
Ms Jess Grounds
Head of Secondary
Welcome back to a new term at Parklands. I hope that you have had a joyful time with family and friends over the Easter break.
I am incredibly excited that students will commence their education in our new Hospitality Centre and Vocational Training Hub this term! Practical completion for the buildings will be issued today, and most of the furniture will arrive next week.
Our students will have the privilege of seeing the facilities first, but I am sure that many parents also can’t wait to see the final product first-hand. Our builders have kindly been sharing their footage of the construction process on Facebook, and I have heard that many parents have been keen followers of those updates. Once the facilities are operational, I will invite you to come along to a viewing. The classrooms really are outstanding. My two favourite things about the Hospitality Centre are the spaciousness of the commercial kitchen and the light and airy bistro/theory area. I love the classrooms of the Vocational Training Hub for their magnificent view out of the large windows. The training going on inside of those classrooms will certainly have to be engaging to counter the desire to enjoy the outlook. Even the builders said to me recently: “This is not what schools used to look like”.
After the Baskerville Sports Centre, this will be the second milestone in our school’s development within a very short period. This gives us a significant reason to pause and reflect. We are a young school that has grown steadily since 2001 into what we are today. It would be so easy to feel an enormous sense of pride in our accomplishments. But as I write this, I am rather overwhelmed by God’s goodness and faithfulness. Many people have laboured long and hard to make Parklands into what it is today, but ultimately, it is still God’s grace – his undeserved favour – that has caused Parklands and with it, our students, to grow and flourish. “Great is Thy faithfulness” is the hymn in my heart for this occasion.
Just as it could not get any better, I am also thrilled about the first lessons of our ‘Give it a Go’ instrumental program that commenced this week. Woodwind, brass and percussion instruments can now be learned at Parklands, and very soon, we will be able to hear the first sounds from the 47 students in our Year 5/6 Concert Band. I think most people are aware how close to my heart this program is. Could I ask you to pray with me for its success in introducing as many students as possible to the life-long joy of music making.
Finally, a short note to those families for whom a bus service to Parklands would be beneficial. I have had numerous discussions with TransLink and Bus Queensland about this topic over the past few months. It seems to come back to the need for a viable business model for any new route. To determine this, TransLink needs to be made aware of your need. In my last conversation, I asked for the best way for families to make their needs known. I was told to direct you to their feedback page and select the options General feedback / Bus / About our network / New service request. Please make use of this feedback opportunity if a new bus service is a genuine need for your family.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
Last term I nominated Josh for his academic excellence and outstanding volunteer achievements (in particular pushing himself well beyond his comfort zones). Josh was awarded first prize by volunteer QLD for his volunteer efforts. He was chosen from over 2000 students (65 QLD schools). Volunteer QLD are now publishing Josh’s success in their national newsletter and on their web site.
Feeling a tad proud!
Nikki Muller
Vocational Education and Training Facilitator
The application process has opened for special provision for the 2018 Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test.
Special provision is available to students who are affected by a medical condition, an impairment or exceptional circumstances that may act as a barrier for their access to the test or to their demonstration of achievement in the test.
Please see Mrs Wallis or Mrs Hudson for further details.
But best of all this round is statewide, thanks to the support of the Queensland Family and Child Commission.
There’s 10 x $1000 & 10 x $2000 scholarships available. Applications close 18 May.
These are also available online at http://bit.ly/ybds2018
Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 25 or younger who are looking for some support with their school, uni, arts or sporting dreams are encouraged to apply to attend the Young, Black & Deadly Scholarship.
To be eligible for the scholarship students need to be:
There are three categories that young people can apply for: education and training (primary, secondary and tertiary), the arts and sports.
For further info or to apply online go to http://bit.ly/ybds2018 or email helloyoungmob@atsichsbrisbane.org.au or call 3240 8900.
Bond’s scholarship program offers a large number of full fee and part fee scholarships as well as cash bursaries. Most scholarships can be used for any single or combined program (with the exception of the Medical Program). These scholarships are available to Australian and international students. Visit the Bond website for more information, to download the 2018 scholarship brochure and to access the application tips. Scholarship applications for Year 12s must be lodged online using the Bond University application form. Applications are open annually from 1 April to 31 July.
TAFE Queensland offers a selection of scholarships aimed to support both new and continuing students in their educational pursuits. Information regarding the specific eligibility and selection criteria associated with each scholarship is available on the TAFE Queensland website.
Vocational education and training scholarships competitions and awards details about various scholarships, competitions and awards available for students in vocational education and training.
TJ Ryan Memorial Medals and Scholarships are awarded each year to support exemplary Queensland students who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their school and the broader community as well as academic excellence through their achievements in Year 12.
The Aspiring Teacher Grants provide a one off cash incentive to high-achieving Year 12 school leavers who are starting their teaching career and undertaking an initial teacher education program at a Queensland higher education institution
Tafe Queensland will be hosting Open Days at its Acacia Ridge and Bracken Ridge training centres in June 2018. Students are invited to tour our state of the art trade training facilities, try a trade and speak to out trade expert teachers. Open days present a great opportunity for students to map out their pathway into a trade and learn about exciting new opportunities in industry. Group Training Organisations, Australian Apprenticeship Centres and other organisations will be exhibiting and providing valuable information.
Bracken Ridge – Tuesday 12th June 10am – 2pm
Acacia Ridge – Thursday 14th June 10am – 2pm
We’re hosting three student information session later this month. Suitable for Year 12 Students. At TAFE Queensland, learning doesn’t stop in the classroom. Our Study Abroad program reaches around the globe to offer our students the opportunity to develop their professional networks, participate in workshops, learn new skills and explore new places.
Students studying in the following areas are eligible to participate in forthcoming Study Abroad programs.
| Tuesday 27 March
Logan Campus Lecture Theatre 12pm – 1pm
|
Wednesday 28 March
Mt Gravatt I Block Auditorium 12pm – 1pm
|
Thursday 29 March
South Bank H1027 12pm – 1pm
|
Students must register to attend.
For a comprehensive list of University and TAFE Open Days go to https://www.qtac.edu.au/courses—institutions/open-days-expos
Dee Hudson
V.E.T. Officer (Vocational Education & Training)
B.HumServ
I trust you had a good, enjoyable first term and enjoyed the much needed school holidays to spend time with family and friends.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the correct uniform each day? We have experienced students wearing their sport uniforms when not required and have also noticed that some students are starting to mix and match their uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC or check our website for details.
Please ensure that ALL uniform items are clearly labeled with the student’s name.
Needs to be loose fitting.
Average sizing (generally speaking) is size number per age (a 6 year old is usually fitted with a size 6, an 8 year old size 8 etc.) Polo shirts must be long enough to cover hips when arms are raised.
Sports Shorts must be of modest length (not too short).
Average sizing (generally speaking) is size number per age (a 6 year old is usually fitted with a size 6, an 8 year old size 8 etc.) up to size 18.
Length – should be on the knee and not above the knee.
Average sizing (generally speaking) is size number per age (a 6 year old is usually fitted with a size 6, an 8 year old size 8 etc.) up to size 18.
Shirts must be long enough to cover hips when arms are raised.
Shorts must be of modest length (not too short).
“The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008. A reminder we have our annual Yr 3 & 5 National Testing again this term. Staff have steadily been preparing these students for the various tests and look forward to seeing their results later in the year. Would Yr 3 & 5 parents please provide their child with a good breakfast and ensure they are at school on time these days:
Tuesday 23rd April – 2.30pm to 4pm in your child/ren’s classroom: used to view your child’s work, see their desk, tidy tray and ‘catch up’ with the teacher.
Wednesday 24th April – 2.30pm to 8.30pm in your child/ren’s classroom. Please ensure you book your 15 min time slot / appointment on line.
All students will be receiving an ‘End of Semester Report’ in the post at the conclusion of this term. This report will confirm what your child’s teacher informed you of at the Profile Preview Afternoon OR Profile Evening or give you regular general feedback as to how they have progressed this term.
Talking about the end of term – we break up for the Winter holidays on Friday 22nd June and return for Term 3 on MONDAY 16th July.
Here’s an article I found very interesting and I’d like to share it with you. It’s not that we have lots of behavioural issues at Parklands but rather to inform you so that we are all on the same page and speaking the same language about ‘behaviour’ when it comes to talking to our children and dealing with teachers and the RTC!
What is behavior? Many people associate the word behaviour to “unwanted actions” such as “being naughty” or other similar negative meanings. The reality is we are all using behaviours all day every day. Behaviour is simply anything a person
– Does
– Says
– Thinks
– Feels
Whenever we are doing, saying, thinking or feeling something we would prefer not to, we can simply say “I am using a behaviour I would like to know how to change”.
You must also understand that wanted behaviours and unwanted behaviours cannot exist at exactly the same time. Thus, the more time we spend using wanted behaviours, the less time we have using unwanted behaviours. Putting it mathematically, our goal will be to:
INCREASE OUR USE OF WANTED BEHAVIOURS WHICH WILL IN TURN LEAVE LESS TIME AVAILABLE FOR UNWANTED BEHAVIOURS TO OCCUR
Lastly you must understand that successful behaviour change CANNOT occur unless we successfully understand the reason why the behaviour is occurring in the first place. That is, it must be understood that ALL BEHAVIOUR IS HAPPENING FOR A REASON. By acknowledging this reason, we are acknowledging that behaviour is not random and to successfully understand the reason, we must understand behaviour as a science. Do not judge behaviour; rather observe it as a person’s communication tool… a communication tool to tell us “something is going on they DO NOT feel equipped to manage”.
Our body is our biggest communicator and will be the first sign to tell us we are experiencing a tension. Learning to listen to the body is a science in itself but one that is ignored by many people. Give credit to the body and listen to it as it will be your biggest support in truly changing your unwanted behaviours. A body free of tension is soft and relaxed. Anything that is NOT this means something is going on that the person is finding uncomfortable in some way.
Identify what a person’s body does to communicate they are experiencing something they do not feel equipped to manage … a Challenging Situation.
What is it about the current situation that the person finds uncomfortable, difficult or challenging?
Micro analyze to find the real challenge – sometimes it’s just the smallest of triggers
What is it about this situation that a person does feel completely equipped to manage … they don’t feel like they have the skills to completely support them
What skill is needed so the person can self-master the identified challenging situation?
Once the new skill has been learnt and is being used the person will feel equipped to manage the original challenging situation (thus no longer needs the use of the old unwanted behaviours).
‘Behaviour Change’ is simply about supporting people to develop the skills to manage the tensions in life they currently DO feel equipped to manage. This is relevant for ALL people and ALL un/wanted behaviours, Children – Teenagers – Adults!
By: Michael Grose
Trust and pray you have a wonderful Term 2.
Mr Grant Jakins
Head of Primary
Praise Him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise Him with the lyre and harp!
Praise Him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise Him with strings and flutes!
Praise Him with a clash of cymbals;
praise Him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
We are very excited about a couple of new developments in the artistic life of Parklands Christian College! In Term 2 we are launching not one, but 2 new musical ventures. First will be Our Give It A Go! Band Programme, an instrumental tuition programme for Year 5 students. In 2018 we are including Year 6 students as an added bonus, and students will have the option to learn a woodwind or brass instrument, or percussion. Later in the year all these students will form a Concert Band, which will be the first time this has happened in the history of the College.
As part of preparations for this programme, Year 5 & 6 students have been learning about the various instruments and recently had the opportunity to try playing them at a Trial day. There were many surprised faces when they realised they could actually get a sound from the instruments!
In Week 8 we held a Parent Information Night for families of students offered a place in the programme. It was a wonderful night, well attended, & included guest performances by Mr Solymosi on trombone & Mr Elvery on trumpet!
The Give It A Go! programme includes the use of a school instrument for one year, and will be offered to Grade 5 students each year. Once students have finished their Give it A Go! year, they will still have the option of continuing to learn on their own instrument either in groups or through private lessons right through until they finish school.
Students in Grades 7-12 who are interested in learning a woodwind or brass instrument or percussion will soon be able to access group or private tuition as well. There will be more news about this during Term 2, so stay tuned!
The second exciting new venture beginning in Term 2 will be our much anticipated Secondary Choir. Following the success of our Primary Choirs, students will soon have the opportunity to continue their singing journey right through to their Senior years. Rehearsals will begin in week 1 of Term 2, and any students wanting to be part of this Choir should contact Mr Elvery or Mrs Harbottle immediately to register their interest – celvery@parklands.qld.edu.au / aharbottle@parklands.qld.edu.au
We are extremely pleased to now be able to offer these opportunities here at Parklands, and look forward to sharing the results of the students’ efforts later in the year.
instruments@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mrs. Alison Harbottle
Instrumental Music Co-ordinator
Parklands Christian College
I was fortunate enough to be given a set of the Danny Silk, Loving our Kids on purpose DVD series. It has taken me, ashamed as I am to admit, several months to unwrap this gift.
I think that I do parenting quite well. My kids can hold it together in public and are good kids but I do find myself repeating and shouting too much!
Danny Silk is on the senior management team at the Bethel Church in Redding California and Jesus Culture in Sacramento. I started to watch this DVD and with some hesitation – “I don’t really feel like it, I am busy, I don’t have time” were all the words flying around in my head.
Wow! What a journey I have been on in the last 90 minutes. Danny discusses the parenting style of many of us. We are influenced by our own parents; when we hit a resistance from our kids we reach into our parenting “bag of tricks” and often pull out our own parents. Have you heard yourself? Oh my!! My mother’s words HAVE come out of my mouth!
But before you start scolding yourself think of this – before we had our own filters, our own ability to think, we learned how to parent by the way our parents parented us! Some used the “wooden spoon” threat to get their point across, others used it to “break our determination”.
Fear based parenting is basically saying – I will hurt you until you yield control to me. Where does this end? What does this type of parenting and attitude promote?
Our thought processes as a child in this type of parenting style becomes “who is going to punish me if I do this?”
Parenting in this fear filled style can ultimately mean that freedom is granted (albeit reluctantly) to the angry teenager.
Getting children to think for themselves and think “how is that going to work out if I do….” is a far nicer way to get children to self-govern. It’s a much less angry way to parent our beautiful children.
Danny’s journey of parenting was realising that it was not his job to CONTROL his children but rather his job as a parent was to teach his children to CONTROL THEMSELVES and to manage themselves no matter what is going on around them.
Danny Silk looks seriously at the relationship of fear/love and freedom/control. Working with the REAL heart to heart relationship that we have with our children.
It might be time to consider revising your parenting skills with one of Danny’s DVDs or the LOKOP (Loving our Kids on Purpose) courses that we facilitate at Parklands. If you have already been to a course – well done! Keep working on loving those kids and check out the resources in student services to help you on your journey!!
Angela Jackman
Mr Gary Cully
General Manager Cebu
Bloom Life Training Philippines Inc.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on 24 April 2018
Your photo order envelopes have been sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
For any enquiries, please feel free to contact MSP Photography
Every Year the school participates in a national HPE Week which encourages the students to get active through some competitions put on during morning tea. This year we had Table Tennis, 3 Point contest, and the Wall Sit Challenge.
Brock Paine won the 3-point contest.
Ben Shiach won the Table Tennis Comp
Harry Garlick won the Wall Sit Challenge
The annual Cross Country Carnival was held on the 27th of May. It was a cool overcast day which made for great running conditions. It was a great turn out from Prep all the way through to Year 12. Team spirit was high and cheering was loud as everyone supported their respective houses.
It was a close contest all day and it finished with the smallest margin we have ever had. Joshua finished on 607 points while Samuel came in 2nd with 599.
Congratulations Joshua on a great team effort.
Prep
William Reise
Aria O’Brien
Yr1
Chase Delaney
Lilee Unwin
Yr2
William Wright
Sophie Ker
Yr3
Lachlan Mane
Emmy Campbell
9yrs
Hayley Thomson
James Gray
10yrs
Mikaylah Ker
Max Finnila
11yrs
Tayla Thomson
Hudson Hunt
12yrs
Emily Fotek
Samuel Garlick
13yrs
Ella Cotter
Liam Beard
14yrs
Samantha Bayer
Tommy Patton
15yrs
Georgia Payne
Lachlan Bailey
16yrs
Bianca Dikanovic
Jake West
Opens
Montana Weber
Callum Dagg
Every year our school send 6 teams to the CSSAQ touch comp. This year our Junior boys won the competition, going the whole day undefeated. Well done to all the teams who competed. You showed great character and competed hard.
Congratulations Junior Boys and also to Ashton Halvey who won “player of the final”. We look forward to next year.
https://sites.google.com/a/parklands.qld.edu.au/test-sport/home
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY(no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY(no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on 24 April 2018
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
For any enquiries, please feel free to contact MSP Photography
On the 14th of February Parklands took a team of 26 to the Southern District swimming carnival. Due to recent changes in the district, this enabled our 13 and over athletes to compete at this level for the first time. From this carnival we had 18 students selected to compete at the Met West carnival representing the Southern District.
Congratulations to all of the following students.
Riley Anderson
Samuel Garlick
Jett Cervenjak
Tyger Cervenjak
Kai Challen
Mikaylah Ker
Georgia Holland
Jessica Benson
Jye Campbell
Ella Cotter
Bayden Hellyer
Lincoln Jones
Nathanial Lovaszi
Jasper MacLeod
Clare Ogilvie
Tommy Patton
Lily Penfold
Elissa Vicente
Over the next week our school will be taking part in the CSSAQ swimming and Touch Carnival in high school. This is a great opportunity for our students to compete against other Christian schools in Brisbane, and work together as they strive to achieve the best possible result. Good luck to all the students competing at the CSSAQ carnivals throughout the week.
