Dear Parents and Friends,

The next few weeks are very busy with assignments and exams, swimming lessons, sporting finals, and events to wrap up the year. In the later part of Term 4, we get busy with the many events where students’ hard work and achievements are recognised and celebrated. These events are particularly significant for our Year 12 students who are about to graduate and set out on the next chapter of their lives. This week saw the start of their external exams, which will continue for three weeks. This is a stressful time for them but I pray that they can rest in the knowledge that they are well-prepared.

Week 7 is a very busy week, starting with our Primary School Presentation Morning followed by the Secondary Presentation Evening on Tuesday 15 November. This is a time to recognise and highlight the many achievements of our students. The Year 12 Formal is held at Pullman International Hotel on Wednesday 16 November. A highlight is always to see the students arrive at the venue and to hear their reflections on their time at Peace - not to mention the dancing that they have been preparing for throughout this term.

Then on Friday 18 November, we hold a Graduation Chapel for our senior students. This is a day with mixed emotions. Whilst we are sorry to see them go, we are at the same time excited for them as they embark on a new journey beyond Peace and wish them every success in their future endeavours. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing this cohort progress through the College and am confident they will do themselves and us proud wherever they will find themselves in the next chapter of their lives.

I look forward to seeing you at some, or several of the upcoming events.

Yours in Christ.

Elisabeth Fenske
Principal

Chris Mountford, the CEO of Independent Schools Queensland, joined the Council meeting in October, via Zoom, and provided information about the different ways Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) can support our College. Several Council members have also attended Governance Workshops through LEQ and this learning has been very valuable.

The Council would like to extend a big thank you to Marcus Wilkinson and Samara Dever for their comprehensive reports about Boarding and Marketing and to congratulate the Marketing Team for receiving international awards for this year’s campaigns.

Kathy Close
College Council Chairperson

In my role as Acting Director of Secondary, it is obvious that Peace is an active, happy and vibrant school! Despite the heat at the moment, the sounds of happy laughter as children are playing echo across the College.

We continue to remind students to stay healthy in the heat. Please support your child by providing them with a school hat and water bottle so that they can remain hydrated and sun-safe. We have chilled water dispensers and shady areas around the College where students can play during breaks.

Year 12

The Year 12s are now currently undertaking their external examinations for General Subjects. Students studying Applied Subjects are attending school to access continued learning in preparation for their final assignments. We ask that students of Applied subjects come to school to finish the year well.

2023 College Captains

Congratulations to our new College captains elect for 2023 - Serah and Libra (Captains) and Max and Sophie (Vice Captains). The applications, interview process and then speeches were very well done. I am proud of each person who was nominated to be part of the student leadership team and I know that your cohort will be excellent role models in to the future.

The Year 11 Captains elect will lead their first Assembly this week. We are excited about the opportunities that exist for the Year 11s to work with and lead the College community in the coming weeks and into next year.

Year 10

The Year 10 students have selected their subjects for 2023 and have met with staff to discuss their choices and post-school pathway ideas. Conversations with your child about their future subjects aim to ensure that they are studying subjects that they are interested in, will be able to succeed in, and supports them to achieve their desired goals.

Year 9

Year 9 students recently embraced The Rite Journey's Solo Challenge. I encourage you to view the photos from their time away within this newsletter.

Year 8

While the Year 8s are a smaller cohort, I notice that they are big in generosity to others. In Term 3, students volunteered to care for the College gardens after researching the Australian Lutheran World Service in Christian Studies and learning about service to others. Students demonstrated teamwork and care for others during this activity.

I now extend a challenge to our Year 8s to build on these teamwork skills to continue being considerate of others and maximise learning in preparation for Year 9.

Year 7

The Year 7 students are managing the routines and expecta­­tions of Secondary School to a higher standard this term, which is pleasing to see. All teachers and Heads of House expect our students to uphold the Peace Lutheran College values: Peace, Excellence, Respect and Community. We are currently supporting our Year 7s on their journey to become graduates of the College who are responsible, kind, considerate of others, and keen to engage with their learning.

Wonder of Science

I would like to take the time to congratulate the Science Department for their excellent preparation of students to participate in the Wonder of Science program. Our students have excelled in all areas of this program. I encourage you to read more about this within this newsletter.

