Winter Carnival
Calling for Donations for Silent Auction and Raffle Prizes. Can you help?
Next term we will be asking our families for donations to help with the Bake and Sweet Stall at our 2024 PoP Winter Carnival. We look forward to receiving lots of choc chips, condensed milk, lollies and sugar! A donation schedule will be sent out later this term.
Perhaps you’d like to donate something bigger than ingredients? Do you have a company that can donate a product or a service to our Silent Auction or Raffle Prize Pool? No prize is too small. Examples of possible donations include:
- $100 Plumbing services voucher
- $100 Electrician services voucher
- Free tutoring sessions
- Store voucher
- Restaurant meal
- Gift voucher purchased on behalf of a company e.g Westfield voucher, Coles voucher
All donations will be advertised to our community either through the Silent Auction or Raffle, via the website and through posters displayed on the day.
Take it next level!
Or you can take it next level and become a Winter Carnival Sponsor. As a Carnival Sponsor you will receive many perks – including having your logo in our newsletters and on our website, being able to distribute flyers, advertising on our Facebook Page, electronic signs, etc.
There are 3 Sponsorship Packages on offer:
- Gold Partner – $2500. Two packages – only 1 left.
- Silver Partner – $1500. Three packages – only 2 left.
- Bronze Partner – $500. Five packages – only 4 left.
Further information about the sponsorship packages »
Donna Cook
2024 Winter Carnival Coordinator
Ph: 3872 5710 | dcook@princeofpeace.qld.edu.au
Prince of Peace Academic Scholarships from 2025
We will be offering Academic Scholarships at the College for students in Years 7 – 12 from 2025. The scholarships are open to both current PoP students and students enrolled at other schools. Students currently enrolled at Prince of Peace Lutheran College are eligible to apply.
Our Academic Scholarships are awarded based on outstanding results achieved in scholarship testing, previous academic records and an interview with the Head of College or Head of Campus. Academic Scholarships are set for 2 years and typically awarded at Years 7, 9 and 11.
The Scholarship test for Academic Scholarships commencing in 2025 will be held on Saturday 23 March 2024. The Scholarship Test registration closes on Friday 15 March.
POP Picnic – Celebrating 40 Years of Living in Community
Excitement is building and we are looking forward to welcoming our community to the Junior Campus for the PoP Welcome Picnic. While there is a free sausage sizzle for students, community games and the slide, families are encouraged to bring a picnic rug, their own food if they wish and embrace living in community.
A few food trucks have been booked for those who wish to purchase food and staff will be selling soft drinks, water and fruit drink poppers.
The event begins at 3:30pm and will conclude before sunset. We look forward to seeing you.
Exploring Future Focused Education – What can we learn?
The 2023 to 2025 College strategic direction that was launched last year had a key focus on Future focused education. It is not new that educators are extremely interested in embracing ways that can impact student learning or opportunity.
As part of this strategic direction, College leadership are taking the time to visit and investigate effective learning environments in other schools.
New methods, structures and pedagogies can cater to modern challenges and be part of preparing students with relevant skills for the future.
Opportunities and ways of incorporating technology, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary approaches can enhance student engagement and facilitate deeper understanding.
This exploration phase can make some people nervous. They worry that the wisdom of time-tested methods, evidence-based approaches and strong values such as discipline, perseverance and critical thinking will be ignored.
In the weeks ahead, our Leadership Team will be exploring the following aspects with more rigour through our visits.
- Importance of contemporary soft skills and general capabilities
- Ways of working – pedagogies – like Inquiry, Project Based Learning, Connected Curriculum, transdisciplinary approaches.
- Student voice and student engagement
- Learning environments and structures
- Age-appropriate structures
- Support for staff growth and development.
As we further our understanding through this exploration, I want to reassure you that our intention is for students to engage in learning experiences that equip them with the skills, knowledge, and values to succeed in an ever-changing world and to fulfill our Mission:
To Nurture God Given potential in a Christ-centred environment through contemporary educational practices.
I encourage you to talk to us about what we are learning, and we will keep you informed as we journey in this space.
My School Lunches on the Junior Campus
I am pleased to announce that the Junior Campus will be utilising My School Lunch to offer a special lunch day on Friday 15th March. On offer will be a Sub, Cookie and drink deal from Subway.
Please refer to your SEQTA message regarding how to order or visit My School Lunch here >
Junior Campus Photo Day
Prince of Peace Lutheran College Junior Campus formal photos will be taken on Monday 4 March, 2024.
