IB Stradbroke Island Camp

Year 11 IB Diploma students had their inaugural Core Camp to UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station on Stradbroke Island in Week 10.  The participated in a number of activities related to their service component of CAS, learnt about indigenous knowledge systems in Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and began their research into their upcoming Extended Essay (EE).

They squelched their way through mud in the mangroves, worked collaboratively on an indigenous art piece with a local Quandamooka art gallery,spent loads of time doing team building activities, focusing on communication, mindfulness and creative release activities in nature and conducted ecological investigations on the rocky shores of Stradbroke.  The students worked hard with long hours whilst braving the torrential rain.

Some great takeaways and reflections from the students on the importance of your peers and being a team and connecting with each other.  Plus they survived their time without phones.

A great immersive experience!

CCC overshadows the G20 visit in Japan

Our students and two of their teachers, have touched down in Tokyo for CCC’s cultural tour featuring percussion.  Whilst CCC has experienced culturalexchanges to China …

Secondary School News
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CCC overshadows the G20 visit in Japan

Our students and two of their teachers, have touched down in Tokyo for CCC’s cultural tour featuring percussion.  Whilst CCC has experienced culturalexchanges to China in previous years, this is the first working holiday a group of our students have attended.  Mr Simmons has arranged school visits, workshops and concerts some of which will be observed and enjoyed and others our students will participate – equally exciting.  There is a little bit of sight-seeing and some wonderful cultural experiences for our Taiko and percussion players.  We look forward to hearing all the stories and presenting in the next newsletter, upon their return.  Safe travels.

 

Music@6

Our first concert of the year and what an amazing performance our young musicians produced after only six months of practice, new songs, new ensembles …

Instrumental News
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Music@6

Our first concert of the year and what an amazing performance our young musicians produced after only six months of practice, new songs, new ensembles and expanded repertoires. Over the last five years I have watched this program go from strength to strength under the leadership of Mrs Erbacher and Mr Simmons. Last Monday night was a treat, I’ve included the program, but add to that film footage of the various movies playing in the back ground, our hosts’ sharing their best music jokes and a packed CPAC of more than 230 people. It was a credit to the students and their teachers and many thanks to all of our parents for their continued support of our 200 strong instrumental program. We are all looking forward to the eisteddfod season and the end of year concert which will be sensational.

Dancing with the Stars

500 Junior School students danced the night away at the P&C Disco. Congratulations and thank you to Mrs Leesa Mason and the P&C for a …

Junior School News
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Dancing with the Stars

500 Junior School students danced the night away at the P&C Disco. Congratulations and thank you to Mrs Leesa Mason and the P&C for a wonderfully successful disco this month. This was the largest event of its kind for quite some years. P&C raised over $4000 towards the further air-conditioning of our College and we are excited to be able to progress this initiative.

There was food and drinks and staff joined the tinsel and glitter as our youngest students sped around the dancefloor, and expended enormous amounts of energy on a Saturday night. Our very cool and beautifully decked out Upper Juniors, then took over the space and had a wonderful evening. The venue in secondary school was great and the LEOs Club added to the atmosphere with games to keep everyone occupied.

CCC community really wants to pass on our thanks to the P&C team and their many helpers, who did a fabulous job and made the night so enjoyable. Thanks to the staff who attended as well, they to enjoyed the opportunity to see the students partying, dancing and celebrating each others’ company.

Positive Education at Calamvale Community College

  In the last newsletter the concepts of automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) and performance enhancing thoughts (PETs) were introduced. When we make an effort to …

Positive Education
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Positive Education at Calamvale Community College

 

In the last newsletter the concepts of automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) and performance enhancing thoughts (PETs) were introduced. When we make an effort to become aware of our ANTs it is possible to identify how our emotions and behaviour are linked to those ANTs. We then place ourselves in a position that enables us to consider options for adjusting an ANT so that it becomes a PET. Here is a very simple example of how you can help your child turn an ANT into a PET.
Child: ‘Argh!!!! I am not doing any more of my homework! It is too hard, I can’t do it!’
Parent: ‘I can see that you are having the thought that you can’t do your homework because it is too hard and that thought is making you feel frustrated and wanting to give up. If you could change your thoughts just a little bit you might find that you are able to do a bit more and feel a bit better. How could you change the thought, ‘I can’t do it’, so that it doesn’t stop you trying to do a bit more and to make that frustrated feeling have less impact on you?’
Child: ‘I can’t do it yet.’
Parent: ‘Great! Give that a try! By turning your thought, ‘I can’t do it’ to ‘I can’t do it yet’, I’m sure you can have a go at doing some more. You could also add in, ‘I can ask my teacher for help tomorrow’. You are likely to get more done and feel less frustrated by thinking like this.’

