Principal’s Report
SHANE DUPUY
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…..
As week 8 draws to a close, and with only 2 weeks left before holidays, I am sure many families are wondering where the time has gone. The final weeks of a term are always a busy time; students are completing or preparing for summative assessments and staff are frantically trying to mark them to update student progress documentation and reporting. When you throw in the extra curveball of Naplan for some students, it’s no wonder they feel like they are staggering to the finish line. It’s a time when I’m so appreciative of the support our students receive from their highly professional teachers. However, we must also not forget the other staff around the college we lean on to ensure our students are given the best opportunity to learn. PBC prides itself on the relationships we build with our families and the fact that so many of our students know the names of our ancillary staff, highlights the fact that it is our whole community of staff that are connecting and having a positive impact on our students.
Car park safety
Given the volume of traffic we now experience at PBC, for the most part, drivers are very patient, responsible, and understanding. However, there have been a few recent reports of some vehicles travelling a little too fast, leaving their vehicles unattended in the drop and go zone, or parking in the through traffic space of the gravel car park. For the safety of our college community, could I please ask that all drivers remain vigilant with respect to common courtesies and common sense when driving and parking on campus.
Naplan
Currently, our Y3, 5, 7 and 9 students are working their way through the national Naplan testing program. It has been encouraging to see so many of our students well-prepared for the tests and after chatting with a few afterwards, happy with their performance. Whilst we need to remember that these tests are purely a ‘point in time’ reference, in my personal experience, they are surprisingly accurate regarding the students’ knowledge and understanding. Monday will see the final test, numeracy, completed before catch up tests are administered for those who may have been absent. Thank you to both teachers and parents for ensuring students in preparing the students for these tests. Congratulations to all students for their efforts in what can be a challenging week at school.
Building Progress
Our eagerly awaited sports stadium is progressing well. It’s not hard to miss the steel work that has been completed over the past fortnight. Although there has been some wet weather which has delayed the rendering of the blockwork, we are still excited at the progress made. Builder Greg Henry informs me roofing will begin in the next week so I expect upon our return from Holidays, we should again see some major progress.
College Coordinator
ASHLEIGH MORRISON
Empowering Parents Through Adolescent Education
As we navigate through the ever-changing landscape of education and child development, it is imperative for us, as educators and parents, to join hands in understanding and supporting our adolescents through their tumultuous years. Adolescence is a phase marked by rapid physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, often accompanied by a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges. However, it is also a time of immense opportunity for growth, learning, and self-discovery.
At Peregian Beach College, we recognise the significance of this period in your child’s life and strive to provide a nurturing environment that supports their holistic development.
Educational experts have extensively studied adolescent development, shedding light on the intricate processes taking place during this phase. From brain development to social dynamics, their research has provided valuable insights into the needs and challenges of adolescents.
Understanding the adolescent brain, with its ongoing maturation of the prefrontal cortex (the Wise Owl) responsible for decision-making and impulse control, helps educators and parents alike to empathise with the sometimes impulsive or risk-taking behaviours exhibited by adolescents. By recognising that these behaviours are often a result of brain development rather than defiance, we can approach disciplinary situations with patience and understanding. In our Daily Grow Your Mind Sessions we talk about activating our ‘Wise Owl.’ Ensuring your child gets a good night’s sleep, sticks it out when things are tricky, takes three mindful breaths and knowing that making mistakes is simply part of the learning process are some of the ways both teachers and parents can support adolescent brain development.
The adolescent years present both challenges and opportunities for growth, both for our students and for you as parents. By collaborating with our dedicated team of experts here at Peregian Beach College, we can navigate this journey together, equipping our adolescents with the skills, knowledge, and resilience they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. A massive thank you to the Student Services Team, Band Coordinators (Primary), Year Advisors (Secondary), Learning Enhancement team led by the incredible Janine Olsen and Guidance Officers Hayley and Jacquie, dedicated teaching staff and of course you, the parents for the support you not only provide to your amazing children but to the team at PBC.
Student Services
HAYLEY CLIFTON
Grow Your Mind – Kindness
Our Grow Your Mind program teaches us that we all carry an invisible bucket. Filling our bucket helps us to feel safe and happy, whereas an empty bucket can leave us feeling sad, lonely and even insecure. Being kind to others not only helps fill their bucket, but also proves to be a simple way to shrink our Guard Dog (amygdala) and look after our own wellbeing. It is super simple. You feel good about yourself when you are kind to others. Why not plan three kind things you will do for others today? Check out https://growyourmind.life/ for more wellbeing tips.
JANINE OLSEN
Dear Families,
As we journey through Term 1, we are thrilled to share some exciting updates and initiatives at our school that directly impact your child’s learning and well-being.
