The Week Ahead - Term 1, Week 8
From the Head of College
Dear Parents and Caregivers
It has been wonderful to experience College life as normal as possible again this week. On two or three occasions on Monday I found myself backtracking, when leaving my office, to go back for a face mask and then remembering it wasn’t needed. It’s great once again to see facial expressions, to see a laugh and share smiles all round.
The power and importance of uninterrupted face-to-face human interaction can never be underestimated or, in our case, be taken for granted anymore. I need to thank both the parent body and staff for how they continue to manage the finer details surrounding community safety and protocols while isolated Covid outbreaks continue amongst the student body. Thank you for being vigilant and so supportive in this space.
College Captains
I need to acknowledge the various College Captains and leaders across all three campuses on maintaining momentum around their respective portfolios by staying connected online with the student body and staff as well as meeting with the Directors of Campus to discuss future initiatives and activities for 2022. We can now look forward to getting many of these events underway with full parent participation. Please check your campus calendar for several school events, chapels and assemblies taking place over the coming three weeks.
International Women's Day
The first of these events kicked off on Tuesday when the College celebrated International Women’s Day with a special high tea event. With over 90 mothers, daughters and staff in attendance for this inaugural event, I am sure that it will now become an annual fixture on the College calendar. Thank you to our Director of Marketing and Enrolments, Mrs Bianca Coleborn, and her team of helpers for hosting the event.
The Rite Journey Calling and Departure Ceremony
This Friday morning our Year 9 students and their families have been part of the Rite Journey Calling and Departure Ceremony at Picnic Point. What a wonderful opportunity to set the tone for this relationship between the students, families and staff as the Year 9 students begin their journey of self-awareness as they learn more about becoming responsible, respectful, resilient and resourceful young adults. Thank you to Mr Stephen Miegel for his leadership and planning in this program.
QCIS Swimming Carnival
Congratulations to the Concordia Swimming Team on winning the Percentage Trophy at the QCIS Inter-school Swimming Carnival, which was held this week, while placing a very close third overall. This is the first time in five years that another school has won the percentage trophy held by the previous school. This is a clear sign that swimming at Concordia is going from strength to strength. Well done to all our swimmers on being outstanding ambassadors on the day. Thank you to Mr Darryl Fry and Miss Katharina Riehl for supporting the students on the day as well as Mr Troy Chandler from TJ’s Swim School for his support of and strong working relationship with the Concordia swimming community.
MMG Survey
Last week every family received a letter informing you of the upcoming MMG Survey. This survey, which will assist us in confirming and fine-tuning our strategic direction for the coming years, has now gone live for the next fortnight and I ask each family to please make the time to complete the survey when you receive your email invitation during this time. Thank you in advance for your time, transparency and support of the College in this important future-focussed process.
Wishing everyone a safe and relaxing weekend.
Yours in Christ.
Mr Anton Prinsloo
Head of College
From the College Pastor
Lent II
This week, for the first time this year, we were able to gather as a community in assemblies and chapels (unfortunately, Hume Street Campus has to wait another week). I enjoyed the excited chatter and the face to face connection in those gatherings and was impressed by the leadership of our College Captains and Faith leaders on these occasions. It really drove home again the importance of coming together, of not just talking about but also seeing, hearing and experiencing the community that we are and drawing together in these forums.
At the SSC Assembly, the College Captains announced an initiative for Lent that they had deeply thought about and discussed with their fellow leaders. Last week I wrote about the meaning of Lent. In the Chapel, I also spoke about some traditional Lenten practices: fasting – foregoing something in our lives for a period of time (a symbol of remembering the suffering of Christ who gave his life for us), giving – sharing our gifts with those in need (a reminder to recognise our blessings, to look beyond the self to others and allow God’s love to come to them in some way), and prayer – deepening our connection with God (spending time both listening and speaking to God).
The Captains wanted to invite our community to use this time of Lent to look beyond themselves and offer some support for a local charity. After some research they came up with Tony’s kitchen, which supplies meals, showers and other support to the homeless in and around Toowoomba.
