Principal’s Report
SHANE DUPUY
And just like that, we’re done.
To say that this term has flown by would be an understatement. Idealistically, for a teacher, the first term is an opportunity to get to know new students, re-engage with the ones you knew from years before, and settle into the daily routine of delivering an interesting, fun, and rigorous curriculum. In reality, after about 3 days, teachers are frantically trying to remember everyone’s names, work out how they are actually going to fit everything into a 10-week program that includes excursions, incursions, swimming and cross-country carnivals, formative and summative assessments, PAT tests, NAPLAN, international visitors and a myriad of other distractions and interruptions. From conversations I’ve had with several students, it’s not much easier for them either. Understandably, teachers and students are all a little ‘cooked’ and are looking forward to a well-earned break.
This Issue
Being in the principal’s chair for the first term has been a learning experience and a stark contrast to the 27 years I spent in the classroom. I have quickly learned the importance of having experienced, efficient, reliable and professional support staff to ensure the College continues to go from strength to strength. Whilst I do miss the opportunity to engage with the students on a regular basis when teaching, the comradery amongst office and grounds personnel is equally refreshing and enjoyable.
With the holidays upon us, it’s the perfect time to re-engage as a family and spend some quality time together, preferably in the beautiful outdoors in which we live. It’s also an opportune time to have a conversation about the term ahead and the expectations you have as parents and caregivers. Children should be reminded of not only academic goals to be achieved, but also of appropriate and respectful engagements with their teachers, peers and friends. I encourage all families to set shared goals, have the hard conversations, and be open and honest about what measures need to be put in place to ensure a positive, safe and harmonious school experience. With Parent / Teacher interviews scheduled for the Pupil Free Day at the start of Term 2, it’s the perfect opportunity to share these with your child’s teachers so a collaborative approach can be made.
May I wish all staff, students and families a safe and happy holiday break. You’ve all earned it!
Junior School
ALITA CARPENTER
Middle/Senior School
ASHLEIGH MORRISON
What a fabulous term we have had! I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Junior School teachers, students and families for adding to such a wonderful start to 2023. We wish all of our families a safe, restful and replenishing holiday break.
Junior School interim reports will be emailed out to families next week; and parent teacher interviews are scheduled for Week 1. These will be held across the afternoon of the pupil free day on day one of next term (Monday, the 17th of April). A booking link will be provided with the email out, so that you can select a time that suits your family. The Junior School interviews will be held in classrooms. They are only 10 mins long, so if you are hoping for a longer conversation with your child’s teacher/s, please ensure that you make another time to do this as it is important that these run on time.
Happy and safe holidays!
Term 1 Reflection
As we reflect back on an action-packed first term and look forward to a break, may we take the time to reflect on our role as a member of our PBC Community and how we;
- Encourage and support our friends and peers.
- Show gratitude and respect to others in our life
- Love our families unconditionally
- Show persistence in times of struggle
- Are gentle in times of haste
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your support this term. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the students and the families and am looking forward to term 2.
Uniform Monitoring
All students and parents received email communication earlier in the week outlining the procedures which will come into effect next term. Students have made an excellent effort this term to present themselves and the College with pride. Students and parents are encouraged to take the time over the holidays to ensure they have read over the College uniform policy, found on the website, have a PBC hat and have a clear understanding of when they should be wearing or formal uniform.
Camp
The year 9-12 camp is taking place week 5 Term 2 (17-19 May). Parents are reminded to complete permission forms emailed on the 15 of March. This is a compulsory school activity which provides students with the opportunity to build and strengthen peer relationships and develop their leadership skills.
Grow Your Mind
HAYLEY CLIFTON
Our Prep, Year 1, and Year 2 students will soon begin a playful wellbeing journey using an evidence-based program that promotes whole school
flourishing called Grow Your Mind. It is based on the premise that everyone has the right to learn how to look after their wellbeing, and the importance of learning this from a young age. We will begin this journey by exploring all the ways we look after our physical health daily including brushing our teeth, drinking water, and eating fruit and vegetables. Then we will explore how to look after or minds on a daily basis.
