Shrek & Learning Showcase
We’re only just over a week away from the culmination of months of work from many of our students, and some very dedicated staff also, with their performances of Shrek the Musical next week. It has been quite enjoyable hearing them singing away of an afternoon at rehearsals every week, watching them create and build, and seeing them bond across year levels and even campuses as they build friendships with others with similar interests and the focus of a common goal. If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, I would really encourage you to do so to support our students and enjoy a night, or afternoon out! There are three shows across Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May.
Learning that is visible and public is the culmination of a great deal of work for our students and, in very much the same way as the musical, creating something for an audience instantly takes on a different perspective for the learner. Our first Learning Showcase for our Junior students is this Thursday afternoon, and it gives an opportunity for them to demonstrate their learning in a public setting. To one another, to their parents and family, and to others. I know our students are getting really excited about their first showcase this week, and I encourage you to not only come along and look around, but interact with the students and ask them deeper questions about their work too.
Updating Enrolment Documents
The College goes through a cyclic review of its policies and documents over time, taking into necessary consideration new or altered legislation, changes to education and business, amongst many other things. Our College Council has just finalised a review of our enrolment and compliance documents to be more in line with current and best practices, and has updated several documents including our Terms and Conditions (we promise they are not as long as Google’s), as well as the addition of a Code of Conduct for visitors and caregivers. These will be published to the internet later this term and we will draw your attention to them at that time.
Morning Routine for School
I’ll admit, mornings are not my thing, and I seemed to have passed that trait on to one or two of my kids. But, staying calm and being organised in the morning will help you and your child feel positive about the day ahead. It will also help you reduce stress, which is good for everyone’s wellbeing. One of the best ways to stay calm and get organised is to have a morning routine for school. A routine will help your child know what’s happening and remember what they need to do.
Tips to Help with Your Morning Routine
- Get your child to have a bath or shower the night before, so you don’t need to make time for this in the morning.
- Make sure your child gets to bed with plenty of time for a good nights’ sleep. This will help your child wake up refreshed. (Think ‘evening routine’ here – equally as important!).
- Get up 15-30 minutes earlier than you think you need to. This will give you more time in the morning.
- Think about an alarm for children who find it hard to wake up or don’t like getting out of bed.
- Try to keep your weekend morning routine similar to the weekdays.
Encouraging Cooperation and Good Behaviour
- Tackle the morning as positively as you can. You and your child could do this by sharing one thing that you’re each looking forward to during the day.
- Give your child calm, clear instructions about what you want them to do, and follow up with praise as soon as they start to cooperate.
- Encourage children to do more for themselves as they get older and more independent. For example, a 5-year-old can do things like putting their lunch box in their bag. An 8-year-old can get dressed on their own, make their own breakfast, and tidy up after themselves.
- Cut down on distractions like television, tablets, and other devices, unless screen time is a special treat for being ready on time.
- Give your child positive recognition for good behaviour rather than attention for arguing, whining or stalling
- Make it fun! Perhaps play a game to encourage your child to be ready on time.
Sometimes children drag out the time in the morning as a way to avoid school. If you think this might be happening with your child, it’s a good idea to check in with your child’s teacher to make sure there aren’t any problems that might be causing this.
Acknowledgement: raisingchildren.net.au the Australian parenting website
Every blessing for the week ahead.
Simon Hughes
Head of College
Find your passions and enriching pathway with us at Prince of Peace
We invite students and parents from Years 4 to 10 to attend the Subject Expo & Elective Choices Evening on Tuesday 30 May at the Middle & Senior Campus, to learn more about the subjects and pathways that we offer from Years 9 to 12.
Please refer to the flyer below for session details—we look forward to working in partnership with our young people, parents, and staff through this evening, we ask that if you are intending to come along to please RSVP via SOBS bookings to the specific year level session/s you will be attending.
Thanks to our Mother’s Day Stall Helpers
A huge thanks to those who are helping to make our Mother’s Day stalls such a success.
