The College Council would like to thank the Directors of Primary School for a detailed, positive and future-focused presentation to the Council about everything that is happening in Primary School.

The College Council is working closely with Lutheran Education Queensland (LEQ) to recruit a suitable new principal for Peace. Someone who can continue to build on the work done by Mrs Elisabeth Fenske for the past 10 years, and lead the College on its future journey.

They are happy with the calibre of applicants and the appointment of a new principal should be finalised in the near future. Tanya Crooks, the new Executive Director for Lutheran Education Queensland this year, came up to visit the College last month. She enjoyed meeting staff and students and getting to know the College. The Council are in the process to finalise the new Strategic Plan for the College and looks forward to sharing this with the community.

Kathy Close
College Council Chairperson

Peace Lutheran College Council is seeking expressions of interest from parents with a WHS, Legal or HR background to join our Risk Committee.

Our Risk Committee meets four times annually for 1.5 hours maximum, per meeting.

The role of this Committee is to assist College Council in its oversight of the effectiveness of the Risk Management Framework.

The Committee will perform its role through:

1. Overseeing the College’s risk appetite and risk tolerance.
2. Considering the risk policy and strategy.
3. Ensuring that there are adequate College-wide processes and systems for identifying and reporting risk and deficiencies, including emerging risk.
4. An overview of the key risk issues identified across the College and its wider network.

For further information please contact Mr Darren Morrissy, Business Manager, via email.

Dear Parents and Friends,

I have successfully dodged the previous Covid waves and started to think that I was immune. No such luck! By the time I returned from attending the Australian Conference on Lutheran Education in Melbourne over the holidays, my turn had come. I am thankful that my experience was relatively mild. After a couple of days, I felt pretty good again, however, the seven days of isolation were challenging in themselves when there is so much going on.

We are currently experiencing an increase in Covid cases, both among students and staff, and we are working hard to ensure the educational program is minimally affected by these disruptions. The safety and wellbeing of all students and staff is our main priority and I want to thank all our community members for your understanding as well as support in ensuring a safe environment by keeping your children at home if they are unwell, testing for Covid and encouraging safety measures such as wearing of face masks, social distancing and maintaining good hand hygiene.

I am pretty confident when I predict that most of us love it when life flows smoothly, when things are good, and when challenges are few. However, the last few years have certainly been filled with challenges beyond our control. And they keep on coming. It has been hard work and frustrating. But I find comfort and strength in James chapter 1, verses 2-4, where God tells us that we are to consider it a joy when we go through times of testing and difficulty, as these times offer us the opportunity to experience the greatest amount of growth. Seeing life from God’s perspective will help us to be prepared for the hard times that we will face…and trust me, hard times are assured for all of us. With this perspective, we can get to a point where we embrace challenges and mature beyond where we are now and take one step further in God’s plan for our lives. Next time you face a difficult situation that brings pressure or discomfort to your life, remember that God is right there with you to give you what you need to come out stronger. That doesn’t mean He is bringing on the challenge; it means He will bring on the strength you need to come out on top! No challenge will come your way that the two of you cannot handle.

God Bless,

Elisabeth Fenske
Principal

Please note: All families are encouraged to read the Child Protection Policy that is included in the 'Community' section of this newsletter, as well as on our College's website. Maintaining the wellbeing and safety of the members of our community is everyone’s responsibility. Reporting matters of concern to the College is a key part of maintaining the wellbeing of all people.

Hello all, I hope you have had an enjoyable term so far. It was a pleasure to meet a number of parents during the Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 3.

After last term's reporting, it should be clear to students what they need to do to achieve their potential in this semester’s assessment. I would like to thank all parents for the critical role they play in partnership with the College by supporting students at home, monitoring assessment due dates and maintaining our clear expectations on uniforms and behaviour. the Peace Parent Portal continues to see high use and is an essential tool in making sure you are aware of events, due dates and expectations.

Senior students are reminded that they should still be wearing ties this term and that a hat is required at all times. The support of parents in achieving the correct school uniform is essential in achieving a school that we can be proud of and I thank you for your support.

God Bless,

Peter Cummings
Director of Secondary

Year 12 students are entering the final phase of their studies and ATAR exam students will begin the External Assessment phase in Week 4 of Term 4. External Examinations are scheduled over three weeks, which leads them up to the final week (Week 7) of graduation. With the significant contribution of the External Exams (25-50%) to final grades, it is essential that students work hard on their revision to maximise their contribution towards their ATAR.

Year 12 students are now beginning to enter the revision phase as Unit 4 theory is completed. A program of study and tutorials is in place during the six Periods of Sport and Religion & Ethics (course now completed). Careful monitoring and support of students have been initiated to ensure that students obtain their QCE and quality ATAR results. Curriculum and Pastoral Care staff have been working tirelessly to provide supplementary tutorials, courses, support and advice.

I would like to thank them for their continued and unwavering dedication to supporting our senior students.

Thank you to Boarding for allowing the Boarders Recreation Centre to be used for the ATAR testing throughout the year which has provided students with authentic exam conditions to maintain assessment integrity and prepare them for QCAA External Assessment. We should be very proud of our 2022 Year 12 students and their efforts this year.

