Dear Parents/Caregivers,

The end of 2019 witnessed the school dealing with smoke alerts and following the bushfires and their impact on Year 7 and 8 camps. The start of 2020 saw the school dealing with record hourly rainfall and multiple class rooms shut down due to water damage. The last two weeks have seen us deal with a pandemic the scope of which has not been seen in over 100 years. Throughout all these events, the community support in the main has been great to see. I would like to thank the parents and community for your understanding as we dealt with each situation as it arose. I would also like to acknowledge the parents who contacted the school directly to gain clarification about decisions and school operations instead of using social media to vent frustration.

This week will see staff working on Term 2 planning as well as some final Term 1 activities. Teachers will be contactable by email through the week. If you have an emergent student welfare need, the Chaplain and Guidance Officers will still be working and contactable at school.

At the time of writing, we are due back on Monday 20 April.  It is my belief that one of these three scenarios will play out;

1. School returns as normal with the expectation that students come to school.
2. The school moves to online learning where possible with only the children of essential workers attending school.
3. Lock down for the community with school being cancelled

I would hope to inform parents by Friday 17 April about the status of Term 2 schooling, however this decision will be made by the Government.  We will let you know through

1. Text message
2. Email
3. Our social media  

The Easter period this year resembles more of a break from school than a holiday. Also at the time of writing, no students in the extended Palm Beach and Currumbin areas had returned a positive test for COVID-19. Students still need to be mindful of the social distancing protocols and congregating in high risk areas such as shopping centres and popular gathering areas such as skate parks.

Some of the recent school highlights include

• The Year 12 Construction IDT class has been building a shed for the Rugby League program next to the oval
  
  
  
• The Clontarf Foundation facilitating the employment of seven indigenous students at K Mart (the students had to earn their positions).
• Successful PBC Alliance Breakfast where a number of our students received substantial scholarships and former students Regan Hickey and Jackson North were awarded $5000 scholarships from Tugan Community Branch (Bendigo Bank).
• The installation of a solar system on N Block roof.

Please stay safe and well during the break.

Regards,

Chris Capra, Executive Principal

AFL Senior Boys Personal Development Excursion

On the 11 March, the PBC Senior Boys AFL squad embarked on a personal development bus tour to continue their sports excellence education to be not only better footballers, but better men. The day began with a session at Southport Gymanstics Centre where, former Olympian, Lee McDermott ran a workshop on body awareness and control when landing/changing direction. Lee has spent the summer working with the Gold Coast Suns players on similar movements. From there, Shiike Vanderweuff conducted his first session with the boys on mental conditioning and mindfulness, an important skill in young athletes, learning to control what you can and deal with what you can’t.

The group then proceeded to go to Metricon Stadium where Shaun Hart from the Gold Coast Suns and his Personal excellence team spoke to the boys about decision making, moral courage and what it takes in respectful relationships, a great session that will be developed later in 2020.

To conclude the day, the boys then ventured out of their comfort zone into Burleigh Indoor Rock Climbing Centre where it was fantastic to see boys overcome fears, embrace challenges and work so well as a unit.

Thankyou to all our partners for providing these services to these young men, it really was a great day and no doubt created a positive environment for the 46 players to thrive in 2020 and beyond.

Peter Hill and Neil Mackay,
Senior Boys AFL Coaches

  

Year 9 Football Excellence Cluster Day

The Year 9 Boys put together some great performances at their Football Sports Excellence Cluster Day that was held before school sport was cancelled. Played between the Sports Excellence schools of south east Queensland, PBC won all three of their games on the day 5-1, 1-0, and 4-0.

Shane Robinson,
Football Excellence Coach

Term 1 Murri Jarjum Celebration Breakfast

On Friday of Week 7 we held our first Murri Jarjum Breakfast Celebration for 2020. The purpose of the breakfast is to celebrate a number of proud moments for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The morning began with a quick chat from Paul Bullpitt about the amazing opportunities on offer to our Murri Jarjums in 2020, including the introduction of our Clontarf Room.

We were lucky enough to welcome Michael Naylor and Rachel Stringfellow from the Qld Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation to present our current Year 11 and 12 QATSIF Scholarship recipients. Michael Naylor spoke to us about the significance of the QATSIF Scholarship money and the importance of acknowledging the stolen wages from our previous generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queensland workers.

Also in attendance were a number of other support people that provide amazing opportunities for our students. These included Cianni Roberts (Kalwun Deadly Choices), Justine Dillon (Ngarang-Wal Gold Coast Aboriginal Association Incorporated), John Hammond (Qld Ambulance Service), Jenaye Ward (AIME Bond University), Denise Mills and Alfie Summers (Krurungal). Each of these people play key roles in assisting our students achieve their QCE and graduate from PBC.

The breakfast was also a celebration of outstanding attendance with students above 92% receiving recognition as well as a special accolade for those students with 100% attendance so far in 2020. The morning finished with acknowledgement of our highest GPA male and female ATSI students from 2019.

