12 March 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Every Day Counts

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

Parents are asked to support this approach, by ensuring that their young person attends school each and every day right up until the school holidays. I realise that the tourism industry offers many incentives for families to holiday out of season, however this has a significant effect on student learning and demonstrable impact on their report cards.

Regards
Chris Capra
Executive Principal

Senior School Update

How quickly this term has gone! As we approach shutdown students may be feeling more stressed than usual, which can be viewed in a positive way as it indicates that they are thinking about the results of their assessments and the impact of these results on their future pathway.

It is a good idea to support your young person by helping them put together a study timetable that covers the next few weeks. It is important to include free time and study time, and to plan their study time in short bursts. Try and encourage some exercise time is included and perhaps some mindfulness activities. A 2-minute mediation can work wonders to support effective stress-free study. Below is a good link; but there are plenty of mediation apps available to try. You may even like to have a go yourself.

Students should download the shutdown timetable so that they know when their exams are on. They should also be aware that they are expected back at school at the end of shutdown as work will commence on Term 2 units. There will likely be important lessons regarding assessment during this time.

Finally make sure screen time is limited before bed and that students are getting enough sleep. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact our Deans of Students, Cathy Clipson (Year 12) or Brad Dixon (Year 10/11).

Shutdown exams

The timetable for end of term exams has been loaded on the school website under curriculum/ testing and assessment. Students can also download a copy from the school’s K drive under Curriculum.

All students need to be aware of the date, room and time of their scheduled exam. During shutdown students only have to attend school for scheduled exams or study sessions.

Students must be in full school uniform to sit exams. Those who are studying VET subjects and are not up to date with their competencies will be required to attend school during shutdown for VET catch up sessions to complete their competencies. Parents of VET students who need to attend during shutdown will be contacted by email.

All assessment tasks are due at 9:00am on the due date not during class time. Students who are absent for an exam will need to provide a medical certificate and apply for a change of date with their HOD on the next day they are at school. Similarly students who are applying for an extension or special consideration will need to download an Extension/Change of Date Form from the school website and submit to their relevant Head of Department at least 48 hours before the due date.

Once shutdown is completed all classes will commence Term 2 work. Students are required to attend school up to and including Thursday March 29.

QCS Masterclass

Our Year 12 students continue to impress with their performance at QCS masterclasses conducted by Mighty Minds.

The next Master class is on during shutdown and before students sit the Writing Task practice test on 21 March. Please note this masterclass will start at 9:00am. Students should complete the Writing Task by 2:15pm. The masterclass and practice test in shutdown is compulsory for all OP eligible students.

VETis courses

All students in Years 11 and 12 are eligible to receive VET in School (VETis) funding to complete a VET certificate that the government deem are in demand. Many students utilise this funding in timetabled classes for example Construction, Tourism, and Hospitality and Fitness classes. Other VETis course are advertised in the student notices and school newsletter. These may include going to an outside college or provider 1 day per week (eg. TAFE). Students who are not aiming for a tertiary pathway are particularly encouraged to complete a VETis funded course as this will increase their chance of gaining employment once they leave school. Please contact Ms McQueen in F block if you require more information.

OP predictions

Year 12 OP predictions will be calculated once Term 1 results are completed. Students who have a high OP above 18 may be better served changing to selection rank or completing a Certificate III course and using the rank from that course as a pathway for tertiary entrance.

Year 11 OP predictions will be calculated after Semester 1 results are finalised. Students are reminded that OPs are calculated based on the students position in the subject and getting low Cs will not secure a pathway into University. Students need to be striving to maximise their results and not doing "just enough” to pass.

Other senior schooling news:

• Subject changes will be available at the end of term and should be finalised during week 9 and 10. Specific dates and sessions to complete the changes and students should ensure they check the notices for specific details. All subject changes require a signed parent permission form.
• Parents and students are reminded that completing English OP is a pre-requisite for the majority of Universities in Queensland.
• All senior students should be busy revising for exams and completing assignments at the moment and we’d like to wish all students well in their upcoming assessments.
• Year 10s and 11s are again encouraged to register for School based Traineeships and Apprenticeships (SAT) in Y block. A SAT will give students paid employment, work experience and a Certificate III qualification which gains extra QCE credits, but also opens up a tertiary pathway. Please contact Ms Shreeve in Y block for more information.
• Students in Year 10 are again reminded that their academic performance in Year 10 will determine which pathway they can choose in Year 11. Students wishing to complete an ATAR pathway need to achieve Bs in English and Maths and 2 other classes in Year 10. Please see the subject selection guidelines below:

School Guidance Officers News

Pathways Centre News

For information about school future pathways and job opportunities please click this link.

