14 October 2014

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

Student leadership plays a critical role in the success of PBC. Our School Captains and Vice Captains work closely with the school administration to ensure every student is aware of PBC expectations for conduct and actively promote the myriad of opportunities available for them to engage in.

They are responsible for modelling appropriate standards and promoting the desired culture of the school. We value effort, cooperation, fairness and inclusivity and it is imperative that our captains and vice captains embody these values.

To support these students we have a student council which consists of student leaders from every year level who come together to form a student government. These students share responsibility for capturing the student voice and generating the ideas that improve the student experience at PBC.

I would like to thank all of these students for their fantastic work in 2014. Our school has a proud tradition of excellent student leadership and I believe there is clear evidence that this tradition has been continued this year.

I would also like to acknowledge Mr Nigel Hughes, Mrs Sharon Hillcoat and Mr Mick McDougall who have worked tirelessly to develop the leadership capabilities of each and every one of these students.

Recently PBC has had a number of students elected to the Gold Coast City Junior Council, they are Amaya Hardy, Chloe Finlay, Niki Popova-Clark and Keiarn Chesebro.

I congratulate all of these students for their commitment to our city and wish them well in their endeavours.

Over the next few weeks we will conclude the school captain’s selection process. This rigorous process involves nomination, speeches in front of their year level, voting (student and staff) as well as interviews with a selection panel. As the executive principal it is my privilege to chair the panel and one of my favourite aspects of this task is listening to the wonderful ideas the students bring to improve our school.

We are very fortunate to have many students who are prepared to accept responsibility for leadership of our great school and I would like to congratulate the following candidates for nominating for positions in 2015:

Boys

Fletcher Harrold
Baden Swain
Jasper Limkin
Travis Adkins
Riley Mayne
Ruben Kara-Manning
Judd Vesey

Girls

Keiarn Chesebro
Ellie Wearing
Hayley Bowers
Jenna Harris
Talisha Herden
Tamika-Grace Driscoll
Jade Horcicka
Georgia Wingett
Tayla Meyer
Amelia Caldwell
Juiro Wang
Teddii McGoldrick
Imogen Magrin
Niki Popova-Clark

I wish all of the candidates the best of luck and look forward to announcing the outcome in the near future.

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Newsletter Articles

Senior School Update

Welcome back to all our students and their families. A lot has happened in the past few weeks and this term will be just as busy!

On the last Thursday of Term 3, we had our Year 12 formal at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. It was a fabulous night and the Year 12 students did the school proud, behaving well and enjoying the night. I am very much looking forward to the school Graduation Night on Thursday 20 November.

Following the school formal, we sent away all the school’s Year 12 results to verification. This is a process where the school’s student results are sampled and their quality compared to other schools in the state. I am pleased to announce that we have submitted work of a higher level than ever before with a much greater number of university eligible students.

For our Year 11 students, this term is the start of the assessment that will count towards their overall result at the end of Year 12. So it is timely for you to sit down with your student and discuss study timetables, work and social commitments to ensure that you create an environment where your child can be as successful as possible in their schooling. We suggest a minimum of 12 hours study per week for an OP student to give you a guide.

Nigel Hughes
Director Senior School

Welcome back

It has been great to see PBC return to life over the past week. In particular, we welcome back our Year 12 students for their final term of schooling. The vast majority of students have returned wearing their uniforms well. With the warmer weather well established, students should dig out their PBC hats and caps, or purchase one before school at the uniform shop.

At this time, Senior School students will have received back exams and assignments completed in shutdown. During assemblies, we have discussed the importance of persistence and setting realistic goals. All students should record these goals on their OPTIMA Planner in their Student Diary.

A significant number of Year 11 students are currently working through the selection process for formal Student Leadership positions in 2015. We congratulate all of the nominees as they are a fine representation of PBC, and wish them well in their endeavours.

At present, all students are engaged in social and emotional learning or special programs each Wednesday. While these classes do not award grades, they remain a significant part of our curriculum. Year 10 students are engaged in drug and alcohol education, and are currently studying safe partying and risk taking. Year 11 students are undertaking literacy and numeracy which will prepare them for the QCS test and support their learning across their chosen academic pathway. Finally, our Year 12 students are being prepared to leave school. Lessons range from guest speakers discussing attending Schoolies safely, through to finalising personal details to ensure they receive their results at the end of 2014.

