25 March 2014

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents

Palm Beach Currumbin State High aims to be a world class school. We are committed to nurturing the talent of every student, positioning them to succeed in their preferred career and thrive in all dimensions of a balanced adult life including relationships, career, health, creativity, citizenship and recreation.

Our school motto “Nil Sed Optima” which means “Nothing but the Best” is an ever present reminder to our entire school community of the constant expectation of high achievement.

Reflecting on progress and striving for further improvement through renewing goals has a pivotal role to play in the pursuit of excellence.

Last year we conducted a comprehensive review of the past four years of our school’s performance. This review involved:

• Using a broad array of data to benchmark performance and identify improvement trends
• Conducting extensive analysis of parent, student and staff perceptions
• Engagement of external experts to review the data and make affirmations, commendations and recommendations for further improvement that provides a basis for the next four year plan

The results of this review are extremely complex but overwhelmingly point to the 2010-13 period as being very successful at PBC with an upward spiral of performance evident.

The review also identified the improvement priorities for 2014-17 as being:

Learning

• Renew the middle phase and senior phase plans to use current performance benchmarks to further improve student outcomes
• Develop a cycle for curriculum renewal that ensures that our programs are of high quality and address all relevant syllabus requirements
• Develop a learning and wellbeing framework which incorporates the schools social emotional curriculum, the approach to student goal setting and achievement and guides enhancement of support provided to students and families

School Community

• Develop a community engagement strategy to broaden consultation regarding school direction and decision making
• Successfully incorporate Year 7 students into high school and manage the implications that increased enrolments create across the whole school
• Raising standards of student conduct and dress

Workforce

• Develop a strategy that provides all teachers with quality feedback in line with the agreed professional standards and supports their individual performance development
• Renew the Professional Development Plan to respond to the strategic priorities for 2014-17

As Executive Principal, I understand my responsibility for being accountable to the school community for ensuring our school is the best it can be and I encourage all families to familiarise themselves of our bold plans for the next four years.

Full versions of the Quadrennial School Review 201 – 2013 and the Strategic Plan 2014 - 2017 are available on the school website under Strategic Documents for your review.

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Senior School

Deputy Principal Senior School

On Friday 21 March, PBC was part of the National Day of Action Against Bullying. Students wore orange accessories with their uniforms to symbolically take a stand against bullying. Bullying can occur in any age group – including amongst students in the Senior School. The key message of the day was that we don’t accept bullying in the PBC community. We:

• Report it
• Stand with the victim
• Are not bystanders

Parents or students who are wondering if a behaviour may be bullying, should refer to page 13 of the PBC 2014 Senior School Planner. Any incidents of bullying should be reported to a trusted teacher, the Year Coordinator or the Dean of Students.

Parents recently have received text messages from PBC reminding about the importance of student attendance. Every week, we see that attendance is lowest on Friday. Please support your students to have routines that support attendance every day, including regular homework and sleep times. Our students in Years 10, 11 and 12 should be aiming to be away no more than five days a year. Every day counts towards success!

As students move through the Senior Phase of their learning, there are opportunities to show greater leadership. Congratulations go to Courtney Monsma and Ellie Pobar (Year 12), who were honoured through the International Women’s Day Youth Leadership Awards. Competitions such as this provide opportunities for students to reflect on their leadership and the ways in which they are using their talents and skills to contribute to the betterment of their school community. It was exciting to see the number of finalists originating from PBC again this year and the high calibre of the competitors across 27 schools in the region.

We wish students a relaxing holiday as they prepare for the demands of Term 2. School recommences on Tuesday 22 April, the day after Easter Monday. While it will be a short week, it is a critical one, as teachers will be covering many foundation concepts that underpin the term’s work. We look forward to seeing the students ready to learn from day one.

Sharon Hillcoat
Deputy Principal Senior School

Shutdown exam information

The rooming allocation for the Senior school exam shutdown in Week 10 of this term is available on the school website under Testing and assessment / Shutdown Timetables.

This document will also be uploaded to the school website and made available on the school intranet for students.

It is a student’s responsibility to know their exam time and scheduled room. Students need to be present at their exams in full school uniform and with all the necessary equipment for the exam at least 10 minutess before the exam commences.

