国产精品

Dear 国产精品 Community,

I have had the privilege this term of representing the College at a number of external forums and gatherings as I connect with the wider Cairns community. These connections have included JCU and CQU universities, other independent Carins schools, our state LCA Synod AGM and our state and federal MPs.

What struck me about these connections was the strong consistency of the values and reputation of PLC as a place of Christian faith and excellence in learning where young people have been inspired, cared for, and equipped for service in the community. My role as Principal is to continue to build on the positive legacy of the past.

We have some exciting initiatives planned for 2024 and beyond. It was a pleasure to share some of these insights at the recent Principal鈥檚 Forum with parents. Early next term, I will be sharing a more detailed update on one of these initiatives, our Year 6/7 PIVOT transition program, which is designed to prepare our students for a successful transition into secondary school.

We are also working in several other areas around the College as a part of our Strategic Plan and I look forward to giving you an update on our progress in the coming months.

Critical Incident

At the time of writing, it has been just over four weeks since the critical incident occurred which challenged our community in such a sudden and unexpected way. It has tested us in a way that is hard to describe to people outside the College. We continue to learn and grow from the experience, both personally and professionally.

We are praying and working with both families, whose worlds have been turned upside down by the incident. No words can fully express how their lives have been changed, but we continue to walk with them.

To those staff and students who have been directly and indirectly impacted by the event, we continue to offer them support and encouragement through outside agencies and give them the time to heal.

To the amazing people who serve in our emergency services - the Cairns Police, the Cairns Ambulance Service, the Carins and Townsville hospital staff, the Cairns Headspace Support Unit for young people's wellbeing 鈥� and our fellow independent schools who provided direct counseling support in the days after the event 鈥� Trinity Anglican College, Freshwater Christian College, 国产精品, and St Andrews Lutheran College 鈥� we say a grateful thank you.

To the schools, agencies, well-wishers, supporters, and others who have reached out to offer their thoughts and prayers, we thank you.

God reminds us through His word that He travels with us in our time of need. We have felt His presence through the words and actions of others and, as a result, are able to step forward into the future with confidence.

Reconnecting with the Past

This term I have been privileged to reconnect with Hopevale and Wujal Wujal communities 'on country'. These communities, along with Coen, were instrumental in the establishment of 国产精品, donating funds to purchase the land on which the College now stands. Our school logo bears the Wujal Falls and the Hopevale palm tree in recognition of this connection. Over the past 29 years, like all relationships, we have experienced a range of highs and lows in working together. The past months have been about reconnecting and re-establishing this partnership. We look forward to building on these past foundations as we move towards celebrating 30 years of Lutheran education in Far North Queensland in 2024.

MMG Survey

Early next term we will be sending all stakeholders, via MMG, an engagement survey. Conducted every two years, the survey provides an opportunity for the PLC community to provide feedback on points of celebration, as well as highlighting areas of growth. It will allow the College Council to measure our performance against sector benchmarks and provide an adjustment in planning for the Strategic Plan, which was formulated in late 2022. It will also provide me, as the principal, with a baseline for future growth and development.

Investment in Community

In Week 2 of Term 3, you will receive a flyer regarding an invitation to donate towards the air conditioning of our 国产精品 Centre. This building, located in the heart of our College, is a powerful symbol of community and connection. It鈥檚 our gathering place, our sacred space. It鈥檚 a place we would like to linger longer in 鈥� if not for the challenges of temperature control. Your contribution will enable this to occur and I encourage you to consider this project.

Shane Jurecky
Principal

Introducing a worm farm creates not only a valuable active learning experience and process for children but also provides an opportunity to look after the environment and for children to explore different levels of sustainability in a visible, interactive way.

We started off by having a discussion about the importance of worms and what they do to keep our soil healthy and how they help our gardens to grow.

鈥淲orms build tunnels in the soil,鈥� said Ella. Yes, the tunnels also allow roots to penetrate deeper into the soil, where they can reach extra moisture and nutrients. The extensive channeling and burrowing by earthworms loosens and aerates the soil and improves soil drainage.

We also discussed that worms breathe through their skin. That's the reason why we see so many of them out in the garden after a rainstorm, as the wet soil inhibits their breathing, which brings the worms to the surface. We then discussed how important it is not to disturb them when we see these worms on the surface as they do such a big job in our gardens.

After this discussion, we transferred all the new earthworms into our worm farm and mixed the soil to make them feel comfortable in their new home. We then covered the worms with a wet cloth to keep our worm farm moist.

It is hard to believe that we have come to the end of Term 2. It is only when we stop and look back, that we can really appreciate all that our wonderful students have done, and all that they have achieved. The children have once again been amazing, and we are truly blessed to have each and every one of them at our College.

Below is a brief snapshot of some of what we have been up to.

Prep

Love was definitely in the air early on this term when Prep students had the opportunity to celebrate with their mums during the Prep Mother鈥檚 Day afternoon. It was a very special day, as mums were served afternoon tea, presented with a gift, and treated to some fun entertainment.

Prep A said goodbye to their Prac Student, Stephanie Ahron in Week 7 of this term. Stephanie has been with them for most of Term 2 and has been a wonderful addition to the team. The students have thoroughly enjoyed the time that she has spent with them.

