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From the Executive Principal,
Big welcome back to families and a warm welcome for all new families to our PBC community. I have been through many Year 7 classrooms this week and they have all been working strongly and showing the best version of their learner self. It is certainly something I have come to expect and experience of all PBC classes, making it an absolute pleasure to be the Executive Principal.
It is a credit to our large student population of approximately 2700 students that the new Mobile Phone policy has been introduced successfully. There has been a noticeable increase in student conversation at break times, a key outcome of the policy.
Our communication strategy relies on families accessing what we provide. This includes the newsletter, social media, email, text messages and QParents. For this reason, it is important to inform us of any changes to your contact details.
Our P&C and is a very positive group that is focussed on school improvement. I have developed a new funding request process and it will be a key role of the P&C to assess and approve requests, having pride in the contribution to our student learning. Our first meeting of the year is February 22.
I wish to highlight the fantastic work of our cleaners, grounds and facilities staff who did an enormous amount of work to have our school ready for learning. Although we suffered little damage to buildings the wind and rain had left the grounds in an absolute mess.
I look forward to meeting many families at our upcoming Year 7 meet and greet night on Jan 31.
Best wishes, Chris.
Welcome back for 2024.
This past week we welcomed 445 Year 7 students to our Junior Secondary school plus an additional 78 new Year 8 and 9 students. I have been pleased to see the year start off very smoothly. A big thank you to the over 500 families who responded to our Partners in Learning Questionnaire (link provided via email) by sharing something about your child and your hopes for them at PBC and in their learning.
We always start with a clear focus on our school motto Nil Sed Optima which means nothing but the best - we ask students to set goals to be their best and we will support and assist them every step to achieve those goals.
I wish everyone the most productive and happy year and look forward to working with you as Junior Secondary Principal. I am leading a fabulous team who will support your young people in any endeavours or problems they have.
The key Junior Secondary school team members based in A Block (Main Administration) are:
Tammy Burns - Deputy Principal Year 7
Chris Wood – Deputy Principal Year 8
Wendy Wise - Deputy Principal Year 9
Cameron Williams – HOD Student Engagement Year 7 – 9
Andrew Jordan – Head of Year 7
Emma Norton and Amanda Parry - Head of Year 8
Nick Hiron – Head of Year 9
Anna Willis – Guidance Officer
Kylie Gibson – Acting HOD Inclusion
Natalie Johnstone - 7/8 Inclusion Co-ordinator
Kate Fechner – 7/8 Inclusion Co-ordinator
Guy Fitter – 9/10 Inclusion Co-ordinator
Kylee Gelkov Moss - EAL/D Co-ordinator
Tegan Willmott– Junior Secondary Student Services
Yvette Whittaker – Wellbeing Student services support
Lyn Bortolin – DP support and Junior Secondary Office support
Natasha Eenhoorn – Executive support to Junior Secondary Principal
Contacts can be found on the school website https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/our-school/contact-us/staff-contact-list
Enquiries and or concerns can be directed through our central email - parentsupport@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au as these are fielded to the most helpful person to support you.
PBC’s Junior Secondary School has commenced with energy and enthusiasm, as students were introduced to both their Care Classes and new academic classes.
QParents – a new way of doing business with PBC
Parents of Year 7 and families new to PBC will have received an email on 24 January from QParents with an invitation to sign up for QParents. This is how the school will seek permissions and how you can manage and pay school fees. We are slowly rolling this in this term and have started with these groups but if you have older students you can add them also. If you would like to receive an invitation, please contact the school.
Year 7 Parent Information Evening
Year 7 Parents have been emailed an invitation to our Year 7 Parent Information Night on the 31 January. The night will include some introductions across two alternating short sessions including – laptop use at home and practical tips for parents. Parents attending should bring their child’s Students Guide to Junior Secondary with their student timetable in it. Please refer to emailed invitation which includes the map and schedule.
