Harmony Day

The message of Harmony Day is Everyone Belongs. It is a day to celebrate Australia’s diversity. It is a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home – from the traditional owners of this land to those who have come from many countries around the world.

By participating in Harmony Day activities we can learn and understand how all Australians from diverse backgrounds equally belong to this nation and make it a better place.

Harmony Day is an Australian Government programme and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

On Tuesday, students wore a splash of orange and completed activities within their classroom and before school to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our community. Before school,  the Junior School Student Union organised a Harmony Day chalk walk for students to share messages of positivity, kindness and harmony.

Watch the video message

 

Hospitality Excellence

QTIC Salute to Excellence

Hospitality Excellence is proud to announce that eight Year 11 & 12 students have decide to apply for the QTIC Salute to Excellence this year. Over the coming weeks, they will be busy writing their applications and developing their skills further both at 3 Trees, and with industry.

We wish the students the best of luck in their preparations:

Cookery

Connor Johnson, industry supporter Three Little Birds

Lachlan Peebles, industry supporter W Brisbane

Matthew Meadows, industry supporter The Star Culinary Institute: Brisbane Treasury

Noah Schepis-Wells, industry supporter The Star Culinary Institute: Brisbane Treasury

Food & Beverage

Chloe Donald, industry supporter W Brisbane

Savannah Inglis-Rakete, industry supporter W Brisbane

Shayla Klarich, industry supporter W Brisbane

Tia Sunbeam, industry supporter W Brisbane

Functions

Hospitality Excellence students have been busy preparing and serving a variety of functions in 3 Trees this term from the International Women’s Breakfast to the 2022 Year 12 Awards Cocktail Function to the CCCA Breakfast attended by the College’s community and industry business training partners.

The students also hosted their families for our Term 1 Showcase evening, that was Mexican themed. They planned, prepared and served a two-course meal that was a huge success. They were also able to connect with some of the 2022 Hospitality Excellence who returned as guests to support them.

Hospitality Excellence is looking forward too many more functions and excursions this year. If your student is currently enrolled in Year 10 -12 Hospitality VET and is interested in joining the Hospitality Excellence Program, please contact the Coordinator. Leah Cremen (lwell55@eq.edu.au), to discuss this further.

Secondary School Swimming Carnival

Students had a wonderful day this week at Parkinson Pool for our 2023 Swimming carnival! This year we had our year 7s along with our year 8s to 12s who had nominated to compete spending their time not only racing but being involved in a range of amusing activities throughout the day. Students could earn house points not only through the competitive races but also the many inflatable novelty races along with the salmon runs where they had a chance to cool off.

The teachers even got in on the action and raced the students and took home first place on the big red kangaroo, just beating out the pink flamingo who came in a close second. There were war cries, dance offs, and Ms Stott even gave students a lesson on how to dance to an old favourite, the Nutbush. Throughout the day Keera was up, but a last dash by Tharah saw them take out the day as the winning house.

A big thank you to all the PE staff, Mrs Cox and Mrs Thomas who made the day possible. Looking forward to another great Swimming Carnival next year!

 

pics

Reader’s Cup updates!

Ms Toich and Ms Cleeton are both assisting Reader’s Cup teams to prepare for this year’s competition.

Ms Toich’s Yr 5/6 Competition for Brisbane South will be held at Streeton College, on 9 June. Our team is all from Yr 6.

Thank you to Paul Harris, Kendall Sampson, Sebastian Messerschmidt, Naeema Sacur and Alex Isoif for volunteering to make up our JS Reader’s Cup Team this year.

The Year 7/8 Team are also part of the Brisbane South Competition, with their competition to be held at Emmaus College in Jimboomba on June 8th.

(Permission notes have not yet been sent to parents or guardians as we are still shuffling our teams as they grow, and as members change their minds!).

The book list for this year’s 7/8 team has 5 interesting titles:

We look forward to a fun competition this year, and to walking away with the winning trophy!