Year 1

Literacy lessons

This term the Year 1 students have been exploring elements and features of narrative text, including story characters. As part of their learning, they read the story of "The Gruffalo". They used the story characters of the Mouse and the Gruffalo to compare and describe their features using appropriate adjectives and vocabulary. Students took their learning further by participating in a guided drawing of a Gruffalo and were challenged to label the different parts of the character using physical appearance and personality traits.

We were so impressed by the creativity of our students and how observant they had been when drawing and describing their own Gruffalo characters.

Fire Fighter Visit

On Wednesday 31st May Year 1 had a visit from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. The firefighters taught the children about good and bad fires, fire plans, and what to say if you have to call 000.

We learned what to do in a fire emergency:

- Don鈥檛 hide! Scream and Shout!

- Get down low and Go! Go! Go!

- Stop, drop, and roll if your clothes are on fire.

- Get out and Stay out!

- Call 000

The children enjoyed the visit and are looking forward to the next visit when the firefighters bring the fire truck for us to have a look at!

Year 2 Discovering Our World

This term, Year 2 has been learning about Our World. They have studied facts about each continent and learned where they are on the globe. The students then created their own globes. First, they covered a balloon with papier-mache, which was very messy work. Then they painted it blue, and finally, they glued on all the continents. They then named the continents and the oceans.

Year 3 Technology

Year 3 have been honing their PowerPoint skills and letting their imaginations roam. They have been creating a slideshow to promote their latest inventions, either a snack treat or a wacky product. The snack treat could be something yummy or something bizarre 鈥� made of grass trimmings or air, something that will make you grow as tall as a giraffe or as small as an ant. The wacky product could be an electronic friend, recording glasses, or maybe a superpower badge or a get-out-of-free pass.

Year 4 Design Technology

Year 4 has been learning about different symbols in Design Technology. We explored Aboriginal and Egyptian symbols and investigated how they use these symbols to represent a story of their History. The children are adopting this philosophy and using symbols to spell out a word that they feel represents Reconciliation and their understanding of what 鈥淪orry Day鈥� means. These were displayed on our door for Reconciliation Week.

Year 5

Pen Pals

This year our Year 5 students have started a pen pal project with students from Mount Carmel College in Adelaide. Last term we received our first letters, so this term it was the turn of our students to respond. We even had a special mention in their newsletter. We look forward to developing our relationship further and learning more about them and their school.

Biggest Morning Tea at the 鈥楲ittle Lemons鈥� Caf茅

This term the Year 5 PBL unit was 鈥楩ood, Glorious Food鈥�, and students were set the challenge of creating a Pop Up restaurant within the classroom. Their task included everything from deciding the name and theme, to budgeting, sourcing, preparing, and serving the food.

In preparation for this, the students were delighted to have a visit from French chef, Ludo. Ludo used the College鈥檚 hospitality kitchen to demonstrate how to prepare, cook and serve delicious food on a commercial scale. The students took away some valuable tips and advice that would serve them well in their own endeavors. They also got to taste the food that Ludo had created, and it was delicious.

This year the students decided that they wanted to use their restaurant as an opportunity to contribute to the Cancer Council鈥檚 Biggest Morning Tea event. The idea for a caf茅 was born, and students then set to work to make the Little Lemons Caf茅 a reality. On the big day, each student had a role to play and there were waiters, servers, cooks, baristas, raffle ticket sellers, and cleaners, all collaborating to make their caf茅 a success.

Altogether they raised an amazing $670 for the Cancer Council, whilst also providing parents, guests, and themselves a wonderful experience. Fabulous achievement Year 5!

Year 6

Camp

What an amazing time at Echo Creek. It was fabulous to see everyone having a go at all the activities, including the more challenging tasks, and enjoying their time together.

Students made damper; went on a night bush walk, abseiled, and even completed a challenge course, just to name a few of the activities. It was busy and exhausting, but loads of fun.

As teachers it was wonderful to see the students develop and grow through this experience, and, apart from the mosquitoes, everyone enjoyed their time together. It definitely received the thumbs up from students, including the food!

Thank you, Year 6, for making camp such a lovely experience, we know that everyone learned and developed their teamwork and leadership through the experience. Well done!

YES: Youth Entrepreneur Summit

We had the pleasure of taking 10 Year 6 students to the Youth Entrepreneur Summit held at the Bulmba-ja Arts Centre in Cairns. Over the course of the day, our students were able to lay the foundations for their first businesses - brainstorming local and global problems, devising solutions by creating products or services, as well as planning and delivering an elevator pitch for their businesses.

In what was a fun-filled and action-packed day, our students immersed themselves in a vibrant learning environment and program designed to foster skills in communication, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, confidence, and leadership. They were inspired by the stories of young entrepreneurs and energised by the opportunity to network with hundreds of students from local schools.

Five students from Years 5 and 6 took part in the Reader鈥檚 Cup this year. They had to read five books and be prepared to answer a range of questions about the books they had read. They competed against students from over 50 schools and finished in 12^th place. We are so very proud of their efforts.

Students from Kindergarten to Year 3 took part in National Simultaneous Storytime on Wednesday 24^th May. This year鈥檚 book was "The Speedy Sloth", by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie.