If you are looking to purchase some sporting goods at Rebel over the holidays, don’t forget to mention Parklands, as a percentage of every purchase goes back to the school.
This term the primary boys AFL team has been training for the Q-Cup gala day. The competition is on Tuesday the 13th and is held at Coorparoo JAFC. Good luck to the team and coaches.
Joshua and Samuel house leaders made the annual trip to CYC Burleigh for 3 days of activities designed to challenge themselves in preparation for the year ahead. Due to the weather, we were unable to camp out at Numinbah Valley but the staff at CYC Burleigh were accommodating and adapted the program. Activities included mountain biking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, surfing, tubing and indoor rock climbing.
In amongst the activities were conversations and discussion based around there leadership role and what that looks like for them this year. The Bible is a great reference point for what Leadership should look like. The students explored a number of different leaders in the Bible and how the key leadership principles evident, could apply in their context today.
Parklands Cross Country 27/3
https://sites.google.com/a/parklands.qld.edu.au/test-sport/home
The 2018 Certificate I in Engineering class, taught onsite at the College. This qualification provides an opportunity for the students to acquire a range of skills in the engineering field; in addition learning how to use hand tools, welding, soldering and applying protective coatings. Throughout this course students will learn to use machines such as the MIG welder, arc welder, metal lathe, oxy welder, pan brake and guillotine. Students also complete work experience out in the field which may lead to an apprenticeship or employment post-school.
Upon successful completion of the 1 year Certificate course, students accumulate 3 QCE credits towards their Qld Certificate of Education.
The college, in conjunction with the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) is proud to announce that three Year 12 Parklands students have been successful in applying for Round 9 of the QATSIF Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Scholarships. These scholarships exist to assist Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Students to graduate from Year 12 with a QCE.
QATSIF is an independent public foundation established by the Queensland State Government in November 2008 to provide a secure funding source for improved educational outcomes for Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
Aaryn Dejong, Chloe Smith and Elisabeth Degen, along with their families, recently attended a celebratory ceremony at the Australian Catholic University, Brisbane campus which included dance performances by Ambrose Treacy & Mary MacKillop Colleges and an inspirational speech from QATSIF patron, Dr Ruth Hegarty.
At Parklands Christian College, we are a great believer in the positive aspects of camp. Our year 7, 8 and 9 students have participated in 3 separate camping programs as a part of our Middle School.
Year 8 journeyed to Mapleton in the Sunshine Coast hinterland for three days of activities including Giant Swing, Leap of Faith, Abseiling, and Archery. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves with a few of the activities, while spending time developing social skills and interactions with their year level.
Year 9 headed to Bornhoffen in the Gold Coast Hinterland for three days of high ropes, teamwork activities, abseiling, some snake wrangling, and a great creek walking experience. This camp is designed to develop individual resilience in the students, preparing them for their final year in Middle School.
On Monday, 5th February, year 7 students headed to Emu Gully at Helidon to partake in three days of team building, integrity, and the ANZAC attributes of courage, mateship, self- sacrifice and perseverance. Students got to get dirty, but they also participated in some amazing activities which encouraged team work and personal honesty. Each of our camps become a part of ongoing encouragement and reflections through the life of our College, and embed themselves as positive, life-long memories of achievement and joy.
An important part of Middle School at Parklands is the Pastoral Care program which functions every Thursday period 3. Students undertake a wide variety of activities and workshops tailored to their age group, and designed for personal growth and connection.
Year 7 students are interacting with an awareness program called #GameOn. This program has been created by the Queensland Government’s ‘E safety’ resources, and is designed to introduce students to safe practices around the use of technology. A number of topics are explored during this course ranging from ‘information to keep personal’, to ‘taking care of the time spent on technology’. Throughout the year, students will undertake further topics of study including, Resilient Me, Surviving High School, and How to be a Better Me.
Students in year 8 are participating in a journey through discovering their Digital Footprint: “What impression do they leave on the net?” This is a continued awareness program for students to further their understanding of online presence. In the ever-changing world in which we live, the necessity to be able to safely navigate the online world increases. As a result, we are being proactive in teaching our students safe practices regarding online programs, internet awareness and information regarding messaging and social media. Throughout the year, students in Year 8 will explore a ‘Teen Talk’ program, and look at what it means to serve others.
Our Year 9 program has undergone some changes. Students are placed into a rotation throughout the year, and tackle a number of topics in smaller groups. One group of students complete the Shine (Girls) and Strength (Boys) course – a course about promoting self-esteem and self-worth. Another group will look at Cyber-Safety, in particular the program: Tagged. The Third group concentrated their efforts on Community Service: ‘What it means to serve in the community’. These groups rotate through 3 of the terms, allowing the opportunity for all students to access all the groups. The fourth term is spent looking at global community service, with students participating in a study of the book of John, and the event, ‘Walk for Water’ – raising money for the digging of water wells in Africa.
There are many other elements which go into the Pastoral Care program for Middle School:
If you ever have questions regarding the Pastoral Care program, please feel free to ask. Further information regarding government online education programs can be found at: www.esafety.gov.au
We are fast approaching the time of year where assessment is due. Exam week is happening in week 9, and some in-class assessment is being conducted in some classes during this week.
It is important that, where possible, students are at school to give the best opportunity for success. If there are going to be issues with students making it to school, could you please endeavour to let me know. This will allow opportunity to plan for preparation time for your students so that they are not too disadvantaged.
Mr Colin Elvery
Coordinator of Middle School
The Friendlies are families of the Parklands Christian College school community who endeavour to bring the love of Christ and encourage lifelong relationships within the school community. We provide opportunities to connect and fellowship at various events that we have throughout the year. We would love for you to join with us in strengthening one another. All monies raised from our various fundraisers go directly back into our school community. The most recent project we funded was the completion of the Year 7 area at the end of last year.
The “Coles Sports for Schools” promotion continues throughout the month of March, so be sure to collect any vouchers if you shop at Coles and drop them in the box located in Student Services.
Our annual Bush Dance is coming up with the amazing “Beefa’s Bush Band”. Save the date, Saturday 19th May 2018. Make sure to put it into your calendar! You don’t want to miss out on a night full of fun for the whole family. The night will kick off at 5.30pm with a sausage sizzle and then from 6pm Beefa’s Bush Band.
Keep Smiling,
The Friendlies Team
Conflict is a normal part of life. Teaching our kids how to resolve some of these friendship conflicts at school can be as simple as trying these 8 steps:
The Silent Signals are a way for our primary students to silently communicate with their classmates and teachers during class, without disrupting the lesson. Students may ask their teacher a question using the rocket hand, ask to go to the toilet or ask their neighbour to please be silent so they can listen. We encourage our students to try these out and you may even like to practice these at home.
Throughout the term teachers send the RTP Facilitators positive feedback about students via our Operation Snippet initiative. They have already started rolling in and we have had some fantastic comments from teachers. Staff members can also be sent snippets from other staff, students and parents. If you would like to honour any staff member in the school for their hard work please send a snippet to rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au and we will make sure that it is passed on.
Here are some great snippets we have had the privilege of giving to a student and staff member.
“This student did an excellent job reading this morning during a reading comprehension assessment. I am proud of the effort he gave to both his reading and to trying words he did not recognise.”
“Thank you for all of the time and effort you give to your staff. I feel grateful for the support that you give to me personally and I’m sure that many others feel the same. Thank you for your kindness and for seeing the best in people. It’s a pleasure working with you.”
Thank you for supporting this initiative and for helping us build each other up.
Looking at these photos, there are many differences that I could point out between the girls in each. However, God does not see us the way people do. I’m extremely grateful for that, and I’m glad that He has allowed us to see in the Cambodian girls’ lives, a difference that truly matters, rather than surface ones that don’t.
The difference I’m talking about today is one of NEED. These girls, and many others world over, need a functional way of managing their periods that will allow them to have their days back. Days for Girls (daysforgirls.org) has enabled us to provide kits that do this. Days for girls to go to school, days for girls to go to work, days for girls to be girls, just the way God created them.
Some of the girls in these pictures are girls from our school community – students, mums, auntys, grandmas, friends and staff – who shared a pleasant, productive afternoon together in the Function Room on February 24th.
Girls of all ages traced, cut, sewed, pinned, stitched, folded and packed the elements that become part of the DFG kits we send to Cambodia each year. Dany and Sreymom of RAWImpact then distribute these kits, a whole lot of love, and the essential education that goes along with them.
When I look at these photos and think of the times they represent, I am glad that there really aren’t any differences that cannot be overcome with love. I love our Parklands community and the love that motivated Dayna, Ebony, Brooke, Pauline, Pat, Katie, Michelle, Sue, Nikki, Amy, Pauline, Amelia, Lily, Kate, Elissa, Robin, Lily, Natalie, Von, Sally, Christine, Kelli, Karen and all those who donated materials to work together on something so important. I am grateful for every single one of you. Thank you.
We have had a great start to Prep for 2018. This term we are focusing on “God made me special”. Our Prep classes have already begun learning about sounds with our Soundwaves program and Math concepts with hands-on experiences. We have been learning new songs, dances and bible verses. The students have been excited to wear their uniforms and meet new friends. It has been great getting to know our new cohort of students and their families. Thank you to all Prep families who have helped their children have a smooth transition into Prep. We are looking forward to a great year in Prep H and Prep K!
From Ms. Kunne and Ms. Hollands
The fun never ends in Year 2. We have been very excited to build and try out our balloon powered vehicles over the last few weeks. Some of our vehicles have proven extremely successful – travelling for more than a metre! But don’t worry, the scientific adventures will continue. Our students are looking forward to our first incursion of the year. This incursion, “It’s Rocket Science”, will be held on Wednesday 21st of March. We will be exploring the forces involved in launching a rocket, and our young “Rocket Engineers” will experience the rush of adrenaline as they build and fly their very own rocket! Let’s AIM FOR THE STARS Year 2.
In Year 3 this term, we have been learning about Logan and the surrounding areas in the past and how things have changed. The Year 3’s have also been learning about the Indigenous people from our area. To consolidate their learning, the students will be visiting The Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum, where they will get the chance to participate in activities the way they would have been done in the 1800s and early 1900s. Many questions have been asked, including whether kids used to wear shoes when the teachers were born and if there was electricity back then (the students seem to think we are much older than we actually are). We are looking forward to our excursion at the end of the term and being able to share photos with you.
Blessings,
Mrs Abbot, Mr Kennedy, Mrs Jones and Mrs Buckley
A reminder to please obey the 40klm School Zone speed as police officers will be monitoring this! Please slow down to 20klm in the property and drive very carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing. Students and parents are reminded to ONLY cross AT the pedestrian crossing and to “stop, look right, left and right” before walking over the crossing. Please take it for granted, that students will not do the correct thing, so be very careful around our car park areas. Please also remind your child to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage.
Here is an article I found very interesting and I would like to share it with you. It’s not that we have lots of bullying and negative behaviour at Parklands but rather to inform you so that we are all on the same page and speaking the same language about ‘bullying’ when it comes to talking to our children and dealing with teachers and the RTC.
For many people bullying is associated with bad childhood memories. It’s been estimated that around 40% of people have experienced some type of bullying in the past. The ghosts from the past are never far away for parents and can sometimes influence the way we react to current circumstances, including when our own children experience difficulties in their relationships inside or outside school.
Bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects children’s natural right to feel safe and secure. It can adversely affect their learning, emotional well-being, further peer relations and their sense of self.
Bullying should not be confused with teasing, rejection, random acts of violence or physicality and conflict. While children will often tease or fight, this bickering should not be confused with bullying. Bullying is the “on going”, willful desire to harm others and it takes on many forms that include physical and emotional abuse, intimidation, harassment and exclusion. Bullying is about lack of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse. Bullying is the selective, uninvited, repetitive ‘picking on’ of one person by another person or group.
It now has a well-publicised cyber-dimension which has moved the goalposts for many kids. In the past children could escape bullying behaviours they may have experienced by being at home. Cyber-bullying now means that kids can’t escape the bully like they once could.
Bullying is not the domain of one gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. While boys use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to show power, girls are more likely to use exclusion or verbal sarcasm, ‘put downs’ to assert themselves.
If you think your child is being bullied then handle with care as children often don’t want to admit that they are on the receiving end of bullying. Ask them the probing questions like: How often does this happen? Who is doing this continual behaviour to you? Have you reported it to RTC and spoken to a / your teacher?”
We at Parklands don’t appreciate or tolerate ‘bullying’ and this sort of negative behaviour so encourage our students to use the FRIENDSHIP 8 ideas and also to report it to the teacher on duty, their class teacher OR the RTC, thereby allowing us to follow it up and deal with all parties concerned!
The following students have been selected according to their merits and in accordance with our school CLEAR values.
Congratulations to these students for already showing leadership characteristics / initiative and for being chosen to represent our school! They were represented with their badge at a special Leadership Assembly. We wish you well as you go about serving, leading and being ‘role models’ to others.
CAPTAINS: Lachlan Clausen and Jessica Irwin
VICE CAPTAINS: Ethan Jackson and Savannah Sirvio
ART CAPTAIN: Holly Thompson
MUSIC CAPTAIN: Melissa Bayer
RESOURCE / LIBRARY CAPTAIN: Samantha Stark and Jazmin Stevens
SPORT CAPTAINS: Sam Garlick and Caela Kemp
CLASS AMBASSADORS
Camryn Anderson – Prep H
William Bazley – Prep K
Isaiah Blote – 2 E
Jacob Cibulka – 4 B
Ebony Davis – 6 G
Jaiden Degen – 6 H
Amy Finch – 3 K
Emily Fotek – 1 C
Holly Gray – 3 A
Lilly Hurst – 4 P
Ella Leau – 5 N
Billy Pratt – 1G
Cadence Soesmanto – 5 S
Leyanah Tonkin – 2 K
LITTER LEGENDS
Daniel Crawford
Isaiah Blote
Keith Vang
Emily O’Callaghan
Jordana O’Neill
Georgia Knowles
Callista McKinnon
Jayden MacFarlane
Hamish Kirk
James Pottinger
Zachariah Smart
Graidy Hawken
Ely Pohlmann
Drew Fotek
CARPET CHAMPION: Lilly Munn
LEARNING FOR LIFE LEGENDS: Ezekiel Midson
God Bless
Mr Grant Jakins
Recently our Student Leaders went interstate to the Compass Leadership conference where a whole bunch of Student Leaders (and teachers) came together from across the country with a heart to influence the culture in their communities, through the story of Jesus. Whilst in Canberra, Miss Grounds, Mr Solymosi and students had the opportunity of catching up with one of our past students, Philip Mathews, who is currently training in the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). I will always remember how Philip admirably juggled his final Year 12 exams with the 2nd stage of interviewing in Canberra, and of course after this he was offered a position. Philip had definitely developed some solid study habits throughout secondary school to manage himself well.
Compass Student Leadership
Canberra Conference with alumni student Philip Mathews
This is a timely reminder on the importance of a good study routine. We are certainly getting to the busy end of the term, with revision week starting next week. Students have been encouraged to ensure they have a study routine and are working hard in their main job, which is Senior College!
QCAA recommends that senior students should be involved in 2 to 4 hours of homework and study each night to prepare adequately for final assignment work and end of term exams. Senior College exam timetables have recently been emailed to both parents and students, with a minimum of two weeks notice – plenty of time to communicate with employers to alleviate paid work
duties during the very important exam time.
The following is encouraged:
• Get organised, develop a plan (Utilise weekly planners)
• Work diligently (A healthy attitude by putting effort into Senior)
• Meet due dates (Be aware and work towards meeting deadlines)
• Seek support, as needed (Family, teachers, subject websites, weekly workshops)
• Celebrate & Recharge (End of term breaks are important for recharging)
To support students in reaching their potential and for meeting deadlines, there are policies and procedures in place with clear guidelines, including:
• Due Dates (Draft & final dates outlined on Assessment schedule & the PCC Calendar)
• Senior College Assessment Policy (For detailed information on drafts, finals. Extensions, extenuating circumstances)
• Request for Extension Form (For those extenuating circumstances where deadlines cannot be met)
A reminder that QCAA states that 10 unexplained absences per year can place a student at risk of not graduating that year level. When absent, especially for Senior assessment, a medical certificate must be obtained and a copy provided to Student Services. To further promote well-developed and effective studying habits, students in Yr 7, 9, 10 & 11 have recently attended a study skills workshop by “Elevate Education”. Yr 8 & 12 have a workshop coming up next term. Elevate seminars are study type workshops focused on teaching students skills to help them further consolidate important research and study skills.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Richest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
It was a joy and privilege to take our Year 12 Student Leaders to the four day residential Compass Schools Conference in Canberra again this year. Through the Biblical themes of creation, fall and redemption, students were encouraged to wrestle with how their faith, life and vocation connect. Activities included lectures, discussion forums and small groups, as well as organised visits to the Federal Parliament, the Australian War Memorial, and meeting captains from other Christian schools. Our students were exemplary in their conduct and attitude – even receiving a compliment from the security officer in Parliament House who made a point of telling me how polite and respectful our students are! Not only were our students courteous, they also enacted their faith through looking after others and praying for other students. They actively engaged with the topics presented, and carefully considered how they implement their learning in their personal lives as well as through their leadership in the College.
Ms Jess Grounds
Head of Secondary
I had the absolute privilege of accompanying our student captains to the annual student leaders conference hosted by the Compass Foundation in Canberra over the last few days. What a delight it was to witness our students connect with leaders from Christian schools around the country!