Our Yr 7/8 Team this year includes the following students:

Yr 7 – Ambernoor Sangha , Sivananda Sabu Nair , Maria Kloska, Manaia Warbrick, Ruhab

Jahangir, Kaydn Merlo, Shivnoor Sohi, Gurshan Kaur, Jasreet Dhaliwal

Yr 8 – Ruby Nicholls, Aalia Sidhu

We are so glad to have these lovely readers on our teams from Yrs 6 to 8.

We wish them well, and encourage them to KEEP ON READING!

 

Good luck!

 

Ms Toich and Ms Cleeton.

Social Worker Links

 

School Refusal

School Refusal or Avoidance is an increasingly common problem across Australia.  Recently the State and Federal Ministers for Education met to discuss the reasons for and solutions to declining rates of school attendance. This March the findings of a senate inquiry will be reported to parliament and anecdotally families are feeling the increase in refusal from the young people they care for.

ReachOut have a great parents section which has an information page titled ‘Everything You Need To Know About School Refusal’- click the link here: https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/things-to-try-school-and-education/how-to-help-a-teen-who-doesnt-want-to-go-to-school

The Department of Education also has a suite of tools on their webpage ‘Spark Their Future’ link here: https://www.sparktheirfuture.qld.edu.au/

Read more here: School attendance rates are dropping. We need to ask students why

If your family need support with attendance please contact your young person’s Deputy Principal to discuss your needs.

References:

Everything you need to know about school refusal.  ReachOut Parents. (n.d.).  Retrieved February 28,2023 from https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/things-to-try-school-and-education/how-to-help-a-teen-who-doesnt-want-to-go-to-school

School attendance rates are dropping.  We need to ask students why.  The Conversation. (2023). Retrieved February 28,2023 from https://theconversation.com/school-attendance-rates-are-dropping-we-need-to-ask-students-why-200537

Spark their future. Spark their Future. (2022, September 9). Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.sparktheirfuture.qld.edu.au/

QATSIF Ceremony

Calamvale Community College’s latest Queensland Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Foundation  (QATSIF) Scholarship recipients were invited to the annual QATSIF New Recipients and Leaders’ ceremony at UniSQ Springfield

Congratulations to this year’s Scholarship recipients Shanieka, Rickell, Teiki, Kobie, Nikita & Chloe. Shanieka was also presented with a certificate and leadership badge for accepting the role of CCC’s very first ‘First Nations Secondary School Ambassador’.  Proceedings began with a Welcome to Country and Didgeridoo performance, followed by a special candle lighting by Auntie Sandra and Uncle Milton. We were then treated to traditional dances from the mob from Bremer State High School, followed by a heart-warming message from Aunty Ruth Hegarty. We were so honoured to be a part of the celebrations. We are very proud of our students and wish them the best of luck for their senior years at Calamvale Community College.

 

QATSIF was created to advance the education and life of our Indigenous students and assist in completing their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Built from the labour of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders under now-repealed laws, students are supported to complete their senior studies.  Under the QCE Scholarship Program, QATSIF provides two-year scholarship funding to support students commencing in Year 11. QATSIF funds successful schools which then provide scholarships to individual students. The intention of the funding is to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander student retention in Years 11 and 12 rather than simply sustain existing retention rates, and funding has to be used to complement and build on existing school and community programmes and support for individual students.

School Based Youth Nurse

Chess Competition

Intensity builds as Calamvale RUSHES into the Inter-School chess tournament in Corinda SHS. Unstoppable force unleashed in to the tense full competition.  Go Calamvale.

 

 

Calamvale Team 1 came second in Division B and Jun Kim won 6 out of 7 games, 3-ways tie with the first place, rewarding in third place.

 

International Women’s Day

The College’s annual International Women’s Day Breakfast was hosted last Wednesday. This year’s invited speak was the Hon Leeann Enoch MP – Minister for Communities and Housing, Minister for Digital Economy and Minister for the Arts. Hon Ms Enoch shared insights around the unintentional, but unconsidered gender inequality that she had experienced systemically as a parliamentarian as well as the perceived roles of gender as a Mum and carer. Our senior Hospitality team did an amazing job hosting and preparing for their first function of the year.

