10 October 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal's Report

Dear Parents

In 2012, PBC was selected to be an Independent Public School (IPS). One of the central tenants of an IPS is to be accountable to the community to have meaningful and broad engagement with our community at large.

My first principalship was at a primary school called Mistake Creek which had 8 students and was situated about an hour west of Clermont in central Queensland. Living in such a small and close knit community and subsequent rural postings made me very aware of the crucial role that state school's play in community building.

As a local resident I remain committed to this ideal and accept that I am accountable to the community, our parents and our students for ensuring PBC is the best it can be.

Our main vehicle for engaging our community is the PBC Alliance.

The purpose of the PBC Alliance is to:-

• Strengthen PBC's position as a community hub by providing opportunities for local business to network
• Raise the school's profile through celebrating achievement and engaging with former students via social media
• Raise funds through developing a sponsorship program

Our next PBC Alliance function is a breakfast to be held on Friday 28 October 2016 6:45am – 8:15am at the PBC Trade Training Centre.

Stephen Loggie
Executive Principal

Senior School Update

What an exciting yet challenging time of year we have reached for our senior students.

Students in Year 12 are currently balancing their assessment priorities, university applications, graduation plans, and work commitments. The Year 11 cohort is also focused on their end of year academic responsibilities and maintaining QCE eligibility. Some students are also thinking about the leadership opportunities in 2017 and preparing for interviews for these positions. Students in Year 10 should have made subject selection decisions by now, decisions that can significantly affect their future pathway after school.

As the important adults in their lives, it is our responsibility to keep the students focused and help them keep a balanced routine. It can become overwhelming for a young person to manage the competing demands on their time. By sticking to the basics, regular bed time, eating well, coming to school on time, engaging in their classes, asking for help if necessary; we can help smooth the transitions that these young people are experiencing.

Year 10 and 11 Interim Reports will be emailed home next Friday 14 October. We encourage parents to make time to sit with their students and work through these reports reflecting on both efforts and achievement whilst also setting goals for 2017. If the report raises any questions, please feel free to contact class teachers for individual feedback via email or phone. All email addresses can be found by accessing the contact tab on our school website.

The Year 12 Graduation is on Thursday 17 November at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Guest tickets are now on sale, students may purchase up to six guest tickets each via Student Services. Tickets cost $10 each.

On a very important note, we remind parents of the "after parties" message. In no way does the school sanction these parties, as they are considered extremely risky and in some cases, illegal. Senior students were advised this week of the school's position and obligation to act if students are involved in organising any part of such an event.

This cohort of Year 12 students is a fantastic group, they have behaved well and worked hard to achieve great results and pathways after school. We look forward to continuing to support them through their final weeks of schooling to ensure the high standard is maintained.

Attendance

Attendance matters – Parents play a vitally important role. There is overwhelming evidence that absenteeism from school can have a significantly negative impact on young people's future prospects, learning and social development. On any particular day in the PBC Senior School, an average of nine percent of our students are absent from school. For those students who are absent this essentially equates to one day every fortnight, or over a longer term completely missing more than one full year of schooling from prep to Year 10!

Students are reminded that 'EVERY DAY COUNTS' and that they are accountable for attending every class – every day unless there is a medical or other reason for them not to be in attendance. We are looking forward to working with parents to ensure improved attendance leading to better results.

Parent Connect and Mobile Phone Policy Review

Over the next two weeks the school will host two Parent Connect Events. The events will focus on "Understanding Adolescence" and to enable the presenters on the night to be specific to individuals we will host a night specifically tailored to focus on girls on Tuesday 18th October and another session which will focus on boys on Tuesday 25 October. We would encourage you to come and connect with like-minded parents who are also looking for ways to learn more about their young person and how to best to support them in what can be very challenging years of growth. Leading expert, Mr Simon Santosha and Headspace representatives will be in attendance to answer any questions you might have.

As we are aware, young people sharing and storing inappropriate photos of themselves is a growing societal concern and one that impacts upon all schools, including ours. We believe this evening will provide some excellent background for understanding some of the triggers of this type of activity and its link to developing sense of sexuality. On the night we would also like to open discussion with parents around the use of mobile phones at school as we are currently reviewing our policy also as a result of this incident. The review will involve staff and students but we are very interested to know parents opinions on the purpose of mobile phones at school.

We look forward to meeting you on the night.

