26 April 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Reflection

I’ve always loved history and always enjoyed teaching it. Maybe that’s why the celebration of ANZAC Day has been important for me. Neville Chamberlain was the British Prime Minister in the years leading up to World War II. He is most often vilified as being a weak Prime Minister who would not stand up to Adolf Hitler when there was a chance to do so. Chamberlain’s desperate efforts to avoid a second world war is often attributed as one of the causes of the War. This time last year I visited the western battlefields of World War I and ANZAC Cove. It was a really profound experience and it is a pilgrimage that every Australian should aspire to undertake. No history book or documentary adequately prepares you for the row after row after row of beautifully maintained crosses marking the last resting place of hundreds of thousands of young men and boys. I took away a lot from that visit with me but, in my mind, Neville Chamberlain got a bit of redemption. I could imagine the impact on anyone who lived through the horror of World War I as he did. Anyone who walked those French and Belgian fields after the War and saw the huge allied and German cemeteries could be forgiven, I think, for doing almost anything to avoid that happening again. Morally and spiritually war is always a great disaster. Whilst there are always winners and losers in war the fact remains that when people make war it is a dreadful sign of human failure and a sign of the terrible power of evil in the world. What do we celebrate then on ANZAC Day? I hope that it is something about the courage and determination of very ordinary men and women in the face of impossible challenges and choices. We celebrate the willingness of our military forces to put themselves in harm’s way when no other option was possible. In a more modern setting, we celebrate the men and women of the Australian Defence Forces who continue to respond to a call to service. We celebrate the peacekeepers who put themselves at risk between warring factions. We celebrate the specialists who arrive in disaster zones to lend a hand. We say a prayer of thanks for those who served our country and never came home or came home shattered by the experience. ANZAC Day is about remembering and if we don’t remember well we are condemned to repeat the errors of the past. Lest we forget.

Absences from School

Term 1 was a very short term and it accentuated pressure for teachers and students to get through the amount of work that needed to be done. If a young person is going to achieve the best that they are able, they need to maximise the amount of time in class and do everything possible to ensure that the time there is used very well. Life is very busy and families have to make decisions at times about taking holidays and days away during a school term. Could I ask that parents think very carefully about the consequences of unnecessary absences of their children from school. It is not a reasonable expectation that a child’s teacher has to work a lot harder than they already do to accommodate those absences. Also, parents, please be enormously reluctant to allow your child to have the odd ‘day off’. Absences compound gaps in learning. Every child should have as a goal for a term of 100% attendance record.

Mr Dan McMahon
Principal

Student Welfare and Information

Year 12

The Formal Dinner Dance invitations have been sent, with many families already receiving them in the post a few days ago. It is very important that the due date for payment is met as there are businesses connected with the Formal Dinner Dance who need to know numbers - caterers, decorators, tables, chairs, etc.

Year 11 Parents

Assistance please

It has been a long-standing tradition of the College for Year 11 parents to assist with the setting up and packing up of some parts of the Formal Dinner Dance.

Our request is for assistance with:

• Tablecloths, chair covers and ties, centrepieces on table on Wednesday morning (25 May) - we only need about 6 people
• Pack up tables and chairs on Saturday morning (28 May) - fathers and sons most welcome

Last year we had quite a few parents and students come on the Saturday morning and so we were packed up in approximately 40 minutes!

A letter with all the relevant information will be emailed to you however I have included this letter in the newsletter available on the link below. If you can assist on any of the days, please complete the reply slip at the end of the letter and return it to the College by Monday 9 May.

Year 10 Camp Schedule

Year 7, Year 8 & Year 9

In our Personal Development lessons, the Year 7s and Year 8s have commenced the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum. They will participate in this program for the rest of this term and into next term.

Year 9s will be covering the content as part of their Physical Education program.

Year 8 Camp Schedule

The first Year 8 camps go out on Monday 9 May. Please note that CAMP 3, as per the calendar, has been shifted.

Year 7

Next Friday 29 April we have Noelle Melrose from Centacare, Rockhampton coming to carry out the Sexual Education component of the Year 7 PDE Program. A parent information evening was held last term and in that session Narelle went through the content to be covered with the parents present. Noelle prefers to deliver the lesson separately to the boys and the girls, so they will be separate.

