Greetings and Welcome Back

Greetings and welcome back to Prince of Peace Lutheran College for 2020.

An extended welcome to all of our new families and students who joined us last week.  As they begin their journey with us, we pray that their time here is a very blessed and rewarding one.

We also welcome a number of new staff into the College this year (one of whom is a past student!):

Marta Arribas Quintana (Spanish)
Veronica Chen (Year 5)
Dana Hynd (Teacher Aide)
Monette Jacobsen (Year 3)
Darren Lawrance (PE)
Nadine Richardson (Year 6)
Linda Brady (Senior Music)
Nathanael Brinkmann (PE, Maths, Science)
Yasmin McAvoy (Teacher Aide)
Mark Roberton (Digital Technologies, STEAM)
Joel Scott (Maths, Science, Engineering)
Carly Stumer (Christian Studies)
Katrina Voss (English, Humanities).

New Staff Installation

Part of any staff member joining a Lutheran School, is their ‘installation’ at a special service, where they commit to do their best for their students and community, with God’s help.  In return, the community commits to support them in their time at the College.  The installation service for new staff (including those who started with us during the 2019 school year), will be held over two College Chapel services: Monday 10 February at 8:20am for staff who have commenced on the Senior Campus and Friday 14 February at 8:30am for staff who have commenced on the Junior Campus.  My installation as your new Head of College, will be held on Sunday 1 March at 9.00am, at the Prince of Peace Church on the Junior Campus. Please feel very welcome to come along and support the staff as they begin their journey with us here at the College.

Settling in to School

For new students who have commenced at the College and—in fact for continuing students who may be undertaking new subjects or have different teachers—the new year always has the possibility of creating a degree of anxiety and uncertainty.  If you feel your child is experiencing difficulty with settling in this year, I encourage you to contact your child’s class or Pastoral Care teacher early—even just to touch base.  The sooner we can respond to any concerns, the less anxious a child will be.  Over the next few weeks, we will be holding information evenings for all students and I really encourage you to come along to these sessions if you can.

Lastly, thank you to the staff, and also the many students and parents I’ve met either last year on short visits or in the past few weeks, who have been so welcoming to me and my family as we have relocated from Melbourne.  We really have felt a part of the community very quickly and I look forward to gradually getting to know many of you throughout the course of the year.

Blessings

Simon Hughes
Head of College

It Has Been So Good to See You Again!

Their smiling faces, shiny new shoes, slightly oversized uniforms and beautiful hair can only mean one thing… school is back! Our vibrant Junior Campus has come to life with the wonderful hum of learning, gathering with friends, playful squeals and happy handball-banter. Long may it last! While as a staff we achieve many great things in the weeks leading up to the first day of school, it is never quite the same until the children arrive.

In his opening article above Simon welcomed our new staff to the College team, I reiterate his welcome and I know you all will also make them feel at home.

Our Grounds Look Spectacular!

During the holiday period we have had some extreme weather conditions across our country, and here in sunny Brisbane. The incredible heat of summer, closely followed by some wonderful and much needed rain, certainly provided our gardens with the perfect conditions to thrive. At this time I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of our grounds team who battled very high humidity to harness the beauty of our thriving gardens. They have done an exceptional job and I know you will join me in giving them a thumbs up when you see them around. Mr Grieger and your fantastic team, we salute you!

Reach Out and Say Hello! Let’s Check in on Each Other

Every year Prince of Peace is blessed with a growing number of new families. It is a privilege to welcome them all into our community officially. My encouragement to all families is to ‘reach out and say hello to someone you may not know.’ You never know when your smile, quick check in, or offer to assist with the car door, may spark just the light that someone needed in their day. As the weeks and months begin to tick by, let me encourage you to check in on one another, and our staff.

This simple act helps to shine Christ’s love into our community and beyond. 