Peter Cummings
Director of Secondary

‘Public use’ sample external assessments - sample papers were developed to help schools and students prepare for external assessments in 2020.

Preparing students for external assessment in 2022

The introduction of external assessment in General subjects is a key feature of the new QCE system. To give school communities a sense of what external assessment will be like, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) has published sample papers on its website - they are located in the Assessment tab on each syllabus page.

We will incorporate these sample resources in our teaching and learning program to help our students prepare for next year. In the meantime, students and parents are encouraged to view the sample papers.

An information sheet for parents and students is also available on the QCAA website.

Chris Rider
Chief Executive Officer, QCAA

Our Year 11 and 12 Hospitality Practices students did a wonderful job of putting on a Mexican fiesta event as part of their assessment task for Hospitality Practices. The teachers were very impressed and quite happy to be part of their assessment piece.

The College was privileged to have secured a visit on Monday from Professor Anthony Gray, a Professor of Law at USQ and the author of several books of Law. Professor Gray conducted a face-to-face session with our Year 11 and 12 Legal Studies students, discussing developments in Law. He also worked through several real-life case studies with the students, providing them with an opportunity to question and provide their own personal opinions of the decisions made in each of the cases.

Professor Gray was in Cairns to deliver a lecture for Legal Studies teachers and we are extremely grateful to him for taking time out of his schedule to workshop with our students. The Business Liaison Association once again provided the support to make Professor Gray's visit possible. Thank you to our Legal Studies teacher, Mrs Wright for organising this valuable experience for our students.

Year 10 camp this year was a new experience for our cohort, venturing up to Lake Tinaroo environmental education centre to learn new skills and activities. The primary focus of the camp was to work on bringing our year level together as a team and challenging ourselves beyond our limits. Participating in breathtaking activities such as high ropes and rock climbing, and teamwork tasks lead us to learn about the five main keys to success: confidence, getting along, organisation, persistence, and resilience.

We stayed at the camp for three nights and four days, and throughout these days we went kayaking, orienteering, building catapults, and hiking through the bush, navigating our way to the highest point of the mountain. Persistence and trust were key themes throughout the four days, in trusting our teammates and working through hard challenges that we were left to solve on our own.

After coming back from this camp we’ve learnt how to care for our environment through composting and solar energy and helping us understand the importance of protecting our world. The camp brought our cohort closer together through campfires at night and intense games of volleyball in the afternoon. Altogether, Camp Tinaroo gave us all an amazing four days to spend together in a beautiful place.

- Kauri, Ella and Kiera (Year 10 students)

The Year 10 History students finished their first semester of History with a visit to the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum at Smithfield. The museum is home to an extensive collection of armoured vehicles and artillery from World War II.

As part of their depth study of World War II, students investigated wartime experiences including the causes, events, outcomes and broader impact of the conflict as an episode in world history. The visit to the museum provided the students with an opportunity to examine historical artefacts relevant to their studies in a space considered to be one of the biggest in the southern hemisphere. It was also a great way for the college to support a local business.

Year 10 Work Experience takes place at the end of the term and students have been busy developing their resumes and participating in interviews with Skills 360 to secure an employer for the week. We are looking forward to students returning in Term 4 with many stories about their exploits in the workplace. In the past, many have been incredibly positive, and some have been less so, but all of these experiences are formative and allow our students to make decisions about which direction to take in subject selection and future career pathways.

Beautiful Palm Cove beach became the classroom for our Year 8 Geography students in Week 1 of this term. As part of their unit, Landforms and Landscapes, students looked for evidence of longshore drift, which is the movement of sediments along a coastline. This data is being used in their assessment for this Term 3.

Fieldwork is central to the study of Geography as it provides authentic opportunities for our students to engage in real-world applications of geographical skills, as well as investigate and interact with places around them.

In the last term, the Year 7s were blessed to complement their learning about churches and worship spaces by visiting a range of local churches and we were grateful to have the students from Gulf Christian College join us on our excursion.

Pastor Greg from Trinity Lutheran Church explained the special features within the church and highlighted the special anniversary celebrations the congregation was having at the time we visited. Students were encouraged to ask questions to continue their investigation into the external and internal features of church buildings to discover why these features are important for Christians. Pastor Adam put on his pastor's gown and explained that pastors wear these special clothes to take the emphasis away from themselves and put the focus back onto God during worship. Students enjoyed having a pizza lunch before moving to St Monica's Cathedral.

At St Monica's Cathedral, students entered the building with awe and wonder as they stared at the amazing stained-glass representation of Creation. We were able to sit quietly and listen to the Christian Studies teachers talk about the church's features. Did you know that the amazing 24 Creation windows, depicting the story of creation taken from the book of Genesis, is the longest themed stained-glass window in the world? It is worth a visit if you have not been before.

We were also extremely grateful to Freshwater Christian College for warmly welcoming our students for a Friday chapel service.

As an extension of their visit, the students designed some wonderful structures as a way to explain their investigation of the importance of external and internal features of worship spaces.

