Principal’s Report

SHANE DUPUY

Proud to be PBC

Noticeably, over the past few weeks, students have settled themselves into a groove and are more comfortable in their environment and new routines. Classes are on task and working their way through meticulously planned lessons. Expectations are high and in the next month or so, once summative testing has completed, we will know if they are being met.

Walking around the grounds, there is a genuine sense of community amongst the students and staff. This was highlighted at a recent lunch break where there was a friendly game of basketball between the two. The game was played in tremendous spirit and a strong crowd of students cheered on from the sidelines. Whilst I only saw the last 5 minutes, it looked as though the staff may finally have met their match. These are the events that bring us together and it was great to see our Basketball Academy boys demonstrate their skill, teamwork, and positive energy. Well done to all involved.

On my way back from the game, I was greeted by our Preps. It’s amazing that after only after 5 weeks, they were able to listen to instruction, look out for their mates and converse with their teachers and friends so freely and respectfully. To reference our college song, it’s a great place to learn, a great place to be.

Regional School Sport

To round out the week, we received this complimentary email from the Regional School Sport Officer regarding the recent Girls Regional Football Trials:

“On behalf of the Sunshine Coast School Sport office …. I would also like to sincerely thank Alec Wareing and Peregian Beach College for supplying the referees for this event at such short notice.  The four students did an exemplary job and were outstanding ambassadors for PBC and the sport.”

Congratulations to Liam H, Taj A, Max V and Liam S who not only did an excellent job officiating games, but also represented the College with distinction. We are proud of your efforts.

The Maintenance Men

A special thanks and recognition must be afforded to our grounds and maintenance staff. Pepe, Adam and Josh have been working tirelessly to not only keep our grounds maintained, but also making spaces available for students. This past fortnight, the boys have been working overtime to ensure the new tap flooring in Dance Studio 2 was installed, the maintenance shed was tidied up so that builder Damo could install a partitioning wall to accommodate our strength and conditioning equipment, and a picnic bench was made for those families who wait near the carpark. Your efforts do not go unnoticed.

Reminders

  • All students should treat school as their job. They must arrive no earlier than 8:15am (unless they are training for academy or on a college bus) and depart promptly at 2:55pm. Parents need to support the college in this endeavour.
  • Y12 students with spare periods are expected to use the time to be in the library where they will be supervised during their study. We have high expectations, and we will offer students as much support on campus as possible.
  • Before school study group – this proposal is a new initiative to cater for early arrivals, it would be a user pay system ($10) and sessions would be from 7:15 – 8:15am. Please click here and let us know if you would be interested in your child attending and on what days. We will determine the feasibility of the program dependent upon your responses.
  • Students have successfully navigated NAPLAN practice tests, and teachers were very pleased with students’ readiness and knowledge. The NAPLAN testing window is 15 – 27 March with the following areas and times:
    All tests will be undertaken in the first 2 periods of the day. If possible, students will be required to bring their own headphones / air pods. If parents require any further information, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

    • Wednesday 15 March – Writing
    • Thursday 16 March – Reading
    • Friday 17 March – Conventions of Language
    • Monday 20 March – Numeracy

All tests will be undertaken in the first 2 periods of the day. If possible, students will be required to bring their own headphones / air pods. If parents require any further information, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

  • On Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 March, we will have 31 Japanese students visiting us. This will be a fantastic opportunity for our students to be immersed in the culture and no doubt, bring an added interest to the classrooms.
  • The ‘World of Maths’ incursion for Y5-8 will take place Monday 13 March. Students will be challenged to complete a range of fun filled and engaging hands on problem solving activities.

In conclusion, with many classes at or nearing capacity, the addition of 2 new sporting academies, and the building program forging ahead, 2023 promises to be another year of growth. However, for many, it will be a year of consolidation. For teachers and coaches, the education and sporting programs will be refined, whilst for students, the opportunity to find new or strengthen existing friendships is available. Let’s all make the most of it.

PBC Parking

Thank you to those parents who continue to drive in a safe and courteous manner at pick up and drop off. As mentioned in previous newsletters, the increased traffic has many on high alert. Traffic controller, Liz, is doing a great job to ensure families can safely cross the ring road, and parents are patient in waiting for buses to enter and depart the site. A few tips brought to my attention from a helpful parent include:

  • Reversing into parks to assist with an easy exit.
  • Zip merging – allowing a few cars exiting the carpark to join those vehicles already on the ring road.
  • Not parking too far away from the car next to you to maximise what space there is.
  • Remaining in your vehicle on the ring road.

