24 November 2015

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

I returned to PBC from my experiences in both Regional and Central office this week and was thrilled to see the progress my staff has made in the thrust towards the end of the year. I would like to especially acknowledge Blair Hanna for his leadership as Principal in my absence. I have the pleasure of joining the Creative Arts Excellence students who are travelling to the USA in the last few weeks of school. Blair will again fill my position during this time period.

Fortunately, my return has coincided perfectly with our graduation and formal which was held this year at Jupiters Casino. The evening was a fabulous success and the highlight for me was each graduate shining in their formal wear being presented to an auditorium packed with their family and friends.

The atmosphere was euphoric and included student leaders reflecting on their PBC experience as well as expressing their heart felt gratitude to parents and teachers for supporting them through their secondary schooling.

The manner in which they conducted themselves was inspirational and it was clear to all in the almost 2000 strong audience that this year’s graduating classes are destined for great things in the years ahead.

The last few weeks has seen a variety of celebrations of achievement. Sports and Arts awards night in the past fortnight and Graduation and Academic Awards night this week, it has been fabulous to see so many people come together to acknowledge the talents and dedication of our students.

One of the important aspects of the Academic Awards evening is to announce our School Captains for next year. Congratulations to:

Captains: Rosie Gale and Harry Bartlett

Vice Captains:

Year 7: Chloe Finlay - Year 7: Danilo Allen
Year 8: Charlie Duke - Year 8: Conor Putland
Year 9: Michelle Borg - Year 9: Bill Walker
Year 10: Grace Bartlett - Year 10: Luke Wyatt
Year 11: Phoenix Starr - Year 11: Sheldon Hernandez

I look forward to working with these leaders and developing their capabilities in the upcoming year.

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Newsletter Articles

Senior School Update

It has been a very busy couple of weeks in Senior School! Congratulations to the Year 12’s who last week completed their schooling. It was an honour to be able to shake hands with the cohort as they received their graduation certificates. The entire school wishes you well as you move into the next phase of your lives.

To the Year 10 and Year 11 students moving into shutdown exams this week, good luck. Following this assessment period teachers will be writing interim reports, parents can expect to receive these reports after Friday, 11 December 2015.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. I look forward to starting a new year with you in 2016

Alyce Cleary
Director of Senior School

Senior School

Year 10 and 11 Exams

Year 10 and 11 students are on exams this week (Monday, 23 November 2015 through to Friday, 27 November 2015). Their exam timetables have been published on the student k drive and the PBC website under curriculum/ testing and assessment. Students only have to attend school for exams or to catch up on

VET work and assignments this week.

All students studying VET subjects need to be up to date with their competencies by the end of this year. Students who are behind will have been sent a letter requiring them to meet their teacher for catch up sessions during shutdown.

All OP students are again reminded that they need to sit the QCS Writing Task test on Friday, 20 November 2015. Students who do not attend will not be eligible to sit the QCS test next year and will not be eligible for an OP.

By now students should be well aware that they must be in full school uniform to sit exams and that it is their responsibility to ensure they are present in the correct room with all necessary equipment at least 10 minutes before the exam commences.

A reminder that all drafts and assignments are due before 9am on the due date and that an exam cannot be given early to students because of other commitments.

Please refer to the school assessment policy on the school website for further details.

Year 10 and 11 students officially finish school on Friday, 27 November 2015.

Ops

Students’ predicted Ops will again be mailed out at the end of term. If your Year 11 student has a predicted OP of 15 or over they may not be offered a place at a Tertiary institution in 2017. There is a range of options which may increase a student’s tertiary pathway.

This may include enrolling in a Certificate III course in 2016 which will give your student a Rank of 68 which is equivalent to an OP of 15. Please contact Mr. McDougall for more information.

Year 12s

The senior school team would like to wish all the departing year 12 students the best and thank them for their efforts at PBC.

On behalf of the departing year 12 students can I thank all the teachers and all the parents and community members who have worked with them over the past 5 years to assist them to be the fine young people that they have become.

Please encourage your Year 12 student to visit the Pathways Centre to check on advertisements for full time and part time work over the coming weeks. Also ask your student to register their interest for employment and training opportunities with Ms Shreeve in the Pathways Centre.

This information will then be passed onto the Department of Education and Training and registered with their data base.

Once again I would like to wish our departing Year 12s all the best for the future.

Release of year 12 results

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) will release student QCEs, OPs and Senior Statements through student learning accounts on the Student Connect website, https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au, from 9 am on Saturday, 19 December 2015.