Starting the New School Year on the Right Foot

[Produced by Melbourne Child Psychology and School Psychology Services]

The transition from long days and late bed times back to a rigid routine can be a bit of a shock to the system for families and especially our children. But with some consideration into how you and your children will approach the new school year, you can make the change as smooth as possible and help your child get the most out of their year. Here are some of our top tips for making 2020 your child’s best academic year yet.

Stick to a routine

Having a consistent routine in place for when your children aren’t in school will help them to feel secure and safe, and support the development of positive lifelong habits. Flexibility is important to a degree, but building a routine around fundamentals like meal times, family time, play time and homework time will ensure that your kids get the things they need to do done, while also leading a balanced lifestyle. Routine also teaches and creates boundaries, which can be especially useful in monitoring their technology usage and screen time.

Support good sleeping habits

A good amount of sleep is incredibly important in a growing child’s life, and has a direct impact on their performance at school. Make sure your kids are going to bed at consistent times that allow for enough sleep (between 8 -10 hours a night). Consider a no-screen-time rule for 30 minutes before bed (or longer if possible), and make sure their bedroom is a relaxing environment (clean, tidy, and free from distractions and harsh lighting).

Talk some and listen more

Make time in your routine to talk one-on-one with your children. This could be meal time or on the drive home from school. Take interest in their day, and be supportive and engaged with what they have to say. It will strengthen your bond and encourage them to be honest and open with you.

Also try taking a moment to consider what positive things happened to them that day can encourage a sense of gratitude, which has been shown to have a significant relationship to life satisfaction.

Foster a love of learning

Rather than championing their result-based successes at school, praise the effort that goes into them. Encourage them to reflect on small successes and goal setting, reminding them that there are always new opportunities to learn. This is what we refer to as having a Growth Mindset. This will help them to become resilient in the face of disappointment, while also valuing learning for learning’s sake.

Encourage extracurricular activities

The key to a good routine is creating balance between school work, family time, exercise, socialising and play (among others). Encouraging them to take breaks from homework to wind down will help to make the process less overwhelming, and more enjoyable. Outdoor or creative activities are particularly good for both physical and mental health.

Keep organised – and get the whole family involved!

Setting up a calendar with important dates (including homework or assignment due dates) will make sure they keep on top of things and avoid the stress of last minute deadlines. Implementing organisational practices into your routine will help two-fold, so try getting room cleaning, bag packing and other chores into their daily ‘to-do’ list… don’t forget deodorant!

All of these positive processes will support each other, and be beneficial for not only your child, but also for the whole family.

So in this early stage of the first term, sit down with your child and talk about how you can come up with a good plan together that will support them in everything they want to achieve in the coming year.

And when things go wrong (and they will) or a spanner is thrown into the works—don ’t stress! Slipping up on good habits from time to time is inevitable, and with those habits ingrained in your daily life, the slip-ups will be much easier to recover from.

My Prayer for You in 2020

May this year be the year where Christ’s love is seen in all that we do and say. May God fill your days with strength for the journey, wisdom for the road and a measure of His love and Grace to meet all your needs along the way!

Much Love,

Mrs V xo

Junior Campus Bike Rack Relocation

Does your child ride to school?

The Junior Campus bike rack has been relocated to near the church offices.  This is an easier position for students to manoeuvre their bikes into as they ride to and from school; students will no longer need to negotiate the long narrow steps by the church.  This will be safer for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

As the bike rack is now visible from Rogers Parade West, we do ask that students use a suitable lock to ensure the safety of their bike.

2020

A warm welcome back in 2020 to both parents and students. I am very excited about what this year will bring.  In some ways it is a historic year, the first year of external exams, and our study tour of Europe in the Term 1 vacation.

In Year 11 Religion and Ethics we are studying meaning and purpose. We chatted about this quote last week: “Your life is made up of two dates and a dash. Make the dash count.” I suppose one could find that depressing, however I choose to find it empowering; we are living ‘the dash’ right now—how can we make the most of that time?