Junita Eime
Head of Christian Studies

Our Year 7 and 8 students have been harvesting fresh produce from our school gardens as part of their Agriculture learning unit. The students plant and harvest fresh vegetables and herbs to use as part of their practical assessment task in agriculture.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award enables students to gain valuable life skills and earn a QCE point. The Award involves participants having to complete physical activity, service and skill for one hour per week for three months. However, the bits that everyone looks forward to are the adventurous journeys; two days of hiking through Cairns’ rugged terrain.

Last term, the Duke of Ed team headed into the Barron Gorge National Park for their practice adventurous journey. Congratulations to the 11 hikers that hiked from Speewah campsite down Smiths track and back to school. A quite taxing 11km hike through dense rainforests and the odd flowing creek. They spent the night in 2-man tents or hammocks, cooked dinner on Trangia stoves, completed first aid scenarios and learnt how to start a fire. Participants had to carry everything that they need for the two days. With the cumulative weight, you soon realise what you don’t need: pj’s, bath towels and even leeches are just some of the things that you don’t want to lug about.

This year brought warm weather, having an extremely warm 14 degrees at night. Even with a few “wait-a-while” moments, all of the students got a lot of enjoyment and camaraderie out of the experience. All students demonstrated exceptional determination and leadership skills.

Over the next few months whilst I am on leave students will continue to work on other sections of their awards. Until our next hike in October.

Kellie Brooker
DoE Program Coordinator

We are extremely proud of our 10 Duke of Edinburgh Award participants, who, the last term, were awarded their Bronze Certificate.

The Bronze Award has four major components: volunteering, physical recreation, skills and expedition. Our DoE Coordinator, Mrs Brooker, said, "Undertaking my Bronze Award was an amazing experience, and I would recommend it to everyone."

Congratulations to Jordan, Riley, Ashlyn, Kaylee, Sophie, Coco, Sienna, Arime, Cara and Meleka. Each of these students has worked tremendously hard to complete this Award during the challenges of COVID, with many restrictions placed on them.

A Korean TV crew and some famous Korean presenters were on campus in Week 2 filming an episode of their show on sustainability. The Environment Group students and Mrs Cummings were kept very busy taking multiple takes of scenes in and around the College. We look forward to seeing the finished episode once it is released.

The Senior Environmental group are looking for volunteers to help with continuing their recycling efforts. As the end of our Year 12's students' studies approach, we need other senior students to take up the torch and continue this effort which is now in its 12^th year. The group does a fantastic job of mulching, planting and sorting our collected recycling to make sure that none of the bins is contaminated with food or non-recyclable materials.

Any other recycling ideas or initiatives would be very welcome.

Many students are currently seeking references for their University place applications and accommodation. Participation in community efforts such as this reflects very favourably on our participating students and makes for an interesting resume.

Our HPE department has introduced a new practical program for our Secondary students, including new activities - Latin Dance, Futsal and Tennis. The HPE students worked alongside the Sport & Recreation students to allow them to complete their tournament assessment for the Futsal unit.

The Year 1 students have had a few events in quick succession. At the end of Term 2, they went on an excursion to support their learning about local habitats and to see their community through the eyes of the First People. They also had an incursion with our local firefighters, which is always a showstopper for the children.

Rainforestation

Year 1s travelled to Kuranda to visit the Rainforestation as part of their PBL unit of study. Although it was a cold, wet day, the students merrily set out on an adventure.

They were immersed in Indigenous Culture from start to finish. Students heard stories and learnt the meaning of many names and places as well as why these places are important to the local people.

They saw some traditional dances and then were invited up on stage to practise them before performing for parents and teachers in an impromptu recital! Many students opted to get their faces painted beforehand so they could play their parts more realistically.

Of course, the day ended with some traditional boomerang throwing. After learning about the distinct types of boomerangs and their uses, students were encouraged to give them a go. Finally, there was an impressive demonstration of spear-throwing by our guides.

Students learned a lot about their environment and how the First People use and care for the land entrusted to them.

Firefighter's Visit

Our Year 1 students also had the pleasure of our local Fire Department showing up in a fire truck to teach them about fire safety. The firefighters dressed up in their special fireproof gear, explaining what each piece protects them from. They then put on their ventilators so the children could see what they would look like and more importantly sound like while breathing through it.

Children practised how to Stop, Drop and Roll as well as how to follow the firemen to safety.

The finale is always getting sprayed by the fire hose. Students also had the opportunity to do the soaking, so it was a ‘win, win’ all around.

On Friday of Week 9 Term 2, Year 3 went on an excursion to Hartley’s Crocodile Farm. They were all very excited to leave school for the day and travel by bus along the Captain Cook Highway. They arrived and stopped for morning tea immediately, before going on the crocodile cruise. This caused different emotions for different students, some excitement, some fear and some anticipation. After watching the crocodiles jumping out of the water and learning all their names, the students spotted a water snake, an eel and an escaped crocodile hatchling on a log.

Year 3 then went to the Amphitheatre to watch crocodiles being fed, followed by a meeting with an eclectic parrot, a goanna and a snake. Then it was their turn to eat lunch before finishing the day with a scavenger hunt for vertebrates, invertebrates, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds which aligned with their PBL animal classification study for Term 2.