Mrs Elizabeth Austin-Campbell
Assistant to the Principal - Students
AcampbellE@shalomcollege.com

Curriculum Notes

2016 NAPLAN Tests - Information for Parents

All Year Seven and Year Nine students will have the opportunity to sit the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests to be administered on 10, 11 and 12 May this year. The NAPLAN tests will assess students in the areas of literacy (including reading, writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar) and numeracy (number, measurement, chance and data, space, working mathematically, algebra function and pattern). The results from these tests will be used for individual student reporting to parents, school reporting to the community and aggregate reporting by the State against national standards or benchmarks.

Our Core Studies teachers are leading the preparation program as part of the normal teaching and learning process within classes. The program includes a series of activities exposing students to the types of tasks encountered in the five sub-tests of language conventions, writing, reading, numeracy (without calculators) and numeracy (with calculators) and test administration procedures. The focus of our preparation of students is on developing ‘test-wiseness’ rather than content knowledge which is being developed continuously. Active participation in the preparation sessions will allow students to become familiar through practice with the nature of the test and the strict test conditions involved.

Please note that while maximum participation is expected, parents have the right to withdraw their child or seek exemption from sitting the tests. Students who are not exempt and who do not sit the tests will not receive a report of test results and will not be included in the school data. Students who are exempt from the tests will be reported as having not reached the benchmarks. Special provision is also available to assist students who have recognised learning difficulties to sit the tests.

Parents who are considering withdrawing their child from the 2016 NAPLAN tests and have not discussed this with us are asked to contact the Middle School Coordinator, Mrs Megan Munckton on 4155 8111 by Friday 6 May. Similarly, parents wishing to pursue exemption or special provision for the tests based on recently emerging circumstances may also contact Mrs Munckton for further advice.

For further information about the NAPLAN tests or the preparation program please contact the Middle School Coordinator, Mrs Megan Munckton as above. Alternatively, you may wish to take the time to peruse the information available on the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) website at the link below and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting Authority (ACARA) website at the link below.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews for all year levels in all subjects (except Core Studies) are scheduled for Tuesday evenings of 10 and 17 May.

The interviews (of 10 minutes’ duration) will be held in the Sports Centre on those days from 3:30pm to 6:30pm and students are welcome to attend and participate.

Interviews may be arranged online via the Parent Lounge. The online Parent Teacher Interview booking facility will open at 8:00am this Friday 29 April and close at 5:00pm on Friday 6 May to allow teachers to prepare for interviews scheduled on the following days. Parents without internet access may contact the College on 4155 8111 to make appointments from 8:00am on Friday 29 April.

While scheduled interviews are seen as an important communication between home and school, attendance is voluntary. Parents are most welcome to arrange an interview with specific teachers at any time the need arises throughout the year.

Year 12 QCS Test Preparation - Correction to the College Calendar

The College calendar and Student Record Book incorrectly indicate a Trial QCS Test scheduled for Thursday 12 and Friday 13 May (immediately following the Year 12 Retreat). Please note that these days are regular school days. The Trial QCS Test will be conducted on Tuesday 31 May and Wednesday 1 June (also indicated on the calendar) for all Year 12 students who intend to sit the QCS Test.

Mr Christian Taylor
Assistant to the Principal - Curriculum
taylorc@shalomcollege.com

2016 Next Step survey

The Queensland Government is conducting its annual state wide survey of all students who completed Year 12 in the previous year. The Next Step survey is a brief, confidential survey that gains a comprehensive picture of the employment, study and life choices made by Queensland school completers in the year after they finish Year 12.

Between March and June, all our students who completed Year 12 last year can expect to receive instructions to complete a web-based survey or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office to complete the survey. Please encourage them to take part. If their contact details have changed, please assist the interviewer with their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate.

Thank you for your support of the Next Step survey in 2016.

Further information on Next Step is available online at the link below or on toll free telephone 1800 068 587.

Ms Kate Jones MP
Minister for Education and
Minister for Tourism and Major Events

Mobile Dental Clinic Visit

The Bundaberg School Dental Service will be at Shalom College from Tuesday 26 April. They will be offering students from Year 7 to 10 a free dental examination and treatment to all consenting students that have returned their paperwork.

All consent forms should have now been returned, however they are still being accepted by the College office.

Quiet Achiever

This week I nominate Lochlan Hayes, Year 9 Hogan, for Quiet Achiever.

Lochlan overcame his physical challenge to show commendable commitment by completing the full four kilometre Cross Country circuit and earning valuable points for his Hogan House.

Mrs Anne Braund
Learning Enhancement Unit

Blood Bank

Thank you to the five new students who donated blood this week, 18 April. Tate Waters, Alexander McLaren, Erica Hoffmann, Sean Boylan, Bryce Holliss.