Students will not be permitted to leave exams early.

Parents are reminded that Year 10 students have normal scheduled classes on Monday 31 March through to Wednesday 2 April. Year 10 students will only have shutdown exams on Thursday 3 April and Friday 4 April.

All Students will still have sport on Wednesday 2 April. Interschool sport teams will have scheduled games on at this time and recreational sport will go ahead as per normal on this day.

If a student is absent from an exam they must contact the Head of Department of that subject and provide appropriate documentation such as a medical certificate and make arrangements to complete the exam as soon as possible. Applications for extension/change of date forms are available on the school website.

Students will not be allowed to sit exams earlier than the rest of their cohort. The Year 12 QCS Short response exam on Friday 4 April is compulsory for all students who wish to sit the QCS test in September. This test will be marked externally by Mighty Minds and the feedback provided to each individual students.

Mick McDougall
HOD Senior School

Middle School News

Building our performance culture and your support

Over the past few years PBC has been growing a reputation as one of the leading State high schools in Queensland and across the nation. This continued improvement, in any type of organisation, rarely happens by accident. In fact, my observations at PBC are that the dedication and planning from the teaching staff, the enthusiasm and commitment of the students and the support of the parents and local community have enabled this improvement and renewal to grow in strength.

An example of this is the performance of our Year 9 students across the different NAPLAN domains. Over the last three years there has been continued improvement across all NAPLAN testing domains. Believe me; this level of improvement does not occur by accident. Currently our students are involved in a comprehensive preparation program and they are also exposed to explicit literacy and numeracy instruction on a daily basis. The next evolution of this specific program and the improvement agenda attached with it is how, as a school, we formally motivate and recognise the achievements and improvements made by our students. In the future, I will release more concrete examples of how the Middle School will demonstrate our appreciation for the high achievements and improvements made by our Middle School students in NAPLAN. Some of the extrinsic motivational techniques that we will use include specifically setting targets for our students to reach and then recognising their achievements when these are reached. An example of a set target is for students to aim to better their Year 7 NAPLAN result in their Year 9 test by one complete band (eg Band 6 to Band 7) in each of the five testing domains. Any way parents are able to support their son/daughter in achieving their best performance is greatly appreciated.

Plans being made for our inaugural Year 7 students to our Middle School in 2015

As you will be aware next year all PBC will welcome the introduction of our inaugural cohort of Year 7 students. Fortunately, due to the introduction of the Middle School concepts to PBC a number of years ago our school is in a very good position to manage the introduction of Year 7 students. Taking this all into consideration there are still a number of cultural, organisational and structural considerations that PBC must be address to ensure the smooth transition of the inaugural Year 7 cohort to our school.

These considerations include:

• Review of our facility plan to support the introduction of Year 7 cohort
• Review of current Middle School elective subject curriculum structure and redesign to accommodate Year 7 cohorts
• Development of Year 7 curriculum and support processes
• Review of the digital technologies and digital pedagogy required to support our Middle School learners
• Timetable structural changes required to support the introduction of Year 7 cohort
• End of Year 7 transition plan
• Review of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program and student welfare practices to cater for the Year 7 cohort
• Year 7 parent engagement strategies and processes
• Review of our current bus/transport arrangements to support additional students at PBC

As you can see the considerations listed above outline many of key strategies that PBC is reviewing and developing in readiness for our inaugural Year 7 cohort in 2015. I look forward to sharing updates to our progress in the near future.

Blair Hanna
Director of Middle School

Middle School HOD News

As the end of term is rapidly approaching, students will be reaping the results of a consistent and methodical approach to their school work. Many students are also taking the time to attend the schools homework club and the tutorial sessions offered.

At PBC we value students doing both set and independent homework as part of that learning process.

Research data indicates that the benefits of homework are mainly associated with the reinforcement of recent work covered in class, the development of positive study habits and, if approached constructively, homework can provide a pathway for the home and school to present to the student a common perspective around achievement. It can be an opportunity to acknowledge and reward students for both the formal and informal learning they are engaged in.

Taking time to contact your student’s teacher is a valued practice at PBC. Providing time for reading, promoting discussion and assisting students to organize and balance their time is also supportive of their school experience.