They have encouraged SSC students to bring in non-perishable food items, toiletries or money (perhaps collect loose coins during the next few weeks and bring them in in the last week of school) and leave them with the Home Class or in the Open Door. We will bless these items in the last Chapel of the term in Week 10 and then hand them to Tony’s kitchen to support their work, which in the light of recent floods is becoming even more important.
I think that is a great initiative and worthy way to use this Lenten season to not just reflect but also act and join together to provide a tangible expression of God’s love to others.
St Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians (6:10): Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
May our Lord bless you this week and guide your Lenten journey.
Rev Thomas Böhmert
College Pastor
Community News
International Women's Day High Tea
It was wonderful to have 90 plus women and girls come together for our inaugural International Women's Day High Tea on Tuesday 8 March! Our guests were delighted when they walked into the Function Centre that had been transformed into a beautiful High Tea setting resplendent with stunning floral arrangements, ornate crockery, glamorous lights and delightful gift bags.
It soon became apparent that the 1.5 hours allocated to this event was far too short. The consensus was that this will become an annual event and we'll have to allocate more time to enjoy each other's company.
Many thanks to our kitchen team who helped with the set-up and clean up for the event and prepared a delicious high tea for our guests. We really appreciate your wonderful work.
Special thanks also to Mrs Jolene Healy, Mrs Linda Knott and Mrs Karen Watson for all their help cleaning up on the night. We also really appreciate Mrs Linda Lester who loaned us her beautiful tea sets and cutlery for the event, but also stayed back to help clean it all up at the end of the night.
Finally, I would like to say a very special thank you to Mrs Michelle Price for all her amazing work to make the event visually spectacular for our guests.
Although the invitation was there for everyone to attend this event, no brave men decided to join us this year, but we extend an open invitation to you all to join us for next year's event. Keep an eye out for the International Men's Day event that will take place in November.
Mrs Bianca Coleborn
Director of Marketing and Enrolments
Lots of Socks – World Down Syndrome Day – 14 March
On Monday 14 March we are asking students to wear their craziest socks to school and bring along a gold coin donation to help support World Down Syndrome Day.
Project Based Learning at Concordia
Junior College
JC Year 6 SMART Leadership Day - 21 March
On Monday 21 March 2022 the Koojarewon Youth Camp staff will be leading the JC Year 6 SMART Leadership Day at our Stephen Street Campus.
Event details:
- Parents are required to drop off your child at the AFL Oval, SSC at 7.30am as the program will commence with a BBQ breakfast
- Parents are invited to attend the breakfast and a jotform has been sent out for RSVPs
- Activities will conclude at 11.45am
- WSC students will be walked back to their Campus by Mr Paul Baker and HSC students will catch the bus back to their Campus with Miss Kellie Maddock
- Breakfast and Morning Tea will be provided for the students. The cost will be covered by the Year Levy.
Students are required to:
- Wear their sports uniform and College hat
- Bring a packed lunch to eat at their normal second break
Permission required:
Parents are requested to go to Parent Lounge to submit your permission by Monday 14 March 2022:
- Login to Parent Lounge >
- click on Events & Payments >
- click on JC 2022 Year 6 SMART Leadership Day >
- Accept / Decline >
- Save
Should you have any further queries regarding this event, please contact your child's teacher.
Junior College Parent Volunteers
Week 7 welcomes back Parent Volunteers in classrooms and excursions/camps. Before being any volunteer work please check in with your Campus Reception to ensure that all Volunteer Compliance Requirements have been fulfilled. This includes:
- Volunteer Registration Form
- Valuing Safe Communities Online Training
- Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination (See 2022 Letter from Head of College)
JC Year 5 Leadership Day - 24 March
On Thursday 24 March our JC Year 5 students will be attending a leadership day at Koojarewon Youth Camp.
Event details:
- Program activities will be led by Koojarewon Youth Camp staff on Thursday 24 March 2022 at the Koojarewon Youth Camp.
Students are required to:
- wear their sports uniform and College hat;
- bring a small bag with Morning Tea and Lunch, Water Bottle, rain jacket, insect repellent and Sunscreen.