Students from Prep to Year 2 enjoyed a fun, interactive live incursion, with Ditto the lovable lion cub. Braveheart鈥檚 'Keep Safe Adventure Show' teaches young children essential personal safety skills and knowledge using age-appropriate language, song, and dance. This was all delivered by a specially trained presenter, and the children had fun whilst learning these very important messages.

Below are some important Term 3 dates for your calendar. There are also several year-level activities planned, and teachers will be in touch about these nearer the time.

We wish you all a wonderful and relaxing holiday, and we look forward to welcoming you back in Term 3.

Christina Jacobsen and Laura Robinson
Directors of Primary

After our excellent 2022 results, we have been evaluating our subject reports to further refine and improve the teaching and learning in preparation for this year鈥檚 senior students.

External examination performance was excellent and indicated that students were well prepared for the challenge of QCAA examinations.

Our last ATAR confirmation reports, where staff provisional marking is quality assured independently by QCAA officers, gained 100% agreement across all subject areas, which is a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of our teachers.

Year 12 pastoral care staff will be concentrating on careers and post-school education this term, with a number of speakers coming into the College and a range of activities organised for Careers Week. Year 11 and 12 students are already successfully completing both formative and summative ATAR assessments typically in the dedicated examination space of the Boarders Recreation Centre.

Year 11 students have been working hard to step up to the expectations of senior school and the rigor of the new syllabus requirements. Assessment practice is going well and providing valuable feedback, through Student Caf茅 and Parent Portal, to students, parents, and teachers, on which areas require extra attention.

As is typical at the beginning of their senior studies, one or two students have struggled to manage the workload and pacing of assessment preparation. It is important to be organised with assessment timetables and get started early.

I would like to encourage parents to continue to monitor the 国产精品 Parent Portal, to support your son or daughter in managing these expectations. The Student Cafe has proven to be an invaluable tool for communicating rapidly with students. Parents can support their children by reminding them to utilise this valuable resource as well as discussing their preparation and planning with them.

Year 11 students, fast approaching the completion of a semester in their chosen subjects, need to be considering adjustments in their approach to studying and possibly alternative subjects to enhance their grades. QCE credits are based on completed units and credits are earned through the achievement of a C or above (SA) in the subject. Students should discuss this with their parents, our Careers Officer (Rebecca Bolton), and senior subject teachers to ensure they are following an appropriate study pathway. Some students will be approaching the end of their subject contract period initiated at the start of the year. Students successfully completing Semester 1 will come off contract.

Semester 1 reports will be published at the end of Term 2 and parents and students will have the opportunity to reflect on how well they have risen to the challenge of their senior studies this year. We look forward to the opportunity, next term, to discuss how your son or daughter鈥檚 senior studies are going and perhaps even come up with strategies to further improve academic outcomes.

ANZAC Day Services

The College held its annual ANZAC day chapel, with a special guest speaker, LIEUT. Claire McIntosh from HMAS Cairns joining us for our remembrance service.

A big thank you to all in our school community who joined with our College Captains and staff at the ANZAC dawn service on the Cairns Esplanade.

JCU Engineering Challenge

Year 10 students attended Cairns campus for the Science and Engineering Challenge. Students experienced aspects of STEM which they would not usually be exposed to at school. Some of the activities included building and testing bridges, wiring cities, designing a Mars rover, constructing earthquake-proof towers, and building a sailplane.

Foundation Stone Garden

Some of our Environment Group students spent time revegetating the College's foundation stone garden with new plants that have since bloomed beautifully. A big thank you to these dedicated students and our Environment Group coordinating teacher and Head of Science, Mrs Cummings, who are constantly working on ways to improve our school and reduce our carbon footprint.

Geography Field Trip

Our Year 11 and 12 students had an incredible day exploring the Cairns CBD on their Term 2 field trip! And also had the fantastic opportunity to discuss urban heat sinks with JCU Associate Professor, Lisa Law. Lisa's extensive knowledge and engaging presentation truly opened the eyes of our students to the impact of urban planning on temperature regulation, helping them gain valuable insights into how green spaces and sustainable architecture can help counteract the heat island effect. Our students were inspired to think critically about the future of our cities and the importance of environmental sustainability.

Students participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Program ventured into the Baron Gorge National Park this term for their overnight practice hike, providing them the perfect opportunity to revise and practice their first-aid skills.

The students planned their hike using a map and compass and then ventured out in teams to successfully complete this challenge. To top the weekend off they had yet another Duke of Ed birthday. And a great weekend was had by all!

A huge thank you to the DoE Team - Mr Fernandez, Mr Collins, Mr Atkins, and Mrs Beattie.

Kellie Brooker
Award Leader

Our Year 7 Outdoor Adventure Camp saw the students have endless fun and lots of opportunities for team building and bonding with firm friendships formed and memorable moments that will stay with them.

These valuable opportunities for our students would not be possible without our incredible team of passionate and supportive teachers - a big thank you to all the College staff who went along and got involved in all the moments and walked alongside these young people over the three days, helping to make this a meaningful and memorable time for our Year 7s.

Term 2 brings us to the end of Semester 1 and at this time, students and families receive the Semester 1 Report. The information in the report is a culmination of all the learning that has taken place in the first half of the 2023 academic year. Please read and discuss the Semester 1 Report with your child when it is published at the end of the final week of school. The Semester 1 Report will be available via the 国产精品 Parent Portal and Student Caf茅.