- This year was our most successful Middle & Senior Campus Mother’s Day stall ever in terms of funds raised
- Thank you to our two wonderful volunteers who were essential in running the day – Emma Schmalkuche and Lisa Chewe
- Thank you to our wonderful bakers who raised funds to be reinvested back into school resources – Emma Schmalkuche, Peta Lilly, Maree Stevenson (and an unidentified cookie donation)
- Our Junior Campus stall ran today on Wednesday 10 May, and will run again tomorrow on Thursday 11 May
- Baking donations will still be accepted up until 8:30am on Thursday 11 at Junior Campus Reception
Andrea Rhind and Rebecca Hitchenson
P&FA Mother’s Day Stall Coordinators
Billy G’s Cookie Dough Fundraiser Date Savers
Junior Campus: Orders will be closing Friday 19 May, collection of orders will be Friday 9 June.
Middle & Senior Campus: Orders will be closing Monday 22 May, collection of orders will be Monday 12 June.
PoP Parents Facebook Group
For those who are not aware, there is a PoP Parents Facebook Group that is used regularly by many of our College families, and is a great resource for parents to network with each other and ask questions to the community.
The group can found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/235730186585697, or it is listed in the ‘Useful Links‘ section at the bottom of each POPCORN Newsletter.
Please visit the group, then click the ‘Join’ button at the top of the page, the group administrators will then approve you as soon as possible.
Shrek Green Day
In the land of Far Far Away, the Shrek Green Day was truly a sight to behold! The people of the PoP kingdom adorned themselves in all shades of green, from mossy hues to emerald tones, and they gathered together to celebrate their love for the beloved ogre and support Shrek – The Musical. The festivities were filled with plenty of swamp-themed snacks, and we couldn’t help but feel excited about the upcoming performance of Shrek – The Musical.
Thank you to everyone who supported this day and the students and staff who have been working tirelessly toward staging Shrek – The Musical.
And Yes! You can still buy tickets »
Learning Expo – Thursday 11 May 3:00pm – 5:30pm
One of my greatest joys as Head of Campus is popping into classrooms to see and hear about the learning and this past fortnight many students have eagerly shared their plans for the upcoming Learning Expo. What have I noticed:
- Increased student excitement and chatter about the Expo
- Longer explanations about learning
- More explanations about the why?
- More “come and see” what I am doing
With one more sleep until the Learning Expo, I wanted to highlight the importance of partnering with parents and community to positively impact student learning through sharing. When students share in their classroom and especially beyond it has many benefits and I have listed just a few:
- Develops Communication and Presentation Skills: When students share their learning, they must present their ideas and articulate their thoughts clearly. This process helps them develop their communication and presentation skills, which are important skills for academic and professional success.
- Builds Confidence and Self-Esteem: Sharing their work with an audience can help students build their confidence and self-esteem. When students receive positive feedback and recognition for their work, they feel more confident and motivated to continue learning and sharing their ideas.
- Provides Feedback and Encourages Improvement: Sharing their learning with others provides an opportunity for students to receive feedback and constructive criticism. This feedback can help students identify areas of improvement and adjust their approach to learning accordingly.
- Fosters a Sense of Community: Sharing their learning with others creates a sense of community among students. It allows them to connect with others who share similar interests and passions, and it can create opportunities for collaboration and teamwork.
- Promotes a culture of learning: When students share their learning with others, they are promoting the value of education and inspiring others to become more engaged in their own learning journey. This can help to create a culture of learning that encourages lifelong learning and personal growth.
- Inspires creativity and innovation: Sharing their learning can encourage students to think outside the box and come up with new ideas and solutions to problems. This process can foster creativity and innovation, which are important skills in today’s rapidly changing world.
Don’t forget to
- Visit other classrooms
- Be at The Shed @ 5PM for a Sneak Peak of Shrek – The Musical
- Squash those “hungries” with a visit to the Food Trucks on the Hardcourt
- Enter the Shrek Free Ticket competition as you visit different year levels
So, join us on Thursday to unleash the power of sharing and work together to benefit student learning.
Anne-Marie Schmidt
Head of Campus – Junior
Emergency Services Visits Kindy and Prep
As part of the Kindy and Prep curriculum we learn how to keep ourselves safe in the world. We discuss the roles of the emergency services, and learn that police officers, ambulance workers and fire-fighters are safe people in society that we can trust in an emergency situation.