Hopefully the end of term results will reflect positively upon the goals students have set themselves and the effort everyone has put in to their learning.

Di Stamp
HOD Middle School

From the Dean’s Office

Friday 21 March was National Day of Action against Bullying. When considering how bullying affects people, it is timely to remind students and parents of some of our basic human rights. The following points are taken from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and should be remembered in our dealings with others.

• You have a right to equality. You are born free and equal in rights to every other human being. You have the ability to think and to tell right from wrong. You should treat others with friendship.
• You have a right to be free from discrimination. You have all these human rights no matter what your race, skin colour, sex, language, religion, opinions, family background, social or economic status, birth or nationality.
• You have a right to life, liberty and personal security; you have the right to live, to be free and to feel safe.
• You have a right to freedom from torture and degrading treatment; nobody has the right to torture, harm or humiliate you.
• You have the right to hold and express your own opinions. You should be able to share your opinions with others, including people from other countries, through any ways.
• You have a right to education. At school, you should be able to develop all your talents and learn to respect others, whatever their race, religion or nationality.
• You have a right to a social order; you have a right to the kind of world where you and all people can enjoy these rights and freedoms.

By no means is this a comprehensive list of the articles contained in the UDHR, but if we consider these rights of ours, and the rights of others, and treat everyone with fairness and equity, then we are demonstrating an action that is for a more harmonious and tolerant environment for all.

Leoni Kent
Acting Dean of Students

Young PBC Women honoured at Youth Leadership Award Ceremony

The 2014 International Women’s Day Youth Leadership Award Program acknowledges young women who demonstrate vision, commitment, inspiration, courage and leadership qualities in their school and wider communities, and who are inspirational role models to their peers.

The 2014 International Women’s Day Youth Leadership Breakfast, Award Presentation and Forum was held at the Hilton Hotel on 14 March. Four of PBC’s six finalists for the awards were able to attend. There they enjoyed the opportunity to hear speakers who had successfully faced challenges as women in leadership in fields as diverse as journalism and aeronautical engineering.

The six finalists were Jenna Cook, Madison McNeil, Amanda McNeilly, Courtney Monsma, Ellie Pobar and Lily Prasad.

Finalists Jenna Cook, Courtney Monsma, Ellie Pobar and Lily Prasad pictured with Sharon Hillcoat (Senior School Deputy) and Warren Potter (Year 12 Coordinator)

Courtney Monsma won the Youth Leadership Performing Arts Award. A school Vice Captain, Courtney is also an active member of PBC's Performing Arts programs, annually competing in the schools’ Drama Festival entries, eisteddfods and starring in PBC's musicals. She is currently in rehearsal for the role of 'Audrey' in PBC's 2014 production of Little Shop Of Horrors. Her role of 'Tracy' in PBC's Hairspray saw her awarded a 2013 Gold Coast Area Theatre Award for Best Youth Actress in a Musical. Courtney is a worthy recipient of this award, showing great dedication to the creative arts both in school and out in the wider community. She regularly draws on her skills by positive messages at PBC.

Ellie Pobar was honoured with a Highly Commended Award for Youth Leadership Sports. Ellie has been a quiet achiever in soccer. She leads by example, demonstrating focus, dedication, respect and a commitment to hard work and teamwork. Ellie was a member of the Queensland Academy of Sport U17 women's team, which competed in, and won, the highly competitive, National Training Centre challenge in 2013. Ellie has led many school, club and representative teams in recent years, including: the U14 QLD State Team as Vice-Captain, PBC’s U15 Bill Turner Cup team as Captain, the U15 QLD State Team as Captain. A career highlight was leading the U19 Australian school girls team as Vice Captain, and subsequently being awarded Player of the Tour (at age 16). Ellie is a PBC house sports captain this year.

All of the PBC finalists have demonstrated fine leadership in their areas of expertise. Congratulations, girls! Thanks to Year Coordinator Mr Warren Potter for supporting the nominees throughout the competition.

ANZAC Celebrations

School ANZAC Assembly 2014

Dear Parents

On Thursday morning 24 April, we will be conducting our Annual Anzac Day ceremony. It will be held on the main assembly parade grounds. I would like to take this opportunity of personally inviting you to what has become an important function in our school year.