Permission required:
Parents are requested to go to Parent Lounge to submit your permission by Friday 11 March 2022:
- Login to Parent Lounge >
- click on Events & Payments >
- click on JC 2022 Year 5 Leadership Day >
- Accept / Decline >
- Save
Should you have any further queries regarding this event, please contact your child's teacher.
JC Year 4 Camp
The Year 4 Hume Street Campus and Warwick Street Campus students will be attending a three day camp from Wednesday 27 April to Friday 29 April 2022 at Gold Coast Recreation Centre, Tallebudgera located at 1525 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach, Qld 4221 (Phone – 5507 0200).
The students will participate in a variety of activities suitable for their age and ability levels. The activities are designed for fun, experiential learning, personal development and building team skills.
Outside School Hours Care
Stephen Street Campus
From the Director of Campus
What a great pleasure it was to start this week with our first whole campus assembly in the Chapel. While advances in meeting technology have certainly transformed our lives in the past few years, nothing compares to the ability to look out at a group of people greeted with eye contact and warm smiles.
Our College leaders did a great job preparing and running the assembly and encouraging all students to become actively involved in College life. This was also an opportunity for me to speak for the first time to our 2022 College theme – Imagine the possibilities. My key message was that we often limited not by external factors, but by conditioned internal dialogue that stops us from setting ambitious goals and taking risks.
We have such amazing talent and potential within our student body, and we must all seek to support our young people in realising their personal possibilities.
Boarding
Boarding Update - Two for the price of one!
Hello to all our Boarding families
Unfortunately there was a mix up with my article last week - apologies to you all. I have included last week's article as well as this week's so that you are all up-to-date.
Week 7
Rain, rain and more rain! As I write this summary of the past week I think of a text message I received from a parent on Friday, “I guess you have your duck feet on”. That indeed was very true! We spent the weekend indoors, unknowingly building great friendships and learning new things about each other. We are all feeling blessed that all our families are safe and well.
Our week ended with having the Basketball comp cancelled on Friday night due to the rain and the upside to the rain was that we all got pizzas for dinner. School closed early and everyone arrived back to boarding around 2.15pm.
We went to Clifford Gardens for shopping on Saturday so our students did not miss out. On Sunday, we had Church followed by a barbecue brunch and a splash (big splash) in Concordia's heated swimming pool. Our photos are a testament of the fun the students had. Thank you to Troy Chandler for opening up.
Monday was a sluggish start to the week, sun is shining and the rain has moved south. School as normal. Let the week begin.
Activities for the coming weekend will be shopping at Grand Central on Saturday. Picnic at Queens Park on Sunday. If you are in town please feel free to join us.
I would like to welcome Mr Wally McIntosh to our boarding team and look forward to his contributions to boarding. Wally is our Indigenous officer at the school and it will be great to have his leadership and experience integrated into boarding. We all look forward to working with you.
Students are excited to have Wally on board – Word around the boy’s name is “Where’s Wally?”
Week 8
This week has been a tad quieter than normal, students are working hard trying to get assessments completed while juggling sporting commitments.
The International Women’s Day High Tea was on Tuesday evening and Concordia Old Scholar Lara Stiller attended with her sister, current student Kerri Stiller. The feedback was that the food was superb and totally enjoyable. Big shout out to Mrs Bianca Coleborn, Mrs Michelle Price and their team for your great organisation.
Covid has reached our doors and I would like to thank our nurse, Sister Libby, for her expertise and lovely manner in which she has trained myself and Mr Andrew with the RAT testing.
Sister Libby has a calming allure which settles the students, as it is not the nicest. Libby calls all parents to request the RAT Test first and then follows up with the results.
You are a real asset to our boarding community, Miss Libby. Please feel free to contact Nurse Libby on 0458 827 528 between 8.00am and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Activities for this weekend will be Shopping at Grand Central on Saturday and Cloud Nine on Sunday afternoon.
Hope you all enjoy our photos!
Take care and stay safe.
Mrs Maureen Taurima
Boarding Houseparent
