4 December 2017

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The Year 10 to 12 students have now left PBC and the Year 7 to 9 students have completed their final exams and assessment and are, no doubt, looking forward to their holidays. The teachers have actually become busier as we start to plan and prepare for the new senior syllabus implementation with the faculty teams meeting and completing preparation work. The Middle School teams are busy planning for 2018 Term 1 units of work in addition to ensuring that the final report card marks and comments are ready to go.

The facilities team are extremely busy with a great deal of construction and renovation work occurring over the holiday period. Asbestos is being removed and a number of classes in the D Blocks are being renovated. C Block classrooms and spaces are also receiving an upgrade. Preliminary planning has commenced on the demolition and subsequent construction of a new library, and eight new learning areas, to be delivered in 2019. Ongoing maintenance and upgrades are also being made to the playing surfaces on the oval.

PBC has achieved a lot to be proud of in 2017 and I look forward to working with the students, staff, parents and community in 2018. I would like to wish the school community a happy holiday season!

Chris Capra
Executive Principal

Senior School Update

Graduation and Formal was an evening of glitz, old-world glamour and tears as PBC farewelled the graduating cohort of 2017. Upon their red-carpet arrivals, students were greeted by eagerly awaiting staff, parents and past students of the school. The graduation ceremony was a celebration of each student’s success over the past two years of their senior schooling, it was also an opportunity to thank the teachers, friends and families who supported our young people along the way. After the formalities of what will be a dearly remembered ceremony, students and staff celebrated, laughed danced and farewelled each other for one last time as the formal dinner came to a close.

A special thanks goes to Acting Dean of Students Ms Amanda Stewart and Acting Deputy Principal Mr Mitch Kennedy for organising the fabulous event.

With the year drawing to a close, it is fitting to recognise the tremendous efforts of our Senior Staff in assisting students to achieve nothing but their best. In finalising students’ academic achievements parents can expect to see student reports via email on Friday 8 December. These results will also reflect student effort and behaviour across the semester.

2017 has been a fantastic year in the Senior School and with 2018 just around the corner we will all of our students and their families a safe and happy holidays!

2018 Year 12 QCS and OP students

All students intending to complete the QCS next year and hence be OP eligible will be required to attend QCS classes commencing at 8:00am on Wednesday mornings plus selected afternoon Masterclasses (5 in total). A letter will be sent to all Year 11 OP students explaining these changes. A levy of $50 is added to the Senior Study Program which prepares students for the QCS test. This levy contributes towards the cost of textbooks, masterclasses and the marking of practice exams etc.

Release of Year 12 results

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) will release student QCEs, OPs and Senior Statements through student learning accounts on the Student Connect website (link below), from 9:00am on Saturday 16 December 2017.

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

Senior Education profiles will then be mailed out by the QCAA from Monday 18 December.

Students wishing to know their Selection Rank or Additional Rank need to contact the Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre (QTAC) directly on 1300 GO QTAC (1300 467 822) or click on the link below; as these are not automatically sent out to students.

Alyce Cleary, Acting Head of School – Senior
On behalf of the Senior School

2018 Leadership Summit

Our 2018 Senior Student Council have just completed their first official duties in their leadership roles, a 3-day leadership & team-building summit held at Runaway Bay Sports Centre.

Our team of School Captains, Vice Captains and Head Prefects networked and learnt from a range of motivational leaders and worked closely with 10 other Gold Coast schools throughout the camp, culminating in a final presentation where they presented their improvement focus for 2018 to a gathering of representatives from all schools.

Our leaders were inspiring in their passion and vision for the year ahead and really shone across all students and schools gathered. They worked seamlessly together and should be very proud of the way they represented both themselves and PBC. We are very excited about having this wonderful team on deck as our school leaders for next year, and trust they enjoyed the camp and the opportunities it presented.

(pictured: Harper Ashton, Annika Danielsen, Amy Cooper, Braith Gausden, Drew Younger, Kate Walker & Jackson North)

Mitch Kennedy
Acting Deputy Principal – Senior School

Middle School Update

Congratulations to the Middle School students on their many successes during 2017. We celebrated the Term 4 Academic Awards for Top Student in each subject and NAPLAN Relative Gain for Reading, Writing and Numeracy with our Year 7, 8 and 9 students at our recent assemblies. We are confident the Year 9 cohort will have a successful transition to the senior school.