Middle School Update

Thank you to the nearly 100 parents who attended our Open Day. It was great to see parents taking an active interest in their child’s current and potential education. These events are vital to us working together between school staff and home to have a strong working relationship to provide your young person with their best chances of success.

Next week our teachers will host a writing professional development session for the local primary schools which is based on developing consistent and explicit approaches to teaching writing. This year there will be a specific focus for teachers as they work collaboratively to review student writing samples form Years 3-9. This commitment to working together with our primary colleagues is important for improved continuity and a smoother transition to high school as well as promoting literacy outcomes in our area.

We are encouraged by the work we are seeing occurring in classrooms and the level of detailed feedback that students are receiving from their teachers. This feedback and responding to it is a vital step in improvement of an individual task.

Please encourage your young person to read any feedback on drafts very carefully and ask them if they understand what the teacher is telling them about their attempts.

The other challenging step for middle schoolers is being organised enough to meet those timelines. As a parent, staying connected to your young person’s deadlines and coaching them to meet these is one way we can work together in their education. Please discuss with them when their deadlines are and work with them to achieve this around their other at home commitments.

All these things will allow you to extend your support role in their learning which, as a school, we are grateful for and value the role you play in this as parents.

Attendance

Please report Student absences via email to absences@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au clearly stating your name, your phone number, your student’s name and year level, date of absence (including return to school date), and reason for absence.

If your student is going to be absent for more than 10 school days, please contact the school by email for further information and an exemption form.

If your student needs to leave early please send a note with your student to the Middle School Student Services for approval between 8:15 and 8:45am.

Term 1 Reports

Student reports will be emailed home on the last day of term. Please ensure that the email address we have is current. If you do not have an email address registered with us, we will post your child’s report home.

Term 1 reports are interim reports. This means that they will indicate a child’s Term 1 achievement, effort and behaviour in each subject with grades only. We encourage you to follow up on this report by attending Parent Teacher Interviews in Term 2, Week 3. Information about how to book for Parent Teacher Interviews will be sent with reports.

Reading for Learning

Students are now counting down to the holidays and ticking off assessment items. It is a very busy time for students and their teachers, with everyone focussed on achieving the best possible results. Attendance every day is critical to maximise learning and academic performance.

At this time, students may be engaging in studying – perhaps for the first time. It is not uncommon for students to complain that they have studied for hours and remember nothing, or that they cannot remember what has happened in the novel they are reading. Education psychologists argue that to maintain ‘memory health’, one must eat and sleep well. It is also essential that students approach their reading with a focussed mindset – avoiding music and other distractions, and being determined to learn.

Beyond these strategies, it is recommended that students remember the acronym ‘SING’.

This means:

S – Stop at the end of each chapter or section. Pause and reflect on what has been read
I – Identify the main point of the story or writing
N – Never mind the details and
G – is for Gist. What is the gist of what has been read?

We know also that having to teach someone else makes learning easier, so have your child explain the chapter or section of work they have read to you.

Middle School Guidance Officer Report

Click here to read the report from the Middle School Guidance Officer:

The Arts News

The Arts Department have hit the ground running providing rich artistic opportunities for all of our students here at PBC.

The Visual Arts teachers are excited to announce that over the next few weeks they will be moving into our new home in C Block. While there will be some elements of sadness to leave R Block (the home of the Art Department for the last 30 years) they are also thrilled to be closer to the rest of the Arts faculty and look forward to new collaborative cross curricular opportunities. The new building has three custom made Visual Art rooms as well as an impressive gallery space. We look forward to sharing this exciting new space with you in the future.

The Art Department is also thrilled to recognise the recent achievement of a past student. On the weekend Caitlyn Taylor Year 12, 2016 won the inaugural Morris Art Prize. Caitlyn’s oil painting “Dusk at Currumbin Rock “was awarded the top prize of $10,000 by Judge Damian Hackett. The theme of the exhibition was Brisbane to Byron- a celebration of nature, culture, people and character of the region stretching from Brisbane in the North and Byron in the South and the hinterland in the West. Caitlyn was part of the Visual Arts Excellence program and also was the PBC Principal’s Prize recipient in 2016. Congratulations on such a wonderful achievement.

Year 11 and 12 Drama students have embarked on a study of Mask this term. A part of their assessment is to make their own masks. They will then decorate and shape their masks into performance masks and devise a presentation using these for assessment based on the theme, ‘Loss’. The students have explored the use of neutral masks, Commedia del Arte and learnt about Kabuki and Greek theatre use of masks in lessons. We very much look forward to their final assessment pieces being presented next week. Thank you to Director and Drama Excellence teacher Ms Dani McGlynn.

