This week we inducted our Year 12 College Leaders.  They are:

• College Captains: Moale James and Josh Andrews
• Faith and Community Captains: Holly Dodwell, Emma Johnson, Lani Kombanie and Isabelle Westaway
• Sports Captain: Thomas Boroughs
• Performing Arts Captain: Holly Colvin
• House Captains:
  • Ararat: Nichola Bates and Lachlan McCaig
  • Sinai: Talia Rosa-Denham and James Proud
  • Zion: Rebekah Groer and Durack Underwood

All our Year 12 students are seen as leaders in their own right.  Undoubtedly there are many younger students who look up to our Seniors as role models and so it is so important for them to set the right example.  Such simple little things like wearing their uniform with pride can easily impact younger students. Careless language is easily picked up by younger ears as well. Our Seniors have taken a pledge and we will review this pledge throughout the year so they don’t easily forget the influence they have on the student body.

QUT Student Ambassadors

Four students from Year 10 and 11 have been selected to represent our school again as QUT Young Ambassadors. They are:

• Year 11: Jesse Woods and Billie Sandes
• Year 10: Jade Curtis and Stephanie Freeman

These students will attend workshops at QUT each term and will be able to provide a students perspective to QUT management.  

Plus Fitness Membership Winners

At the end of last year Josie Robertson, Manager of Beerwah Plus Fitness approached the College and kindly donated full annual memberships for 2 worthy recipients from each grade from Year 9 to 12.  These have been chosen and will be made known at a special assembly on 29 February.  I would like to publicly thank Josie for this generous donation.  

It is wonderful for the College to have these links with our wider community. As see so often in the media, the fitness levels of our young people can be a problem and so we support this initiative wholeheartedly.

Swimming Carnival

We had a great Secondary Swimming Carnival. It was such a close competition between our houses and congratulations go to Ararat who were the eventual winners.  As is so often the case, the winning house was ultimately the one with the greatest participation.  I want to thank those students who swam in virtually every event.  I also applaud those who got involved even though swimming is not entirely one of their giftings.  The fact they gave it a go meant their house was awarded points. I want to thank the staff for their hard work throughout the day to make the event run so smoothly and the parents who came and supported the event. For photos of the day click here.

The big change for 2016 was holding this carnival on a Wednesday.  This decision was made deliberately in an endeavour to reduce the interruptions to the Senior academic programs.  Unfortunately some students still chose to stay away from the carnival even though attendance is not optional. The College needs parents support for attendance at events like this.

If your child is in Year 11 or 12 then please note the following Wednesday dates for compulsory school attendance:

• 23 March – Secondary Cross Country Carnival (half day attendance only)
• 25 May – Secondary Athletics Carnival
• 22 June – Start of the Year 11 Camp

Please note also the date of Tuesday, 1 November our 2016 Awards Night which is also compulsory attendance for students.

Future Pathways

I am very pleased to see the number of students making the most of the opportunities available to explore career choices.  This year we have five Year 12 and seventeen Year 11 students studying the Diploma of Business course that we are offering.  We also have students doing Headstart University subjects, TAFE courses and various traineeships and apprenticeships.  We welcome to the College, Mrs Carol McKee who is our Future Pathways Coordinator and encourage all students who are not sure of their options after leaving school to touch base with her. Carol will be working particularly with our Year 10 students this term in preparing them for their work experience program held early in Term 2.

DeLorean Project

Have you heard about the Delorean Project that our Year 10’s are doing? This is extremely exciting. Each Wednesday our Year 10’s are working on a range of projects in areas/topics that interest them. These projects are negotiated with our DeLorean Project Facilitators and will ultimately take the year to complete. Every project meets a need in the community and develops the ‘21st Century Skills’ that employers say young people MUST have to be successful in the workforce of the future. Some of our students have the opportunity to work with the University of the Sunshine Coast and we are excited about what they will be producing. I am sure that this independent learning will prepare them greatly for their senior years of schooling and beyond. If you’d like to see what the DeLorean Project is up to please visit www.deloreanproject.com.au

Study Skills

On 29 February, each Senior Year Level will participate in a double period session designed to empower our students to become better learners.They will be taught a range of study skills that we are hoping they will incorporate into their home study program as well as at school.  In the evening we will be holding a parent information night so you too can understand what benefits students and their learning. I hope you will get answers to those age old questions:

• Does listening to music while you study make you a better learner?
• How can I help my student to become a better learner?

If you haven’t received an email from us about the evening then please contact the College.

David Heyworth, Head of Senior School