As part of their PBL unit in Term 2, the Year 5 students planned, prepared, advertised and ran a restaurant for staff and families called, The Koi. Each student designed a logo for their restaurant and then voted on the winner. They studied how to prepare delicacies such as sushi, …. by inviting parents, who double as chefs, into the classroom for several workshops. Students decided which meals they wanted to offer guests and then deduced what ingredients they needed to buy. After conducting a cost analysis, they were able to identify the cost of each meal.

Students designed the menu, sent out their invitations and cooked up a storm! Each student had a role to play during the restaurant’s grand opening. There were waiters, servers, cooks, seaters, and cleaners. All pitched in for a cracker of an afternoon!

The Cairns Show was a tremendous success. Our College school's display showcased our Primary school beautifully and highlighted what each year level has been studying in class.

Our Peace Lutheran College site in the Fred Moule Pavilion was interactive this year, with children able to plant a seed in one of our raised garden beds. The seedlings have been transferred to Year 1 so they can be nurtured to maturity. Families who expressed an interest will receive regular updates regarding their seedlings, so each child is able to track the progress of their plant.

We had many families display an interest in our school through the site. It was also wonderful to see our current students bring their parents and introduce their families to us. It is always such a special time to advertise the merits of our school within the larger community.

Student Competition Entries

Congratulations to our Primary school students who entered some of their work into the various competitions at this year's Show.

Year 2 students entered the Arts & Crafts competition with their Monet paintings with Marika receiving 3rd Place and Elsie and Georgia both receiving Highly Commended.

Congratulations also to siblings, Year 6 student Christian and Year 4 student Edward who submitted close to 30 entries across the Arts & Crafts, Home Economics and Photography sections. Christian won the Overall Champion of Junior Sweets for the third year in a row. He collected five 1st and seven 2nd placements and one Highly Commended. Edward received six 1st, two 2nd and two 3rd placements and one Highly Commended.

Well done everybody!

There was a school-wide initiative by our Indigenous Coordinator this year to get all students involved in National Sorry Day. Students learned about the significance of the Acknowledgement of Country and were encouraged to write their own in recognition of National Sorry Day. These and commemorative wreaths were hung in the classroom to remind students of the treatment the First People suffered. It served as a reminder to them that history should not repeat itself.

As many of you are aware, we say farewell to some of our Primary Staff this term. 

Mrs Melissa Turner will be leaving us to take on a role with ABC Disability as a Resource Coordinator. Mrs Turner is excited by the opportunity but is reluctant to leave our Peace community. We wish Mrs Turner the very best in her new role and look forward to seeing her around the school as a parent.

Stacey Watt has graciously agreed to teach Year 1 and Year 2 Arts classes in Primary. The children are very familiar with Mrs Watt and will require little transition time.

The other half of Melissa’s role will be covered by Mrs Kate Kinkade for the rest of Term 3. Mrs Kinkade is new to our Peace community. She will be teaching one day a week in Prep A and Prep B.

We will also be saying goodbye to our Year 4 teacher, Mrs Andrea Rudnickij. Andrea has decided to return to Melbourne to be closer to family. Interviews are ongoing to replace her for the year.

Finally, we also farewelled our Japanese teacher, Mrs Kyoko Nagata-Black. Kyoko has decided to focus on family this year instead of teaching. Mrs Hisako Kotzur will be teaching Japanese in Primary for the remainder of the year.

Peace Primary thanks these wonderful teachers for their contributions to our community and wish them all the best in their future endeavours!

The third term has started successfully in Boarding. The students farewelled their families, pets and friends at home to settle in with us for another ten weeks. We’ve welcomed a few new students and staff members to the boarding community, and look forward to a positive term together.

The students survived a chilly snap in Week 1 where the overnight temperatures dropped as low as 10 degrees. Many were appreciating the winter clothes and woolly blankets they’d brought from home.

The Year 10s embarked on an adventurous camp at Lake Tinaroo for four days in Week 2. They reported having a fabulous time with their friends and came back exhausted. The following week, our Year 11s took off to Echo Creek, inland from Tully. They got involved in a range of activities, such as hiking, archery, laser tag and abseiling.

Weekend activities have been keeping the students busy so far this term, including a Lasertag trip and a BBQ lunch at Palm Cove, enjoying the winter sun.

Our boarding system can only offer such a full program with fun, safety and academic support thanks to the devoted staff who work to take care of the students, and we extend special thanks to them all for their contributions.

Like many other places in Australia, Cairns and Peace Lutheran College have been hit by the recent COVID wave. Staff, students and families have all been impacted, ranging from being mildly ill and the inconvenience of isolation to significant symptoms and health concerns. We pray for good health, protection from COVID, strength and healing for those with the virus, and for patience and grace for those whose lives and routines are disrupted as a result.

Perhaps this is an opportunity for us to reflect and consider if we are ‘handling’ it better this time around, or if we have produced any endurance or character as suggested in the Bible verse above. So, are you more patient with the inconvenience this time? Are you prioritising those things that you thought were more important the last time we had lockdowns or had to isolate? Do you still have hope?

These words from the Apostle Paul in the New Testament book of Romans remind us once again that despite the things that are happening around us, including another COVID wave, we are still justified by faith and have peace with God. So, we can persevere and have patience, and even boast in our afflictions, because we still have the sure and certain hope of salvation.