The conference took us on an exciting journey through God’s great story. That story begins with the marvel of creation, continues with the despair of our separation from God, and Jesus’ grand plan to restore us. It concludes with the final chapter, His glorious return. We understood how humbling it is to play but one small part of this huge story. At the same time, we also recognised how privileged we are to play a role in it!
Every day, we hear, see and experience narratives that compete with this story. TV advertisements tell those magnificently well. Coca-Cola, for example, imagines the story of “seven billion unique yous who are all special in their own way”:
No feet have wandered where you’ve walked,
No eyes saw what you’ve seen.
No one’s lived the life you live,
No head has held your dreams.
To act the same would be mundane—
What a boring thing to do!
That’s why there is just one me
and a billion unique yous.
(Excerpt from “The Wonder of Us” Coca Cola ad)
Coca-Cola’s story is the story of yourself. Be unique, be different, be exciting, be yourself. Don’t walk where others have walked, don’t imitate anyone (especially if that imitation is based on thousands of years of “boring” Christian discipleship), don’t dream or think the same.
On the screen, we see so many beautiful, content and grateful people who seem to flourish on this advice! The YouTube comments of this video tell of viewers wiping tears off their face. How much do they yearn to fill the void inside that longs for satisfaction and fulfilment! We all do.
The problem is that there is no Coke that was made just for me. There will never be. Each bottle I drink will soon be empty, and it will leave me empty too. There is, of course, the “water of life” that will never leave me thirsty again, but that’s part of God’s story.
The second story is a shallow hope. It presents a veneer of satisfaction and fulfilment but it doesn’t explain anything. It especially does not provide any answers or hope in the face of pain, tragedy, sickness or anything else that we call the “real life”. God’s big story, on the other hand, has a place for everything and everyone.
In God’s story, we are also “a billion unique yous”. But we are connected as “one body” too. Our life is also new and exciting, but it is grounded in history and the Christian tradition too.
I am grateful that every school day we get the privilege to invite all of our students into this deep, rich and purposeful story. God’s great story – It’s the Real Thing.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
| Monday 12th March | CSSAQ Secondary and Primary Swimming Carnival |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 13th | International Women's Day Breakfast |
| Friday 16th | CSSAQ Touch Competition |
| Monday 19th | Secondary Exam block |
| Wednesday 21st | Yr 2 It's Rocket Science Incursion |
| Friday 23rd | Yr 3 Excursion Beenleigh Historial Village |
| Monday 26th | Cambodia Ladies Team Pizza Fundraiser |
| Wednesday 28th | Aladdin Musical excursion |
| Whole College Easter Chapel Service | |
| Primary Free Dress day | |
| Thursday 29th | Autumn break |
| Monday 16th April | PUPIL FREE DAY COMMONWEALTH GAMES |
| Tuesday 17th | Term 2 Commences - Winter uniform |
| Wednesday 18th | Prep - Yr2 Evergreen Children's Theatre Incursion |
| Monday 23rd | Primary Profile Preview Afternon |
| Tuesday 24th | College Photo Day |
| Wednesday 25th | ANZAC DAY |
| Thursday 26th | Incursion Yr9 English, Yr10 History, Yr11/12 Drama |
| Monday 30th | Yr 12 English Excursion |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
It was great to see so many of our Parklands supporters while we were in Australia over Christmas! For all of those people who were able to make it, thanks for coming and supporting us, it was great to see you all. We felt blessed to have so many people come and listen to us, wish us well and treat us like family, it really felt like coming home. I had the opportunity to take a tour of the new Baskerville Sports Centre, and see the progress of the new commercial kitchen facilities. These two buildings look amazing, and they are a real blessing to the school. Actually, I’m a little jealous that I won’t be around to enjoy these facilities myself. I am particularly disappointed that I won’t be able to drop in to the new commercial kitchen and sample the culinary delights that will be produced there. I do hope someone is carrying on the tradition of “quality control” for the home economics department in my absence.
A part from a few official duties at Gateway Baptist Church, we spent the majority of our time with family at the beach feeling truly relaxed. We miss Australian beaches! I don’t think we will make it home now for another couple of years, which made us appreciate the experience all the more. There is so much of the Australian way of life that I used to take for granted. Now, after being home for a little while, I have come to appreciate Australia more than ever before. For instance, I don’t think I will ever complain about Australian roads and traffic conditions ever again. It was truly a pleasure to drive on the correct side of the road, not have to dodge motorbikes, people and dogs, or navigate my way around violently swerving Jeepnies. And I loved that I could travel several kilometers at a time at more than walking pace. Reality hit when we returned to Cebu and it took us over an hour to get back from the air port (35km).
When we first arrived back in Australia, we were overwhelmed by the generosity and care of our many supporters who had given generously of their money and resources so we could enjoy Christmas and have a holiday. We arrived at my father-in-law’s house to see a room full of groceries, gift vouchers and Christmas goodies. From the bottom of our hearts, the Cully family want to say a great big thank you to everyone who gave so generously and thoughtfully. The sacrificial giving of our supporters, friends and family are what enables us to be in Cebu and do what we do. Bloom Cebu is open today because Australians are giving regularly and generously. Right now we are finalizing our 2018/19 budget and we are eager to secure a little more monthly support to keep us here in Cebu. In particular, we would like to enroll our children in one of the local international schools, and schooling here in the Philippines is not something we can currently afford. Our kids are doing well as they study through Brisbane School of Distance Education, but we would prefer them having more contact with their peers and engaging in school extra-curricular activities. Its often hard for them to see their friends going to camp, excursions, attend special events and doing fun things at school when they are stuck at home by themselves most days. Any regular support is appreciated, and it doesn’t have to be large amounts, the Australian dollar goes a long way over here in Cebu. We have individual monthly deposits ranging from $40 to $400, and every dollar is appreciated.
To join the Cully Capers Support Team, please visit www.cullycapers.com and choose your method of support. We would love to have your support and regularly keep in touch.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
Monday to Friday, 6:30am – 6:00pm from Monday 27th November to Friday 19th January 2017.
Children are required to bring, MORNING TEA, LUNCH & AFTERNOON TEA.
They will also need a HAT and a WATER BOTTLE for our outside fun experiences.
Children must wear FULL ENCLOSED SHOES – NO SINGLETS OR VESTS.
* So I can alter the cooking class menus please let me know if there are any food allergies/dietary requirements.
Daily Routine:
| Morning Session
6:30am – Centre Opens, Self-Directed Play |
| Afternoon Session
12:30pm – Children’s self selection, Free play |
Booking forms can be collected from the Outside School Hours Care Building. If you have not used our service before you will also need to fill in an enrolment form.
For general enquiries or more information-
email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.au or phone: 3297 0577 or 0473 681 426
Thank you,
Miss Rachel & Miss Wendy.
| Term | Dates | Length | Holidays | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon 22 Jan – Wed 28 March | 10 weeks | Autumn | Thurs 29 March – Mon 16 April | 2 weeks |
| 2 | Tue 17 April – Fri 22 June | 10 weeks | Winter | Sat 23 June – Sun 15 July | 3 weeks |
| 3 | Mon 16 July – Fri 21 Sept | 10 weeks | Spring | Sat 22 Sep – Sun 7 Oct | 2 weeks |
| 4 | Mon 8 Oct – Fri 30 Nov | 8 weeks | Summer | Sat 1 Dec – Mon 28 Jan 2019 | 8 weeks |
The following list shows holidays within the 2018 academic year:
Students are expected to be present on the dates listed. Do not book holidays or plan for your child to be away during exam weeks. Alternate exam sitting times may not be available in some cases.
Start: 8.30am
Primary Finish: 3.10pm
Secondary Finish: 3.20pm
Sometimes we know that our children need support but we aren’t quite sure where to go or what to do to get help. Grace Psychology’s onsite service is all about bringing that help to you.
This year, our College has partnered with Grace Psychology to offer onsite psychology services for children in Prep-Year 12. The service exists to offer practical, evidence based solutions which assist young people overcome a wide range of difficulties and makes a tailor-made plan for each registered and eligible student with clear outcomes. This is done by working closely with you as the parent/guardian, as well as your child and their teachers to ensure the best possible outcomes.
I am Gayle Moore. Since 2008 I have been involved in counselling people who have reached a crisis in their life journey.
I’d like to join with you to turn your low points into highlights in a way that develops character and coping capacity for future challenges. You may have ways of doing ‘life’ that have stopped working for you: I see my role as facilitating you to find a different perspective on yourself and your situation that makes you feel whole and strong. My style is person-centered, with a focus on how to re-align thoughts, feelings and behaviours to support your goals in life. I want to help you tell your story, and make sense of what has happened to you in the past so you can use these insights to shape your future. I enjoy working with children, adolescents and adults from all walks of life, grappling with issues from anxiety, body image, couple therapy, depression… to zoophobia and everything in between.
I am Christian in my worldview, and my goal is to follow the example Jesus set in accepting everyone for who and where they are in their lives. The idea of grace- God’s acceptance of us, and the forgiveness we extend to ourselves for our past mistakes- is a central focus of my psychology practice and my life.
I completed a Masters in Applied Psychology (Counselling) in 2013, and am registered as a Counselling Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Gayle is offering her psychological services onsite during term time and over the holidays at her springwood clinic. Parents can access Grace Psychology through the Medicare Scheme. Due to the limited spaces available, it is necessary to complete the application process as soon as possible in order to be eligible for the service. To be eligible for this, your child must obtain a Mental Health Care Plan from the GP and other documentation must be completed and submitted.
For further information around the service or how to organize this for your child, please contact Laura Robinson via email at lrobinson@parklands.qld.edu.au
Gayle Moore www.grace-psychology.com.au
Conflict is a normal part of life. Teaching our kids how to resolve some of these friendship conflicts at school can be as simple as trying these 8 steps:
How can you help your child resolve friendship concerns?
The Silent Signals are a way for our primary students to silently communicate with their classmates and teachers during class, without disrupting the lesson. Students may ask their teacher a question using the rocket hand, ask to go to the toilet or ask their neighbour to please be silent so they can listen. We encourage our students to try these out and you may even like to practice these at home.
Throughout the term teachers send the RTP Facilitators positive feedback about students via our Operation Snippet initiative. They have already started rolling in and we have had some fantastic comments from teachers. Staff members can also be sent snippets from other staff, students and parents.If you would like to honour any staff member in the school for their hard work please send a snippet to rtc-staff@parklands.qld.edu.au and we will make sure that it is passed on.
Here are some great snippets we have had the privilege of giving to a student and staff member.
“This student did an excellent job reading this morning during a reading comprehension assessment. I am proud of the effort he gave to both his reading and to trying words he did not recognise.”
“Thank you for all of the time and effort you give to your staff. I feel grateful for the support that you give to me personally and I’m sure that many others feel the same. Thank you for your kindness and for seeing the best in people. It’s a pleasure working with you.”
Thank you for supporting this initiative and for helping us build each other up.
Interhouse competition forms a big part of sport at Parklands. Joshua verse Samuel rivalry is ongoing through the year with Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics carnivals. There are also other competitions, particularly during HPE week. On events like this it is great to see our students supporting their house team by wearing their colours. House Polo shirts can be purchased from the uniform shop and worn on these days. It would be great to see heaps of colour at our Cross Country Carnival later in Term 1.
Joshua and Samuel houses started the year with the 9-18yrs swimming carnival, held on the 31st of January. In the pool there were some great racing while out of the pool everyone was dancing, cheering and supporting their houses. The results started out close but as the day progressed there was clearly a stronger team. With the majority of the Age Champions coming from Joshua House, it was no surprise which team came out on top. Final scores were Samuel – 2367 and Joshua – 3037.
Thank you to all the parents, students and staff for making it such a great day.
From this carnival the CSSA and SDS District swimming teams will be picked to represent the college, more information for those selected students will be coming out over the next few weeks.
Auskick is here again, starting on the 12th of February. For more info please contact Mr Lewis.
We are also starting cross country training Monday’s and Friday’s from 7.30-8.15, starting in week 4. If you wish to attend please let Mr Lewis know.
– 14/2 – District Swimming Carnival
– 9/3 – BCS Touch (Snr and Int boys)
– 16/3 – BCS Touch (Int Girls and Jnr)
– 12/3 – CSSA Swimming Carnival
– 27/3 – PCC XC Carnival
https://sites.google.com/a/parklands.qld.edu.au/test-sport/home
Thank you to those families who returned the Database Check Form. If you have not done so as yet, it is important to us that we have your current information and emergency contact details for us to provide the best of care for your child/ren.
Students have all settled in well in the past 2 weeks, have renewed old friendships and made new ones as well. The children are beginning to understand the different routines and how everything is done differently in “big school” now. The children are very excited about all of the new things that they are learning and are involved in including music, art, swimming and soccer. They have many questions and we are enjoying finding the answers to their questions together.
Thank You to all those that attended our Parent Information evening on Thursday. We hope that the information provided is helpful as we begin the journey together with you and your child through Grade 1.
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
It was lovely to catch up with some existing families and have the opportunity to meet new families at the Back to School BBQ. We pray you have all settled back into school and are enjoying our school community. The Friendlies first activity for 2018 is the “Coles Sports for Schools Promotion”. Simply shop at Coles Supermarkets and they will give you vouchers. Your child can then pass onto their class teacher, or drop into the collection box located in Student Services.
The Friendlies meetings are always open and welcoming to any families within our Parklands community. If you are not available to come to meetings but would love to stay updated, or help out at our different events just email friendlies@parklands.qld.edu.au and it will be our pleasure to add you to our list.
Keep Smiling
The Friendlies Team
Have your child’s school memories captured forever on 24 April 2018
Your photo order envelopes will be sent home via your child in the last week of Term 1. Please start planning your purchases and payment options.
Remember these helpful points:
For any enquiries, please feel free to contact MSP Photography
Thank you to those families who returned the Database Check Form. If you have not done so as yet, it is important to us that we have your current information and emergency contact details for us to provide the best of care for your child/ren.
Days for Girls has started up once again on a Monday afternoon in the Home Ec sewing room. You are welcome to come along just once, or every now and then, or every week. We would love to see you any time! This year, I am pleased to welcome three new girls from Years 6 & 7 who are impacting those less fortunate in a positive way!
On Saturday, the 24th of February, PCC is hosting an afternoon tea for those who are interested in contributing to Days for Girls on a one-off basis. Please RSVP to Student Services for catering purposes. We will have stations set up around the Function Room for each of the many steps involved in preparing a Days for Girls kit. You may choose to trace, cut, sew, create shield sandwiches, pack or prepare fabrics. We will be very appreciative of any assistance to make the lives of girls in Cambodia a little easier and give them back days in school or work. If you are able, a $5 donation is suggested, but not mandatory.
As always, your contribution of prayer and the sharing of our information is truly appreciated. We are currently on the lookout for 100% cotton fabrics in bright, pretty colours. Perhaps you, or Nanna, have a “roundtoit” stash, hiding secretly in the cupboard or the shed? If you’re not going to use it, we will! Last year a relief teacher gave us a big bag of quilting offcuts and we are just now finishing making shields with that treasure trove. What else is hidden away, awaiting a purpose?
Please contact Mrs Ross for any further information. mross@parklands.qld.edu.au
New in 2018, Create and Upcycle offers students (and adults) opportunities to reuse items that would otherwise become landfill. We are not talking about your average pencil holder from toilet rolls either (although that could also happen!). We are teaming up with Mr Cunningham’s Design Club to investigate the possibilities of reusing plastic waste and turning it into something functional and environmentally helpful.
Have you ever considered how grey plastic shopping bags could be used to keep people who are sleeping rough off the ground?
What about towing your car with a cola bottle?
How could artists become more environmentally aware?
These are the sorts of questions and projects we will tackle in Create and Upcycle. I encourage you to come and have fun while we look into the many uses of the ubiquitous milk bottle!
When: Thursday afternoons 3.30pm -4.45pm
Where: Art Room or Home Ec Sewing Room
What to bring: Yourself, any afternoon tea you require and a willing spirit. If you’d like to collect large soft drink bottles, milk bottles and plastic shopping bags to bring in, that would also be helpful, but not necessary.
For more info: mross@parklands.qld.edu.au
The TAFE year commenced this week with various Parklands students embarking on their vocational education journey.
If you are a year 11 or 12 student you are eligible to participate in the TAFE at School program. You can choose from a number of exciting and varied certificate II and certificate III courses. Best of all, a TAFE at School course can be achieved in conjunction with your senior studies and can count towards your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).
We wish our students every success with their studies!
It has been wonderful to see everyone return for another exciting year of school. Recently, Senior College students have been challenged to think about their goals for the year and to make some practical applications to start off strongly.
It is expected that your child use a diary on a daily basis, for important dates; electronic or paper based is acceptable. This is an essential step in ensuring good organisation and time management at the start of the academic year.
Study skills and routines need to be established. Having a weekly time to plan out a weekly study schedule can be most beneficial. There are free online study planners or printed ones may be purchased through stationary stores. Alternatively, your child’s PC teacher can assist with this.
There are a variety of ways to be organized and to implement effective study habits. As parents, a common element for all school aged children is the need to have an organised study space to withdraw to by habit, where your child can sit down to study. Your child may need some help to establish a space for effective study.
Organisation is key in helping to achieve success. Senior students have been encouraged to use the following areas to assist with being organised:
The secondary staff are passionate about your child’s education and will support students in achieving their individual goals. We encourage seniors to talk to us and let us know what their dreams and goals are. Seniors are also encouraged to meet with their teachers outside of class time, for extra support. Many teachers are running free extra tutorials and workshops before/during/after school on a weekly basis. Details are on the College Calendar and a home communication has been emailed home.
