BOARDING

Creating a welcoming home comes naturally to us, after all we have been offering boarding at Concordia since 1946. We have established a Learning in Residence model at Concordia which provides our boarding students with the opportunity to be empowered in their learning while in residence at Concordia.

Boarder Handbook

Meet our 2024 Boarding Captains

Each year Concordia's boarding community is represented by a Boarding Captain from each boarding house. These young leaders ensure our boarders are represented with high regard within the College community.

In 2024, Concordia Boarding is being exceptionally represented by Boarding Captains Kerri Stiller and Khan Cummings-Sturt.

Discover Learning in Residence at Concordia

When Concordia Lutheran College adopted the mantra that, "Learning is at the heart of everything we do," in 2018, we took the opportunity to reimagine our boarding offering and implemented a "Learning in Residence" program for our boarding students.

We have created a contemporary boarding precinct where our male and female boarders are in separate boarding houses in close proximity. Each house is secured, but students can access a coeducational recreational zone positioned between the two boarding houses. This creates a cohesive community.

An individualised learning program allows each student to choose how their learning progresses with support from a range of staff members outside school hours.

Learning in residence also covers the wellbeing, co-curricular and extra-curricular programs to ensure our boarding students enjoy a well-rounded, holistic residential learning experience because, after all, learning really is at the heart of everything we do at Concordia.

Meet our Boarding Houseparents

Our Houseparents oversee each of our boarding houses, making sure our students are supported and cared for while studying away from their families.

Mrs Maureen Taurima, our Girls Houseparent, and Mr Andrew Bull, our Boys Houseparent, oversee a dedicated group of staff members who ensure our students enjoy a holistic boarding experience with a strong emphasis on pastoral care, academic support and access to extra-curricular activities.

Above: Mrs Maureen Taurima, our Girls Houseparent and Mr Andrew Bull, our Boys Houseparent.

Our boarding houses...

Temme House - Boys Boarding

Giabal House - Girls Boarding

Learning in Residence

Boarding life at Concordia Lutheran College teaches young people the importance of independence, respect and tolerance. We house a melting pot of students from a diverse mix of cultures, but each year see lifelong friendships made within our successful boarding community. Our Learning in Residence program has enhanced the academic offering to our boarders, giving them the support and opportunities to excel in their studies.

The majority of boarding staff live within the complex, ensuring supervision and availability at all times. Where we can, we help boarders with their off-campus co-curricular activities, which can include club sports, part-time jobs, school-based traineeships and TAFE courses.

A varied weekend activity program is offered to make sure students take full advantage of their leisure time. Shopping trips to Brisbane, catching the latest blockbuster at the cinema or camping out in some of the Darling Downs’ most beautiful spots take boarders away from the campus. Staying on-campus, activities range from fire pit singalongs to mini Olympic Games.

Learning

Concordia’s boarding students now benefit from a dedicated after-hours study program to enhance their studies and boost academic outcomes.

The College library at our Stephen Street Campus is open until 8pm from Monday to Thursday during term time, providing dedicated support from our experienced Teacher-Librarian and a range of talented and professional educators. Our Residential Tutors work with the students in the Library Resource Centre until 8pm from Monday to Thursday.

Residential Tutors are available both in the formal academic prep sessions and at times outside of formal study periods to assist students in their studies.

Our goal for the Learning in Residence program is to cultivate a deeply embedded culture of learning and academic growth within our boarding community.

Residence

Our female boarders reside in Giabal House on our Stephen Street Campus. This modern, refreshed facility provides our female boarders with a centrally located residence, so they no longer need to cross South Street, as they have done in the past.

This location has provided new opportunities for enhanced pastoral care across our girls and boys boarding houses and has provided an additional level of security for all boarders. Our secure residential facilities include external camera surveillance and all boarding staff living onsite.

Pastoral support is provided through specialist House Parents who work with students, parents, staff and the wider school community to help students enjoy the residential experience.

Community

Our boarders now all reside in the one, dedicated boarding precinct. The girls and boys boarding houses are separate with small, single gender common rooms on both levels of the boarding houses.

The two houses are joined centrally by a coeducational common room area where students can relax and enjoy social time together. On weekends there is usually a barbecue breakfast for the boarding community to enjoy in the beautiful outdoor area located between the two boarding houses.

The implementation of these recent changes and upgrades has created a truly modern, coeducational residential learning community at Concordia Lutheran College.

We encourage you to visit us to see firsthand the exciting new developments and tour our beautiful campus. To make an appointment, please complete the below form.

Additional scholarship opportunities for rural families are a bonus.

For further information on boarding at Concordia, view our Handbook for Boarders and Parents.

Concordia Lutheran College is a proud member of the Australian Boarding Schools Association.

COVID-Safe Charter

As a member of ABSA, Concordia Lutheran College has pledged to support the ABSA COVID-Safe Charter. Click here for further information.

What's to eat?

It's a valid question. For many, memories of boarding food in days gone past can conjure up images of less-than-appealing meals. However, at Concordia, students enjoy meals prepared by our professional chefs and kitchen staff.

Boarding students receive six meals per day - breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper. There are a range of healthy options available to students including a salad bar as well as a hot food option for school lunches every day.

Concordia Lutheran College Boarding Menu

Term 1

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Boarder Activity Program

Our boarding team work hard to make sure our boarding students enjoy a range of activities during their downtime. Examples of activities include ten pin bowling, cinema nights, disco nights, day trips to Sea World and Movie World, shopping trips to Grand Central and camping trips.

Here's an example of a term's activity list: Term 3, 2023 Boarder Activity Program

See below for some photos of our boarding students enjoying some well-earned time out.