28 April 2014

Principal’s Report

Sporting Success at PBC

Making sure students understand the importance and development of skills to maintain physical fitness and healthy habits is important at PBC.

Our innovative Sports Excellence program plays a key role in this endeavour and has a proud tradition of nurturing the talents of some of Queensland’s leading sports professionals including Joel Parkinson, Karla Gilbert, Darius Boyd, Shane Smeltz and Ben Hannant to name just a few.

PBC has a large contingent of students participating in a comprehensive range of competitive interschool sports on a weekly basis. The success of this endeavour is profound.

Last year I notified you that our girls cross country team, coached by Ron Martinenko, consisting of Charley Trapp, Kalani O’Connell, Alexandra Humphreys, Victoria Martinenko, Kendall Parker and Shelby Watson won the Australian School title in Tasmania. Just prior to the holidays this team travelled to Israel to represent our country at the World titles and were placed second behind Turkey.

Our school community can be very proud of this tremendous achievement on the world stage and it is a fitting jewel in the crown of the successes of 2013 which include:

• 15 Gold Coast Sports Premierships
• Gold Coast Track and Field Champions
• 110 Regional Representatives
• 60 State Representatives
• 5 State Champion Teams
• 22 National Representatives
• 1 National Champion Team

These results are first class but they are not our most significant achievement in the sports arena.

Representing the “Reds” is seen as an honour at PBC and our athletes become part of a tradition which imposes a high expectation of personal conduct where fair play and good sportsmanship are valued above all else.

Coaches at PBC drill into their teams that we are more concerned with how they play rather than the result, and readily leave students out of teams if they will not commit to this ethos.

It is important that parents understand the Reds’ ethos and support it through spectating appropriately and pointing out that being a Red is a much bigger achievement than last week’s score.

In Term 2 the new sporting season moves into full swing. I am really looking forward to this season. Our athletes and teams have prepared well and I encourage you to come along and support our school as the opportunities arise.

Report Cards

At PBC we program assessments as close to the holiday periods as possible. The major benefit of this approach is that we maximise the teaching time available to students which in turn gives them the best opportunity for success.

As a consequence of this practice staff complete the majority of their marking over the holidays and conduct their moderation practices as soon as possible upon their return. Moderation is a comprehensive process which involves teachers marking work from other classes and making comparisons to ensure consistency of grading.

Parents can expect that Term 1 reports will be emailed or go into the mail on Friday 3 May.

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Senior School Update

Senior Reports

Make sure that you sit down with your child next week when you get their report card and discuss their progress. All students have a diary where they set goals for each and every subject. You should discuss how they went compared to these goals and work out some reasons why they did or did not reach these goals. Once you have had that conversation you will then need to book a parent/teacher/student interview.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

In Week 5, Parent Teacher Student Interviews will be held at the following times:

• Tuesday 20 May 3.30pm to 8.00pm
• Wednesday 21May 3.00pm to 7.30pm
• Thursday 22 May 3.30pm to 8.00pm

Bookings should be made through the school website after Friday 3 May. The evenings provide an opportunity following the issuing of reports to discuss students’ progress towards their learning goals. Increasing numbers of successful students view this evening as important in understanding their learning, and are part of the meetings. We hope that all PBC parents and caregivers will be able to attend these interviews.

Nigel Hughes
Director Senior School

Deputy Principal Report

In these first few weeks of Term 2, Senior School students will have received back exams and assignments completed in shutdown. This may be their first formal feedback on their performances in new subjects. On assemblies, I have spoken with students about the importance of reading beyond the marks. There is important feedback provided on the criteria sheets and in teacher’s individual comments. Research shows that students who focus on comments and criteria, rather than just the marks are most likely to make improvements. I encourage parents to ask not just ‘How did you go?’ but ‘And how did the teacher say you might improve?’.

While recently we have had beautiful weather on the Gold Coast, it is only a matter of time before the weather cools again. School jumpers are available in the uniform shop. Any clothing worn under the school uniform should be hidden from view. We continue to receive comments on how well our students look in the community; this impacts positively on every PBC student. Please support our uniform policy by ensuring that students are able to stay warm in appropriate uniform.

Sharon Hillcoat
Deputy Principal Senior School

Senior School News

• Interim Reports will be emailed home at the end of Week 2.
• Students wishing to make subject changes need to have them finalised by the end of Week 2.
• Parents and students are reminded that they need to complete at least three subjects for four semesters to complete the core requirements of the QCE.
• Students in Years 11 and 12 need to to pass at least five of their six subjects to be eligible for a QCE. Students whose results indicate that they will not achieve a QCE may jeopardise their enrolment at school.
• The next Year 12 QCS Masterclass will be on Wednesday 1 May from 2:45 to 4:15pm. All OP eligible students are required to attend.
• Parents and students are again reminded that end of semester exams will be scheduled in Week 10 (23 to 27 June), the last week of Semester.

Overall Positions (OP )

• Year 11 predicted OPs will be calculated at the end of this semester.
• Year 12 predicted OPs will be included with the interim reports. Students who receive a predicted OP higher than 15 may need to consider alternative pathways to tertiary studies as they may not gain the required result in their current pathway. Alternative pathways include moving to Selection Rank, or completing a Certificate III course whilst at school. These pathways are generally a better option for students with OPs above 15 as they will give students an option to attend University in 2015. Students who receive predicted OPs higher than 15 will be interviewed by Senior schooling staff to discuss the best pathway for them.