Year 12 students are reminded that Graduation will be held at PBC, on the evening of 20 November. We look forward to seeing many parents and supporters at this wonderful event.

Year 11 and 10 students are reminded that their term is quite short, with exams being held in Week 8. Shutdown timetables will be posted in the coming weeks to assist students with their planning. The final day of term for Years 10 and 11 is Friday 28 November. It is an expectation that students will attend lessons and exams up to and including this date.

Sharon Hillcoat
Deputy Principal Senior School

Term 4 reminders for senior school

With Year 12 students now in their last term of schooling, students and parents need to be aware that the final exit grades are those which will determine their OP, rank and QCE eligibility. As such, Year 12 students need to ensure that they continue to follow the school motto of nil sed optima, nothing but the best, as they complete their last assessments to the best of their ability. Year 12 students only have 5 weeks of classes this term before shutdown in week 6.

Students are required to complete all assessment items, and must be eligible to achieve the Queensland Certificate of Education in order to attend the school graduation on November 20. The last scheduled day of school for Year 12 students is Friday November 21.

All year 12 students should have by now logged onto the student connect website https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au. This is the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) record of their learning. Students should check that their details are correct especially their address and that all courses have been registered. The QCAA will issue QCE and OPs in early December. If you are experiencing any issues with this, please contact Ms Ashby in Y block.

Assessment calendars for Term 4 will be published on the school website under curriculum/testing and assessment.

Year 11 students are advised that if they wish to commence a school based traineeship or apprenticeship (SATs) it must be commenced this year.

Year 10s interested in doing SATs should consider applying and commencing this term.

Year 10 and 11 students have 7 weeks of classes and a week of shutdown this term.

Shutdown exams will commence in the week of November 24 to 28. All students may have timetabled exams up to and including the last day. Year 11 students will be practicing their QCS writing task on November 28.

A reminder that all drafts and assignments are due before 9am on the due date and that exams cannot be given early to students because of other commitments. Please refer to the school assessment policy on the school website for further details.

Michael McDougal
HOD Senior School

Middle School News

Preparing for our Inaugural Year 7 Cohort

With only one school term left until we welcome our 2015 Inaugural Year 7 cohort of students, all of our PBC Middle School staff are busy making final preparations to ensure this transition is smooth and successful.

Please be aware our planning and preparation for this additional year level to our Middle School has been extensive and has provided a great opportunity to review and reflect upon our current practices. The Year 7 implementation planning has included the following key areas:

• Development of facility plan to support the introduction of Year 7 cohort
• Review of current Middle School curriculum structure to accommodate our Year 7 cohort
• Development of Year 7 curriculum and support processes
• Timetable structural changes required to support the introduction of Year 7 cohort
• Review of and development of NAPLAN Plan to incorporate Year 7 cohort
• Comprehensive Transition Plan to support our Year 7 students into our Middle School
• Review of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program to cater for Year 7 cohort
• Development of staffing plan for recruitment of new staff and selection of existing staff as part of Year 7 team
• Development of Professional Development plan to support teachers in the introduction of Year 7 students and to develop our curriculum
• Review and upgrade of our local infrastructure to support additional students.

If you have any queries related to the transition of Year 7 students to PBC, please contact our Administration Office.

Term 4 OPTIMA Plan

It’s time again to engage your son/daughter in the OPTIMA Plan process and personal goal setting for Term 4. This plan is outlined in the front of student diaries. The benefits of including students in their own goal setting include:

• Supports students to take ownership of their learning and reflect on efforts they are demonstrating to reach their goals
• Encompasses the notion of effort to improve the chances of success
• Provides a great starting point for improvement conversations with their teachers.

Blair Hanna
Director Middle School

Social Emotional Learning

As a part of the learning across our school, all students participate in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) classes. These classes are aimed at providing information and education to students appropriate to their age and development. As part of the SEL program this term, Year 9 students will be learning about human relationships.

Incorporated into the human relationship course is information on personal safety, decision making, development and sexual health. The sexual health component will be delivered by our School Based Youth Health Nurse, Judy, and will use learning materials developed by Queensland Health. Sexual health is an important part of the SEL curriculum and will be delivered sensitively and professionally. I encourage you to contact the school if you have any concerns or questions around this important phase of your child’s education.

