Peace Lutheran College's Council is a diverse group of professionals, who have specific skills across a range of areas including finance, education, human resources, legal and facilities management, with a strong focus on Christian education.

The Council is responsible for the ongoing governance of the school. What does this mean? In essence, the Council is responsible for preparing the strategic direction, setting policy, and evaluating potential risks for the College. They make decisions on where the College is going, what might be the challenges to be avoided, and what we as a school should be focusing on to improve the learning outcomes of students.

The role of the Principal is to turn this vision into reality through daily decisions and managing the College resources towards the Council's expectations. The Council's role is to hold the Principal accountable for the decisions made to ensure the school is moving forward.

Currently, the Council has been discussing a number of key strategic matters, including:

• Implementation of the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan
• Development of a strategic building program, including exploring the upgrading of the Peace Centre and the potential construction of a new Kindergarten building
• Reviewing and updating a number of essential policies (child protection, school fees)
• Outlying a 10-year strategic finance model to ensure long-term sustainability
• Developing future partnerships with the church and other organisations

As a College, we are blessed to have such a well-experienced, dedicated group of volunteers who willingly serve our community to foster positive outcomes for our students.

The first 100 days of a new American President's term are often seen as significant in establishing a new agenda for the country. It is seen as a time of excitement and anticipation as the new leader embarks on a program of reimaging, renewal, and of reinvigoration for the future. I suspect this is how you, as a member of the Peace community, may be feeling about my arrival. Or it could be as simple as, “What’s the new guy like?”

While I am still in my first 100 days, I am excited about the challenges which lay ahead. Peace has been blessed with a wonderfully dedicated group of staff members; a warm, caring community, and a commitment to supporting young people to achieve their aspirations. My goal is to build on the strong legacy of those leaders who have gone before and enhance our strengths as a community while forging new opportunities.

My vision for Peace is to be a place of Christian faith and excellence in learning where young people are inspired, cared for, and equipped to be active contributors to the world. In simple terms, our initials “PLC”, help to summarise our priorities and our values:

• P – People, the focus (Respect - Community)
• L – Learning, the purpose (Respect - Excellence)
• C – Christ, the way (Respect - Peace)

This is who we are and what we hold to be important.

With this in mind, we have three clear objectives as a college for 2023:

1. Strengthening our staff’s capacity and capabilities to support young people through refinement and realignment of structures, processes, and training. We are redefining our College Leadership Teams' roles and responsibilities to align with our strategic goals; empowering our curriculum and pastoral middle leaders in decision-making and supporting staff with more resources to do their core business of teaching and learning. This objective is about investing in our people.
2. Commencing the implementation of the Australian Curriculum Version 9 within our teaching and learning teams P-12. This extensive familiarisation process not only includes upskilling our staff on content but also looking at new ways of working as we embed the changes into our College, including our learning structures, processes, and subject offerings. This objective is about excellence in learning and providing multiple pathways and opportunities for our students.
3. Foster a strong, cohesive school culture built on restorative practices. To this end, we are embarking on a three-year program with “Real Schools” to embed a culture of personal ownership and responsibility of behaviour; move from punitive action for poor behaviour to restorative practices which lead to real behavioural change and establish a language and way of working which enhances community and cooperation. This objective is about modeling what it is to be a Christian community and our relationship with one another when things are challenging.

These three priorities can best be captured in a single project we are hoping to achieve by the end of the year as a community – an upgrade of the Peace Centre to expand its seating capacity and to provide air-conditioned comfort during the warmer months of the year.

To achieve this goal, we will be seeking support from every member of the community to raise funds for this special project, in time for our 2023 Year 12 Graduation and our 30^th Anniversary at Peace Lutheran College. More information will be coming out in the next few weeks as we launch an ambitious project of raising $300,000 for our “Gather, Serve, Celebrate” building fund campaign for the redevelopment of the Peace Centre.

Best regards,

Shane Jurecky
Principal

Peace Lutheran Kindergarten welcomed their 2023 children on January 9 with a seamless enrolment and transition process. The children have settled in beautifully and have already built relationships and developed a love of learning through play-based pedagogies.

Throughout Term 1 the Kindy children participated in a weekly sports program with Mr Brown, they visited and borrowed books from the library, and attended Chapel each Friday afternoon. Pastor Adam visited the Kindy children each Thursday with a story, song, and dance, as well as our Director of Primary, Mrs Robinson, who read to the children each Monday. Our College engagement has been a rewarding addition to the kindy program.

