newsletter-24.2.16 - Upper Coomera State College

137 Reserve Road
Upper Coomera QLD 4209
Subscribe: http://uppercoomerasc.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe
24 February 2016
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (07) 5580 7555
Fax: (07) 5580 7500
Junior School In Focus
Welcome to 2016!
Junior School Learning to Save the Fun Way
We hope all of our families had a wonderful
Christmas break, and are now well and truly
settled into Term 1.
What a start it has been!
A big thanks to all of our parents and carers
who have supported our college, by
ensuring their children were in full uniform,
attending every day and being positive members of our school
community.
We have had a strong start to Commonwealth Bank School
Banking, with 112 students bringing in their banking passbooks
on the first week, amounting to a total of $1,025.65 banked.
Our teachers and staff were very impressed with the very
settled and smooth start to the year by our students.
Most deposits were in the $2 - $10 range, but we had
everything from $0.05 to $50. We had 5 volunteer parents
come in to pick up the folders from each classroom, help count
the money, stamp the passbooks and enter deposit amounts
into the banking database.
We have so many amazing excursions, programs and events
rolling out this year so please ensure you keep updated via our
newsletter, Facebook page and website.
What a tremendous effort from the students, parents, staff and
school banking team volunteers to get this program off the
ground.
You may have also seen information go out about our 2016
Parent Council. I encourage as many parents as possible to
be involved, as this is a fantastic way for you to have input
into college decision making, and also to ask any questions
or provide valuable feedback to our staff. The application form
and flyer was emailed out, and it will also be available on our
website.
A reminder that School Banking is on every Wednesday, so
don't forget to bring in your yellow passbooks with any money
you wish to bank.
Have a fantastic week.
Shelley Kent
Community Engagement Officer
Email: [email protected]
• For junior students, please take it to class and your
classroom teacher will collect for you.
• For secondary students, please drop your money in
to secondary administration as soon as you arrive at
school in the morning.
If you are yet to sign up, you can visit a Commonwealth Bank
branch and sign your child up (you will need to bring a birth
certificate for the child).
Buddy Bench takes a stand against
bullying
With the National Day of Action Against Bullying & Violence
coming up in March, our college will be taking a stand against
Bullying, by installing our very own Buddy Bench.
The bench will aim to encourage friendship, inclusion and a
positive school community, where children are encouraged to
sit when they are feeling left out or bullied. If a classmate sees
someone sitting at the bench, they are urged to invite them to
play, walk or talk with them. Our teachers and leadership team
will be working extensively with students to ensure the concept
is understood, and that this bench becomes a positive addition
to the school community.
chair to ensure it is happy, easily noticeable and conveying
messages of friendship and inclusion.
We will be hosting an official launch of our Buddy Bench soon,
so will send out details shortly.
Gold Coast Suns visit our Junior School
This week our Year 5 and 6 Sports Excellence Classes had a
very special visit by the Gold Coast Suns.
Our Senior Secondary Construction students will be installing
the buddy Bench in the junior school in the coming weeks. Here
are some photos of the students making concrete moulds to
begin creating the bench.
They will be coming over the next few
weeks to help develop their AFL skills, plus
also to build excellent team work skills
amongst the students.
We are very excited about this new partnership!
A big thanks to the Gold Coast Suns for supporting our
students and their love of sport.
PBL team on the lookout for Lego and
Matchbox cars
The finished result is absolutely beautiful, and we are so excited
to see this stunning chair standing proud in the Junior School.
Our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) team in Junior School
are calling out for any unwanted second hand Lego or
matchbox cars, to assist in supporting children with sensory
needs.
We have set up two donation tubs in the Junior Administration
if you wish to donate any items. It would mean a lot to our
students and really help to support their learning.
We thank you for your support.
As a P-12 college we are very lucky to have the opportunity
to work in collaboration across both the Junior and Secondary
school. This project is a perfect example, with our Junior school
arts excellence students taking on the task of designing the
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Junior School kicks off the year in a
positive way
Week 5
A big thank you to all parents and carers who took the time this
afternoon to come to our Meet and Greet.
Sebastian Powell from Laveena Brown from Jai Brown from
year 7.
year 8.
year 8.
Our teachers really enjoyed meeting you all and sharing what is
planned for the year ahead.
It was also great to see our Deputies and support staff cooking
that scrumptious sausage sizzle.
Secondary School In Focus
Deans spreading the positivity
PBL has really ramped up this year, continuing the great
progress made last year.
With the introduction of Student Deans in 2015, we have seen
a major improvement in student behaviour, and a much more
settled start to the school year.