The end of the semester is an ideal time to set personal and academic goals for the remainder of the academic year. The goals should be specific and measurable. The Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 3 of Term 3 is the time to discuss, refine and finalise these goals with your child鈥檚 teachers. I encourage all families to talk about attending these interviews together, so we work in partnership to support learning.

Thank you to students, teachers, families, caregivers, and College staff for all the work that has been achieved during Term 1 and Term 2 of this year. During the upcoming three-week break, take the time to spend time together with friends and family, make good memories, and get out in the beautiful environment in which we live.

Clare MacDermott
Director of Teaching & Learning

As Semester 1 draws to a close, I hope the school term break is an opportunity for rest and refreshment for our students. All students across the College have now experienced an appropriate level of challenge in their learning. Some have risen to this challenge and excelled, others are adjusting to new expectations, and students have gained insight into a variety of strategies that will assist them in managing deadlines.

As a learning community, we create a culture of valuing learning when we are ready. I encourage you to please check with your child to see if you need to purchase any new pens, pencils, or other resources to ensure your child has what they need to support learning for the next six months.

Attendance is a key factor in success at school. The Home Group teachers and Heads of House have been making contact with families to understand when a student鈥檚 attendance percentage is low. As per the Term 1 progress reports, attendance under 90% is a cause for concern. The College has a legal responsibility to ensure that students are able to access their educational opportunities. We ask you to support your child to attend school as often as possible. If your child is unwell, please send any medical certificates to your child鈥檚 Home Group teacher to be placed on file.

Juanita Eime
Director of Culture

The staff team continues to embed the restorative approach across the College. We are looking forward to another session with our expert facilitator, Kirsty Lush, from Real Schools in August. Restorative practices are important in all places of the College, and this has a positive impact on our learning environments for all of our students.

Restorative Practices are important for the whole College and can be applied in various situations, for example, the classroom, bus travel, on the sporting field, and camps and excursions. The process allows behaviour to be acknowledged, including the impact on others, intending to restore broken relationships and journey together with respect.

Restorative Practices actively support students in increasing their vocabulary associated with emotions. Some people seem to be more naturally in touch with their emotions and can control how they react to certain situations. Others are developing this skill. Being aware of emotions and the associated vocabulary helps people to talk about feelings, which can help people to avoid and resolve conflict better, and move past difficult feelings more easily.

You may like to view this which shows a mother who reviews children鈥檚 stories that assist children to learn more about emotions and feelings.

Want to know more? This short was shown to staff at a recent staff meeting about restorative practices.

Real Schools Visit 鈥� Term 3

Kirsty Lush, from Real Schools, will return in August to provide further in-class support sessions. We are excited to welcome Kirsty back as our expert facilitator for restorative practices. She will spend some time with a range of staff across the College to support our action plan for embedding restorative practices and provide further guidance based on feedback and questions.

In the background, we are working on items to share with our wider community via the College website in the future. We are excited to share our journey and philosophy behind this approach to supporting students to become responsible and respectful towards others.

Juanita Eime
Director of Culture

The College Captains have stepped up this term to run and manage the Secondary School assembly independently. We are proud of their efforts. Our College leaders are developing skills to liaise with a range of staff members, plan ahead and be adaptable when things don鈥檛 go as expected.

Serah Merrick and Libra Aying have been instrumental in placing small baskets of sanitary items in toilet areas for students and staff. This was an initiative inspired by their attendance at the International Women鈥檚 Day breakfast in March. Serah and Libra have sourced the items and have encouraged people to 鈥淭ake what you need, give what you can鈥�. Thank you Serah and Libra for this initiative, it is much appreciated.

Our staff sessions for new staff, called Connect, have recently covered the topic of God鈥檚 grace. We have unpacked what this means and explored what grace looks like in our community and how this might influence how we carry out our roles as teachers and other staff at PLC.

All Lutheran schools and early childhood services are communities where grace abounds. While recognising the brokenness of humanity, they reflect the unconditional love of the Father, revealed through the saving work of his Son, Jesus.

We have thought about questions, such as:

• What are important aspects of spirituality from a Lutheran perspective?
• In what ways might the concept of grace shape Lutheran education communities (and our community)?
• In what ways might the concept of grace inform the understanding of my role and my contribution?
• What questions or issues does the concept raise for me and how can I explore my questions?

Pastor Martin Scharnke visited the College in May. We are grateful that both Primary and Secondary students had the opportunity to hear about the needs of people within different countries and communities. Year 8 students will learn more about the work of the Australian Lutheran World Service during Term 3. They have an opportunity to select one country where ALWS helps people or a natural disaster that ALWS responds to and develop a way to teach others about this. Do you have a Year 8 student in your family?

The work of the Australian Lutheran World Service is promoted by our College in Term 4 when we send home the 鈥淕ifts of Grace鈥� catalogues. These catalogues will allow members of our community to purchase items for those less fortunate,

The Year 12 students have begun volunteering at Rosies 鈥� Friends on the Street. Thank you to those students and families who have completed the required forms to enable students to volunteer for this program.

Your generosity in donating small items is much appreciated on behalf of those who receive items from Rosies. If you want to be involved, small items can be dropped off at College Administration for our student volunteer teams to pass on to Rosies. The graphic below has some suggestions for the types of items needed.

