In this issue

Term 2 Year 10 Careers Week and Subject Selection

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.

Logan IGNITE Youth Careers Expo

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

Library News

Book Month at PCC

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:

• Book Month: Monday 1^st August to Wednesday 31^st August, 2022
• Book Week: Saturday 20^th August to Friday 26^th August, 2022
• Gold Medal Reading (Library Promotion) Tuesday 12^th July – Tuesday 6 September
• Prep – Year 12 “Roald Dahl’s ‘Dirty Beasts’” Shake & Stir Book Week Incursion Tuesday 23^rd August
• Book Week Costume Parade Wednesday 24^th August

Gold Medal Readers

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.

Sustainability in the Library:

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.

Family Donations:

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.

Lessons & Rehearsals

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.

Performances

On Tuesday 26^th 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.

Give It A Go! Band Programme

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:

1. Give It A Go! Band Programme – Year 4 students only

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

2. Private lessons

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.

3. Shared lessons

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

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

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!

Year 4

Excursion to The Commissariat Store in Brisbane

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.

• If your student is unwell, we first and foremost encourage them to rest and recover!
• If your student is struggling with the weight of assessment or catching up on classwork, we can provide both wellbeing support as well as academic support. Email me at kschulz@parklands.qld.edu.au and I can assist with liasing with a group of teachers to help balance your students’ workload.
• If your student is at home due to isolation but are well enough to engage with schoolwork, we encourage them to check in with their subject websites and complete work that is listed there. If they need any support, they are welcome and encouraged to email their class teacher.

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:

• Year 9 into 10 Subject Selection Evening: Tuesday 2^nd August, 6.30pm in VOC, for students and families currently in Year 8 and 9.
• Year 9 Rite Journey Solo Camp: On Thursday 25^th to Friday 26^th August we are excited for our Year 9 students to engage in the biggest challenge of the Rite Journey program, the Solo Camp!

Praying that our middle school students have a smooth and healthy Term 3!

Kristie Schulz

Acting Middle School Coordinator

Self-care

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 students

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.

Sleep

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:

• People feel more anxious at night. This is because the limbic system fires up late at night, causing heightened emotions. This is meant to happen when you are actually asleep!
• Sleep is essential for cleaning out toxins that build up in your brain. Accumulation of these toxins can impact on brain and mental health.
• Being sleep-deprived can raise your overall anxiety levels in your everyday life.
• The neocortex (your ‘smart brain’) is downgraded when you are tired, which means you are more likely to make risky or emotional decisions. This is one reason why there are increased incidents of cyberbullying, car accidents, drug use, self-harm and suicide at night.

Movement

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:

• Build a strong body and mind
• Reduce stress
• Feel good
• Manage moods
• Gain more energy
• Sleep better.

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!

Nutrition

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:

• Helps us grow
• Supports learning
• Vital for mental health
• Maintains blood glucose levels
• Provides energy
• Improves the immune system
• Increases happiness.

For more in-depth nutritional information, see a local professional such as a nutritionist or dietician.

Other Self-care

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:

• Get around nature –a beach stroll or bush walk can be good for the soul!
• Tick some things off your list – sometimes our to do list can seem overwhelming but if we give ourselves space to get some jobs done we’ve been meaning to do, we will have achieved something and it always feels good to kick some goals!
• Creative writing – expression through writing can be a great outlet for emotions and allows the brain sometime to breathe and dream – away from study and text books!
• Organising and de-cluttering – The process (and results) of putting things in their place can improve mood and state of mind.
• Spend one-on-one time with God – when we connect with our Creator, the one who loves us and knows us best, it allows us to renew our hope, peace and strength in Him.
• Time away from screens – turn it off and leave your screen at home for some uninterrupted time to yourself without the distraction of notifications
• A long, hot shower can do wonders
• Do something fun every day! Fun helps to balance out stress, produces feel-good hormones and helps to promote creativity, energy and overall cognition!
• Start a gratitude journal – there’s a growing body of research showing the benefits of gratitude. Studies have found that gratitude can help people sleep better, lower stress and improve interpersonal relationships.

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!

RSPCA Cupcake Day

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.

Woolworths Cricket Blast

Cricket Blast Flyer – All schools

Australian Navy Cadets

Print ready How to join

Print ready Flyer

Park Ridge Football Club

OzSports Woolworths Cricket Blast Program

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

Free Dental Care

FREE DENTAL CARE

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

Welcome Back

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.

Reports

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.

Start and End of Day

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.

Uniforms

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.

COVID SAFETY aspects in and around our school

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!

Helping Children Bounce Back!

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.

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:

• Showing them how to find the positives (however small) in negative situations;
• Helping them to understand that negative situations in your life are temporary and that bad situations are specific and do not necessarily flow over into all aspects of your life.

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:

• I must be perfect and never make any mistakes
• If something bad has happened to me once it will happen again

Young people also need to learn skills for being confident as part of their ‘resilience tool kit’. These skills include:

• Knowing their own strengths and limitations and being prepared to work hard and not give up despite encountering obstacles; (parents don’t always look to solve their situations / fight their battles for them)
• Realise that not everyone will treat them kindly and nicely all the time; (parents to give examples of own situations and instances)
• Making good decisions and seeking advice from parents and teachers is wise so their decisions are more likely to be good ones; (parents offer good advice not always solutions)
• Solving problems creatively or telling a teacher helps to solve the situation; (this is not ‘dobbing’, but allows staff and the RTC to assist them by attending to matters). If the police can use “Crime Stoppers” to seek information, we too ask students to report matters to staff and the RTC.
• Knowing that mistakes are OK (parents to reinforce students that mistakes are Ok)

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.

Pancake Breakfast

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.

Care Packages

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.

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.

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

Purchase Uniforms Online

Uniforms can now be purchased online through QuickCliq.com.au

Tuckshop news

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

Tuckshop Menu 2022

Term Dates 2022 final

School Transport Assistance Scheme

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 Pass Information for 2022

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

More Bus Services?

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.