Thank you to all the staff, students and family members that took the time to attend the first breakfast of 2020 and we hope to see you at our next one.

Naomi Apanui & Deana Lasserre

Click the links below to hear the latest from PBC’s Wellbeing Team.

Senior School Guidance Officer

Read the attached article for the latest information targeted to senior students of careers and pathway information.

https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/support-and-resources/guidance-officer

Middle School Guidance Officer

  

School Based Youth Health Nurse

The School based Youth Health Nurse team have created a virtual clinic for students and parents to access. This service will be manned by our own Hilary Wilson (SBYHN) and another highly experienced SBYHN.

Isolation in home environments can actually be detrimental to health and wellbeing with regards to financial issues, domestic and sexual violence etc. This clinic is a way for the SBYHN to extend their service to hopefully accommodate those that need to reach out for help via distance.

The number is: 07 5687 9183

The email is: SBYHNGoldCoast@health.qld.gov.au

Challenge the Title of Man - Workshops

Last week all of our Year 12 students joined PBC alumni Tom Herschell in his “Challenge the Title of Man” workshops.

Tom has now worked with over 600 of our young Men this term across all year levels as part of PBC’s Growing Good Men project. The workshops allow students an opportunity to challenge some of the more negative traditional notions of masculinity and to tell their story.

Here’s some feedback when asked “what was the best part of the workshop?”

• “Amazing work, the best thing I’ve done in my life”
• “..just how good the conversations that were had, learning new things on what being a bloke is really about.”
• “….to know that I’m not alone!”

Paul Bullpitt
HOD Positive Behaviour

  

Student Feedback

After the final bell goes each Friday, when the kids are crossing/waiting to cross the road, PBC TA Tom Flood asks students to name a teacher that has contributed to their week in a positive way. Here are Tom Flood’s students Gratitude comments from his crossing duty.

• Mr Sarasola - Media art assignment help
• Ms McGovern - Comfort after needle
• Mr Walsh - Helps with assignments
• Library staff (ladies) - Helped find laptop (reduce anxiety)
• Ms Kundris-Little - Helped with science assignment
• Ms Haidley - Helped with understanding maths - tax
• Ms Schatz - Always nice and positive
• Ms Witherington - Helped with draft feedback
• Mr McManemin - Really positive, made me laugh
• Mr Roberts - Draft feedback
• Mr Mackay - Awesome AFL session
• Ms Ashley - Allowing rest and meditation after needles
• Ms Seabrooke - English assessment help
• Mr Jeffery - Great science explanations
• Mr Howard - Helped decode/break down work for easier understanding
• Mr Buchanan - Great advice on woodwork project
• Ms Woodham - Care - always nice and positive
• Ms Thomas - Help with humanities assignment
• Ms Stewart - English draft feedback and help
• Mr Opie - Feedback and helping with work
• Teacher Aides - Helping when I don’t understand
• Mr Aledines - Helping with maths
• Ms Reid - Philosophy - constructive feedback
• Ms Masia - Stayed in at lunch to help with science
• Ms Smith - Assignment help
• Mr Bishop - Reduced anxiety after student had a panic attack
• Crossing staff - thankful for all staff that help at crossing times, and the chats
• Ms TG - Delivery Of video feedback
• Ms I'Anson - Chocolates!!
• Ms Stewart - Set up OneNote and showed how to use it
• Mr Lang - Makes lessons fun, jokes and stories etc
• Mr Roberts - Emailed and ‘checked in’
• Ms Henderson - ‘Was there for me’ - provided emotional support
• Ms I'Anson - Helped with assessment
• Mr Falvey - Even with smaller numbers has supported and encouraged surfing
• Ms Ashley - ‘Class party’ fun activities to help change mood
• Mr Urasaki - Upbeat, happy and makes lessons fun
• Mr White - Lots of emails linking revision to OneNote

   

Japanese Class heads outside

Mr Wilkes' Japanese class headed outside last week for a break from the classroom. They are learning the Japanese hiragana alphabet using mnemonics and games. This activity is called the hiragana line battle. A team lines up on each end of the hiragana card line, one member from each team walks along the card trail and says the character out loud. When they meet they rock, scissors , paper in Japanese, the winner continues down the line until they get to the end and win, the student who lost goes to the back of the line and the next member begins at the start. When they are finished the game, they race to collect the cards as I call them out. Students love this game and it is perfect for outside, not super wind friendly though!

  

Who wore it better?

Sometimes our teachers arrive to school 'on point'. We love the coordination here by Mr Hage and Mr Bullpitt :)

  

Debating Success

  

Follow us on Social Media

www.facebook.com/palmbeachcurrumbinstatehigh

www.instagram.com/pbcshs

www.facebook.com/pbcalliance

 

Dates to Remember

  

Early Term 1 break - student free days

The Term 1 break has now begun for most students.  Schools will remain open for students of essential workers, that is workers who are required in their workplace, and vulnerable students. Teachers will undertake professional development and prepare resources for learning@home from 30 March – 3 April.

Learning@home is the department’s new website that provides teaching and learning resources for students at home.