We recently enjoyed very exciting visits from our local fire-fighters and Constable Ricky, who told us all about what it’s like to work for the emergency services, and helped us to understand that they are always ready to help and are only a phone call away. We are now looking forward to a visit from an ambulance in the next few weeks.
Building Relationships
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35
As Christians we are called to love each other as Jesus showed us through positive interactions and relationships. As parents and care givers, we are called to nurture our children to grow and become the best version of themselves. We want to give our children a solid foundation to build strong relationships with others, develop personal and social skills, and practise these in the safe environment of PoP College. The Australian Curriculum outlines these skills in the General Capability – Personal & Social capability.
It is important for our children to learn how to build relationships with others as this can help them develop into well-rounded individuals. Building relationships can help children gain a better understanding of the world around them and help them form meaningful connections as active contributors to their College, Church, and wider community.
There are many ways that we can help our children build relationships with others. Here are a few practical tips to incorporate at home:
- Encourage children to be polite and respectful to others. Model good behaviour and teach children how to be kind and considerate of others.
- Encourage children to be open and honest when communicating with others. Help them to practice active listening and to be a good conversationalist.
- Teach children to be accepting of others despite differences. Point out the positive qualities in others and help children to appreciate diversity.
- Encourage children to show gratitude to others. Remind them of the importance of expressing thanks, using manners, being hopeful and expressing appreciation.
- Encourage children to be forgiving of others and of themselves, as we are forgiven by Jesus and can have any chance to try again.
How Can We Encourage Our Children to Build Positive Relationships with Others?
Building positive relationships with peers is an important aspect of a student’s social and emotional development. Here are some tips that can help students build relationships with their peers:
- Encourage students to participate in group activities: Joining extracurricular activities or clubs that interest them can help students meet new people and build friendships with others who share their interests.
- Teach social skills: Help students develop social skills such as communication, active listening, empathy, and problem-solving. These skills can help them build positive relationships with their peers.
- Foster a positive classroom environment: Encourage students to treat each other with respect, kindness, and empathy. Celebrate diversity and differences, and make sure that all students feel included and valued.
- Provide opportunities for collaboration: Assigning group projects or pair work can help students build relationships with their peers and develop teamwork skills.
- Encourage students to step out of their comfort zones: Encourage students to try new things and meet new people. This can help them build confidence, develop new skills, and expand their social circle.
- Model positive social behaviour: As teachers we, model positive social behaviour and treat students with respect and kindness. This can help create a positive classroom culture where students feel safe to build relationships with their peers.
Remember that building relationships takes time, so encourage your children to be patient and persistent in their efforts to connect with their peers.
Blessings,
Coreta Lennon (Deputy Head of Campus – Junior) and Melissa Graham (Director of Wellbeing – Middle & Senior Campus)
How we learn through Inquiry – Collaborating
Inquiry-based learning is an education approach that focuses on investigation and problem-solving. Inquiry-based learning is different from traditional approaches because it reverses the order of learning. Instead of presenting information, or ‘the answer’, up-front, teachers start with a range of scenarios, questions and problems for students to navigate.
Inquiry-based learning prioritises problems that require critical and creative thinking so students can develop their abilities to ask questions, design investigations, interpret evidence, form explanations and arguments, and communicate findings.
At Prince of Peace inquiry is done through our project-based learning (PBL). In project-based learning, students develop “knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.” (Buck Institute for Education)
One aspect of inquiry is that of collaborating. Collaborating involves creating opportunities for students to work tighter toward a common goal, communicate effectively and share ideas and feedback.
Collaboration is an important part of inquiry because it brings together different perspectives, experiences, and ideas. When people collaborate on an inquiry project, they can share their knowledge and skills, ask questions, and work together to solve problems. This can lead to a deeper understanding of the topic being investigated and can help to uncover new insights and ideas that might not have been discovered by individuals working alone.
Inquiry often involves investigating complex problems that require multiple viewpoints to fully understand. Collaborating with others can help to ensure that all aspects of the problem are considered and can also help identify biases that we may not be aware of. This can lead to more accurate and thorough findings.
Collaboration can also help to build a sense of community and shared purpose around the inquiry project. Working together towards a common goal can create a sense of camaraderie and motivation that helps to sustain the project over many weeks. Collaboration in classrooms can help to develop important interpersonal and communication skills, such as active listening, effective feedback, and conflict resolution, that are valuable life skills.