I trust that your child has the goal of working to their fullest ability by setting up sound study habits and routines that assist with finding a pace that is beneficial for them. We also encourage your child to seek God’s will for their lives; He is good. “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans”. Proverbs 16:3
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me via Student Services or direct via email at: rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
Richest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
I trust you took the opportunity to meet the Primary teachers at the Back to School BBQ, to ‘settle in’ and become accustomed to Parkland’s processes and procedures.
A special ‘Welcome’ to all our new parents and students. If unsure about anything, please feel free to ask a teacher, TA, Student Services, RTC or myself.
In wishing to keep all our students safe, here is a reminder of what we do to make the “Drop Off”’ process easier, quicker and more practical for parents:
In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Grade 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the stairs, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even having to get out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Year 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off or parking procedures where students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. If using the Drop Off Area just past the Pedestrian Crossing, please don’t leave your car or park in any of these Drop Off bays. Parents are reminded not to drop off students on the bend near the top exit gate of the Rosia Rd Car Park. If crossing the internal road, please only cross at the Pedestrian Crossing!
ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, where parents may park in any available bay and go and collect students from Prep, the Undercover Area or Playground. Students are asked to remain in the Undercover Area unless collected by a guardian or older sibling. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Remind students to be careful with bags while moving between cars so as not to cause any marks or damage!
On arrival in the morning, students are to put their bags in the port racks outside their classroom and then make their way to the supervised, Undercover Area where they can play games and be ready for the start of day and assembly.
In the afternoon students can be collected, signed out from 2.30pm onwards in the Undercover Area.
We ask that no students leave the Undercover Area without a guardian or older sibling BEFORE 3.30pm.
Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring that students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day? We don’t wish to experience students wearing their sport uniforms when not required or mix and match their uniforms. If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, TA, the RTC or check the school’s website.
Please ensure that ALL uniform items are clearly labeled with the student’s name?
It gives me great pleasure to announce that we are continuing to provide the wonderful Support -a- Reader Program again this term. Students will be invited to attend a one on one and or very small group reading sessions with a qualified instructor. Students will be taught the basics of reading, phonics, letter recognition and reading techniques will also be worked on so as to improve the students reading level and comprehension. Can we please ask that students not be taken home early on the day they have Support -a- Reader during Structured play time?
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures? Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, class process or procedure, class bahaviour, calendar events etc, please contact the teachers directly. They are your first port of call!
If you require information about specialist lessons, please contact the following specific staff members directly:
If you wish to discuss a matter further after having spoken to the relevant teacher, please contact me through Student Services.
‘Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which is potentially life threatening. It should always be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment! Most cases of anaphylaxis occur after a person with a severe allergy is exposed to the allergen to which they are allergic – usually a food, insect sting or medication’.
The intent of this article is to assist in preventing anaphylaxis and to provide advice for minimizing the risk of anaphylaxis at Parklands, including our “Before and After School Hours Care facility”.
On advice from Anaphylaxis Australia, we do not have a ‘total Nut-Free school’ because there are so many different allergens such as dairy and some fruits, the total focus cannot only be on nuts.
Of course we wish to do all we can to protect those students who could have an Anaphylactic reaction so we at school have put in steps / measures to protect them and this is what we ask parents to do to assist us. We ask that you avoid sending in:
Products with a “may contain traces of nuts” warning is ok to bring to school but should not be shared. In this instance, also remind students to wash their hands after eating such products! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard.
Please don’t hesitate to ask a teacher or staff member if there is ANYTHING you need clarified!
Looking forward to a great year of working together!
Thank you
Mr Jakins
There is a funny TED talk about procrastination (watch it here). It’s a humorous depiction of those of us who work best under a little bit of pressure (aka the panic monster). I admit to it: I’m one of those people. A healthy amount of pressure keeps me productive and focused on the important things rather than just dealing with the things that I would like to do right now. I’m not too fond of being wired like this, but I’ve come to accept it.
Every one of us has experienced the pressures that occur within the education system. Don’t we all have warm memories of assignment deadlines and exam preparations! Although every student has different levels of tolerance toward these stresses and might require individual encouragement and support from parents and teachers, I think healthy levels of pressure have a purpose in spurring us on to develop our full potential.
If you’re anything like me, you may also have experienced times in your life where the pressure kept on mounting, turning into unhealthy stress and maybe even levels of anxiety that do not at all increase productivity. Instead, this kind of anxiety has the power to stop us in our tracks and incapacitate us altogether for some time.
One area in which anxiety can easily tip over into becoming unhealthy is in the area of relationships. When fear is introduced into a relationship, the connection starts to break. We then start protecting ourselves from the other person, creating distance and defences. That disconnection opens us up to anxiety that is at least unproductive, or worse.
At Parklands, we pay a lot of attention to our relationships with each other. We believe that the pressures of academic learning are best embedded within loving relationships that are free from fear and punishment.
The best model for relationships is given to us by God himself. He desires connection with us. His love is beautifully described in 1 John 4:18:
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
We experience the benefits of working on our connections with students every day. We also believe that we continuously need inspiration, encouragement and support to continue on this journey. This is why we are excited to be hosting our Loving on Purpose conference with Danny and Sheri Silk in August this year. Danny is the author of the Loving our Kids on Purpose program that we have been implementing at our school for years.
The event is not only open to our staff. We will also have educators from other schools in attendance, but most importantly, we would also love to invite you to come along. Only if school and family are both purposeful in ‘keeping our love on’ in all situations, will this approach truly come to life. Registrations are now open, so please head to our website to register.
God bless
Mr Johannes Solymosi
Our Secondary College is off to a smooth start, and I thank each of our teachers, support staff, and parents for their efforts in ensuring this occurs. Our students have had much to manage in these early weeks – a new timetable, new textbooks, online learning, camps for most year levels, the back to school bbq – and they’ve done a great job of settling in and aligning with our College values. Our Year 12 students have experienced these many times before, while our new students and Year 7s are adjusting to the newness, challenge, and hopefully excitement that these features bring. Despite all this newness and adjustment, there is cheerfulness and calm across our campus, as our Parklands community unites to help with this transition. Our swimming carnival brought an element of fun for our students as we celebrated those who are particularly talented in the field of swimming, and it was wonderful to see our Parklands’ ‘have a go’ approach apply not just to the regular races and the enthusiastic cheering, but also to our comical novelty races! I trust that each student will continue to enjoy their experience this year, and I look forward to continuing to partner with each family in your child’s learning and schooling journey.
Our student leaders have made a strong start to the year, already demonstrating dedication and a heart to serve our student body. We welcome 16 students into leadership, and several of us staff will work alongside them to help them develop as leaders through weekly meetings, a leadership development program, the Compass Schools Conference in Canberra, the sports captains’ camp in Burleigh and various opportunities across the College throughout the year.
Our 2018 Student Leaders are as follows:
College Captains:
College Vice-Captains:
Arts Captains:
Special Vice-Captains:
Sports Captains:
Kind regards
Jess Grounds
Head of Secondary
From the whole Student Care & Wellbeing Team welcome back to Parklands. There are some exciting events that we will be participating in this year including the back to school BBQ, Year 5 strength/shine, Year 9 strength/shine, Loving our Kids on Purpose parent courses, Resilient YOU+ME+US, Resilient friends program AND in August Loving on Purpose Conference 2018 with Danny and Sheri Silk.
Bernii Godwin
Senior Social Worker/RTP Coordinator
Masters of Social Work; Bach of Human Services (Youth and Family major); Bach of Criminology & Criminal Justice. Grad Cert Neuropsychotherapy (current)
Onsite Monday-Friday
bgodwin@parklands.qld.edu.au
Laura Robinson
Social Worker/RTP Facilitator
Bachelor of Social Work
Onsite Monday-Friday
lrobinson@parklands.qld.edu.au
Zac Wassenburg
RTP Facilitator
Bachelor of Theology
Yr 5 Strength Facilitator
Primary Mentor Program
Onsite Wednesday
zwassenberg@parklands.qld.edu.au
Angela Jackman
Administration Support
Works offsite from Ireland
ajackman@parklands.qld.edu.au
Justin Crawford
Social Worker/RTP Facilitator
Bachelor of Social Work
Loving Our Kids On Purpose Program Administrator
Onsite Monday-Friday
jcrawford@parklands.qld.edu.au
Angela Broughton
RTP Facilitator
Bachelor of Human Services/Youth Work
Year 9 Shine Facilitator
Onsite Monday-Friday
abroughton@parklands.qld.edu.au
Jo Edwards
Student Care & Wellbeing Facilitator
Bachelor of Human Services
Resilient Friends Program
Resilient ME Facilitator
Year 5 Shine Facilitator
Onsite Monday-Friday
jedwards@parklands.qld.edu.au
Michelle Kissick
RTP Administration Support
Loving Our Kids On Purpose Assistant
mkissick@parklands.qld.edu.au
I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled about officially commencing the 2018 school year next week! Students, parents, grandparents, friends and family, we look forward to welcoming you back to Parklands.
As I look out of my window, the campus is quiet, the classrooms are tidy but empty, and the playgrounds are idle. I see a beautiful campus at rest but full of anticipation for the big rush and excitement of week 1. Staff walk up and down the footpaths making final preparations for the arrival of students. They are attending countless meetings and professional development sessions to be as best prepared as they can for the important task of educating your children this year. All of this preparation is done to fulfil our purpose of caring for our students through a quality Christian education that inspires them to flourish, to love God and love others as themselves.
A very special hello to all families who are joining Parklands this year. You are very warmly welcomed, and we hope that we will connect and get to know each other very quickly, in true Parklands spirit. You would already have experienced that we like to see ourselves as more than just a school. We are a community with an exceptional ‘culture of care’ that supports one another as we do life together, and everyone is invited to be a part of it.
For those of you who have children starting in Prep, may you be comforted in your journey of letting go. We’ll have a ‘tears and tissues’ event organised for you on the first day, and a wonderfully caring Prep team is going to love and care for your children from the first day. If your child is stepping up into high school, we are also ready to assist them on their journey of growing up. Our new Year 7 area was finalised over the holidays, providing a central space for these young teenagers to get used to life and learning in high school.
Driving along Rosia Road, you will notice that our building program has progressed at a steady pace over the holidays. We are on track to deliver our new Hospitality Centre and Vocational Education classrooms to our secondary school after the term 1 holidays. This year will feature many other exciting new things at Parklands, so I encourage you to stay connected through this newsletter or, even better, by attending our many community events whenever you can.
As you are making your final preparations for the year ahead, I pray for God’s peace and grace to be present in your families. See you soon!
Mr Johannes Solymosi
Welcome back to the start of what is going to be a great year! We are looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that are ahead of us for 2018. As the new academic year approaches, it’s time to get organised, plan out the year and be ready for the busyness that comes with school life. Below is some important information to assist with getting organised. Don’t forget to keep checking the College Calendar and Facebook for the latest details in our Secondary College.
Year 7: Tuesday 23rd January
(Summer Academic Uniform)
Years 8-9: Tuesday 23rd January (Camping until Thursday 25th)
Years 10-12: Wednesday 24th January
(Sport Uniform)
| Year | Pastoral Care Teacher |
| Yr 7a | Mrs Alanah Braun |
| Yr 7b | Mr Joshua Leembruggen |
| Yr 8a | Mr Ken Luke |
| Yr 8b | Mrs Mandy Ross |
| Yr 9a | Mr Michael Braun |
| Yr 9b | Mr Lindsay Huf |
| Yr 10a | Mr Kristoff Todd |
| Yr 10b | Mr Tygue Crawford |
| Yr 11a | Mr Zachary Cunningham |
| Yr 11b | Mrs Cleo Smith |
| Yr 12a | Miss Jessica Grounds |
| Yr 12b | Miss Julia Matthews |
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the following staff members to the Secondary College team:
Our Middle School Camping program for Yr 7-9 will take place this year during weeks 1 and 3. Our students will be at the following locations:
We highly value the outcomes of our camping programs and as such it is a compulsory part of the academic program. Parents of students not attending camp should notify the Head of Secondary via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: jgrounds@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Senior College, the Student Leadership teams will either be travelling to the 2018 Compass Christian Schools Conference in Canberra from 2nd to 6th March or to the Sports Leadership Camp at Burleigh Heads from 4th to 6th March. The Year 11 leadership camp will be run as a compulsory camp for all of our Year 11 students at Emu Gully in Term 3, from the 19th to 21st September. More details regarding this camp will be forthcoming.
We trust that 2018 will be a blessed year, and we are looking forward to working with you all. If you have any queries, you may contact us via the College office on 3380 4200 or via email at: celvery@parklands.qld.edu.au or rwallis@parklands.qld.edu.au
As the students would say; “Only 3 more sleeps to go to the start of school”
I trust you have had a blessed festive season, a good school holiday and are looking forward to the start of the school term.
| Grade | Teacher |
| Prep H | Ms Sally Hollands |
| Prep K | Ms Tegan Kunne |
| Gr 1 C | Mrs Kelly Clausen |
| Gr 1 G | Mrs Robyn Gowreah |
| Gr 2 E | Mrs Lisa Edwards |
| Gr 2 K | Mrs Julie Koplick |
| Gr 3 A | Mrs Rachael Abbot |
| Gr 3 K | Mr Joshua Kennedy |
| Gr 4 B | Mr Michael Bradshaw |
| Gr 4 P | Mr Daniel Patane |
| Gr 5 N | Miss Clara Needs |
| Gr 5 S | Miss Elizabeth Strubin |
| Gr 6 G | Mr Dookun Gowreah |
| Gr 6 H | Mr Mark Holman |
By now you should have received the ‘Welcome Letter’ informing you who your child’s teacher will be. If you haven’t as yet received this informative email, would you please contact Sheryl Cherry in the Admin office on 33804211 or via email on scherry@parklands.qld.edu.au
“I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11)
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying and working through the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that students are with the right teacher and classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process. Please bear in mind that friendships aren’t the main reason for class placements, being with the teacher that best suits their learning style is the key factor!
A reminder, we do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
Here is a reminder of what we do to make the ‘Drop Off’ process easier, quicker, efficient and more practical for parents: In order to speed up the PREP drop off & sign in, we ask parents to pull into the ‘drop off bays’ just in front of the Prep classes, where staff and Grade 6 leaders will be present to assist ‘Preppies’ get bags out and then escort them directly into class. A teacher at the gate, with class lists will sign in your prep child without you even getting out of the car! The Prep student will then follow their normal day’s procedure once ‘signed in’ and in the classroom!
All Grade 1-6 students and parents will follow the “normal” drop off / parking procedures and students can individually walk up or be escorted up to the undercover area by parents once they have parked in the lower car park bays. Please don’t leave your car or park in any of the Drop Off bays past the Pedestrian Crossing. ALL student pick up is as per the usual procedure, explained by staff. Please drive slowly (20klm) and carefully through the school car parks, especially vigilant around the pedestrian crossing! Thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility and support in this regard.
Students will be informed (according to their time table) as to which days they need to wear Sport or Academic uniform! Can we please ask that you assist us in ensuring the students are correctly dressed in the right uniform each day?
If unsure about uniform items or correct uniform requirements, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, the RTC / Uniform Store staff or check the school’s website.
Would you please be so kind as to ensure that ALL uniform items are clearly labelled with the student’s name?
Trusting you have a great year as we look to work together to educate your child.
Blessings
Mr. Jakins
| February 12, 2018 | Loving our Kids on Purpose |
|---|---|
| February 13, 2018 | Leadership Dinner |
| February 14, 2018 | SDSSS Swimming Carnival 6:30am |
| Elevate Education Seminars | |
| February 15, 2018 | Yr10 Relationship Seminar |
| Yr 9 Incursion YFS Legal Seminar | |
| February 24, 2018 | Days for Girls Community Day 1:30pm-4:30pm |
| February 27, 2018 | Yr7 & Yr10 Immunisation program |
| March 2, 2018 | Compass Christian Schools Conference for College Captains |
| March 4, 2018 | Secondary Sport Leadership Camp |
| March 7, 2018 | Secondary/Intermediate Girls Touch Football Tryout |
| March 8, 2018 | Yr8 Relationship Seminar |
| Yr12 Incursion YFS Legal Seminar | |
| March 12, 2018 | CSSAQ Primary Swimming Carnival 7:30am |
| CSSAQ Secondary Swimming Carnival 1pm | |
| March 13, 2018 | International Women's Day Breakfast 6:45am |
| AFL Cup Gala Day 7:30am | |
| March 15, 2018 | Yr12 Incursion QLD Tertiary Admission |
| March 16, 2018 | CSSAQ Touch Jnr and Yr9/10 Girls 7:45 |
| March 28, 2018 | Primary Free Dress Day |
| Whole College Easter Chapel Services |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
As another school year comes to a close, I would like to take the time to congratulate all the senior students in Years 10-12. It has been a remarkable year and most pleasing to work alongside all senior students, who have largely demonstrated great attitudes to their studies, and perhaps of greater importance, a respect and care for those around them. It has been an incredibly busy time, with many end of year events taking place. The Secondary Awards Night was a time of celebration for students and their families of individual achievements for the academic year.
Of special mention are our trophy recipients as follows:
Year 10
Christlikeness Award: Courtney Jurd
Dux: Ryan Mitchell
Principals Award: McKeely DeThier
Year 11
Christlikeness Award: Elisabeth Degen
Dux: Bronte Robertson
Principals Award: Joel Kilmartin
Year 12
Christlikeness Awards: Rebekah Swinn & Minh Le
Dux: Amber Hankins
Principals Award: Tahlya Anderson
Congratulations to all of our senior students on their achievements.