Our Student Deans work closely with the students to ensure
they feel supported within the college, and also are rewarded
for their positive behaviours. Each week a student will be
awarded 'Dean's Student of the Week' and will receive a $5
tuckshop voucher, with an end of term big surprise for those
students who are consistently displaying these positive
behaviours.
These students were identified by teachers as consistently
demonstrating the weekly PBL focus in their classes.
Well Done!!!
Local businesses come together to boost
employment for our students
What a spectacular morning we had at our Industry Sunrise
Breakfast on Friday.
This breakfast brought business owners/representatives,
training providers, politicians, staff and students all together
for a delicious breakfast prepared by our Senior Hospitality
students! All with the purpose of strengthening our industry
partnerships.
Congratulations to the following students who so far have been
awarded Dean's Students of the Week
Our whole team including students, staff, facilities, cleaners,
administration staff and support staff all worked together, and
what a positive and successful result it was!
Week 4
Most importantly this event would not have been possible
without the dedication, enthusiasm and professional of our
students. What a high standard you have set.
Thank you to all of our guests for taking time out of your busy
work schedules to spend the morning with us in support of
our wonderful College. It means a great deal to our students,
families and staff.
Peni Taleni and Hayley Brown from year 7.
This year sees us implementing a major re-invention of our
career education program offered to Years 10, 11 and 12
students. We have introduced a new subject for all senior
students called Career Development, a Queensland Curriculum
and Assessment Authority approved short course. With new
programs such as Speed Careering, Mock Interviews, Industry
Tours, Classroom Visits and Mentoring opportunities, this was
an ideal opportunity for us to start the year on a positive, and
hope to build further strong partnerships with our local industry.
If you would like to be involved as an industry or business
representative, in our senior career development program,
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please fill out the EOI form and return to Lynn Davies, Industry
Liaison Officer via email [email protected]
We are looking forward to a positive and successful year ahead.
Student leaders set to make a positive
change in the college
This program has been designed for those secondary students
who have a passion for the Arts and want to develop skills for
senior study. Our creative environment offers budding dance,
drama, music, art and film students an opportunity to pursue
their interests with other like minded students. With access
to industry standard equipment and resources students are
provided with unlimited opportunities to excel in their chosen
field.
If you are interested you will need to complete the application
form and return it to Staffroom 2 to Mrs Horne or Mrs Hughes.
Then prepare for your audition.
Applications close Monday 29 February 2016.
Auditions will take place in Week 7.
Team spirit at an all time high at the
Swimming Carnival
What a day at the Swimming Carnival!!!
Introducing our 2016 Secondary School Student Leadership
Team!
What a dedicated, enthusiastic and capable team of students.
This year we have restructured our leadership team to include
College Prefects, who will specialise in 5 different pillars: Arts,
Sport, Learning, Culture and Community.
The sun was out, making it a perfect day to be at the Runaway
Bay Sports Centre pool. Team spirit was at an all time high, as
students competed to earn points for their house, but also to
potentially qualify for representative level.
With these new focuses the students will have clear direction,
plus greater flexibility to work together with their fellow peers to
continue to build our college culture.
Keep posted for details on their up and coming projects.
Calling all budding creative minded
students
A big thanks to all of our students for making the day so
enjoyable.
Congratulations to Perkins who took out the Shield this year,
finishing with the most house points on the day.
This is a massive feat for Perkins, who have not won the
Swimming Carnival since 2006.
Well done!
Project Samoa set to inspire
Are you interested in the Creative Arts?
We are currently accepting applications for Years 7 - 9
students, so don't miss out on your chance to be part of an
amazing program.
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Last week our newly appointed year 11 Northern Collegiate
student leaders went on a Camp at Runaway Bay Sports Super
Centre, joining students from Pacific Pines SHS, Pimpama
SHS, Coombabah SHS and Helensvale SHS.
These students from 5 schools in our Northern Collegiate group
had never met each other and yet they bonded, worked
together and made the most out of the speakers and
workshops held during the camp.
They were nothing short of amazing!
They conducted themselves in a way that made all of the
teachers involved proud to be a part of the experience.
• Shay Ives
Each year the Northern Collegiate students are required to pick
a community project that they will invest their time towards, and
raise much needed funds for. This year our students have set
their sights slightly higher for a much bigger cause, aspiring to
raise $40,000 for ‘Project Samoa’.