How does this look in the classroom?
- Group work: Teachers can divide students into small groups to work together on a project or task. Often group members have a specific role or responsibility that helps them to develop collaborative skills. This encourages students to communicate, share ideas and work together towards a common goal.
- Peer feedback: During a project students can provide feedback to one another. This can be done in small groups or pairs and can involve students sharing their work and giving constructive feedback to their peers. This helps students to develop critical thinking and communication skills and improves the quality of their work.
- Classroom discussions: Teachers often facilitate classroom discussions where students share their ideas and perspectives on topics. This can be done in small groups or as a whole class and can involve students sharing their own experiences and listening to their classmates’ perspectives. This can help to develop important listening and communication skills as well as empathy and understanding others’ viewpoints.
- Collaborative projects: Through our project-based learning, teachers assign longer term projects that often require students to work together. This can involve students collaborating on research, creating a presentation, or producing a product or solution. This encourages students to develop teamwork and project management skills and can also help to build a sense of community in the classroom.
- Teachers collaborating! Creating units of inquiry require teachers to collaborate to provide meaningful opportunities for student learning and growth. Modelling collaboration to our students helps them to build the skills they need in an ever-changing future.
Happy collaborating!
Rebekah Bruyn
Learning Coach
Provocations
Walking through the Early Childhood classrooms at PoP, I love seeing the activities set up in classrooms to be explored by students.
These ‘activities’ are referred to as provocations. So what is a provocation? In childhood education the term provocation is an open-ended activity that doesn’t have a prescribed outcome; it is designed to stimulate ideas, initiative, and imagination.
Provocations are designed to provoke thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity, and ideas –encouraging children to explore their interests in the provocation and independently discover learning through thought! This allows children to experience the world for themselves, through open-ended activities without being overtly guided by a teacher or educator.
At Prince of Peace, we embrace the use of nature-based elements, loose parts, and tuff trays as mediums to inspire the kinds of creativity for students to excel in. Our provocations can also incorporate literacy and numeracy skills, fine motor development, and integrate with areas of interest within the classroom. We seek to provide hands-on exploration for our students to practice, test, construct, and deconstruct their ideas and theories. Next time you visit your child’s classroom, look at what provocations are in the classroom.
Angela Irving
Early Years Learning Coach
Come be a part of the joy and uplifting experience of the Arts at Prince of Peace
Shrek Musical has been in the making since Term 4 2022 as students began their rehearsals, but long before this time in early 2022 Mrs Lisa Rachow and Mrs Linda Brady began planning. Their vision was one of selecting a musical that would showcase the strengths, character and soul of our young actors, singers, and artists. The choice that was made hit a chord with our students and they responded in auditioning.
It has been an honour to see their progress as a cast and just this last Saturday to see the whole show come together with the sets, props, make up team, costumes and performers with the crew becoming involved. The message of finding your authentic self and what you believe in and letting this shine and trusting in yourself, is an uplifting story for us all to hear, no matter what age we are.
The arts play a crucial role in society as they are a reflection on humanity and culture. The arts help us understand who we are as human beings and how we relate to each other. The arts are an expression of our inner thoughts, feelings and experiences and can be an expression of our own self-reflection or social influence.
The arts bring humans together as community and we feel apart of something that matters and transforms us inside and out. These are moments that we live in community with each other. So we invite you to be a part of the Arts community at Prince of Peace by purchasing a ticket with family and friends to one of the three performances on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May.
We thank all the staff, students and parents who have been working on the Shrek Musical over the last two terms. We keep them in all in our prayers over the final weeks and days of the production, giving them good health, sense of calm, and strength knowing all the planning, rehearsals and dedication will come to fruition on the stage.
Sarah Hoff-Zweck
Head of Campus – Middle and Senior
Junior Campus Sport
North Districts Congratulations
Congratulations to those 28 PoP North District Cross Country runners who represented the College at the recent North District Cross Country trials. It was a great morning for a run through Teralba Park, cheered on by the energetic crowd on the sideline. All PoP runners finished the course, with special mention to our finishers in the Top 10; Josh Sullivan (9th), Laura Larder (8th), Rosezen Johnston (2nd) and Hannah McKinnon (1st). PoP placed 3rd overall in the Aggregate Cup well done team.