As annoying and inconvenient as it may be for us at this time because of disruptions caused by the virus, and even for those for whom it may be very serious, there is room for joy and for growth. God will see us through once again, and we may be better for it as our patience and character are put to the test. More importantly, we can take heart once again as we trust and know that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

God bless,

Pastor Adam
College Pastor

During the last week of the term break, I received two calls to serve other parishes in the Lutheran Church. In the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand, pastors are eligible to receive a call from a vacant parish, and then prayerfully consider whether to accept or decline. The usual time frame for consideration for a call is four weeks.

Lutherans acknowledge that serving as a pastor is a vocation and a calling from God to serve His church and the world through a public position/ministry in churches, schools, aged care facilities and hospitals, and even in mission fields. When a pastor receives a call to serve in another place, it is also a test of his current call. And after careful consideration and prayer, he is entitled to accept or decline and then continue in his current service.

The parishes that I have been called to are Bethlehem Lutheran Church, an inner-city congregation in Adelaide; and St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church & Aged Care in Glynde, also in Adelaide. If I accept one of these calls then plans will be made for when I would move.

All being well, I will announce whether I accept or decline the calls towards the end of Week 4 of this term. I ask that you please keep me and my family in your prayers as I consider the calls to serve the Lutheran Church in other places, and the continuing call to serve at Peace Lutheran College. If you have questions, please feel free to come and ask.

Pastor Adam
College Pastor

Chapel for Secondary school is regularly on Wednesday mornings at 8:15 am and for Primary School at 2:10 pm on Friday afternoon. Parents and carers are welcome to join us for chapel.

Families of the College are invited to join members of Trinity Lutheran Church for worship on Sundays. Service times at Trinity, on Severin Street in Manunda, are advertised on the parish website.

Church services at the College continue during the school term, and all members of the Peace community are welcome to join us at these services which are advertised through the school app and social media.

In the last term, some of our Secondary students were fortunate to have participated in relevant, engaging workshops led by the team from UPP (Unleashing Personal Potential). The workshops were fun, engaging and relevant and thoroughly enjoyed by the students.

Year 7: Mates that Count

Transitioning to high school is often a tricky space for young people, particularly when it comes to making new friendships. The UPP team provided an active learning space for our Year 7s to build on current friendships and build new ones. Students participated in a range of games designed to get them thinking about what positive friendships look like and how to develop them. Pete and Dylan got students to reflect on what authentic friendship means and how we can rise by lifting others. It was great to hear the students encouraging each other during the session and giving “shout-outs” to others in their grade who had made a difference in their lives.

Year 11: Equip Leadership

Students in Year 11 participated in a full-day Leadership workshop led by Lachlan and Dylan from UPP. Designed to challenge perceptions of what it means to be a leader, the workshop encouraged all to look for opportunities to be leaders within both their cohort and the College. It involved hands-on challenges, active learning and times for reflection, with key takeaways being:

• Leadership is more than a badge
• Perspective is a powerful thing
• Listening is an important, underrated skill

Year 12: Stronger Connections

Our Year 12s had a morning out of the classroom to participate in a Stronger Connections workshop with the UPP Team. This session explored the importance of building connections through listening, encouragement, conflict resolution and forgiveness. The team spoke of the African philosophy of Ubuntu and the idea in working together for the good of all, we become stronger. Year 12s were challenged to connect with students they wouldn’t normally work with to help them see the benefit of broadening networks – a skill many will find useful in the next 6 months as they open the next chapter of their lives beyond school.

Kirsten Anderson
Director of Wellbeing

On Tuesday the 12^th of July, during the Primary school assembly, we officially welcomed Senior Constable Casey Leishmann and Senior Constable Matthew Henderson as our Peace Lutheran College Adopt-A-Cops.

Casey and Matt are familiar faces already within our community, with them both having children in Primary School. We are blessed to have them working alongside us to support our students from P-12.

The Adopt-A-Cop program was created to cultivate positive relationships between the police and members of the community. Matt and Casey will work within the College to assist with our Pastoral and Wellbeing programs across Primary and Secondary, as well as organising opportunities for students to experience their police cars and meet their working dogs.

Some of the topics Matt and Casey will cover with our students include:

Parent Information Sessions

We are grateful for the perspectives Casey and Matt will be able to bring to the College as their diverse backgrounds and experiences will really complement what we are doing within the pastoral space.

They have also expressed a willingness to deliver information sessions for parents, as we work together to provide a multifaceted approach to educating our young people.

If there are any topics you would particularly like us to bring to a parent session, please let me know by sending me an email.

Kirsten Anderson
Director of Wellbeing

We ended Term 2 with an inter-house theatre sports event run by the king of the theatre, Mr O'Mara. The Heads of House worked our best 'good judge/ bad judge' routine, scoring the brave participants until the winning team was revealed. A special congratulations to the Gold House who took out the inaugural theatre sports award with excellent acting by Caleb Simkins, Caleb Maas and Molly O'Mara, to name but a few. Thank you to Brodie O'Mara and the participants for a truly thespian afternoon!