The children have been learning about healthy foods, dental hygiene, insects, shapes, colors, families, Indigenous Art, Australia, space, emotions, and Lent. Children learn through play, arts, crafts, projects, environments, engagement, and informative visitors.

Our families have shared their knowledge with our mum nurses and dentists coming to talk about health and how to take care of our teeth. We also had a Reptile Safety Program with the children learning about and interacting with snakes, lizards, and monitors.

If you or someone you know has a child who turns 4 before the end of June 2023, Peace Kindy has some limited spaces for this year and is currently taking enrolments for next year. We will be holding a Kindergarten Open Morning on Friday 26^th May. Please call in for a visit to see the wonderful things our children do and meet our amazing teachers and educators.

Regards,

Mandy Lloyd
Kindergarten Service Leader

Ph: 40399039
peace.kgt@qlecs.org.au

There has always been something very special about the start of a new school year. Teachers and students are fresh from the holidays. Classrooms have been cleaned, organised and look beautiful.  Students are excited about moving up to the next year's level and meeting their teachers. They can’t wait to catch up with friends they haven’t seen since the end of last year.

Uniforms look sharp, backpacks are bulging and laughter fills the playground again. I think it’s the hope that I sense every year, that feeling of getting a fresh start.

Scripture is full of fresh starts. In church today, we heard the story of the blind man being healed by Jesus. What a fresh start that must have been!

As we travel through the Lenten season, learning about how Jesus has granted us all a fresh start with His sacrifice, let us open our eyes and learn to see the world through the awe and wonder of a child.

Learning

As usual, Term 1 has been delivered in full! Students have settled into classrooms and dove right into their learning. The students have adjusted to the tempo of their new routines and teachers have loved working with such enthusiastic learners.

Below are some snippets of our students hard at work (and play)!

Preps hard at work learning to create shades of colour

Year 1 work in small groups to learn place value

Year 2s build different styles of rockets and test their flight distances to find the most aerodynamic one

Year 3s learn about the famous landmarks around Australia and then build them out of modeling clay

Year 4s read a novel about outback Australia and practiced their illustration skills

Year 5s research food trucks as they learn about small businesses and build their own 3D model of an original food truck

Year 6s enjoy time out from studying to play board games with each other as a lunchtime activity in their new, flexible learning space

We have had several major events happening here at the school.

Conservation

We started the year off with Scott Patterson visiting us from the Cairns Regional Council. Students learned about ways to care for our local environment here at school by disposing properly of waste and recycling where possible. Protecting our reef and rainforest starts at home and school. Scott encouraged us to reduce, reuse, and Recycle our waste for a cleaner, greener earth. He showed us many of the products made from local recycled materials.

Eco Marine Program

Peace Primary will be participating in an all-new Eco Marine program. Our student council representatives will be undergoing training next term that will allow them to become conservation leaders here at school. They will be supported by Pastor Adam and will be tasked to identify environmental challenges that impact our school and think of creative ways to tackle them.

Valentine's Day

Our first big fundraiser for the National Heart Foundation was a success. Valentine’s Day is always a popular event here in Primary where we encourage the spirit of love and gratitude. Our Secondary students dressed up and came down to the hardcourt to help us celebrate. We bought roses for loved ones, got our faces painted and enjoyed a sweet treat.

Lunchtime Clubs

Our lunchtime clubs are now in full swing with lots happening over the course of the week. Students have a variety of activities to choose from. We encourage them to come along to an activity they haven’t tried before and make some new friends. Here is our schedule for the week. Our Concert Band rehearses after school on Thursdays.

Primary School Choir

The Primary School Choir and both Bands have been rehearsing vigilantly. We look forward to some scheduled performances in the coming terms

Enrichment

Peace Primary is slowly building enrichment opportunities for our academically gifted and talented students.

This term we began with some of our mathematicians applying to participate in a maths-based enrichment program from Melbourne University for Years 5/6 called Micro Mathematician. If accepted, our students will participate in free virtual workshops throughout the year. Fingers crossed!

We are also holding an Enrichment class on Tuesdays for students in Year 4/5/6. Students were invited based on academic reporting and overall classroom performance. Seventeen students accepted the challenge and are now working on a Harmony Day PBL with Mrs Jacobsen. The goal is to learn about one specific country, its culture, and social norms, and to rationalise how that country enriches our Peace Community. Projects will be displayed in classrooms and assemblies when completed.

A very big thank you to the members of our community who donated their time to complete surveys and meet for interviews. The support has been phenomenal!