 

Brainstorm alternatives
Is there a more realistic alternative?

 

Edelman, S. (2013). Change Your Thinking (3rd Edition): Sydney, ABC Books.

Some teachers are using the ANTs and PETs acronyms in their classrooms. However, you do not need to use the acronyms to help your child adjust their thinking.
Keep your eye out for more about Positive Education at CCC in upcoming newsletters.
Nerieda Anderson
Calamvale Community College
Developmental Guidance Officer, Psychologist

Metro South Oral Health

  Is it time for your children to have a dental check-up? Would you like FREE dental care for your children? Dental appointments are available …

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Metro South Oral Health

 

Is it time for your children to have a dental check-up?
Would you like FREE dental care for your children?
Dental appointments are available now.
Come and visit us at our one of our family dental clinics.

Simply call 1300 300 850 to book an appointment for a FREE dental check-up.
Our Clinics include:
• QEII Hospital Dental Clinic which is located on the corner of Kessels Road and Troughton Road, Coopers Plains;
• Inala Oral Health Centre which is located 64 Wirraway Parade Inala;
• Inala School Dental Clinic which is located in the grounds of Inala State School Glenala Road Inala;
• Richlands East Oral Health Centre which is located at the back of the school in Columba Street, Richlands East.

At any of these clinics there are excellent public transport options available as well as plenty of on-site parking.

Free children’s dental care is available from Metro South Oral Health for:
• all children aged 4 to grade 10 who are eligible for Medicare
• children aged 2 -17 years who are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, and
• children whose parents have a current Centrelink Card, Healthcare or Pension Card.

For more information on Metro South Oral Health Services
Visit – www.health.qld.gov.au/metrosouth/oralhealth

Secondary Principal on CCC Core Values

  My mission as the Head of Secondary School is to develop curious, creative and clever internationally minded citizens who are respectful, responsible, resilient and …

Secondary School
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Secondary Principal on CCC Core Values

 

My mission as the Head of Secondary School is to develop curious, creative and clever internationally minded citizens who are respectful, responsible, resilient and show initiative. These core values are important to shape our students to thrive and contribute positively to this changing world. It is imperative that we work in partnership with our families to deliver consistent messages to our students so that they can make informed positive choices to display our schools core values now and into the future. Students participate in positive education lessons each fortnight which gives them time to focus on these core values.

RESPECT: At CCC we expect our students to not just tolerate each other, but to respectfully listen to other peoples perspectives so that their opinions can be shaped and challenged through their interactions with teachers, students and community members. We want our students to be proud to be a part of our College and to respect our College brand by wearing their uniform with pride at all times. Our students ability to develop respectful relationships will allow them to contribute to the interconnected, multicultural society they will live in once they graduate from our school. We are fortunate to be a diverse, multicultural College where students are given the opportunities to learn other perspectives and demonstrate and develop this core value of respect both within our college and beyond our gates.

RESPONSIBILITY: At CCC we expect or students to develop their organisational skills and time management so that they can take responsibility for their ongoing learning. The attribute of all 3 of our OP 1 students from 2018, was their exceptional time management skills. Students are taught the skills of responsibility and are given the tools, such as the school organiser, assessment schedules and personal learning plans so that they can reflect on and plan for improvement. All students are to wear full uniform every day. As Head of Secondary School, I have a deep connection to the concept of ‘team’ of which I hope to instil in all students. A uniform is the visual representation of a team and consequently I want every student to be a committed member of the CCC team. A student’s commitment to this team can be demonstrated by wearing the full and complete uniform every day. Most jobs, post school, will require employees to wear a uniform. At CCC we are committed to setting students up for success once they finish school. Please ensure that your student is in full school uniform every day.

INITIATIVE: In this fast paced, changing world, for students to thrive, they must choose to be a part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. Students at CCC are encouraged to be able to adapt to a changing need and find alternative ways to managing themselves and their environment. One of the ways that we are assisting students to take initiative is through the pedagogy by which we teach. At Calamvale we use Inquiry pedagogy. By using this pedagogy, students are given the opportunity every day to take the initiative in their learning, to find out more about a topic or subject. During my time at Calamvale, I have been delighted to see students take the initiative to help each other, teachers and community members. Recently, our students have been given the opportunity to work with a group called High Resolves, who are providing a space for students to develop solutions to real work problems.