Drama and Drama Excellence Students were also mesmerized by Youth Touring’s performance of “Ruby Moon”. The play is a fractured fairy-tale of Little Red Riding Hood, without the happy ending and employs the dramatic conventions of Australian Realistic and Non-Traditional Theatre. The actors were exceptional in their multi roles in the performance and conducted a very informative question and answer session at the conclusion of the show.

Our senor music students travelled to Brisbane last week with Ms Rebekah Shinn to watch “God Spell” performed by the Griffith University Queensland Conservatorium, and were pleased to discover that past PBC student, Christopher Horsey, was the choreographer of the show! Last year he was nominated for an Australian Dance Award for his direction/choreography for Swing On, a show he will direct and choreograph for SSO this year at the Opera House. All of our music students enjoyed this wonderful experience.

We have a group of 25 vocalists who are currently undergoing a very strenuous rehearsal schedule in preparation for the 2018 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony, our students have been given an opportunity of a lifetime to perform at this prestigious event and we are all very proud of the work that they are doing. A big thank you to Ms Krissy Tassone and Ms Eliza Davidson who have gone above and beyond to ensure our students are well rehearsed. It will be wonderful to see PBC Performing Arts students appearing televised and on an international stage.

Our 2018 PBC School Musical is well underway and we have already finished blocking and shaping Act 1 of “Grease”. Our opening night is Thursday 31 May and tickets will go on sale Week 1 of Term 2. PBC will be welcoming up to 1500 community and school members into our Theatre for six shows and our 95 student cast and teachers are excited to show you what we have in store. On Sunday, our director from White Rabbit Theatre, took our featured roles to her studio, The Burrow, in Currumbin in to do some character development and group work. We are very pleased to be working with a local community artist and professional director on such a large school event and project.

Loren Skyring
HOD The Arts
Coordinator Creative Arts Excellence

Science News

What’s been happening in Science this term!

With nice warm weather in Term 1, it is a particularly busy time for field trips for senior Science students. Year 12 Biology students camped on Moreton Island for three days, although it was a bit wet. The goal of the camp was to gain valuable knowledge regarding the various ecosystems on the island. Students collected field data as part of their ecology unit, including water quality data of the lake, estuary and rocky shore, human impacts, adaptations of species, flora and fauna identification throughout the island, and examination of intertidal rocky shore organisms. Students also toured the island, including Cape Moreton lighthouse, various walks, the Cowan Cowan ruins from WW2, snorkelling at the Bulwer shipwrecks, the whaling station, and sand tobogganing. The nights were full of entertainment playing games, a bonfire with marshmallows, along with this year’s dress up theme night being an ‘animal’. The students were all fantastic and had a great time. In lead up to camp, students also completed ecological studies at the local Beree-Badalla Reserve, and completed transects at the sand dunes.

Year 11 Biology students visited Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to collect data on characteristics and adaptations of the animal kingdom as part of their classification assessment. At the Sanctuary, students attended an education presentation to complement their assessment, along with the bird and crocodile shows. Students have also been investigating plants around the school with a focus on classification.

Year 11 Marine Science students travelled to Cook Island to collect water quality data, and identify species and adaptations. The day consisted mostly of snorkelling, with the most turtles ever observed compared to other years. There was a vast number of green and loggerhead turtles, along with other organisms such leopard sharks, various rays, clown fish, puffer fish, sponges, and hard and soft corals. The water was very clear on the day with approximately 15m visibility.

As a precursor to Brain Awareness Week in Week 8 this term, Year 10 Science Extension students were treated to a visit from Dr Lavinia Codd at the University of Queensland. Dr Lavinia Codd is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI). She started her working life as an accountant but decided to complete another degree in her area of passion, Science. During this-time she suffered and survived a stroke at age 31. As part of her rehabilitation she returned to her studies. Student Chloe-Jay Byrne was impressed with her presentation. “It was pretty cool to know what she went through and where she’s come from. Learning about it from someone who has had a stroke and is also an expert in the field of neuroscience is interesting. The fact that she now works at the institute is an inspiration.” Dr Codd spoke about how exercise improves learning and recovery in stroke victims and of some of the world-leading research and discoveries that QBI has made. As part of Brain Awareness Week, these students will be conducting presentations to care classes based on the topic they researched for their assessment, which include topics such as particular brain diseases, learning and memory, sleep, and brain injury.

Science Club is here!