Mick McDougall
HOD Senior School

Middle School News

It is with great pleasure that I welcome everybody back to Term 2. The Middle School has many important events that will occur in the first half of this term. Some of these events include:

• Final ½ Day NAPLAN Turbo Rotations – Wednesday 30 April (Week 2)
• National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Tests – Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 May (Week 4)
• Middle School Open Day and Year 8 and 9 Optima Awards – Thursday 22 May (Week 5)

Year 9 2013 NAPLAN Tests

NAPLAN – The final countdown…

I would like to acknowledge the consistent work of our Year 9 cohort and thank all parents in advance for their support in preparing our 2014 Year 9 students to achieve to their potential in the upcoming National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).

As these testing days are nearly upon us I ask for the support of our parents/guardians to help their child in achieving their best on these testing days by ensuring they are well rested and relaxed. Parents/guardians can also help by ensuring your son/daughter is sufficiently hydrated and nourished and has adequate sleep prior to arriving at school.

The schedule for the 2014 NAPLAN test is as follows:

• Tuesday 13 May – Language Conventions; Writing
• Wednesday 14 May – Reading
• Thursday 15 May – Numeracy
• Friday 16 May – Catch up tests for students absent on 13, 14 or 15 May.

The Middle School does significant work in the lead up to NAPLAN to ensure that the students are fully prepared and are able to perform at their very best. Thank you for your efforts in supporting our students’ preparation leading into NAPLAN.

If you would like more information on the test procedures or copies of pass test papers please visit the following websites:

2014 Middle School Open Day

The Middle School at Palm Beach Currumbin High School is built around a caring, supportive environment enabling students a smooth transition into senior school. One of the key components in driving the success of the Middle School is to build strong links with our parents and guardians that ultimately support students to achieve great outcomes at school. To support and develop our relationship with our Middle School parents/guardians we will be holding our 2014 Middle School Open Day on Thursday 22 May. Parents/guardians of Year 8 and 9 students are invited to attend this Open Day giving them the opportunity to visit Middle School classrooms and meet with our team of professional staff members. All parents/guardians of Year 8 and 9 students will receive a more formal and detailed invitation in the upcoming weeks.

Blair Hanna
Director of Middle School

Middle School Reflection

As students settle into term two, the lyrics “Pick Yourself Up, Dust Yourself Off and Start all Over Again” taken from an old Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical seem apt. In reality however Term 2 is a time to reflect upon a student's progress and what needs to happen next. Parents play an important role in their child’s learning and as we approach interim reporting and interviews, it is important that we all are aware of and monitor a student’s learning orientation.

Educational literature suggests that a student’s learning orientation can benefit their future capability. For example when a student’s learning orientation is energised toward school success they can also have a work ethic which enables them to focus upon set tasks, meet deadlines and to view setbacks as the chance to redefine their purpose and “to do things better”. Carey (2010), says these children have the ability “to bounce back” as their inner core is optimistic and curious. They are resilient. They can “beat the odds” to do better than children who are not resilient and they can also be high achievers (OECD 2011).

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg (2012) says that resilience is learned. He attributes the development of resilience to the presence of a supportive, communicative adult who connects with and enjoys a student’s individual strengths; their special and unique talents. These adults in their parenting encourage the use of positive self- talk to make a child feel special, appreciated; with a healthy sense of self competence and a strong, healthy social network.

Di Stamp
HOD Middle School

From the Dean’s Office

In their Social and Emotional Learning lessons during the next couple of weeks, the Middle School students are being reminded of their responsibility to ensure they are safe in the sun. The following skin cancer facts and statistics are a reminder of why the reinforcement of sun safety is important to our students:

• 2 in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.
• Around 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer each year.
• Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.
• Skin cancers account for about 80% of all new cancers diagnosed each year in Australia. Each year, Australians are 4 times more likely to develop a common skin cancer than any other form of cancer.
• Over 750,000 Australians are treated for skin cancer each year– that's over 2,000 people every day.
• The most commonly diagnosed cancer among adolescents and young adults is melanoma; it accounts for more than one-quarter of all cancers among Australians aged 15–29 years.
• It is estimated that approximately 200 melanomas and 34,000 non-melanoma skin cancers per year are caused by occupational exposures in Australia.
• Research shows that using solariums before the age of 35 boosts the risk of melanoma by 59%.

PBC has a sun safety policy that is available for your reading on our website, under policies and procedures. Our expectations of students are that they should:

• Be aware of the school sun safe policy
• Take responsibility for their own health and safety by being sun smart, and complying with school requirements and using SPF30+ sunscreen and wearing a hat and sun glasses where possible
• When practicable, use shaded or covered areas when outdoors
• Act as positive role models for other students in all aspects of sun smart behaviour
• Participate in sun smart education programs

Leoni Kent
Student Support Coordinator

ANZAC Celebrations

School ANZAC Assembly 2014

On Thursday 24 April we conducted our annual ANZAC Day Ceremony to commemorate and honour Australia’s past and present military personnel.

This year we were able to have the ceremony under our newly completed roof over the senior quad area. Our distinguished guests, speakers and school body enjoyed a lovely ceremony in the shade.

Thank you to our School Captains, Cadets, concert band, vocalists, speakers and wreath layers for conducting a moving ceremony. Thank you also to our distinguished quests, parents and community members for attending and making this special event on our school calendar

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Guidance Officer News

Ten Tips - Studying

Make studying a part of your everyday school routine and don't be limited to 'cramming' for exams and tests.

Importance of SLEEP!