We have fare welled the graduating “Class of 2017” who have been an absolutely wonderful class of seniors to work alongside. It’s been a huge journey, totalling thirteen years of formal education. There have been countless extracurricular activities that have formed a well-rounded experience of school life combined with the huge task of completing senior school work. Earning your Year 12 qualifications is a major task; often combined with the juggling of school based traineeships or apprenticeships, casual jobs, church, sporting and family commitments – this equals an immense workload. I have once again admired the resilience of our graduates, particularly throughout the gruelling senior years. It has definitely been through much grit, determination and hard work that every one of our seniors have now completed their journey in secondary school successfully. 100% of our graduating students will receive their Queensland Certificate of Education. Well done seniors!
Of greater importance than gaining qualifications has been the character and integrity that the senior class have so aptly displayed. Through all the busyness of school life, we have been thrilled to see the seniors grow into fine young adults. Many have led by Christ’s example and exceeded our expectations in so many ways. My prayer is that all of our graduating students trust in, and really lean on God in life’s journey ahead. To finish, we celebrated with the Year 12 formal at Sirromet Winery on Friday 17th November. It was a wonderful evening of celebrations.
We have also welcomed in our new student leadership for 2018. A very warm congratulations to the following students.
College Captains: Elisabeth Degen and Jasper Martinov
College Vice Captains: Jaden Glass and Bronte Robertson
After a very productive and busy academic year for all, happy summer holidays! Prayers for a blessed Christmas season with your families and I very much look forward to seeing you all in 2018. May God bless you and keep you so abundantly,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Due to the success in primary AFL, we are looking for interest from years 4 to 6 boys in 2018 who are interested in training in AFL to represent Parklands in a 15 side competition called the 2018 Tribal Sport AFL Queensland School Cup.
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
| Term | Dates | Length | Holidays | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon 22 Jan – Wed 28 March | 10 weeks | Autumn | Thurs 29 March – Mon 16 April | 2 weeks |
| 2 | Tue 17 April – Fri 22 June | 10 weeks | Winter | Sat 23 June – Sun 15 July | 3 weeks |
| 3 | Mon 16 July – Fri 21 Sept | 10 weeks | Spring | Sat 22 Sep – Sun 7 Oct | 2 weeks |
| 4 | Mon 8 Oct – Fri 30 Nov | 8 weeks | Summer | Sat 1 Dec – Mon 28 Jan 2019 | 8 weeks |
The following list shows holidays within the 2018 academic year:
Students are expected to be present on the dates listed. Do not book holidays or plan for your child to be away during exam weeks. Alternate exam sitting times may not be available in some cases.
Start: 8.30am
Primary Finish: 3.10pm
Secondary Finish: 3.20pm
The Queensland Government offers financial assistance to parents of both state and non-state school students travelling to and from school daily by private arrangement. This is known as STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme).
Please phone the Gold Coast office on 5630 8857 to clarify your eligibility. Alternatively you can visit their website http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/schooltransport
All students with no change of school or home address details will have a new bus pass printed automatically and they will available for collection from the Park Ridge Transit office between 9th January 2018 to 20th January 2018. Once the first day of school arrives no passes will be available for collection as they will be sorted and sent out with the school bus drivers.
New applications for the 2018 school year are now being accepted at the Park Ridge office.
Please call Park Ridge Transit on 3802 1233 or email info@busqld.com.au if you have questions regarding bus passes or bus routes.
Do you feel loved when someone offers to take you out for a coffee? Or what about if they clean your house? Maybe if they straight out let you know that they love you? Knowing someone’s love language allows us the secret to making the people we care about know that we love them. What about your kids? How do they express and receive love?
As we head into the holidays and time with our families, consider how you can let your children know how you feel about them. If your child responds to words of affirmation, actions will not speak louder than words. Just by hearing the words ‘I love you’ can instantly make them feel loved. The words of affirmation child loves to be complimented and to hear that they are doing a good job and how. Maybe write them a note and let them know that you love them and what it is that you love about them.
A quality time person feels loved when they have your undivided attention. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like sitting down with them and asking them how they are. You may like to consider taking your child/ren out for a milkshake or baby chino, just you and them, or setting aside a time when they can choose the activity. It doesn’t have to cost a thing, even a walk or a trip to the park. Either way it’s about saying I’m making time to for you.
Perhaps your child responds well to receiving gifts. This does not necessarily mean that you need to be continually buying them things to let them know that you love them. This child loves the thoughtfulness and care behind a gift, so it may be picking a flower for them or making them something simple such as a card or scrap book of memories. Even though it may drive you crazy at times, let your child keep mementos from special occasions like napkins or stones. Whatever it may be, it’s simply something that says I was thinking about you.
If your child is an acts of service person then hopefully they will recognise your love for them every day in all that you do for them! But acts of service does not necessarily mean you have to do everything for them. Make your acts of service personal to this child. Perhaps cooking their favourite meal just for them or help them out with their assigned chore. You might like to work on building something together. This child feels loved when you take the time to do something as an act of love specifically for them.
To the child who experiences love through physical touch it’s pretty straightforward – nothing says I love you like cuddles, kisses, back rubs or holding their hand. But what about as your child becomes a teenager and suddenly your kisses and hugs seem unwanted or awkward to them? Especially in public! Because this child still experiences love by physical touch it’s important not to stop doing these things, but instead keep it age appropriate. When you are talking to your child sit next to them, maybe put your arm around them or rub them on the back. Physical presence is vital for this child.
To find out more about the 5 love languages, or to take the quiz to find out what your child’s love language is go to http://www.5lovelanguages.com/
Ring a bell, a wind chime, or anything else that creates a long trailing sound. Ask each child to listen, and silently raise their hand when they can no longer hear the sound. After the ringing ends, ask the children to continue listening to any other sounds they can hear for the next minute. When the minute ends, go around the room asking everyone to tell you what sounds they heard.
Reach Out Worry Time
Helps control anxiety by scheduling worry so that it is confined to a specific time each day. (Free)
MindShift
Includes strategies to relax and develop more helpful ways of thinking. (Free)
UniThrive
Includes self-care notices, gratitude and a relaxation centre (free).
@ppreciate
Promotes good self-esteem and positive communication between young people.
Bully Beater
Assists teenagers to develop the skills needed to overcome a bully.
Friend Maker
Assists teenagers to develop skills needed to make and keep a friend.
On the 2nd of November, the Library Function was once again transformed into an art gallery as Senior student artworks were proudly displayed across the room. It was a great end to a fantastic year of artworks as students expressed and presented their personal thoughts, creativity, and inspirations, in their own unique way. From paintings, sculptures, and interactive installations, the senior students have showcased consistent talent and an eye for art. Well done students! We can’t wait to see what you create next.
Wow, how this year has flown by! It seemed like just the other day I was welcoming this year’s Prep students and parents to the school for the first time. By the time you read this article the academic year will be finished and Christmas will soon be upon you.
Can I say we have had a busy but very enjoyable year! Apart from all the ‘usual’ fun class teaching, sporting carnivals and great events, here are some features and highlights for the year:
In preparing for 2018 can we please ask that you allow the teachers, who only want the BEST for and who know your child here at school, to place them in the care of their next year’s teacher? This ‘student placement process’ is taken very seriously and is extremely inclusive and involved taking into consideration factors like: academic ability & rigour, gender ratios, student & teacher personalities & character, social / behavioural and emotional factors!
In the New Year, students will receive an informative “Welcome Letter” from their new 2018 class teacher notifying them as to which classroom they’ll be in. Thank you for your understanding, support and assistance in this regard.
– The amazing, long serving Mrs. Kerry Foster has resigned and Ms. Tegan Kunne has been appointed to the position of Prep Teacher for next year.
– Mrs. Bourchier’s husband has been transferred to Sydney for a year’s business contract so Jess is taking a year’s leave to go with him. Her replacement is TBA.
– Mrs. Desley Finlay’s one year contract for Louise McNabb has unfortunately not been renewed and her replacement is yet to be advised.
– Mrs. Penny Daley is going to further her studies and become the Primary School Head of Teaching and learning/Curriculum so Mrs. Julie Koplick will be replacing her in Grade 2.
We wish Kerry, Jess, Desley and Penny everything of the very best for the future and know the students will be in great hands with the wonderful replacement staff we will be appointing.
We continue to welcome parent involvement in the classrooms, at functions, sporting events, swimming and in all areas of the school so as to help the teacher but also to add value to your child’s education. It’s wonderful to see Mums and Dads reading to children, helping tie shoe laces after swimming and sitting on the bus going off on an excursion or camp. Please feel free to continue to offer your assistance to the staff!
Thank you everyone for a great 2017! We wish you all the best for the Christmas Season and an enjoyable safe holiday.
We look forward to seeing you on Monday the 22nd January 2018 for a fantastic New Year.
Blessings
Mr. Jakins
It’s a joy to celebrate with our staff who are embarking on the adventure of having a, or in some cases another, child! We congratulate Mr Josh Leembruggen and his wife, Rachel, who recently welcomed their second son. And best wishes to Mrs Rebecca Taylor and Mrs Hannah Reynolds, who head on maternity leave, and Mrs Kirrily Littlefield whose contract finishes now but who is also expecting in the new year.
We say thank you to Mrs Jodie Bazley who worked in Secondary this year to cover maternity leave, along with her Primary days. We also thank Mrs Susan Radke and Mrs Julie Koplick who covered contracts this Semester. Thank you all for not just stepping in to cover these classes, but for taking them on as your own and going above and beyond to look after our students and being a valued part of our staff.
We wish you all God’s richest blessings in your next phase, and thank each of you for your service and dedication to Parklands Christian College.
From your pranks in Year 8 Maths to your natural leadership in Year 12, it has been such a joy and honour to cheer you through your Secondary journey. As a cohort, you have demonstrated impressive unity and stability, which has been so important for the younger year levels to see. You’ve also shown a strong sense of joy and encouragement, for each other and for all those around you. Thank you for being excellent role models this year, I’m so grateful to have had your leadership support.
In Pastoral Care and Christian Life Skills classes this year, we have provided opportunities and skills for you to learn about how God has wired and gifted you and we pray that you stay close to His path for your life. During your Parklands journey, you will have seen the CLEAR values demonstrated in various ways and we trust that you continue to cling to these values, as they will hold you in good stead in life. Through our staff’s transparency, you will have learnt that life isn’t always clear cut, but when we hold on to God He is our rock and His love surrounds us during tough times, which makes them bearable and often transformative. And transformation is quite the theme at Parklands, isn’t it?! Let your experiences be opportunities for growth. Don’t be disheartened when you make a mistake or something bad happens – these are realities. But they don’t have to stay negatives; if we use them as learning experiences and opportunities to demonstrate inner strength and share joy and kindness in those moments, then these experiences can be the making of us. Of course, it’s always easier to get things right first go, and you are equipped with principles for your best life and a reflective practice to help you make great decisions.
So embrace the adventure ahead of you, knowing that you are well prepared and that we are cheering you on! It was lovely to spend the final days with you, listening to guest speakers, throwing coloured powder at each other, laughing at you on the giant slip n slide, calling your names at your final Awards Night, tearing up with you at Graduation, and celebrating at the Formal. Keep in touch, we would love to hear how you are going!
The Prep staff and students alike had an awesome final day to the year with the annual Circus Day. After touring the Primary classrooms to show off their costumes, the Preps enjoyed the “Smartie Pants” clown show before heading to the Little Learners Centre to for an afternoon on the jumping castle. It was definitely a memorable way to finish our year before graduating to ‘big school’.
Mrs Foster, Miss B, Mrs Finlay and Mrs Hollenberg
Term 4 has brought about some wonderful experiences for all of us in Year 1. We are so proud of each and every child this year and will miss everyone terribly. Thank you Parents for your ongoing support and love this year. We truly appreciate all you have done to contribute to your child’s learning journey this year.
Year 1 thoroughly enjoyed the excursion to Sea World. It was a lovely day and a fantastic way to experience ‘up close’ how animals need different environments and conditions to survive.
Our Year 8 students also blessed us with a wonderful afternoon of activities in the last week of the term. The afternoon was well organised and the children had a great time participating in all the games and craft activities. Thank you Year 8!
We pray all of our Year 1 families have a blessed Christmas and a safe holiday break. We hope to see you around Parklands in 2018!
Mrs Clausen, Mrs Gowreah and Mrs Marsh
Thank you for a wonderful year. It has been amazing to watch the growth of your children this year and we have enjoyed every moment of it.
To finish off the year we had a fantastic excursion to Dreamworld. The students had the opportunity to consolidate their learning of Indigenous cultures and explore the rides as a fun way to finish off all our hard work this year.
We would like to leave a few thoughts with our students for their future…
‘Believe in yourself
Ask if you don’t understand
Try your best
Be respectful of others
Use your manners
Listen to your teachers and your parents
Be kind to others and yourself
Most importantly, enjoy life with God as your guide.’
Have a blessed and relaxed Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all next year as you enter the next stage of your learning journey as Year 3’s.
Thank you,
Mrs. Penelope Daley, Mrs Jessica Bourchier
Mrs Pat Buckley and Mrs Nicole Lowe
Late in term 4 Grade 4’s attended an incursion from Street Science “Rocket Science, the forces of Light”. This was a dynamic stage show that engaged all the students with hands on activities. The year 4 classes enjoyed the activities and were engaged in learning about Science. We intend to make this a yearly event.
Year 4 teachers
As another year draws to a close, it is amazing to see all that has been achieved by the year 6 students. From the Primary Camp in week 3 through to the Graduation ceremony and awards night. The year 6 students have worked diligently and tirelessly throughout the year on each assessment piece, each report, and every step. In the last few weeks of their Primary school journey, the year 6 students were rewarded with an excursion to Dreamworld, where they not only had the opportunity to learn about Bilby’s, their natural habitat and food web, but also had the opportunity to go on a range of different rides.
Looking back over the year, as teachers we would like to thank all the students and parents for their support. We thank you for your willingness to work hard, we thank you for those parents who could join us on excursions and thank the students for making this year the best they could.
Whilst it is onwards and upwards for the Class of 2017, so it is also with year 6. We never stand still and we are always looking at how we can improve and 2018 will be no different.
Mr Holman, Mr Gowreah, Miss Warman and Ms Cooke
This year both Primary choirs have had an enjoyable year singing. Our Junior Choir welcomed some new Year 2’s who did an amazing job performing on stage and learning words to songs. There were plenty of performance opportunities throughout the year, including the Fete, Chapel Performances and Grandparents day. Both Choirs put in amazing efforts to sound great!
One of the highlights was the Year 5-6 choir members singing at the Grand Plaza in a Christmas Carols competition. Parkland’s performance was outstanding and they received 2nd place in the competition. All students can be proud of this great achievement. The Year 6’s will be missed as they start middle school, some who have been attending choir since Year 2.
I’d like to thank all parents for their support by getting up early or picking students up late so they can attend rehearsals. Your support is so valuable.
Suzanne Patane
Primary Music Specialist
A new season of Hot Shots Tennis Coaching is starting soon, a free trial lesson is available so anyone can come and have a go.
All new pupils receive a Free Racquet; Hot Shots T-Shirt on sign up. We have lessons that run every afternoon, for all ages & levels.
Mini Hotshots for 4-7 year olds, Hot Shot programs for 7-12 year olds; advanced groups for 12-17yr olds. For adults we have Cardio Tennis, Social comps every week night and Lesson; now a new Fast 4 comp for players starting or getting back into tennis, the Fast 4 format goes for just over an hour.
To book in or to arrange a free trial phone Paul or Steph on 32000354.
World Education Program (WEP) Australia is a not-for-profit student exchange organisation. We are now looking for volunteer host families for overseas students arriving in Australia in July 2018.
Hosting promotes an exchange of cultures, languages and traditions. Many of our host families have primary-school aged children and find the effect of having an overseas student in their home, an extremely positive one.
“Our daughter has a big sister now, someone to talk to other than mum or dad. Hosting is the most rewarding and fun experience for your family. It’s amazing!” Three-time host mum, Nicole.
Please go to wep.org.au for more information.
I am so incredibly thankful to all of you at Parklands for welcoming me so warmly this year. It has been an exciting, inspiring, challenging, eye-opening experience all the way through. I am grateful for all the many new people that I have been privileged to meet, from supportive colleagues, welcoming parents, sweet Prep students all the way through to a memorable bunch of Year 12s.
I can’t repeat often enough how much I have learned during this year. My most significant takeaway so far is all about how our College’s value of Christlikeness interacts with our Culture of Care. At the end of the day, what counts at Parklands is that every student finds a welcoming, accepting and loving place in which it is safe to grow, develop, make the necessary mistakes and learn from them, and to achieve your personal best through encouragement and support. This kind of care ultimately inspires students to flourish, to love God and to love others as themselves, as our mission statement says. I believe that if this is at the heart of a school, everything else that it should achieve will be possible.
As our teachers are wrapping up the year today and everything is being finalised to welcome our students and families back to 2018, I wish you a very happy and peaceful Christmas time with your loved ones. I hope that you will find enough time to refresh and restore, to connect with others and to celebrate God showing himself to us so humbly through his son Jesus.
Next year will see much growth, development and learning as we do life together as a big learning community. We will welcome some new families, give our best effort in the pursuit of learning and excellence, and trust God that he will complete our efforts. Through all the ups and downs of life together, we will be there to support each other in God-inspired love. It will be good to have a break, but I am looking forward to seeing you again next year.