Readers Cup

The Primary Peace Lutheran College Readers Cup team for 2023 has just been announced. Congratulations to the following students:

• Abigail V
• Ella F
• Rebecca K
• Lauren B

Best of luck as you enter the competition!

NAPLAN

Students have been participating in the National Assessment Program for the past few weeks. For those who are unfamiliar with it, NAPLAN is a national test the government, educational authorities, and schools use to determine whether or not students are meeting important educational goals.

While it is an important tool, many children (and teachers) can find it stressful. The emphasis within our community is that our young people try their best, remembering that one test does not define them. They have the rest of the year in class to do that.

We have been very proud of their efforts and the resilient manner that our students have approached these exams. Well done to all of you for a solid effort!

Term 2 Planning

Please lock these dates into your calendar. Term 2 will be another busy 10 weeks!

• First Day of Term 2 – Monday, the 17^th of April
• Bravehearts Incursion – the 21^st of April
• Anzac Day Chapel – 8:30 am on Monday, the 24^th of April
• Anzac Day Public Holiday – Tuesday, the 25^th of April
• Parent/Teacher Interviews – Tuesday, the 2^nd of May from 3:00 pm - 7:30 pm
• Family Movie Night on the Peace Green – Friday, the 5^th of May from 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
• Year 5 Restaurant – Thursday, the 25^th of May
• Reconciliation Week – Monday, the 29^th of May – Saturday, the 3^rd of June
• School Photos – Thursday, the 8th and Friday the 9^th of June

We have welcomed several new students into Secondary School this year across most year levels and it is wonderful to see them all settling in well and becoming integral parts of our school community.

As we approach the end of the term, students need to ensure that they remain focused and capitalise on their hard work in their assignments and examinations. Progress reports will be sent out at the end of this term and we are looking forward to discussing students' progress with parents in the weeks ahead. Teachers have been working hard to remain focused on student outcomes and ensure we are supporting students in achieving their best.

Years 11 and 12

Year 11 and 12 students have begun working on their SET plans and we have been reviewing QCE progress data to make sure that they are in suitable classes and working towards successfully achieving their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). We hope to maintain our impressive record in this area with careful monitoring of student success and sound subject and career advice.

After one term, students on subject contracts need to seriously consider their initial choices if they continue to have difficulty in certain subject areas. Parental support in monitoring students’ approach to learning is very much appreciated and we are looking forward to seeing students satisfying their contract period successfully for Term 1.

Academic Pastoral Care staff are experienced and well placed to offer students and families good advice and alternatives to current subject pathways if significant difficulties are being experienced.

Study Skills, Learner Types, Learning Environments, and QCE Scenarios will be some of the topics covered in Pastoral Care to support their studies this semester.

Year 10

Year 10 students are now registered with Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) and are set to start accumulating credits toward their QCE. The Academic Pastoral Care team is working through the initializing of SET (Secondary Education & Training) Plans and students have been asked to share their current strengths, career ambitions, and interests with peers, teachers, and parents at home to begin the process of transition towards senior subject selection, further study, and employment.

Years 7 - 9

Years 7 - 9 are settling into meeting their new teachers, classrooms, and routines after the extended summer holiday and we are seeing some solid peer support from our vertical home groups.

NAPLAN testing through the new online platform has been seamlessly delivered this term. It was fantastic to see the growing student confidence in the new format achieved through practice sessions and excellent student participation. The organisation and IT support behind the scenes to make this happen were impressive.

I would like to encourage all parents to consider factors at home to support a good study environment, promote sufficient sleep, encourage a balanced approach to exercise and diet, and manage excessive use of social media & gaming.

Uniform Reminder

Peace Lutheran College is proud of its image in the community and an important part of this continues to be our uniform. I am very pleased to see that the students are taking pride in our appearance this year and I would like to say thank you for all the parental support of our policy. Apart from student safety, the image we project in our community has many positive benefits both at school and in the wider community.

Term 2 requires Secondary students to wear a tie, so a timely bedroom tidy might be in order over the Easter break to locate any missing items. This is a reminder that students are only allowed piercings in the lower lobe (plain metal stud or sleeper), facial piercings are not allowed. Parents and students are reminded to review the College Uniform Policy and clarify any questions with staff before decisions are made that are in breach of this. Parental support with this is essential and very much appreciated so that we can continue to deliver a quality education whilst being consistent with our expectations of all students.

Students considering any appearance changes through the holidays need to be aware that any haircuts, coloring, and piercings need to fall within our acceptable standards - please check this against the College Uniform Policy. Any unhealed piercing will need to be removed at the start of Term 2 and any coloring corrected to a natural tone.