Blair Hanna
Head of School – Senior School

Senior School Deputy Report

Year 11 QCS Program Update

The Year 11 cohort have begun primary testing as they work towards the QCS Exam in September of 2017. All OP-eligible students completed a practice Multiple Choice and Short Response Exam during shutdown of Term 3, of which results will be released to students shortly. Next Wednesday, students will complete a practice exam on the 3rd component of QCS, the Writing Task.

These exams are an essential aspect of the QCS program, as students align the skills and strategies learnt in their weekly QCS lesson and apply these under exam conditions. The results from each of these practice tests will assist in targeting specific areas for improvement across the next 12 months.

Should any student be absent from the QCS Practice Exam on Wednesday morning they are to inform Mr Kennedy in Y Block as soon as possible to arrange an alternate exam time.

Mitch Kennedy
Head of Department – Senior School

Middle School Update

Welcome back for term 4. The Middle School is expecting a successful and productive term working with our students. Term 4 is closely linked with our key celebrations for the year as we are sure to achieve wonderful results both in the classroom and out. I know that the next nine weeks will pass very quickly for us all.

This week we have covered our 'not negotiable' again with our students at assemblies, we like to take this time each term to remind students of our high expectations for their attendance, classroom effort and behaviour. We have linked these messages to our Optima Code – Be safe, be respectful and be a learner.

Please be aware our planning and preparation for 2017 is well and truly underway.

• Review of current Middle School curriculum structure.
• Review of class composition including gathering student and teacher input on this.
• Review and enhancement of our literacy and numeracy classroom routines.
• Review of pastoral care model to enhance student wellbeing and engagement.
• Comprehensive Transition Plan to support our incoming Year 7 students into our Middle School including an induction week for all students Week One 2017.
• Timetable and support planning to accommodate diverse learners in a more inclusive manner.
• Development of staffing plan for recruitment of new staff and selection of existing staff to strengthen our Middle school team.
• Development of Professional Development plan to support teachers.

Anita Sgalippa
Head of School - Middle School

Middle School Deputy Report

To begin Term 4, the Middle School assembly focus is Optimism. Students viewed an image of a glass of water at the halfway point to determine if the glass is half full or half empty. This gives students an opportunity to reflect on their own thinking. There is no right or wrong answer but an individual perception on mental attitude which often transfers to life. Students choosing the 'glass half full' view optimism and this can be reflected in their daily view of life. The term is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning "best".

What can your child do as a Middle School student to be optimistic and do their "best" for Term 4?

Within the Deputy Principal role our focus is on student behaviour and wellbeing. Strong partnerships between the student, parents and PBC are crucial this term to ensure your child chooses positive behaviours to reinforce positive actions and consequently positive outcomes.

Your child can work toward success by:

• Reflecting on Term 3 results and setting aspirational goals in every subject for Achievement, Effort and Behaviour.
• Prioritising attending school 'EVERY DAY COUNTS'
• Behaving responsibly within the classroom and playground
• Actively learning to promote and maximise personal growth
• Choosing the 'glass half full' mental attitude to increase positivity and enhance well being

All students should have completed their Optima Plan and set improvement goals for Term 4. Our mid-term Optima Award assemblies in Week 5 spotlight those students who have achieved success and our team looks forward to celebrating student success by achieving A's in effort and behaviour in their subjects.

Wendy Wise
Acting Deputy Principal – Middle School

Head of Department Middle School Report

WELCOME BACK

The PBC Middle School is once again abuzz with activity as students return for Term 4. As we are heading towards the end of the year, assessment must be completed by the end of Week 9, promising a very busy time for students and teachers. In addition, Year 9s are stretching themselves to meet the challenges of Senior School and are planning their future directions. We look forward to another positive term.

REPORTING

A reminder that Middle School Term 3 reports will be emailed home to parents on Friday 14th October. Should you have any particular concerns, do make contact with your child's teacher through the PBC website; all teacher emails are listed in the Contacts List:

Teachers are working hard to ensure students have the best possible learning outcomes by the end of the year and welcome your involvement in student improvement.

Should an expected report not arrive by email, do check your junk mail. Following that, please contact the school Administration to rectify the issue.

STUDENT PLANNERS

The PBC Student Planner ('the Diary') is our most important personal organisation tool and record. Teachers are currently checking that students have them in class every day and record all homework expectations. Should your child have mislaid theirs, they are now available at Student Services at a reduced price. Please check that your son or daughter has their planner in their bag and look in it for homework requirements.

Students should have approached you to sign off on their OPTIMA Goals, on page 4 of their Planner. This is just one way in which we urge parents to involve themselves in their child's learning at PBC.