The program will be conducted by our School Captains and will involve the Cadets, the Concert Band, and wreath layers from each year level. This year again we will be particularly honouring the service of our armed forces in international conflicts and peace keeping missions.

Our ceremony will commence at approximately 9:20am. At the conclusion of the ceremony please stay and enjoy morning tea.

I hope you are able to join us on this special occasion of remembrance.

For seating and catering purposes, please respond by Thursday 3 April by contacting Lyn Bortolin via telephone on (07) 55259340 or emailing lbort5@eq.edu.au.

ANZAC Day Mid-morning Service

On Friday 25 April 2014 the Anzac Day Mid-morning Service will once again be held at the Currumbin RSL Cenotaph. I would like to take this opportunity of inviting PBC students to march at this Service.

The March:

• Assembles in Winders Park, Duringan Street Currumbin at 10:40am, departing at 10:55am
• Followed by the Mid-morning service at the Currumbin-Palm Beach RSL Cenotaph at 11:15am

Students wishing to represent the school in the ANZAC Day March are required to wear their full school uniform.

I hope you are able to join us on this special occasion of remembrance.

If your student wishes to participate please respond by Thursday 3 April by contacting Lyn Bortolin by telephone on (07) 55259340 or emailing lbort5@eq.edu.au.

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Guidance Officer News

Gold Coast Careers Expo 2014 – Royal Pines Resort

Thursday 8 May 2014

Open to Year 10, 11 and 12 Students (preference for Year 11 students at this moment)

An opportunity for students to meet with leading education providers, apprenticeship coordinators, employment agencies and gather information on courses, employment, traineeships, up-skilling or recognition of prior learning.

Plus:

• Free seminars
• Major prizes
• Live stage shows
• FREE showbag for every student

Signup sheet is outside Mr Jones’ office in D Block.

Griffith Uni experience day!

Year 12 students are invited to experience a day in the life of a university student during Griffith University’s ‘Experience Griffith’ week celebrations.

A full day program including an interactive campus tour and two degree specific experiences are offered to provide an informative and engaging day. Students have a choice of ten study areas to gain practical experience across multiple campuses.

Gold Coast: Friday 2 May

• Business and Government
• Criminology and Law
• Education
• Engineering and Information Technology
• Health
• Humanities and Languages
• Queensland Conservatorium
• Science and Aviation
• Visual and Creative Arts

Registrations open on Monday 10 March and will close Friday 28 March.

Only four students from each school per session so be quick!!!

Please see Mr Jones in D block if interested.

Bond University: Student for a Semester

Are you an ambitious Year 11 or 12 student?

If so, the Bond University Student for a Semester Program might be for you...it's a great chance to kick-start your university career because you'll study a Bond subject, meet university students and professors, and get involved in university life. You might even discover a new career that interests you.

You might find this program challenging at times, because of the extra study and classes you must attend each week, but if your parents and teachers agree that you're capable, then we highly recommend you apply for Student for a Semester.

Applications opened on Friday, 14 March and will remain open online until Wednesday, 30 April.  Students can complete an application online and get a true experience of university life, before leaving High School.

• View the list of subjects available in our Student for a Semester timetable
• Applications for the program are open to current Year 11 and 12 students
• Bond University is pleased to offer students who successfully complete two Student for a Semester subjects, direct admission into some of our full degree programs at Bond University upon completion of their Year 12 studies (some restrictions apply*) .
• The online application form and further program information can be found at www.bond.edu.au/student-for-a-semester
• For assistance with the application form, please view the Student for a Semester application process
• The fee for this program is $238.00

Explore your future in a day at Bond University

You may already have heard that Bond is changing thier Experience days to provide a more unique and personalised offering to students and their families.

Bond University is excited to open its campus for three weekends in May to allow guests the experience of what life is like at Bond both inside and outside of the classroom. Each weekend a different faculty will provide the opportunity to interact with our professors, attend lectures, participate in interactive workshops, tour the campus and learn more about accommodation and student support.