RESILIENCE: The only thing certain in this world, is that nothing stays the same, we are constantly changing and to thrive we must adapt. Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Throughout their lives, students will have many difficulties and their ability to develop skills to self-regulate, to take care of their mental and physical well-being, and to recognise when they must seek out assistance, are imperative skills to ensure that students will thrive throughout school and beyond. At CCC, we use Positive Education to build students skills to be resilient and to take personal responsibility for their positive accomplishments, emotions, health, purpose, engagement, and relationships. We also have a passionate support services team that is made up of two guidance officers, a youth support coordinator, a nurse, speech pathologist and chaplain for students to access when necessary.
I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with our families to shape our students into citizens that will thrive when they leave our College.

daVinci Decathlon

During Week 6, we had teams of eight compete in the daVinci Decathlon from Years 5 through to 11. This was a rigorous academic competition …

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daVinci Decathlon

During Week 6, we had teams of eight compete in the daVinci Decathlon from Years 5 through to 11. This was a rigorous academic competition against 50 other teams from South East Queensland, with many being from the private school system. In teams, students competed across 10 disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics and Chess, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and General Knowledge. Every week, from Term One until the competition, students worked as a team before or after school to prepare for the competition ahead. These training sessions gave students insight into what to expect in each discipline and also prepare them to work together as a team.

 

 

Once again, Calamvale came home with numerous accolades including: 1st in Ideation – Year 10/11, 1st in Cartography – Year 5 and 3rd Cartography – Year 10/11. This is the third year in a row that the, now, Year 10/11 team has been triumphant in in Ideation. A big thanks for the teachers who volunteered their expertise as coaches in each discipline. A huge congratulations to all student – competitors another wonderful achievement to be proud of. Go team Calamvale!

Robotics Competition

On Saturday 8 June,  22 students from Year 3, 5, 7, and 8 participated in the Sunshine Coast Robotics Competition, leaving the College at 6:45am …

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Robotics Competition

On Saturday 8 June,  22 students from Year 3, 5, 7, and 8 participated in the Sunshine Coast Robotics Competition, leaving the College at 6:45am and returning at 5pm.

71 teams participated in the Junior division (Year 4-7) in which 6 of our teams including our Year 3 teams competed in.

Every one of our students were fully committed to their own team and the school as a team by supporting each other to problem solve and give words of encouragement when resilience felt low, we are very proud of all your efforts!!

Robo Boys AKA: Harry, Linus, Charles (and Riley who wasn’t at the competition but attended and helped at all the  preparation meets) did exceptionally well for their first competition and placed 12 out of 71 teams which gave them a battle in the final rounds.

Please congratulate these students if you see them around:

Robo Boys – Harry L, Linus K, Charles Y, Riley P (Year 3)

The Destroyers – Blaire H, Niyati P (Year 3)

Fire Rhinos – Brendan S, Lachlan F, Jackson H, Aiden H (Year 5)

Banana Boys – Jake J, Nikunj P, Nishant S, Noah B, (Year 7)

Thanoscar – Noah S, Ian C (Year 7)

Jimmy – Riley B, Josh J, Luke C (Year 7)

Mr Chicken – Taylor J, Beatrix M, Astrid M, Ben G (Year 7/8)

 

After School Soccer Programme In Association with Soccer X Pty Ltd

Calamvale Community College After School Soccer Programme In Association with Soccer X Pty Ltd We are excited to tell you about the after school soccer …

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After School Soccer Programme In Association with Soccer X Pty Ltd

Calamvale Community College
After School Soccer Programme In Association with Soccer X Pty Ltd


We are excited to tell you about the after school soccer programme we will be running at Calamvale Community College during Term 3.

Throughout the 8 weeks our coaches will lead fun, educational and active sessions sending your child home energised and with a smile on their face.

Why choose Soccer X?
As well as providing fun filled Soccer sessions which teach the players new skills & techniques we aim to provide & improve the following skills:

                            • Social Skills
                            • Team building
                            • General Fitness
                            • Sense of achievement

We believe by integrating these skills into our programmes it will help your children become well rounded young adults.

All standards are welcome, so do not worry if you have never played before.

Most answers to your questions can be found by checking our website, but if you do not find an answer, please call Sam on 0415324917 or email: admin@soccer-x.com

For wet weather updates please follow Soccer X on Facebook or see us at www.Soccer-X.com

Programme Details

Day: Tuesday

Start Date: 30 July 2019

Time: 3-4pm

Where: School Oval

Ages: Prep – Yr 6 (Boys & Girls)

Registration:
To avoid disappointment ALL registrations and payments must be completed ONLINE prior to the first session.

Cost: 96 (8 weeks)

Please visit www.Soccer-X.com to register and pay

Soccer X Training Kit (optional):

1) Shorts & T Shirt = $35
2) Shorts, T-Shirt, Bag & Cap = $50

FAQ’s

What happens if it rains?
The session will take place undercover. In extreme weather conditions sessions will be cancelled and parents notified via SMS & Facebook.