Your child/children should have brought their photo order envelope home last week. If you didn’t receive your envelope or have questions about the process, please contact Junior Campus reception who will be able to help.
This is always an exciting day, as smiling faces are captured, ready to be proudly pinned to fridges everywhere.
Thank you PoP community for all you do.
Anne-Marie Schmidt
Head of Campus – Junior
A Focus on Mindfulness
The Resilience Project in Our Classrooms
This week, our staff and students are focusing on Mindfulness in their classrooms and at break times. Working on mindfulness gives us opportunities to develop our ability to pay attention to the present moment and our thoughts. Practising mindfulness daily can help us stay focused on set tasks and reduce stress and anxiety.
Mindfulness encourages us to pay attention to our experiences in the present moment. As Christians, our awareness of the present moment is enriched by knowing that God is present with us. We know that being still before God brings peace to our minds, hearts, and spirits. At the same time, scientific studies continue to show the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for reducing stress and calming anxiety.
Whole Family Activity:
Mindful Walk
As a family, go on a walk outside in nature. This might be around your local walking track, at your local park, or just around your streets.
While walking, tune into your senses and observe what you can see, hear, and feel. Or you might choose to focus on one of the senses. E.g.: Hear: what are all the noises you can hear on your walk?
On your way home or when you return home, share what each person saw, heard, or felt.
Family Habit Builder
Each night at dinner, ask everyone to take one mouthful of food more mindfully than the rest and think about the flavours they can taste and how it makes them feel. (They can also thank the chef!).
Check out their website for more information: The Resilience Project
And check out TRP@HOME; a place filled with inspiration and activities for the whole family, to help improve your wellbeing and build resilience. TRP@HOME
Psalms 46:10 NIV
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Student Resilience Survey
Resilience and wellbeing are key factors to ensure a happy and fulfilling future for our young people.
We are proud to partner with The Resilience Project to assist our students in their wellbeing journey. To gain an accurate understanding of our students’ strengths and challenges, we will be conducting a resilience survey developed by Resilient Youth Australia and the University of South Australia. In recent years, they have surveyed more than 500,000 Australian school students.
We will administer the Resilience Survey this year online in class time. Students typically take 30-50 minutes to complete the survey.
The data from the survey will be reported in aggregate descriptive form only, by year level and gender, and no individual student responses can be identified.
The Resilience Survey is completely anonymous. The survey will provide valuable information to assist us in creating and maintaining the best culture of wellbeing and resilience that we can.
We thank you for your support.
Blessings,
Coreta Lennon
Deputy Head of Campus – Junior
Student Learning – Outside the Classroom
What a wonderful and exciting start to our learning this year as many year levels began their units of work with excursions or incursions. One of the ways we extend student understanding is through carefully planned experiences, extending learning beyond the confines of the classroom. Connecting these events to the learning that happens through the Australian Curriculum, supports our students to create meaning and real-world connections.
Excursions: A Window to the World
Excursions are a fantastic way for students to step out of their familiar environment and explore the world around them. Whether it’s a trip to a local museum, historical site, or nature reserve, excursions offer unique learning opportunities that cannot be replicated within the classroom walls.
The impact of excursions goes beyond acquiring new facts. They stimulate curiosity, foster a sense of wonder, and encourage students to make connections between what they learn in school and the real world. These experiences can ignite a passion for subjects that may have seemed abstract in the classroom.
Excursions provide students with the chance to develop important life skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Navigating new environments, interacting with experts, and engaging in hands-on activities during excursions contribute to the holistic development of our students.
Incursions: Bringing Experts to the Classroom
While excursions take students to explore the external world, incursions bring the world to them. We frequently invite experts, artists, scientists, and performers to share their knowledge and talents with our students within the school premises.
Incursions provide a unique opportunity for students to interact closely with professionals and gain insights into various fields. Whether it’s a science demonstration, a cultural performance, or a workshop on a specific skill, these experiences broaden their perspectives and deepen their understanding of the subjects they study.
The Impact on Student Learning
Both excursions and incursions play a crucial role in enhancing student learning. Research consistently shows that these experiences contribute to improved academic performance, increased engagement, and a more positive attitude towards learning. Students are more likely to remember and apply what they have learned when it is connected to real-world experiences.
So far this year, the Year 2 cohort stepped back in time with many local history lessons at Samford Museum and the Mt. Cootha Botanical Gardens provided incredible hands-on experiences for our Year 4 classes. We are looking forward to hearing all about the close encounters that will be had by Year 1 at Lone Pine Sanctuary and the discoveries that Year 3 will make at Kumbartcho Sanctuary.