Have a relaxing Easter break, keep safe, and God Bless.

Kind regards,

Peter Cummings
Director of Secondary School

We recently had the privilege of hosting two Year 12 students from Redeemer Lutheran College, Biloela. Sami and Zoe normally receive their Mathematical Methods lessons from our Head of Department (Mathematics), Mr Brooking, via flexible delivery interactive video lessons, but were on campus for a two-day intensive course in preparation for their IA2 exam and join their on-campus classmates for a lesson. The girls even had the opportunity to experience boarding life during their stay, joining our boarders in Milyn House during their visit.

Term One 2023 has been a busy term for the Peace teaching team as they continue to familiarise themselves with the new Australian Curriculum version 9.0. The teachers have undertaken a range of professional development sessions and meetings in teaching teams and learning area groups to review current practices and begin to develop new teaching materials and learning experiences for students across the College. As a group of professionals, our teachers focus on continuous improvement of themselves to be the best teachers they can be for themselves, the College, and the students.

Currently, all teaching and learning at Peace are supported by a range of experiences, activities, and events for the students. The teachers work together to ensure that teaching is supported and complemented by a range of relevant learning experiences. Term One has seen students participate in camps, visit sites around the local area, engage with guest speakers, welcome a range of visitors to the College, and participate in competitions and performances. All these learning experiences offer the students the opportunity to learn with, and from others, and make links between classroom learning and the world around them.

At the end of Term One, teachers complete Term One Progress Reports which provide feedback on the learning that has taken place during the first part of the year. These reports will be provided to you via the Peace Parent Portal and will be followed by Parent/Teacher Interviews early in Term Two. These interviews provide an opportunity for you and your child to meet teachers and discuss the next steps in learning.

This year, I am privileged to serve the College as Director of Culture. This role encourages me to actively seek ways to establish a positive culture and develop a strong sense of community that reflect the core Peace values. I am tasked with providing leadership within the College pertaining to student character and leadership development, and I work with and support the Pastoral Care Team with the implementation of restorative practices. I have a responsibility for staff formation and providing professional development to support staff towards gaining accreditation at the appropriate level for their role.

In addition to this, I remain the Head of Christian Studies and a teacher of Religion and Ethics. I believe that support for the key subject area of Christian Studies (or an equivalent program, such as Religion and Ethics) is vital for our College community. All Lutheran schools offer Christian Studies, which is a subject that invites students to consider what Christians believe and branch out from this to consider the perspectives of other faiths and worldviews.

Juanita Eime
Director of Culture

Real Schools - A Restorative Approach

One of the joys in my role is to work alongside, mentor, and support teachers and the Heads of House as they journey into the restorative practices approach. This approach encourages students to take responsibility for their words and actions, seeking to restore the harm that has been caused and find a way, where possible, to invite the person to be accepted as a member of the community again.

This is not an easy process, and as we journey into restorative practices, we are supported by Kirsty Lush of Real Schools.

On Tuesday, 18^th April, we will have a Parent Information Night to present information about Restorative Practices 2.0 from Real Schools. Please mark this important date on your calendar. Families will receive a letter to provide a Zoom link for those who wish to be at home or who live far away. At the same time, we will also provide an opportunity for families and staff to join us for a face-to-face session.

To find out more, you can view the Real Schools Parent Information Session flyer and watch the video below.

Restorative practices are not new for Lutheran or state schools. However, this journey is new for us at Peace. Restorative practices involve natural consequences for behaviour. However, these consequences move away from punitive motivations and outcomes towards educating and supporting the person and community to work together in a positive and productive way.

I invite you to join us on this journey, to reach out and give feedback, and allow us to work in partnership with you and your child as they are challenged to grow into a mature, responsible citizen who can use their God-given gifts and talents to serve the wider community. I look forward to personally greeting you at the Parent Information session.

Juanita Eime
Director of Culture

The College Captains have been supported this year to take more ownership of the assembly program each week. This showcases their leadership skills and provides them with an opportunity to plan, organise and communicate with the College community. The College Captains are showcasing excellent leadership skills for all aspiring leaders.

It was my pleasure to attend the International Women’s Day breakfast at Pullman Cairns International. Serah Merrick and Libra Aying represented the College extremely well. They were delighted to meet the 2023 Young Woman of the Year award recipient in person. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, which has struck a chord with Libra and Serah, due to their study of Social Justice in Religion and Ethics. As a result of some robust conversations after the breakfast, we have planned some small ways to take action and raise awareness in our College community in Term 2.