Students must know their Learner Unique Identifier (LUI) and password to log in and check their results. Students will be able to access their results more quickly if they have previously activated their learning account.

Senior Education profiles will then be mailed out by the QCAA from Monday, 21 December 2015.

Students wishing to know their Selection Rank or Additional Rank need to contact the Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre (QTAC )directly on 1300 GO QTAC (1300 467 822) or http://www.qtac.edu.au; as these are not automatically sent out to students.

Mick McDougall
HOD Senior School

Middle School Director Report

This fortnight we have been exploring the idea of a growth mindset. Our middle school culture works to positively encourage students to have goals and to believe that they can improve their own abilities with increased effort. We value and reward the attributes of hard work and persistence.

Recently we re-launched our OPTIMA rewards system and this has seen teachers awarding students with OPTIMA rewards with renewed vigour. The rewards seek to acknowledge students who are living and breathing our OPTIMA code of be safe, be respectful and be a learner. I hope that you will see one of these rewards come home soon for your son or daughter to place on the fridge at home.

Community Service Celebration Breakfast

Last week the school celebrated community partnerships and the active citizenship of our students.

The ceremony recognised the contribution of over 200 students completing almost 7000 hours volunteering and helping others in our community. Community partners were also recognised with certificates of appreciation including Pineshaven Aged Care, Currumbin SS, Palm Beach Currumbin Lions Club and You Have a Friend.

Anita Sgalippa
Acting Director of Middle School

Middle School UNIBound

UNIBound

Students attending PBC have diverse interests and career aspirations. We strive to support students not only to achieve their personal goals, but to open their eyes to the amazing array of career and other opportunities that are available to young people in the modern world.

In Week 6, a group of high achieving Year 8 students who may not have exposure to university through their family’s experiences, attended a special presentation by Southern Cross University (SCU), called UNIbound. The students learned the meaning of words such as ‘campus’ and ‘degree’, met students who were the first in their family to take on Uni studies, and watched film clips about university life. The music, the activities and the personal stories worked well in presenting university as accessible, friendly and achievable.

They said:

• “It's good because I actually thought about the different things I'm interested in”.
• “University is interesting … I can’t wait for University”.
• “Going to University is fun and exciting”.
• “University is a realistic option for anyone”.

The Year 8s are looking forward to their next step of the program, a visit to the SCU campus next year.

FINISHING WELL

Please ensure that you have read your child’s Term 3 school report (emailed in October) and that you have shown it to the student. Reports can be the basis of important conversations about goals and finishing the year well. A review of Middle School results shows that most students are improving and achieving strongly, however all students need to maintain their energy and focus over the coming weeks to consolidate or further improve their results.

Assessment may continue up to and including the last day of Week 9, Friday 4 December. Full attendance is expected through this period, whether or not students have exams or assignments due on a particular day.

Exam time can be stressful for students. A balanced diet, 30 minutes of exercise, regular bedtimes (before 10pm) and packing any technology away an hour before bed can all assist in reducing students’ feelings of anxiety.

I wish all of our Middle School students every success over the coming weeks!

Sharon Hillcoat
HOD Middle School

Learning Support

Learning Support students in Year 7 to Year 9 have been working to achieve a C standard in their Core subject areas. We wish to congratulate all students who have worked to their potential during this term. In Week 8, the Education Access Centre has the term teacher review and students will be advised of any changes to classes for 2016.

Year 8 Science students are learning about reproduction in Term 4. Selwyn, his wife and his trio of sons came into school to tell the students their story. Year 8O and 8P classes were combined and students interviewed our guests to further deepen their understanding of human reproduction.

8O AND 8P with Selwyn Apanui and family

Literacy and Numeracy (LAN)

During Term 3 the Year 7 and Year 8 LAN classes undertook assessment tasks to inform the grades received on the interim report. This has been an exciting development in the progress of the LAN program. Teachers shared pre-test data with their students in order to demonstrate the students current level of achievement. This process assisted them to set personal academic goals and take responsibility for their skill development and understanding during LAN lessons. Our students have commented on the explicit links that occur between the LAN program and the areas of focus in their English and Mathematics lessons, this has greatly enhanced active participation and discussion. It has been another wonderful term and we look forward to watching the further success of our LAN students during Term 4.

In addition, the Year 7 and Year 8 LAN classes in Semester 2 included iPads into their regular classroom lessons. Learning became more exciting and with specifically selected educational apps, students further enhanced their numeracy and literacy skills. Student engagement is higher than ever during LAN lessons because of this exciting investment in technology and it is providing students with real tools to assist them as they progress through their educational path.