As parents, you can support this process by discussing the excursions and incursions with your child. Encourage them to share their experiences, ask questions, and reflect on what they have gained from these opportunities.
Happy learning!
Rebekah Bruyn
Learning Coach
A place to be and become
It was a privilege to join with our Student Leadership Team for 2024 from Years 7 to 12 in welcoming existing Junior Campus families and prospective students and families to the Middle and Senior Campus Open Morning. These Open Mornings are held every term and are a unique opportunity to learn more about the enriching pathway that is available from Years 7 to 12 that assist young people to find their passions and possibilities for their future.
Our College Captains, Miles and Jasmine shared their Prince of Peace of story and families also gain a student view through student led tours, as well as members of the Leadership Team being available to answer questions and get to know families.
Miles and Jasmine’s story are just two of many who have found a place of belonging and confidence to pursue their passions and it is a delight to share them with you in this POPCORN edition.
My name is Miles Chewe and I currently have the privilege of being a College Captain. I became a part of the College community at the beginning of Grade 10, so I haven’t been here for a very long time. However, during this short time it is safe to say that I have learnt some very valuable skills, have had so many amazing opportunities, and made some lifelong friendships.
My earliest memories from joining the College were what I’m sure a lot of you would expect. I was entering a completely different environment, with lots of people I didn’t know so I will admit, when it came to my first day, I was pretty nervous. But something I noticed straight away was how welcoming the staff and students were.
All of my teachers recognised that I was a new face and introduced themselves straight away. They made sure that I had somebody to work with in class and that I wasn’t left alone. But this was never an issue as my peers made me feel just as welcomed. There is something great about being part of a smaller school community, as it feels like a big family where everyone feels comfortable to interact with and respect one another.
Another part of my Prince of Peace experience that I have thoroughly enjoyed has been both camps that our Grade has been on. The most memorable one for me was Emu Gulley last year. This camp not only helped me develop important leadership skills, but also encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. I can genuinely say that these were some of the most memorable and fun experiences I’ve ever had.
Overall, my journey at Prince of Peace has been nothing short of transformative. From my initial steps into the College community to becoming a College Captain, every moment has been a stepping stone towards personal growth and meaningful connections. The valuable skills and unforgettable experiences I have had as being a part of this College, have shaped me into the person I am today, and I am thankful for every one of these opportunities.
Hi, my name is Jasmine and I have the honour of being a College Captain here at Prince of Peace for this year. I have been attending PoP since Kindy, so I have had the chance to experience more than thirteen amazing years here, but perhaps one of my highlights was the Battle of the Bands competition last year.
When Miles and I first became College Captains last year, we wanted to not only grow the Music Department here, but find a way to celebrate this new Auditorium space. We were fortunate enough to see this happen in October last year, when we hosted the first annual Battle of the Bands. After weeks of preparation, one Friday in Term Four everyone came to school in their best ‘band’ theme outfits, ready to cheer on their friends. At lunchtime everyone came into the auditorium, and with our special guests sitting at the judging panel, we were ready to begin. We had ten bands compete, along with a special surprise staff performance to finish the day. The atmosphere in the room throughout the competition was electric. Students were on their feet for standing ovations, clapping, and singing along, and when the time came to announce the winners, everyone held their breaths.
Ultimately the day was beyond our expectations. We were able to see students perform who had never been on stage before, and groups of people come together for the first time to create something super cool. The feeling of community on this day was unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and I can’t wait to see a repeat of it at our second annual Battle of the Bands competition this year.
Congratulations to our Year 12 Graduates 2023
We wish to extend our special congratulations and blessings to our Year 12 graduating class of 2023 as they begin their first weeks at University and TAFE Colleges. We wish them all the best and trust that they will go into their new adventure prepared, proud and with a servant heart.
To everyone from the Class of 2023: we pray that you embrace and enjoy the next phase of life-long learning, whether that be in a tertiary mode of study, on the job or a trade. We are proud of who you are and who you have become.
Continuous Feedback (Progressive Reporting) and Parent/Teacher/Student Conversations
In creating powerful partnerships between students, parents and teachers, progressive reporting and continuous feedback is given to students and parents on learning. What this means is twice a term for each subject, students and parents will receive feedback on SEQTA on assessment for learning in real time. As parents you will gain a notification through SEQTA that feedback has been updated and you can check the feedback teachers have given.