ANZAC Day

The College Captains will attend the ANZAC Day ceremony in the city on behalf of the College. I thank Mr Peter Cummings for attending with the Captains for this important occasion.

It is exciting to be part of a school system that views all people as lifelong learners, and values ongoing staff formation. All teachers in Lutheran Education are required to gain accreditation as a teacher in a Lutheran school. This accreditation is a nationally recognised certification that shows appropriate awareness of the culture of a Lutheran school and ways that the theology behind what we do is lived out day to day.

Teachers who are new to Peace this year or late last year have joined a Connect group to begin their accreditation process, which culminates in a reflective ePortfolio of their journey as a teacher in the Lutheran school system.

Teachers of Christian studies have begun their Equip journey to become accredited as teachers of Christian Studies in Lutheran schools. This is an exciting space for our staff members as they reflect on their teaching of Christian Studies and Religion and Ethics, and contemplate the learning and enrichment opportunities for students that can be facilitated within these subject areas.

We also have College leaders undertaking a post-graduate study to gain accreditation as a leader in a Lutheran school. This study is an exciting opportunity that provides rich dialogue with colleagues from other Lutheran schools across Australia.

Our staff has undertaken the Valuing Safe Communities training that inducts people into expected behaviours and a code of ethics. This professional development helps to support all personnel to become conversant with expectations and ways to enhance the culture of the College through positive and productive communication that is safe and respectful.

As an additional layer to this staff development, students have been encouraged to consider what it means to lift others up rather than bring them down. We are actively encouraging all students of our community to be inclusive and respectful to all.

During the Week 9 assembly our College Captain responsible for culture, Libra, highlighted Harmony Week. Peace is an amazing community, made up of diverse groups of people who can live and learn together.

As a community of learners, we honour our differences and recognise what makes us the same. Each person’s God-given abilities, talents, skills, and interests are nurtured and encouraged. Students and staff live and learn in service to each other and the wider community as we journey together as a College. We are blessed to learn with and from each other, and we experience the richness that being in a multicultural community brings.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12 – 14

Our teachers also value our diversity and care about the culture of our students:

“I learn from my students every day about what is meaningful and special for them. This helps me to become a better teacher, who is more culturally aware and I believe that we have trust in our classrooms that allows me to grow in this space to ensure I am respectful to my students and their families.”

“I am blessed to teach at Peace where we value diversity and see each person with the potential to enhance what we do here. I am excited to learn alongside my students and colleagues each day.”

“I feel privileged to become aware of my student’s “story” because I know that I’m walking in on a chapter, rather than the beginning.”

Real Schools Visit

Kirsty Lush from Real Schools will provide some teachers and classes with in-class support early next term. This visit supports the further implementation of the restorative approach as teachers gain insight into ways to support their classes to work restoratively and respectfully with each other.

Please come along or engage with the Parent Information Night – Tuesday 18^th April. We are offering a hybrid evening – this means parents and staff members will be encouraged to join in face-to-face sessions or experience the presentation via Zoom.

Australian Lutheran World Visit (ALWS)

Pastor Martin Scharnke will be on campus on Monday 8^th May and Tuesday 9^th May for class visits and assembly presentations in both Primary and Secondary schools. Hearing about the work of ALWS encourages students and staff to consider the College's Mission statement: “To develop resilient and compassionate young people who use God’s guidance to contribute positively to our community and the world.” The work of ALWS highlights the need within different countries and communities to provide assistance and meaningful support to value all humans who experience hardship and poverty.

The visit from ALWS has curriculum links as the Year 12s have just learned about social justice and ways to take action in their local community. In Term 3 the Year 8s will learn about the motivation of ALWS to reach out in love for justice. They will research a specific area of the world in which ALWS makes a difference.

Wearing Our Uniform Well

Part of enhancing our culture involves wearing our uniform well, which shows that we are proud to be part of the Peace community. During the Week 10 Assembly, Secondary Students were reminded of wearing ties during Term 2 and Term 3. We have challenged our older students to model for the younger ones how to tie a tie during Home Group early next term. Hats are an essential part of the uniform. Cairns and Far North Queensland experience very high UV ratings. To protect our students and encourage them to take responsibility for their belongings, we will have a designated space for students to sit in the shade if they do not have a hat. Students and Teachers are required to wear hats when moving around the College, between classrooms, during breaks, and on excursions. Please support your child to have a hat for Term Two onwards. One of our House Representatives commented at the Week 10 Assembly that the Red Emperors have lifted their ability to wear their uniform well. Congratulations, Red Emperors! You are setting the bar high for the other houses. Gold Dingoes currently have the best attendance rating, and it is pleasing to see the Gold Dingoes maximising their learning time and relationships by participating in sporting opportunities.