ASSESSMENT CALENDARS

The Term 4 Middle School assessment calendar is now available on the PBC website. Students can use this to record all assessment dates. Please note that in the Middle School, assessment is completed up to and including Week 9. It is an expectation that students will complete all assessment before departing at the end of the year.

Sharon Hillcoat
HOD Middle School

Hospitality News

Year 9

This terms' focus is on Indigenous foods from around the world. This unit assists students in developing their knowledge base on where foods originate from and how they are used and also how they have been modified. A focus is also apparent in regards to how industry uses Indigenous foods. The main goal is for students to design, make and market an Indigenous food.

Year 10, Hospitality

During term four, students will be focusing on sustainability in the food and dining industry. This will entail looking at various ways to reduce food waste, water conservation in the catering industry, and the impact on the environment we, as consumers, are making. Guest speakers from local café establishments and Oz Harvest will be engaged.

Hospitality Studies

Year 11

With the ever changing technological society we live in, students are given the brief to research this topic in the hotels of today and furthermore, what might the hotel of the future look like?

Year 12

Students are challenged this term with developing a view on the ever growing problem of gambling within our society as well as deciding the social responsibilities, advantages and disadvantages of this rapidly expanding industry.

Hospitality Approach B, Year 11 & 12

Students are working through topic areas such as; How culture impacts on various foods – both availability and traditions, Systems to assure quality in the hospitality industry and The value of effective communication

Tourism VET

Several groups of visiting international students from Taiwan have been escorted on a local area walking tour designed and run by our Certificate II in Tourism students. Our guides organised an interactive tour beginning at the mangroves behind the school, along the Baree Badella boardwalk and around to the lagoon and beachfront. A photographic competition and a mobile phone quiz quest were undertaken simultaneously to fully engage all participants.

Tracey Maher
Hospitality & VET Teacher

Science News

Year 11 Science 21 Robotics Workshop

In week 1 this term, the Year 11 Science 21 students participated in a half-day Robotics workshop. Under the guidance of Dr Damien Kee, Robotics expert, students were challenged with a number of hands on problem solving tasks that involved students programming and manipulating a Lego Mindstorm Robot. The skills learnt by the students in workshop will be extremely valuable for their final piece of assessment for Science 21 this year.

Janine Watson
Science 21 coordinator

Basketball Excellence News

CBSQ Tournament
(Champion Basketball School of Queensland)

The U14 Girls Basketball team competed in their brand new basketball uniforms at CBSQ achieving 4th in Division 2.

4 PBC competitors, Skye Mason, Ella Brow, Casey Walker and Charlotte Dawson, were also selected to play in the representative Gold Coast team at the State titles where they came 2nd. This result sent them onto the Nationals event in Newcastle where they finished 11th.

Well done girls for a great effort.

Tim Smith
Basketball Excellence Coach

Dates to remember

Parent Connect Event - 18 and 25 October 2016

The transitions that girls experience as they grow up:

Guest Speakers: Jasmine Keating, Katelin Betson, and Felicity Colley – Headspace Social Workers

Tuesday 18 October 6:30 – 7:30 pm –

Girls – Adolescence –Womanhood

• Example topics:
• Peer pressure
• Relationship expectations
• Domestic violence
• Emotional /physical abuse

The transitions that boys experience as they grow up:

Guest Speaker: Simon Santosha ~ B.Soc.Sci (Counselling); B.Soc.Wk; AMHSW; MAASW

Tuesday 25 October 6:30 – 7:30 pm –

Boys – Adolescence – Manhood

• Example topics:
• Building healthy relationships
• Understanding the adolescent brain: self-regulation, acting out, isolation
• Effective communication
• Navigating gender stereotypes
• Peer group/culture pressure
• Recognising signs of mental health issues: social anxiety, depression, self-esteem

If you would like to attend either of these events please RSVP to events@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au. Please mention which event you wish to RSVP to in your email.

Kirsten Hague
Family Liaison Officer

2016 OPTIMA Yearbook

The 2016 Optima Yearbook is available for pre-order until Friday 14 October, 3pm.

Don't miss out on having a wonderful reminder of this year at PBC!

The OPTIMA Yearbook is filled with photos of school events, sporting, creative arts, student achievements, and of course lots of photos from the year.

At just $30 the OPTIMA Yearbook makes a great keepsake.

Order yours today. (No payment required for 2016 Year 12 students.)

A limited number of copies of the OPTIMA Yearbook will be available for purchase from Student Services from late Term 4. Release date for the OPTIMA Yearbook will be advised as soon as possible.