This year we have initiated Science Club, with our first introductory meeting held in week 6. Science Club is open to all students of all year levels, and will be very student centred. At the moment we are gathering ideas about what students would like to do during Science Club. Ideas include – entering competitions, conducting experiments or other practical activities, working on projects that may be purely for interest or entered into science competitions. We are open to any suggestions by the students. Our valued STEM Ambassadors – Amy Cooper, Annika Danielsen, Reef Thompson, Jaime Pryor, Lenis Ikenasio and Bayley d’Hotman de Villiers – will also be involved. If you are interested, come along to the next Club meeting. Any questions can be directed to Ms McGilvray (H block) or Ms Bramley (J block). Meetings are held every Thursday, Lunch 1 in O1. See you there!

Lee-Anne Bramley
HOD Science

Hospitality News

Recently PBC hosted the PBC Alliance business breakfast with our school community. Our Certificate II Kitchen operations and our SAS hospitality helped prepare and serve the meals. The school has received lots of positive feedback about the professionalism and pleasant demeanour the students displayed during their duties at the breakfast. So much so that Jane Jamieson, the General Manager of Human Resources & Volunteer Programs, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, who attended the breakfast, has suggested the possibility of our students providing hospitality support at CWS during the Commonwealth Games.

This is a tremendous opportunity to provide real life experience for our students and may open the door for Hospitality employment at the completion of school. Of course, the teachers of the students, Tracy Maher, Andrew Goodman, Trevor Foers and our tuckshop convenor Deborah Reid need to be congratulated on the mentoring of the students and the high level of skill the students are displaying.

More good news for this space is that PBC Alliance Partner PFD Food Supplies, has offered a hospitality scholarship to our school. What a tremendous coup for the school and the students and shows that hard work will be rewarded.

House and CARE Update

Last week’s Basketball Free Throw Competition saw all houses shoot it out, to be dubbed king of the courts. The excitement, healthy competition and skill was evident in both the middle school and senior school shoot outs. Participation levels, particularly by the Phoenicians and Vikings, was exceptional. Our focus in CARE this term is around leadership and building strong teams by working together. This was clearly evident in the participation levels of the Middle School Phoenicians, assisting them in moving from 4th to 2nd place from this one event alone. Clearly this demonstrates the power of participation, with key students leading by example, assisting in creating environments where people want to be involved in the fun.

Both the Middle and Senior School Comps were won by the Vikings. Bailey Manning of Year 7 was the clear winner, scoring 7 shots in a row. And Mason Barker was another outstanding winner, with 8 shots cleared in a row. Congratulation Vikings and a special mention to the Phoenicians for their incredible level of participation and team work.

Well done to all students and teachers involved. Remember there is still opportunity for you to participate and earn those valuable house points. So get creative in the kitchen and make or bake something yummy, yet healthy for PBC Snack Attack. This event is held Friday 16 March so it’s time to get your Masterchef on and get busy in the kitchen kids.

Spartan House Leader
Abbey Bryant

BYOD News – Are you BYOD ready?

We are very happy to see the uptake of the BYOD program from students this year. Our curriculum is moving to a digital platform and a BYOD device is becoming a huge advantage for students.

If you have not yet gotten your student a device please be aware that PBC is a Windows Operating System based school, this means that your student needs to have a Windows based device (PC) to avoid any limitations that other operating systems, such as iOS (Mac), Android, Windows RT, Chromebook or Linux experience at PBC. In order to give your student the best experience with their device at school, make sure the have a PC/Windows laptop/device (not an iMac).

Please also note that iPads are not an acceptable device.

Please see our website for more details:

General News

PBC LEO’S

At our most recent meetings, we have welcomed 23 new members to our club, many of whom have already helped at the regular Saturday morning Currumbin Fair IGA fundraising sausage sizzle. Students from all years are welcome to join us to learn more about the club at one of our Thursday meetings in the Trade Training Centre.

We have invited representatives of Legacy and the Currumbin Craft group to talk with Leos in the next couple of weeks to let us know about their activities and how we may be able to assist. We have already donated $300 to Autism Australia to help with their programs.

On Sunday 4 March, 26 Leos, parents and siblings joined the nationwide Clean Up Australia campaign. This is an annual event for us and it was heartening to have such a good response. Rubbish – mainly plastics – was removed from areas surrounding the school, particularly the tidal areas of Currumbin Creek and mangroves adjacent to the oval. Thanks to all who supported the event and also, many thanks to the Lions and Lioness members and PBC teachers who organised the clean up and the barbeque.

Last weekend the Leos participated in the Tweed Valley Cancer Council Relay for Life at Kingscliff – more of that in the next newsletter.

