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The College Council has been delighted with the progress made this year, despite the COVID challenges. The introduction of offsite learning and Parent/Teacher interviews, Zooming of events and opportunities to share the campus with other schools in our Lutheran system are exciting developments that present new opportunities. Not only would this allow students at 国产精品 to join other Lutheran Schools, 国产精品 has highly qualified staff with skills that are desired and can support students from further afield.

The Council has enjoyed the reports from all the different parts of the College. They have enjoyed hearing about the use of the agile classrooms in Junior School, the rolling out of the new ATAR system in Senior School and the developments in Boarding. They have also enjoyed seeing the use of our new facilities and the spark in interest from students to study in these fields.

Dear Parents and Friends,

What a year, what a journey! As I reflect on the year that has passed, the word 鈥榗hallenging鈥� is never far from my mind. It鈥檚 been a challenging year for us all and I want to thank our amazing teachers who had to dig deep and learn to do things in a completely new way.

The final few weeks of Term 1 presented us with an enormous challenge, and the teachers worked around the clock to get ready for off-site learning. Looking back, I am proud to say that we did well. Our core value of EXCELLENCE was evident in what we achieved under difficult circumstances. Seeing the Junior School students Zoom in and engage with their learning was truly amazing. However, despite the success, no one was happier than our teachers when we could welcome students back on Campus again. Nothing can really replace face to face interactions. I also want to thank all the parents and caregivers. I know this year has presented you with challenges too and I am very grateful for your support. This was more evident than ever before during the time of offsite learning. Thank you for all you did and continue to do.

In this final newsletter of 2020, I wish to acknowledge our Graduating Class and congratulate them on the way they have handled the endless challenges that they faced this year. Not only were they the first Queensland cohort to go through the new ATAR system and to face external exams. We knew this was going to add extra pressure and stress. Then, as if this wasn鈥檛 enough, along came a pandemic, and due to this, Term 2 was disrupted - they had to study offsite via Zoom, assessments were dropped, their Formal was delayed - and then in question for a long time, and the list goes on鈥� Despite this, they soldiered on and finished well.

Our 2020 graduating cohort is a diverse, amazing and inspirational group of young people, and we thank them for their individual and collective contributions over their time here at 国产精品. May God continue to bless their journey through life.

Whilst challenges are good and a necessary ingredient for improvement, I am looking forward to 2021 with the hope that the challenges will take a different format. God鈥檚 blessings to each of you this Christmas as we remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus with friends and family, some of which we may have to connect with via Zoom.

Sunday 30^th November marks the beginning of Advent, a season of the Church calendar that starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. It is a season of self-reflection, anticipation, hope, and joyful celebration of Jesus鈥� coming at the first Christmas 2000 years ago, and his coming again in the future. And there are many advent traditions around the world including wreaths and candles, and Advent Calendars. Advent Calendars now come in many forms, and a very popular one is the one in which a little treat or surprise is revealed each day that is counted down toward Christmas. And there are many secular calendars that include chocolate and sweets as the treats that simply count the days, 24 days of December, before Christmas Day. You can buy these at most supermarkets.

For Christians, all of the traditions of Advent are about waiting, because we are in the in-between time of Jesus鈥� first Advent at Christmas and his second Advent sometime in the future. We wait with joyous hope, even in the midst of hard and trialling times. That doesn鈥檛 mean the waiting is easy, or lots of fun. In today鈥檚 world of instant communication, gratification and fast response times, it can be hard when we have to wait for something. But like treats in an Advent calendar, that help us along the way to Christmas, God gives us hope along the way.

We remember God鈥檚 promises of old and their fulfilment, when God鈥檚 Word was proven true. In His Word, the Bible, we read of the hundreds of prophecies Christ fulfilled through his birth, life, death, and resurrection, and we take heart that He will do it again. God is faithful, and we can trust His promises of love, grace and forgiveness, and His continued presence at all times. In a year that has been challenging for us all, we can continue to make every effort to live peaceful lives.