What should my child wear for soccer?
Anything that is comfortable. Shorts, t-shirt, runners/boots. Soccer boots are not essential.

Griffith University STEM Futures Day

Recently a group of year 12 students attended the Griffith University STEM Futures Day. It was a fabulous day where the students were involved in …

Secondary School News
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Griffith University STEM Futures Day

Recently a group of year 12 students attended the Griffith University STEM Futures Day. It was a fabulous day where the students were involved in some Science, Technology and Engineering activities, as well as enjoy exploring campus while shopping for own delicious free lunch. The group spent the morning being challenged and very frustrated while trying to solve a crime in a crime scene investigation and then they broke into small groups where they tried their hand at a flight simulator or some quantum physics. It was very interesting and a great insight into university life.

Korean Youth Orchestra and Calamvale CC Collaboration Concert

On Sunday 2 June, various Calamvale CC Instrumental Music Strings students performed together with the Korean Youth Orchestra in a concert at CPAC. Students joined …

Instrumental News
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Korean Youth Orchestra and Calamvale CC Collaboration Concert

On Sunday 2 June, various Calamvale CC Instrumental Music Strings students performed together with the Korean Youth Orchestra in a concert at CPAC. Students joined in with the Korean Orchestra rehearsals on several Sunday afternoons to learn the new repertoire. Well done on taking on these challenges and giving a great performance!

Inquiring into Inquiry in Secondary School

This Semester, Secondary School teachers have been very busy undertaking a range of professional learning experiences, with a particular focus on Inquiry. Professional learning is …

Secondary School News
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Inquiring into Inquiry in Secondary School

This Semester, Secondary School teachers have been very busy undertaking a range of professional learning experiences, with a particular focus on Inquiry. Professional learning is critical in all phases of a teacher’s career, from pre-service teachers to very experienced. At Calamvale, we support teachers throughout their career, with a philosophy of identifying, sharing and supporting our strengths as teachers.

A key focus for Secondary School teachers is strengthening and deepening our knowledge and skills in Inquiry, in preparation for the IB Middle Years Program. Each of these sessions had asked our teachers to become inquirers, working through the phases of Inquiry during the professional learning sessions. Our learning culminated in our Inaugural TeachMeet@CCC, where teachers volunteered to share aspects of their teaching with their colleagues in short concurrent sessions.

Nurturing the development of our early career teachers is an important part of professional learning at our College. Early career teachers have attended the Metropolitan Region Beginning Teachers’ Conference, Early Career Teacher’s Conference and the Beginning Teachers’ Conference hosted by BETA (Beginning and Established Teachers’ Association). These conferences gave our teachers the opportunity to hear from knowledgeable speakers, both Australian and International.
This Semester, we also hosted 14 pre-service teachers in Secondary School, the largest number we have ever had! All of these teachers were very impressed by the College, our students and the learning in our classrooms.

We look forward to further developing our inquiry skills and knowledge further in Semester 2!

ARTS News

Arts within CCC have been extremely busy this term, with successful productions, incursions and excursions. All are working towards producing the very best Arts possible. …

ARTS News
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ARTS News

Arts within CCC have been extremely busy this term, with successful productions, incursions and excursions. All are working towards producing the very best Arts possible.
Currently Year 10 Drama are working in partnership with Queensland Theatre to create an original interpretation of Angela Betzien’s The Shot as part of this year’s Scene Project, to be performed on the Billie Brown stage in South Brisbane on the 26 July.

31 August will see the premiere of The Company’s production of Stories in the Dark. Tickets will be on sale soon, including a very special opening night partnership with Three Trees Restaurant. 50 ‘Gold Class’ tickets will be available where for $25 you can have a main meal before enjoying the performance in CPAC. Other tickets will be available on the night for $10 and opening night will also see the restaurant put on a cash bar for the interval.

 

Students are also currently hard at work on this year’s Creative Generation. Calamvale is one of an exclusive few schools who have been involved in the celebration since the very beginning. This year, along with talented dancers and performers, we have members of our Strings ensemble involved for the first time.

Monday 24 June was the annual Music@6 in CPAC. This is a celebration of the amazing work that our instrumental students, and their teachers, achieve in Semester One. With a slight film theme this year, we will be treated with music from Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones. It will be an outstanding night out and a real highlight to all music and film lovers.

Junior School had a visit from our local firefighters

Over a few sessions this semester, our excited Year 1 students have had the opportunity to learn about fire safety from local firefighters. The students …

Junior School News
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Junior School had a visit from our local firefighters

Over a few sessions this semester, our excited Year 1 students have had the opportunity to learn about fire safety from local firefighters. The students met Firefighter Mel and Firefighter John, as well as some other firefighters, who helped students understand the importance of fire safety and what to do in the event of a fire.