Sleep research suggests that a teenager needs between nine and ten hours of sleep every night. This is more than the amount a child or an adult needs. Yet most adolescents only get about seven or eight hours. Some get less. Regularly not getting enough sleep leads to chronic sleep deprivation. This can have dramatic effects on a teenager’s life, including reduced academic performance at school. One recent US study found that lack of sleep was a common factor in teenagers who receive poor to average school marks.

Causes of sleep deprivation

Some of the reasons why many teenagers regularly do not get enough sleep include:

• Hormonal time shift – puberty hormones shift the teenager’s body clock forward by about one or two hours, making them sleepier one to two hours later. Yet, while the teenager falls asleep later, early school starts don’t allow them to sleep in. This nightly ‘sleep debt’ leads to chronic sleep deprivation.
• Hectic after-school schedule – homework, sport, part-time work and social commitments can cut into a teenager’s sleeping time.
• Leisure activities – the lure of stimulating entertainment such as television, the Internet and computer gaming can keep a teenager out of bed.
• Light exposure – light cues the brain to stay awake. In the evening, lights from televisions, mobile phones and computers can prevent adequate production of melatonin, the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) responsible for sleep.
• Vicious circle – insufficient sleep causes a teenager’s brain to become more active. An over-aroused brain is less able to fall asleep.
• Social attitudes – in Western culture, keeping active is valued more than sleep.
• Sleep disorder – sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome or sleep apnoea, can affect how much sleep a teenager gets.

Effects of sleep deprivation

The developing brain of a teenager needs between nine and ten hours of sleep every night. The effects of chronic (ongoing) sleep deprivation may include:

• Concentration difficulties
• Mentally ‘drifting off’ in class
• Shortened attention span
• Memory impairment
• Poor decision making
• Lack of enthusiasm
• Moodiness and aggression
• Depression
• Risk-taking behaviour
• Slower physical reflexes
• Clumsiness, which may result in physical injuries
• Reduced sporting performance
• Reduced academic performance
• Increased number of ‘sick days’ from school because of tiredness
• Truancy.

Preventing sleep deprivation – tips for parents

Try not to argue with your teenager about bedtime. Instead, discuss the issue with them. Together, brainstorm ways to increase their nightly quota of sleep. Suggestions include:

• Allow your child to sleep in on the weekends.
• Encourage an early night every Sunday. A late night on Sunday followed by an early Monday morning will make your child drowsy for the start of the school week.
• Decide together on appropriate time limits for any stimulating activity such as homework, television or computer games. Encourage restful activities during the evening, such as reading.
• Avoid early morning appointments, classes or training sessions for your child if possible.
• Help your child to better schedule their after-school commitments to free up time for rest and sleep.
• Assess your child’s weekly schedule together and see if they are overcommitted. Help them to trim activities.
• Work together to adjust your teenager’s body clock. You may like to consult with your doctor first.

Preventing sleep deprivation – tips for teenagers

The typical teenage brain wants to go to bed late and sleep late the following morning, which is usually hard to manage. You may be able to adjust your body clock but it takes time. Suggestions include:

• Choose a relaxing bedtime routine; for example, have a bath and a hot milky drink before bed.
• Avoid loud music, homework, computer games or any other activity that gets your mind racing for about an hour before bedtime.
• Keep your room dark at night. The brain’s sleep–wake cycle is largely set by light received through the eyes. Try to avoid watching television right before bed. In the morning, expose your eyes to lots of light to help wake up your brain.
• Do the same bedtime routine every night for at least four weeks to make your brain associate this routine with going to sleep.
• Start your bedtime routine a little earlier than usual (for example, 10 minutes) after four weeks. Do this for one week.
• Add an extra 10 minutes every week until you have reached your desired bedtime.
• Avoid staying up late on the weekends. Late nights will undo your hard work.
• Remember that even 30 minutes of extra sleep each night on a regular basis makes a big difference. However, it may take about six weeks of getting extra sleep before you feel the benefits.

Other issues to consider

If lack of sleep is still a problem despite your best efforts, suggestions include:

• Assess your sleep hygiene. For example, factors that may be interfering with your quality of sleep include a noisy bedroom, a lumpy mattress or the habit of lying awake and worrying.
• Consider learning a relaxation technique to help you wind down in readiness for sleep.
• Avoid having any food or drink that contains caffeine after dinnertime. This includes coffee, tea, cola drinks and chocolate.
• Avoid recreational drugs (including alcohol, tobacco and cannabis) as they can cause you to have broken and poor quality sleep.
• See your doctor if self-help techniques don’t increase your nightly sleep quota.

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• Sleep disorder clinic

Things to remember

• Sleep research suggests that a teenager needs between nine and 10 hours of sleep every night.
• Chronic sleep deprivation can have dramatic effects on a teenager’s life, including reduced academic performance at school.
• Even 30 minutes of extra sleep each night makes a difference.
• All recreational drugs (including alcohol, caffeinated drinks and cannabis) and chocolate can cause broken sleep.

Steve Jones
Senior School Guidance Officer

PBC Homework Club

PBC Library’s Homework Club is up and running again. All students will have access to library resources and computers with staff members to supervise and assist with homework, assignments etc.

Homework Centre Hours

Tuesday 7:45am – 8:45am
Tuesday 3:15pm – 4:15pm (Math/English/Science Tutoring
Wednesday 7:45am – 8:45am
Thursday 7:45am – 8:45am

General library hours are 8:00am – 4:00pm Monday – Friday (closed 2nd break)

School Council Reminder Notice

Nominations close at 4pm on 13 May 2014 for one teacher position and one parent position on the PBC School Council.

