Gold Coast Junior Council Meeting

On Tuesday 30 April PBC was well represented at the Gold Coast Junior Council meeting by four outstanding students: Bodie Potter, Liam Comerford, Jaime Pryor and Hamish Munro. The Junior Council meetings provide the students with a chance to participate in a range of experiences:

• Collaborating with peers from both private and public Gold Coast schools
• Interact with and meet local councillors
• Gain an understanding of how the council plans for and operates during large scale events
• Discuss real issues affecting the youth of the Gold Coast and provides a platform to have their voices heard
• Learn how to access resources and work together to help the Gold Coast community
• Provides opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills

During the last meeting our students got the opportunity to be part of the official presentation at Council Chambers where Tom Tate inducted the new Gold Coast Junior Council Executive Committee for 2019. Both Year 11 students from PBC (Hamish Munro and Jaime Pryor), showed great initiative to be part of the process of delivering a speech to their peers in order to display their leadership skills and have the chance to be voted onto the Junior Council Executive Committee. Hamish and Jaime delivered excellent speeches. A big congratulations goes to Hamish who was voted in as a member of the Executive Team for 2019.

During the last meeting the students had the opportunity to meet a number of staff from various sectors of the Gold Coast Council such as Warren Young – Chief Lifeguard, various current councillors, and staff from the Animal Management area. The students gained an insight as to what their role involves, how it has changed over time and how they got their positions. The students asked some very pertinent questions based on our part of the Gold Coast and how it impacts young people in our community.

Well done to Bodie, Liam, Jaime and Hamish for representing PBC with pride.

Melissa McGuiness Safe Driving Presentation

Last week Year 12 students welcomed inspirational guest speaker Melissa McGuinness to PBC. Our students sat silent as Melissa told of the devastating loss six years ago of son Jordan, who died at 18 as the result of his drink driving. Four other young lives were also lost as a result of this accident. As Melissa says, “My story resonates with teenagers because I reinforce this point: ‘Imagine it’s not me here today talking. Imagine it’s your Mother, and she is talking about you’.” Many of our Year 12’s stayed back after the presentation to speak with Melissa, and share their sorrow at what Jordan’s family and friends have suffered.

Our students commented that the presentation was confronting, powerful and courageous. Many were sombre as they reflected on the aftermath of what the lives of families and loved ones looks like when an avoidable tragedy such as this occurs.

Vice Captain Nick Weeks

“I LOVED the presentation; I think it was very eye-opening and confronting but that was definitely necessary to accurately convey the depth of the message she was giving. I really do think every 17 year old on the Gold Coast should see this presentation before they get their P's.”

Head Prefect Nikita Sammartino

“Melissa helped so many young individuals from PBC to truly understand the consequences of reckless driving. It was truly life changing and has made me realise how responsible, safe and cautious you really need to be when driving.”

Thank you to Melissa for sharing your journey – I know that you had a tremendous impact on our students.

Assessment Calendars

Senior school assessment calendars have been published on the school website under the curriculum tab. This is a useful tool for parents and students in preparing their study timetables.

The Year 11 Unit 1 examination timetable has also been published on this link as well as the school’s assessment policy and application forms for extension/change of date and Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA).

https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/Curriculum/Testingandassessment/Pages/Testingandassessment.aspx

Year 10 and 12 shutdown timetables for the end of term will be published soon.

Year 10 into 11 student pathways

Year 10 students and their parents need to be aware of the following requirements for students to study in the ATAR pathway in 11 and 12.

To study 4 General subjects and be eligible for an ATAR students must achieve;

Students who achieve a C5 in Maths and English in Semester 1 Year 10 may still be able to study General Maths and General English in Year 11 however will not be able to study 4 ATAR Subjects. More information regarding subject selection for year 11 will be published in term 3.