These items can be dropped off to the College Administration for the attention of Pastor Adam, Mrs Juanita Eime, or Mrs Johnston.

This semester, we have provided students with opportunities to do activities they are interested in each Wednesday afternoon. I have had the pleasure of being involved with the Design Academy, a talented and diverse group of Year 7 鈥� 9 students who have developed a range of projects.

There are several highlights from learning with and alongside this group of students during the past six months:

• Observing a small group of Year 9 boys pitch their design plan to College Principal, Mr Jurecky with the aim to secure funding for their project. Congratulations on a successful pitch!
• Providing opportunities for students to learn about inclusive cooking, with a design challenge. We needed to think about what people could or could not eat, and we had a design challenge of using a frying pan for cooking. Thank you to Pastor Adam for attending this TAFT group on Wednesday afternoons so that we could cook every now and then. We have some mini-chefs who love finding recipes!
• Hearing the back story of the intricate 'parkour' circuit that has been created by a team of Year 7 students. This team worked together to improve the circuit and then race each other to try and beat the timings of the session. Congratulations, Year 7s for your teamwork and communication skills to create something really cool.
• Teaching Year 8 students to crochet and finger knit.
• Learning about the different languages that students are informally learning at home, via Duolingo. We talked about different ways to learn languages and some students designed a plan to continue learning a language of interest. I didn鈥檛 expect to learn greetings in a variety of new languages this year!

Thank you, Design Academy, it has been fun to learn with you. I wish you all the best for your JSS sports sessions next term.

Juanita Eime
Director of Culture

I am very proud of the students who participated in the Ethics Olympiad teams. Teams of students considered a range of case studies and ethical dilemmas and engaged in active dialogue and respectful listening when considering these situations.

Points were given to teams for showing respect, highlighting different perspectives, linking ideas to ethical frameworks, and being able to further dialogue on a topic when asked a question by the other team, or the adjudicator.

Our students engaged with up to eight different schools during the day via Zoom. Both 国产精品 Ethics Olympiad teams were highly commended on the day.

Thank you for representing PLC well.

Juanita Eime
Director of Culture

We have come to the end of the term and the first half of the year. A lot has happened in our College community so far this year, and we still have half the year to go. With so many things going on, it might feel like our lives are in a state of flux. And with the pressures of school life, work, rising costs, and tragic events within our community and around the world, we may feel anxious, worried, or fearful.

In times like this, it is good for us to hear the above words of Jesus. Jesus first said these words to his disciples, who were fearful of the troubles they faced in this world 鈥� even fearing for their lives. They had 鈥榯roubled hearts.鈥� But Jesus reminded them that when we look to the things of this world, we will find trouble. Rather, we find peace in Christ. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has overcome the troubling things of this world.

This sure hope of salvation gives peace in the midst of whatever it is we may have to go through or even going through right now. As humans, we have a tendency to want to know the if's, why's, and hows in circumstances in life, especially those in which we suffer and feel great pain, but God calls us to trust in Him and His goodness.

Heavenly Father, Giver of all true and lasting peace, grant us the gift of the Holy Spirit so our lives may reflect the peace we have through Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

At the time of the release of this newsletter, I will be on leave. I will be having Rest & Recuperative Leave until the beginning of Week 4 in Term 3. In my absence, staff and students will be leading chapels and filling other roles. I look forward to returning after my leave, and I pray that you all enjoy the mid-year school break.

Thank you to Pastor Greg from Trinity Lutheran Church. Pastor Greg is retiring in July, and PLC would like to thank him for all his support to the College Community. Pastor Greg has served the congregation for 6 years, and in that time, he has also helped at Primary School chapels and other College events. I am also grateful for Greg鈥檚 wisdom and support as a fellow pastor, and we pray for God鈥檚 blessing on Greg for his retirement.

God bless, and see you all in Term 3!

Pastor Adam
College Pastor

Chapel for Secondary School is regularly on Wednesday mornings at 8:15 am, and for Primary School at 2:30 pm on Friday afternoons. Parents and friends are always welcome to attend, and as usual, we have had Pastor Greg Schiller from Trinity Lutheran Church as a regular visitor to the Primary School chapel.

In Primary School Chapel, the Year 6 students have been regularly assisting with Bible readings, candle-lighting, and other liturgical duties, and also with setting up and operating the AV equipment. In the Secondary School chapel this year, each of the four Houses is taking a turn to lead or assist with chapel. In the last week of Term 1, Green Eagles led the chapel with a dramatic retelling of the Easter story, and this term in Week 8 the Red Emperors assisted with a Pentecost-themed chapel. At both chapels, we were blessed to have students lead the music.

Thank you to all students involved in chapels, and to Mrs Moore for helping our music students.

At the Primary School Chapel to finish the term, the College had an opportunity to farewell Pastor Greg Schiller. Pastor Greg led the Primary Chapel for the last time. Libra Aying, College Captain, and Juanita Eime, Director of Culture, presented Pastor Greg with an artwork, titled 鈥淪hared Knowledge鈥�.

We are extremely grateful to Pastor Greg for his many years of support and service to the College. Pastor Adam Eime has enjoyed working with Pastor Greg.

Pastor Greg has gifted the College two books with hymns and Bible passages in Tok Pisin.