The Year 12 students are keen to begin volunteering at Rosies – Friends on the Street. Early in Term 2, we will invite a representative from Rosies – Friends on the Street to speak with the Year 12 students and any staff members who wish to volunteer on a Thursday night to provide conversation and serve food to the less fortunate.

The wider College community can support this initiative by purchasing small items to be donated to Rosies. These items can be dropped off to the College Administration for the attention of Pastor Adam or Mrs Juanita Eime.

We thank you in advance for your support of this project.

It will be Easter weekend soon. Among the family get-togethers, chocolate eggs, and bunnies, as Christians, we will celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our salvation as the true meaning of Easter.

In addition, we will remember that on the night before Good Friday, when Jesus had a Last Supper with his disciples, he took the role of a servant and washed their feet. John 13:12-15 reads: ¹² After washing their feet, he put on his robe again, sat down, and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? ¹³ You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that is what I am. ¹⁴ And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”

We all like to be served, and it makes us feel important. But the lesson Jesus gave His disciples, and that He wants to give us, is that true importance lies in service to others rather than being served. And service is a value we encourage in each other in the Peace community. It involves doing for others what you would like to have them do for you. We are to be willing to be like Jesus and roll up our sleeves and get busy helping others. And Jesus’ service to us – giving his life – is our inspiration for service, but it is also the means of our salvation and the cause of our Easter celebrations.

I hope and pray that you all have a safe and blessed Easter, and some time for rest and leisure during the school break.

Dear Jesus, help me to be more like you, to be willing to serve, to always place the needs of others first, and to remain humble in my service. Thank you for giving yourself or our salvation. Amen.

God bless,

Pastor Adam

We began the school year with prayer and a joyous celebration at our Opening Chapel, where we had the installation of our Principal, the induction of new staff, and the investiture of our College Captains. We were blessed to have our Queensland Lutheran Bishop, Mark Vainikka, present for Mr Jurecky’s installation, and also Dr Lisa Schmidt who is the director of Lutheran Education Australia.

Chapel for Secondary School is regularly on Wednesday mornings at 8:15 am, and for Primary School at 2:30 pm on Friday afternoons. Occasionally we have guests at the chapel. This term we were blessed to have Richard Ward from the Gideons Society visit to present copies of the New Testament to the year 7’s, and we have Pastor Greg Schiller from Trinity Lutheran church as a regular visitor to Primary chapel.

On Wednesday 22^nd February our College community celebrated the beginning of Lent with our Ash Wednesday chapel. Students and staff had the opportunity to receive the “Imposition of Ashes” – ash marked on their foreheads or wrist in the shape of a cross, accompanied with the words “Remember you are dust” or “Return to God and trust in Him”.

Dust and ashes are elements that remind us that we are connected to the land and soil and that all life is created by God and will eventually decompose and return to the ground. Sounds like divine composting! And yet it is God’s plan for the world and shows us that new life and growth are coming.

Christmas and Easter are more popular celebrations than Ash Wednesday, but all three are celebrations of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. The true message of Christmas is that our Saviour has come, the true message of Easter is that our Saviour died and rose again for us, and the message of Ash Wednesday is that our sin results in death but we have forgiveness and eternal life in our Saviour Jesus who has ‘marked’ us as his own. We turn to Him for new life.

This year Easter weekend falls at the end of the term break. Many people traditionally spend Easter with family and friends, and so we pray for God’s protection on those travelling, and that we all may enjoy some rest these holidays.

For Christians, Easter is a time to proclaim and celebrate the crux of our faith – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our salvation. This is the Gospel, the Good News, that brings forgiveness and salvation for all who believe.

Families of the College are invited to join members of Trinity Lutheran Church for worship on Easter weekend. Easter services at Trinity Lutheran Church, on Severin Street in Manunda, are:

• Maundy Thursday (April 6^th) at 7 pm
• Good Friday (April 7^th) at 8 am
• Easter Sunday (April 9^th) at 9 am

The beginning of every year is always very busy in school sports and 2023 has proved no different with numerous TCN trials, CISSA getting underway and our swimming and cross-country carnivals taking place.