Some students may have come home talking about their ‘word for their year’.  The staff have each chosen a one-word resolution, with some PC classes having already engaged in related activities. A word can’t be broken. It serves as a reminder; a filter and hopefully will become a theme for the year. Each word was carefully chosen to represent what we most hope God will do in us, and to provide a focus for the entire year.  A one word resolution helps us to force clarity and concentrate our efforts.

I know at least two students who have chosen Focus as their word (an apt choice).  It is easy to lose focus during the holidays with so many distractions. Focus is a good choice for a one-word resolution.  Now that the school year has started again, each of our students require a commitment to be free of the distractions that eat into time. Focus assists in raising motivation, determination and persistence.

Estée Lauder—the famous American business person who created a cosmetics range—said the following that I think really rings true: “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.”

I encouraged every student to consider what their word for 2020 should be, and how reflecting on it will make them a better student this year. Nothing is achieved in life without effort.  So in the words of Mike Gafka: “To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can’t just accept the ones you like.”

Class of 2019

Congratulations to our Class of 2019.  Ninety percent of students received either their first or second preference and are able to now pursue their course of choice. We are aware of a number of students that have now started apprenticeships or gained employment and we are very proud of what they have achieved.

97.5% received a Queensland Certificate of Education and 59% received and OP 1-15. We wish them all the best in their next chapter.

Quiet Change—Reduction in School Bells

During important testing periods we have traditionally turned off the bells, and noticed how peaceful the campus was as a result.  Based on our observations, we have made the decision to reduce the number of bells.  Bells will still sound at the beginning of the school day, signify the end of morning tea and lunch and the end of the day.  We have eliminated the bells signifying lesson times to optimise learning time.  There are clocks in every classroom, and we believe that we are teaching the students an important life skill of time management. I understand that this is a shift, however we believe that this is in the best interest for learning and will help to establish a culture which is calm, positive, and will reinforce personal responsibility and self discipline.

We Welcome Our New Teachers Who Have Joined Us in 2020

Mr Tim Arnold has accepted a role at another Lutheran College. We congratulate him on his appointment and thank him for all he has contributed to our community.  We welcome Mr Bruce Hardy, who will be taking over Mr Arnold’s classes. Mr Arnold’s last day is Friday 14 February.

Senior Campus Information Evening

We look forward to welcoming you at the Senior Campus Information Evening on the 12 February.  This is an opportunity for you to meet our new Head of College, Mr Simon Hughes, our teachers, and to get an overview of the year ahead for each year level.

The format for the evening is as follows:

6.00pm

• Year 7 Information Session – in F1
• Year 8 Information Session – in R8/R9
• Year 9 Information Session – in M1/2
• Refreshments – in rooms R4/R5/R6

7.00pm

• Meet the Teacher and Presentation – in rooms R4/R5/R6

7.30pm

• Year 10 Information Session – in R8/R9
• Year 11 Information Session – in R2
• Year 12 Information Session – in R3

This event is aimed at the parent community, so students are not required to attend. We look forward to seeing you next week.

Senior Campus Parking

I understand that the traffic has been tricky these last few days.  We have been working hard to ease the congestion as quickly as we can. We ask parents to please keep the following points in mind when navigating the Senior Campus carpark:

• Turn  left after entering the campus and proceed to the ring road, then proceed to the top of the ‘stop and go’ area and wait for your children to exit or enter the car. For the safety of students, entry to the upper car park (to the right upon entering the College) will be closed from 7.45am – 8.20am and from 2.30pm – 3.15pm.  Please assist us during these times by using only the ring road for student drop off and pickup—which you enter on turning left as you drive into the College grounds. Be mindful that there is a pedestrian crossing soon after the sharp left.
• Please move up the ring road to collect your child—so that we manage traffic and keep students safe.  Please use only the ‘kiss and drop’ section for entry and exit of vehicles.
• Parents should not exit the car in the ‘stop and go’ area.  If you need to exit your car then please park in the available bays.
• The afternoon peak time for the carpark is 3.05pm–3.15pm.  By 3.15pm, most of the traffic is cleared; it may be a good idea to delay your pick up time by ten minutes to avoid congestion.
• Students are supervised in the upper car park until 3.30pm, after which they are sent to the library to be supervised until 4.00pm.  We advise parents not to collect/drop off their students on Henderson Road/Timms Rd, as no supervision is provided in that area.
• Of a morning, students should be dropped off on the ring road.