School will resume on Monday 20 April 2020 as normal unless health advice determines otherwise.

https://qed.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media/novel-coronavirus

  

Buy Smart Competition

Looking for activities over the school holidays to keep the kids busy? Encourage them to get creative and enter the Buy Smart Competition to be in the running for a share in over $15,000 in prizes.

Students in Years 4-12 are invited to enter by making their own project explaining a consumer issue and to give advice on that topic. Past entries to the competition have included board games, posters, magazines, clothing, social media accounts and even music videos.

Entries are open until 5pm, Friday 18 September 2020. But it’s never too early to get started.

Find out more at the Queensland Government website.

We encourage parents/caregivers to email your student’s excellent recent achievements to us. These achievements can be in The Arts, sporting, academic or community service. We would love to hear from you! Please email us at news@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au with details of your student’s achievement and include at least one photo, and/or any links to media articles that we can share via our Parent Newsletter, internal communications and social media.

Kayaking Success

Sarah Hardwick Year 9 competed at the National Sprint Kayaking Championships at Penrith international sprint regatta on 11-15 March. Sarah competed in women U14 division.

Results :
Gold k2 2500m
Silver k2 1000m / 200m
Bronze k1 2500m / 200m k2 500m

Daniel Hardwick Year 11 Kayaking/Surf League excellence student attended National Sprint Kayaking Championship 11-15 March at Penrith International Regatta. Daniel raced in men’s U16 division in tight racing times through heats and finals dominating the men’s 16 age group.
Results:
Gold k1 500m/ 200m
Gold k2 1000m/ 200m and k4 500m
Silver k2 500m
Bronze k1 1000m

Following his racing Daniel, for the second consecutive year in the U16 men’s age group, has been selected to represent Australia at the Olympic Hopes in Hungary.

PBC Alumni Kayaking Success

This photo was taken at the 2020 National Canoe sprint championships at Penrith 11-15 March. Current PBC kayaking students who competed at the championships along with past PBC students Tom Green and Jordan Wood who were vying for spots on the Olympic team. Both Tom and Jordan have just been officially announced they are part of a team of canoe sprint paddlers confirmed for Tokyo Olympic Games which has been postponed till 2021.

L-R Tom Green, Chaise Richardson, Daniel Hardwick, Ava Lund, Sarah Hardwick and Jordan Wood

  

Rhythmic Gymnastics Results

Congratulations to Tayla Miller, Year 11 who was part of the Aspire Senior Group Team who won Gold and Silver medals at the 2020 Senior Rhythmic Gymnastics Queensland Challenge on 7 March 2020 in Brisbane.

Tayla and her team mates managed to obtain the qualifying score for the Nationals Gymnastics Championships in Melbourne and be part of the Queensland State Team. However, on 17 March 2020, the Gymnastics Australia CEO announced that the 2020 Australian Gymnastics Championships have been canceled due to COVID-19 and in line of the government restrictions around mass gatherings.

Well done Tayla on this great acheivement.

Canteen 

Please Don’t forget Breakfast is from 8:00am till 9:00am Monday to Friday for all students and hot chocolates are also available as the weather is getting cooler.

International Burger day was a great success and loads of fun for all staff and students where we introduced our New PBC Mac Burger with our PBC secret sauce with everyone has enjoyed.

With the colder weather we are busy making some warm and wonderful meals for our students to keep re-energised.

Below is the link to our latest Canteen menu. There has been some price and menu changes. The Canteen menu is also available on our website.

Payments Window Operating Hours

Over the counter payments can only be accepted between 8:00am and 1:00pm on Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can make payments via BPOINT from your invoice or statement or Direct Deposit.

For Internet banking please use the details below:

School’s Bank Account:               PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN SHS General A/C

BSB Number:                             064-404 CBA Branch Burleigh Heads

Account Number:                        00090303

Reference/Details:                      Record both Student ID AND the reference Code to ensure your payment can be recorded correctly. (Reference Code = ITEM BEING PAID FOR e.g.: 2018 SRS8 or 2018 ACEX10)

 

SRS Fees

Make payments the quick and easy way using BPOINT. Visit www.bpoint.com.au/payments/dete, follow the prompts or phone BPOINT on 1300 631 073.

Parents/caregivers experiencing financial difficulty can email ParentSupport ParentSupport@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au.

Payment plan options are available including Centrepay -a service to families whereby periodic payments can be made to the school or Direct Debit via credit card (monthly). Paperwork is available from the Student Services Office to activate either of these plans.

 

QParents

Parents – have you registered for QParents yet?

Are you using QParents to stay in contact with our school and to access information about your child’s schooling?

If you haven’t yet registered for QParents, register now.

You can provide your 100 points of identity documents for registration online through QParents, or in person at your school.

If you have limited identity documents, or experience difficulties registering, please contact your school for help.

QParents is a great way to stay informed about what’s happening in your child’s school life

Saver Plus

Could $500 help you with high-school costs?

https://www.facebook.com/SaverPlusAU