In the last session on our school oval, the students were able to look at the fire truck and all its machinery. The curiosity took over with dozens of questions coming in from excited students. Where does the water come from? Why does water stop fire? Who drives the truck? How many fire trucks go to a fire?
A highlight was hearing the sirens and watching a demonstration of the firefighters using the hose.

Focus on Ability Film Festival

This year Calamvale has entered a short film into the Focus on Ability Film Festival and we are looking for your support. Last year the …

Secondary School News
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Focus on Ability Film Festival

This year Calamvale has entered a short film into the Focus on Ability Film Festival and we are looking for your support. Last year the Festival had press from around the globe. How can you help? Please VOTE 1 Calamvale Community College! Up to $150 000 prize money to be won.

The films will be available for viewing and voting on June 20 via www.focusonability.com.au website at around 10am Sydney, Australia time. The voting will then remain open until July 3rd midnight Sydney, Australia time. Many years the difference between winning and 2nd has been under 5 votes so every vote certainly counts.

Our short film depicts how people living with disabilities can find a home at Calamvale Community College. We share a fence line with Calamvale Special School and the gate is always open. We have been operating HPE and Sport ‘student mentor’ programs since 2013 that facilitate the spirit of ‘inclusivity and togetherness’ that exemplify the COMMUNITY in Calamvale Community College. The ‘mentees’ have demonstrated incredible resilience adapting to the changes in and around adjusting programs for inclusion, as well as the enthusiasm to try an array of different sports and training programs. The intent of the short film is to provide a snippet of the inclusion process, showcasing the mutual cooperation and relationship building between the students of the two schools, as well as the enjoyment and the fun they experience by completing the programs.

Keep up to date with everything Focus via FB page https://www.facebook.com/novafocusonability/ Thank you all Yr 9 students and Athlete Development students, HPE Teachers and Learning support teachers, Film teachers and students, Calamvale Special School teachers and students, for your work in this space this year and every year.

Michelle Bullion
p-12 HPE Head of Program
Calamvale Community College

 

Kokoda

  CCC has 5 teams competing in this year’s Kokoda Challenge in the Gold Coast Hinterland, 20-21 July. These teams, each made up of four …

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Kokoda

 

CCC has 5 teams competing in this year’s Kokoda Challenge in the Gold Coast Hinterland, 20-21 July. These teams, each made up of four students and one teacher, hike 48km overnight in often freezing cold and wet conditions. Teams have been training hard, with a 30km hike completed on Friday 14 June.

The Kokoda Challenge is character-building experience for all students – and teachers. The physical and mental strength needed to complete the course needs to be developed through a tough training regime.

The College is very appreciative of all sponsors who have generously donated to the Kokoda Challenge initiative. Many of the proceeds go directly to the Kokoda Foundation, a charity that supports disadvantaged youth get their lives back on track.

Our major sponsors for 2019 are:

  • Algester Sports Club
  • Superior Crane Hire

Our other sponsors, who have donated prizes to our raffle, are:

  • Greenbank RSL vouchers
  • Calamvale Hotel
  • Logan City Bowling
  • Australia Zoo
  • Eco Park
  • Vibe Hotel
  • Lucky Star Tavern (Sunnybank Hills)
  • Big Wheel at Southbank
  • S&S Hair and Beauty
  • QT Hotel
  • Edera Hair

Overall, this is CCC’s third year of entering the Kokoda Challenge and will not be the last!

International News

In Term 2, the College has hosted a number of international professional visitors who observed secondary classes, and received presentations on PYP, IB and QCSS …

International News
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International News

In Term 2, the College has hosted a number of international professional visitors who observed secondary classes, and received presentations on PYP, IB and QCSS programs:

  • 54 International Education Agents
  • 2 teachers form the New Taipei City Yuteh Private School
  • 14 pre-service teachers from Hong Kong University
  • 24 delegates from the Korean Education Development Institute

Under 8s Day

On Friday 24 May our Early Years Community came together to celebrate Under 8s Day. Students from P-2 joined with their families, our C&K and …

Junior School News
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Under 8s Day

On Friday 24 May our Early Years Community came together to celebrate Under 8s Day. Students from P-2 joined with their families, our C&K and other local childcare centres to ‘Celebrate the diversity of languages within the home, culture and community’. This year’s Under 8s theme was a fabulous chance to see what being ‘internationally minded’ looks like in our Primary Years Program.