Kelly Dare
Head of House - Green Eagles

At this time of the year, the Curriculum Team at the College begins the planning and preparation for the next academic year. 2022 has been another busy and productive year for our College community; student results, school events and extra-curricular activities. Some of these College events have been missing during the last two years due to Covid. It has been wonderful to see them back.

This time of the year is when we reflect on what is working well and what else we can do to continue to improve all we do. In the curriculum space, this includes the subject offerings for students across the College and extra-curricular activities that can be implemented.

Recently I have conducted subject information sessions with students and parents, and it is at these sessions that students have been asking questions that show they are motivated to be the best student and people they can be. It was wonderful to talk to parents who shared the fact that their children love Peace because they are encouraged to work hard and that their hard work is recognised and celebrated.

The Curriculum Team from across the College encourages all students and parents to contact their teachers to talk about how we can work together to maximise outcomes in all learning areas.

Clare MacDermott
Director of Teaching & Learning

A curriculum question I am often asked is, “What is the difference between HPE and Sport?” Let me give you a brief explanation.

HPE = The Australian Curriculum Learning Area, Health and Physical Education (HPE). This Learning Area details knowledge and skills that students need to know and be able to do from Prep through to Year 10. The Health and Physical Education teachers conduct outdoor lessons and in-class theory lessons to learn knowledge and skills.

Sport = Timetabled spaces in the day where students are involved in outdoor physical activities. These activities range from games against fellow students through to organised team sports against other schools.

Both HPE and Sport are an important part of what we do at the College and an essential part of each student’s development; physically, emotionally, socially and mentally. Research supports how important it is for the human body to remain active in life.

Clare MacDermott
Director of Teaching & Learning

The last two weeks of Term 2 resulted in some basketball success for our fantastic College. Our Year 7/8 Girls and Year 9/10 Boys Basketball teams were victorious in their respective Gala Days, hosted by Smithfield State High School. These two teams remained undefeated throughout their competitions and displayed fantastic sportsmanship. A special mention must also go to our Year 9/10 Girls team, who finished in 3rd place. Congratulations to all of the students who participated and thank you to the coaches: Mr Atkins, Mr Fernandez and Mrs Turner.

Alex Collins
Sports Coordinator

Term 2 sport concluded with four of our CISSA teams (Girls and Boys Volleyball, Girls Touch and Girls Soccer) playing in their respective grand finals. Although they did not come away with the silverware, it was an amazing result for so many of our teams to reach the final game of the season.

Thank you to all of the students and coaches who gave it their all throughout the season. You should be very proud of your efforts. Year 10 and 11 students have now commenced a general Sports program, while some Year 12 students have volunteered their time to help coach and mentor our JSS teams.

Alex Collins
Sports Coordinator

Another busy term of school sport is upon us with JSS, Peninsula Athletics and several inter-school sports competitions all on the horizon.

Junior Secondary Sport (JSS)

The 2022 JSS season commenced this term with a local derby against St Andrews Catholic College. It proved to be a tough day out for our teams, however, all of the students played with great pride and spirit. Our next fixture is a home game on Wednesday against St Mary’s Catholic College.

If your child is not selected for their JSS team, they will become a part of the JSS Academy. The purpose of the academy is for students to continue developing their skills, not just in their chosen sport, but in other sports as well.

TCN Athletics

On Wednesday the 20th and Thursday the 21st of July, a team of 30 students represented Peace Lutheran College at Barlow Park at the TCN Athletics Carnival. Some amazing individual efforts from our students resulted in 16 of them being selected for the TCN team, which will now go on to compete for selection in the Peninsula team in August.

Congratulations to all of the students who competed at the TCN trials and all the very best to those students who were selected.

Inter-school Competitions

A number of inter-school competitions are occurring over the next few weeks. These include the FNQ School Futsal Championships, Fowler’s Netball Cup and the FNQ Secondary School 9’s Rugby League Cup. Nominations are now open, so if your child is interested, please remind them to come and see me to register. All dates are on the school calendar, the Peace Parent Portal, and student notices.

As always, if you have any questions regarding school sports, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Alex Collins
Sports Coordinator

The Learning Centre is very excited to be hosting Book Week which will be held in Week 7 of this term, from Monday the 22^nd to Friday the 26^th of August. This year’s theme is “Dreaming With Eyes Open”.

Book Week celebrations will include a dress-up day on Monday (the 22nd of August). Come dressed as your favourite book character and bring along the book to the parade. We will also be holding a Book Fair with lots of books, posters and trinkets for sale. Proceeds from the sale will come back to the school to purchase resources for the Learning Centre. Come and see the Learning Centre’s fabulous displays and participate in other Book Week activities. Mr Reader Saurus has already set up camp. More information will be sent out to families in the coming weeks.

Thank you to all of those students who have returned their Reading Record Log. The Premier’s Reading Challenge will finish in Book Week and all forms need to be returned to the Learning Centre by Friday the 26^th of August.

To complete the Challenge, students must:

• Prep to Year 2 – Read or experience 20 books
• Year 3-4 – Read 20 books
• Year 5-9 – Read 15 books

The class that has the highest percentage of completed forms will win a fabulous book prize pack for their class!