The School Council is a very important body within the school as it has the function of guiding and monitoring the schools broad strategic direction. Members of the School Council approve strategic plans and policies and advise the Principal about strategic matters. Membership is for a two year period.

If you are keen to be involved in our future direction and can meet the requirements for nomination, you are welcome to submit a nomination form together with your biography to the returning officer.

Please see the documents available for download on the PBC website under Our Community for further information. Alternatively nomination forms are available from PBC administration staff.

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

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

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

You must be present at the election to be eligible.

Sports and Creative Arts Excellence Programs for Years 7 and 8 2015

Applications for Round 1 Sports Excellence trials and Round 2 Creative Arts Excellence Auditions close on the 7 May 2014.

Round 1 Sports Excellence trials will be held Thursday 19 June to Thursday 26 June 2014.

Round 2 Creative Arts Excellence auditions will be held on Saturday 14 June 2014.

For an enrolment pack please visit our website under Curriculum / Excellence programs to download the forms from the right side of the page or visit PBC’s administration office to collect your enrolment pack.

If you have any further Excellence Enrolment enquires please feel free to email the Excellence Enrolments Officer Tara Gonzales-Judd at
exenrolments@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au or 07 5525 9418

Community Service Participation

If your student has participated in community service or volunteer work in the community since the last time we collected participation (end of 2013) then we encourage them to print off a Community Service Participation Record form from the school website via Our Community - Volunteering - Community Service Program under the Useful Link heading on the right of the page.

Forms need to be returned to Student Services: attention Ms Sgalippa.

Students’ participation hours cumulate throughout the year and once they have achieved 10 hours in Middle School and 25 hours or more in Senior School they will be recognised at Optima Assemblies each term and receive an award certificate.

International Students 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 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. Students are aged 15-17 years.

For more information about this program please call Kirsten Hague on 07 5525 9325 or fax 5525 9326 or email khagu4@eq.edu.au.

Study Tour Buddies Needed

Palm Beach Currumbin State High will be hosting a Study Tour in Term 2 2014.

Lizen High School will be returning to us for three weeks – 21 May to 10 June.

We are looking for students who can be role models and buddies for these International students. All students are aged 15 -17 years old.

The role of the buddy is to:

• Welcome and assist our international visitors during their time at PBC by accompanying them around school grounds and interacting with them daily.
• Be a mentor and assist students in following the school’s policies and procedures.
• Help the international student get involved in school activities which will enrich their stay in Australia.

Successful applicants will:

• Attend International functions with their International Buddy
• Receive a Cultural Ambassadors Certificate
• Be recognised for Community Service
• Will help with future Leadership aspirations

If you are able to assist please collect a registration form from the International Dept in Y Block and return to Kirsten Hague.

Kirsten Hague
A/International Student Coordinator

CAX Update

It continues to be a very busy year for Creative Arts Excellence students – both past and present.

Our Senior CAX Music students recently had the privilege of a visit from two famous alumni. Nadia Sunde, professional writer, performer and solo artist and Nick Stewart, guitarist from the Aria Award-winning band George, have aligned with PBC in the development of a music industry mentoring and guidance program in order to assist and support young musicians with finding a pathway into the industry.

They spent a lesson with Year 10 and 11 Music Extension students, performing and discussing with them their needs and dispensing valuable advice from a combined 40 years’ experience.

In addition to this, CAX Music students Keiarn Chesebro, Will Perrett and Taine Josephson have been accepted into the Creative Generation line up as Featured Singers, with Tamara Gillard also accepted as an instrumentalist. They join over 70 CAX Dance students who will open this year’s showcase.

And the success of our CAX Program is not limited to our present students – CAX alumnus Jacob Enoka, currently studying at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, recently helped the Queensland Wind Orchestra to win the 2014 National Band Championships. This is a significant honour and it is wonderful to see Jacob’s hard work pay off in his first year out of PBC; no doubt this is the first of many for him. Jacob will also be returning to PBC to play in our Musical Orchestra for this year’s Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, taking place in PBC’s Hall on 29, 30, 31 May and 6, 7 June. Tickets are available from PBC’s Student Services.

And this year’s Musical lead, Courtney Monsma, has prepared for her role as Audrey in the best way possible, winning her section of the Gold Coast Starbound Eisteddfod with the song “Somewhere That’s Green” – one of Audrey’s solos. Courtney has also scored a role in an up-coming film, starring as Abi in the film Long Shadows.

Congratulations must go to all of these past and present CAX students.

And for a first-hand look at what CAX classes are working hard on currently, their first term’s work is culminating in a showcase taking place at the end of Week 2 of Term 2.

On Saturday, 3 May, PBC will be hosting a CAX festival, where some of the best work from all CAX strands can be viewed from 1:30pm -7:30pm.

This is a free event so mark it in your calendar and look forward to an afternoon and evening of Art, Film, Dance, Drama and Music.

For more information or to book a free seat, contact Sarah Bannan on 07 5525 9365 or at sbann30@eq.edu.au.

Trent Ivett
CAX Coordinator

SEP Update

Life Skills Years 8 And 9 – Healthy Living

Throughout Term 1 in Life Skills both Year 8 and 9 classes participated in a program studying the benefits of leading ‘A healthy life.’ Each week the students prepared and cooked a nutritious meal which was a lot of fun and a vital skill to develop. As a part of their assessment, the students participated in the ‘Mini Pizza’ cook-off where they created a pizza menu then prepared and cooked the pizzas which were wonderful. It was a great experience. I would like to congratulate the students on their great behaviour and enthusiasm during their assessment.