Tremendous efforts from Leo Watts who played in the North District Rugby League two-day competition against some tough competition. Leo displayed great skill and his team won all four games of the carnival.
Great Work Liam!
Liam Darben in Year 6 recently participated in the ‘Mooloolaba Mile’, competing in the ‘Junior Giants’ event for years 0-15 which was an ocean swim of 800m.
Competing against many older swimmers Liam swam well in the choppy open water conditions achieving a time of 17min 58 sec—over four minutes faster than his swim in the previous year.
Liam also showed admirable sportsmanship by stopping to assist another swimmer who had dropped their googles on the run out of the water before sprinting to the finish line.
Well done Liam.
Year 4-6 NISSA GALA DAYS
Speaking with the Year 6 House Captains on the Year 4-6 NISSA GALA DAYS this past semester, they have recognised that all tee-ball, basketball and touch teams have learnt great skills, with many moments of great collaboration and sportsmanship with other schools. PoP students tried their hardest and even though the teams didn’t always win, they never gave up and made sure the objective of the game was to have FUN. Thank you to all our wonderful coaches for assisting our teams and for all the parent supporters. New sport preferences for Semester 2 will be out soon for Year 4-6 students to nominate.
Best of luck to our NISSA Cross Country team, attending their competition Monday 15 May at The Lakes College. Let your light shine on the course!
Jessica Schneider
Junior Campus PE Teacher & Sport Coordinator
Middle & Senior Campus Sport
Year 7 and 8 Netball
NISSA Finals
The NISSA Finals are here! Over the next two weeks, students will play in their final games for this season. Semi-finals between the top 4 teams in each sport take place this week, with the Grand Final and 3rd place games occurring next week. The finals structure is below:
Semi Finals
- 1: 1 v 4
- 2: 2 v 3
- 5th/6th playoff
- 7th/8th playoff
Grand Finals
- W1 v W2
- L1 v L2
Seven of our PoP teams have managed to make it into the final four, and will play in live finals games. A special mention to our Year 7/8 Touch Girls A team who have finished the season undefeated and in 1st position on the table. Well done ladies!
Congratulations to the following teams and good luck in your games this week!
Year 7/8:
- Touch Football – PoP A girls and PoP B boys
- Volleyball – PoP A boys
Year 9/10:
- Netball – PoP A girls and PoP boys
- Futsal – PoP girls
- Volleyball – PoP A boys
Year 9 and 10 Futsal
NISSA Social Media pages
Just a reminder that NISSA now has a Facebook and Instagram page. We would greatly appreciate your support in following these pages.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do get in touch with me via SEQTA message.
Gabby Collman
Sports Coordinator
HPE, Science and Mathematics Teacher
Middle & Senior Campus Music News
Rhythms Riffs and Refrains
Preparations are well under way for our first ensemble concert of the year, Rhythms Riffs and Refrains which will be held on Wednesday 7 June 6 – 8pm on the Middle & Senior Campus Forecourt. Put this date in your diary as it will be a great night out. Many of the students involved in these ensembles are not in the musical and they have been working diligently since the beginning of the year. I am excited that we will hear the work of two of our new tutors: Sharon Nobs – who will conduct the 101 Special and the Concert Band and Royce Jenner – who has been working with the Jazz Ensemble. We will also have our String Ensemble who you heard at ANZAC Day playing some of their own pieces with conductor Johanne Leask and Vocalese have some little treats to share. The concert will be on the Senior Campus weather permitting. We look forward to seeing you all there.
Please ensure that you have organised your Music Uniforms so that you look as good as you sound! Please note that long pants and socks are a part of the music uniform and take care that these are done correctly. When you are on stage you do not want attention drawn to anything but the wonderful music.
There are a few changes to rehearsals around the week of the musical. Please check SEQTA with care. Thank you
Let’s make music!
Linda Brady
Middle & Senior Campus Curriculum Leader of Music and Coordinator of Extra-Curricular Music
Worship
Sunday 14 May
9am Worship
5pm Together@5
Please keep an eye on the Prince of Peace Church Facebook page for service updates.