TCN

Thirty-eight of our students have trialed for a TCN team so far this year, with 30 of them gaining selection, which is an outstanding result. Students who are selected in a TCN team then compete at the regional trials, against other districts, for a spot in the Peninsula team. A huge congratulations must go to Andrew L (Under 18 Boys Rugby League) and Saxon T (Under 15 Boys Basketball) for being selected for the Peninsula team. Both boys will compete at the state championships in the coming months. Congratulations also to Billy H, who recently represented Peninsula at the 13-19 State Tennis Championships in Townsville.

TCN trials continue next term, including the TCN Cross Country Carnival, which is being held at St Andrew’s on Friday 28^th April. All of the TCN information, including upcoming trials, the calendar, and the nomination form are on Student Café and Parent Portal.

CISSA

Our CISSA season for 2023 commenced in Week 4, with a home game against Trinity Bay State High School. Each CISSA round consists of 10 fixtures, across six different sports. Our results so far this season have been relatively positive with five wins and a draw against Trinity Bay State High School, five wins against Saint Mary’s Catholic College, and two wins and two draws against St Andrew’s Catholic College. In Week 9, we have another home game against Woree SHS before CISSA takes a break for the Easter holidays. CISSA then resumes in Week 1 of Term 2 with an away game against Redlynch State College.

Social Sport

Students who are not selected to play CISSA participate in our social sport program. This term, students have participated in Beach Volleyball, Futsal, Badminton, Lawn Bowls, and Boxing. More exciting social sports options are on the horizon for Term 2.

Swimming Carnival

The first inter-house carnival to take place this year was the Swimming Carnival, which was held at the Smithfield Pool on Friday 3^rd March. For the second straight year, we were blessed with near-perfect weather, which resulted in a great day for all involved. Students participated in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and relay events, in addition to an all-in house swim. Thank you to all of the students who made the day a success, as well as the staff – without you, we wouldn’t have such a great event.

Congratulations to the year-level champions and to Green Eagles, the winning House. This year, Green Eagles made it six straight swimming carnivals in a row!

Champion House

The Secondary School Cross Country Carnival took place on the morning of Wednesday 29^th March (Week 10) in spectacular weather. Well done to all students who participated and earned valuable points for their Houses.

This year's Cross Country House Champion is Green Eagles.

Age Champions

Congratulations to the following students who are the Age Champions of this year's Secondary School Cross Country Carnival:

• 12 Years – Sienna M (Girls) and Lachlan F (Boys)
• 13 Years – Makayla K (Girls) and Dallas P (Boys)
• 14 Years – Mimi F (Girls) and Jack O (Boys)
• 15 Years – Atalia T (Girls) and Saxon T (Boys)
• 16 Years – Ella N (Girls) and Jeremy T (Boys)
• 17 Years – Jordan H (Girls) and Kenny H (Boys)
• 18 + Years – She-in K (Girls) and Malcolm S (Boys)

Champion of Champions

A big PLC shoutout to our two Champion of Champions for 2023:

• Atalia T (Girls) with a time of 11:45
• Saxon T (Boys with a time of 10:05

Inter-school Mountain Biking

On Sunday 12^th March, we had four students represent Peace Lutheran College at the first round of the FNQ Interschool Mountain Bike Race Series at Davies Creek. Well done to Sam D, Jeremy T, Joah A, and Brea W for doing such a great job representing our College. Thank you also to Mr Brooking for supervising the students on the day. A second round of the series is in the works, so stay tuned.

Term 2 is looking to be just as busy as Term 1 with several more TCN trials occurring, the CISSA season reaching the business end and our Track and Field Carnival taking place. Smithfield State High School is also hosting a range of gala days throughout the term, which we already have teams entered into. The Kuranda State District College NAIDOC Touch Football Carnival is also being held towards the end of Term 2.

So, there you have it. A really busy start to the year and Term 2 shows no signs of slowing down. Thank you to all of the students and staff for their continued participation and support of our sports program. If you do have any questions about anything sport related, please drop me an email.

Yours in Sport,

Alex Collins
Secondary School Sports Coordinator

With the sad departure of Tanya Mills last year, we were blessed to welcome Emma McRae to the library team. Emma comes to us from Whitfield State School where she worked closely with students as a Teacher Aide. Thank you to all the staff and students for making Emma feel welcome.

Book Fair

The Learning Centre started in full swing with our Bookaneers Book Fair smashing our goal and raising money for new books. A huge thank you to all the family, friends, and Peace community who supported us.

Readers Cup

This term we also picked our teams for the Readers Cup Challenge in June. Time for them now to diligently read and ready themselves for the competition. I am proud to say that we are entering all three events this year with Years 5/6, Yrs 7/8, and Yrs 9/10.