Presentation Night

Please mark in your calendars the Presentation Night, Tuesday 15 November, which is for all students and families. The Presentation Night is a wonderful time to celebrate the achievements of our students and College for the year. Teachers enjoy interacting with families at the Presentation Night, and I look forward to greeting you. Further information will be sent out closer to the evening.

I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to families and friends of the College to attend Chapel services for Secondary School on Wednesday mornings or Assembly on Friday mornings, from 8:15 am weekly.

School uniform

It is pleasing to see how many students are wearing their uniforms well when they are out and about in the local community. Students are to be commended for keeping their shirts tucked in and hair up for their travel to and from the College when they are in uniform.

Please remember to bring a hat to school each day! As part of our sun-safe policy, students must have a hat and wear it when travelling between classes and during the breaks. Please speak with your child about the UV levels here in Cairns and remind them how to protect their skin. A copy of our current uniform expectations is available HERE.

A prayer for the term...

Juanita Eime
Acting Director of Secondary School

It was wonderful to see the Year 12s take part in leading their final chapel before graduation. Thank you for your positive message about being grateful and thankful.

Students in Year 11 undertaking learning in Unit 3 are bringing artworks to school which demonstrate a response to the focus question, “How can I have an active appreciation for the religious and cultural differences of others?” The artworks are sensational, and we encourage you to come and visit the College to view these in SU5. Students have prepared an Artist’s Statement to explain their artwork. If you have a student in Year 11, please ask them about their artwork!

Congratulations to all Year 10 students who completed Work Experience Week during Term 3. I have heard many positive reports about how well students represented themselves and the College, with some students being offered employment as a result. Attending Work Experience can be tiring and a personal challenge. Congratulations on your resilience and perseverance to do hard things.

The College is grateful to the many employers in Cairns who offered to support our students' personal development and growth in Year 10 through a Work Experience placement. We thank VPG for an ongoing partnership with us. Thank you to Mrs Rebecca Bolton for organising the work experience program and our Heads of House for visiting them during the week.

The recent RITE Journey Solo Experience provided an opportunity for significant personal challenges and growth. The location was described as the 'true outback', and I have since heard that many Year 9s thought the solo was an enriching experience, with some wishing it was longer. I am grateful to the supervising teachers, Mrs Elizabeth Hill, Mrs Kelly Dare, Mr Dan McMahon and Mr Jason Atkins, who gave their time to support students on this adventure. It has been reported to me that students were very well-behaved.

Once upon a time, there was a giant turtle all alone. He always wanted to have someone or at least something that would love him. Later in the afternoon, he saw a thunderstorm headed towards him. He had to find another island to take shelter on so he could find somewhere to rest.

In the distance, there was a small plane that had been struck by lightning and slowly fell out of the sky. The turtle had to hurry before the plane hit the water. He kept getting closer and closer until he finally caught him. This person landed on the turtle slowly and safely from his parachute. The turtle had found someone but who?

The person that jumped out of the plane was a tall bald and bearded man covered in blood. His shoulder had a deep cut from when he jumped out of the plane. As the turtle growled in happiness from saving the man, the turtle grew an entire island on his back.

The man didn’t realize that the trees took his plane higher off the ground into the air. As the plane got stuck in the tree the man saw the turtle and then fainted in fright. The turtle watched him slowly wake up after he had fainted. The man saw the giant turtle and didn’t know what to do. The man asked “it wasn’t a dream?’’ as he didn’t know how to react. There was a giant turtle in front of him, what could he possibly say to himself after this?

The man just walked away and started to build a shelter from his plane. First, he chopped the tree down with an axe that had fallen out of the box in the plane. After he got the plane out of the tree he started to take a large black tarp out of another box from the plane. He used the tarp to create a small roof over the plane so it wouldn’t get wet.

Whilst the man slowly finished his campsite the turtle wasn’t lonely anymore, the turtle had fore filled its dream to have a companion. For the rest of the night, the turtle was happy. The next morning the turtle brought back a very large salmon for the both to eat the man grabbed the biggest machete he had and cut the large salmon in half. The man told the turtle, ‘’There is too much fish, who will we give the rest to?’’ The turtle chittered softly and soon a load of crabs crawled out of their holes and joined the turtle and the man for breakfast.

After they ate, the turtle thought about the man and realized that the turtle wouldn’t be alive for much longer. Turtles only live for about 80 years and the turtle had been alive for the same time period so the turtle wouldn’t have time to say goodbye to the man. The man forgot he had a fishing line and went fishing. He caught about five fish for lunch and fed the turtle four and ate one.