Inclusion Team’s New Endeavors
Our Inclusion Team has been hard at work supporting learners across all year levels to successfully transition back to the classroom. We have relocated to Building 2 to enhance our support system, offering more indoor space and undercover outdoor play areas for students to enjoy. Additionally, we’ve expanded supervised lunchtime activities beyond our HUB and introduced ‘Gamespace’ in the College Library during Lunchtime each day. These spaces provide inclusive environments where students can connect with their peers, fostering a vibrant school community.
Call for Donations
To enrich our HUB and Gamespace experiences, we are seeking donations of craft materials, card games, board games, and construction toys. Your contributions will enhance our inclusive spaces and further enrich our students’ social interactions and creative outlets. Please feel free to drop off any donations with our friendly administration staff in the front office.
Empowering Literacy with MiniLit SAGE
This week marks the launch of our Reading Intervention Program, MiniLit SAGE, developed by MultiLit (Making up for Lost Time in Literacy), the creators of our NEW whole class literacy program, InitiaLit. Mini Lit Sage will be delivered during the literacy block to not disrupt the college timetable and the students’ engagement with other curriculum areas. Mini Lit Sage is designed to support those learners who require additional assistance in becoming proficient readers. With progress monitoring embedded into both programs, we can give all our students the tailored learning opportunities they need to become proficient readers and ensure they have the essential skills to engage confidently in the wider school curriculum. Participation in the program is by invitation only.
Personalised Learning Plan- Invitation to Collaborate
Invitations will soon be sent out for Personalised Planning meetings, where we invite parents and caregivers of students with specific learning needs. These meetings, scheduled in Week 10 and in Weeks 1 and 3 of Term 2, provide a valuable opportunity for you to review and shape your child’s educational journey. Your insights and input are integral to creating a learning environment where every student can thrive and succeed.
As we continue cultivating an inclusive learning environment here at PBC, we thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Together, let’s empower our students to reach their full potential and celebrate their successes along the way.
Warm regards,
Janine Olsen
Learning Enhancement Coordinator
Careers and VET Pathways
HEATHER HAGEMANN
Sunshine Coast Residential Living Expo
I have received word that the Sunshine Coast Residential Living Expo, is once again being hosted by St Andrew’s College. This is an opportunity for all students interested in hearing about what life is like, living on College, at University.
This is purely an expo-style event, with staff from various Colleges from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to present their campuses and talk with students. There will be spaces within the Learning Hub at the College, for families/small group tours, videos or have private chats as required.
Please see Mrs Hagemann if you would like to attend this event at St Andrew’s College on Tuesday, April 30th from 4:30pm-6:30pm. This event would suit students in Years 11 & 12. Whilst nothing can replace an onsite tour of the respective Colleges’ Accommodations, we believe this is still an opportunity to see and hear what University College Living is like.
International Women’s Day
Last Saturday, Zonta Maroochy celebrated International Women’s Day with ladies from across the Sunshine Coast. Ms Samantha Ryan, College Captain, Gisele Sinclair and Year 12 Student leader, Alexis Ahfock joined me at the annual breakfast, overlooking the sand and surf at Maroochydore Surf Club. Student and staff representatives from a range of Sunshine Coast High Schools came together to celebrate The IWD 2024 campaign theme, which is Inspire Inclusion. When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. Guest speaker, Kirsty Stafford, Occupational Therapist, UniSC Lecturer, Community (Football) Coach of the Year (and all-round awesome role model!) spoke at length about the recognised role of women in society, the disparity of women in sport, and her drive to educate people about gender equity. Her powerful messages echoed the philosophy of Zonta International – which is proud to acknowledge clubs in 66 countries in the world, to this day. Zonta is non-partisan, and its Mission is the Empowerment of Women Through Service and Advocacy.
Spotlight on Students
Year 11 and 12 students had a double celebration in Week 7. Across the College from years 3 to 11, year levels held speeches and voting for two SRC representatives from each year level. For Year 11, Ava Maloney and George Gopurenko were voted as reps for their cohort. As a reward, we held a Morning Tea for the cohort, joined by our College Captain, Gisele Sinclair, and Year 12 senior, Alexis Ahfock, who assisted in the presentation of a certificates and small gift to Ava and George. We also celebrated our Year 11 students completing their first FIA1 exam block, in Physics, Literature, Psychology, Legal Studies and Biology. Students were all on time and present for the assessment. Our Senior subject teachers worked with students to ensure they were well prepared for their first experience with senior assessment. Congratulations to these students for applying themselves to the best of their ability and thank you to their teachers and Learning Enrichment staff, for their application and support of students during this process, in setting up these students for success.