Pastor Greg, we wish you God鈥檚 richest blessings for your retirement.

The sporting landscape in Term 2 proved to be another busy one with the continuation of CISSA and both the TCN Cross Country Carnival and our very own Athletics Carnival taking place.

We also had a couple of teams compete at other interschool sporting competitions throughout the term. Our Year 9/10 Girls Volleyball team competed at the FNQ Intermediate Girls Volleyball Cup in Week 3, making the semi-finals, before unfortunately bowing out. While in Week 8, we had a team of Year 10-12 girls compete at the AFLQ Schools Cup 鈥� Senior Girls Gala Day. The girls played six games throughout the day, winning one while only going down by a few points in their other hit outs.

Congratulations to both teams.

As Term 2 draws to a close, there are still a number of gala days and inter-school sports competitions to take place. All the best to students competing in the TAS Inter-school Aquathon, Kuranda NAIDOC Touch Football Challenge, and the Smithfield State High School Basketball Gala Days, which are all being held in Weeks 9 and 10 of this term.

I would like to congratulate all our students who have represented our College, district, or region in Term 2. And, thank you to our staff who continue to support our students in their sporting endeavours.

Read on to learn all about our participation in the CISSA and TCN Cross Country events, and our Athletics Carnival.

Yours in Sport,

Alex Collins
Secondary School Sports Coordinator

CISSA resumed for Term 2 with an away game against local rivals Redlynch State College in Week 2. This was a tough way to start the term for our teams as we came away with just two draws. Further fixtures against Saints, Redlynch State College (once again), and St Andrew鈥檚 followed with many of our teams securing victory against one or more of the mentioned teams.

CISSA then reached the business end with Preliminary Finals occurring in Week 9. As the competition divides into two with the Premier Division (top 4) and Division 1 (bottom 4), all teams played for a spot in their respective division grand finals.

We had some outstanding results with our AFL, girl's Soccer, boy's Volleyball, girl's Touch Football, and boy's Touch Football teams all advancing to their Division 1 Grand Finals, which were held in Week 9. I am very pleased to say that both our AFL and girls' Soccer teams both won their respective grand finals, meaning they are champions of Division 1! Well done to Newman Noipo (AFL) and Abby Anderson (girl's Soccer) for also winning player of the match. Congratulations to both teams on achieving success this year. Congratulations also must go to our boy's Volleyball, girl's Touch Football, and boy's Touch Football teams, who unfortunately went down in very tight contests.

Thank you to each of our coaches for their commitment and encouragement to our teams this season. Thank you also to our students for a fantastic CISSA season.

Yours in Sport,

Alex Collins
Secondary School Sports Coordinator

CISSA Grand Finals

CISSA Season 2023

The TCN Cross Country Carnival was held on Friday 28^th April and the weather really turned it on, making for a great day. A 20+ strong team of students competed across various distances, with selection in the TCN Cross Country team up for grabs. As always, the students who competed represented the College with pride and gave the tough course everything they had.

A number of our students finished in the Top 6, meaning they have progressed to the Peninsula trials. Congratulations to Joshua Goodall (1st), Atalia Turner (1st), Ella Nulley (2nd), Jordan Hackett (2nd), Mimi Fiebig (4th), Jeremy Turner (6th), Chyene Ahmat (6th), and Riley Marshall (7th) who were all selected in the TCN Cross Country team. These students then traveled to the Avenue of Honour, Tinaburra in Week 5 to compete for a place in the Peninsula team.

Congratulations to Atalia Turner (3^rd) and Jordan Hackett (5^th) who qualified for the Peninsula team and will now compete at the state championships in the middle of July.

We were blessed with some excellent weather for both our Swimming and Cross Country Carnivals in Term 1, and the weather was once again on our side for our Athletics Carnival, which was held at Barlow Park on Friday 19^th May. Students turned out in their numbers (and House colours) for what was a fantastic day of fierce competition.

The battle for age champions and overall House honours was a hotly contested one, with Green Eagles aiming for a clean sweep in 2023. However, Gold Dingoes made it back-to-back Athletics Carnivals, taking home the winning House shield.

Congratulations to all students who participated or cheered their friends on. A massive thank you must also go to the staff who ensured the day ran smoothly.

Yours in Sport,

Alex Collins
Secondary School Sports Coordinator

Athletics Carnival Placings

View the full album of photos from the day on the 国产精品 .

FNQ Inter-school Mountain Bike Race Series

The second round of the FNQ Inter-school Mountain Bike Race Series was held this term at Davies Creek Mountain Bike Park on Sunday 11^th June. An overcast day greeted both Joah Adam and Brea Wright as they took on other keen mountain bike enthusiasts from around the region. Congratulations to both students who finished with very respectable results.

Peninsula Sport

Throughout the term, we have had several students represent Peninsula in various sports at state championships across Queensland. Congratulations to the following students who did a great job representing both our College and region:

• Andrew Laime (16-18 Boys Rugby League)
• Saxon Toyne (13-16 Boys Basketball)
• Kenny Holroyd (17-19 Boys Basketball)
• Lalai Geno (17-19 Girls Basketball)
• Bruce Unsworth (17-18 Boys Rugby Union)
• Caleb Whitehead (12-14 Boys Baseball)

JSS (Junior Secondary Sport)

With the CISSA season complete, our attention in Term 3 turns to JSS, which is the weekly inter-school sports competition for students in Years 7-9. Beginning in Week 1, our students will play against numerous schools from around Cairns on a weekly basis in the sports of AFL, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Touch Football, and Netball. Just like CISSA, the JSS season will run for two terms, culminating in a finals series at the end of Term 4. Students made their sports choices in Week 8 of Term 2 and the lists for these will be finalised over the coming weeks. If your child did not choose a sport or would like to change their selection, please encourage them to come and see me as soon as possible.