Later in the afternoon, the turtle stopped at a nearby island. His eyes were slowly closing. The man ran to the front of the turtle and slowly watched as the turtle’s body went cold. The man was bawling his eyes out in tears and hugged the turtle in grief and pain.

Later that night the man saw a boat in the distance, he used a simple S.O.S. signal to attract the boat towards him. Luckily the boat came to rescue him and he remembered his friend the turtle and had good memories about him, but soon he could share them with the world.

At this point he wasn’t bald anymore, he was a tall short hair man with a shaved beard. The boat that was coming towards him was his air force ship. Now he remembered he was an air force pilot going to invade Japan in WWII and he also remembered his name. His name was John Fredrick Creed and remembered his wife and two sons waiting for his return.

- Sonny Kingi, Year 7

Mrs Dare gives a big shout-out to her JSS Touch Football team who have made the semi-finals after a thrilling season. Currently, the girls are ranked 2^nd on the ladder after a win against St. Monica's and Cairns State High so far this term.

Mrs Dare said, "We have almost an entirely new team this year, with lots of Year 7 students who I cannot praise enough for stepping up and giving their all each and every game. I am proud of my Year 9 girls for encouraging, mentoring and supporting our younger players and thank Mr Collins for supplying us with great equipment, water and icy poles during the hot weather."

The Primary school has been enjoying their freedom a bit more now that the Covid pandemic has eased. Classes have been able to supplement their learning with excursions that help solidify learning and bring it to life. Year 5 recently went on a visit to explore Herberton Historic Village. Their brief recount tells you how rich the experience was.

Year 5

During Term 3, Year 5 studied the history of colonial Australia. A visit to Herberton Historic Village really brought this period to life. Students were able to experience an old-fashioned classroom and watch a woodworker turning bowls on a lathe. Many of the students dressed in colonial clothing – as bushrangers, fine ladies, fancy gents, a prisoner, jackaroos, jillaroos and even a horse! They were able to sit in old vehicles, cross the wobbly bridge, pump water from the well and explore the fascinating shops and buildings around the village.

Buddies

One of the best experiences you can have in our College is mixing with different students in various year levels and knowing that you belong to a bigger community and family of people. Year 2 students and Mrs Fenske’s Year 10 Christian Studies class joined together in Term 4 and are able to share and learn from each other while participating in activities such as reading, listening, sharing, creating and playing games.

The older brother and sister style of learning (some were in real life) enhances the confidence in both groups and creates friendships that surpass age and background. Both groups are loving their time together and always comment on the things they are learning from each other. The smiles on their faces are enough to brighten their teacher's day!

Swimming

The weather has heated up just in time for swimming. Students have been enjoying their swimming sessions at Marlin Coast’s Pool in Smithfield. They have been great ambassadors of our school as they participate in lessons and interact with the staff. We are fortunate to have such great facilities to enjoy that are close to the school!

Students need to remember their two towels, goggles and a change of clothes, preferably their sports uniform. Please make sure that sunscreen has been applied at home and that students have a bit extra in their lunch boxes. They tend to get hungry after pool time!

Family Life Education

The Wonder of Living Program and Puberty sessions have just concluded. A big thank you to Mr John Shay for once again visiting to impart these valuable life lessons to our students.

For those of you who missed the parent information sessions, the Wonder of Living Program is a simple introduction to the miracle of life. It provides the students with a fun and engaging way to talk about babies. Any questions are answered, and students are encouraged to go home and ask their parents or carers about their story of life.

Puberty Talks in years 5 & 6 were conducted in separate classes of boys and girls. They focussed on all the changes that are starting to take place in a person’s body at that age.

These topics are part of our Health curriculum, but we have found that because they are of a sensitive nature, it is helpful to enlist the services of professionals who are trained to talk about these subjects in an age-appropriate manner.

Term Highlights

Term 4 is off and running! We are always amazed at how quickly the year seems to go once we hit this benchmark. We have lots of activities planned for the term. Here is a list of them. Stay tuned for more information about each one in our end-of-the-year edition of Peace News!