Assessment Calendar – Term 1
To help students get organised and stay organised, the Assessment Calendar will be published on the PBC website in Week 4 and emailed to parents. Parents and students can easily access this information so that they can predict the busy times and plan for them. Students should also be using their student planners to note homework and important dates.
Student Mobile Phones Reminder
Mobile phones are away for the day during school hours 8.55am until 3.00pm. Phones must be switched off and out of sight. Notifications must be turned off on smart watches.
VET NEWS
Students are asked to please see Mr Poirrier in G Block Staffroom if they are interested in any of the VET certificate courses and opportunities mentioned below.
Year 11 & 12 Students - courses commencing in Term 1 2024
Gold Coast Trades College has a number of Term 1 openings for Year 11 & 12 students who have not yet used their VETis funding. There are spots remaining in the following courses:
- Certificate I Construction
- Certificate II Automotive
- Cert II Plumbing (Year 11s only)
Students who enrol in a VET certificate course with GCTC attend their training facility in Currumbin one school day per week. Students undertake external VET courses in addition to their timetabled senior subjects.
See Mr Poirrier in G Block staffroom for more information.
Diploma of Business half scholarships for current Year 11 Diploma Students
As part of their partnership with PBC, Prestige Service Training are offering two half Diploma of Business scholarships to current Year 11 students commencing their studies in Term 1 2024.
If any current year 11 Diploma of Business students are interested in applying for a half scholarship please see Mr Poirrier in G Block staffroom a.s.a.p. for further instructions.
Applications are due by Thursday 15 February.
Sustainability at PBC
With 2,650 students and around 200 staff, PBC generates a lot of waste. You can play a role in helping us reduce waste. Around the school, there are more than 40 compartmentalised bins allowing you to separate your food waste, 10 cent eligible drink containers, recyclables and general waste. Take a few moments to look at the stickers on the bin and place your rubbish item in the correct compartment. You don’t have to remember where every single waste item goes, just focus on the items you usually bring to school, which are probably the same each day.
Other general sustainability tips include:
- Bring a bottle you can fill up with chilled, filtered water at the bottle filling stations
- Minimise packaging by buying food in bulk and putting a portion in a container each day
- If you can’t use a container, wrap your food in recyclable materials like aluminium foil
- Consider bringing cutlery from home instead of using disposable cutlery from the canteen
- Place all eligible beverage containers in the blue bin compartment to help us earn money
Your daily habits will help PBC to make a significant reduction in waste to landfill and help our school demonstrate that sustainability improvements are achievable if we all work together to do our part.
#redsgogreen
Year 7
Starting at high school is overwhelming. Students are not just contending with an increased workload, they are also expected to be organised for every subject, every day. Being organised may be a challenge initially for your young person, however this will be significant focus this year. Being organised in Math means:
- All required equipment and books are brought for each lesson.
- Homework is completed on time.
- Assessment drafts and finals are submitted by the due dates and exam revision is completed.
Extra Support
We have had some recent requests for recommendations for math tutoring. Our advice is to utilise the Thursday afternoon homework club held in the IDT building. Whether it be for help with homework, assessment or general content teachers will be available to help your child.
Calculators
A note about calculators. Students are expected to have their own scientific calculator for all Maths lessons. Casio is the preferred model (see image below) at PBC, but any scientific calculator is acceptable. Please make sure that your son or daughter is prepared for every Maths lesson by bringing a calculator to school every day. Thank you for your support with this.
Riddle Time
Year 10 Mathematics
Year 10 is a challenge for many students, particularly in maths as students often begin to find their limits and need to start building strong homework/study and revision habits. This enables them to start to activate their long term memory of the wider ranging skills required to continue to succeed. Students can no longer rely on the mantra “If I understand the concept then I’ll be fine on the test”.
Success in Maths this year is important for setting up future pathways. Courses students could be completing are designed to cater for all levels:
10 Foundational Maths
This is the students who require extra support in Maths. It is not for students who wish to study Essential Maths in the future. Placement in this course is by invitation only and places are limited.