Student Engagement

All Year 11 and 12 students are reminded that they have to continually demonstrate that they are actively engaged in the learning process to remain enrolled in post compulsory schooling. Students demonstrate this by completing, submitting and passing their assessment in subjects, remaining eligible for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and complying with school policies and procedures. Students whose academic performance indicates that they are no longer eligible for the QCE will have their enrolment monitored and reviewed by the senior schooling team.

Year 11 Unit 1 Assessment

Year 11 students should be busy revising work and completing assignments for their upcoming assessment. All assessment for Unit 1 should be completed by Tuesday 21 May. There will be no shutdown for these exams and students will be expected to attend school every day. It is vitally important that Year 11s are actively revising and preparing for assessment now as they will have numerous exams and assignments due in the same week.

Year 11 students will have the opportunity to change subjects at the end of this assessment period subject to timetable availability.

Subject changes

Year 11 students will have the opportunity to change classes subject to timetable availability at the end of week 5. Students will be able to attend a session in Y block at first break on Thursday 23 May to see subject availability. They will then need to seek the permission of the Heads of Department of their new subject and parents before a change will be processed.

Certificate II in Tourism

Any Year 11 student or non OP Year 12 student wishing to complete this Certificate during sport on Wednesday afternoons should see Mr McDougall or Ms McQueen as soon as possible. This course is free for students that have not used their VETis funding.

As well as improving students employment prospects this course is worth 4 QCE so is highly recommended for students that are currently not on track to achieve the QCE due to poor academic performance.

Overall Positions (OPs)

Year 12 OP students have had the opportunity for OP prediction interviews and OP predictions were emailed out to parents last week.

OP students can maximise their OP by:

• Improving their rung; e.g. moving from a B5 to a B6
• Improving their rank position in the subject cohort
• Improving the QCS test average of OP students in that subject and the OP cohort

The 12 QCS students had a masterclass with Mighty Minds on Tuesday and have the final afterschool masterclass of the term on Tuesday 14 May in the Trade Training Centre from 3:15 to 4:45pm; attendance at these classes is compulsory for students that wish to remain OP eligible.

During Term 3 12 QCS students will be required to attend school during sport time and afterschool until 3:30pm for the 4 weeks leading up to the QCS test in September.

Additionally students that have performed poorly on the QCS practice tests will be required to attend additional support tutorials to improve their performance and the performance of the QCS cohort.

Wednesday QCS classes continue to commence at 8:00am up until the QCS test in September.

Pathways Centre

School based traineeships available

Lots of exciting traineeship opportunities available in the Pathway Centre Y Block for Year 10/11’s to start Term 2. Job boards will be updated regularly with new positions. Students can collect a registration form and apply now.

A variety of traineeships are on offer with a focus on business, hospitality, retail and tourism.

Event Cinemas Robina & Pacific Fair – Recruitment and information nights Wednesday 22 May

Hospitality and Business Traineeships:

Kirra Sports Club
Saltwater Currumbin
The Deck Café Currumbin
Third Base Coffee
The Bohemian Club Coolangatta
Palm Beach Surf Club
Coffee Club Burleigh James St
The Meatsmith the Pines
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Nerang RSL
Coming Home Co. Robina
Coffee Club Coolangatta
Lakeview Café Burleigh
Zeus Robina
Guzman Y Gomez Robina
The Cheesecake Shop - Nerang
Zarraffas Tugun and Palm Beach & Burleigh
Brumbys Bakery the Pines
Lava Carts Robina
Crema Espresso the Pines, Robina & Bundall
The Boatshed Restaurant Kiosk
Seaworld Cruises

School based vacancies links:

Ignite Education: https://www.ignite.edu.au/job-vacancies/

Aurora Training Institute please visit their vacancy page: http://www.aurora.edu.au/schools-program/

Prestige Training Services vacancies, please visit this link for more opportunities: https://hcm612.peoplestreme.net/PrestigeServiceTraining03ne2016/erec_external.asp

There are more opportunities on the job boards. Please come into Y Block to register.

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