Thank you to everyone who has played and will play a part in making life at Parklands so meaningful and pleasant.
God bless you
Mr Johannes Solymosi
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
For further information please contact Michelle Secretan
Phone: (07) 3380 4256
Mobile: 0412 917 299
Email: uniforms@parklands.qld.edu.au
Second Hand Uniforms available CASH ONLY(no refund or exchange)
For Second Hand Uniform Enquiries please email Alisha Mane amane@parklands.qld.edu.au
Also check our FB page for updates…
Uniform Shop Facebook Page
As the 2017 school year draws to a close, we also bring another year of events for The Friendlies to a close. We have enjoyed supporting our school community not only through our Bush Dance and Primary Spring Dance but also helping to provide relief for families affected by the floods earlier this year. We also loved meeting people who stopped by our rest area at the Fete. We are looking forward to not only providing continued support for our school families but to also bringing us together through our community events in 2018.
I have loved being Head of this team of wonderful parent volunteers who give up their precious time to attend our monthly meetings, and assist where ever they see a need when putting on our events. As they say, “many hands make light work”. However over the past year, I have felt God leading me in another direction. So when we return in 2018 it will be under the leadership of my wonderful friend Mrs. Angela Marsh, who has supported me throughout my tenure as President. I will remain as Vice President to ensure a smooth transition and to support our new President in her new role.
Our other office bearers for 2018 are:
Mrs. Renee Jackson – Treasurer
Mrs. Claire Dover – Secretary
From our families to yours, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year!
Are deducted from your bank account on the 17th unless received by the 10th of each month.
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of the month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $10.00 fee and loss of discount. An additional late fee of $20 will apply to invoices outstanding at the end of the month.
Sometimes we know that our children need support but we aren’t quite sure where to go or what to do to get help. Youth Excel’s onsite psychology program is all about bringing that help to you.
This year, our College has partnered with Youth Excel to offer onsite psychology services for children in Prep-Year 12. The service exists to offer practical, evidence based solutions which assist young people overcome a wide range of difficulties and makes a tailor-made plan for each registered and eligible student with clear outcomes. This is done by working closely with you as the parent/guardian, as well as your child and their teachers to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Ms Chelsea Carpenter has been offering her psychological services onsite one and a half days per week during term time and over the holidays through the Medicare Scheme.
Chelsea is a unique member of the Youth Excel team. As both a registered psychologist and a former elite swimmer who has represented Australia on a national level, Chelsea is able to understand the challenges young people face when managing academic, social or performance related stress. She also completed her thesis on the impact that parental stress and anxiety has on children’s performance and has an interest in supporting and empowering parents. Chelsea has a passion to see young people reach their potential across all areas of their lives. She is an excellent role model for young people and is well equipped to support a young person’s developing confidence, social skills, body image, time management and organisational skills, stress management, career choices and general decision making.
Due to the limited spaces available, it is necessary to complete the application process as soon as possible in order to be eligible for the service.
To be eligible for this, your child must obtain a Mental Health Care Plan from the GP and other documentation must be completed and submitted.
For further information around the service or how to organize this for your child, please contact Laura Robinson (college social worker) via email at lrobinson@parklands.qld.edu.au
Mindfulness Exercises for Children
The 5 Senses Exercise
Take the children outside if the weather is nice, and have them lie silently in the grass. Begin to call out each of the five senses in turn (sight, smell, sound, taste, touch), and ask the children to notice everything they can with that particular sense, until you call out the next one. This exercise can also work well on walks, and in even in the car!
Featured Online Programs for Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Building Resilience in Young People and Navigating Teenager Depression
Free online interaction programs for parents/carers and those who work with young people
Self-help free interactive program includes modules for anxiety, depression, bereavement and loss and divorce
A free online program for the prevention and treatment of anxiety, with modules for children, teenagers and parents/carers
A free online course for 14-16 year olds to assist with the development of resilience
A free game designed to build personal resilience (over 13 Years)
Miss Laura Robertson
There have been many different events within the life of Middle School in this term, with a few others yet to come.
Tuesday 1 November was the annual Middle School display expo and information evening. Assessment, projects and resources were on display for parents and the college community to observe, with Middle School students acting as hosts for our guests.
During the evening, Middle School hosts were again able to guide current year 6 parents through their displays, showcasing some of the opportunities which await the next group of students to join Middle School at Parklands in 2018.
Our annual secondary awards night is coming up on Thursday 15 November. This is a compulsory event for all secondary students to attend. Students will be required to be seated in the church auditorium in full and complete academic uniform by 6.45pm. Students should make sure that hair and uniform presentation comply with our college standards.
On Thursday, 23 November, there will be a lunch to celebrate the journey that our year 9 students have taken to make it through Middle School. Students will enjoy a simple lunch in the Student Services courtyard.
On the final day of the year Middle School will embark on our annual tradition of heading to Wet ‘n’ Wild.
Students who are attending should have already paid the $35 for their ticket and bus seat. Those students who have a VIP pass are only required to pay $10 for the bus seat.
Students will need to have a swim shirt for the day. Sun safety is extremely important, and students who do not have a swim shirt will not be able to participate in the day’s activities.
There will not be any regular classes for Middle School that day. Those students who are not attending should remain at home.
2018 will begin with 2 camps: year 8 and year 9. Students will be headed away from the 23 till 25 January (Tuesday till Thursday) of week one.
Camp forms have been emailed home already and payments are due very soon. The camping program at Parklands is a compulsory element to our Middle School program, and has been strategically crafted to best assist the development of all our students through years 7, 8 and 9.
The year 7 camp will occur on the Monday to Wednesday of week 3. Please see details below for specific camp locations.
Emu Gully, Helidon, QLD
5 – 7 February, 2018
QCCC Mapleton, Mapleton, QLD
23 – 25 January, 2018
Bornhoffen Adventure Camp, Bornhoffen, QLD
23 – 25 January, 2018
Mr Colin Elvery
Amber Hankins, Rebekah Swinn, Shannon Green
Parklands would like to congratulate the following year 11 and 12 Economics students for their excellent results in the external UQ/QETA Economics Test held last term. Amber Hankins (Year 12) and Shannon Green (Year 11) received Distinctions while Rebekah Swinn (Year 12) earned a High Distinction. Economics students from all around Queensland participated in the test. The students should be commended for their Economics understanding as well as their ability to transfer their Economic analysis skills to unfamiliar contexts. Well done girls!
Maths B and Chemistry Year 11 and 12 students participated in a combined excursion to QUT in Semester 2. Students participated in back to back STEM workshops in mathematical and scientific modelling in which real world contexts were provided for the modelling of thermochemistry reactions, rocket launching, space travel and motion. Students explored various modelling tools to assist with conceptualising the modelling process – a very important skill required for assessments in the senior years. Students were also treated to game time in the massive digital CUBE exhibit where they were able to experiment with the chemical reactions necessary for rocket launches.
I would like to highlight the achievements of the following students who have recently completed a TAFE course or work-based qualification via vocational studies.
Parklands students are celebrating the first cohort of sport and recreation students to complete the Certificate II Sport and Recreation. Congratulations students! We also celebrate Mrs Parker, Sport and Recreation Facilitator, who recently became an inaugural inductee into the Binnacle Training Hall of Fame and Honour Board. The Honour Board is a recognition of inductees’ dedicated service and commitment to their students. Congratulations Mrs Parker!
A small group of Year 12 students have recently completed the Certificate II Active Volunteering qualification. This course provides students with a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community and learn hands-on skills such as communicating and interacting with others. Thank you to Mrs Muller, VET Facilitator, for your ongoing compassion and continuing to inspire our students in the world of volunteering.
Logan and Redland hospitals’ School Based Trainees have celebrated their graduation with an official ceremony at Mabel Park State High School. The students graduated with a Certificate III in Individual Support which accumulates valuable points towards their Queensland Certificate of Education.
State Member for Waterford and Minister for Communities, Women and Youth Shannon Fentiman presented the 9 Logan Hospital graduates and 4 graduates from Redland Hospital with their certificates. The Parklands community congratulate our two year 12 students, Tahlya Anderson and Oliver Lee, on their hard work and outstanding achievements in the program.
The Parklands V.E.T. Department is celebrating Year 11 student, Aaryn Dejong who recently completed a Certificate III in Hospitality. For the past 18 months, Aaryn has been employed at a local cafe and has accumulated more than 350 hours in the workplace. A school-based traineeship impacts the student’s school timetable and Aaryn has successfully mastered the delicate art of time management.
Aaryn also donated one day of his time to help the cafe pack up, as it was closing down (unfortunately). Learning Support Aide, Mrs Green, was only too happy (and proud) to visit Aaryn not only to congratulate him but to acknowledge his kind act. Well done Aaryn.
Congratulations to all students for all your hard work and dedication to your studies.
Year 11 student, Ryan Williams, recently commenced a school-based retail traineeship with Woolworths. Ryan will complete 350 hours (one day per week) while completing theory units and senior school studies; this nationally recognised qualification will accrue points towards Ryan’s Queensland Certificate of Education.
Over the September School holidays Year 6 Student, Brock Smith was involved in a community project at the Fitzgibbon Community Centre. The project was for Kurbingui and Members of the Community to come together and paint Traditional Aboriginal Art over eight Totem Poles and a sand stone sitting area.
Sandbag, a local Sandgate Community Organisation, facilitated the day and provided a BBQ lunch. Mr Travis Coyne from the Kurbingui Youth Development Worker provides mentoring programs for youth and invited these young people to come and help with maintaining and strengthening cultural practice in an urban environment. Brock has a strong interest in Aboriginal Art and Travis is teaching him how this unique style is passed down from generation to generation so as to continue the valuable practise and art-form of story-telling.
I graduated from Parklands Christian College in 2013, and began studying a Bachelor of Engineering at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 2014. During the first semester of the degree I didn’t enjoy what I was studying and couldn’t imagine myself doing this as a career for the rest of my life. I withdrew from the course at the end of the first semester and began working full time in retail; initially I wasn’t sure whether I would return to university, however my journey into tertiary study didn’t end. I was driven to try an alternate career which led me down the path of paramedicine. In 2015, I enrolled into a Bachelor of Paramedicine at University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and haven’t looked back. I have enjoyed every aspect of my course and am on track to become a 2017 paramedic graduate. University can be difficult and challenging but the life lessons that I have learnt through my degree will remain with me forever. Good time management, organisation and taking regular breaks from study have allowed me to complete this degree and be happy with everything I have achieved. It’s important to remember that tertiary study is only one pathway and set-backs happen for a reason, I know mine certainly did. Be open to change, go forth and conquer. Congratulations Tegan!
| Monday 13th | Year 6 Table Tennis 7:45am |
|---|---|
| Year 10 & 11 Exam Block | |
| Tuesday 14th | Year 12 Final Days Activities |
| Year 8 Geography Excursion | |
| Wednesday 15th | Year 1 Excursion - Seaworld |
| Year 6 Excursion - Dreamworld | |
| Thursday 16th | Year 2 Excursion - Dreamworld |
| Carols at Grand Plaza 1pm | |
| Secondary Awards Night 6:45pm | |
| Friday 17th | 2018 Student Book List Due |
| Year 12 Final Days Activities | |
| Last day for Year 10-12 | |
| Year 12 Graduation Dinner 5pm | |
| Monday 20th | Middle School Exam Block |
| Year 4 Street Science Incursion | |
| Year 6 Table Tennis 7:45am | |
| Wednesday 22nd | Year 9-12 Music and Drama Studenst Excursion to The Wizard of Ox |
| Thursday 23rd | Year 9 Graduation Lunch |
| Primary Awards Night 6pm | |
| Friday 24th | Middle School End of Year Celebration - Wet n Wild |
| Primary Fee Dress Day |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
December / January Vacation Care 2017
Monday 27th November to Friday 19th January 2018
Monday to Friday, 6:30am – 6:00pm from Monday 27th November to Friday 19th January 2017.
Children are required to bring, MORNING TEA, LUNCH & AFTERNOON TEA.
They will also need a HAT and a WATER BOTTLE for our outside fun experiences.
Children must wear FULL ENCLOSED SHOES – NO SINGLETS OR VESTS.
* So I can alter the cooking class menus please let me know if there are any food allergies/dietary requirements.
Daily Routine:
| Morning Session
6:30am – Centre Opens, Self-Directed Play |
| Afternoon Session
12:30pm – Children’s self selection, Free play |
Booking forms can be collected from the Outside School Hours Care Building. If you have not used our service before you will also need to fill in an enrolment form.
For general enquiries or more information-
email: parklandsoshc@simrick.com.au or phone: 3297 0577 or 0473 681 426
Thank you,
Miss Rachel & Miss Wendy.
There will soon be flashing light school zone signs installed on Rosia Road.
Parklands Christian College was nominated to receive these new signs as part of a Queensland Government commitment to improve school road safety.
You will notice that the new signs look similar to standard school zone signs with the addition of a red flashing ring around the speed limit as well as two flashing yellow lights at the top of the sign. The installation of flashing light school zone signs is proven to improve visibility of school zones, serving as an active reminder for motorists to slow down.
So next time you’re dropping off or picking up your child, keep an eye out for the new signs and make sure you stick to the signed speed limit.
On Wednesday 1 November, Parklands CC Hosted the 2017 Secondary Sports Awards.
Another great year in sport. It was great to have Michael Hancock (ex Brisbane Bronco) as our guest speaker, bringing a great message about developing yourself to be the best person you can be both on and off the field.
Junior- Kyle Payne and Samantha Bayer Senior- Oliver Lee and Rebekah Swinn
Congratulations to all winners and thank you to all students for making sport happen. Special thanks to parents who attended.
On Thursday 2 November, the Primary Sports Awards took place in the auditorium from 2:00 to 3:00pm. All year 5 and 6 students attended and it was great to see so many parents come and support them. We were very privileged to hear a talk from guest speaker Monique Murphy. Monique is a Paralympic Swimmer with the QAS who won silver in Rio. Monique’s story and journey was truly inspirational to all who heard and provided great encouragement for us to strive to be the very best we can be.
A Most Valuable and Most Improved Player was chosen from each primary sport team. Cody Finlay was awarded ‘Primary Male Sports Person of the year’ and Jade Sutton was awarded ‘Primary Female Sports Person of the year’.Congratulations to all award winners and thank you to all Primary students who participated in sport for Parklands in 2017.
Friday 10 November was the last round of Season 2 of Inter-school sport. All teams have worked really hard this season and displayed some fantastic results. Last week, a number of teams participated in Grand Finals and play offs for their finishing position.
A reminder for all parents and students that our swimming carnival will be taking place on 31 January 2018 at Parkinson Aquatic Centre for all 9 to 18 yrs.
“A legal high” – this is the phrase that Jamie Oliver has been using lately with regard to children using energy drinks. The celebrity chef has been advocating for these drinks to be regulated, as have the Canadian Paediatric Society who recently released a position statement highlighting the risks associated with adolescents using sport and caffeinated energy drinks. It was found that the amount of caffeine in energy drinks usually exceeds the recommendation for teenagers, they are associated with skipping breakfast, contain a high level of sugar and may contribute to obesity, and according to Jamie, “disrupt learning as well as health”.
The purpose of energy drinks is generally to increase energy and alertness, which we at Parklands feel can be done in a more healthy way. While it is up to individual families to decide whether they are happy for their child to drink caffeine, sport or energy drinks, we ask that students don’t bring energy drinks to school (where they may be shared with other children). We would like our students to be alert and ready for the day by healthy practices, such as:
Further reading:
Our Secondary students will be celebrated on Thursday 16 November at the Church Auditorium. We enjoy having our families and friends of the College attend each year for our Secondary Awards Night and would love to have you join us. Please be seated by 6:45pm for a prompt 7pm start in order to finish by our goal of 8:30pm. Out of respect for other students, we ask that, where possible, families remain until the conclusion of the evening. The College views this very special occasion as a compulsory event. However, should your child not be able to attend, please provide a letter of explanation to Student Services ASAP.
Please find important information below to assist your preparation for the evening:
For further details, please refer to the home communication that was emailed to families, or contact Student Services on 3380 4237. I trust that you find the above information helpful, and I very much look forward to seeing you on the night.
As the year winds down we ask for your support of our uniform policy both at Awards Night as well as every remaining school day. It may also help to have a refresher read of the policy during the holidays, before making decisions on haircuts, piercings or shoe and uniform purchases. I’d like to draw your attention to the following aspects in particular:
Please refer to our uniform policy http://parklands.qld.edu.au/uniforms/ for more information. We appreciate your support in maintaining our dress standard.
Miss Jessica Grounds
This term is quickly coming to an end. We have enjoyed our learning time about life cycles and Indigenous cultures and have started presenting some amazing expositions.
You would have seen some plants come home in colourful pots last week. If these are put in the sun, watered and nurtured they will grow into beautiful edible flowers. We will also be sending home their green houses and alfalfa heads over the next few days.
It has been an amazing year and upon reflection we all agree that we are very excited about how much each and every student has developed this year. We hope that they continue their growth in our sprint towards the end of Year 2 and continue to use their reading and desire to explore God’s creation over the holidays.
We have a few exciting moments that we are looking forward to before we finish off the year; our excursion to Dreamworld, lots of Christmas activities and craft, awards night and the pizza party on the last day. It will go quickly and we hope that it is memorable for everyone.
God Bless,
Mrs Penny Daley, Mrs Jessica Bourchier,
Mrs Pat Buckley and Mrs Nicole Lowe.
