In this issue

11 Hillcrest Road, Park Ridge Q 4125
Email: admin@parklands.qld.edu.au

 /pccnews
 @parklandsnews

KRANK Holiday program

“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 Day Camps

PGL Kindilan. Day Camps JAN 2019PGL Kindilan. Day Camps JAN 2019

School Holiday Adventure Program

Summer SH flyer 2018

New Swim Club

See attachment for further information.

flyer_col_print_rev

Queensland Cadet Bushmen Recruits

QCB-180905-1244 Recruiting Montage

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

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 Bank Account details are as follows:

BSB: 034115
Account Number: 169944

Please use your surname and initials as reference e.g. ‘J&C Smith’

Term Direct Debit Deduction Dates

• 17th February
• 17th April
• 17th July
• 17th September

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.

Discounts Available

• Monthly 2%
• Term 5%
• Annual 8%

Term Dates 2019

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.

Year 12 Formal

Year 1

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

2018 – The year that was

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:

• We welcomed back our amazing, regular staff plus Mrs. Edwards, Miss Hollands & then Miss NcNabb in semester 2.
• Two, full classes per Grade again all the way through Primary School
• A splendid, very informative and enjoyable Back to School BBQ evening
• A great Primary Swimming Carnival
• A fun Grade 5 & 6 Camp
• iPads used extensively in Gr 5 and Gr 6
• Gr 5 & 6 students continue to use Secondary Science Labs
• Improved canteen and healthy menu
• Face Book used more readily as an information / communication tool
• Productive Parent / Teacher Interviews and Profile Night registration done ‘on line’
• Drop Off Area process monitored by staff and the Gr 6 leaders really worked well this year
• New walkways, fences and signs in and around the school
• New Bell sound and song of a morning
• Support a Reader, Friendship Groups and Learn for Life program increased in the school
• Improved results for the NAPLAN Test
• ICAS testing (English, Maths and Science) well supported and students did well.
• On line subscriptions and resources (e.g. Literacy Planet, Reading Eggs, ClickView) were increased and improved
• Resource Room working well and Mrs. Bayer has done a wonderful job promoting books and reading.
• Lots of new wonderful class resources like Library books, class readers and teaching aids were purchased
• Student Leadership of Captains, Vice Captains, Class Ambassadors, Sport, Library, Art & Music Captains did a wonderful job this year
• Litter Legends and Carpet Champions given badges and esteemed in recognition of their role
• A fun and well attended Grand Parents Day was held in the Auditorium and forecourt
• Prep Readiness Testing and Orientation Day enabled staff, Preppies and Prep parents to become acquainted with the ‘Parklands Way’
• Gr 6 Graduation Ceremony took place in the Library Function Room
• Gr 6 Transition Day allowing students to experience Middle School staff and venues
• Pro Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Softball and Netball coaching plus lots of different sport training (athletics, Cross Country) offered a morning or during Structured Playtime
• Gr 6 Table Tennis training offered
• Athletics Carnival separated
• Both Athletics Carnivals held on our top oval and run smoothly.
• Students enjoy playing in second half of lunch time and have lots of fun
• Duty staff monitored games/soccer played on oval, during structured play
• Top oval, fields and new Baskerville Sports Centre used for training and HPE
• Came 3^rd in the CSSA Swimming Carnival
• Came 2^nd in the CSSA Cross Country Carnival
• Came 1^st in the CSSA Athletics Carnival
• Soccer and Netball Teams did well in CSSA Team Games
• AFL boys teams and girls team played very well through the season
• Carols on the Green Event was well supported
• Primary staff performed a fun item at Carols on the Green
• Choir performances in Chapels, Grand Plaza, Open Day and Carols on the Green
• Parklands came 2^nd in the Grand Plaza Choir performance competition
• Parklands did very well in Wakkakirri – received wonderful feedback.
• Mother’s and Father’s Day Stall brought great joy and excitement to the students

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.

Staffing for 2019

• The amazing, long serving Mrs. Robyn Gowreah has resigned and Miss Sarah Hope has been appointed to the position of Year 1 Teacher for next year.
• Mrs. Bourchier’s husband has been transferred back to Brisbane for work so Jessica (who was on a year’s leave) will be returning to Parklands and taking on a Year 6 teaching position.
• Mrs. Kelly Clausen will be moving to / taking a Prep class next year.
• Miss Louise McNabb will be moving to / taking a Year 2 class next year.
• Mrs. Lisa Edwards’ one year contract has unfortunately not been renewed.
• Mrs. Penny Daley is continuing to further her studies and has been assigned the role of Director of Primary Studies.

We wish Robyn and Lisa everything of the very best for the future.

Teacher Aides for 2019 are as follows:

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:

1. Structured Play starts at 2.30pm so students can be collected from the Undercover Area by a guardian any time from 2.30pm.
2. The End of the Primary School Day is at 3.10pm.
3. Students need to be collected from the Undercover Area by a guardian or older sibling and cannot leave on their own.
4. Students not collected by 3.30pm will be taken up to Student Services where they will be supervised until collected.

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 29^th January 2019 for a fantastic New Year.

Senior News…

End of Year Events

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:

Year 10

Christlikeness Award: Toby Ross
Dux: Jake West
Principals Award: Abby Hudson

Year 11

Christlikeness Award: Lisha Mathews
Dux: Ryan Mitchell
Principals Award: Nathaniel Lovaszi

Year12

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