Chess Competition

The following students Dylan Butler, Scott Linnett, Amelia Callahan, Sam Davidson, Justin Davidson, Norman Cox, Brennan Tolan, Steven Adam, Bae Beezley and Brhi Hardwick all participated in Round 1 of the Chess Tournament at Somerset High School. All students performed and behaved to a high standard. Although we didn’t get any places this time, every student played well and some came away with a number of wins. It was a fantastic day for all. The next tournament is on at Saint Stephen’s College on 21 May. Permission notes will be out in the next week.

Rachel Wise

Year 8 And 9 Life Skills - Social

The Year 8 and 9 students will be diving into Term 2 with a very motivating Social Skills unit called ‘Super Social’. The iPads are heavily utilised in this unit with a custom-made iBook, taking students through interactive self-paced reading, video and visual texts. In addition, the skills-based activities will allow the students to practise while learning about topics such as making new friends, maintaining friendships, self-esteem, positive thinking and behaviours, body language and conversation skills. The students will be assessed on a role-play video and group work throughout the term. ‘Super Social’ will help set the stage for the students’ current and future social behaviours, as well as their human relationships for life! Bring it on!

Kim Woodcock

Year 10 Science

What an interesting and fun first term the Year 10 students have had in Science. ‘Life Evolves’ was the unit they completed with a lot of the work done on various apps on their iPads. For the first half of the term students had the opportunity to research and investigate different theories of evolution and present them on the app ‘Keynote’. This app catered for the different learning styles within the class, by allowing students to either present their research written on slides, pre-recorded orally or both. WOW is all I can say about the final pieces they produced, they did an amazing job. For the second part of the term, students had hands-on and visual learning activities to prepare them for the test. The ‘fossil dig’ was certainly one of the most popular activities of the term. Students played the role of Palaeontologists and had to dig out a dinosaur fossil. The human evolution task on the iPad app ‘Devolve me’ was also enjoyed by the students. They used pictures of themselves to take them back in time to see what they would have looked like millions of years ago.

Can’t wait to get started into next term!

Elleigh Quinn

Year 11 English

The Year 11 English Communications class completed a unit on role models. Students were presented with a variety of positive role models and people who have made a difference including Nic Vujicic, Turia Pitt, Chris Gardiner and Nelson Mandela. Students attended an excursion to the Coolangatta Cinema to view the film Mandela: The long walk to freedom. Students were required to identify the qualities which made someone a positive role model, research and then present a speech on their chosen role model utilising technology. The students presented their speeches using the ‘green screen’. Through the use of the iPad and the ‘green screen’ as the students spoke, pre-recorded footage of their role model could be projected. Students also used the iPad app ‘Wordfoto’ creating a visual representation of their role model.

Selena Morice

What’s Happening in The Arts @ PBC

HOD News

The Arts faculty have begun this year full of energy and focus, determined to challenge, engage and extend all students who elected an Arts subject. At the beginning of each term, all students in The Arts classes receive a Unit Outline, please ensure you ask you child about these outlines as they indicate:

• their learning of the unit studied,
• excursions and /or events
• assessment tasks and due dates

Throughout the last 10 weeks we have seen some amazing accomplishments and enthusiasm for class and below are small excerpts from Term 1 and where we are heading in Term 2.

Janine Gale
HOD ‘The Arts’

Information Technology

This term in Year 9 ITM (Information Technology Multimedia), students are creating a poster on a social issue. They have been given suggestions and shown previous examples of posters to aid them in their design. The students are producing some interesting posters on blood, cultural intolerance, bullying, safe driving, anti-smoking, hunting wolves and banning drugs. They are embracing their issues with passion. It is wonderful to see our students caring for our community.

Year 10 ICT (Information Communication Technology) students have been exploring the world of digital deceit and exploring the way in which Adobe Photoshop can be used to manipulate photos. Having airbrushed and warped the faces of celebrities, adjusted the colours of images, applied filters to create texture effects and distortion, and created whole new images by layering different elements on to one canvas, students have just begun work on their assessment project. The task allows students to demonstrate their creativity along with proficiency using the software as they create realistic photos to accompany an original and completely unrealistic newspaper story. We eagerly await the results.

Semester one sees Year 11 ITS (Information Technology Systems) students studying the world of Graphic Design. Students have looked at all the processes involved in planning a project, including analysing client needs, understanding the target audience and budgeting in order to pose a tender. Students have also demonstrated their abilities while working in small teams to create and present an advertising campaign based on a scenario for an energy drink company. Currently students are bringing their Photoshop skills to the table in their first practical design task. They have been given a real world scenario to create packaging for a local coffee company. It is fantastic to see the creativity, co-operation and enthusiasm in the classroom each day.

Year 12 students are embarking on their final year of the Information Technology Systems course. Students are currently looking into Graphical User Interface design and evaluating the processes involved in creating web and mobile applications. This will position students for the production unit next term in which they will create audio and video files for use on the web. The coming year will see the students culminate a lot of the skills they have been polishing throughout the course, and we look forward to seeing the results!

Courtney Underwood, Lesley Anderson, Tom Pasley and Janine Gale
2014 IT Staff

Art

Year 12 Multi - 12 Multi have been working on a children’s storybook. Students have written their own story and have drawn the illustrations. Some really creative projects have been produced.