On Monday, 6th November, Middle School played host to the current year 6 students. Year 6 students were experiencing a day in the life of secondary.
Students were welcomed, divided into groups, and participated in three different specialist subjects: Home Economics, Design and Construction and Visual Art.
Throughout the day, students were able to cook muffins as a team, create a simple picture frame, and create an ink print to sit in the frame. Students were instructed by specialist secondary staff in the specific facilities, giving them a sneak peek at what lies ahead for them in 2018.
Students were also treated to a sausage sizzle lunch, served by their current teachers and teacher aides in the new Year 7 area.
Parklands would like to congratulate the following year 9 Business students who achieved Distinctions in the 2017 Buy Smart Competition held by the Queensland Government’s Office for Fair Trading. All 9 Business students entered their Term 3 assessments as submissions in the competition. Malia Tuakana Tiraa submitted a poster on Online Shopping, while Jessica Benson submitted a poster and Kayla McCredie submitted a PPT on Consumer Rights and Responsibilities. The competition is open to all students in Queensland and is aimed at helping young people learn about marketplace issues and become more informed consumers.
Malia Tuakana Tirra Jessica Benson and Kayla McCredie
Welcome to our new-look newsletter. A much larger number of people are reading emails on their phones today, and this format improves their reading experience compared to a print-format newsletter. I hope that it will enhance our connection and information flow within our community. Thank-you to those staff members who are so diligent in putting it together for us every month; your efforts are duly noted and much appreciated.
If I were asked to describe my overall theme for this year, I would say this: I have been trying to understand what truly matters at Parklands and to ensure that we preserve these things for the future.
Take this newsletter for example. We knew that the format had to change eventually; in fact, I think it was on my very first day in the office that someone told me about this necessity. However, before approving this change, it was vital for me to understand the essential things about our newsletter that we should never change. As I read Mr B’s previous articles and tried my hand on my own, I realised that our newsletter has always been very instrumental in shaping our school community, to keep parents well-informed about the development of our school, and to communicate the heart of the principal for the school and its students. Using this understanding about our newsletter, we could now change its design while being purposeful about retaining the things that truly matter.
I think this small example is indicative of the larger theme: to preserve the things that should not change amidst a changing world. We can’t avoid change and neither should we. Our local community is growing, and so is the demand for enrolment places, leading us to open a third Year 7 stream in 2019. Technological advancements and changing career pathways affect our teaching program. Educational research becomes more and more refined in telling us what works and what doesn’t work in classrooms.
These changes are beneficial if we keep our focus on the things that genuinely matter. During the latter part of the year, we have been considering the next steps in our development over the coming five years and have created a Strategic Vision (2018-2022) which I look forward to sharing with you at our Awards Nights. It includes a master plan that gives us an idea of what our campus might look like in ten years (very inspiring!). We used a lot of the information from our student, parent and staff surveys to create these plans. However, in all of this work, easily two-thirds of our time was spent on discussing our foundations: why we are here and how we do things around here. All of our plans for the future are attempts to strengthen these things amidst any necessary change.
Something that shouldn’t change is the purpose of our work at Parklands Christian College, and we developed a statement that describes it well: “To care for students through a quality Christian education that inspires them to flourish, to love God and to love others as themselves.” May God help us to preserve this heart for our students in our future endeavours.
I look forward to sharing more about this with you at our Awards Nights!
God Bless.
Mr Johannes Solymosi
I can’t believe we’ve only got 2 weeks left of school for 2017 – wow, how time has flown!
We believe God has a destiny for every student in our school. He has already placed within them the skills, gifts and talents that they need so as to become the person God intended them to be. We are also blessed to have excellent teachers at Parklands because of God’s call on their life. Class teachers, Teacher Aides, Specialists, RTC & LE Staff spend an enormous amount of time praying, working through and discussing the issues involved with class placements and in trying to ensure that classes are well balanced. The matters of learning style, academic ability, behavioural concerns, student & staff personality, friendships, as well as social and emotional needs are earnestly discussed in the whole class selection process.
A reminder, we know the students at school and do not accommodate requests from parents to swap class placements. It is an extremely difficult task that is complicated by requests for and against staff and other students or friends. We ask that you would pray for wisdom and discernment for your child’s teacher as they look to care for and meet the needs of each student.
Thank you for your understanding and support in this regard and look forward to seeing a wonderful working relationship develop between teacher, student and parent!
Due to the ever increasing number of students and the size of our auditorium, this year again we plan to divide up the evening and have 2 Awards Night Ceremonies on Thursday 23rd November.
We’ll have the Prep to Gr 2 Awards Night Ceremony from 6 – 7.15 pm in the auditorium and after dismissing these students and parents during the break / intermission, we’ll invite the Grade 3-6 parents and students into the auditorium to commence their Grade 3-6 Awards Night ceremony starting at 7.30 – 8.45 pm. A more detailed Awards Night Letter for BOTH ceremonies will be forthcoming!
I know this year’s Awards Nights are going to be another tremendous highlight for us, not only because they will allow each and every student to be encouraged, rewarded and esteemed for their effort but also because we normally have so many parents joining us to celebrate their child’s achievements. It’s also going to be great to see and hear the year level item performances and excited students walking across the stage to be presented with their certificates.
This for us is such a blessing and what teaching is all about!
Please clearly label all uniform items with your child’s first and last NAME (not just initials).
We still have 2 weeks left of school plus looking smart for Awards Night so are asking parents to please ensure that their children are correctly and neatly dressed every day. If unsure of the Primary Uniform Policy, please feel free to check our website, ask a class teacher or RTC staff. Appreciate your assistance and support in this regard.
We are seriously looking for parents and or grandparents who can assist teachers with fun tasks like: changing readers, reading to/with students, doing exciting group activities etc. If you’d be willing to hear more about volunteering, please feel free to talk to a teacher, contact Student Services or Mr. Jakins (Head of Primary).
Are young students at risk of screen time addiction?
by James Reid
For many of us who are living in the digital age, spending hours in front of a screen is an everyday part of life. However, some studies have shown that this may not be a good thing.
A recent survey found that three-in-five children exceed the recommended amount of screen time, which is one hour a day for children aged two to five and two hours a day for five to 18-year-olds.
The online technology usage poll, conducted by ABC children’s current affairs program, Behind The News, surveyed more than 18,000 young Australians to reveal their technology habits. It found 56% of those surveyed spend more than two hours a day using technology outside of school hours. One in 10 said they spent at least four out-of-school hours a day looking at a screen.
Boys were found to spend more time in front of screens than girls, averaging 4.2 hours a day on digital devices outside school hours. By comparison, the figure for young girls was an average of 3.7 hours.
Worryingly one-in-four young people surveyed admitted they would find it “impossible” to go without digital devices for even one week – a trait that can be associated with Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD).
Some studies suggest that excessive screen time can have a range of negative cognitive effects, including structural and functional changes in brain regions involving emotional processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control.
But what about children who aren’t addicted per se?
Addiction aside, a much broader concern that begs awareness is the risk that screen time is creating subtle damage even in children with “regular” exposure, considering that the average child clocks in more than seven hours a day.
Technology usage rises with age.
When it comes to how much screen time young people are getting, it’s teenagers that are the most prolific.
The survey found children aged eight to 12 spend significantly less time on technology, compared to teenagers who clocked up 6-7 hours of screen time before or after school.
In terms of how young people spent this time, playing video games, watching movies or watching TV topped the list. For others, doing homework and spending time on social media occupied roughly the same amount of time as each other.
The most used devices were tablets, followed by computers, TVs and smartphones. Gaming consoles came last in the list, seeming to point towards a new trend for young gamers to primarily use portable devices.
| Contact | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Student Absentee Hotline | 07 3380 4250 (24 hrs) |
| Parklands Accounts/Reception | 07 3380 4200 |
| Miss Jess Grounds (a/hrs) | 0439 167 011 |
| Mr Grant Jakins (a/hrs) | 0400 221 365 |
| Mrs Rebecca Wallis (a/hrs) | 0449 027 225 |
| Mr Colin Elvery (a/hrs) | 0488 200 799 |
| Student Services | 07 3380 4237 |
| Parklands After School Care | Rachel 0473 681 426 |
11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au
| Monday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
| Thursday | 8.15am - 9.15am & 2.30pm - 3.45pm |
School Days only
Shop Phone: 3380 4256
Mobile Michelle: 0412 917 299
Second Hand Uniforms available – CASH ONLY
Without Direct Debit Form 10th of Month
With Direct Debit Form 17th of Month
Please ensure funds are in your account one (1) business day before the 17th of each month.
Our Bank Account details are as follows:
BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944
Note: Direct Debits that reject from your account due to insufficient funds will incur a $5.00 charge to your invoice and may result in loss of discount for that month.
| Tuesday 1st | ICAS English Yr4-12 |
| Wednesday 2nd | Yr11/12 Drama Excursion |
| Thursday 3rd | BCS Netball Competition Yr11/12 Chemistry & Maths B Excursion |
| Friday 4th | NAPLAN online trial Yr7a only |
| Saturday 5th | College Fete |
| Monday 7th 6.30pm | NAPLAN online trail Yr9 only LoKoP Course |
| Monday 14th | Ekka Show Day Holiday |
| Tuesday 15th 6.30pm 7.30pm | ICAS Maths Competition Yr 4-12 Secondary Subject Information Evening Yr8 Secondary Subject Information Evening Yr10 |
| Thursday 17th | BCS Girls Soccer Competition |
| Friday 18th | BCS Boys Soccer Competition |
| Monday 21st | LoKoP Course 6.30pm |
| Wednesday 23rd | Prep Incursion Ocean Life Education |
| Monday 28th 1.15pm 6.30pm | CSSA Primary Athletics CSSA Secondary Athletics LoKoP Course |
| Tuesday 29th | Yr12 QCS Test |
| Wednesday 30th | Yr12 QCS Test |
| Thursday 31st | Father’s Day Stall Yr4 Rugby League Gala Day |
Subject to changes – please check the College Calendar on the College website for more detailed and up to date information on the above.
| Before School Care | 6.30am–8.30am | $15.00 per session |
| After School Care | 3.00pm–6.00pm | $19.00 per session |
| Vacation Care | 6.30am–6.00pm | $50.00 per day |
Please phone 3297 0577 during work hours or 0473 681 426 any other time.
You will get one Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker for every $10 spent (excluding liquor, tobacco and gift cards). Place the Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker onto a Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker Sheet and when it’s complete, the Sticker Sheet can be dropped into the Collection Box located at Student Services or at the Park Ridge Woolworths. Additional Sticker Sheets will also be available at Student Services.
At the end of the promotion, we’ll be able to get some great new equipment. The range is extensive and offers lots of items ideal for our students – including resources for Math, English, Science and some fantastic fun supplies for Arts & Craft, Sport and for our library. If you’d like to know more visit woolworths.com.au/earnandlearn
Phone: 0414 524 912
Email: bass_production@live.com
FB: facebook.com/grantrobertdavies
Nearly 2 years ago, one of my good friends and Logan resident, Penelope, was struggling with some ongoing symptoms that were later to be diagnosed as MS. This was a shock, not only to her and her husband, but also to her two teenage children. A multiple sclerosis diagnosis can be extremely difficult to come to grips with. All of a sudden there is a lot of new information to absorb, questions to ask and key decisions to make.
As you may be aware, Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system. It interferes with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system with over 23,000 people living with the disease in Australia. Four are diagnosed with MS every working day. The average age of diagnosis is just 30 years of age.There is currently no known cure for the disease, however there are several treatment options to help manage symptoms. Since that time, I have been becoming increasingly aware of how many more people across our City have this disease. So in response to this need, I have been working behind the scenes with the team at MS QLD to start a fundraising event here in Logan, similar to the MS Moonlight Walk held in Brisbane. So I am very excited to say the Inaugural Logan Walk 2 Cure MS be held at Meakin Park on23 September, 2017 at 4pm. Our goal for this initial event is to have 250 registered participants & raise $20,000 to help fund MS research and ultimately find a cure. Would you please consider participating in the event.
By clicking on this link to SIGN UP TODAY can take advantage of our Early Bird prices (before18 August)! You can register as an individual for just $10, or $25 as a family (2 adults and up to 3 children under 17) or you may want to make up your own Business.
To make fundraising easier and effective if you make your own team or sign up to participate, upon registration your own fundraising page is automatically generated which you can quickly and easily share on Facebook and via email. Your friends can then make a donation and they will receive a tax deductible receipt immediately. Please feel free to share this with all of your friends and networks. Join Team Cure MS – Together we will beat MS.
A student’s Speech and Language skills form the foundation for all learning at school.
If so, it may be the result of an underlying Speech and Language difficulty.
Michelle Sparg is a private certified practicing Speech Pathologist with over 20 years of experience. Michelle has worked successfully at our school for a number of years working alongside students, parents and teachers to maximise learning potential within the classroom. Assessment and therapy are offered at school within school hours in collaboration with students, parents and staff.
For further information, please contact:
Michelle Sparg on sparg4@bigpond.com or 0435 492 716.
If you have any questions about the above services provided please contact Jo Anderson via email at janderson@parklands.qld.edu.au
In Sync Kids OT have set up a satellite clinic within a Parklands Christian College, and involves In Sync Kids OT providing private therapy services specifically to the school clientele.
In Sync Kids Occupational Therapy specializes in Sensory Integration and Neurodevelopment. Our aim is to make every child successful at being a kid, by nurturing their foundational sensory processing, postural skills and social skills, cultivating happy and successful kids both at school and home.
Jill van Heerden has extensive experience working in South Africa and Brisbane as a qualified and registered Occupational Therapist. She has consulted in a range of settings including state, private and special needs schools and has found that treatment in collaboration with teachers, parents and the learning support team, is more successful. Her specialism is treatment of Sensory. Jill also continues to advocate the need for providing services to children, in mainstream schools, with attention and mild learning difficulties and the need for early intervention.
For any additional information regarding the occupational therapy service, please contact Jill van Heerden 0450 236 897 or jill.vanheerden@insynckidsot.com and feel free to look at In Sync Kids OT website for more information.
Music provided by DJ Brad • Sausage Sizzle starts at 5pm • Sausage on bread $2.50 • Soft drinks $2.00
This event is for students currently enrolled Prep – Yr6
| Term | Dates | Length | Holidays | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon 22 Jan – Wed 28 March | 10 weeks | Autumn | Thurs 29 March – Mon 16 April | 2 weeks |
| 2 | Tue 17 April – Fri 22 June | 10 weeks | Winter | Sat 23 June – Sun 15 July | 3 weeks |
| 3 | Mon 16 July – Fri 21 Sept | 10 weeks | Spring | Sat 22 Sep – Sun 7 Oct | 2 weeks |
| 4 | Mon 8 Oct – Fri 30 Nov | 8 weeks | Summer | Sat 1 Dec – Mon 28 Jan 2019 | 8 weeks |
The following list shows holidays within the 2018 academic year:
Students are expected to be present on the dates listed. Do not book holidays or plan for your child to be away during exam weeks. Alternate exam sitting times may not be available in some cases.
Start: 8.30am
Primary Finish: 3.10pm
Secondary Finish: 3.20pm
I must admit that when I first saw Michael Carr-Gregg’s book The Princess Bitchface Syndrome I was a little bit shocked by the title.
Michael Carr-Gregg is a practising psychologist who specialises in the area of parenting adolescents and adolescent mental health. This makes him well placed to be able to offer insight and advice regarding what he calls ‘The Princess Bitchface Syndrome’.
This book is an invaluable manual for any parents who are navigating their way through the trials and tribulations of raising an adolescent girl.
According to Carr-Gregg, ‘The Princess Bitchface Syndrome’ refers to: “An instantly recognisable adolescent female who transforms almost overnight into a rebellious stranger who behaves like a responsible adult one day and a spoilt child the next”.
AVAILABLE from PCC Library
There are a range of different parent webinar topics including Dr Michael Carr-Gregg – student mental health and technology on 10th Aug 7.45pm. Check it out!!
SOME Amazing work that the Student Care and Wellbeing Team do on a daily basis.
Some skills that your child might be ready to put into action.
To me, the school uniform is a display of tidiness, excellence, respect for the school and yourself and just altogether shows that you want to learn. Being honest, when I first came to Parklands (back in year 8) I really didn’t have much care for my uniform at all, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve actually realised that by putting on your school uniform, making sure everything’s in place and you have your hat, tie, correct shoes etc. you’re actually preparing yourself for a day of learning and excellence by showing that you do care. And I’ve grown to really like trying to get the uniform policy correct each day. Although some days I do accidentally leave my hat at home or something along those lines, I also see the importance of supplying a note from parents, and getting a green slip before 8:30 which I make sure to always do. And I would love to help the year 6’s out with this.
Our uniform is important because it is a way to represent the college with pride and brings unity among the students. It also has practical applications, and when wearing it as designed keeps everyone equal and reflects to the community we care about our school values and the privilege to learn.
I believe uniforms are important because people often gain their first opinion of others based on appearance. Having a school of students dressed neatly and formally gives not only a sophisticated appearance, but shows the school values in the way they are presented to the public. Following uniform guidelines at school also teaches students to take pride in the way they dress for future job opportunities.
The 2018 TAFE at School program has now been released.If you’ll be in year 11 or 12 in 2018, you are eligible to participate in the TAFE at School program.can choose from a number of exciting and varied Certificate II and Certificate III courses. Best of all, a TAFE at School course can be achieved in conjunction with your senior studies and can count towards your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Completing a TAFE at School course is also a great way to open up new pathways to university.