It has also come to my attention that due to the number of vehicles picking up students, there are several cars parking out the front of the college on Old Emu Mountain Road, thus making it difficult for cars exiting the site to see oncoming traffic. It would be preferred if parents came into the college and parked in the carpark.

Finally, students waiting to be picked up are expected to wait on the bridge or behind the fencing out the front of the administration building. Please support the college by reminding your child of this rule. Some students are choosing to cross into the carpark and wait for their parents near the cars. This is an unsupervised zone and a potential safety hazard. If parents could park and then at least walk to the crossing where students can see you, it would be appreciated.

In conclusion, with many classes at or nearing capacity, the addition of 2 new sporting academies, and the building program forging ahead, 2023 promises to be another year of growth. However, for many, it will be a year of consolidation. For teachers and coaches, the education and sporting programs will be refined, whilst for students, the opportunity to find new or strengthen existing friendships is available. Let’s all make the most of it.

Library News

Edition 2 hit the classrooms this week (Prep through to Year 6), families can now purchase books from the Scholastic Book Club.  There are many books on sale in this edition – Ella books from $4, half price Dragon Girls, $12 Speedy Sloth, 10 pack of Aspirations & Dreams now $35, half price Tim Minchin’s ‘Sometimes You Have to be a Little Bit Naughty’ ++++

Sales were great for Edition 1; I noticed many students and parents taking advantage of the free book offers Scholastic had to offer.  Thank you for your orders, Issue one generated $45 in book rewards for our library.                                     

**Orders close Sunday 19 March**

Please keep the book donations coming, I am appreciative of every single book as are our student bookworms.  These can either be delivered to the library to me or dropped in at the admin building.

Yours in reading every day

Miss Tania
Librarian

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 8.40 am or 8:10 am on a Friday.
  • 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.

Junior School

ALITA CARPENTER

Show your Stripes!
Thank you to all of the children here at school and the families at home who got behind our ‘Show Your Stripes’ fundraiser on the 28th February. The day was a huge success right across the school. In the Junior School, the students enjoyed participating in the events that the PIPs and SRC community hosted (thank you to all the wonderful families of bakers out there) they dressed up in their bright colours and stripes and some students excitedly told me how they had made donations out of their very own pocket money. Thank you to the SRC for setting up and running the face painting. A wonderful day was had by all and there is certainly a renewed awareness amongst the community, about what it means to have a rare disease. We hope our special fundraising day assists the experts to find some answers for families such as the Whitrods.

Junior School Choir
The impromptu junior choir that was formed by Miss C and Ms Preston for our 2022 junior graduation assembly was such a success that we decided to keep this amazing little choir going for 2023!  Mrs Ryan, the music teacher will be taking the choir with the support of Ms Preston on piano and Miss C when she is unavailable. 

When – THURSDAYS at 8am

Where – Ms Preston’s Year 1 classroom (opposite the Junior Playground). 

*All students taking part will need to commit to being present and willing to rehearse every Thursday, and to perform at junior assembly each week and other performances when scheduled. This may require some lunchtime practice as well, if its needed. Please let your child know that this is the case, before they come along. 

Reminder about after school collection
Students are to be collected and taken off school grounds as soon as possible. The front garden area is not a safe or appropriate play space.

Uniform
If your child is out in public in their school uniform, they are representing PBC. Please ensure that if they are wearing the school uniform, that they are wearing it in its entirety and following the uniform expectations; including hair and shoes.

Swimming
Please remember if your child has swimming first thing in the morning, that they are not permitted to wear thongs, crocs or slides of any description out on the playground before school. Please ask them to wear their joggers to school and change into their thongs, only to walk to and from the pool area.

NAPLAN
Our Year 3 students will be participating in their first NAPLAN assessments from the 15th of March, and then across the following week (see the timetable provided above). There will be no special preparation required for these assessments. The writing test will be paper based and the other two will be set up on their devices. These tests will be conducted in the students’ classrooms and administered by their teachers. Please ensure that your child has a charged device each day and a pair of headphones.