The Pullman Cairns International was buzzing with excitement on Saturday 14^th November, as the Graduating Seniors pulled out all the stops to stage a dazzling formal.

The evening began with our glamorous students arriving in all kinds of weird and wonderful modes of transport to a waiting crowd of parental paparazzi. After enjoying drinks in the atmospheric surroundings of the foyer and engaging in some professional photo opportunities, the guests were seated in the beautifully decorated event room. A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all. The location and effort put in to the presentations made for a very enjoyable night.

A huge thank you to all students and staff who gave up their time to make it happen.

Our Year 12 students graduated in a very moving chapel of celebration and reflection. Student tributes were followed by some wonderful music and readings. Finally, the graduating students took the opportunity to thank their family, friends and college staff who have supported them over the years with floral tributes.

In their final week, students made the most of their remaining time together. Mrs Eime, with the support of Mr O鈥橫ara and Mrs Brayshaw, organised a number of events to farewell our graduating seniors including a retreat at Trinity Beach and an exhilarating visit to Fitzroy Island.

The final week for Year 12 is an opportunity for our graduates to reflect on their time here and thank everyone in the school community who has helped them along the way.

Good luck and God bless our Graduates of 2020.

Queensland Police delivered a presentation on campus to the Year 12 students as part of the Year 12 retreat activities. A senior officer of the Cairns Road Police spoke to the students about staying safe on the road as a young and inexperienced driver. This timely message was equally important for those students who are passengers of friends with newly acquired licences

I would like to congratulate our new School Captains for 2020 and I am very much looking forward to working with them next year.

• Annika Lambert (Captain)
• Levi Cutler (Captain)
• Jennifer Unsworth (Vice Captain)
• Gomae Zuwi鈥檈 (Vice Captain)

Year 11 students continued to work hard at their QCE subjects right through until the end of the year, with lessons delivered right up until (and including) the last Friday of the school year (27^th November).

Year 11 Biology Field Trip to Cattana Wetlands

Our Year 11 Biology students enjoyed the opportunity to get out into nature at Cattana Wetlands in Smithfield. Students spent the day gathering samples and taking measurements to provide valuable data for their assessments next year, as students begin their summative units of study.

The Wetlands are now well established and boast a myriad of wildlife to enjoy, as well as a peaceful oasis to relax in.

I would like to extend my appreciation to all of the dedicated staff who have provided their support of students during our transition to the new ATAR system and to the students, who have worked hard throughout this challenging year.

I would like to congratulate our new Middle School Captains for 2021. I am very much looking forward to seeing their strong leadership and innovation in the new school year.

• Shane Shaji (Captain)
• Jasmine Lambert (Captain)
• Abbas Rizvi (Vice Captain)
• Sonia Hansen (Vice Captain)

End of Year Activities

Mrs Brooker and Mr McMahon organised some wonderful activity week events to bring the 2020 Middle School year to an enjoyable end. Students had the opportunity to participate in a range of activities to suit every budget and tastes, from Green Island to hiking, Aqua Park and Laser Tag.

Year 9 Leadership Day

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Middle School Leadership day at Goomboora Park in Week 5 due to the demands of running external senior exams, however Mrs Brooker reported some excellent participation and that the day was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The level of participation and leadership shown by the students was exceptional.

The environment group planted a flame tree named 鈥淩esilience鈥� in Week 7 of Term 4 and the sapling was soon living up to its name in the dry conditions. The group鈥檚 members have done a fantastic job through the year, beautifying the school grounds, recycling school waste and setting a fine example of service to our community. We are always looking for new recruits to continue the good work and participation in such initiatives always provide positive comments for job references and other applications.

The school was awash with giggles and colour on Monday of Week 7 as the whole school turned out to celebrate 2020 NAIDOC week. A range of activities were provided for all students to participate in this exciting community event. A number of teachers and students ran the gauntlet of water pistols and powder puffs to celebrate the event

Now, at the end of the school year, our attention turns to 2021. Whilst the unknown of COVID-19 is still with us, there are some things we cannot predict ahead of time. However, we can try and be as prepared as possible.