 

Principals News

Mid February we celebrated our newly appointed student leaders at a scaled-down version of the CCC Investiture Ceremony that we would normally host as a whole College Event in the Sports Centre. Regardless of the change of venue and scale, it was a great Prep-12 occasion with our students, parents and special guests. Congratulations to all our 2023 Junior School, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Leaders. Click on the image below and meet our 2023 Leaders!

 

Secondary School News

Gold Coast Performance Centre – 8 to 10 February

Congratulations to Dave Brown and the Wolves 32 Team of Grant Sales, Shelley Bunn and Blake Bunn for the sporting performance camp they ran last month at the Gold Coast Performance Centre. Year 7, 8, 9 & 10 Wolves 32 classes all engaged in a rigorous 3-day schedule of mixed sporting development activities, at this world class sporting center. A lot of planning and coordination went into this, and from what Mark Smith and I saw on our visit to the Performance Centre, it was a sporting program which was secondary to none. Great job all.

 

Year 11 General EAL English

In term 1, the Year 11 General EAL English students have been beginning their ATAR journey starting with Unit 1, language, text and culture. Students have been exploring how the culture of fast fashion and the plastic industry are interrelated to the environmental issues today. Students have been discussing, persuasively, about the dangers of fast fashion and the plastic industry. On Tuesday Week 4, the class visited the Towards Zero Waste Education Centre at the local Landfill Site at Rochedale to learn about these dangers and understand the importance of reduce, reuse, recycle. Students took a tour of the landfill site and were amazed at the giant deodorizers that are used to keep it smelling nice.
Students were taught about what really happens to their waste, why it is so important to reduce the amount plastic they use and the importance of understanding that buying from quick-made fashion outlets, only makes the issues worse! Brisbane Landfill taught the students most importantly, to reduce, reuse and recycle to better our city and the planet.

 

 

Biology excursion – Jacobs Well

Year 12 Biology students were very excited through the week as they embarked on a field trip to collect abiotic and biotic data at Jacob’s Well. Equipped with measuring instruments and keen observation skills, the students explored the ecosystem surrounding the nearby waterways. From testing water quality to identifying aquatic plants and animals, they immersed themselves in the scientific method, and learning about the importance of
environmental conservation along the way. These snapshots provide a glimpse into the students’ hands-on learning experiences, as they make meaningful connections between classroom theory and real-world applications.

ISUZU visit CCC Cert Street

Week 9 saw John and Andrew from Isuzu Acacia Ridge pay a visit to the CCC Cert Street, Automotive Class. Our guests were extremely impressed with the conversations they had with our students, as well as the strength of the program being delivered by Tactile Learning Centre. I think they may have their eye on a couple! Thank you to Dee Dobbyn for all your work in putting this together. Really great example of the caliber of industry partner, we have here at the College. We look forward to seeing them back here next week as part of our CCCA Breakfast in 3 Trees Cafe.

 

Kokoda 2023 – Night Hike Training

Kokoda is held on the first weekend in July and our 12 teams are well underway into their Thursday afternoon training. This week was night time endurance training!

Through extreme temperatures and humidity, our night hikers did exceptionally well.

 

Parents as Partners Program

Calamvale Community College is committed to ensuring that all members of our diverse school community have access to information about how the College works, including practices and procedures relating to student learning.
We are hosting a series of parent engagement opportunities to provide information and a forum for parents to ask questions in relation to the College. These events were in translated into Mandarin, Korean and Arabic. Our Elder in Residence, Aunty Roma Pregarc joined us in connecting with our First Nations’ families too.

Sponsorship News

 

SC Brokers have more than 30 years of experiences in financial credit and investment, our highly praised experience and wide range of 40+ lenders and 500+ products make us the perfect choice for home/investment loans, commercial/development loans, and secured business loans.

Our team is committed to assisting our clients in obtaining the necessary funds for any worthwhile purpose. Beyond providing top-notch finance products; we have established our Australian insurance brokering division in 2023 which enables us to provide competitive insurance coverage our clients require to protect themselves.