I would also remind all parents and students of the behaviour expectations of all middle school students over this last term for 2015. The school’s OPTIMA code of Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be a Learner continues to be the foundation of everything that we do. Reminders of how this impacts students, including Saturday detentions and the use of the Internal Suspension Room, will be the subject of upcoming assemblies at school.

I look forward to a successful Term 4 for all of our students.

Peter O’Brien
Deputy Principal Middle School

Concentrating on Term 4 studies

Reports for Term 3 have been completed and students are now expected to shake off their ‘holiday mode’ and start concentrating on their Term 4 studies.

As always, teachers are required to manage their classrooms around the PBC Optima Code, and students are expected to maintain their planner with a schedule of assessments, goals and dates for each subject and ask their parent to sign off on their program.

To help us maintain a positive and healthy school environment, students may need reminders and extra help from home to ensure compliance around uniform (particularly piercings, nail polish and suitable lengths for skirts and shorts), school attendance, punctuality, and homework.

In a large school like PBC, a litter free environment is also particularly important for hygiene reasons and as part of showing respect to ourselves and others.

Settling students back into the routines of school life is a collaborative effort that is made easier if we are all familiar with expectations around being safe, respectful, and being a learner. Page five and six of the student planner provide detailed outlines of PBC expectations to ensure we all have a productive, safe and enjoyable school term.

Dianne Stamp
HOD Middle School

Pathways Centre News

School based traineeships available for Year 10 and 11 students

Cert III Hospitality: Currumbin RSL, Zarraffas Pac fair, Beach Café Surfers Paradise, Hook Up Robina plus many more .

Cert III Business: City Beach Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach stores, 7 Eleven stores Burleigh and Palm Beach, Coast Wide Roofing and Maintenance Burleigh.

Cert III Children Services: Applications open to students currently in year 10 only. Cert III Children services traineeships @ Kool Kids Childcare Centres. Information flyer with all the details is in the Pathway Centre.

Cert III Dental Assistant: Vacancy available in a Labrador Surgery.

Seaworld and Movieworld: Information sessions are coming up 30 October and 6 November. Both theme parks will be offering traineeships in Tourism and Hospitality in 2015.

Indigenous traineeships: Dental Assistant.

Part-time jobs: Brumbys the Pines and Grill’d Coolangatta are looking for casual staff.

Love your current job? Would you like to turn it into a traineeship? Come to the Pathway Centre and let’s see if we can create a traineeship for you in your current role.

Year 12 students need to have completed their traineeship by 20 October. This includes submitting all modules and hour log books to their trainers. Your traineeship won’t appear on your year 12 results if the traineeship is not completed by this date.

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

Sonia Shreeve
Industry Liaison officer

Guidance Officer News

QTAC

Just a reminder to year 12 students who have missed the ‘on time’ due date application for QTAC (30th September), late applications are still accepted and we encourage you to submit these as soon as possible. The fee to apply to QTAC now is $130. If you are having concerns regarding course selections based on your OP prediction please contact Miss Wise or Mr Jones in E Block.

Griffith GUESTS program

Just a reminder to Year 11 students who have applied or still want to apply for the Griffith GUESTS program; please see Miss Wise in E Block (Mr Jones’ office) as soon as possible. Applications close on the 15th of October.

Year 10 students – Headstart Day at Bond University

Headstart Day is a great opportunity for Year 10 students to try university subjects from across Bond’s four faculties. During this event, attendees will enjoy interactive activities, learn more about different careers and get orientated with the Bond campus.

When: 20th October 2014
Time: 9am – 3pm
Where: Bond University

Please see Miss Wise or Mr Jones in E Block if you are interested. This will not run as a school excursion and students will need to organise their own transport to the venue.

Year 10 and 11 students – Experience Griffith 2014

Experience Griffith is a practical and engaging way for secondary school students to get a taste of life as a university student by attending interactive sessions on a range of topics related to course options.

When: 5th November
Time: 8am to 2pm
Where: Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus

Please see Miss Wise or Mr Jones in E Block if you are interested. This will not run as a school excursion and students will need to organise their own transport to the venue.

Steve Jones and Rachel Wise
Guidance Officers Senior School

Art Department News

Term three CAX achievements – a reflection on success!

Term 3 is traditionally the competition and showcase period for the CAX program, with participation in the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, Drama Festival and Swell Sculpture Festival. With a proud and established reputation of excellence and success in these events, 2014’s campaign was no different, and in fact was arguably the strongest year to date!