Payment Options

Paying 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.

Paying by phone:

Payment by Credit Card only;

Call the school on 5525 9333 Monday to Friday between 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
Please have the account and your credit card details with you when you call.
VISA and MasterCard accepted.

Payment 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 / Details: Please record both your Student's Id and the reference code.
Reference Code: 2016MAG

PBL Committee

A note from the Positive Behaviour for Learning Committee-

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the Positive Behaviour for Learning Committee made up of 14 members of the PBC school community working to enhance the culture and behaviour of students at our school.

The Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) team is excited to announce that one of its first initiatives The Restore Program will kick off in Term 4, 2017. The team has been working hard to build the framework for the program which relies on research driven practices of restorative justice and positive psychology. The aim of the program, that replaces PBR, is to work with at-risk students to identify their problem behaviours, encourage ownership of them and build on individual strengths to counteract these. Outcomes of the student's participation in the program will be shared with parents and all classroom teachers in an effort to open communication and share strategies to best work with the individual students.

We look forward to providing regular updates on our work and will be inviting parents to provide input into our initiatives through a survey with details to be released in the coming weeks.

Alyce Cleary
Deputy Principal- Senior School on behalf of the PBL Committee

Student Achievements

PBC would like to encourage parents to email us with any great recent achievements from your student. These achievements can be in The Arts, sporting, academic or community service. We would love to hear from you! Please email us at news@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au with details of your student's achievement, photos, and/or any links to media articles that we can share.

The X Factor Australia

A huge congratulations to Sheldon Hernandez (Year 12) for a fantastic A Capella performance of "Ordinary People' by John Legend on The X Factor Australia last week. Sheldon wowed the Judges and made it through to Bootcamp!

ICAS English

Congratulations to all students who completed the ICAS English Exam.

PBC received 2 High Distinctions and 24 Distinctions!

The High Distinctions went to Talulah Ratcliffe (Year 7) and Amy Cooper (Year 10)

Australasian Philosothon

During the holidays, PBC competed in the Australasian Philosothon at Anglican Grammar 'Churchie' in Brisbane. Our students competed against students from as far afield as Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales in a series on Communities of Inquiry. They discussed such weighty matters as 'What is Justice?', 'Can Science answer Moral Questions?' and 'Can a Robot be Conscious?'. Students also attended a series of lectures over the three days delivered by UQ lecturers on topics such as democracy and the value of thinking together.

As winners of the 2016 QLD Philosothon, PBC has been invited to compete in the 2017 Australasian Philosothon, venue to be advised.

Rear: Tommaso Lo Giudice, Morgan Hughes, Nick Weeks
Front: Matthew Kilgariff, Lachlan Kelly, Aimee Van Gulik, Lauren Curtis, Michelle Borg

Tennis Nationals

The PBC Boys Tennis team competed at the School State Teamed Tennis Tournament in Rockhampton achieving 2nd Place! Well done team!!

Gold Coast Eisteddfod

Shenaya French and Scarlet Kidd won 1st Place for their Duologue at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod last month.

Senior School Guidance Officer Report

QTAC Reminder

Any student intending on going to University next year must complete a QTAC application. Application now costs $138

Please note: YOU WILL NED YOUR LUI NUMBER AND PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS

1. Go to www.qtac.edu.au and select Applicant LogIn (Top right-hand corner of webpage)
2. Select the Create Account button
3. Fill in your details, then respond to the validation email QTAC send you
4. Go to www.qtac.edu.au, and select Applicant Log in (Top right-hand corner of webpage)
5. Select the Log in button, and log in to your account
6. Select the Apply now button
7. Fill out the following sections:
   - My details (Enter your personal details)
   - Education and experience (Check QTAC have your correct details and extra qualifications you should have in your QCAA learning account)
   - Course Preferences (Choose 6 and select. 1 and 2 – courses you want to study, 3 and 4 – less competitive courses you want to study, 5 and 6 – pathway courses which will help you get in to a course you really want e.g. Griffith College
   - Review application
   - Submit application (pay the application fee)

Griffith Uni Scholarship Applications

Griffith University has streamlined the application process for scholarships. The new online application can be used for all scholarships, allowing students to apply for multiple scholarships with just one form.

Griffith on-campus accommodation

Griffith Accommodation offers flexible on-campus living options. Students enjoy easy access to classes and can be part of the Residential Life Program, which includes extensive events and activities. Applications for 2017 are now open.