Many thanks for your assistance in creating an efficient and safe student pick up and drop off.

Michelle Nisbet
Head of Senior Campus

Junior Campus Sport

Optimist Queensland State Championships

Fletcher and Monte Morse took part in the 2020 Optimist Qld State Championships—Green Fleet.

They both performed really well and came home with an awesome result—Monte (in Year 4) placed 2nd and Fletcher (in Year 7) placed 3rd out of 13 competitors.

Senior Campus Sport

Brisbane Roar Football Development Program

If your child has a passion for Football and is looking to develop their skills, we have an amazing opportunity starting up in Term 2. Prince of Peace College has been in contact with the Brisbane Roar Development coaching team who are working with a number of schools in developing the skills of the next generation of players. This program will involve instruction from some of the best coaches the state has to offer, once a week before school.

Throughout the year, there are a number of competitions that the school participates, and the hope is that we can train and develop for these competitions throughout our year-levels. If you are interested, or would like more information please contact Tim Arnold—Senior Campus Sport Coordinator at tarnold@princeofpeace.qld.edu.au. Please note that if you have already made contact at the end of last year, your child has been included in the list for this program and will be called to meetings throughout the term in preparation.

Swimming Carnival

The Prince of Peace swimming carnival will take place on Tuesday, 11th February at Albany Creek Leisure Centre. This is an event that students and staff look forward to every year as it presents an opportunity for everyone to get involved, whether it be in fierce competition or in novelty events. Students are required to arrive at 8:30am for first events beginning at 9:00am. Parents and friends are welcome to show their support at the pool. We hope to see you there!

Arana Futsal

Over the break, the Prince of Peace futsal boys continued to compete in the Sunday league at Arana Hills PCYC. They are currently sitting on top of the table after knocking off WSC United during the holidays and having a convincing win last week. Good luck to the boys in the coming weeks leading up to finals.

Tim Arnold
Senior Campus Sport Coordinator

Worship

Sunday 9 February

Worship Service 9am, led by Pastor Michael Grosas

Together@5pm, led by Chris Peatey

Thought for the Week

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Tae Kwon Do at Prince of Peace

Tae Kwon Do at Prince of Peace resumes this Thursday afternoon in the undercroft area outside the uniform shop.

Peace Tae Kwon Do has been at PoP for about 15 years with many students achieving a 1st Dan Black Belt or above.

Classes are focussed on each student’s development in an open, friendly and supportive environment. Students are taught the skills of Tae Kwon Do to give them the confidence and physical ability to defend themselves and others. Students also learn self defence skills of Hapkido which involves wrist locks and other defensive techniques.  The class has students from the College and wider community attending, we also have many families training together.

Classes are every Thursday from 4:30 to 6pm. Class costs are $10 per individual lesson or $7 if you pay the term up front. Contact David Dennent on 0418730264 for further information or turn up at one of the classes to have a look. Your first lesson with us is free.

Uniform Shop News

Orders: Orders can be placed by phone or email through the College website using the link on the Uniform Shop Page or on the Home Page, or at anytime from The School Locker Website. Note: If you wish to avoid home delivery fees during term times, nominate delivery to your child’s campus and provide your child’s name and class.  Junior Campus orders will be delivered to your child’s class. Senior Campus orders will be delivered to reception for your child to collect the next day.

Second Hand: If you wish to buy or sell second hand uniforms there are two options:

1. For private sales: please visit our very active PoP Second Hand Uniform Buy & Sell Facebook group
2. Donated second hand uniforms are now managed by PoP P&F – please check with Reception as to upcoming stall dates.  Donations are welcome at either Campus Reception, bagged and labelled as “donation uniforms”.

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