TCN Track & Field

The other major event next term is the TCN Track and Field Carnival, which is being held at Barlow Park on Wednesday 2^nd, and Thursday 3^rd of August. The team list for the TCN Track and Field Carnival will be published early next term.

Rugby Union & Netball

One-off Rugby Union and Netball inter-school sports competitions are also on the horizon in Term 3. Nominations for these events will also open early next term.

Should you or your child/ren have any questions regarding school sports, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours in Sport,

Alex Collins
Secondary School Sports Coordinator

Mrs Dare, our CISSA girl's Touch Football coach has led the way in sending a very big thank you to our Secondary School Sports Coordinator, Mr Collins for sourcing and providing several of our inter-school sports teams with brand new jerseys this season.

We thank Mr Collins for his continuous efforts to make our secondary sports program a great one!

It has been a very busy first half of the year for the primary students. Jaime Gosling Football Academy and AFL Cairns have been running their after-school training sessions. The Year 5 attended the Primary Schools Sports Spectacular. We have had our House Athletics Carnival and Cross Country events. TAS hosted an Aquathon, and there have been countless TCN trials and Peninsula events.

Primary Schools Sporting Spectacular

The Year 5 students attended the Primary Schools Sporting Spectacular held at Cazaly鈥檚 Sports Grounds. There were 13 sports on offer and the intention was that every student would rotate through all the activities. Unfortunately, a heavy downpour caused an early lunch break and brought a premature end to the day. Nonetheless, the children had a great time and we received many compliments regarding the student and staff engagement at each station.

Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to the Red Emperors who were crowned House Athletic Champions for 2023. It was wonderful to see so many supporters cheering on the children throughout the day. Thank you to the Secondary School volunteers and all the staff for their helpfulness, it made the day run very efficiently and the event would not happen without their positive attitude and support. A special thank you to all the children for their determination and efforts.

Well done to all the Age Champions:

• Prep - Thomas A. and Lara B.
• Year 1 - Riley T. and Olivia F.
• U7 - Callum O., Vivienne B. and Sarah R.
• U8 - Clancy B. and Geeyu B.
• U9 - Benjamin M. and Amy B.
• U10 - Flynn O. and Eve J.
• U11 - Patrick F. and Luanna G.
• U12 - Levi S. and Yvonne N.

Visit the College's Facebook page to see the from the day of the Athletics Carnival.

Cross Country Carnival

It was 鈥榯hird time lucky鈥� for our House Cross Country. After having to reschedule the event on two prior occasions, we were very excited to finally see all the children show off their stamina and distance running prowess. Thank you once again to all the spectators and helpers. Congratulations to Green Eagles who were crowned 2023 Cross Country House winners. 

The Top 3 finishers for all age groups are:

Visit the College's Facebook page to see the full from the day of the Cross Country Carnival.

Aquathon

In conjunction with Triathlon Australia, TAS Whiterock recently hosted an Aquathon for primary and secondary students. We had 12 students attend the event from Year 4 and Year 5. It was a great introduction to the sport of triathlon as participants had to swim 100m, quickly prepare themselves in the transition area, and then run 1km.

Well done to Ethan H., Hamish F., Judah E., Lilian S., Annika V., Crosby T., Quinn L., Arden M., Jewel S., Ava T., Ahlia A., and Abigail V.

TCN Cross Country

The TCN Cross Country was held earlier this term and I would like to thank the following students for their efforts in representing the Primary School in the U10 鈥� U12 age groups - Flynn O., Ethan H., Lachlan O., Lincoln B., Paul C., Imogen J., Eve J., Edward M., Quinn L., Heidi B., Arden M., and Hannah T.

Unfortunately, our Year 6 had their school camp at the same time as the race day. Thank you to Angus H., Sebastian W., Patrick F., Myles D., and Lilly J. for their efforts in running a time trial prior to leaving for camp.

Many of our older students have been attending TCN trials this semester. It is great to see so many aspire to participate in representative school sports. I hope that we will be able to mention more of our student's success after the TCN and Peninsula Athletics Carnivals in Term 3.

Students selected for TCN Teams:

Peninsula representatives:

Insights from the Smart Green Economy Conference

Toward the end of the term, 国产精品 sent six students to attend the Smart Green Economy Conference hosted by the Great Barrier Reef Academy. Like-minded students from across Queensland (and internationally) focused on sustainability, reef restoration, recycling, and other vital environmental causes. With a line-up of captivating workshops on e-waste, food waste strategies, and hydrogen-fuelled cars, the event left a lasting impact on these aspiring eco-warriors.

The students' first-hand experience at the conference underscored the urgency and significance of adopting sustainable practices. Among the workshops attended, the session on e-waste management shed light on the adverse environmental consequences of electronic waste.