 

The day kicked off with a special assembly where students were read Mem Fox’s Whoever You Are. They reflected on the diverse multicultural community that we are fortunate enough to belong to here at CCC. Next it was time to explore the exciting activities and learn about many of the different ways we can communicate. Children had opportunities to communicate through music, dance and art, practise calligraphy and Chinese character writing. Families could hear new languages, share their own mother tongue and learn AUSLAN. Much fun was had! A big thank you goes to the Lower Junior staff, Secondary teachers and students, parent volunteers and our families for coming together to create such a great day.

Spelling Bee S-u-c-c-e-ss!

  Hoards of Upper Junior students used their spelling knowledge to nominate as contenders in the local Calamvale Central Spelling Bee. 16 of our top …

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Spelling Bee S-u-c-c-e-ss!

 

Hoards of Upper Junior students used their spelling knowledge to nominate as contenders in the local Calamvale Central Spelling Bee. 16 of our top spellers made it through the school selection process. They took risks, set personal challenges and showed persistence and perseverance during practices. Throughout the semester, the teams from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 fine-tuned their expert spelling skills which culminated in the competition at Calamvale Central against a number of other local schools. Students were not only required to draw on their Sounds-Letters knowledge and spelling rules but also needed nerves of steel as they performed on stage in front of their public. Does this word sound right? Does it look right? Trying to visualise and apply rules as they heard the word to be spelled out loud…and all without being able to write the word down. Congratulations to the following students who made our Calamvale Teams:

Year 3 Team: Cameron S, Chloe Z, Kalvin C (Finalist and overall Y 3 Winner), Nikki M
Year 4 Team: Charlene C, Harsh K (Finalist and overall 2nd place), Keifano H, Yada G
Year 5 Team: Calais L, Guransh Singh, Pranaam M, Rebin N (Finalist and overall 3rd place)
Year 6 Team: Dakota L, Hiro H, Jada B, Peter W (Finalist and overall 2nd place)

 

Year 3 student Kalvin C, placed first, ‘I had so much fun! It was tricky and I felt a bit nervous but was super happy to get first place. I feel so proud!’ Kalvin won $250 for himself and $1000 cash for the school. Kalvin even gave the Spelling Bee host tips, telling him all about the ‘Short Vowel Effect’ spelling rule.

Thank you all families and staff who supported and cheered on our students.

Australian Titration Competition

            18 Chemistry students (6 teams) from Calamvale Community College, Year 11 and 12, took part in the Australian Titration …

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Australian Titration Competition

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 Chemistry students (6 teams) from Calamvale Community College, Year 11 and 12, took part in the Australian Titration Competition that was held at Griffith University (Nathan Campus) on the 1st of June. The students competed against 20 other, Private and State schools. In this competition students carried out titration using 2 different acids and a base to find the concentration of the unknown base. One of our Year 12 Chemistry student’s, Thang Truong, was spot on in finding the exact concentration from his team. All the other students did extremely well as their results were fairly close to the exact value. Well done to team Calamvale, an excellent effort and dedication displayed by all.

Senior Sport News

Athletics Age Champions 12 Years        Fred Oyet                     Kelly Jordan 13 Year      …

Secondary School News
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Senior Sport News

Athletics Age Champions

12 Years        Fred Oyet                     Kelly Jordan
13 Year          Kazemi Mehdi             Ramla Mwechiwa
14 Years        Takreem Ahmed         Alysha Kelly
15 years         Mwechiwa Shareef     Tiana Richards
16 Years        Levi Clare                     Jade Wood
17 Years        Ibrahim Mwechiwa    Caitlin Kercher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

District trials

On 27 and 28 May, 75 Athletes in total represented the school over the two day Southern Scorpions District Trial at The State Athletic Facility. From this, a team of 24 athletes gained selection to compete at the Metropolitan West Track and Field Trial – 17 and 18 June. Zac Lewis and Tiana Richards have already qualified for their respective Hurdles events for the State Championships in Cairns in October.

 

 

Met West

Several other students have also been successful at achieving the coveted green and yellow of Metropolitan West representation.
Sophie Vercoe – Rugby League – Carina in July.
Macy Hauser – Cricket – Mackay in November.
Shareef Mwechiwa, Ryan Butler and Tiana Richards – Basketball – Cairns in August.
Some many talented sportsmen and women.

Interschool Sport

The Winter School sport season is well underway. Calamvale is extremely grateful to the following teachers who have given up their precious time to coach, referee and travel with their teams to other schools in the Karawatha District. Blake Bunn and Milton Saava Boys Basketball; Glen Ormesher and Ardeth Alofipo Netball; Natasha Cameron and Emma Stott-Leggat Girls Football; Dean Stevens and David Brown Boys Football, Linda Klimosow and Dajana Zec Girls Volleyball.