Year 11 Multi - It been a busy time in 11 Multi Art with students creating a pop art portrait in acrylic paint on canvas. Some truly amazing paintings have been completed.

10 Art - Students have been studying Fauvism this term. For their assignment student are designing and creating their own Fauvist painting on the theme: A Room With A View.

9 Art - Tonal realism is the learning goal for our unit entitled Cultural Faces. Students are creating some fabulous renderings using graphite on paper and their subject is people from different cultures.

8 Art - The magnificent and fascinating world of Rainforests is our topic for Year 8 Visual Art. Students are currently composing realistic scenes of mountains, forests, exotic birds and fascinating fauna. Their skills in atmospheric perspective, scale and tone are being developed during this term’s unit.

Year 11OP - Students are currently working on their first two dimensional experimental folio of work. This folio is linked to an object of their choice. They have been required to think outside of the box, in an array of different contexts and are learning to become critical, open minded and creative thinkers!

Year 12OP - Students are currently working on their first body of work and their written assignment. This year is extremely student directed. They have been given the freedom to work with any type of media in the artistic world to depict personal, social, cultural or political issues/events or feelings.

Year 9 Art - Students have been learning the basic skills required to draw realistic portraits. They have practiced the elements and principles of design including proportion, line, shape and tonal variation to recreate a cultural face of their choice. They have learnt how to increase the scale of a drawing by using grid lines. They are doing extremely well for their first assessment task!

Dance

Year 8B and 8F TAC (The Arts Combined) had lots of variety in Term 1, starting the year with Dance and Fitness. They completed a fitness test and have performed, for assessment, a Hip Hop sequence taught to them by past student and professional dancer Chris Van Doren. Chris has danced professionally on international cruise ships, on X-Factor and as a back-up dancer for Kylie Minogue, Jason Derulo, Kei$ha, Taylor Swift and Timomatic. The TAC students were very fortunate to have Chris work with them. They are now doing a Pop Music unit and are working on an oral/visual presentation of a Rock/Pop artist of their choice.

Year 9A and 9B Dance are both ‘Dancing Through the Ages’ learning the popular dances of decades past such as the Can-Can, the Charleston, the Jive, Go-Go dancing and Disco.

Year 10 Dance have been doing a unit entitled “A smorgasbord of Contemporary dance”. They have studied all the pioneers of modern dance and explored many styles. They learnt a contemporary sequence for a performance assessment and are now working in groups creating their own group dance for a choreography assessment.

Year 11 Dance students are studying a unit called “The Pioneers of Dance-from Ballet to Hip Hop”, where they explore the works of the choreographers who were the innovators of Ballet, Early Modern, Post Modern, Jazz and Hip Hop. The Year 11 class were also treated to a fabulous Hip Hop workshop by Jasmine Meakin from Mega-Jam.

Year 12 Dance are studying choreographers who represent two very different philosophies. In “Philosophical Reflections” they explore, analyse, perform and create works by Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Steve Paxton.

Drama

2014 has already been a very busy year for drama students at PBC, and assessment is in full swing at the moment.

Year 8 Theatre-Arts-Combined (TAC) classes have been busy with units in News Broadcasting and Fractured Fairy Tale. Students in News Broadcasting wrote their own bulletin scripts and will be performing them for a performance assessment.

Tons of Tales Unit, energetic TAC A group, who have been looking at Fractured Fairy Tales, have just completed a poster that fractured a popular fairy tale and are now working on a six minute Fractured Fairy Tale script in which they will perform for a primary school at the end of Term 2. An example of a wonderful Fractured Fairy Tale was devised by Brenton Cole.

‘Making it up as we go’: the dynamic Year 9 Drama class have been engaged in learning how improvisation is a vital tool in drama. Throughout this term they have explored the elements of drama through a variety of scenarios and mastered the skill of ‘acting on the spot’ and making it up as it goes. This skill was developed through the theatre sports game Space Jump and the assessment was in two sections. They are working on a Polished Improvisation due on the last week of the Term. Many Year 9s are booking the drama rooms during lunch time and working hard on this part of the Task. I look forward to seeing their work in a few weeks!

Year 10 drama students have been examining acting for the screen. They have completed their own performance of a soap opera to camera and are currently analysing and contrasting actors in two versions of the same movie. Year 11 drama students are currently rehearsing their Australian Realism scene performances and also preparing their written analysis of Zeal Theatre’s The Apology.

Year 12 drama students have been looking at a unit in non-traditional theatre and focussed on an Australian play X-stacy, whilst experimenting with the technique of theatre-in-the-round. After viewing The Apology students will write a responding task relating to the dramatic languages of the play.

Drama students watched The Apology, an Artslink production, which came to our school on the 3 March. It was directed by Stefo Nantsou and Sam Foster, and was fuelled with intensity. The Apology used physical theatre techniques, multiple role –sharing and live music to produce a hard hitting theatre about bullying, revenge, decisions and consequences. It is a powerful play and was well received by the drama students of PBC.

Film/Media

It has been a whirlwind of activity in the film department this year! Our Year 8s have just finished their study of film language and are about to embark on the creation of a uniquely Australian superhero and the Year 9s have been using Garageband to edit together a variety of audio files for their sound portfolio.

The Year 11s spent time recently filming and editing their first production task of the year, a music video and finally the Year 12s, who are studying Hollywood film genres are about to begin writing scripts for a short film, which they will be producing next term. We are hoping to screen some of our student work during year level assemblies next term so you will soon be able to see the amazingly talented film-makers we have here at PBC.