10 Mathematics
The course where we cater for students that could be studying Essential or General Maths in the future, teachers will take special care to ensure that differentiation occurs and students are aware what content and question level they should be engaging with. Assessment is designed so that it caters for all levels and gives everyone an opportunity to pass.
10 Extension Mathematics
A course that extends students and caters for students wishing to study Mathematical Methods or Specialist Maths in the future but also has found to be a great benefit for students exceling in General maths due to the effective study habits learnt.
10 Specialist Mathematics
An elective specifically designed to prepare students for wishing to study Specialist Maths in the future.
Students’ pathways in Maths are largely determined by results by the end of Semester 1. Year 11 and 12 course requirements are below
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11 Methods/Specialist |
- Achieve an A in 10 Mathematics in semester 1. - Achieve a C in 10 Extension Maths in semester 1. - All students must study and pass 10 Extension in semester 2. - Outside of these students will need to seek HOD approval. |
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11 General |
- Any student completing 10 Extension. - Achieve a B in 10 Maths in semester 1. - Students must complete and pass Semester 2 of 10 Maths. |
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11 Essential |
- Any student who doesn’t meet the above standards. |
This term in House & CARE we have three awesome events for students to get involved in and earn house points. In week 3 there will be a Mario Kart competition held in the Library, during weeks 7/8 we will host both a junior and senior Maths Comp, and our first Instagram comp will be the return of ‘Creative Faces’. The House Leaders would love to see as many students participating in these events as possible, particularly our new year 7’s!
Take a look below at the current House Points Scoreboard Tally:
District Swim Trial Nominations
GC Cluster Day Information
All students in Year 7-11 have selected their sport/activity choice for 2024 via an online survey. Those who haven’t completed the survey have been allocated to School Based Rec (Year 7-10) or Home Study (Year 11).
This will be their timetabled sport for the 5 cluster days this year. The dates for the cluster days in 2024 are:
Cluster Day 1 – Tuesday 27th February (T1 Week 6)
Cluster Day 2 - Wednesday 20th March (T1 week 9)
Cluster Day 3 – Monday 22nd April (T2 week 2)
Cluster Day 4 - Tuesday 4th June (T2 week 8)
Cluster Day 2 - Wednesday 24th July (T3 week 3)
GC Cross Over Finals – Wednesday 14th August (T3 Week 6)
A reminder that cluster days are compulsory school days and attendance is taken and included in the students overall % for the year.
For any information regarding Cluster Day Sport or Representative Sport (Oceanic/South Coast/QLD) please email our School Sports Co-Ordinator – Anya Hart sport@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au
| GC SPORT/ACTIVITY CHOICES 2024 | |||||
| COST | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | ||||
| Sports Excellence | PLEASE SELECT EITHER: | FREE | Students must still opt for this on the survey | ||
| AFL, Soccer, Basketball, Netball, | Only offered to SPX students | ||||
| Rugby League, Surfing, Surf | Please indicate on the survey which sport | ||||
| Lifesaving, Tennis, Touch, Track | It is compulsory for ALL SPX students (Yr. 7-12) to be present on the Cluster Days | ||||
| Creative Arts Excellence (Visual arts/Drama/Music) | CAX Experiences - DRAMA | $100 | |||
| CAX Experiences - ART | $100 | ||||
| CAX Experiences - MUSIC | $100 | ||||
| Dance Excellence | Dance Fitness & Activities | $100 | |||
| Inter School Sport (competitive) | Basketball (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | |||
| ***AFL (Yr 7-9 B&G) *** | $75 | ||||
| Netball (Yr 7-10 B&G) | $75 | ||||
| Rugby League (9’s) (Yr 7-10 B) | $75 | ||||
| Volleyball (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | ||||
| Soccer (Yr 7-10 Boys) | $75 | ||||
| Soccer/Futsal (Yr 7-9 Girls) | $75 | ||||
| Touch (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | ||||
| Tennis (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | ||||
| Table Tennis (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | ||||
| Inter School Sport (recreational) | Lawn Bowls (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | |||
| Surfing (Yr 7-8 B&G) | $40 | Years 7 to complete a competency / Yr7/8 competitive option only | |||