QuickSmart Literacy Intervention Program

It has been an exciting year for the literacy program. The current Year 7 and Year 8 QuickSmart and comparison students have recently completed final testing in PAT Comprehension, PAT Vocabulary and OZCAAS. These results are forwarded to the University of New England to prepare a final report for PBC student improvement. We would like to congratulate all QuickSmart students who have improved in both speed and accuracy in their weekly lessons. This results in improved automaticity for cognitive thinking and can help students in all subject areas.

Due to the success of this program, QuickSmart Numeracy will begin in 2016. Staff will travel to Sydney for an intensive 2 day Professional Development late November. We look forward to inviting the 2016 Year 7 students to both programs.

Murri Jarjum

The 44th Annual Academic Awards night was a celebration of student success at PBC. It was a first for PBC to have the national anthem sung in Yugambeh and English. We thank our singers, Laura Suttle, Bayley Jacobsen, Faith Alchin, Jaime Pryor, Chloe Burn, Melanie McNeilly and Maya Vanderwerff for contributing to our Murri Jarjum program. We also had the first indigenous traditional dance performance ever led by ex-student Stephen Larcombe with ex-student Anthony Cora and our PBC Bpootharum dancers - Fletcher Harrold, Dominic Bryan-Thompson, Blake Roberts, Tyreece Wood, Stefanie Noffke, Britney Noffke, Ezekial Cora and Jardi Knox.

2015 Bpootharum dancers

2015 Academic Award recipients were Year 8 Charli Hart, Year 11 Giselle Kilner-Parmenter, Year 12 subject award Industrial Technology DJ Blake. The special awards winners were Sally Treveton - Bond University scholarship, Brent Woolf - Peter Doherty Award for Outstanding Queensland ATSI Senior Mathematic and Technology student and Angel Weatherall – Virginia Apanui Scholarship.

Presentations were also made to student leaders including, Fletcher Harrold 2015 – Year 7 Vice Captain and Charlie Duke – 2016 Year 8 Vice Captain. Congratulations to all.

Slewyn Apanui and Year 11 Angel Weatherall

We wish all our Year 12 Murri Jarjum the best for their future and thank everyone for attending the recent Term 4 Murri Jarjum Breakfast Award assembly.

During term 4, the Year 10 Murri Jarjum students have been participating in a new careers program. The program has been a great opportunity for the students to explore their future pathways. All students were required to create a resume and cover letter, which they used in a ‘mock’ interview. The students found this to be a valuable experience, as for most of them was the first interview! They were also lucky enough to be visited by Southern Cross University, Bond University, Griffith University, TAFE and the Gold Coast Trade College. Finally, a big well done to Stephanie, Britney, Summer, Blake and Kyla for completing work experience at a variety of work places on the Gold Coast.

Year 7 and Year 8 attended AIME at Bond University for the first time. Students had mentors and were able to participate in individual and group activities throughout the day. The Year 8 focus was ‘design’ and how they design a plan for their ‘Game of Life’ using creative problem solving with their personal life choices. One of the Year 7 activities was a thank you letter to a significant person in their life and how that person made a positive contribution to their life.

The Solid Pathways Program was implemented this year at PBC to support ATSI high-achieving students identified through NAPLAN tests for reading and/or numeracy. Congratulations to Year 10 Isabella Lewis, Jayden Burns, Year 8 Charli Hart and Bride Prater for completing the 12 month critical and creative thinking online program.

Year 10 - Isabella Lewis and Jayden Burns

Wendy Wise
HOD Education Access Centre

South Coast School Sport Future State Great

Congratulations to Cory Beaman – named the 2015 “SOUTH COAST SCHOOL SPORT FUTURE STATE GREAT” award recipient.

Cory’s selection took into account medals in National athletics and Australian representation in Australian Football. It is also a reward for leadership, sportsmanship and exemplary behaviour.

Cory is PBC’s first ever recipient of this prestigious award. Well done Cory!

PBC’s 2015 Sports Awards evening

PBC’s 2015 Sports Awards evening was an outstanding success. 227 people attended the function at Currumbin RSL.

Features of the evening where:

The recognition of:

71 QLD representatives / medalists
17 Australian representatives / medalists
11 P&C Reds awards – for outstanding performance

2015 Sportspeople of the year:

Junior Boys	Cory Beaman
Junior Girls	Mackenzey Ormiston
Senior Boys	Brad Scheer
Senior Girls	Becky Kay

Ex PBC students, world surfing Longboard Champion Chelsea Williams was inducted as a PBC Sports Ambassador. She was joined by PBC Sports Ambassadors John Szigeti and Ben Hannant, and the Gold Coast Suns Jason Torney for presentations.