This is our mode of reporting for this term and there will be two pieces of feedback by the end of Week 10. An end of Semester 1 a report will be issued that will report on overall grade for the semester, work habits for success and a pastoral care teacher comment.
We also have Parent, Teacher and Student Conversations which will be on Thursday 21 March from 3:30pm-7:30pm and Wednesday 27 March from 3:30pm-7:30pm. The focus on these conversation times is for students and parents to be present with teachers. Bookings for these sessions will come out via SEQTA on Direct Message and we use an online booking system called SOBS.
At any time, you wish to communicate with teachers about your child’s learning please do not hesitate to contact individual subject teachers.
We look forward to seeing you all at the POP Picnic where we are celebrating 40 years of Living in Community on Friday 1 March at the Junior Campus!
My School Lunches on the Middle & Senior Campus
I am pleased to announce that the Middle & Senior Campus will be utilising My School Lunch to offer a special lunch day on Friday 22 March. On offer will be a Sub or Sushi Meal Deal.
Please refer to your SEQTA message regarding how to order or visit My School Lunch here >
Sarah Hoff-Zweck
Head of Campus – Middle and Senior
Have Courage, Be Resilient
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
This week our Middle & Senior Campus Worship was focused on Courage, one of our four Prince of Peace values that guides us as we enact our College Mission and Vision. Chaplain Reilly, Mr Veentjer and Year 9 students led the Worship, challenging us to be courageous as a community. Having the courage to do something different to others, take risks in our learning, and make social mistakes are all a part of learning and growing into the person God intended us to be. Being strong and courageous can only happen if we rely on God’s help and guidance, rather than think we can ‘go it alone’. This is the same at school each day – together we are better. The concept of Ubuntu that our Year 9 students focus on in the HPE and Christian Studies curriculum, assists in building courage leading up to and beyond their Mt Binga camp experience.
Being courageous is about having resilience when things don’t go as we planned, or our dreams did not come true, how do we bounce back and have another go or try again? Our Middle and Senior students have been engaging with learning from our Wellbeing program The Resilience Project (TRP), to have a common, consistent language of wellbeing and emotional literacy. Learning with your young person about resilience, as parents and carers, you also have access to this program through the Parent & Carer Hub Click Here to Access or scan the QR code.
Student Leadership Council (SLC) 2024
The MSC Student Leadership Council (SLC) have met twice this term as a team of like-minded individuals who have a passion for improving our school and promoting and supporting community events and initiatives. The SLC have already helped the P&F fundraising event on Pancake Tuesday to raise funds for the ALWS Ukraine appeal. Two student representatives from each PC class are invited to be SLC Representatives, with our College Captains leading the Senior school SLC members, and two specially appointed Middle School SLC Leaders leading the Middle school SLC members. Two initiatives that the SLC will be supporting this year are ALWS Walk My Way and the PoP College Winter Carnival. The SLC will be presenting Worship on MSC in Week 8 (Tuesday morning) with Chaplain Reilly and special guest from the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and ALWS, Michael Stolz, to talk to all students about being involved in ALWS Walk My Way Ukraine Brisbane event being held on 11 May, 2024.
Melissa Graham
Director of Wellbeing – Middle & Senior Campus
Junior Campus Sport
NISSA Events
Last Friday, was the first of our Year 4-6 NISSA Gala Day’s for Tee-Ball, Touch Football and Basketball. It was a very warm day on the fields and courts, but a day filled with excitement, great competition and energy. Our coaches were able to reflect and be proud of how the older students were willing to support our younger students, sharing their knowledge and skills in all of the games. All teams displayed exceptional sportsmanship and as the day went on students grew more confident in their own abilities and the abilities of their teammates. Thank you also to our wonderful coaches for their expertise and assistance and our parent supporters. We look forward to the next NISSA Gala Day, Week 9, Friday 22 March.
Still awaiting word yet if NISSA Swimming is going to be rescheduled after it was cancelled due to weather.
Fun Run & Cross Country events
Starting this week in Physical Education classes, students will participate in physical activities designed to enhance fitness and endure in preparation for their upcoming Fun Run and Cross Country events; Week 8, Friday 15 March — K-2 Fun Run, and Week 10, Tuesday 26 March — 3-12 Cross Country Carnival. A courtesy reminder Running Club is Tuesday and Wednesday’s first break on the Oval with Mrs Schneider.