TAFE at School is a great way to:
Check out which courses you can study while you’re still at school or check out our TAFE at Schools course guides. Course guides will be available in study hall (SC6) from next week.
Go to the Link: Semester 1, 2018 TAFE at Schools Guide (PDF, 2.69MB)
Areas of study include:
Animal studies, applied fashion design, (sign language), automotive, beauty and hairdressing, building and construction, business and justice studies, early childhood, electrical, engineering, fashion, event management, health support, horticulture, hospitality, information technology, kitchen operations, logistics, media and digital design, manufacturing technology (fashion production), music and sound production, retail cosmetics, salon assistant, sampling and measurement, science and allied health, sports and recreation, telecommunications technology, tourism and events, visual arts.
If you are interested in studying at TAFE in 2018, please talk to your parents and contact me if you need more information or would like to apply.
TAFE Queensland SkillsTech (trade areas such as automotive, electrical, construction etc) will start to offer places to students after the September/October holidays so it is strongly recommended that students submit their application prior to the end of Term 3. As always, applications will remain open until courses commence in February.
TAFE Queensland Brisbane will remain open for application until the 5th of February 2018 but it is recommended that students apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. You can only enrol in one program with TAFE Queensland so think about the one that’s right for you.
Students undertaking a nationally accredited qualification at TAFE Queensland Brisbane as part of their senior studies may pay substantially reduced or, in some cases, no tuition fees at all. However, there are material fees for all programs and an administration fee per calendar year and you’ll need to meet these costs.
See Mrs Hudson (VET Officer) for more information.
Home communication was recently emailed regarding compulsory Year 10 work experience for the last week of this term. Permission slips are now due; the work experience agreement forms (which must be signed by the employer) are due on August 18.
Please contact me if you have any questions or queries regarding work experience or if your child requires assistance with a work placement.
Students are encouraged to come and see me (study hall/SC6) if they need assistance with writing a résumé and/or a cover letter. Résumé templates are available electronically from me or on PCC VET Google site https://sites.google.com/a/parklands.qld.edu.au/vocational-education-training/.
Students can also access comprehensive information such as résumé templates, SAT information, OP information and more at the PCC VET Google site https://sites.google.com/a/parklands.qld.edu.au/vocational-education-training/. Students will need their school login details for this site and I encourage you to make a habit of using this site.
Mrs Deanne Hudson
V.E.T. Officer
The senior years are an exciting yet sometimes demanding time for senior students as they balance personal and educational goals to finalise their formal years of schooling.
The function of the V.E.T. Department is to establish relationships with students and parents to ensure that students in the senior phase of learning are provided with vocational training and workforce skills to kick-start their career. The V.E.T. Department operates under the guidance of Mrs Rebecca Wallis (Head of Senior School) and Mrs Dee Hudson (V.E.T. Officer). Students are regularly informed of vocational opportunities such as school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, work experience programs, tertiary open days, scholarships, TAFE study, head start university programs and assistance with resumes.
We love sharing and celebrating the journeys of our students.Here are just two recent stories of what our senior students are doing; we truly feel fortunate to be a small part of each student’s life at school.
Year 12 student Hayley, has recently completed the Certificate IV in Justice Studies. During the course, students learn how to identify and apply the legal framework, communicate with clients on justice-related issues, prepare court documentation, analyse social justice issues, gather information through interviews, analyse and present research information.
For the last 18 months, Hayley has attended TAFE once a week as well as juggling the demands of senior school subjects. Hayley says “I really loved the course although juggling TAFE and school was quite difficult and took some getting used to. My TAFE teacher was really helpful and really cared. I’m hoping that this course will help me with my future plans of studying a Bachelor of Criminology and Human Services and to pursue my dream of being in the Federal Police. I’m really grateful for this opportunity and the experience.”
Early morning starts are now a regular part of week for Year 11 student, Joel, in his new role as a carpentry apprentice. As part of the Certificate I in Construction class, Joel participated in work experience at the end of last term and ended the school holidays signing up as a school-based apprentice. Over the next 18 months Joel will be studying a Certificate III in Carpentry, gaining lots of on-the-job experience and will accrue points towards his Queensland Certificate of Education. Congratulations Joel, on reaping the rewards of your hard work and assertiveness.
Students over the age of 14 years are encouraged to apply for a TFN, even if not working yet. You can apply for a TFN at a participating Australia Post retail outlet you’re an Australian resident and able to attend an interview. There is no fee for lodging a TFN application. If you’re an Australian resident the easiest way to apply for a TFN is to:
On the first week of Term 3 we held the Primary and Secondary athletics carnival. Secondary school was on Thursday the 13th and was the largest attendance to a Secondary carnival we have had. The conditions were perfect and the athletes came ready to compete. Throughout the day Joshua were competing strongly which won them the day on 1828 points with Samuel finishing on 1613. Congratulations to all the age champions who won their division, with many of them being decided by less than 6 points.
The Primary carnival was held on Friday the 14th and it didn’t disappoint. Students came dressed in their house colours showing great team spirit throughout the whole day. There were many records broken on the day which is a great effort by the athletes. Both teams competed hard all day but Samuel was too strong winning on 1578 over Joshua 919. Congratulations to all the age champions from the day, it was a great effort by all.
Congratulations girls for representing Parklands so well by playing hard and demonstrating a great attitude. We’re also proud of your choice to train after school in the weeks leading up to the event. Thanks Mrs Schulz, Mrs Taylor and Mrs Radke for training the teams, and a big thanks to Miss Ashleigh Daly for volunteering your time.
Congratulations to Katy Blackmore (Year 9), who took part in a Taekwondo tournament for selection to the Queensland team. We are pleased to share that she came Silver in her division and has now been selected to represent Queensland in October at Nationals. Well done Katy!
Wow! What an amazing start we have had to the term in Year 3. This term we are looking at heat in science, so we had Science Steve, from Street Science come out for our incursion. The students had a great time during both the show and the workshop afterwards. During the show Science Steve made science come alive for the students. He performed experiments that demonstrated the effects of heat on various objects, as well as what happens to objects when they are frozen. Then during the workshops the students got to make slime and fake snow, they had a blast! This incursion allowed the students to further develop their understanding of heat and consolidate their knowledge of solids, liquids and gasses from Term 1.
Mrs Abbot, Mr Kennedy and Mrs Jones
Our Year 2 students are busy learning about chemical and physical changes and how we use them every day. We are getting creative with our geography unit, learning about all of the different cultures and continents of the world.
At the end of the term to consolidate our unit we will have a visit from the Street Science team where they will explore amazing mixtures with the students in an interactive presentation. We will also be having a Cultural day where we will share different cultural food and dress up in the traditional clothing of a country of their choice.
Mrs Penny Daley, Mrs Jessica Bourchier, Mrs Buckley and Mrs Lowe TA’s
A reminder to please ensure your child is correctly and neatly dressed in the ‘correct’ uniform each morning. If they are incorrectly dressed would you please provide us with a written explanation and remind them to go to the RTC to collect a Uniform Slip FIRST thing of a morning. We are also finding quite a few unmarked / labelled items of clothing and Tupperware, which makes it impossible to return to the right owner. Please assist us to ensure ALL items brought to school are correctly labelled! Thank you for your support and assistance in this regard.
In wishing to offer our senior Primary students every opportunity to use technology in class to assist with and improve their learning, we will continue to allow the Year 5 and 6 students to make use of or bring iPads to school next year. This follows on with the trend in education to promote eLearning and the use of modern electronic devices in senior Primary.
We will continue to promote handwriting, fine motor skills, cutting out, colouring in and written work in Prep to Year 4! Feedback from staff, parents and the Yr 5 & 6 students about iPad use has been very positive.
We have organized an iPad Informative Parent Evening on Tuesday 10th October where questions about iPad selection, process, security, resources, Apps, class use etc. will all be answered. Look forward to seeing the Yr 4 and 5 parents in attendance on the night.
Of late, teachers are experiencing many students just not listening to and following instructions. This behaviour is evident in the undercover area of a morning/afternoon, in the classroom for lessons, out on the ovals or while students are running around playing! Staff are making a concerted effort to get the students to “Stop, Look, Listen and Do”.
We aren’t exactly sure why this ‘non listening behaviour’ is becoming more evident but research from UQ and Harvard University have offered up a few suggestions – due to modern electronic gadgets “common communication skills” are being used less (children don’t know of or get to practice the social skills to listen, hold a conversation and follow instructions).
Children are so busy and pre occupied in this ‘instant society’ that they appear / are rushed to move on to the next experience so thereby don’t listen to or fully comprehend instructions. In class this is what good listening has been encouraged to ‘look and sound’ like.
We are asking that parents assist us by getting their children to practice these listening skills at home and to be reminded of them daily before coming to school. Thanking you in anticipation for your support in this regard.
Can I please take this time to remind you of important information about Primary School communication procedures.
Class Teachers ask that IF you have a concern or question about class work, assignments, process or procedure, class behaviour, calendar events etc, that you please contact them directly. They are your first port of call. If you require information about any of the following areas, please contact the specific staff member concerned directly:
If you don’t get a resolution or wish to discuss the matter further after having spoken to a teacher or specialist, please contact myself, Grant Jakins through Student Services.
This semester we will again get the students to focus on using kind words to each other or saying NOTHING bad at all as well as trying to have friendly actions to one another in the Primary School! We will again be reminding students about ways to treat each other so as not to ‘bully’ because bullying is a terrible behaviour that affects many children in all schools. It breaks a child’s natural right to feel safe and secure and can affect a child’s performance, their peer relations and his or her self-esteem!
Bullying is repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons.
Bullying is not the domain of either gender. Girls bully just as much as boys, but they do it in less physical ways. While boys will use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to wield power over others, girls are more likely to use exclusion or subtle verbal sarcasm to assert themselves over their victims. Bullying is more prevalent in primary schools than secondary schools, although the type of bullying varies with age. As boys get older there is a gradual decrease in the amount of physical bullying but an increase in verbal intimidation. It would appear that bullying reaches a peak around the age of eight or nine years of age, which is true for girls and boys. While siblings or children often tease or sometimes fight physically with each other, this bickering should not be confused with bullying. The bullying involves an imbalance of power as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse.
Cyber bullying refers to bullying that is carried out through information and communication technologies. Likewise not all online issues are cyber bullying. Source: www.bullyingnoway.gov.au
We at Parklands, through the RTC and Wellbeing Team, work closely to monitor ALL behaviour and assist the students to make better choices!
Mr Grant Jakins
There have been a number of students who have damaged or lost equipment through their time at school. As we investigate we are finding more and more that students have been a little careless with their own and others equipment.
We are encouraging students to take care when moving between classes and around other students. Equipment should be kept in school bags, with those same bags zipped closed. Students should also have their names clearly marked on all items of clothing.
Where possible, please reinforce this message with your children. Together we will continue to encourage the best from our students.
After a couple of setbacks, we have almost completed the Year 7 area. This area has been designed to be an integral part of our transition process from Primary to Middle School by providing a safe space for Year 7 students only.
The area has now been fitted with bench seating, and will shortly have turf laid for seating areas. A big thank you to the Year 10 Trade Taster class for the seating. For those students who wish to be active, the area also has handball courts.
Towards the end of the year, the Year 11/12 Construction class will be fitting the area with shaded picnic tables and seating. This will give a wide variety of activities for students in Year 7 to engage with while they adjust to the new world of secondary education.
Year 8 students will be invited to attend an information evening regarding their subject selections for Year 9 in 2018. The evening will be held on Tuesday 15th August in the Function Room.
Presentations and stalls will be on display explaining all that students will need to know regarding their Year 9 choices.
After this event, students will receive an email informing them of our online subject selection process. Students have the opportunity to select three elective subjects for study throughout years 9 and 10.
| 15th August | ICAS Mathematics |
| 15th August | Subject Selection Night – Year 8 students |
| 28th August | Secondary Revision Week |
| 4th September | Secondary Exam Week Students will receive a timetable specifically for this week. |
| 17th October | Middle School Information Evening – Year 6 students going to Year 7 in 2018. |
We were so very proud of our students who participated in the secondary musical production of Cinderella at the end of Semester 1.
Students had the opportunity to play before over 550 people across three shows, and had a wonderful time in the whole process. As a bonus, cast were able to participate at the opening ceremony of the Baskerville Sports Centre in July, performing one of the signature songs from the production.
For the first time we were able to have two students in the leading role of Cinderella, and both ladies (Miss Madeline Mitchell and Miss Chelsea Sampson) were wonderful in the role. Also a special mention goes to our Prince, Mr Oliver Lee.
Special thanks goes to the staff who made this possible through weekly rehearsal, behind-the-scenes support, hair and makeup, set and prop design and costuming. Also a huge thank you to the parent helpers who assisted with the setup and pack down of the production. It truly was a great team effort.
Congratulations to all!
Mr Colin Elvery
I trust you are all keeping warm for these final moments of our Brisbane winter! August has rolled around already, which brings with it busyness for all our senior students. As I’m writing this article, there are only three and a half weeks until exam block commences. Attendance is so very important. It makes a significant impact on learning when days are missed. Of course we understand that there are days of sickness or circumstances that are unavoidable. Thank you for encouraging solid attendance rates as we get well into the business end of the school term.
Tuesday 15 August is our annual Senior College information evening for current Year 10 students and families (Year 11, 2018). This night is an opportunity to learn about the subjects and programs that are on offer in Senior College. Shortly after this information evening, your child will receive an email with a link to choosing 2018 subjects online. Please note that some subjects are capped, so the classes are offered on a first in, first serve basis.
The subject information for Year 10 in 2018 will be held in early Term 4. Detailed communication will be made soon.
The Year 12 Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test will be conducted in the Function Room, located off Student Services, on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th August. Parklands encourages all students to attend. This test is compulsory for all Year 12 students who intend to be eligible to receive an OP score for Tertiary entrance. Students who are non-OP eligible may also elect to sit the QCS test. Students who elect not to sit the QCS Test are not required to be at school for the two days of testing, as there will be no Year 12 classes. These students should utilise this time to prepare for their exams and complete other assessment requirements.
Prayers are with all our Yr12 students, who are currently in the midst of a very busy Term 3 and are in final QCS preparations. For the remainder of this year and beyond we pray that each graduating student makes choices to align with all that God intends them to be.
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) has a role in operating a centralised tertiary application system. Year 11-12 students have received the “QTAC: Guide to Tertiary Courses” booklet. This resource provides valuable information about courses at public and private universities, Tafe and other tertiary centres. This is an exciting and possibly daunting time to explore the possibilities of “What Next”? The entry requirements, including expected OP’s, prerequisites and course lengths are included.
All seniors are encouraged to spend some time exploring potential courses of interest. Yr12 students are to apply online to QTAC, for offers for tertiary study after school. Registration opened on 3 August 2017. The due date for on-time applications is Friday 29 September 2017. Please note that much higher application fees apply after this date. If paying by B-Pay, aim to pay two days before the due date, so payment processes in time.
The first step is for seniors to decide what courses they would like to apply for. If your child is unsure of “What Next”, that is not unusual. It is sometimes a difficult decision, so we encourage the following:
The Year 12 Pastoral Care teachers, Jess Grounds & Julia Matthews, along with Dee Hudson and myself have planned sessions to work through QTAC information later in this term. If your child would like to meet for some guidance prior to this time, we are all very happy to assist. Please contact us via email or through the College office on 3380 4200.
Warmest Blessings,
Mrs Rebecca Wallis
Coordinator of Senior College
I had been told quite a bit about the famed Parklands Fete, but it still took me by surprise how amazing it turned out to be! I happened to just walk around with a grin stuck to my face because I was so overwhelmed. For all of us new to the Parklands family, this was a very warm welcome indeed – thank you! For those who have been around for longer, it was a very clear reminder that our community is alive and well. And as a school that highly values a caring attitude towards others, we also raised substantial amounts of money for people in Cambodia, to whom the wealth we have come to expect from life is absolutely unknown. Job well-done PCC!
One of my highlights from the day would have been the billy cart building station. This was just good old-fashioned family fun, where dads (and mums too!!!) had an opportunity to build something together with their kids which they may have often talked about but may have never been able to follow through.ability to take those carts home just topped it off. It all reminded me of my granddad who used to build bows & arrows, wooden guns and other fun things with me. That’s how great childhood memories are made!
I was also very proud of the many students who performed on the stage in front of a welcoming audience. A huge thank-you should be said to the many, many people who contributed to this event to make it possible. From the PCC staff members who volunteered their, to the many parents, students and members of our wider community, your participation was highly valued. Even though I heard that this event has been getting bigger every year, we will make sure that it will stay an event that is a celebration of our community, for our community.
The Sports Centre has only recently been officially opened and we are already working on the next project. The tender for our Hospitality and Vocational Education Centre has just finished, and our architects are currently completing their tender report. It will end up being a project worth over $3 million, and it will make sure that our students have a wide variety of academic and vocational courses to study in their middle and senior years of high school, all in excellent facilities. The government has contributed nearly $1 million in capital funding to the project, and our bank is helping with the rest. This means that our debt levels, although within the required ratios, have risen quite a bit compared to the time before the sports centre. We will be going into a disciplined budget for next year with the aim to reduce our debts so that the next projects, such as a performing arts precinct and new classrooms will be achievable. Classroom spaces are an important part of our growth plans, considering that we’re planning to open a third Year 7 stream in 2019. In recent years, we have just not had enough enrolment openings, especially for the Year 7 entry, and too many families did not get the opportunity to join us. The master plan that is currently being developed will help to ensure that our campus will remain and even improve its lovely feel and atmosphere.
God Bless.
Mr Johannes Solymosi
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