The final week of school will see Middle School students participate in an alternate program week. There will be no normal classes in this week with current teachers; however students will work on curriculum related activities with senior school PBC teachers. Our school values collaborative professional learning and this model of staffing our last week enables this to occur. This model allows us to release our Middle School teachers to prepare and plan for 2017 in teams. Absences will be tracked as normal with rolls marked each day. Students will need to come in school uniform, bring a hat and water bottle and should bring lunch as although the canteen will be open it will have reduced stock being the last week. The canteen is closed on Friday 9 December.

Transition Day

Year 8 and 9 students have moved to their new playground areas as we get ready for the Year 7 Transition Day. All students are to be mindful of the Optima Code ‘be safe, be respectful and be a learner’ during the Alternate Program.

Monday 4 December PBC welcomed nearly 400 enrolled students to the PBC Community. Transition Day is designed to support the 2018 Year 7s as they move from their primary schools to secondary school. On Transition Day, we welcome students, assign them to their classes and have them experience some lessons with next year’s teachers and introduce them to their Houses.

Middle School Head Prefects and a large team of teachers and support staff are part of this day. The Year 6 into 7 Transition Day was a great success and we also thank all the parents who attended.

Term 4 Reports

Term 4 reports will be emailed or posted home on Friday 8 December and your One School details must be up to date. This is a full report with detailed comments. Please be sure to share the report with your child, so that they can receive important feedback on their work this year and set goals for 2018.

2018

Following the success introducing our CARE and HOUSE programs, the first week will have some orientation days included, in particular, Monday and Wednesday. Parents should note that in Term 1 there will be a 3:05pm finish each day due to the Commonwealth Games effecting school sports. Friday of Week 1 is the Australia Day holiday.

The current Year 7 and 8 core classes have been reviewed by teachers and senior staff. Some carefully considered changes have been made for 2018 to best support students in their learning. Coping with changes such as these are important for building resilience – a significant quality for success in life. Parents should be aware that their child will be with a very different group of students next year, and prepare to support them through this change.

Season’s Greetings

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our very supportive parents and school community as well as the students and staff of the Middle School for a 2017 to remember. Best wishes for a safe and happy festive season.

We would encourage you to check your emails after this date for further information relating to getting ready for the school year and Day one.

IMPORTANT DATES

Thursday 7 December – Uniform Shop closes
Friday 8 December – Canteen closed
Monday 15 January – Office and Uniform Shop reopens
From Monday 15 January – BYOD devices can be set up by PBC IT Support- Visit the Library between 9:00am and 1:00pm Monday to Friday.
Saturday 20 January – Uniform Shop open 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Monday 22 January - School resumes – day 1

Anita Sgalippa, Head of School – Middle School
For and on behalf of Middle School

House and CARE Update

This week has seen the middle schoolers battle it out on the courts, for the chance to be in the Middle School Dodgeball Grand Final. The Super Spartans went in striking hard, but the power behind the Phenomenal Phoenician’s was far too much for the Spartans. The Victorious Vikings will battle it out against the Almighty Athenians. The winner of these will go head to head with the Phenomenal Phoenicians, for the chance to be dubbed PBC’s Middle School Dodgeball Champion for 2017 and begin gaining those precious house points for next year.

We would like to thank the students, teachers, parents and community for getting behind the introduction of the House System at PBC this year. It has most certainly been an exciting and enjoyable year for our school. We look forward to seeing our students’ flourish, as we head into next year, reenergised and eager to grow from our experiences and build on our successes.

House leader Spartan
Abbey Bryant

Sport Excellence News

PBC’s AFL Triple Treat

PBC Alumni, Brayden Crossley (pick 52), and Year 12 Students, Jacob Dawson (Rookie) and Jacob Heron (Rookie) have joined PBC Alumni Brad Scheer, Max Spencer and Jesse Joyce at the Gold Coast Suns.

This brings the total number of PBC AFL sports excellence graduates making the AFL to twelve. Brayden was PBC’s senior male Sportsperson of the Year in 2017. He is a quality ruckman who brings a competitive mentality to every team he plays for. Dawson was the 2017 Captain of the REDS and has been recognised for his elite leadership and ball winning ability whilst Heron is a powerful athlete and great team man. All three students possess a great work-ethic and a hunger to get the most out of their natural ability.

PBC congratulates these young men on their fine achievements.

Kayak / Surf League Launch

PBC’s Sports Excellence faculty is pleased to announce a new program that will see the existing Kayak program expand to include Surf League. Over 40 students have successfully trialled for the new hybrid program beginning in 2018.