We remain steadfast in our adherence to our corporate philosophy of honesty and trustworthiness.

As the Gold Sponsor of Calamvale Community College. SC Brokers is committed to sponsoring and supporting the development of local communities and schools in Queensland. We remain dedicated to providing a better educational environment for children, supporting the local community, and helping create a bright future for Brisbane’s youth.

Online application portal: https://www.scbrokers.com.au/apply-now/

Please enter your exclusive promotion code: CCC2023SC, in the application ‘Message’ area.

For enquires and applications, please don’t be hesitate to contact our BDM Jing Li.

Jing Li

Business Development Manager

0450 683 151

07 3147 8730

jing.li@scbrokers.com.au

 

 

Jing Li’s Wechat QR Code

 

 

 

 

Jing Li’s WhatsApp QR Code

 

 

 

 

 

At BOQ Sunnybank Hills, we pride ourselves on building real relationships, and understanding our customer’s needs. Whether it’s business banking, everyday accounts or low rate home loans, our team is here to help with all your banking solutions. Because at BOQ Sunnybank Hills, personal service and great banking experiences go hand in hand.

 

 

 

BOQ is one of Australia’s most dynamic and innovative financial institutions, with a retail bank offering a network of more than 260 branches across Australia.

At BOQ we can support you with:

  • Everyday Banking • Savings Accounts • Credit Cards • Insurance • Home Loans • Business Banking • Commercial Loans • Equipment Finance • Term Deposits • and more!”

At BOQ Sunnybank Hills, we believe that education is vital for all children as it lays the foundation for their future personal and professional growth. This is why we became a proud sponsor of Calamvale Community College. We are delighted to be able to share some experience and tips with students in dealing with money, and hope to assist them in ways to develop good habits which they may benefit for a life time.

Five tips to help you learn about saving money.

 

There’s nothing more rewarding than finally hitting your savings goal after chipping away at it for months, even years on end. That feeling of accomplishment is a powerful motivator, no matter your age. That’s why it’s crucial to set the foundations for good savings habits for you.

 

There are plenty of ways to help you become super savers for life. Here are our top five.

  1. Publicise your goal

Set a savings goal for yourself and keep in the loop.

Keep a visual indicator of your savings target in the house, like on a whiteboard or on the fridge. Celebrate your progress together with your family, but don’t forget to see when something gets in the way of your goal. It’s okay to stumble now and then, as long as you jump right back on the wagon.

  1. Always make a list before shopping

No matter what you’re shopping for, making a list will help you stick to a budget. Shopping with a list gives you a close estimate as to what you’ll be spending so you don’t go over budget. If we’re talking groceries, try click and collect or delivery so you won’t be tempted by all the possibilities in store.

  1. Make it real or make it visible

Modern transactions are now mostly ‘invisible’ according to MoneySmart. Instead of handing over colourful bank notes or a pile of coins, we tap our phones, smart watches, and even our coffee cups to pay. But while cash remains legal tender, it can be a powerful tool for controlling spending and saving. Plan a trip to the ATM once a week, withdraw some cash to cover your weekly expense. Do not withdraw or spend any more than that set amount.

Once you understand the basics, move your money into a high interest savings account. Then, using an online banking app to see how their saving is going. This will help you get into the habit of regularly reviewing your accounts, which is useful for reflecting on recent spending and keeping an eye out for suspicious activity.

4.Understanding small rewards now VS a big reward later

Like many adults, you often choose the short-term win over the long-term goal. Instant gratification is a trap we all fall into, which is why it’s important to give you cues to remind of what you’re saving for.

Each time you’re tempted to spend your money on something else, ask yourself if it means more than reaching your goal.

  1. Learn saving as a skill for life

Working towards a specific goal can be incredibly motivating. Whether it’s a new toy, new gadget, or an end-of-the-year holiday, having something to look forward to is often what keeps you on track. But saving shouldn’t always be seen as a means to an end. It’s a life-long habit that can provide security later in life.