We have learnt so much this year and I thank the staff, students and parents for practicing our You Can Do It skills and positively engaging in all the new learning needed for a successful year.

I can say with conviction that due to the dedication of our community, the students have still progressed their learning. The partnership between school and home was vital and even more important this year. Together we have achieved great things for our children.

I am so incredibly proud of our wonderful 国产精品 community. Every blessing for the holiday break. I look forward to 2021.

Prep

Mrs Sandra Bull, Mrs Sheryl Rosendale, Mrs Melissa Turner

Year 1

Mrs Laura Robinson and Miss Jonnae Downing

Year 2

Mr Derek Biancotti, Mrs Natalie Cahill and Mrs Jodee Kingsley

Year 3

Mrs Cathy O鈥橠ea and Mrs Kaylene Robinson

Year 4

Mrs Jenny Henseleit, Mrs Christina Jacobsen

Year 5

Mr Ian Harris, Mrs Janine McCormick

Miss Jonnae Downing - Year 1

Mr Ian Harris - Year 5

Mrs Janine McCormick

In 2021 we are introducing a Health and Wellbeing program. This will focus on social emotional development and help students to be happy, healthy, active members of the world. Each year level will receive one lesson per week, taught by myself, in conjunction with the teachers. 鈥淢y Wellbeing Journal鈥� and Growth Mindset Program, along with our 国产精品 Values and You Can Do It program will form the basis of this new Wellbeing program

Term 1 of the 2021 school year will commence on Wednesday, 27th January 2021.

Junior School will commence at 8:30 am, with students able to arrive from 8:00 am to be supervised until the classroom doors open.

This year we have ended the day with a 2:45 pm finish and we will continue this same procedure next year. All Junior School students will leave class at 2:45pm. Families with children in Junior School are required to collect their child at this time. A duty area will be established for those students who have older siblings in Middle School and/or Senior School, or who go on the bus or to outside hours school care.

Information about all uniform requirements for 国产精品 can be located on our College website.

All uniform pieces, including accessories, can be purchased from local Cairns supplier, . Uniform Link is a locally owned and operated business that works in partnership with the College to provide our students with quality uniforms.

In 2021 the College will provide class sets of stationery for each student in Junior School. The College will purchase the stationery in bulk and a cost of $45 will be charged to fee accounts. This will mean that you will not need to provide any stationery for next year. However, you will need to provide individual headphones for your child

The best way to stay up to date with happenings across the College is through our media platforms of , , the School App and the 国产精品 Parent Portal.

It is amazing that we are at the end of the 2020 school year. We must offer a huge congratulations to all of our boarding students. In what has been extraordinary circumstances, our students have had to change and adapt as we have moved through the year and generally they have done this without much fuss.

Our international students, if not home already, are looking forward to getting back to their own bed, which, for all of them, they have not been able to get into since they left at the beginning of this year and I鈥檓 sure that their parents are as eager as anyone to get them home.

Personally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all students, parents and staff for their welcome to 国产精品 this year and I am already looking forward to next year.

Activities

Over this term, the students have enjoyed some awesome recreational activities with the highlights being a visit to the Cairns Aquarium, Thursday night shopping at Cairns Central, swimming at Port Douglas and Gel Blasting at Mr Dunsmuir's house in Kuranda. We have combined these events with muffin making, arts and crafts, basketball and nights of watching the State of Origin within the boarding precinct.

The students have certainly lots on offer and for the most part, all these activities have been well supported.

Catering

We would all like to say thanks to our catering team for the Christmas dinner they provided us - we all certainly enjoyed it.

2021 Parent Orientation Days

As an 鈥榚arly date for the calendar鈥� we will be holding Boarding Parent Orientation Days next year. The idea behind these days is for us to have time with parents to talk through all things boarding here at 国产精品 and we feel the best way to do this is through hosting parents here at the College.