Mrs Debbie Bolam
Blood Bank Coordinator

Shalom Japan Tour 2017

Sports News

Summer Sports Season

A full list of results will be posted soon

School Cross Country

On Tuesday 12 April the annual Shalom Cross Country was held. A large number of participants was the highlight of the day and some very close races resulted.

Age Champions

Girls 12 years - Kasey Hess (Chisholm)
Boys 12 years - William Zahn (Lingiari)
Girls 13 years - Lee-Challe Kriel (McAuley)
Boys 13 years - Russell Taylor (MacKillop)
Girls 14 years - Trinity Gough (Hogan)
Boys 14 years - Mitchell Wright (Walsh)
Girls 15 years - Madison Masterman-Smith (Walsh)
Boys 15 years - Kiah Everingham (Lingiari)
Girls 16 years - Emily Doyle (Adams)
Boys 16 years - Bailey Rach (Lingiari)
Girls Opens - Erin O’Beirne (Rice)
Boys Open - Joshua Adcock (McAuley)

Congratulations to LINGIARI HOUSE, the 2016 Cross Country Champions. Lingiari finished on 13.8, with Rice on 13.58 and Walsh on 13.31.

Two new records were set in the 13yrs Girls 3km and the 15yrs Girls 4km event. Lee-Challe Kriel ran 13.16 minutes in the 13years and Madison Masterman-Smith ran 17.37 minutes in the 15years event.

A big thankyou to all the students and staff for their help during the afternoon.

Bundy District Cross Country

On Wednesday April 20, the Teams Cross Country was held at St Luke’s. Shalom had several teams participating and a full list of results, along with the Individual event will be published in future newsletters. The BDSSS Individual Cross Country will be held at Gin Gin SHS on Wednesday 27 April. Again, the students selected to attend are posted on the noticeboard in the undercover area.

Shalom Students Gaining Wide Bay Selection

Swimming

Tobias Street
Connor Simms
Sarah Nash

Surfing

William Zahn
Jackson Lester
Ewan Heads
Liam Heads

Golf

Samuel Artcheua
Will Martell
Sophie Martell
Aimee Harvey
Isabella Artcheua

Touch Football

Luca Felesina
Blake Hutchinson
Teykoa Nagas
Jobe Lister
Zachary Hanlon
Nathan Cook
Jade Garland

Rugby League

Jack Roelofs
Samuel Robinson
Teykoa Nagas
Amaru Brown

Rugby Union

Jobe Lister
Nicholas Kitchener

Hockey

Olivia Wightman
Krysten Green

Football

Kate Ennett
Natika Breuer
Josh Haack
Cohen Read
Jade Garland
Madison Masterman-Smith

Netball

Madison Hard
Olivia O’Beirne
Claudia McLure

Basketball

Bailey Jenkins
Madison Hard
Brennan Norris
Lucas Duncan
Mitchell Wright
Shane Hawkins
Harrison Doyle
Emilee Cameron
Khaliyah Nagas
Makayla Mortensen
Eve Scott
Emma Moonie

Triathlon

Tom Martin

Please note that this is a list of names I have received so far. I am waiting on some other sports to send me their final details.

Student Sporting Achievements

Over the Easter break Darcy Emery, Year 12 Walsh, won a state show jumping championship. Congratulations!

Your Sporting Fanatic,
Mr Simon Gills
Sports Coordinator

Confraternity 2016

The Confraternity Rugby League Carnival is in Rockhampton this year and after a selection process that began at the start of Term 4 2015, a final squad has been selected. The criteria for selection was multi-faceted as a combination of skill, physical ability and attitude was taken into account by the coaching staff to select the best squad.

Throughout the selection process, players embarked on a rigorous training schedule that included six morning training sessions, beginning at 7:00am, including an arduous fitness session with Mr Hammermeister on Tuesdays.

Each player that trialled for the team has given a significant amount of personal time, at least seven hours each week, to prove they should gain a position in the team and should know that the coaching staff are very proud of everyone that trialled for a position.

Shalom Top 20 Squad for 2016

Amaru Brown
Bailey Bartolo
Bill O'Doherty
Blake Hutchinson
Cody Breuer
Cody Trebbin
Cooper Lawrance
Cooper Peebles
Daniel O'Driscoll
Darcy Bagley
Josh Haack
Joshua Straub
Lachlan Dempsey
Lachlan Lewis
Lachlan Peebles
Luke Watson
Martin Powell
Michael Anderson
Teykoa Nagas
William Stewart

The team will play several trial games this term starting with a game on Friday the 29 April against Xavier College in Hervey Bay. Please get behind the students that are representing our school as they lead up to the Confraternity Carnival this year.