You probably won’t jump at the idea of building up an emergency fund or saving for a house deposit just yet, but as you get older, you will shift the target towards saving for the long term.

When you are learning about budgeting, encourage yourself to allocate a regular amount of your pocket money / earnings to savings. That way, when you start earning a wage and managing your own expenses, saving will be second nature.

Are you ready to start building smart savings habits? Set up for success with a BOQ savings account for yourself.

Save with BOQ’s highest interest Savings Account for customers aged 14 – 35 —— Future Saver account.

Why choose our Future Saver account?

High interest savings

Enjoy bonus interest* each month when you meet the criteria.

 

Simply deposit a minimum of $1,000 into your linked Everyday Account from an external bank account (cash and cheques excluded) and make 5 eligible transactions to save faster!

 No monthly fees

We’ve made monthly account keeping fees a thing of the past. We want your savings to grow.

 

 Safe and secure

Feel safe knowing your savings are guaranteed up to $250,000 by the Australian Government’s Financial Claims Scheme#.

 

 Plus a transaction account

Your Future Saver Account automatically comes with an Everyday transaction account. It’s the prefect match to help you manage your money.

 

Ready to apply?

Step 1. Scan the QR code to download the app

Step 2. Enter your ID and personal details, Choose Sunnybank Hills Branch as your favorite branch.

Step 3. Start using your new accounts

 

Or apply online:

https://application.boq.com.au/boq-forms/boq-bank-and-save/boq-apply-now?offerCode=DFE023FEB

For more information about BOQ Future Saver Account, please don’t be hesitate to contact Danny.

 

Danny Chen

Owner-Manager

07 3131 7888

0451 190 217

danny.chen@boq.com.au

facebook.com/boqsunnybankhills

 

 

 

 

 

Danny Chen’s Wechat QR Code

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hospitality Excellence

Hospitality Excellence Kitchen students had great success in working towards furthering their careers over the 2022-2023 break, all gaining paid positions in kitchens.

2022 Year 12 Graduate, and Hospitality Excellence Student of the Year for Cookery, Montana Pearce was offered a full time Chef’s Apprenticeship at Graduation, with The Star Gold Coast. She is now three months in, and about to finish her first kitchen rotation. It is great to hear to Montana has found something she loves and will get up at 5am each morning for without complaint.

2023 Year 12 students also ended the year strong. Lachlan Peebles has become The W Hotel’s very first a school-based Chef’s Apprentice, and Connor Johnson has joined the kitchen brigade with First Nation’s Catering Company, Three Little Birds. Both boys will be able to share their unique training with each other at school and inspire the new students in our program.

2023 Year 11 students Matthew Meadows & Noah Schepis-Wells have both gained school-based Apprenticeships with The Star Brisbane Treasury. This is very exciting for them, as The Star begins its transition to the new precinct at Queen’s Warf later this year and they will become foundation staff at Brisbane’s biggest Hospitality Hub.

The students are all looking forward to developing their careers further whilst continuing with their Certificate III in Hospitality at Calamvale, under the stewardship of our own Chef, Mr Tom Bishop.

The Hospitality Excellence Program is currently accepting applications from Year 10 -12 Hospitality students. Please contact the Coordinator, Mrs Leah Cremen (lwell55@eq.edu.au) if you would like to discuss this opportunity further.

If your student is interested in pursuing a School-Based Traineeship or Apprenticeship in any Industry, please contact the College’s Industry Liaison Officer, Mrs Deidre Dobbyn (ddobb1@eq.edu.au).

Student Leadership in the Junior School

Recently, students in the Junior School participated in student elections to elect Captains and House Representatives for 2023. In the Junior School, there were many students who nominated for a leadership role by submitting a written expression of interest. Year 5 and 6 students participated in an interview with Principal, Mrs Welch and Deputy Principal, Mr Butterworth before successful shortlisted candidates presented a speech to the student body and teachers for a vote. Earlier this week, students in Year 1-6 also voted to elect House Representatives with successful students becoming members of our Student Union. We are very pleased to have had such strong student interest from all year levels to be active members of our College community. Thank you to parents who may have helped their student prepare a speech or write a nomination form. We appreciate your support. Student leaders from the Junior School will be announced at our College Investiture event in the coming weeks. The Student Union will then begin to work collaboratively with the Secondary School leaders to organise our 2023 Multicultural Festival which will be held in Term 2.