Special thanks to the P&C for their sponsorship of the Reds Awards and support of PBC sport.

Rodney Patison
HOD Sports Excellence

Pathways Centre News

School based traineeships available for Year 10 and 11 students in 2015

Classic Holidays Traineeships – Business traineeship at Varsity Lakes head office, Hospitality traineeships at Beachcomber International Resort and Beach House Resort Coolangatta, start work before the Christmas holidays

Sizzler Restaurant – Mermaid Beach – Cert III Hospitality Traineeships. Applications are online, please apply at www.sizzler.com.au/work-for-us

Traineeships!! Burleigh Surf Club, Palm Beach Sports Club, The Shingle Inn - The Pines, Raw Energy Coolangatta, Lunchland Burleigh and The Paddock Bakery Miami

Cert III Children Services – Head Start Child Care Currumbin applications open now for year 10 students

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary – School based traineeships Hospitality, Tourism and Business Retail.

Cert III sport and recreation – Miami pool – afternoon shifts only

Cert III Hospitality – Burleigh Bowls Club, Scooters on Kirra, Crema Espresso Pac Fair, and Zarraffas Miami

Apprenticeships – Riviera Coomera. Boat Building, Engineering, Laminating, Joinery & Upholstery.

City Beach – Cert III business Pacific Fair store

SCHOOL LEAVERS:

Apprenticeships!! Plastering, Roof Plumber, Stonemason, Baker, Chef and Bricklayer. Visit Apprenticeship central

NOJO Power – Taking applications now for 2016 positions

Blooms the Chemist @ the Pines – Fulltime position

The Pathway Centre is open before school and first break to apply for any of the above positions

Please see Ms Shreeve to apply.

Sonia Shreeve
Industry Liaison Officer

Elanora Neighbourhood Police Beat

Senior Constable Kurt Foessel from the Elanora neighbourhood Police Beat has been selected as the regional winner of the 2015 Adopt - A- Cop awards.

Senior Constable Foessel will now represent the South Eastern region at the State award ceremony to be held in December. This is a prestigious award, as it recognises the officer's commitment to community policing.

He has worked tirelessly with both PBC and Elanora SHS students over the last six years to support an encourage them to make positive choices as they navigate the difficulties of adolescence.

The school community wishes Kurt the very best.

Uniform Shop Update

Uniform Shop Trading Hours

Please note the following trading times for the Uniform Shop commencing Monday 16 November.

Day	Dates	Times
Monday	23 November	7.00am to 12.00pm
Tuesday	24 November	8.15am to 5.30pm
Wednesday	25 November	8.15am to 5.30pm
Thursday	26 November	8.15am to 5.30pm
Friday	27 November	7.00am to 12.00pm
Monday to Friday	30 November to 4 December	8.15am to 12.30pm
Monday to Friday	7 December to 11 December	Closed
Saturday	16 January 2016	9.00am to 4.00pm
Monday to Friday	18 January to 22 January 2016	8.30am to 4.00pm
Monday	25 January 2016	8.00am to 2.00pm
Wednesday to Friday	27 January to 29 January 2016	8.00am to 2.30pm
Monday to Friday	1 February to 2 April 2016	8.15am to 12.30pm

Please be aware that the Uniform Shop will be closed Friday, 4 December at 12.30pm and will reopen on Saturday, 16 January 2016 at 9:00am.

Lost Property

The uniform shop is holding a large amount of named and unnamed lost property if your child has lost something can you please ask that they come and have a look through the lost property bin.

Bucket hats/ PBC caps

Bucket hats and PBC caps are now available to purchase from Uniform Shop. These hats are a compulsory part of the uniform and are recommended for all outdoor activities. Cost is $15 each.

PBC school bags

PBC School Bags are now available from the uniform shop and selling fast.

Features include:

• Lifetime guarantee
• Padded laptop pocket
• Water resistant
• Ergonomic design
• Mesh drink bottle holder
• $70 each

Volunteers needed

If there are any volunteers who would love to spend a couple of hours each week in our very busy Uniform Shop and or Canteen we would love to hear from you!

Please contact Mandy on 07 5525 9331 for further details.

Flexischools Orders

If you have made an order for your child via Flexischools can you please ask that they come and pick it up from the Uniform Shop.