PBC is also excited to announce a partnership with powerhouse Surf Club Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Club. Head Coach Michael King will join the program as a specialist coach. Ironman and Coolangatta Gold champion Tim Peach (PBC teacher) will also join the coaching staff as the Senior Program Coach. Kayak Coach, Mermaid Beach SLSC patrol Captain and Masters State Medallist Mr Tony Hoppitt continues to lead our junior program.

Head of Department Neil Mackay is elated to offer yet another pathway for gifted and talented sporting students that empowers them to pursue their sporting dreams. PBC is currently the Regional and State Champion school in the UQ Surf league.

Neil Mackay
HOD Sport Excellence

Technology News

Year 10 Digital Technology students have been working collaboratively to design prototype solutions to home automation problems. Each team needed to document the process of solving the problem, build a working model of the solution and present their well-reasoned solution to their peers.

Each team received a scenario that outlined the home automation needs of a client. The scenario was analysed to identify the needs of the client and then the teams built a working model of the automated home! One of the client scenarios was a fictional couple, who are retired and looking for an easy to use solution. The scenario stated they often go away on holiday to visit their children or travel. They would like it to appear as though they are at home when they are away and would like a security system. The students came up with a solution that included motion sensing lights, an automated irrigation system for the garden, a security alarm that simulated a dog barking as a warning to potential intruders, internal motion sensors that detect and photograph intruders, and automated blinds for the windows.

It was so exciting to see the students engage in the project to come up with creative solutions and to see them working together to troubleshoot and refine their products.

Don Saunders
Head of Department Technology

STEM News

Putting the Science into STEM

Recently, the 2017 and 2018 STEM Ambassadors worked collaboratively for a strategic planning day, along with STEM Ambassador coordinator, teacher Kirsten McGilvray. The STEM Ambassadors are a group of students who plan, coordinate, conduct or assist with STEM activities, either as part of PBC or in collaboration with Griffith University. For the last 3 years we have had the same STEM Ambassador team, but with 3 of these students finishing year 12, new ambassadors have been inducted. The STEM Ambassador team formed in 2015 with Shelby Craik, Elise Watkins, Amelia Cody-Byfield, Annika Danielsen and Amy Cooper. Year 9 student Reef Thompson joined the team in 2017. For 2018, the STEM Ambassador team will comprise of Amy Cooper and Annika Danielsen as lead ambassadors, along with Reef Thompson, Jaime Pryor, Bayley d’Hotman de Villiers and Lenismaria Ikenasio. The Ambassadors spent the day reviewing activities conducted in 2017 and how the activities can be expanded in 2018. An exciting development for 2018 is the introduction of a Science Club, so keep your eyes open for information about it at the start of next year. Any students, of any year level, interested in joining the 2018 Science Club can see Ms Bramley in J block or Ms McGilvray in H block. We are keen to hear any ideas.

Lee-Anne Bramley
Head of Department Science

Maths News

H block has been buzzing in the last few weeks with students really taking responsibility for their revision and learning and approaching staff with certain questions they need help on. I have seen revision cards, booklets and students supporting each other to revise thoroughly by practising loads of questions. It is exciting to see the enthusiasm around Maths with students showing resilience when they get stuck and helping each other. This morning Mr Hulme and Miss Hyatt were on top form supporting students with last minute questions, but students have been regular visitors to the Maths block in recent weeks while they have been revising. Kudos too to the course coordinators and senior school Maths staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure that students have been fully prepared for the final Maths exams of 2017.

Cathy Clipson
Head of Department Maths

School Guidance Officers News

Wishing everyone in the school community a wonderful summer break. Taking care, relaxing and getting plenty of rest. Looking forward to seeing you all refreshed in 2018! Following is a list of contact numbers for support and help if needed.

School Nurse News

Recently a group of School Based Youth Health Nurses from across the Gold Coast came into PBC to run the Pitstop Program for our male staff.

The PitStop Program empowers men to get their medical check-ups as often as they would service their car. We had 7 stations set up that our staff could work though and collect their road worthy certificates at the end. We value our male staff and their health at PBC. A huge thanks to the School Based Youth Health Nurses who came out to assist with the program.

BYOD News – Are you BYOD ready?

PBC will be moving to a digital curriculum in 2018. All students are required to be BYOD ready. Attached is a flyer outlining the laptop/notebook recommended specifications.