 

 

NAPLAN

 

Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be involved in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests this year. NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through their regular school curriculum. The questions assess content linked to the Australian Curriculum in English and Mathematics.

Students will complete online tests for Writing (except Year 3 who will complete a booklet), Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. The testing period will be held during the weeks of Wednesday 15 March (Week 8) to Monday 27 March (Week 10), with a technical practice test occurring during Week 4 and 5 in Term 1.

Further information regarding the NAPLAN online testing for parents/caregivers can be found on the NAP site at https://nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support/.

Eyes Open Social Media Safety in the Junior School

Eyes Open Social Media Safety have been working closely with the College to educate our students, staff and parents about the risks associated with social media and ways to apply security settings to enjoy social media platforms safely.

Our teachers participated in a session run by Trish Munn, managing director and speaker, and were given an insight into the focus for each year levels ‘Awareness Session. Over two days, Trish presented vital information pertaining to social media safety in a way that was targeted to each year level.  Students were engaged in the session as Trish spoke to content familiar to each age group including gaming and social media platforms. Eyes were certainly open as Trish educated our students on why social media safety and security is so important.

Students in Year Five and Six went on to participate in the ‘Security Settings Session’ and were given practical solutions to enable them to  apply safety and security settings. Look out for the Eyes Open handout coming home with your child (in Year Five and Six).

It was great to see our College parents attend the information session on Monday evening. One key message for parents is to regularly engage in open conversations with your child around what they’re seeing and hearing while online.  A way of safeguarding our children is for them to know they can talk to a trusted adult (without fear of having the device taken away) if they come across unsuitable material or are approached online by a stranger.  Be sure to ask your child what they have learnt through the Eyes Open Social Media Safety

Junior School Welcome

Welcome to the 2023 school year. We are excited to have Junior School students back with us after the summer vacation. I would like to extend a welcome to our new families and especially to our Prep students who are about to embark on the first year of formal education. We are excited about our vibrant learning community and all that we will achieve this year and look forward to working with you to achieve our joint goals for your child.

Thank you to the many Junior School families who attended the Meet the Teacher Sessions held in classrooms on Thursday 2 February. I am sure you left these sessions having a clear understanding of the routines and expectations of the year level as well as information about what is ahead in terms of learning for the first term of school and the rest of 2023. Parents will have an opportunity to have a face to face meeting with class teachers towards the end of term one.

 

Lookout Program Reminder

I encourage you to use the drop off and pick up service that the school provides as it has proven to be the most efficient way to drop off and pick up your child each day.

Prep and Year 1 Students- Afternoon Pick up

  • Prep and Year 1 students will be escorted to the Possum grass area where they will be supervised by School Administration and staff until their parents arrive at the pickup area.
  • To collect Prep and Year 1 students, parents need to pull up in the pickup area before Possum gate
  • Parents remain in their car in comfort, moving forward in a queue to where their child will be collected from a safe designated pick-up point under staff supervision.
  • Parents who wish to collect at the classroom door can do so after 3.00pm, and only when the remainder of the class has vacated the classroom to move to the Lookout pick up area.

The Year 2-6 pickup area is located directly in front of the large blueshade sails

  • Please proceed to the Year 2-6 pickup area, where your student will be waiting with supervising staff
  • Supervising staff alert children to approaching cars
  • Parents remain in their car in comfort, moving forward in a queue to where their child will be collected from a safe designated pick-up point.

