Week 4 Term 1 2015

Unity College
News Waves
Week 4, 20th February 2015
Absentee line: 5490 5700
School line: 5490 5777
Sports line: 5490 5741
Reminders and Announcements
LENT
If you have recently moved house or changed
your contact details, please notify the College
office of your changes. Alternatively, please use
the “Update Details” button on the parent
portal.
P-6 and Years 11,Year 12,School photographs
Monday 23rd February
Please wear formal uniform
Seniors to wear blazers and ties.
Years 7-10 School photographs
Tuesday 24th February
Please wear formal uniform
Seniors to wear blazers and ties.
Please see parent portal for more details
Book Club - Please use credit card for purchases
From the Principal
Dear parents, students, staff and friends of Unity
The Commissioning Ceremony of our Year 12 Cohort was a great success. Thank you to Anita Smith and her team for the
organisation of this event. This includes sound and lighting, choir, music, publishing, catering and setup. The involvement of the parents with the pinning of the senior badges on their children is always a
significant event. The Year 6 Student Leadership also took place on Friday, thank you to Lin Johnstone
and her team.
Both Leadership ceremonies are an important part of empowering our Students to take leadership
responsibilities to help Unity College a better place. Thank you to all parents who came to be part of
this special occasion.
Each year we join with other Christian Colleges on the coast for a Ecumenical Service where 25
students from each of the 16 Christian Colleges on the Sunshine Coast for a special service.
This Thursday I will attend a special Scholarship presentation at the University Of The Sunshine Coast
as three of our Year 12 Students of 2014 are presented with their scholarships. We congratulate Tayla
Dokonal who has been awarded the Inaugural 2015 USC Thompson Excellence Scholarship. We also
congratulate Harry Blades and Nicole Hegarty who have bee awarded the 2015 USC Vice—Chancellors Merit Scholarship.
We have been trialing a new free app called BCE Connect please click below link for more information.
Read more
Have a great week,
Mr Rudy Goosem,
Principal
Junior Phase News
Dear parents, students, staff and friends of Unity
Our Year 6 leaders had to recent opportunities to be involved in and further develop their leadership
skills.
On Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th February 2015 the Brisbane Lions conducted their community
camp and during this time they visited various schools in the region. Unity was selected for a visit on
Wednesday 11th February at 1:00pm by 3 players to deliver their Lion Hearted Leaders program. The
program discussed what leadership looks like in the classroom, in the play ground and on the
sporting field.
Then, on Wednesday, 18th February, the GRIP Leadership conference was held at Nambour Civic
Centre with 20 local schools participating. It was a very lively day with proactive leadership strategies
experienced by the student participants including some very LOUD NOISES sessions. Well received and enjoyed by all of our
Year 6 student Leaders. (see attached photo)
Years 4-6 District Swimming Carnival – Tuesday, 17th February
This event went extremely well. Unit did very well. Many thanks to the efforts of Mr Justin Williams and Mr Dominic Connors.
Congratulations to all participants and, more particularly to those who made Regional. By the way, this Regional Swimming
Carnival is on Thursday, 5th March at the Caboolture Regional Aquatic complex.
For your consideration:
Absenteeism – When your child is going to be absent from school, please ensure that an explanation is given either on the
Absentee line or written in your child’s diary. We have an increasing number of unexplained absences.
Rugby
A note is situated on the Parent Portal – (Unity Blogs tile – Rugby) for interested 7 and 8 year olds who are keen to play in the
Walla Rugby competition. Please return permission forms to class teacher by Monday, 23rd February. We still need a few more
players to make the squad.
Please Note: We are in desperate need of a Walla Coach/Manager to help out over the 4 Wednesdays.
Junior Phase Term 1 events:
 Monday, 23rd February– Junior Phase College photos
 Wednesday, 4th March – Round 1 Walla Rugby – Talara State College
 Thursday, 5th March – Regional Swimming Trials at Caboolture.
 Wednesday, 11th March – Round 2 Walla Rugby – Talara State College
 Thursday, 12th March – Digital Citizenship evening – Lecture Theatre
 Wednesday, 18thMarch – Round 3 Walla Rugby – Talara State College
 Wednesday, 25thMarch – Round 4 Walla Rugby – Talara State College
 Thursday, 26th March – Year 1 excursion to Maleny Dairy
 Weeks 9 & 10 - Junior Phase Parent/Teacher/Student conferences. Actual dates TBA
 Monday, 30th March, Holy Week commences
 Wednesday, 1st April – P-12 Cross Country Carnival
 Thursday, 2nd April – Term 1 ends.