Congratulations to our Readers Cup Teams who, in the last term, competed in the FNQ Readers Cup competition.

• Year 5/6 Readers Cup Team - 4^th Place out of 52 schools!!! Congratulations Kara, Lilly, Rachel and Rosie
• Year 7/8 Readers Cup Team - 10^th Place. Congratulations Siya, Rose, Reever and Lara

Please wish our Year 9/10 Readers Cup Team - Pluto, Honey, Elizabeth and Maggie - all the best as they compete in Week 4 of this term at Smithfield State School.

Calling all parents and friends of our school community... if you want to be a part of something fun, you like to be social, and you are keen to support our wonderful students and our great school, this group is for you!

The group meets in a relaxed atmosphere on a monthly basis during term time to plan key College events. We continue to be encouraged by the support shown for this new community group.

We invite you to join us at our next meeting on Wednesday the 17th of August.

From 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on Saturday the 6th of August, the doors of our College open, providing a wonderful opportunity for families to venture into our beautiful grounds and discover why so many families choose Peace Lutheran College for their child's education journey.

We would love our current Peace families to come along on the day and celebrate all that our wonderful school has to offer. It is also a day for families from the wider community to visit and see for themselves all that our College has to offer.

There will be so much to see and do...

• Live outdoor broadcast with STAR 102.7
• FREE barista coffee from Cafe Garna
• FREE fairy floss, face painting and bungee run
• Charity sausage sizzle with all proceeds going to the Leukaemia Foundation
• Food and drinks also available for purchase
• Primary school Discovery Trail (with a prize at the end)
• Student work exhibition
• Live performances from our Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble and Choir
• Our students' CIAF fashion parade and display
• Interactive classroom displays including science experiments, STEM classes, and quizzes in our Performing Arts Centre
• Student-led College tours
• Boarding House guided tours
• Come on board and see our College buses

Bring your family, your friends and your neighbours - it's going to be a great day!

We are very excited to announce that tickets for our College Production, MADD Night, are now available for purchase.

A showcase of music, art, drama and dance, this is an evening not to be missed.

• When: Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August 2022
• Time: 7:00 pm
• Where: Peace Performing Arts Centre, Peace Lutheran College
• Cost: $10 per ticket
• Included: Entry to the show + canapes and light refreshments served at the interval

College families who would like to purchase tickets for themselves, family and friends may do so via the Peace Parent Portal. Anyone without a Portal login can contact College Administration to purchase over the phone (Mon - Fri, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm).

With only a limited number of tickets available for each evening's performance, we encourage you to get your tickets early, after all, you would be MADD to miss out!

I am so proud to announce that on Tuesday the 21st of June 2022 our Peace Lutheran College Jazz Ensemble participated in the JCU Cairns Eisteddfod and placed 5th in their division. This is no mean feat considering that the PLC Jazz Ensemble was only formed for its 2022 iteration at the beginning of Term 2 and our players are – across an average age – younger than the other ensembles who participated (our youngest player is in Year5 and our eldest players are in Year 10), as opposed to many of the other ensembles who are made up of students in Year 11 and 12.

Special mention must be made to the fact that the Jazz Ensemble accepted the challenge of conducting themselves for 7 Nation Army with Rachel and Ephrem leading the count in. This is an incredibly difficult thing to manoeuvre, and we were the only jazz ensemble to attempt it, so I cannot say enough how proud I am of the Peace Lutheran College Jazz Ensemble players for their wonderful performance on the day.

Over to our Peace Lutheran College Concert Band who have utterly blown us away by achieving 1st Place in the Primary School Division and taking out the trophy for the day! Our incredible players worked extremely hard in lessons to master the different layers of our piece – The Avengers theme from the popular Marvel films – and the judge’s feedback was absolutely wonderful and recognised these efforts! We were jittery beforehand, waiting in the wings while the previously reigning champions, Edge Hill State School played, but the poise and confidence that the Peace Lutheran College Concert Band demonstrated when they walked on and took their seats meant that The Avengers was tackled with confidence while under the bright stage lights. It was a performance to be proud of and we cannot wait to get started on our next project as a band family, both the Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble, in Term 3 at Peace Lutheran College.

Many thanks for the support of the school admin and staff who helped make the excursion possible, and thank you also to all the parents and families who were able to be in the audience, as well as parents who have provided their support by encouraging their child to practice and keep up their music. Many thanks as well to Mr O’Mara, Ms Moore and Ms Mercer for their assistance on the day and their ongoing support of the program as well.

Yours in music,

Hannah Trotter
Instrumental Music Coordinator

On Tuesday the 12^th of July, during the Primary school assembly, we officially welcomed Senior Constable Casey Leishmann and Senior Constable Matthew Henderson as our Peace Lutheran College Adopt-A-Cops.

Casey and Matt are familiar faces already within our community, with them both having children in Primary School. We are blessed to have them working alongside us to support our students from P-12.

The Adopt-A-Cop program was created to cultivate positive relationships between the police and members of the community. Matt and Casey will work within the College to assist with our Pastoral and Wellbeing programs across Primary and Secondary, as well as organising opportunities for students to experience their police cars and meet their working dogs.