Children will be asked to point to their toes, their heart, and their prefrontal cortex! And so, the journey of brain awareness has begins. Understanding how our brain functions is the basis for understanding our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Listen out for your child talking about shrinking their guard dog (amygdala), or growing their wise owl (prefrontal cortex), their elephant (hippocampus), their sifting sooty (Reticular activating System), or their sensitive octopus (insular cortex)!
Grow Your Mind mental health tip #1
To shrink your Guard Dog (amygdala):
Mind
LISA BELL
JUNIOR CREATIVE WRITING
Our talented Junior Creative Writers have been busy this term, writing short stories, comic-strips and poems.
Last week, we created a ‘diamante poem’, which is a poem that uses nouns, verbs and adjectives to describe two opposing (yet related) ‘things’. For example, sun or moon, cats or dogs, inside or outside etc.
Please have a read of our creations below.
Joey B – Year 3
Land
mud, grass
flowering, blooming
cows, trees, catfish, stonefish
flowing, fishing
salty, waves
Sea
–
Leila A – Year 6
Ocean
wavy, salty
calming, surfing, fishing
fish, stingrays, sun, clouds
brightening, warming, rotating
sunny, breezy
Sky
–
Alivia S – Year 4
Space
dark, light
never-ending, calming, cooling
stars, planets, trees, water
floating, rotating, growing
gravity, big
Earth
–
Daisy J – Year 3
Country
smelly, dusty
calming, flooding, blowing
animals, crops, building, plastic
working, smoking, running
busy, big
City
Great work, Junior Creative Writers!
Lisa Bell
JENNY DU TOIT
Land for Wildlife Gardening
The Land for Wildlife Gardening students have had lots of success recently propagating native plants from cuttings. They have learnt how to prepare a propagating mix and make cuttings by choosing a section below a leaf node, adding a hormone to the tip to stimulate root growth and removing excess leaves and flowers. Now, after waiting a couple of weeks, it’s been exciting to see that our cuttings have grown roots! When they are bigger, we’ll be able to plant our new native plants around the school.
Year 1
RACHEL PRESTON
We have been such busy bees in Year 1 this term! Highlights have included a Turtle talk from Kai’s Mum Lisa, which supported our learning in Science. We learned such a lot; especially how important it is to pick up rubbish so it doesn’t end up polluting the ocean and harming our precious turtles.
Last Thursday, we were lucky enough to enlist the help of Siobhan and Kaz from Noosaville Bunnings to help plant our very own veggie garden. It was a great, hands-on way to conclude our Design Technology unit for the term. Thank you, Bunnings!
Year 3
SAVANNAH DAVIS
Science!
Year 3 students have been studying the anatomy of a flower. They also identified the importance of flowers and that flowers belong to different groups. Students then used water colour paints to brighten their scientific drawing of a flower.
Sporting News
ALEC WAREING
PBC Cross Country 2023 🏃♀️🏃♂️
Sunshine Coast Schools Football ⚽
Tennis 🎾
Studio 4 Dance
Dance. Sing. Act.
Studio 4 Dance offers classes on PBC campus 6 days a week in Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Acro, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical and Contemporary. Classes are for recreational students through to dedicated dancers – ages 3yrs to Adult. S4D invites all PBC Students (and Parents!) to book a Free Trial and join the fun. NEW in Term 2 the studio is offering private singing lessons. Adults Classes are gaining popularity too – Hip Hop and Jazz (Tap coming soon)! All Studio 4 Dance instructors have years of experience teaching and exciting backgrounds performing and choreographing all over Australia and abroad. To find out more Email: info@studio4dance.com.au or Mb. 0412 268 278 or visit www.studio4dance.com.au All conveniently located right here at PBC. All welcome. Be sure to book ahead.
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.