From dissecting a pig heart in our medical labs, to learning how to trade on the stock exchange, to watching a live courtroom demonstration or to building models in our new architecture building, guests will engage in an interactive and intimate experience on life as a Bondy.

As part of the day, we ask parents to attend to assist their child in understanding further about what degree program they would like to pursue and what they are looking for from their university experience.

Parents will have the option to participate in lectures and workshops alongside their child. Additionally, a session has been designed specifically for parents to understand the challenges they may face in helping their child prepare for university and equipping them with the necessary tools for this important transition into adulthood. Please note due to size limitations, places are limited to one parent and to one Year 12 student only.

The dates of each experience event are shown below. For further information on the program of events for each day, please follow the link to the event page.

To register interest from students and their parents from within your school, please ask them to follow the link to the event page to register www.bond.edu.au/experience.

Spaces are limited so please register ASAP!

Steve Jones
Senior School Guidance Officer

Reclaim Happiness

Happiness is a global priority. A profound shift in attitudes is underway. People are now recognising that ‘progress’ should be about increasing human happiness and wellbeing, not just growing the economy at all costs.

Our happiness has been hijacked! Marketers and advertisers tell us that happiness comes from buying the right products. Celebrities and the media pretend it comes with beauty and fame. Meanwhile, politicians claim that nothing matters more than growing the economy. We could point to many studies showing how wrong this is - lasting happiness does not come from what we consume, how we look or how much we earn. Deep down we all know the things that make us happy. If only we could remind ourselves to appreciate those moments more often - and inspire others to do the same.

Happiness Challenge #1

Create a Positive Vision of the Future

Creating a positive vision for the future is an example of what psychologists call setting “approach goals” (desirable goals you want to move towards).

These have been proven to be far more effective than setting “avoidance goals” (things you dislike and want to move away from). Approach goals and positive visions are motivating and energising. They provide inspiration to do what you need to do to achieve a great life.

So this week’s challenge is to cut out some pictures from an old magazine or download some images from the internet and put them together as a positive “vision board” that reflects your ideal, best possible life. Alternatively, grab a pen and some paper and write the story of your life ensuring, of course, that you enjoy a “happy ending”!

For more inspiration visit: The Happiness Institute (http://www.thehappinessinstitute.com).

Anna Willis
Middle School Guidance Officer

School Council Update

In 2013 PBC became an Independent Public School affording the local community more input into school directing and decision making. As an IPS school, a school council was established. The purpose of the school council is to provide strategic advice to the Executive Principal including approving the strategic planning.

Under this initiative, the school council must consist of elected parents, staff and student members. The Principal and P&C President are official members of the council. The council may also appoint a maximum of two industry/community members that have knowledge and experience that assist the council to perform it’s functions and reflect the local community context.

PBC is calling for nomination to the following school council positions in 2014.

Parent member (2 years)
Staff member (2 years)

Interested school community members are asked to self-nominate for the election by completing the self-nomination form and submitting it to the Returning Officer by email, mail or fax. This form, election procedures and a role description are available on the school website.

Please mark nominations private and confidential.

Margaret Harris – Returning Officer
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS
Thrower Dr
Palm Beach Qld 4221
mharr67@eq.edu.au
Fax 55259300

Nominations close at 4pm on 13 May 2014.

The elections will be conducted at the following times and venues:-

Parents 6:30 – 7:30pm Tuesday 27 May Trade Training Centre, PBC
Staff 4:15 – 5:00pm Thursday 29 May Trade Training Centre, PBC

Science Update

It’s A Gas!

If you walked around the Middle School mid-term you probably would have heard a lot of shrieking coming from O block. No, it wasn’t badly behaved students, instead students, and their teachers having the most fun they have ever had in science. Students in Year 8 have currently been studying a chemistry unit focussing of the particle model of matter. Students were treated with a liquid nitrogen and dry ice practical in order to investigate and identify the processes of changes of state in matter. With temperatures reaching -196oC and -78oC respectively these chemical compounds are very effective in demonstrating how temperature effects matter. Students watched in awe as teachers demonstrated how carbon dioxide sublimating (changing state from a solid to a gas) can blow up a balloon and when dry ice is placed in hot water it bubbles furiously sublimating to gas due to the sudden change in temperature. The liquid nitrogen was more exciting still with fresh flowers and fruit frozen into a glass like state which shatter when touched, a blown up balloon that shrunk when immersed in the liquid nitrogen and then expanded again when taken out and a balloon filled with water when dipped in liquid nitrogen froze on the outside but was still liquid in the middle. The piece de resistance and the one that ensured the most amount of astonishment was the de-fuzzed tennis ball which was soaked in liquid nitrogen was thrown against the floor. The result was an explosion of glass like rubber in all directions and many students shrieking in surprise! It was a great couple of days made only possible by the great work of the lab technicians. Thanks to the scientific operations officers!!