| Chess (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $40 | ||||
| E-Sports (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $40 | ||||
| Ten Pin Bowling (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $140 | ||||
| Mountain Biking (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $40 | Must have own bike / bikes will be checked at school prior to first cluster day, no transport provided from school | |||
| Skateboarding (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $70 | At Level Up Skate Park – no transport provided from school, pay at venue | |||
| Ultimate Disc (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $75 | ||||
| PBC Specialised Activities | Golf (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $100 | Pay at venue / no transport provided from school / Tallebudgera Golf Course | ||
| Fitness and Lifestyle (Yr 9/10 G) | $125 | $25 per day / pay at venue / no transport provided from school | |||
| Rec Surfing (Year 9-12 B&G) | $40 | ||||
| Arts and Crafts (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $40 | ||||
| Art Workshops (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $40 | ||||
| Indoor Climbing (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $140 | ||||
| Murri Jarjum Activities (Yr 7-12 B&G) | FREE | ||||
| Beach & Bush Walking (Yr 7-12 B&G) | $40 | ||||
| PBC Productions | $40 | ||||
| ** New** Book Club | No cost | creative writing/workshops/excursion/poetry/reading | |||
| ** New**Puzzle Club | No cost | ||||
| School Based Recreation | (Yr 7-10 B&G) | FREE | |||
| Home Study | (Yr 11-12 B&G) | Year 11/12 students ONLY* | |||
| *SPX students not allowed to choose this option, they MUST attend cluster day as normal | |||||
School Student Broadband Initiative – Australian Government
To boost educational opportunities and narrow the digital divide, families without home internet are encouraged to apply for the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI). Access to internet at home can support children to build their digital skills and participate in a world that is more reliant on digital technology.
The Australian Government is supporting the National Broadband Network (NBN) to implement the SSBI to provide free home internet until 31 December 2025 for up to 30,000 unconnected families across Australia with school aged students.
To be eligible for SSBI, a family must:
To be eligible for the School Student Broadband Initiative, families self-nominating through the National Referral Centre, must:
- have a child living at home that is enrolled in a Queensland school (up to year 12 including from Prep).
- not have an active NBN® network internet service at home, AND not have had an active NBN connection during the previous 14 days. Having an existing ADSL and/or mobile internet service does not affect eligibility.
Note: Where an address has been disconnected from the NBN network in the previous 14 days, it will be found ineligible. To be eligible, a secondary check can be undertaken after the 14-day period has expired.
- Live in a premises that can access a standard NBN service.
- have their suitability determined via a questionnaire assessment conducted by the National Referral Centre.
How do you apply:
To apply contact the National Referral Centre directly at:
National Referral Centre
1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT)
or
www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet
Call-back and webchat functions are also available via the National Referral Centre website.
The NRC will ask some simple questions to establish your eligibility.
International Homestay Families Needed
Got a spare room? Ever thought of being a Homestay host? Homestay families come in all shapes and sizes... they are married couples with or without kids, singles, singles with kids and grandparents too. Everyone has an opportunity to play a part in sharing their life, home and provide memories and cultural experiences to an international high school student.
Get paid more than $320 a week caring for one of our International high school students in your home.
PBC is due to welcome International students back on campus later this year and we are looking for Homestay families. Please contact Corinne Vanput at PBC for more information at cvanp1@eq.edu.au. Find out more http://bit.ly/eqi-homestay-host
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.
Surfing
Triathalon
Congratulations PBC student Siena, who recently took out the Gold Medal in the Rookie category at the Aus Tri Super Sprint Australian Championships at Runaway Bay winning all 4 of her races! What a stellar effort Siena, well done!