Griffith Trimester Academic Year

From 2017, Griffith University will replace the existing two-semester academic year with a three 12-week trimester academic year. Trimesters will offer students more flexibility and control, with the option to pace their study to suit their needs, or fast track their degree and get a head start on their career. This will complement a range of new degrees at Griffith, specifically designed to equip students for the future world of work.

Griffith Criminology & Criminal Justice School Presentation

Suitable for Years 10-12, the 40-minute interactive presentation held by the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is ideal for students with an interest in legal studies, criminology, psychology or information technology. It's also a great chance for students to learn about Griffith's innovative new Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Information Technology double degree, starting in 2017.

To book a visit, contact Celia Dickson: c.dickson@griffith.edu.au

Defence Force

The ADF provides a huge range of jobs across all sectors such as Business, Administration, Education, Combat, Security, Communications, IT, Intelligence, Engineering, Healthcare, Science, Logistics, Hospitality, Trades, Technicians, Support Services, Management and Officer Training.

The ADF employs 57,000 permanent service men and women with a further 23,000 part timers on active reserve. Of the 80,000 employees Army employs 43,000 with Navy and Air Force around 19,000 each.

Some jobs require you to be a certain age, or have certain qualifications. By providing information about yourself, the ADF can show you jobs that are more relevant to you, your interests and your qualifications.

ADFA

Australian Defence Force Academy applications are now open for 2018. While this may seem like a long way away, the application process can take 3–12 months depending on your circumstances, and early applications are highly regarded. To avoid having to do the application when you are busy with year 12 exams, think about starting your application soon!

BOND UNIVERSITY on how to survive exam stress!

Every student who wants to perform well will experience stress at some point. With final exams for year 12 students either looming near or currently underway we realise this final hurdle can be a crazy time. We've pulled together some fun and handy resources to help students ease the stresses which school and life may be throwing their way. Check them out at.

Steve Jones
Guidance Officer – Senior School

Middle School Guidance Officer Report

Does Quitting Social Media Make You Happier?

Our love of social media seems to have grown and grown in the past decade, but recent studies show the tide may be turning for some platforms, with young people in particular ditching Facebook. One study claims that more than 11 million teenagers left Facebook between 2011 and 2014. It's been argued that they are swapping public platforms such as Twitter and Instagram for more private messaging apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat.

We at Generation Next, asked young people whether they have quit social media and why, as well as what apps they are ditching. Almost all reported a greater sense of happiness after going offline. Here, teenagers and young adults switching off from Facebook and other social apps reveal how the change has affected their lives:

• 'I have a much more positive mindset now'.
• I've always found social media to be an environment in which people constantly seek attention and validation through one-upping people's comments, and boasting over likes and retweets.
• We've not needed social media for thousands of years and now it feels like people think your life is over if you don't have it, which is ridiculous. I joined when I was 13, but I don't feel like I really knew what I was signing up for and the platform has changed a lot over the years. There's much more advertising on it now, for example.
• I'm more productive and less concerned with what other people think about me – now, the only person I have to regularly compare myself with is me. I'm in a much more positive mindset without social media than I ever was with it. It's let me see who my friends truly are, and who I was only concerned with simply because they were there on social media.
  – Sarah Marsh

Anna Willis
Guidance Officer Middle School

Pathways Centre News

School based traineeships available for Year 10 and 11 students in 2016

We have many exciting opportunities in the Pathway Centre Y Block. Job boards are updated regularly with new positions.

City Beach Traineeships – Surfers Paradise, Robina or Harbourtown

Hospitality Traineeships:

Currumbin RSL – Open night coming up!
Burleigh Heads Surf Club
Crema Espresso – Robina
California Tacos – Burleigh
The Deck café Currumbin
Grill'd Coolangatta
52 Marine – Coolangatta
Betty Burgers - Robina
BSKT – Mermaid Beach
Burleigh Sports Club
Hudson Café @ John Flynn Hospital - Tugun
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Latitude 28 - Surfers Paradise
Subway - Palm Beach
Le Café Enchante - Coolangatta

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.

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

Sonia Shreeve
Industry Liaison Officer

Uniform Shop Update

Uniform Shop Trading Hours

For two weeks starting on Monday 14 November 2016, our uniform shop will be open for extended trading hours:

Dance wear for Creative Arts Students

Dance wear has arrived and is now available to purchase.

PBC Jumper

The PBC Jumper is available to purchase for $48.00

We currently have a couple of sizes out of stock. Please contact uniform shop for further information.