Mr Neil Feather
Confraternity Coach

Arts in Performance

College Musical

The College Musical this year is ‘The Addams Family’ and will be staged 9 June to 11 June in the Performing Arts Precinct. It is shaping up to be an amazing production by the students who will be accompanied by an orchestra formed especially for the production. Please mark the dates in your diaries as it is guaranteed to be a sell out season, consisting of three performances only. Tickets will be on sale in the next couple of weeks.

Music

Do you have an upright piano, or know of a piano that is not being used at all and could be offered to the College as a donation or very minimal cost (we will organise transport and tuning)? The Music department is looking for four or five pianos to go into the teaching studios for the new instrumental music building, which is currently being built. The pianos would need to be no older than 25 years, in reasonably good condition and not be one affected directly by flood waters. If you are able to assist, could you please contact me.

Bundaberg Eisteddfod

We have several students including two small instrumental and vocal groups who will be competing in the Eisteddfod during this week. All events will be held at the Playhouse Theatre with the small groups performing Thursday 28 April starting at 7:00pm. I’m sure the students would love to see some familiar faces in the audience. All the very best of luck to you all. The Speech and Drama competition will be held during Week Four.

Queensland Catholic Schools Music Festival

I have entered the following groups for this year’s music festival: Choir, Vocal Ensemble, Senior Concert and Senior Jazz Bands; Chamber and Rochford strings; Thursday morning Concert Band; Friday morning Jazz Band B and the full Orchestra. We will participate over a three day period from 12 to 14 August. As soon as I have the schedule, I will let everyone know as many students will need to make a day trip while many others will need to stay overnight of which I have made bookings for Friday and Saturday night. More details to come soon.

Drama

The first public performances for the Drama department will be Thursday 16 June where Year 10 public performance students will present eight One Act Plays as their assessment items. The night begins at 6.30pm in the PAP theatre with entry being a gold coin donation.

Dance

Please note in your diaries that the major Dance Night concert for the Dance department will be Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October.

Mrs Robyn Edgar
Arts in Performance Coordinator
edgarr@shalomcollege.com

Shalom Book Swap - Goondeel Resource Centre

Shalom will be holding a book swap starting Tuesday 26 April (Monday is ANZAC Day) and will be held Monday to Thursday before and after school in Goondeel Resource Centre.

All are welcome to come and browse before or after school, make a donation and choose a book. There is a huge range of books and magazines. Children’s books, fishing magazines, cookbooks and many more; 20c to $2 donation per item.

All donations support Shalom Indigenous Projects.

Book donations also welcome. Thank you in advance for your support.

Mrs Kelli Cory and Mrs Carolyn Whyatt-Hopper

Uniform Shop

Shalom College Rowers

Limited new and several preloved (in good condition) ZOOT suits are available at reduced prices at the Uniform Shop. To determine size, height and weight measurements are required.

Please contact the uniform shop if you are interested.

Mrs Sharon Stevenson
Uniform Shop Manager

College Activities

Shalom College Youth Group

Girls Night Out – Cambodia Fundraiser

Tuckshop Roster

Shalom Sunday Markets

Tuckshop Markets Roster

Markets BBQ Roster

Community News

Echo Youth Group

Bundaberg Regional Council Advises of New Bin Collection Days

From Sunday 1 May, bin collection days will change for many residents living in the Bundaberg region.

New collection days and localities are listed below:

Monday – Avoca and West Bundaberg

Millbank, Norville, Avoca, Branyan, Kensington, South Bingera, Svensson Heights

Tuesday – North Bundaberg and Northside

Moore Park Beach, Avondale, Yandaran, Meadowvale, South Kolan, Sharon, Winfield, Burnett Downs, Oakwood

Wednesday – Bargara and surrounding coastal area

Burnett Heads, Bargara, Innes Park, Coral Cove, Elliott Heads, Rubyanna, Qunaba, parts of Windermere

Thursday – Central and South Bundaberg

Alloway, Thabeban, Coonarr, Woongarra, parts of Avenell Heights, parts of Bundaberg South, parts of Walkervale, parts of Bundaberg West, CBD

Friday – East Bundaberg

Kepnock, Ashfield, Bundaberg East, parts of Kalkie, parts of Bundaberg South

For detailed maps highlighting the designated collection areas and collection days, please visit the Bundaberg Regional Council website on

For more information, please contact the Bundaberg Regional Council on 1300 883 699