GOLD COAST EISTEDDFOD

With a total of 18 places achieved in the 23 sections entered, it would be fair to say that PBC’s CAX students had a dominant presence at this year’s event!

Unfortunately, CAX Dance students just missed out on 1st place with a stunning piece choreographed by CAX alumnus Kyla Towell, but picked up 2nd and 3rd places in the middle and senior school with dances choreographed by CAX Ambassadors Anna Johnston and Anthony Ikin, and year 9 CAX dance student Kira Stray.

CAX Music took out four first places, the highlight of which was the first PBC choir in almost a decade winning their section, led by our new CAX Music teacher Ms Van Dartel (now Mrs Tassone).

CAX Drama were not to be left undone, taking out the clean sweep of 1st, 2nd and 3rd in their Duologue section. Congratulations to Madison McNeill and Lillie Delaney who won the top prize!

DRAMA FESTIVAL

While this year’s plays missed out on placing, our CAX Drama students had excellent individual success, with at least one of the six Best Actor trophies going to CAX students from each section entered.

Pacha Luque-Light and Sean Petie from year 8, Conor Putland from year 10 and Mackenzie Olson and Isabella Pavia from year 12 each received a Best Actor trophy, along with a pile of Highly Commended awards for the rest of the casts.

SWELL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL

Our exclusive partnership with what has become the Southern Gold Coast’s most anticipated Arts event, has only gotten stronger with CAX Media students once again given privileged access to the event’s sculptures as foundations for their work.

This year the class shifted from using clay to free-form mediums, even becoming animated characters themselves in short films inspired by the stunning sculptures on show from some of Australia’s best artists. The CAX Media students’ work was screened on the opening night of the festival on Currumbin beachfront, to the delight of patrons. An impressive feat given the short time frame and creative challenge presented them.

Congratulations must go to these CAX students and the CAX staff whose dedication and expertise continues to provide not only the best opportunities for their students, but also the best guidance to achieve excellence in the Creative Arts.

Trent Ivett
Creative Arts Excellence Coordinator

Sporting Recognition

All Schools Touch Tournament

PBC had four teams entered into the Queensland All Schools Touch Tournament this year. Run over four days and with over 300 teams competing including teams from overseas makes for a very gruelling competition to come out on top.

The 13A’s mixed and 15’s girls both won four from six games and despite showing huge improvement through the tournament, unfortunately neither team progressed through the finals on Sunday in this highly competitive tournament.

The 13B’s mixed were the real surprise packets of the competition going through undefeated in the pool rounds beating some much fancied opposition along the way. They then progressed through to the quarter finals where they led eventual winners Rockhampton Grammar for most of the match but were unfortunately beaten in the final minutes 4-3. A fantastic result for this team with the limited preparation they had together. Well done to Mr McCarthy who led this team tremendously well.

The Open Girls had a miraculous path through to the finals going down to Singapore in the pool rounds then then bouncing back to defeat previous winners Fairholme 3-2 to stay alive. This meant that in the final pool game the team had to win by 12 which they sensationally did downing Gladstone 14 nil to progress through to the round of 16. Unfortunately they were defeated by the very strong Hamilton (NZ) team 4-3. They pushed the eventual semi- finalists all the way and were unfortunate to be beaten.

All teams represented the Reds with distinction and a ‘never say die’ attitude across all games. It was great to see the tremendous support they showed for each other with a sea of red around the field when each team was playing. Better luck next year guys, it was a real pleasure working with you all.

Mr Eggert and Mr Russell
PBC Touch Sports Excellence Coaches

Girls Open Netball – Vicki Wilson Cup Champions

Congratulations to the Girls Open Netball team for taking out first place at the 2014 Vicki Wilson Cup. The team won 23-21 over Rivermount College in the final. A fantastic achievement!