Lost Property

The uniform shop is holding a large amount of named and unnamed lost property including shoes, training gear and bags. If your child has lost something can you please ask that they come and have a look through the lost property bin.

Please check with Student Services for items like pencil cases, lunch boxes, etc.

Bucket hats/PBC caps

Bucket hats are currently OUT OF STOCK.

PBC caps are a compulsory part of the uniform and are recommended for all outdoor activities and are available to purchase from the Uniform Shop. Cost is $15.00.

PBC school bags

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

Features include:

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

Volunteers needed

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

Please contact Admin on 07 5525 9333 for further details.

Flexischools Orders

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

Payment methods available:

• Flexischools Online

• Credit Card
• Cash
• Cheques not accepted

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

Administration

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.: 2016 SRS8 or 2016 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 Lockers Available

Student lockers are available for hire at PBC.

• $20.00 for annual locker hire from 2017
• $24.00 for PBC approved combination lock (this will be the property of the student). $20 of this represents a security deposit that will be credited back to student on return of the lock (in good working order) at end 2017.
• Lockers available are located at G Block
• Payments can be made at Student Services
• Link to Locker Hire Agreement document below.

Second Hand Uniforms

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

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

Saver Plus

Saver Plus is a financial inclusion program with matched savings that benefits families and their children's education. Please see link to flyer below, or click here for further information.

PBC Alliance

If you are part of a local business or organisation, a past student of PBC, or just looking to get involved in your local business community, become a PBC Alliance Member and get a listing for your business in our Business Directory.

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

A link to the Business Directory is included in the fortnightly PBC parent newsletter, PBC Alliance Facebook page and the school website.

To list your business in the PBC Alliance Business Directory please complete a PBC Alliance membership form and Business Directory form and return these to alliance@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au.

For all information about how to get involved with the PBC Alliance, including membership and partnership information; details for upcoming events; and to view our business directory, make sure you head on over to the website:

PBC Alliance Breakfast

The next PBC Alliance Breakfast is:

When: Friday 28 October 2016
Time: 6:45am – 8:15am
Where: PBC State High School Trade Training Centre
Cost: $20

The PBC Alliance

QParents

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

QParents enables parents to access and manage student:

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

Community Events

List Your Community Event with the PBC Newsletter

If you are holding a community event, sign-on day or fundraiser and want to get the word out to the community, you can list your event at the end or our Newsletter.

If you would like to promote your event please email the details and any accompanying material (e.g. photos, fliers) to News@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au. Upon approval of the Executive Principal we will list your event.

Triple P Parenting Program

Positive Parenting is for everyone!

Want to stress less and enjoy your kids more? The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is now free in Queensland for parents and carers of children aged up to 16.

Learn how to create a positive parenting environment with clear and consistent boundaries and limits, in which your children can really thrive!

Parents can visit the link below to sign up for free seminars, discussion groups, an online course or more intensive one-on-sessions. More sessions added regularly by trained Triple P providers around the state.

Immediate Triple P help is also available by calling Parentline on 1300 30 1300.

Gold Coast Oral Health Service

Free dental check-ups

Gold Coast Oral Health Services are offering free dental check-ups to children in year's 7, 8, 9 and 10, starting with grades 9 and 10.

This service will be provided ONSITE by Mobile Dental Clinic 86B Hours of operation for this clinic are Monday to Friday 8.00am – 4.00pm.

To arrange an appointment for your child telephone:

The Oral Health Client Service Centre
1300 300 850
Monday – Friday 8.00 am – 4.30 pm
Excluding Public Holidays

Child Dental Benefit Schedule Vouchers are accepted. When your child's $1000 cap is reached, there will be no out-of-pocket expenses provided your child meets *eligibility criteria.

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

'Below Average' Comic Strip

About the Comic

High school. It's a daunting place, especially when you're at the bottom of the social ladder where we find four friends trying to survive their final days of senior year. Join Marina, Maddison, Amy and Olivia as they embrace adolescence with a refreshing and humorous approach to daily life in this new addition to the Palm Beach Currumbin High School Newsletter.

Below Average is a fortnightly webcomic created by cartoonist Nicholas Cleaver in mid-2010. It follows the day-to-day adventures of four not-so average teenagers: Marina, an inventor suffering with obsessive-compulsive disorder; Maddison, a blissfully ignorant foodaholic; Amy, a sarky game fanatic; and Olivia, the kookiest member of the group.

The strip's primary theme is humour, and focuses largely on friendship, school and the four girls' incompatibility with established society.