Prep to Year 2
NICOLA KERIN
Literacy learning in P-2
The last fortnight has seen Year 1 and 2 officially launch their Literacy groups for explicit, small group teaching and learning using the Initialit and MiniLit programs. Mrs Kerin and Mrs Olsen were very excited to finally get this off the ground with lots of hard work and preparation from our P-2 teachers and teacher aides coming together! On Wednesday Mrs Kerin walked around and it was so encouraging to see all our Year 1 and 2 students engaging in small group learning with a teacher or teacher aide, or practising and consolidating skills independently to show mastery.
Literacy groups occurs 4 days a week, Monday to Thursday at the same time each day, in Period 2, to maintain consistency and continuity for our learners.
Our littlest learners in Prep have not been left out and have begun their own literacy group rotations in class where they get the opportunity to practice, practice, practice the skills they have been learning about in their explicit whole class InitiaLit lessons. The Prep students also have the opportunity for guided and scaffolded learning in small groups with a teacher or teacher aide, as well as independent tasks to consolidate their learning.
Thank you to those parents who attended the InitiaLit Parent Information session with Mrs Kerin this week. There has been feedback about a follow up session around Home Reading which Mrs Kerin will organise for early Term 2 so watch this space!!
IT Department News
We’re pleased to announce that we will be launching our new online Parent Portal over the next few weeks. The portal, known as DayMap Connect, will improve the way we connect with you about your child’s life at the College. The system includes features such as personalised messages, college calendars, absences, excursions, student timetables and assessment information.
The rollout of the portal will be completed in stages, the first stage will be to ensure all senior school parents can login to the system and then we will be presenting a term one progress report to provide you with a snapshot of how your child is progressing this term. Junior School Parents will be invited to join the system in early Term 2.
In order to roll out the portal in an orderly fashion, we will aim to get everyone logged over the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye out for an email from Daymap@pbc.qld.edu.au with the subject ‘Daymap Password Reset – Peregian Beach College’. This will allow you to set your password and login into the system.
Please be advised that the system only has a few items enabled at this stage, we will enable more features with instructions during term 2.
If you are a parent of a student years 7 to 12 and you haven’t received an email from us by Friday 22 march, please contact admin@pbc.qld.edu.au so we can update your email in our systems.
Prep News
Prep was buzzing with excitement as they participated in the inaugural Oz-animal Olympics held last week. There was lots of laughter as they screeched, wiggled, hopped and flew through events. Prep worked together as they competed for gold in the Wombat Wiggle, Cockatoo Sweep, Jumping Jack Throw and Platypus Push.
Prep applied the concepts learnt so far as part of our Maths Trek program. There was lots of counting, discussion of ordinal numbers, positional language and graphing. They helped collect and record data and used critical thinking skills to explain how they knew which team won the Oz-animal Olympics.
Congratulations to all the Olympians for your wonderful attitude and positive cheering.
The Prep Team
Rare Disease Day
👗🧁 A massive thank you to each one of you who contributed to the cause by baking something delicious for the day or participated by indulging in the delicious treats at our bake sale. Thank you to the amazing team of PIPS volunteers, who gave up their own time to ensure the bake sale ran seamlessly. Your generosity has made a significant impact in raising awareness and funds for Rare Disease Day.💙
A heartfelt shoutout to HADZ Cafe and The German Bakehouse for their incredible donation of mouth watering baked goods. Your support has added an extra layer of sweetness to our fundraising efforts! 🍰🙌
Together PBC raised over $1000 for this excellent cause.
Let’s continue to stand united in support of those facing rare diseases, spreading awareness, and making a positive impact in our community. 🌍💪
Fearless Futures – Year 5 & 6
On Monday Peregian Beach College Year 5 and 6 girls were invited to the Fearless Futures Leadership Summit. The summit was held at Caloundra City Private School, by Michael Ha and the Institute of Deeper Learning. It focused on building up our strengths and becoming better at working in groups and individually. We completed five activities, first we picked a card from a deck. Then we had to find 2 people with the matching card and discuss what we thought that leadership skill meant. This activity was important because it was a good way to start off and get to know the other schools. For the second activity we had a snowball fight with paper, but first we had to write qualities that people see and qualities they don’t see on that piece of paper. We then scrunched it up into a ball and then threw them at each other. Once the fight was over, we picked up a piece of paper opened it and discussed what we thought that person was feeling.