Year 7 Induction Sessions

Monday 10 June saw our Year 7s participate in the fifth session of their induction into the Secondary School. It was a morning full of …

Secondary School News
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Year 7 Induction Sessions

Monday 10 June saw our Year 7s participate in the fifth session of their induction into the Secondary School. It was a morning full of movement and action that had the students compete in a range of team activities. The students worked together in Connect and House groups to complete a range of problem solving puzzles with Keera House being the winner on the day, earning their free pizza party lunch.

The Year 7 cohort have gelled well as a group. Throughout the five part induction process this semester, they have:

  • Identified their Character Strengths
  • Explored what it means to be a proud member of the College Community
  • Understanding how to respect others’ differences and celebrate diversity
  • Worked in teams
  • Started the process of looking at their future pathways.

It has been pleasing to see the group work so well together, and as individuals, to establish their place in the Secondary School. The students have united well within their Houses of Keera, Cobar, Thrarah and Boree and it was fantastic to see the great teamwork displayed through the sessions. The energy, enthusiasm and competitiveness of the students clearly highlighted their sense of belonging to their House and Connect groups. Well done Year 7s. We look forward to a united and successful Semester two.

Dean Stevens – Head of House Tharah

University of Queensland Speech Pathology (SLP) Department working with CCC students

During Semester 1 this year, Calamvale Community College collaborated with the University of Queensland Speech Pathology (SLP) Department and was able to successfully run targeted …

Junior School News
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University of Queensland Speech Pathology (SLP) Department working with CCC students

During Semester 1 this year, Calamvale Community College collaborated with the University of Queensland Speech Pathology (SLP) Department and was able to successfully run targeted and evidence-based programs to support children in Prep to Year 3. From Monday to Wednesday morning each week, it was common to see speech pathology students in their maroon shirts working with groups of engaged children around the Junior School.

In Prep, groups of six children worked with two university SP students to practice their oral narrative, vocabulary, phonological awareness and print awareness skills as a pre-learning opportunity for the Read it Again-FoundationQ program that was occurring in each Prep class. Year 1 students worked in groups of six children twice a week with four university SP students to narrow in on their oral narrative skills through the use of the Tell it AgainQ1! program. The Phonological Awareness for Literacy program was implemented in Year 3 with a selected number of children as an additional literacy learning opportunity that complimented the Sounds to Letters program that is used at Calamvale Community College.
All the university SP students expressed a high degree of learning and enjoyment following their practicum at Calamvale Community College with all of them recommending the school and clinic for future SP university students to attend. The children enjoyed working with the student SLPs and teachers reported a positive change in children’s abilities. Evidence collected via pre- and post- data collection supported the positive impact that the language and literacy programs had on children’s growth and learning.

An additional clinic will be running in Semester 2 with 18 different University of Queensland SLP students supporting more children from Calamvale Community College. As a way of acknowledging the involvement and dedication by the University of Queensland SLP students in Semester 1, Calamvale Community College invited the SLP students back to the College to enjoy a breakfast where Lisa Starmer, the College Executive Principal, presented each SLP student with a certificate of appreciation. Below is a photo of some of the SLP students who were at the College this semester as well as the other Department of Education and University of Queensland staff that were involved.

Principals news

Semester One is complete, and we are heading into the June-July holidays.  It has been a bumper 6 months with some outstanding accomplishments for our …

College News
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Principals news

Semester One is complete, and we are heading into the June-July holidays.  It has been a bumper 6 months with some outstanding accomplishments for our students.  There are several feature articles in this double issue of the newsletter and I hope you take the time to read through the variety of activities in which our students have been engaged.  Our Year 11s have completed the first unit of the new ATAR system and our Year IB students are one semester closer to their Diploma.

Boree won the House Challenge in Junior School and our Junior Secondary students including Years 5 and 6 have had some great input into the shaping of our IB Middle Years Program.  Ms Emily Smith will join the team heading Years 6 to 9 English supporting Mrs Sivhola on IB and 10-12.  We will also be joined by a P-12 Languages Head of Department in the next semester.  Ms Cole will be the Mathematics 7-12 Head of Department for semester 2.

We welcome Mrs Welch back in Semester Two having had a few weeks leave, as will Mr Smith.  I want to give an enormous thank you to the Junior School Admin and Heads of Program who have managed the Junior School through Jackie’s absence, we have not skipped a beat; thank you Mr Loriaux as Principal and Mrs Kelly and Mrs Muller as Deputies as well as Ms Lewicki and Mrs Wilson who have been a great support.  Ms Lewicki will be leaving us for a semester to continue her work on the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher role and Mrs Mclean will be in the Maths Head of Department role.  We are welcoming Mrs Gallina, Ms Porter, Mr Dickson, Mr Steenberg into our teaching staff and look forward to working with them and our students will be excited to share their PYP learning.