Jessica Schneider
Junior Campus PE Teacher & Sport Coordinator
Middle & Senior Campus Sport
Met North Swimmers
Congratulations to the following athletes who attended the Met North Swimming Carnival at Chandler this week: Thomas Doolan, Elizabeth Gooch, Erin Doig, Thomas Forbes-Schutz, Chloe Wheatley, Hannes Forbes-Schutz and Freya Forbes-Schutz.
These students achieved some wonderful results, with a number of PBs being set on the day, well done to all!
Year 11 NISSA Gala Day
Our first ever Year 11 NISSA Gala Day was held on Tuesday 27 February. Students were able to select from a number of different sports (Touch Football, PickleBall, Tennis or Beach Volleyball) and participate in a social competition with students from Grace Lutheran College, Genesis Christian College and The Lakes College. The students had a fantastic day! All staff involved were very impressed with their application and participation throughout the day.
Year 12 NBIS Gala Day
Our Year 12s participated in the NBIS Gala Day on Tuesday 27 February at the South Pine Beach Volleyball Complex. PoP entered three boys teams and one girls team. This competition is held each term (with a different sport each time) and the principles of fair play and inclusion are at the forefront of the event. PoP has always shown a level of maturity, cooperation and composure when at this event and have taken out the fair play award consistently. Yet again, our athletes stood out to all schools involved, with one of our boys’ teams taking out this award (all PoP teams were in the top four for Fair Play). As staff, it is a very proud moment when we have spectators and teachers from other schools commenting positively about our students and they way they conduct themselves.
For the first time ever, we were also able to take out the overall points shield, with our girls volleyball team remaining undefeated throughout the tournament and winning the final. The girls were very happy with their performance, particularly when a number of them had been involved last year where we narrowly lost in the Grand Final.
Well done to all our students involved!
If you require any more information, please contact myself via SEQTA or the Senior Campus via email receptionsc@princeofpeace.qld.edu.au
Gabrielle Collman
Middle & Senior Campus Teacher – Sports Coordinator
Middle & Senior Campus Music News
Date Saver: Soloists on Show Soiree | Thursday 14 March 6pm | Middle & Senior Campus Auditorium
If you want to be a performer at the Soloists On Show Soiree make sure that you or your tutor put forward your Plan to Ms Brady. Please include:
- TITLE of the work
- The composer (not necessarily the band who perform it, look it up)
- The length of the performance
- What gear you may need to have set up for you.
- Will you be using a backing track (download it and give a copy to Ms Brady)
The performances need to be finalised by 7 March so get practicing!
SEQTA continues to be used for all notifications of Private Tuition and Ensemble Rehearsals. Students receive invitations to appointments for their rehearsals. It is important that they learn to accept invitations if they are coming and decline if for some reason they cannot attend. A DM should follow up with an explanation from a parent or guardian. Often these come from the student rather than from home. I hope that you can see the problems that could arise from this practice in an out of school hours activity. It is important that you are attentive to letting us know.
Spaces are still available for tuition on Voice, Drums, Piano, Guitar, Strings and other Woodwind and Brass instruments. Private Lessons will appear as a timetabled lesson in the student’s timetable. I wish I had that in my day. If in doubt see Ms Brady in M1.
Let’s get started and make some music!
Linda Brady
Middle & Senior Campus Curriculum Leader of Music and Coordinator of Extra-Curricular Music
Dance Club
Each Tuesday at lunch time a group of energetic young students meet with Mrs Sevillano (our Junior Campus teacher for The Arts) to have fun and work up a bit of a sweat learning and choreographing dance routines.
New members are welcome to come along and join the group up until the end of Term 1—no dance experience required.
Worship
Sunday 3 March:
9am Worship
Sunday 10 March:
9am Worship
5pm Together@5 – Grow
Please keep an eye on the Prince of Peace Church Facebook page for service updates.
Lent Sermon Series
During 2024 lent we will be holding a sermon series during Worship@9 on Sundays 9am.
In our youth, we set out to harness our inward strength and believe in our limitless potential. As we get older we believe that with enough knowledge, enough expertise, enough self-improvement, enough grit, we can make it.
Each day that passes we discover more and more that there are: the have-it-togethers and the messed up; the successful and the barely hanging on.
We would like to believe that we are just one day, one event, one win away from the life we always wanted….but it never seems to come.
In this sermon series we discover the more awareness we have that we are weak and frail and incapable of doing this thing called life, the more perfectly we are positioned to meet the God of grace and love.