While the details (dates and format) of these days are still being finalised, we feel that we will need to offer at least two to three different days as well as a couple of Zoom opportunities for our international parents who may not be able to make it onto campus to visit us.

Further details of these days will be outlined in my welcome letter that will be sent out early next year.

Mari Mari House Re-opening

Also looking forward to re-opening Mari Mari House next year for our Year 10 to 12 boys and keeping the Year 7 to 9 boys in Frieden House. We are excited about the opportunities this will present for both our junior and senior boys.

REACH Leave Management System

Also happening next year is the reintroduction of the REACH Leave Management System. We are aware that we have only just recently moved to Boardingware, however, after a year of using the software we have found that it is not as effective and as powerful for us as the REACH product, therefore the decision to change back has been made. Again, further information will be outlined in my welcome letter next year as well as at the Boarding Parent Orientation Days.

Feel free to delete the Boardingware App if you have it on your phone.

Farewell Year 12 Boarders

As the year concludes, I would like to farewell our Year 12s. They have been awesome and contributed so much to the life of the Boarding Community, not only during this year, but also throughout their whole boarding experience.

So, to La鈥橲chaya, Isaac, Tyra, Cajun, Nardia, Napau, Narelle and Aiso, we say farewell and thank you. We wish you all the best for the next phase of your life.

Please remember that if you are looking for some work over the next couple of years, come and see us because we might be looking for people to work in our boarding houses and it is always handy to have people who not only understand what it鈥檚 like to be a boarder, but also know all the tricks!!

Farewell Sharron Mhyre

We would also like to say goodbye to Sharron who will be leaving us to start a new chapter of her life in Brisbane. Sharron has been involved with 国产精品 for a number of years, both as part of the cleaning team, and more recently as senior boarding supervisor. We thank Sharron for her service to the College and especially the care she has given to our students. She will be missed and we wish her well on her new adventure.

Merry Christmas

Finally, we would like to wish all our families a safe and happy Christmas and we look forward to welcoming you all back next year.

The Learning Centre continued to be a hub of activity throughout 2020. Even during the COVID shutdown, students enjoyed watching Zoom storytimes, and using our online resources such as Britannica Schools and e-books and audio books.

Our collection usage continues to increase as well as participation in our lunch time activities thanks to Miss Marcelle鈥檚 creativity.

During the Christmas break we encourage all students to continue reading for pleasure with books from home, by downloading e-books and audio books from our , or using the local public library. Junior School students may wish to participate in the Cairns Libraries Summer Reading Club. Details can be found on the .

We would like to wish all of our students and their loved ones a very safe, happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.

Happy reading!

Tanya Mills & Marcelle Humphreys

Book Week 2020, Curious Creatures Wild Minds, was celebrated for the first time by all year levels from Prep to Year 12. Thank you to all of the families who purchased books and donated books through our Book Week Book Fair. $1,400 was raised to purchase new resources for the Learning Centre!

Congratulations to Rebecca K from Year 2 and Ruby C from Year 4 who won our Create Your Own Book Cover Competition.

Thank you also to Isaac W, Lachlan H, Harper B, Hoah J and Tayla P from Year 5 who wrote, published and presented Book Week Reviews from the CBCA shortlisted title.

2020 has been a year like no other for community groups such as Parents & Friends Association. Our key roles are usually fundraising and hosting events, which sadly have not been possible this year. However, we managed to run a successful Mother's Day and Father's Day stall which gave the students an opportunity to purchase special gifts for a much-loved person in their life.

We also kept in contact with College Executive and were able to provide items such as a video camera to allow the school community to keep in contact via Zoom during these challenging times.

The P&F Committee looks forward to the 2021 school year and being able to resume an active role in our school community.

We would like to wish all families a safe and blessed Christmas.

Larisa Millyard
P&F President

PLEASE NOTE: In the event of unforeseen circumstances the above events and associated dates may be subject to change. Please check the 国产精品 website for the most up to date calendar information.

We strive to keep you informed through open, efficient communication. The 国产精品 School App, Facebook and Instagram pages are regularly updated with news, events and important notices.