 

UQ Speech Language Pathologists Farewell

We have just completed the first stage of a pilot of Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) students attending our College as part of their practicum. Supervised by our SLP, Ms Alex Gorrie, teams of UQ SLPs (recognizable by their purple UQ shirts) worked with our students to improve early literacy indicators and support students requiring further development of language and speech. This was a fantastic program and we were so lucky to the school that UQ chose to partner with. Many thanks to Ms Gorrie for your leadership and management of our ‘purple army’, the results for our students have been outstanding and our community is very grateful.

Survey My Class – Student Agency in the IB Program

As part of our IB initiative we are invested in expanding our students’ sense of involvement in their learning and providing opportunities for the students to participate in the way that the College runs. Steve Francis, ex-principal and educational influencer, has developed a set of surveys for schools use with their students and communities. You can find out more at stevefrancis.net.au or surveymyclass.com.au. Upper Junior and Junior Secondary students, are usually considered the most disempowered group, not just at our school but within the education system – it is a time of great change and often quite an emotional time as bodies, relationships and friendships change, but also learning styles change. Coincidently or perhaps not, the Junior Secondary Years is the last area of our College to take up the IB program. We very much want our Upper Junior and Junior Secondary students to be a part of the development of the last stage of our IB program. As the first step in this process of increasing student agency, we have rolled our “Survey My Class” surveys to Years 5 through 9 during weeks 7 to 9 in term 2.

I have included below the text that was distributed in an email to the students with the links to their surveys. We will survey the remaining classes in Years 7-9, next term. All this information collected is collated and returned to the teachers of those classes, so that they can have a greater understanding of what our students enjoy in their learning, what they want more of and what they want less of. It is an anonymous survey and the collated data, makes it impossible to locate any individual’s comments. It is my hope that as well as surveying the remaining Junior Secondary classes in term 3, I will also be able to survey the parents of these students, with a similar survey so that we can gain a greater understanding of your experience and expectations.

 

Text sent to students by email:

Today you got an amazing opportunity. As students at Calamvale you have been given the responsibility of sending some feedback to your teachers about your classroom environment and how you think that you learn best.
Only students in grades 4 to 9 have the chance to do this survey – so it really is a special opportunity. You will all answer the same questions and therefore be able to share with your teachers, your thoughts about class.
This is a chance to be really honest and think very carefully about what you would like to share with your teacher about your class and the learning that happens there. Your answers are collected up and shared with just your teacher, no-one else. Your teacher will not be able to see your names or what you said on the survey – so it’s anonymous, which is why you have to think carefully and answer honestly.
You will have received a link to a survey today in an email. I want you to do this survey as soon as you can, reading carefully and taking your time to give your thoughts and feelings in your answers.

If you are a Junior School student, we have reset your passwords today and your teachers will have told you what this is. You answer just one survey about your class.

If you are a Junior Secondary student, you should already have your password and will only need to go to your teacher for a reset if you have forgotten it. Students in years 7, 8 and 9 – you are completing 4 surveys for the classes that you are in, from the list below. You can only complete the surveys sent to you and you should complete them all on your own, with your own ideas.

Here’s the list:

  • ENG – English
  • SCI – Science
  • ENR – English Enrichment
  • DRA – Drama
  • FDS – Food Studies
  • MUS – Music
  • DIG – Digital Technologies
  • AFT – Film, Television and New Media
  • DAT – Design Technologies
  • FDS – Food Studies
  • ART – Art
  • STM091A – Steam

Please try to finish this survey this week, whilst you are thinking about it. Thank you for your feedback, we know that it will help us make school even better and more enjoyable.

Young Entrepreneurs – the Leaders of Tomorrow

Once a term, CCC holds Community and College Alliance breakfast meeting of businesses that support our College and are invested in developing closer links between school and work. On May 17th, our Alliance partners spent the morning with 40 of our young risk-taking entrepreneurs. The business leaders and students engaged in a ‘speed-mentoring’ process, which was structured to develop our students’ confidence and skills in leading a project. Three Monday afternoons of workshops then rolled into June 13th and a Peak Experience with the youth leadership organisation High Resolves. Sixty students participated in a culminating entrepreneurial activity with the intention of presenting to parents that evening. As it turned out we postponed the parent presentation evening due to student readiness and the numbers of parents who could attend. However this event will happen next term and we very much look forward to the presentations that students will share with us.

 

 

Thank you for your support of our team and your students, have a restful break and we are already looking forward to Semester Two, 2019 – happy holidays!