Payment methods available:

• Flexischools Online www.flexischools.com.au
• Credit Card
• Cash
• Cheques not accepted

If you are unable to come into the Uniform Shop you are more than welcome to call on 07 5525 9331 and pay for any uniform item over the phone.

Mandy Webb
Uniform Shop Coordinator

Administration

IMPORTANT – ENROLMENT FOR 2016

If your student will not be returning to PBC next year, please contact Administration as soon as possible

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.: 2015 SRS8 or 2015 ACEX10)

Resources and Activities Schedule

To assist parents with budgeting, detailed below are current fees and activities with due dates for payment (due to short timeframes some excursions may not be listed).

Student Fee Excursion/ Activity	Activity Details	Amount Due	Date Due
Course Fees
Student Resource Scheme	2015 Fees Year 7 to Year 12	$330	Overdue
Student Resource Scheme	1st instalment: 2016 Fees Year 7 to Year 12	$170	Overdue
Excellence Program Fees	Excellence program 2015 students	Various	Overdue
Please note that all students are requested to present their Student ID card when making any payments to Student Services.

Lost Property

Please check with Student Services for items like pencil cases, lunch boxes, etc. If you have lost an article of clothing (jumpers, shoes, hat) please check with the Uniform Shop.

Student lockers available

Student lockers are available for hire at PBC.

• $6.00 for locker hire
• $24.00 for PBC approved combination lock (this will be the property of the student)
• Lockers available are located at G Block
• Payments can be made at Student Services

Please visit the facilities tab of the school website to read the locker hire agreement.

Second Hand Uniforms

If you are holding on to old or unwanted school uniforms, please donate them to student welfare.

If your uniforms are in good condition, please drop them off at Student Services.

P&C News

Parent Connect

Please see Term 4 Parent Connect Meet and Greet schedule:

Date	Time	Location	Topic	Presenter
Tuesday 24 November	7.30am – 8.30am	Trade Training Centre	‘Money Matters’ Budgeting tools and tips	Jasmin Dorrington – The Smith Family

Leisa Ottley
Parent Liaison Officer

IMPORTANT Canteen Notice

CANTEEN will open at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday 10 December 2015

CANTEEN will not be open on the last day of school being 11 December 2015 - Parents, please ensure that you provide morning tea and lunch for your student on this day

PBC Alliance

Business Directory

Help us to create a local network for businesses within the PBC community by following the link below and supporting the businesses listed in the Alliance Business Directory:

Get involved

Being part of the PBC Alliance Business directory aims to connect your business with a network of friends, parents, and members of the PBC Alliance business community.

This listing is included as a link in the fortnightly PBC parent newsletter (as shown above), PBC Alliance Facebook page and the school website.

To list your business in the PBC Alliance Business Directory please complete a PBC Alliance membership form and Business Directory form and return these to the email address listed below.

If you would like more information please contact Caitlin Lea on 07 5525 9333 or email alliance@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au

Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/PBCAlliance

QParents

The QParents web and mobile application provides a more convenient, easier way for parents and legal guardians to interact with the school. Parents will have secure, online access to their child’s student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

QParents enables parents to access and manage student:

• Attendance and absence details, as well as the ability to notify the school of an absence
• Behaviour details
• Academic report cards
• Class timetables
• Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online
• Viewing and updating student details, including medical conditions and address
• Enrolment details

If you haven’t yet registered, visit qparents.qld.edu.au to register today!

Completion of Oral Health (Dental) Services

Gold Coast Oral Health Services have completed dental check-ups and treatment for eligible children at this school.

If you have not arranged for your child to receive a free dental check-up please telephone the Oral Health Client Service Centre

✆1300 300 850
Monday – Friday 8.00 am – 4.30 pm
Excluding Public Holidays

Don’t wait to treat a problem, arrange a check-up for your child at least once a year.

* Eligibility – All Queensland resident children aged four years or older who have not completed year 10 of secondary school.

Further information on public funded oral health services can be accessed via URL:

Southern Cross University

Southern Cross University Information Days 2015

Southern Cross University is please to extend an invitation to attend one of our information days at the campus of your choice.

SCU information day will provide the opportunity to find out more about our courses, university life and the types of services and support SCU offers to help students achieve their potential. You are welcome to bring along friends and family to explore our beautiful campuses and facilities, meet our staff and student ambassadors.

Coffs Harbour campus – Monday, 7 December 2015
Lismore campus – Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Gold Coast campus – Friday, 11 December 2015

More information is available on the SCU webpage: http://scu.edu.au/scuinfoday