Bianca Deague
Year 8 Science Coordinator

Pathways Centre News

Any Year 12 Student who is interested in doing work experience in the Queensland Police Service please come to the Pathways Centre to collect an application form.

Year 11 or 12 Students interested in a career in the Health Sector there is a work experience workshop at Robina Hospital. It goes for two days with 24 students per work shop. The following dates are available:

• April - 8 and 9
• June - 24 and 25
• September – 15 and 16

Please come to the Pathways Centre for more information and to apply.

Wildlife Courses

Creature Keepers Course:

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary are holding a hands on animal course that offers real zoo experience and give students exposure to working in the zoo environment with exclusive behind the scenes access and plenty of action packed activities. This two day course focuses on four components: Mammals, Reptiles, Birds and Conservation Research. Cost $120 for both days, food included. Must be 12-17 years old.

Booking is essential, so please visit the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary website to register.

Aussie Wildlife Course:

The Aussie Wildlife course is conducted once a week over eight weeks. Presented by experienced wildlife care professionals onsite at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Every Graduate receives: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Certificate, full supervision and instruction, information booklet (study guide) and one free pass to the Sanctuary. Courses are scheduled throughout the year. Registration fee is $299. Weekend condensed class fee $325.

Booking is essential, please visit the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary website to register.

Don’t forget to get your Tax File number application from the Pathways Centre before school or at first break.

Sonia Shreeve
The Pathways Centre

Musical update

Preparations for PBC’s 2014 Musical, Little Shop of Horrors are in full swing, with an additional 30 students from our local primary schools joining the 150+ cast and crew.

For those who missed the announcement of the cast, congratulations go to…

Courtney Monsma, Jakab Bailey, Will Perrett, Jake Ireland and Sheldon Hernandez, who make up the principal leads of this year’s show.

And for those who have never seen Little Shop of Horrors, here are a few clues as to what to expect when the show hits the stage on 29-31 May and 6-7 June…

• A love story where nice guys finally get the girl
• A murder mystery where a psychopathic dentist gets what’s coming to him
• A morality tale where fame and fortune comes at a price
• And a man-eating plant from outer space

Tickets will go on-sale early Term 2 and keep an eye out for previews on year-level assemblies!

Trent Ivett
CAX Coordinator

Leo Club News

The PBC Leo club has again started another year with a commitment to community service and fund raising to help community members who need support. At an induction ceremony on 4 March, the new committee proudly took an oath to serve the club and 14 new members were also inducted. Congratulations to the new committee of Georgia Wingett, Kirralee Howells, Tamika Driscoll and Michelle Borg.

Following on from a project last year, bookshelves and books were donated to the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre at Southport and the Leo Club donated the books and the funds to build the shelves. Many thanks go to the Community Wood Working Club on Galleon Way for building the shelves.

Other donations were $500 for the catering supplies for Food for the Homeless which is produced by students of PBC during sport time. $250 was donated to the Lions Hearing Dogs and $1000 was donated to the Relay for Life where many of our students walked overnight to support this worthy cause. Thanks to the Lions and Lionesses who supported the group through the night, your efforts were very much appreciated. A particular thanks to Graham Dutton, Mike Jackson and Amy Tessmann. Many thanks to Shane Roberts who walked with the PBC Leo group in the early hours of the Sunday morning for such a worthy cause. 2014 is already shaping up to be another productive year for the Leo Club.

Denise King
Leo Club

Sports Awards 2014

PBC encourages all students to remain active and pursue a healthy lifestyle. Our sport program plays an integral role in school life and we are very proud of both our high participation rates and the success that our athletes achieve.