Some of the topics Matt and Casey will cover with our students include:

Parent Information Sessions

We are grateful for the perspectives Casey and Matt will be able to bring to the College as their diverse backgrounds and experiences will really complement what we are doing within the pastoral space.

They have also expressed a willingness to deliver information sessions for parents, as we work together to provide a multifaceted approach to educating our young people.

If there are any topics you would particularly like us to bring to a parent session, please let me know by sending me an email.

Kirsten Anderson
Director of Wellbeing

The term dates for 2023 are now available on the College's website.

We ask that all members of our community become aware of the Child Protection Policy available on the College website. It is important to note that Child Protection is everyone’s business, and any inappropriate behaviour that relates to Child Protection will be dealt with by the College using the stated guidelines. Any questions that relate to such matters should be directed in the first instance to the Principal.

PLEASE NOTE: In the event of unforeseen circumstances the above events and associated dates may be subject to change. Please check the Peace Lutheran College website for the most up to date calendar information.

Peace Lutheran College Council is seeking expressions of interest from parents with a WHS, Legal or HR background to join our Risk Committee.

Our Risk Committee meets four times annually for 1.5 hours maximum, per meeting.

The role of this Committee is to assist College Council in its oversight of the effectiveness of the Risk Management Framework.

The Committee will perform its role through:

1. Overseeing the College’s risk appetite and risk tolerance.
2. Considering the risk policy and strategy.
3. Ensuring that there are adequate College-wide processes and systems for identifying and reporting risk and deficiencies, including emerging risk.
4. An overview of the key risk issues identified across the College and its wider network.

For further information please contact Mr Darren Morrissy, Business Manager, via email.

It was a blessing for our staff and students to join Trinity Lutheran Church during Reconciliation Week in the last term to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the congregation and the 30th anniversary of the current church building. Pastor Greg spoke about reconciliation, highlighting the Gospel message of John 17:21, which encourages people to work together in unity and forgive each other. In our diverse College community, this is an enduring message as we consider how to share God's love within our College and beyond.

Did you know that Reconciliation Week began in 1993, which was the International Year of Indigenous Peoples? Nationwide, churches in Australia decided to pray about how to include all members of our community in important decisions and ways to heal past hurts. At Peace, one of our College values is Community, which is underpinned by a spirit of reconciliation between each other, through Christ. We are blessed to have a strong connection with our local congregation and blessed that our College Pastor, Pastor Adam and Pastor Greg from Trinity Lutheran Church enjoy working closely together.

Keep an eye on the College's Facebook page and school app notices for the dates of the worship services that will take place at the College campus during term time. If you would like to attend a service at Trinity Lutheran Church, they hold a Traditional Service on Sundays at 8:00 am and a Modern Service at 10:00 am.

Juanita Eime
Head of Christian Studies

Chapel for Secondary school is regularly on Wednesday mornings at 8:15 am and for Primary School at 2:10 pm on Friday afternoon. Parents and carers are welcome to join us for chapel.

Families of the College are invited to join members of Trinity Lutheran Church for worship on Sundays. Service times at Trinity, on Severin Street in Manunda, are advertised on the parish website.

Church services at the College continue during the school term, and all members of the Peace community are welcome to join us at these services which are advertised through the school app and social media.

We welcome all our College parents, caregivers, grandparents and friends to join us at our weekly Primary school assembly and get an update on what is happening in the primary years.

If you like fresh barista coffee, tea or chai, arrive a little earlier and enjoy a hot cafe beverage at Cafe Garna - $3 for a large and $2 for a regular size.

• WHEN: Every Tuesday during term time (excluding public holidays)
• TIME: Cafe Garna is open from 7:45 am - 8:20 am and Assembly commences at 8:20 am

We look forward to seeing you!

The College has a team of dedicated staff who, together, look out for the pastoral care needs of our students. The Student Welfare Officer may provide support to students over a designated period of time, however, if a student requires ongoing and extensive support, the Student Welfare Officer will liaise with external agencies for further assistance as necessary. It should be clarified that the role of our Student Welfare Officer is not one of a ‘School Counsellor’ and that as a College, we are unable to provide ongoing counselling support.

Meeting with the Student Welfare Officer is via appointment or in emergency situations as the need arises. Our preferred referral process is for parents to please make contact with their child’s Home Group or Classroom Teacher as the initial point of contact. This allows us to consider ways we can best provide appropriate support as a school.

There are a number of community organisations we would recommend as services that may be able to assist you further:

General Practitioner – In many cases, speaking with a GP is the most beneficial first step. Your family GP will be able to assist with advice or appropriate referral avenues and support.

• Family and Child Connect (Ph: 13 32 64)
• Headspace Cairns (Ph: 4041 3780) – Youth Mental Health Centre & Services
• Centacare FNQ (Ph: 4044 0130)
• Relationships Australia (Ph: 1300 364 277)
• Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800)
• Beyond Blue – Anxiety, depression and suicide prevention support
• eSafety Commissioner

We strive to keep you informed through open, efficient communication. The Peace Lutheran College School App, Facebook and Instagram pages are regularly updated with news, events and important notices.

Peace Lutheran College acknowledges the Yirrganydji & Djabugay People, Traditional Custodians of the land in which we live and work. We pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.