Athletics
In late December Dylan competed at the Queensland Athletics Combined Event State Championships and was successful in coming away with a Gold medal in the u17 Decathlon. It was a gruelling competition for the athletes in very hot and humid conditions. Dylan achieved an overall personal best score for the Decathlon and individual personal best performances in the Long Jump, 400m & Discus. A highlight for Dylan was watching and competing alongside the Open Mens Olympic Decathletes Cedric Dubler and Ash Moloney. Way to go Dylan!
Tennis
PBC Open Boys Tennis Team finish 6th at National Finals
Congratulations to PBC’s open boys tennis team who after making the State Final, they qualified as one of the 12 Schools to compete in the 2023 Australian Schools National Finals which was played over 4 long days. The 5 boys (pictured below) played some phenomenal tennis in tough conditions and were very unlucky not to make the semi finals losing out by 1 single game! They went onto finish in 6th place overall.
Congratulations to all of the boys on a fantastic team effort.
Netball
Luca, Lillian and Chantelle and their Centaur Primary School team were awarded the Australia Day Tweed Shire Sports Group Award for their success last year coming 2nd out of 800 in the PSSA Netball knockout. The team then heading back to Sydney a couple of weeks later to Win PSSA All Schools Championship! Way to go girls!!
Canteen News
The Canteen staff have been hard at work creating and preparing a fresh menu daily.
Uniform Shop
We are experiencing a high volume of calls and emails. We are sorry for the inconvenience and will attend to your messages as soon as possible.
**REMINDER OVERDUE INVOICES** 2023 SRS and Excellence invoices should now be paid in full.
2024 SRS invoice has been issued. Please check junk mail (search “Debtor”) as sometimes invoices can be sent here.
2024 SRS PAYMENTS OPTIONS
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Option 1 – SRS fee paid in one lump sum |
|
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Available to all year levels |
Full SRS amount due 22/01/2024 |
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Option 2 – SRS fee paid in increments over 3 Instalments |
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Instalment 1 |
50% of total SRS due 23/01/2024 |
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Instalment 2 |
25% of total SRS due 27/02/2024 |
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Instalment 3 |
25% of total SRS due 27/03/2024 |
For all other payment options please email finance@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au or visit our website https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/support-and-resources/payments.
The Finance Window is located in D Block. The Payments Window is open on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 8:00am to 12:00pm.
QPARENTS
What is QParents? QParents is a user-friendly portal accessible via app or web browser, providing parents with secure online access to information about their child’s schooling. You can access information about:
- Provide consent for upcoming excursions
- timetables
- invoices and payment history.
Download QParents https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/login
Read Less
Could the parents at your school use an extra $500 for education costs? We understand that cost of living pressures is putting extra stress on households, with families in particular feeling the effects.
What is Saver Plus?
Saver Plus is a program for people on lower incomes. It’s about bolstering their financial skills, so they can develop (and keep) good savings habits. Since 2003, Saver Plus has supported more than 58,000 people to start saving.
It’s helped overcome the barriers around education expenses. And it’s set them up for a brighter future.
What are the eligible savings goals?
Eligible savings goals are education related products or services that:
- Assist a primary or secondary school student’s education;
I can let you know more about Saver Plus over the next couple of weeks and help you promote it to your school community. If you feel it would be beneficial now my number is 0466 474 584 and my email is Peta.Bergan@thesmithfamily.com.au
For more information visit Saver Plus financial literacy program (thesmithfamily.com.au)
International Homestay Families Needed
Got a spare room? Ever thought of being a Homestay host? Homestay families come in all shapes and sizes... they are married couples with or without kids, singles, singles with kids and grandparents too. Everyone has an opportunity to play a part in sharing their life, home and provide memories and cultural experiences to an international high school student.
Get paid more than $320 a week caring for one of our International high school students in your home.
PBC is due to welcome International students back on campus later this year and we are looking for Homestay families. Please contact Corinne Vanput at PBC for more information at cvanp1@eq.edu.au. Find out more http://bit.ly/eqi-homestay-host