For Your Calendar 

Mindful Staff

This week our teaching staff took part in professional development sessions run by their peers after school. A large group of our staff opted to be involved in a Positive schools session. Positive education is an approach to education that draws on positive psychology's emphasis of individual strengths and personal motivation to promote learning and connection. Positive Education views learning as a cooperative process where teachers learn to respect their students and each student's input is valued. It also helps build resilience through mindful moments and taking brain breaks. The session explored building relationships, and gave teachers practical exercises relating to brain breaks and mindful moments that can be used in the classroom.

Shutdown

• Shutdown commences for Year 12 students on Monday 2 September. All students will have a Maths exam this day.
• Shutdown commences for Year 10 runs from Thursday 5 September to Monday 9 September.
• Shutdown commences for Year 11 students in Week 10 Monday 16 September to Friday 20 September.
• The Senior shutdown timetable will soon be published for students on the student  drive at school and will also available on the school website under Curriculum/Testing and Assessment (https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/curriculum/testing-and-assessment )  Please ensure that your student has checked this and knows the date, time and room of all their exams.
• Moving forward Year 11 students will commence the summative units for ATAR in Term 4 of this year and will have their first assessment for Unit 3 in the last week of Term 4. This will be a full shutdown in the week of 25 to 29 November.
• In 2020 Year 12 and Year 10 students will have their exams and assessment due in the last week of each term (Week 10).
• A reminder that all Year 11 students must have passed a Unit of English and Maths by the end of Unit 2. Students that do not meet this requirement will have to complete a VET certificate that meets the requirements of the QCE. This course will have a cost of $250.

Assessment Policy

• Students are reminded that they must apply for an extension or change of date with the relevant Head of Department if they are going to miss an assessment. They will not be allowed to sit an exam before the rest of the cohort. Going on holidays before the end of term does not constitute a valid reason for an extension/change of assessment date. Please refer to the school Assessment Policy on the school website for more information and for copies of the Application for Extension and Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments form (https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/curriculum/testing-and-assessment).
• All 11 and 12 students are again reminded that they are expected to be passing at least 5 of their 6 classes to demonstrate that they are “actively engaged in learning" at school. Students must remain QCE eligible to stay enrolled; as such all students should be busy revising, studying and completing assessment tasks at the moment.

School Leavers

• Senior students wishing to leave school and enter the construction industry may wish to contact the Gold Coasts Trades College regarding a Construction Apprenticeship Bootcamp. This course runs for 7 weeks and provides students with a Certificate I in Construction and industry work experience.
• An electrical course (Certificate II in Electrotechnology) and an automotive course (Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation) will also commence early September.
• Note that students must have left school to receive government funding to enrol in this course. Call 07 5669 9000 or visit gctradescollege.com.au for more information.

Year 10

Year 10 SET Plan Information Evening & Teacher Interviews

All Year 10 students and parents should be aware of the following evenings dedicated to Subject Selection and Senior Pathways in 2020/21.

Tuesday 20 August – SET Plan Information Evening
Audience: All Year 10 parents & students
6:00pm – 8:30pm – Hall + UV Block

Every senior faculty and subject will be present with trade displays, as well as all universities, trade colleges and external providers that offer real-life pathways to our student body. This evening is a must attend for all students wishing to remain at PBC in Year 11.

Year 10 parents should also be booking through the PBC Website a Parent Teacher Interview to select subjects for 2020. Information has been emailed privately and bookings can be made via the PBC website. Interview dates are:

Tuesday 27 August – 2:00-6:00pm
Wednesday 28 August – 2:00-6:00pm 
both held in the PBC Hall

As the Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance (SATE) of Queensland changed in 2019 it is important that all parents and students attend these evenings to ensure that students are in the correct pathways for Years 11 and 12. Under the new system there are no subject changes allowed once students have commenced Year 11. Please refer to the Subject Selection Guide on the school website under Curriculum/Senior School for detailed information on the units studied and the assessment for each subject.

ATAR students are reminded that they need to complete the QTAC My Path capabilities and select a draft study plan and bring that to their interview on 28 or 29 August; (https://mypath.qtac.edu.au/). A reminder that My Path is not supported on Internet Explorer and that students should use Google Chrome.

Year 12

12 QCS exam

Year 12 QCS students will sit the Queensland Core Skills test on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 September. The students have had an extensive preparation for this test and we wish them well for this most important test in maximising their OP. A breakfast will be provided for all QCS students on these dates from 7:20am in the Trade Training Centre. All students are encouraged to attend. All students should by now have received the “Instructions to students” and signed a Statutory Declaration regarding the calculator they will use in the exam. Students are not allowed to use a calculator with a CAS memory unless it has been cleared and is in test mode. The school will provide all stationery required for the QCS exam except a scientific calculator or correcting tape.

Diploma of Business

• Any Year 11 student wishing to enrol in a fast track Diploma of Business course should contact Mr McDougall. This course will be conducted at PBC within the school timetable and will commence in Term 4 of 2019 and will be completed by the end of Term 3 2020.
• Prestige Services Training conducts the course at a cost of $1990. This is a very attractive and popular course due to the range of tertiary options that it provides to students. An information evening regarding this course will be scheduled later in Term 3.