Student Services

HAYLEY CLIFTON

Parent-Resources-Poster (1)

Show Your Stripes

Golden Whitrod
On Tuesday 28 Feb, PBC celebrated International Rare Disease Day. As we did in 2022, students and teachers embraced the #ShowYourStripestheme with a uniform free day, a rainbow stripe fundraiser cake stall, and art activities. We were very impressed with everyone’s efforts as they donned bright stripes in honour of Rare Disease, and helped to raise vital funds for the Whitrod family’s rare disease charity, Genetic Cures for Kids.
 
Genetic Cures for Kids was started by the PBC family whose three-year-old daughter Tallulah Moon Whitrod lives with a rare degenerative disease, SPG56, which currently has no cure. Determined to give Tallulah and children like her the life they deserve, parents Golden and Chris launched their charity’s first campaign ‘Our Moon’s Mission’ to cure SPG56.
 
PBC welcomed Chris and Golden to school assemblies last week, where they shared their complex and difficult story in a simplified way. They painted a picture of why they advocate for rare disease, and how our fundraising efforts help the research that is actively underway here in Queensland. We encourage families to take 6 minutes and watch the the junior presentation here: https://youtu.be/iRAjF0LHmKM  Tallulah and her family said it was the first year they’d tried talking about rare disease with a large student groups, and it was heartening that kids responded so enthusiastically.
 
Throughout Rare Disease Day,  the school raised $1231.35 for Our Moon’s Mission and Genetic Cures for Kids. We are incredibly proud of this collective achievement, and the Whitrods have expressed their feelings here: 
 
“Chris, Finn, Tallulah and were overwhelmed with surprise at the massive result of the fundraising effort this year,” Golden said. “It was phenomenal, and we are so grateful for all of the support,thank you so much to the staff, the volunteers and generous donors,” she said.
 
“Importantly, and more touching than the funds themselves, was the response we felt from this great community. To feel this support, and recieve this energy from the school community is what propels us forward in the year ahead. It’s not always an easy road, but when we know we have people like this in our neighbourhood, with smiles and high-fives for our children- that makes us feel more resilient than ever. Thank you for celebrating our “rare” angel Tallulah and our family’s mission to cure SPG56.”
 
If you would like to learn more about the Whitrod’s story and the charity’s active research campaign, please visit www.ourmoonsmission.org

Staff Profile

Chloe Hetherington
Staff Name: Chloe Hetherington
Where did you go to school? I attended Peregian Beach College!
What was your favourite subject at school? I loved Business and English. Having dedicated and caring teachers made all the difference.
What is your favourite food? Sushi is an all time favourite.
What are your hobbies? I love National Park walks, baking, reading, and spending time with my Border Collie, Bear.
Fun fact about you? I have travelled throughout Europe and can speak Swiss German fluently.

Sporting News

ALEC WAREING

Congratulations are in order for Ty M, Patrick F, Zeke O, Duante M, Amira H, and Olive D, who have all made their respective regional and district basketball, touch, and netball teams!

Ty M and Patrick F have earned spots on the 13-16 Sunshine Coast Regional Basketball team, which is no small feat. Making a regional team means that they have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication on the court, and have earned recognition from coaches and peers alike. Congratulations, Ty and Patrick, on this impressive achievement!

Zeke O and Duante M have also earned spots on the Sunshine Coast Regional Basketball team, but for the 17-18 age group. As older players, they are expected to bring a higher level of intensity and skill to the court, and their selection to the team reflects their ability to do so. Well done, Zeke and Duante!

Amira H has made the 13-15 North District Touch team, which is a fantastic achievement. Touch requires agility, speed, and precision, and Amira has demonstrated all of these skills in earning her place on the team. Congratulations, Amira, on making the team and representing your district!

Finally, Olive D has made the 10-12 girls North District Netball Team. Netball is a game that requires strategy, teamwork, and athleticism, and Olive has clearly excelled in all of these areas. Well done, Olive, on being selected for the team!

All of these athletes should be extremely proud of themselves for making their respective teams. Their hard work, dedication, and love of their sport has clearly paid off. We wish them all the best in their upcoming games and competitions, and look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future!

In addition Samson B won gold in his Gi division at the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Australian Open in Byron Bay.

Year 3 D

SAVANNAH DAVIS

Year 3 students have been observing and sorting flowers according to their features. They also gathered data and created a graph on 3D’s favourite flowers.