After morning tea, we did some group activities with Lego, one of them was we had to make a tower out of Lego, then once we were finished making the tower, 2 Lego mini figures were placed on top. The tricky part was that there were “earthquakes” and the tower that stood the longest won a Tim Tam. When we came back from lunch, we identified our own leadership strengths, one we thought we are good at and one we think we can work on. We also had a guest speaker named Kate; she taught us that we should work on our strengths not our weaknesses because when you work on your weaknesses you don’t often get better at them. But if you work on your strengths, they will get better. When we got back we were all really grateful for the experience, we met new people learned about our strengths and weaknesses and had lots of fun.
By Lotti M
Congratulations Year 7 and 8 SRC Students!
Year 8 SRC: Millie Beattie 8.1 and Raphael Estrade 8.2
Exploring Boundaries and Bonds at Year 7 Camp
In Week 4, our Year 7 students embarked on an unforgettable journey that tested their limits, fostered resilience, and forged lasting bonds. From heart-pounding activities to moments of quiet reflection, the annual Year 7 camp was a resounding success, thanks to the incredible spirit and enthusiasm of our students.
Throughout the week, our students showcased remarkable strength and resilience, pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones both mentally and physically. From the moment they arrived, they embraced the challenges ahead with open arms and unwavering determination.
Activities ranged from adrenaline-pumping adventures like giant swing, leap of faith and high ropes to soul-stirring experiences like creek exploration and campfire night. Each activity presented its own set of challenges, requiring students to dig deep and discover newfound courage within themselves.
One of the highlights of the camp was the creek exploration, where students delved into the natural wonders surrounding them. From discovering elusive yabbies to navigating through rocky terrains, each moment spent in nature sparked a sense of wonder and discovery.
Of course, no camp experience is complete without moments of laughter and camaraderie. Pool games and swimming in the Mothar Mountain rock pools provided much-needed moments of relaxation and joy, allowing students to unwind and connect with their peers in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.
Beyond the adventures, the camp also emphasised the importance of teamwork and responsibility. Every student played a crucial role in ensuring the success of the camp, whether it was helping to serve meals or pitching in to clean up afterward. These acts of kindness and cooperation fostered a sense of unity and belonging among the students, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
As we bid farewell to another unforgettable Year 7 camp, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible memories shared and the lessons learned. From pushing boundaries to forging bonds, this week was a true testament to the strength and resilience of our students. We can’t wait to see where their adventures take them next!
Sporting News
Dance Academy Trials
The Sunshine Coast Fire Dance Academy is thrilled to inform you that we are offering a special trial week for current Peregian Beach College Students. This fantastic opportunity for you to experience firsthand what our program has to offer.
During the trial week, you will have the chance to participate in our classes, meet our talented instructors, and completely immerse yourself in the program. Our junior program welcomes students of all abilities and current dance levels, as we are building a foundation course to support all starting abilities.
The trial week will take place during week 10, with classes running on Tuesday and Thursday, both before, and during school hours. If you are interested in taking part, please don’t hesitate to reach out to dance director Nicole, at dance@pbc.qld.edu.au.
We can’t wait to dance with you during this special trial week! Don’t miss this opportunity to explore your passion for dance and unleash your creativity.
Sunshine Coast Fire Dance Academy.
Nicole Kaminski
Dian Rattray
PIPS Fundraisings
Ticket books have been sent home with students this week. You are also able to buy tickets online via the My School Connect App – click on Events and purchase tickets there!
Community Announcements
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| Book a Class |
| Note: Scroll right in the schedule to find classes on the 16th & 17th |
| Members – book into the 7.30 and 9.30 classes on Saturday and the 8am and 4pm classes on Sunday using your regular membership.
Non-Members – all classes are $10 all weekend and all proceeds go to Our Moon’s Mission to help find a cure for local girl Tallulah Moon. Watch the story of Our Moon’s Mission https://ourmoonsmission.organd to learn about local girl Tallulah Moon and her rare, but potentially curable disease. We know that once you watch this video you will be just as invested as we are in helping Tallulah and her family. |
A MASSIVE SHOUT OUT to our epic teaching team who have donated their time to help raise money for Tallulah!!  |
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Housekeeping
School Administration Housekeeping.
- The email address to use for all correspondence relating to student absences is admin@pbc.qld.edu.au, this email address is accessed by all administration staff. Please add admin@pbc.qld.edu.au to your address books so that our emails to you don’t go to your junk email folder.
You can also lodge an absence via the form on the website located here. - Don’t forget to order canteen through the My School Connect app – orders are to be placed no later than 8.10 am.
- When signing students in late or signing them out early please ensure to put a reason in the text box for College records.
- Please ensure students are in their correct uniform, we are going to be checking to make sure that the uniform policy guidelines are being followed, this includes correct footwear with formal uniforms.