Food waste, a critical global concern, was another prominent theme addressed during the conference. Students were introduced to various strategies and initiatives aimed at reducing food waste, such as composting and sustainable farming practices. This workshop sparked a newfound enthusiasm in the students, encouraging them to explore local solutions to combat food waste within their own communities.

Throughout the conference, the students had the opportunity to network with industry professionals, sustainability experts, and fellow attendees who shared their passion for environmental causes. These interactions not only broadened their knowledge but also ignited a sense of collective responsibility and determination to drive positive change

Our 国产精品 Concert Band, the defending champions of the JCU Cairns Eisteddfod 鈥� Primary Concert Division, have still managed to secure a place on the podium despite nearly double the competitors from last year and very strong competition in terms of quality playing. Awarded the medal for 2nd Place, we also noted that we were the smallest concert band (by the number of players attending) but absolutely the funkiest!!

Our PLC Concert Band was congratulated by the judges on our energy and sharp sound, and the students certainly did themselves and the school community very proud through their wonderful behaviour, teamwork, and sportsmanship while at CPAC amongst the other schools.

I want to take this opportunity to warmly thank Mrs Stacey Watt and Mr Brodie O鈥橫ara for their support, supervision, and assistance throughout the day of the event, as well as our community volunteer Miss Mira, school bus driver Margaret Leggerini and our Cairns Bus Charters driver Lindsay who brought our wonderful silver medallists home!

A huge thank you to parents and families also, for your support and well-wishes; your children have done you very proud. I am already looking forward to 2024!

Hannah Trotter
Instrumental Music Coordinator

Term 2 saw us welcome Nicola Rowan who joined our Instrumental Music program as our new Strings tutor. Nicola has over 20 years of experience teaching strings in schools around Australia, as well as a private home tutor.

She began tertiary music studies at the University of Western Australia before gaining a science degree and then returning to commence a Master鈥檚 degree in Education as well as the Trinity College of Music Diploma in Music Teaching. Proficient in violin, viola, cello, and double bass, Nicola has played in orchestras and chamber groups in both the UK and Australia and has also enjoyed playing for both musical theatre performances and private events.

Nicola鈥檚 teaching experience ranges from beginners through to music diploma standard, from the ages of 6 years old and up to adult learners. Nicola is warm and welcoming to all students, meeting them at their level, and excited to introduce children to the world of string instruments.

If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument, please make contact with our Instrumental Music teacher, Hannah Trotter at htrotter@plc.qld.edu.au.

Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation and provides early intervention mental health services for 12 - 25-year-olds through online and phone counselling services, vocational services, and presence in schools.

is a free and welcoming safe space for young people aged between 12 and 25, providing access, support and information for a broad range of concerns, including mental health, physical/sexual health, drug and alcohol, employment and education and support for families and carers. With a focus on early intervention, young people are provided support at a crucial time in their lives 鈥� to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.

Connecting with Headspace Cairns is easy 鈥� drop into the centre, give them a call or send an email to talk to one of their friendly team members about accessing support. Headspace Cairns continues to provide our school community with incredible help and support and has offered to fast-track any referrals for our PLC families.

We encourage you to read their  for further support and information.

Chantal Macpherson
Student Welfare Officer

We were very excited to hear PLC alumni Daniel Rosendale (2015) and Clinton Noipo (2019 and from College Captain) have both been selected to represent North Queensland at the Rugby Union Queensland Country Championships taking place in Rockhampton at the end of June.

Whilst students at the College, both Daniel and Clinton played Rugby Union and represented PLC on many occasions, so, although delighted, we were not surprised to see the boys still doing well in their sport.

We wish them all the very best for their upcoming tournament.

Introducing Royal Australian Navy Able Seaman Maritime Logistics Elly-May Mitchell, or as we remember her, a much-loved Heiwa House boarding student and 2021 Year 12 graduate.

It is so wonderful to see our graduates chasing their dreams and succeeding in the life they are building for themselves.

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 or School App  for the most up-to-date calendar information.

The College has a team of dedicated staff who, together, look out for the pastoral care needs of our students. The Student Welfare Officer may provide support to students over a designated period of time, however, if a student requires ongoing and extensive support, the Student Welfare Officer will liaise with external agencies for further assistance as necessary. It should be clarified that the role of our Student Welfare Officer is not one of a 鈥楽chool Counsellor鈥� and that as a College, we are unable to provide ongoing counselling support.

Meeting with the Student Welfare Officer is via appointment or in emergency situations as the need arises. Our preferred referral process is for parents to please make contact with their child鈥檚 Home Group or Classroom Teacher as the initial point of contact. This allows us to consider ways we can best provide appropriate support as a school.

There are a number of community organisations we would recommend as services that may be able to assist you further:

General Practitioner 鈥� In many cases, speaking with a GP is the most beneficial first step. Your family GP will be able to assist with advice or appropriate referral avenues and support.

• (Ph: 13 32 64)
• (Ph: 4041 3780) 鈥� Youth Mental Health Centre & Services
• (Ph: 4044 0130)
• (Ph: 1300 364 277)
• (1800 55 1800)
• 鈥� Anxiety, depression and suicide prevention support

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.

国产精品 acknowledges the Yirrganydji & Djabugay People, Traditional Custodians of the land in which we live and work. We pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.