As a leading state high school this success can at times be overwhelming and we have systems in place to ensure all of our students receive appropriate acknowledgement.

There are changes to be implemented to the structure of PBC’s Sports Awards presentations for 2014 which are important to note.

Change has become necessary due to:

• the success and growth of the PBC sports program
• the increasing achievement of PBC students in non-school sport

2014 presentations will be structured as follows:

• Sports Awards night - will be limited to students engaged in school based sporting competitions at state and national levels.
• Optima Award presentations - will recognise students engaged in either school or non-school competitions at regional, state and national level

Please remember for all non-school sport achievers it is not possible for the school to stay abreast of results and for this reason it is the responsibility of the student to evidence achievement with the HOD Sports Excellence, Mr Patison.

We will explain these changes to the students and for further detail please check the website.

We are looking forward to another tremendous year of sport and we look forward to seeing you at a sports event to cheer on the Reds.

Rod Patison
HOD Sports Excellence

Homestay Families Wanted for Short Term Study Tour

Would you like to be part of a successful Homestay program and experience a new culture?

Palm Beach Currumbin State High School requires Homestay families who live in the Palm Beach area to host students aged 15-17 years from Lizen, Taiwan who are on an International Study Tour from 21 May until 10 June.

Families are financially reimbursed in return for providing a caring family environment, meals, transport and accommodation.

For more information about this program, please call Kirsten Hague on telephone 5525 9325 fax 5525 9326 or E-mail: khagu4@eq.edu.au

Volunteers Needed!

We are currently seeking volunteers to assist in our canteen and our uniform shop. All volunteers are welcome whether you are a parent, grandparent or friend.

If you have one day a week or even one day a month to lend a hand please come along and get involved. Meet people, have some laughs along the way and really help your school community. Every little bit helps.

If you have interested in volunteering or have questions please contact Ange Andresen on aandr120@eq.edu.au for details on how to get involved.

Uniform Shop Update

Trading Times

Monday to Friday 8:15am to 9:30am and again during the first lunch break

Remember that hats are a compulsory part of the uniform and are recommended for all outdoor activities. Along with our PBC cap there is now a bucket hat available for $15. Due to an overwhelming response we do have limited bucket hat stock. More hats are due in Term 2.

If you are unable to come into the Uniform Shop you are more than welcome to give me a call on 07 55259331 and pay for any uniform item over the phone.

Uniform Shop payment methods are

• Flexischools Online (www.flexischools.com.au)
• Credit card
• Cash
• Cheques NOT accepted

Mandy Webb
Uniform Shop Convenor

Administration

Cashier Window Operating Hours

Please be advised that the operating hours for the cashier/payment window at the school are strictly 8am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.

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 eg: 2014 SRS8 or 2014 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
Asia Tour	Various students	Balance $1715	4 April
Ski Trip	Year 11 students	Deposit $200	24 Mar
Student Resource Scheme Fees 2014 (whole payment)	All students	$330	Overdue
Student Resource Scheme Fees 2014 (first instalment)	All students	$165	Overdue
Student Resource Scheme Fees 2014 (second instalment)	All students	$165	Overdue
Excellence Program Fees	Excellence program students	Various	Overdue
Course Fees
HPE III Fitness	Enrolled students	$500	Overdue
HPE IV Fitness	Enrolled students	$500	Overdue
Instrumental Music	Enrolled students	$50	Overdue
QCS	Year 12 students	$50	Overdue
Certificate I – Furnishing	Enrolled Year 11 and 12 students	Year 11 - $200 Year 12 - $100	Overdue
Certificate I - Engineering	Enrolled Year 11 and 12 students	Year 11 - $200 Year 12 - $100	Overdue
Certificate I - Construction	Enrolled Year 11 and 12 students	Year 11 - $200 Year 12 - $100	Overdue
Please note that all students are requested to present their Student ID card when making any payments to Student Services.

Most excursions do not appear on student statements. If you have any queries please call Lynne Riley in Student Services on 07 5525 9308.

Lost Property – Student Services

Please check with Student Services if you have lost any items at school (towels, lunch packs, uniforms, shoes, etc…)