School Based Youth Nurse Notes

Ten tips for a good night’s sleep

• Have a regular sleep pattern- try going to bed at the same time each evening and get up at the same time each day. This helps create a sleep routine.
• Spend the right amount of time in bed- most adults need about 8 hours sleep every night. Children need more sleep than adults.
• Bed is for sleeping- TV, computers and other electronic devices interfere with sleep. Your mind needs to know that you are in bed and it’s time for sleep.
• Unwind before bed- Sort out problems well before going to bed. Try to avoid using your computer at least 1 hour before going to bed and avoid exercise too close to bedtime.
• Have a comfortable bedroom- preferably dark, quiet, comfortable bedding and a good temperature.
• Avoid stimulants such as alcohol; caffeine related drinks and cigarettes as these are stimulants.
• Avoid napping during the day- however if it is unavoidable then ensure it is only for 30 minutes and don’t go to bed again for at least another 4 hours.
• Don’t lie awake watching the clock- this can create an anxious feeling and clock watching will only make it worse. A glass of warm milk has a calmative effect as it releases tryptophans which convert to melatonin and serotonin which aid in relaxation. Other foods such as peanuts, bananas and oats also produce tryptophans.
• Sleeping pills should be avoided as they do not fix your sleeping problems they only add to it.
• If you need some professional help see your GP
  - Article by the Australasian Sleep Association and Youth Beyond Blue

Judy Nunn
School Based Youth Nurse

Ordered your 2014 Yearbook?

Don’t miss out on having a wonderful reminder of this year at PBC. The OPTIMA yearbook is filled with photos of school happenings, sports and of course your friends from the year as well as articles. They are $30. What a great keepsake.

Order yours today! (No payment required for 2014 Year 12 students.)

Payment Options

Pay in person:

• Payment can be made at the Student Services office 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Credit Card and Debit Cards (EFTPOS), Cash, Cheques and Money Orders are accepted.

Pay by phone (by credit card only):

• Call the school on 5525 9333 Monday to Friday between 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
• Please have the account and your credit card details with you when you call.
• VISA and MasterCard accepted.

Pay by Direct Credit:

• You have the option to make the payment direct to the school bank account. Please quote the reference below to ensure payment is credited to your account.
• Account Name: Palm Beach Currumbin SHS General Account
• BSB: 064-404 CBA Branch Burleigh Heads
• Account No: 00090303
• Reference: Please record both your Student’s Id and the reference code 2014MAG

Lynne Riley
Student Services

Uniform Shop Update

Extended trading hours

The uniform shop will open for extended trading hours from 10 – 28 November 2014.

Uniform shop trading times
Monday and Friday	7:00am to 12:00pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday	8:15am to 5:30pm
Saturday 15 November 2014	9:00am to 4:00pm

Please note: The uniform shop and fitting room will be closed on Thursday 20 November 2014, due to a school function.

Current trading hours are Monday to Friday 8.15am to 9.30am.

CAX shirts

If you ordered a CAX SHIRT they are now available to be collected from the uniform shop.

EXTRA SPORT EXCELLENCE UNIFORMS

The uniform shop currently has some extra sport ex stock available for parents to purchase. Please feel free to pop in and see our friendly staff who can assist you with sizing.

Also please note not all sizes are available but we will do our best to assist you and your child.

Please contact Mandy Webb between 8am-2pm Monday to Friday if you have any questions or would like to see if your child’s size is available. Also, remember you can make your payments over the phone.

BUCKET HATS/PBC CAPS

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

JUMPERS

Jumpers are now available and are selling FAST. You can purchase your warm knitted jumper from the uniform shop for $48. Samples are available to try on for sizing.

Mandy Webb
Uniform Shop Coordinator

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 e.g.: 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
Excellence Program Fees	Excellence program 2014 students	Various	Overdue
Course Fees
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
Student Resource Scheme	2015 Fees Year 7 to Year 12	$330	1st instalment 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

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

Community Events

White Ribbon Awareness Day

On Sunday 30 November at Palm Beach Parklands (Pirate Park), Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre is inviting all men and their families to White Ribbon Awareness Day. Come and cheer for members of the emergency services as they flex their muscles in a bid to win the ‘Battle of the Badges- White Ribbon Tug-O-War cup’.

All community members are welcome to this family friendly event which goes from 8am to 12:00pm its set to be a great morning of family entertainment with something for everyone. Activities start at 7:45am when you can sign up for the beachside walk and buy a t-shirt for $5 for a cause.

Lifeline Gold Coast $2 Clothing Sale

The Lifeline Gold Coast $2 Clothing Sale is on again from 16-17 November at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. All clothing is $2 per item!

All funds raised from the sale will go to support Lifeline and UnitingCare Community's counselling services across the region.

For more information please visit: http://www.eventfinda.com.au/2013/lifeline-gold-coast-2-clothing-sale/gold-coast/broadbeach