• Instrumental Showcase: Thursday the 10^th of November from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm in the PPAC
• Remembrance Day: Friday the 11^th of November
• Primary School Presentation Day: Tuesday the 15^th of November starting at 8:30 am
• Year 6 Leadership Day: Wednesday the 16^th of November at Holloways Beach
• Year 5 Leadership Day: Friday the 18^th of November at Holloways Beach
• Year 4 Excursion: Wednesday the 23^rd of November to the Aquarium
• Primary School Christmas Concert: Thursday the 24^th of November at 8:30 am (also a free Christmas dress day) followed by Christmas rotations for the rest of the day
• Bump Up Day: Monday the 28^th of November at 8:30 am - 10:00 am (for both Primary and Secondary)
• Prep Nativity Assembly: Tuesday the 29^th of November at 8:30 am
• Last Day of School: Friday the 2^nd of December... finishing at 12:00 pm. No supervision will be provided.

Kind regards,

Christina Jacobsen & Laura Robinson
Directors of Primary

Term 4 is racing along and we’ve had some great opportunities to enjoy the incredible natural beauty of our region. The boarders have spent lots of their free time in Freshwater Creek and Stoney Creek, as well as visiting a local lookout. We visited both the Barron River and Palm Cove for fishing expeditions recently, and some of our boarders made quite the haul!

A few select boarders have been invited to go outrigger canoeing with Mrs Krystal Taylor, our Indigenous Education Officer, and her team on the weekends, which has added a new element to their boarding experience.

Mr Clarke Jarrett, PE teacher and MMA extraordinaire has been coaching some of our boarders in boxing strategies and techniques this term as well.

As Christmas approaches, the trees and decorations are going up, and we’re looking forward to wrapping up another successful term before we send our boarders home.

Thanks to the wonderful, committed staff who keep things running smoothly in boarding. A special shout out to our four gap students who plan and run the weekend activities.

Please consider following our Peace Lutheran College Boarding page on Facebook to stay updated on our adventures and news.

Suzanne Connelly and Adrian Bonser
Heads of Boarding

We are into the month of November, and many people are starting to think about the end of school and the Christmas Season and its celebrations. But perhaps you missed another celebration at the end of October? This year, Monday the 31^st of October was Reformation Day. It is the only day in the calendar that is particular to the Lutheran church, and we don’t celebrate Reformation Day like many other holidays or commemorations – you don’t see many “Happy Reformation Day” cards or parades. So, what is it that we celebrate?

On the 31^st of October in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Church. This was the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Luther protested the church’s teaching that you could purchase indulgences, or forgiveness, from the church. Forgiveness only comes from God. The celebration of the day spread as the Lutheran Church grew – not as a celebration of protest, but as a celebration of the gospel message.

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The truth is that we are sinners. The truth is that purely out of love God sent His own Son to be our Saviour. The truth is that Jesus lived in our place and that His death on the cross paid the wages of our sins. The truth is that He rose on the third day. The truth is that because He lives, we also will live with Him in heaven, forever.

This is the Gospel message, and this is what we truly celebrate on Reformation Day and every day. May this gospel truth bring you peace during this busy term and the end of the school year.

God bless,

Pastor Adam
College Pastor

With one regular season fixture remaining of JSS this year, a number of our teams are well placed leading into the semi-finals. Our girl's and boy's basketball teams, in addition to our girl's Touch Football and girl's Volleyball teams, have all led the way this year, securing some strong results and taking it to the traditional powerhouses of Cairns SHS and St Augustine’s/St Monica’s. Fingers crossed that they can secure some silverware over the next few weeks. We wish all of our JSS teams the very best of luck as they finish off the 2022 season.

As the weather starts to warm up, students are reminded to please continue to bring plenty of water and their hats every Wednesday until the end of term. Once JSS concludes, alternative Sports options will be provided.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the teachers, bus drivers and administration, laundry and maintenance staff for making 2022 a successful one. A massive thank you must also go to the students who have given their all this year in both inter-house and interschool competitions. I am already looking forward to another successful year in 2023.

Yours in Sport,

Alex Collins
Secondary School Sports Coordinator

Recently, we had three students represent Peninsula at the Queensland Schools Sports State Track and Field Championships. Charlie Wood, Ella Nulley and Talarah Henseleit all travelled to Brisbane at the beginning of Term 4 and achieved some amazing results. Charlie finished 2^nd in the 15 Years Boys Jump - an outstanding result. While, even though Ella did not record a place, making the Peninsula team is an achievement in itself. Talarah, who was named as co-captain of the Peninsula Track and Field Team, competed in the 17 Years Girls 100m and 200m and finished with a silver and gold medal respectively. Talarah will now go on to represent Queensland at the nationals, to be held in Adelaide in December.