Queensland Training Awards

Nominations are now open for the Queensland Training Award. They close 16 March 2018.

If your student has recently completed or is currently doing a school based Traineeship you are eligible to apply for School Based Trainee/Apprentice of the Year.

Here’s the link to submit your application:

School-Based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year;

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year;

National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence

On Friday 16 March 2018, PBC will stand united with thousands of other Australian schools and their communities to celebrate the eighth annual National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. This key anti-bullying event asks students to imagine a world free from bullying and to share ideas. Students will work through education activities, create displays and wear orange wrist bands as a symbol of support for eradicating bullying.

PBC Alliance Business Directory

If you are looking for a product or service 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.

Would you like to advertise your business in the PBC Alliance Business Directory? Membership is just $25 which includes a business directory listing, invitations to all our events and inclusion on our newsletter database so you can be kept up to date with PBC Alliance news. Head to the link below to sign up!

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.

Happy International Women's Day!

To celebrate International Women's Day our Year 12 Student Leaders, Dean of Year 12 Cathy Clipson and Krystal Borrel from Impeccable Minds attended the International Women’s Day Breakfast held at BMD Northcliffe SLSC Surfers Paradise. The ladies all thoroughly enjoyed the morning.

The Morris Art Prize goes to PBC Alumni Caitlyn Taylor

Congratulations to the Inaugural Winner of The Morris Art Prize. Artist Caitlyn Taylor’s oil painting titled ‘Dusk at Currumbin Rock’ was awarded the top prize of $10,000 by judge Damian Hackett at last night’s official opening. It was a double celebration for Caitlyn as her painting was also sold early in the evening.

PBC Senior Girls Win Tennis Doubles Challenge

Following on from PBC junior girls winning the Gold Coast Middle School Inter-Schools Doubles Tournament last week, it was the seniors turn. Our senior girls pair of Hollie Treanor and Brodie Chadburn both in Year 10 played some great tennis and proved too strong for the other teams from around the Gold Coast. It wasn’t until the final that the girls were really tested and it was an all PBC final with our senior girls competing against our junior girls, Ava Edmonds and Ruby Luc, who won the junior tournament last week made it through to this comp. Both pairs started the final well and it was Hollie and Brodie who came out victorious and took the title winning 6-3. Congratulations to all the Girls that took part from PBC. In the boys competition our boys pair of Jack Edmonds and Georgios Asimakopoulos narrowly missed out on the final but played some great tennis to finish 3rd.

QATSIF Recipients

PBC held our Murri Jarjum Indigenous Morning Tea 2 week ago. The morning tea was an occasion where the achievements of our Indigenous students could be celebrated with local Elders, parents and PBC school staff. New and continuing QATSIF scholarship recipients were recognised as well as students with the greatest GPA and attendance rate from years 7-12.

One of the greatest achievements acknowledged on the day went to Braith Gausden. Braith, a QATSIF scholarship holder, was appointed School Captain at PBC in 2018 and is our first Indigenous School Captain since PBC was established in 1972.

Tim Peach
Indigenous Coordinator

BCT / Accounting Dreamworld Excursion

BCT and Accounting students learned about various topics including managing people at the Park, accounting for non-current assets including rides and retail stock; and they finished off the day by sampling all of the attractions the Park had to offer. It was an informative and exciting day for all.

Dates to Remember

Administration

Work at PBC!

Expression of Interest - Casual Cleaners

If you or someone you know are an experienced cleaner looking for casual work please contact our HR team on 5525 9333 or send a resume to hr@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au

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 from your invoice or statement 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.: 2018 SRS8 or 2018 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).

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. All SRS Fees are now overdue except for parents/caregivers who are on a payment plan or Centrepay.

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

Parents/caregivers experiencing financial difficulty can contact our Finance Office on 5525 9307 (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

Mobile Dental Clinic – Gold Coast Oral Health Service

The School Dental Van is currently at PBC and offering FREE dental treatment. If a parent is unable to attend, please get your child to collect a consent form from the van and bring it to their appointment. This is a free service for eligible students.

To book your child's FREE* dental check phone 1300 300 850.

* Eligibility criteria applies. For more information visit the link below.

Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre – Youth Counselling

Currumbin Eagles JRLFC Sign On

Commonwealth Games Park and Ride information:

For more information on preparing your business for the Games visit:

For information on purchasing tickets and getting to your events visit:

Thrower House Holiday Program

Thrower House is excited to tell everyone that they will be open over the April school holidays. All our activities are completely FREE for all youth aged 12-17yo.

‘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.