Please note: PBC is a Windows Operating System based school, your student should have a Windows based device to avoid any limitations that other operating systems, such as iOS (Mac), Android, Windows RT, Chromebook or Linux experience at PBC.

BYOD Details:

• Just $50 per student per year to participate
• Locker hire is included
• Some heavy textbooks will be replaced by digital textbooks
  (price of digital textbooks are part of SRS fees)
• Receive 24/7 access to information
• Access Daymap – Storage, Cloud, H:Drive, G:Drive
• Digital Library access
• Turn it in
• PBC – IT Support
• Download Microsoft Office Suite Free (valued $600)
• Download Adobe Creative Suite option (valued at $300-600)
• Additional $20 printing credit
• Secure Internet access – 10 GB data

Please see our website for more details:

General News

REBEL Community Kickbacks

PBC is now registered with REBEL Sports Stores for Community Kickbacks. In order to help us get a great kickback from Rebel be sure to join the rebel active loyalty program via the link below. When you are instore purchasing your sporting needs be sure to mention PBC at the checkout so that your purchases are registered against our school account and will go towards our accumulation of rebel credits! We hope to be able to get some great sporting equipment for our students with these credits.

Student Medical Equipment

Students with medical equipment stored in the sick bay must come and collect their items before the end of term. Our office is open Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm Please visit during these times so you have your items back over the school holidays.

2017 Yearbook

The Yearbook is now available. It includes a huge amount of photos from all the fun and events that have been had this year. All year cohorts are represented! To purchase a 2017 Yearbook download and complete the attached order form and return to Student Services. At just $30 this is a wonderful keepsake for all PBC students.

PBC Alliance Business Directory

If you are looking for a product or service from a local business that supports our school, look no further than the PBC Alliance Business Directory. All the listings in this directory are supporters of our students so please support those that support PBC.

The business directory features many businesses over many different categories you are sure to find what you are looking for as well as a special offer for Alliance Business Directory users!

It is that time of year when we are calling out to our parent community to come and join the PBC Alliance for 2018. Membership is just $25 and will include a free business directory listing on our website, invitations to all our events and inclusion on our newsletter database so you can be kept up to date with PBC Alliance news. If you are interested in joining the PBC Alliance in 2018 please go to the link below.

Student Achievements

We encourage parents/caregivers to email your student’s excellent recent achievements to us. 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 and include at least one photo, and/or any links to media articles that we can share via our Parent Newsletter, internal communications and Facebook.

PBC Dux 2017 – Montana Wickens

Congratulations to PBC Dux Montana Wickens! The Gold Coast Bulletin featured all the State School Dux Recipients on Saturday. Click the link to see the article page.

Womens AFL – Gold Coast Suns Academy

A huge congratulations to the below 4 PBC girls who have been accepted into the Womens AFL Gold Coast SUNS Academy. What a fantastic achievement!

• Lexi Johnston-Smith
• Maddy Crossman
• Alice Savill
• Ella Maclachlan

PBC Cricket Stars!

Congratulations to Jared Neuhaus and Jasper Schoenmaker, both 2017 Year 12 Graduates, who were selected in the Gold Coast team to compete in the Under 21s Cricket Carnival in Hervey Bay earlier in November. Both boys played well and were then selected in the Queensland South Country team. Last week end they flew to Townsville to play Queensland North Country team. QSC lost the one-day match and one T20 match but won the other T20 match. Both boys performed well and both were selected in the U21s Queensland Country team to play a Brisbane metropolitan team in March 2018. A fantastic achievement!

Jillaroos Train at PBC

PBC was proud to host the Australian Jillaroos training session on our oval recently. Despite the rain, some of our Rugby League boys and girls Touch Sport Ex students were able to watch these professional ladies in action and pick up some great training tips. A big thanks to the Jillaroos for allowing our students to observe!

GCTC Graduation

Congratulations to our GCTC graduating students. Pictured are some of the graduates from Construction, Automotive, Electrotechnology and Plumbing. Special mention to Kyle Mooney who was named the most outstanding student for Cert II Plumbing.

Interhouse Competitions

Paper-Scissors-Rock Challenge

Recently our Middle and Senior Schools were absolutely rocked by the Paper-Scissors-Rock Challenge.

Competitors from all 4 houses absolutely threw themselves into this challenge of athleticism, strategy and skill. In what was one of the most entertaining and fun-fuelled events of the year – just under 700 students took part, throwing everything into laying down the rock, paper and scissors gauntlet.