 Holy Thursday – 2nd April
 Good Friday – 3rd April
 Easter Sunday – 5th April
Have a great week,
Steve Chapman
Head of College (P-6)
Middle/Senior Phase News
Dear parents, students, staff and friends of Unity
Welcome to Week 4. 2015 promises to be an excellent year for our College community. We have
a number of key projects aimed at improving learning; the co-curricula program of the College is
going from strength to strength; and student leaders have new opportunities in front of them.
Student feature of the week – First Coffee Shot!
In an expansion of our College course offerings, our first four students to commence Barista
training at the College made a great impression on Shaun Morris, our Barista extraordinaire
Teacher, who wrote this reflection.
‘Congratulations to (anticlockwise from left to right) Dan Brodrick, Bellamy Escott-Kenny, Brodie
Trickie and Nick Dale on their induction into a new program at the College this term, the
College Coffee Academy. The academy is aimed at providing specific employability
skills recognised in the local hospitality and tourism industry to select students who will in turn
make connections within the College community showcasing their developed skills. In the
program’s early stages, the gentleman are to be congratulated for their enthusiasm and
efforts towards this new and exciting initiative.’
Teaching and Learning feature of the week – BLOGS
All our College teachers have made a most courageous step forward in trying out learning
blogs! After only a few hours of in-service, teachers are experimenting with trying to provide
opportunities for students to extend their learning. Teachers are doing a variety of things, including:
 Posting work done in class for students to revisit later when they wish to refresh
 Sharing unit outlines of course work so students can see how they are progressing
 Preparing for the next class with pre-readings or pre-exercises
 Providing opportunities for students to collaborate in class forums.
These are just a few ideas, there are many more initiatives happening. We are inviting all parents and guardians to view
these blogs. To get to them you will have to sit next to your sons and daughters as they log on and let them show you what is
available to them. This is the only way at this stage.
We shall be sending out a comprehensive ‘How to . .’ for parents shortly. In the meantime, please allow your student/s to
show you this new adventure for our College learning community.
Blessings for the coming week
Alain Sauvage
Head of College, 7 – 12
APRE News
Ash Wednesday begins the forty days of Lent — a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. During Lent, we prepare for Easter,
and reflect on the new life that Christ has given us. With this new life comes the obligation to share our gifts with all members
of our human family. Through prayer we respond to God’s call to live justly as Jesus teaches us. We reflect on the gifts of the
earth that we enjoy in abundance and give thanks. In our prayers, we are reminded that we have an obligation to share the
fruits of the earth with the poor, the marginalised and the disempowered. By fasting we walk with the poor for whom the
pains of hunger are a normal part of daily life. In giving alms we take concrete and meaningful action to give of ourselves to
the lives of others. The ashes we received on Wednesday remind us of our own mortality and call us to repent, to turn away
from selfishness to the promise of new life. We ask forgiveness for our human weaknesses and to pray for the strength to
become better and more compassionate people.
Prayer
We live in the light of peace and security
while others try to live their lives in the darkness of insecurity,
injustice, war and famine.
Lord, bring light to the darkness,
open our eyes and hearts to the suffering of others.
Lord have mercy.
Mrs Lin Johnstone
Mrs Anita-Louise Smith (Acting)
Assistant Principals Religious Education
Dance
Please see the new and improved Co-Curricular Ensembles timetable on the parent portal. If your student has successfully
auditioned for or joined one of the many ARTS Co-Curricular Ensembles that the College is offering in 2015 then we have some
exciting news for them….
Read more
Wetlands Celebration
On Tuesday 3rd February, the school celebrated World Wetlands Day along with SEQ Catchments and Stockland.
Read more
Sports News and Date Claimers
The first four weeks of Term 1 has certainly brought the best in our sporting Students. Please see link below for more
information. Read more
District Trial Day 2 for the following sports;
Basketball Under 19’s Boys & Girls Teams
Football Under 19’s Boys & Girls Teams
Rugby League 18’s & 15’s Boys Teams
Rugby Union 18’s Boys Team
Read more
Student Wellbeing
How Unity College and families can partner to encourage regular school attendance.