Instrumental Music

This year the Instrumental Music Program (IMP) has seen some big change, with Kayla Corlis taking over the reigns as the instrumental coordinator, and welcoming two new teachers. Ms Sarah Larmor joining us as the new strings teacher and Randal Scheerle as our new specialist percussion teacher. The IMP also welcomed in 35 new fantastic Year 8 students who have fit in very well and have added a new dynamic to the program.

In Week 8 the Instrumental music program students, along with the IMP staff and Miss Anson headed up Mt Tamborine for the annual Band Camp. The camp was an absolute success. Students participated in three days of intense rehearsals and also had the opportunity to work together in team building activities, with special thanks going to Dylan from Aligned Fitness. We also had two evening visits from Miss Gale and Miss van Dartel who were welcomed and got to know the students better, especially at our red faces evening!

At the camp, our first full orchestra rehearsal for 2014 took place in preparation for the up-coming ANZAC day ceremony. This was an impressive sight, seeing and listening to all 65 members of the program play together. We have an exciting year ahead of ourselves with these great musicians. All the students had a great time and were able to get to know the new staff members well.

This year is shaping up to be exciting.

Music

It is full swing ahead in the music department this year. The senior music classes are already in the midst of their assessment and some of the work coming in is at a very high standard!

The two Year 11 music classes are currently looking at music for the screen. They have been studying music from a film of their choice and deconstructing the music to see how it has created either mood and atmosphere, character, time and place, or an emotion. This is an essay that they have been doing, but this will also help with their next two pieces of assessment for this semester – their own composition for music of the screen (film, game, tv, advertisement etc) or their performance of any piece from the screen. I’m looking forward to seeing the creativity of these students throughout this semester!

The two Year 12 classes are learning about music of the stage – from opera through to musical theatre. They have studied the music of La Boheme and Rent and have discovered how similar these are; yet how Rent is so much more appropriate for the children of the MTV generation. We have just started composing songs for our own musicals, and finding a song to perform from an already existing stage show. This year is moving fast for these students but they are working hard!

Year 12 Music Extension students are focussing on their first individual performances and compositions which will be performed to a live audience early in Term 2, which is their first showcase of their work. They are also investigating a topic of their own choice that will help them to become a better musician. This investigation is due mid-way through next term. These students have also been organising their main performance for the end of the year which they will be organising and rehearsing throughout the year.

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts Department welcomes Jen Gorman who is teaching Year 8, 9 and 10 Art as well as Multi Art. At the moment Miss Hall and Miss Henderson are in the process of planning a senior art excursion to the Tweed River Art Gallery to see Art Express. The excursion will take place at the start of next term and will hopefully inspire our senior student as they see the best Year 12 work NSW has to offer.

So you are aware of the assessment that is due included is a breakdown of each year level:

• 8 TAC/Visual Arts focussing a rainforest drawing.
• 9 Visual Arts is studying Cultural faces.
• 10 Visual Arts are painting a Fauvist room.
• 11 Multi Arts are creating Pop Art.
• 12 Multi Arts are illustrating children books.
• 11 and 12 Visual Arts are creating individual folios and bodies of work

USA Tour Summary

Our Executive Principal, Mr Stephen Loggie, has often talked to the staff and students of PBC about progressing from gold class to world class in each and every one of our endeavours. Well the 2013 USA Trip literally took us to world class, when our Creative Arts Excellence program went global!

Nil Sed Optima – nothing but the best and that is exactly what Palm Beach Currumbin State High delivered on a world stage in the United States. It was a most successful tour, thanks mainly to our Tour Leader, Janine Gale and our dedicated Arts staff.

Ms Gale, the consummate Tour Professional, spent hours preparing for the gidday USA Expedition, had us organized down to the letter with coloured ribbons to signal our groups and luggage, detailed itineraries and schedules which culminated in making this the most co-ordinated overseas trip of all time.

The staff were on duty twenty-four seven assisted by the early morning wake up calls by Mr McDougall, they never tired of their enormous responsibility to their students and school, assuming such roles as professional roller-coaster riders, counsellors, tourists, happy breakfast monitors and peace keepers.

The students are a credit to their parents, to their teachers and to their school. The happy and loving nature of our students was evident in their commitment to doing the right thing every day and always bringing fresh flowers to their performances. I must say it was quite surreal at times to see our School Name up in lights and to be performing in such places as Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm.

It is a testament to our students that the staff and students of Anaheim Performing Arts School welcomed PBC with gifts and a genuine interest in Australia and our Creative Arts Program.

It is with great pride that I say to all involved ….welcome home, well done and thank you for such a life-changing, memorable and successful USA Trip.

Ms Suzanne Parker
2013 USA Tour Leader

Careers Expo Time

The Careers Expo will be held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on Thursday 8 May. Free admission and parking – don’t miss out!

Industrial Revolution Olympics

Year 9 History

After a very successful term in which they created excellent presentations on the impact of the Industrial Revolution, 9C spent the last two lessons of Term 1 designing games to stage their own Industrial Revolution Olympics. Lots of imagination, creativity and care went into activities ranging from strategic board games to ball games representing the spread of the British Empire. The photos show students enjoying playing Industrial Millionaire, Train Rush, Go Revolution, Industrialise the World, Choo Choo Tiggy and Coal Shooter!

Education Access Centre

The Education Access Centre in 2014 encompasses the Learning Support and Literacy and Numeracy (LAN) classes and Indigenous Education at PBC. There has been a continued and sustained focus on literacy and numeracy within the department this year. PBC welcomes the addition of Elizabeth Gill who is our Literacy and Numeracy Co-ordinator.