National Simultaneous Storytime

Next term, on the 24^th of May, brings us the National Simultaneous Storytime, and this year’s book is called The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops, and many other places around the country. Now in its 23rd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy. I look forward to sharing this wonderful story with the students.

Stay happy, stay safe, and stay true to your shelf 😊

Miss Marcelle and Miss Emma

The start of 2023 saw a new Service Leader appointed to our wonderful OSHC (Outside School Hours Care).

Introducing - Sean Mullins

Hi, my name is Sean Mullins and I am the new Service Leader at Peace Lutheran Outside School Hours Care. I am 28 years old and have been working in OSHC across a number of large services for the last nine years. I hold a Diploma in School Aged Care and am very passionate about providing a safe, caring, and fun environment for the children who attend OSHC. I enjoy an active lifestyle, you will find me playing soccer, fishing, or walking my dogs. I look forward to meeting new families and being a part of a great school community.

Hours of operation

• Before School Care 6:30 am - 8:30 am
• After School Care 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
• Vacation Care 7:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Rates

• Before School Care - Permanent $19, Casual $24
• After School Care - Permanent $29, Casual $34
• Vacation Care - Permanent $59, Casual $69

Primary Families are encouraged to check your School App notices for details about our end of Term 1 (Easter) Vacation Care program and booking details.

A fun program has been compiled for the upcoming Term 1 vacation care. If you would like to utilise the vacation care service and are not already enrolled in the OSHC Program, you can do so by completing and submitting an application form.

An Information Sheet has been provided for more information about this Term's Vacation Care Program.

Authorisation Forms for Term 1 Vacation Care Excursions

• Bowling
• Laser Tag
• Smithfield Cinema

Term 1 sees the Marketing and Enrolments team hit the ground running with a full calendar of College showcase events and welcoming current and new students back on campus for the school year.

New students

On day 1, 2023, Peace welcomed 98 new students into our community, from our youngest Prep’s to brand new Year 7’s, students that call Peace home in Boarding, and international students, we’ve had students join us across all year levels which has been so exciting. We hope your first term with us has been an enjoyable one.

Public events

In February we welcomed families at our Year 7 Information evening. Current Peace families and prospective new families experienced a friendly and informative evening of college tours and presentations from our Secondary teachers and our Principal.

Following up in early March with our two Prep ‘In Action’ mornings, little ones came along to experience what a morning is like in Prep at Peace while mums and dads enjoyed a morning tea with the Prep teachers and our Directors of Primary.

These events are always humbling as we receive such lovely feedback about our school from those who attend and the positive response via enrolment applications.

International visitors

As our region continues to open after the impacts of the pandemic on travel and tourism, this term we have welcomed two study visits from international schools. A one-day student-teacher visit from Osaka Seikei University, Japan; saw these young teachers in training visit Primary classes and observe our wonderful teachers in action while interacting with our students. The feedback about our students, their kindness and inclusivity, making these visitors feel welcome, was heartening. Our Primary students also enjoyed receiving some hand-made origami and watching our Japanese friends fold these creations.

Toward the end of the term, we also shared our Secondary school with 20 Japanese students aged 16 - 17 from Otemon Gakuin school. On Thursday they had time with their own teachers to study English in our classrooms. A group of our amazing and hospitable Year 8, 9 & 10 students then took the role of ‘buddy’ for the afternoon, taking their new friend with them to various classes in the timetable. Friday saw a fun cooking class for the visitors making blueberry muffins, a few more class visits to Art and Industrial Tech, and a farewell lunch event with our buddies to round out what they described as a rewarding experience at Peace.

Coming Up In Term 2

Looking into Term 2 we have a new community event - Principal’s Forum - look out for more information coming on this; our ‘Prep In Depth’ information morning and Family Movie Night on the Peace Green. Keep updated by reading notifications via the PLC School App and via the Peace Parent Portal on these and all College key dates, year-level activities, and community events.

Best regards,

Samara Dever
Director of Marketing & Enrolments

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 or School App  for the most up-to-date calendar information.

The QCOHS team would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the school, parents, and students who participated in The Queensland Child Oral Health Study (QCOHS). Your contribution in the form of an oral examination and completion of a study questionnaire has been invaluable and will help us gain a better understanding of the oral health of children in Queensland. Your family’s involvement will make a substantial contribution that will continue to benefit Queensland and Australian children for many years.

From the QCOHS Research team

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.