In 2009 and 2012 Samoa was hit with a Tsunami and then
a destructive Cyclone devastating this island community and
leaving many children orphaned. With the help of Rotary Surfers
Paradise and the fundraising these students will partake in
during the year, the project goal is to make a difference in
these student’s lives by building a classroom for a group of
orphaned girls, who unlike the Northern Collegiate students,
have no dedicated place for their lessons. At the moment they
learn, eat, sleep and live in the same room. Our students have
the opportunity to change that, and they are determined to
stand up for what they believe in.
The proposed school building will take six weeks to build on the
Gold Coast, and upon completion will be shipped to Samoa’s
capital Apia. Once it arrives at Samoa, it only takes five short
days to assemble by a team of Rotary and the assistance of a
group of students and teachers from the Northern Collegiate.
• Jason Adams
• Emma Maangi
• Stephanie Gwynne
• Jye Naehu
• Brock Dunlop
• Hallina Stachnik
• Ranui Yusuff
• Calvin Wilks
• Dakotah Hall
Sporting legend inspires the stars of the
future
Emerging UCSC sporting stars had their first taste of stardom,
welcoming Glynis Nunn-Cearns, former Olympic Gold Medallist
to their college on Wednesday 10 February to induct 70
students into the brand new Future Stars Program, and present
them with their Gold Coast Academy of Sport shirts.
This is set to be their biggest community project yet, and
will need all the help they can get from our school and local
community.
If you wish to donate towards this inspirational cause, please
visit their ‘Go Fund Me’ page, and click on the ‘Donate Now’
link.
https://www.gofundme.com/Projectsamoa
Also please help us raise awareness in the community of our
plight by using #projectsamoa and sharing their Facebook
page.
https://www.facebook.com/NCprojectsamoa/
Thank you from the 2016 NC Crew.
Jakaara Legend Awards
Congratulations to the following students who were awarded
Jakaara Legend Awards at the last Junior Secondary
Assembly:
UCSC and the Gold Coast Academy of Sport have teamed up
to form the Future Stars Program, designed to deliver quality
outcomes to elite student athletes. This momentous occasion
marked the start of a big year ahead for UCSC, with the recently
formed partnership with the Academy opening up doors to
a network of industry professionals who will deliver highly
relevant, age specific athletic education to help them develop
into an all round athlete on and off the field of play.
The Future Stars program Coordinator, Nick Alidenes from
UCSC, explains the Future Stars program is the first of its kind
for the College and provides UCSC with a unique opportunity to
cater for athletes from a large range of sporting backgrounds.
“The rounded approach to athlete education and development
allows us to develop young athletes not just in their fitness, but
also delivers off field education in areas such as nutrition and
sport psychology”.
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Excitement was an understatement, as the students relished in
hearing Glynis’s stories of her journey towards Gold at the 1984
Olympic Games, becoming the only Australian to have won an
Olympic multi-discipline athletics event.
Samantha Nyambiya, year 9 UCSC student, could hardly
contain her excitement when meeting the former Olympian.
“It was so inspiring hearing of Glynis’s sporting journey as a
young athlete, the obstacles that arose and how she overcame
them to succeed,” Samantha said.
Cats musical delights our creative
students
On Wednesday 10 February 31 of our Creative Arts Signature
program students from years 10 to 12 had the opportunity to
see the musical ‘Cats’ to gain knowledge and understanding
about professional theatre performances that are undertaken at
Queensland’s largest theatre venue, QPAC.
“Glynis’s story has given me an insight into the possible journey
ahead as a young athlete”.
“As a Future Stars Program student I am very privileged to
have the support of my teachers and trainers, and am confident
by accessing the network of professionals that this program
offers, I can continually motivate myself to reach for my sporting
goals”.
This is only the beginning of a big year ahead
for the Future Stars Program, with LJ Hooker
Coomera jumping on board this year as the
program’s first Gold Sponsor. The support of LJ Hooker will
open up further opportunities for athletic development, so to
ensure UCSC students are gaining access to quality sporting
pathways.
For further information on the Future Stars Program please
contact Nick Alidenes, Future Stars Program Coordinator via
email [email protected]
The behaviour of the students was exemplary, throughout all
aspects of the day, as was their uniform, however the buzzing
moment of the day, was when the students had a very unique
opportunity to meet Delta Goodrem, the star of the show.
Future Stars students learn from the best
The year 8/9 Future Stars program students attended an
athlete development camp last Thursday and Friday at the
Runaway Bay Sport Leadership and Excellence Centre. Fitness
and teambuilding was the main focus of the camp.
Canteen
The students participated in a range of high intensity fitness
activities ranging from fitness testing to sprint training to boxing.