Congratulations to all three students! You should be very proud of your achievements!

This term in Year 11/12 Sport and Recreation, students are undertaking a unit on Strength and Conditioning. In addition to the theory work students are completing in class, they have also been travelling to Concise X Training (located inside Your Fitness) every Tuesday. Coach Vinny from Concise X Training has placed a strong emphasis on technique, allowing the students to complete the exercises correctly and safely.

While the sessions have been hard work, the students are thoroughly enjoying them. Students will continue to attend Concise X Training until Week 6 before they sit their end-of-term exam.

On Thursday the 20^th of October, six Peace Lutheran College teams participated in the regional Wonder of Science competition at James Cook University. Students were assigned a topic at the start of Term 3 and had to design an experiment, collect and analyse valid data, and present their findings to students from other local schools as well as a panel of science PhD students (the judges). In between their presentations, students were extracting DNA from fruit and participated in a Lego engineering challenge.

All of our teams placed – a fantastic result considering that seven schools participated! Please congratulate the following students on their effort and achievement:

• Year 7 First Place: Siya Bozza, Amelia Elphic, Makayla van der Kwast
• Year 7 Third Place: Minou Dashti, Faith Torrent, Amelia Wood
• Year 8 Second Place: Ashley Brown, Marta Rubulis
• Year 8 Third Place: Reever Lee, Will McGlinn, Skylar Williams
• Year 9 First Place: Aaron Akbar, Phoebe (Pluto) Allen, Elizabeth McNair
• Year 9 Second Place: Isabel Kutz, Molly O’Mara, Emily-Louise Miles, Surani Toth

The 1st Place winners in our Years 7 and 9 teams now have the opportunity to travel to Brisbane and represent Peace Lutheran College at the State level. This great achievement is a testament to the College's strong science program and expert teachers. A big thank you to our passionate teachers who supported and mentored the students - Ms Penelope Deamer, Mrs Michelle Cummings, Mrs Claudia Johnson and Mr Harry Venter.

Looking back on College graduates, and brothers, Griffan and Morgan Wallish... what have they been doing since leaving Peace, and where they are now.

Griffan Wallish - Graduating Class of 2015

Griffan attended Peace from Prep to Year 12 and graduated as Dux of his cohort. After his graduation, Griffan went to Melbourne University where he completed a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and an undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance. Along the way, he did two exchange university programs overseas at the University of Maryland, in Washington DC and Louisiana State University.

He is now working as a Propulsion (rocket engines) Engineer for Gilmore Space Industries on the Gold Coast. This company hopes to be the first Australian company to launch an Australian-made rocket into space in March 2023. Such exciting times right now for Griffan, especially considering he is a part of the testing team building these engines.

Morgan Wallish - Graduating Class of 2017

Morgan attended Peace from Prep to Year 12 and graduated in 2017. He made the decision not to follow an OP pathway through high school and wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. Although he did not go straight into a degree at university, he did complete a Diploma in Higher Education at JCU, majoring in Information Technology. From there he was accepted into QUT and after a year of studying Information Technology, he leapt into a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation). He is now in the final weeks of completing this degree and has been accepted into a Master's degree in Animation which he will commence next year at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Last year Morgan received a Deans Commendation for achieving a 6.67 GPA (out of 7) and at the same time completed an online Advanced Diploma in Concept Art in his spare time. His plans are to work as an Animator in the Film industry.

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.

Registration is now open for Marlin Coast Rangers Soccer Club's soccer academy and elite squad trials - Saturday the 19th of November 2022.

10 - 11-YEAR-OLDS

8:00 am - 9:30 am

• 30 mins Strength testing

• 30 mins Football Skills

• 30 mins Game Time

12 - 13-YEAR-OLDS

9:45 am - 11:15 am

• 30 mins Strength testing

• 30 mins Football Skills

• 30 mins Game Time

In a world-first road safety initiative, new speed camera technology will soon target speeding drivers at selected school zones across Queensland.

Everyone has a role in keeping our roads safe. It is imperative drivers reduce their speed to the signed 40 km/h speed limit and be aware of activity by students on or near the road.

Speed cameras will only operate during school zone times at the selected schools.

Parents and carers dropping off or picking up students are urged to comply with school zone speed limits. Those who slow down will not be penalised.

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.