The Year 8 LAN program includes the Year 8 Learning Support classes and mainstream students that have been identified from Year 7 NAPLAN, PATR and PATM, academic results and recommendations of class teachers. The focus areas for the Year 8 lessons are spelling and vocabulary development, reading, writing and mathematics. The aim of these lessons is to improve the students’ skills, knowledge and understanding in order to support the achievement of a “C” standard in assessment tasks. The Year 9 classes have been improving their skills and understanding across the areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and mathematics in preparation for the NAPLAN testing in Week 4 this term. All classes have been working diligently and have demonstrated the importance of perseverance when faced with challenging situations. Congratulations to all students.

The Year 8 Learning Support classes also participate in Reading Every Day for Success (RED4S) thirty minutes per week with small group instruction. The students are currently reading Once. Our special thanks to the wonderful work of Kim Woodcock who began the program in 2013 and successfully inspired and improved student reading outcomes both at and beyond PBC. Elizabeth Gill will be continuing RED4S for the remainder of 2014 as Kim will lead the new SEP Year 8 class.

As Numeracy is a key area for improving student outcomes, the EAC Department has paid for the online resource, Maths Online for all Learning Support students in Years 8-10 in 2014. This is available both at school in Maths lessons and at home for homework, revision or additional learning.

Another exciting new initiative for Term 2 will be the implementation of the QuickSmart Literacy Intervention Program for the remainder of the year. The QuickSmart Program is an evidence-based program that is highly supported, well resourced and built around a professional learning program. Five staff from PBC recently attended two days of Professional Development in Sydney for this program. Sixteen students have been selected from PATR, NAPLAN and school based assessment data to participate in the program. We have also selected comparison students to compare the baseline data. PBC will collaborate with The University of New England, Armidale who is responsible for the test data assessment, monitoring and evaluation. QuickSmart lessons will be three times per week for 30 minutes with groups starting in Week 2 and Week 5.

The national priority of ‘Closing The Gap’ and ending Indigenous disadvantage is taken very seriously at PBC. We value our Murri Jarjum students and as such the Indigenous Support Team have worked hard this year with the support of PBC staff to monitor and improve results for every Murri Jarjum student to maximise their learning potential. In response to this priority PBC has once again undertaken ‘Mid-Term Reporting’; a process which is utilised to inform parents of individual student’s progress and identify students ‘at risk’ who may require extra academic support. The Indigenous Support team would like to thank PBC staff and parents for their continued involvement in this undertaking along with our Indigenous Attendance Teacher Aide, Errol McDonald and Indigenous In-class support Teacher Aide, Selwyn Apanui to improve student outcomes.

At PBC, we are committed to embed strong, meaningful and genuine partnerships with the wider Indigenous community as to further improve retention in the Senior School years. We also aim to provide all PBC Indigenous and non-Indigenous students with an understanding of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional and contemporary cultures. We are excited to deliver two new programs in Term 2.

Firstly, Stephen Larcombe a former PBC student, will conduct weekly workshops each Friday for Murri Jarjum dance and didgeridoo lessons in Lunch 1. Students will have an opportunity to develop our first Murri Jarjum dance group. In addition, PBC has formed a new partnership with Surfing Queensland and Queensland Sport and Recreation to deliver the Jullum Jarjums ‘Fish Kids’ Indigenous Surfing program. Ten Murri Jarjum students at PBC will begin the Level 1 Surf Coaching accreditation program this term. In 2013, Mina Durbridge Campbell successfully completed her Level 1 Surf Coaching Accreditation and has been assisting the International students during sport each week.

Parent/Guardians should check the PBC website www.pbc-shs.eq.edu.au for the:

2014 Murri Jarjum Calendar Semester 1 Assessment Calendar for the Middle and Senior School.

Homework Club is available to all EAC students each week from Tuesday to Friday (7:45 am - 8:45 am) in the PBC Resource Centre. Murri Jarjum students also have additional homework and learning support available each Lunch 1 in K Block.

Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to meeting parents and guardians at the Parent/Student/Teacher interviews in Week 5.

Wendy Wise
HOD EAC

Uniform Shop Update

CAX Shirts

If you ordered a CAX shirt they are now available for collection from the Uniform shop.

Sports Excellence

Parents if you placed an order for Sports Excellence uniforms in January, you will be notified via text message when your order has arrived and is available for collection from the Uniform Shop by your child.

Bucket Hats

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. The bucket hats are now available to purchase from Uniform Shop for $15.

Jumpers

Jumpers are now available to purchase from the uniform shop with samples available to try on for sizing, all sizes available for $48.

Trading Times

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

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

Pathways Centre News

Congratulations to all the new trainees and apprentices for Term 1!

There are many more opportunities in Term 2 including all Goldsteins Stores on the Gold Coast offering a Certificate III in Hospitality and City Venue Pools offering a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation.

The Defence Force has work experience placements at Enoggera in Term 2. Please see the Pathways Centre for more information.

Expressions of interest for an RSA course later in the term will be taken. Please put your name down in the Pathways Centre.

Sonia Shreeve
The Pathways Centre

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	Overdue
Ski Trip	Year 11 students	2nd Instalment $500	28 April
Student Resource Scheme Fees 2014 (whole payment)	All students	$330	Overdue
Student Resource Scheme Fees 2014 (second instalment)	All students	$165	Overdue
Excellence Program Fees	Excellence program students	Various	Overdue
Course Fees
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…)