All students were role models for both the program and our
college during their stay. Although, extremely tired by the
conclusion of camp, students reported an improved bond with
their class mates as well as a greater understanding of some
key concepts surrounding showing persistence and learning
from failures.
Our wonderful canteen are looking for some volunteers who
would like to assist with the day to day running of the canteen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkMooTfVrKA
Here is some footage of some Team Building Exercises.
Parents, Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles; we welcome you all to
get involved and make a positive difference to our student's.
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With the launch of the new healthy choices menu, our canteen
is excited for the year ahead.
Shifts and days can be flexible depending on your availability.
Any bit counts!
If you are interested please pop in to speak to Leanne in the
Secondary Canteen, or contact the college.
Automotive training kicked off with a
bang
This year we are very excited to be offering the Certificate II in
Automotive onsite, delivered by TAFE Queensland Gold Coast.
The course kicked off this week, and it was a huge hit!
We thank you for your continued support of our college.
New Traineeships
On Wednesday Rylee Mulhearn, Dannielle Soich and Bethany
Wright were signed into a Certificate III Early Childhood
Education and Care with Kool Kids.
This qualification will provide foundational skills and knowledge
required for entry into the Automotive industry and is an ideal
stepping stone to continue on to a School Based
Apprenticeship or Traineeship
Honours students receive their badges
On Tuesday 2 February our 2016 Honours students were
presented with their badges and folios.
They commence the application process for these traineeships
last year by attending meetings and trial days in a childcare
centre. They will each work at a different childcare centre one
day per week now and will complete their theory work at St
Stephens School with a trainer from Kool Kids Training College
every Monday morning.
These students were selected for the program based on their
academic grades, behaviour and effort.
We had some new members to the group, with some students
new to the college joining us, and some students whose hard
work last year had paid off, and were presented with a place in
the program.
Congratulations girls.
We wish you every success with your traineeships.
New Traineeship begins
Maddison Pearce of Year 10 has just recently signed into a
Certificate III in Hospitality School based Traineeship, working
for Subway Oxenford every Tuesday.
Pictured is the store owner, Surekha with a very excited
Maddison.
Congratulations and best of luck with your traineeship
Maddison.
Our Deputy Principal Ms Ryan, Head of Department - Junior
Secondary Mrs Peel, and Head of Department Success Coach
- Mr Jackson all congratulated the students for their hard work
so far, and shared some inspirational wisdom on the journey
ahead of them, emphasising the importance of keeping
focused, but also looking after their fellow classmates.
What a positive and exciting start to the year, and we are very
excited to be part of our Honour's students learning journeys.
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plus ran an insightful workshop with Sid Hooker from the
Science On The Go team, centred around 'The Science Behind
the Fun', demonstrating some interesting and engaging ways
to ignite an interest for STEM amongst students. This was one
of 5 workshops running throughout the morning.
We have an exciting year ahead, with a plethora of STEM
activities and events on the calendar, so keep posted.
Can you believe these talented, enthusiastic students are
currently enrolled into 2 or more Signature programs for 2016,
a combination of Academic Honours, Future Stars Sporting
excellence program and the STEM Excellence Program! Quite a
number of the students are also looking forward to auditioning
for the Creative Arts Signature program later this semester.
At UCSC we structure our timetables so students who are
multi-talented, are able to pursue their many interests, and as a
result strengthen their career prospects for the future.
South East Region Educators invest in
STEM for the future
On Friday 22 January the South East District's leading STEM
Educators set the stage for the future of STEM, coming
together to embark on a professional learning journey like no
other.
Griffith University, partnering with the Northern Gold Coast
(NGC) STEM Community, an Upper Coomera State College
initiative, delivered professional workshops to over 70 teachers
on campus all in hope to enrich their teaching practices, further
develop STEM curriculum and improve learning outcomes in
the classroom.
The conference was the first initiative of the newly formed STEM
Excellence Hub by the NGC STEM Community, beginning a
professional learning journey that will launch Gold Coast
Educators to the forefront of leading STEM education.
The initiative is in response to the recently developed National
STEM School Education Strategy 2016 – 2026 by the
Education Council, which has brought forth a renewed national
focus on STEM in school education, highlighting the importance
of young Australians developing necessary STEM skills and
knowledge to succeed. With 75% of the fastest growing jobs
requiring STEM knowledge and skills, it is now more important
than ever that students are equipped with lifelong STEM skills
that prepare them for the 21st century.
We were lucky to have a special guest, Professor Richard
John, Project Lead for Queensland STEM Education Network
at Griffith University who was the keynote speaker for the day,
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