Congratulations to the mighty Phoenicians who came out on top, followed by Vikings, Spartans and Athenians! You guys rock!

Spelling Bee Challenge

The Inter-House Spelling Bee was a raging success. Round 1 saw students partake in a 25 word spelling test, with the best spellers invited to the live finals in the Theatre. The atmosphere was intense. Some cracked under the pressure, while others rose confidently to the occasion! Words including grandiloquent, cerebellum, chandelier, psychology, nauseous, incandescent and onomatopoeia challenged students from all year levels. In the end, it was young gun Sam Kercher (Spartans-Year 8) who triumphed, taking the title of 2017 Spelling Bee Champion! Congratulations Sam and to all students who represented their House! Pictured is Spartans House Leader Ms Abbey Bryant with the winning Sam Kercher.

MOB Program

A huge thank you to the Tugun Community Bendigo Bank and Ms Jann Stuckey MP for sponsoring the Men of Business Mentoring Programs at PBC in 2017. The students have all benefited from this program by learning about respect for others, respect for themselves, learning about setting and achieving goals, keeping fit and looking after themselves. Without the support of our PBC Alliance Partners these programs would not be able to happen.

International Student Focus

Originally from Japan, PBC Student Kota Iida is a surfing fanatic, living out a childhood dream by studying surfing at PBC as an International Student. See his story as captured by Australia Plus.

The ‘Student Life: Far From Home’ series is on both ABC iview and Australia Plus YouTube. Click the below link to view the series.

Middle School Santa Grams

Christmas came early to the PBC Middle School as the Middle School Head Prefects delivered Santa-Grams last Friday. Candy canes with sweet messages were delivered to the recipients, and carols filled the air, thanks to our choral group. Not only did this project spread joy and goodwill, but it raised over $300 for charity.

ABW Week

Australian Business Week began this week for the Year 9 Academic Excellence students. It’s a week full of mayhem as students run a simulated business over a two-year period, advertising and developing its potential. By Friday, we will have many small business experts. At the Gala Dinner on Friday night, the students will find out who has taken out the coveted trophies in each category.

ABW is touted as the ‘best week ever’ by students as they reflect on their high school days. Pictured her is Margaret Smith, the keynote speaker, with the 2017 ABW teams.

Dates to Remember

Administration

Cashier Window Operating Hours

Over the counter payments can only be accepted between 8:00am and 1:00pm on Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can make payments via BPOINT or Direct Deposit.

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 Fee

To make a credit card payment or to request bank details for direct bank transfer, please telephone the school, or visit our Student Services department between 8:00am and 1:00pm for all other payments.

SRS Fees

Thank you to all our parents/caregivers for their valued support. Prompt payment of Student Resource Scheme Fees is greatly appreciated. The only SRS fees that should be outstanding at this time of the school year should be the 2nd instalment for 2018 SRS Fee’s or future extra-curricular activities/excursions or balances remaining for those on official School approved payment plans.

2018 SRS Fee payments are due in full or if paying via the installment option, first instalment is now overdue and the second instalment is due 5 February 2018. This year we have sent out a direct deposit link to set up the automatic deduction of the second instalment as a service to assist parents/caregivers with this process.

Make payments the quick and easy way using BPOINT. Visit the link below, follow the prompts or phone BPOINT on 1300 631 073.

Parents experiencing financial difficulty can contact our Finance Office on 5525 9333 (Press 2 for Finance) or email ParentSupport ParentSupport@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au.

Payment plan options are available including Centrepay -a service to families whereby periodic payments can be made to the school or Direct Debit via credit card (monthly). Paperwork is available from the Student Services Office to activate either of these plans.

QParents

The QParents application provides a convenient, and easy 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.

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.

Community Notices

Palm Beach Soccer Club

PBC Alliance Partners

Thank you to all of our Partners that continually support our students to strive to reach their potential.

Thrower House Holiday Program

The team here at Thrower House Youth Hub are really excited to share with you our Christmas and New Year’s holiday program. We will be running our awesome free activities starting Monday 11 December for 2 weeks, we then break for Christmas and return Monday 8 January for 2 weeks of fun before school goes back. That’s a total of 4 weeks of FREE holiday activities here at Thrower House. We have consent forms ready to be either picked up, it can be emailed, or you can simply have it filled out by a parent or guardian on your first day to the hub. We look forward to seeing loads of young people come and enjoy Throwers awesome school holiday program.

Thrower House Youth Staff

‘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 brand 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.