Read more
VET
We were very fortunate to have both WIN and Channel 7 here on Wednesday to interview several of our students and Mr
deLaurence, regarding a new Basic Health Care school to work program that is being launched at an Information evening
tonight.
This program is an industry driven pilot program being run on the Sunshine Coast through TAFE and some of the major local
health care providers, including the Sunshine Coast Private Hospital at Buderim and the new Sunshine Coast University Private
Hospital.
Unity College was invited to participate in this interview as we had the largest number of students register for the Information
evening and who have an interest in a career in the health industry.
Only 21 Year 11 students from across the Sunshine Coast will be chosen to participate in this Certificate III in Basic Health Care
pilot program, which will run across the next two years and involve 120 hours of industry placement. Students who complete
this program will have enhanced opportunities within the growth health care sector after school and will also increase their
opportunities for transition or entry into other vocational or university studies.
Sherry Christie
Administration – Vocational Education and Training Officer
See photos
School Photographs
Unity College Photographs for 2015 will be taken by “Portrait Patch” on the following days:
Monday 23rd February -Prep to Year 6, 11 and 12
Tuesday 24th February Year 7 to Year 10
Read more
Student Banking
Student banking has started, children will be required to bring their banking books to school on Wednesday’s. For any
students who do not already participate in Student Banking, packs will be available in the coming weeks. Further details to
follow.
Café News
The café is opened Monday — Friday for both lunch breaks. Our Tuckshop Convener is Mr Alan Moore. A copy of the menu,
prices and ordering procedures is available on our Parent Portal. Unity College is committed to providing healthy food.
We now have available two new gluten free items on our menu, they are a gluten free beef lasagne and a meat lover’s pizza,
and these items are available alongside our own home made gluten free choices of baked potato with avocado and cheddar
cheese and a vegetable frittata with crunchy salad. Also available are Queensland Yogurt company products, we will be
stocking a variety of flavours which will include mango, passion fruit, mixed berry and raspberry with other choices available on
a daily basis.
Online ordering system: Flexischool account
You must update your Flexischool account for 2015 with your child/children’s new class details. Failure to do so will result in
your child’s lunch order going to the wrong class. Log on to your Flexischool account, click profile and change class or PC group
they are in, click save changes, this will reflect on the new orders placed for the new term.
Volunteers are always needed to help in the tuckshop. Please contact Alan if you are available to assist for any length of
time.
Announcements
WELCOME P&F BBQ
Dear Unity Families
Welcome BBQ has been cancelled due to unforseen circumstances.
The P&F is excited about future fundraising opportunities through out the year and encourages anyone who is interesting in
being involved with the P&F please attend the AGM on Monday 9th March at 7pm.
Lost Property
Any items not collected from lost property by Friday 27th of February 2015 will be donated to local charities.
Student Reception
Community Announcements
Caloundra Catholic Parish 61 Edmund Street, Moffat Beach
Sunday Mass Timetable for Caloundra: Saturdays 6pm; Sundays 6.30am
& 9.30am. Phone: 5491 2011. Parish Priest Fr Kevin Smith.
http://caloundracatholicparish.net/
Unity College
47 Lomond Crescent
Caloundra West Qld 4551
Ph: 5490 5777
Fax: 5490 5757
Email: [email protected]
P&F email: [email protected]
Caloundra Uniting Church 56C Queen Street (Cnr Ulm St), Caloundra
Worship times: Sundays 9.30am. Phone 5491 5353. Minister Rev’d
Term Time Uniform Shop Hours
Robin Osborne. http://www.caloundra.unitingchurch.org.au/
Mondays 8.00am—9.30am; 10.15am—11.00am;
Tuesdays 12 noon—1.00pm; 2.00pm—3.30pm;
Unity Soccer Club
Thursdays 12 noon—1.00pm; 2.00pm—3.30pm
Please view the website for more information
http://www.unitycollegesoccer.com/
Term Time Office Hours
Mondays to Thursdays 8.00am—4.00pm
Unity Bellvista Netball Club
Fridays 8.00am—3.30pm
Please view the website for more information
http://www.unitybellvistaclub.netball.asn.au/