 

Parent Oral Language Workshop

Date: 2nd March 2023
Time: 9:30 am – 10:15 am
Location: Common Room

This workshop will be presented by Calamvale Community College’s Speech Pathologist and is tailored for parents and carers with children currently in prep or getting ready to enter prep. Topics that will be covered include:
– The role of the Speech Pathologist within schools
– The difference between speech and language
– Speech development (i.e. the sounds children use to talk)
– Language development (i.e. the words and sentences children use to communicate messages)
– Early literacy development
– Signs to look out for and ways to help your child to develop their speech, language and literacy skills

Welcome from the CCC library for 2023

Welcome back to all students back for the new school year, and a special welcome to students who are new to CCC.

The Calamvale Community College library is an air-conditioned learning hub for all students from Prep to Year 12.

Students can study in comfort and safety under supervision during school hours.

The two Teacher-Librarians, Ms Toich for the Junior School, and Ms Cleeton for the Senior School, work with classroom teachers to ensure student learning is useful, meaningful and relevant.

We strive to provide a literature-rich environment for all students.

The library enhances the work of teachers and students through the provision of print and digital resources, and technical support.  We have photocopiers, printers, VR sets, print resources and full Wi-Fi access to enable the school’s BYOD program.

In addition, to enrich the curriculum, students are able to join various reading groups and competitions across the school year. These include the Brisbane Metropolitan Reader’s Cup, The QLD Premier’s Reading Challenge, homework club, and research group.

These programs encourage independent use of the library and provide opportunities to actively inquire into topics of interest.

CCC LIBRARY ONLINE CATALOGUE 

Calamvale Community College students have access to our online catalogue via the Library page on the school website.

Once students have accessed our catalogue and signed in, they are able to view their current loans, make reservations and search for resources held in our library.

EBOOKS

Calamvale Community College students can access the EQ eBooks digital library through the app called SORA.

SORA has a huge variety of online books covering a range of genres.

Students and their families can download the SORA app on their devices and after logging in using their EQ student code, they can search for titles and genres that they enjoy, and read these online.

 OPENING TIMES

CCC’s Library is open for student use before school from 8.00 am and is open till 3.30pm most days. At times, due to Staff Meetings or other events, the Library closes earlier. Students are advised of this by a sign on the door.

The library is open to the Junior School and to Secondary School students at different times of the school day, according to Year level and class booking.

If you have any queries, please ask a staff member in the Library, or at the front desk.

 

You can also email Ms Cleeton adcle0@eq.edu.au OR Ms mtoic1@eq.edu.au

We look forward to meeting you during the year.

Top Blokes – Mentoring Program for Boys

The College welcomes Sacha and Mitchell from external organisation ‘Top Blokes’, a mentoring program to support young males lead happy and safe lives. These two gentleman will be running their program for small groups of boys ranging in age from 10- 17 years throughout 2023.

The goals of this program include inspiring young males to reach their full potential and to improve their wellbeing and health. It is important to educate our young males and equip them with the knowledge and skills to navigate the many challenging social issues that arise in their teenage years.

After only two weeks of the program, the feedback from our current participating male students is overwhelmingly positive.

‘This program is really good! Thank you for including me.’ – Matt

‘ The presenters are so approachable and engaging.’ – Tyrone

‘ Junior Top Blokes program is so good and engaging.’ – Seth

‘ Wow, so good, has made me stop and reflect.’ – Kevin

Well Being Team News

The Summit Program

Well-being is a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. It supports quality of life and allows people to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Calamvale Community College’s Summit program is in its fourth year, supporting select students from Years 5 to 9 to learn new skills to manage their emotions and any challenging social situations they may encounter in an effective way. Feeling confident to manage difficult situations maximises the opportunity for students to feel happy and safe, ready to engage in their learning.

Levels of support are varied for each student but may include: regular check-ins, chill outs and a weekly structured self-management course which builds skills in Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness. This approach is known as DBT or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy – and was chosen for its strong results in school settings. Students practise these skills at least weekly and do so in both one-on-one and small group contexts with the Summit Guidance Officer.

The Summit team celebrates student progress and goes on regular excursions, where they participate in mindfulness and team-building activities. Previous excursions have included a visit to State parks and animal reserves. Each term Summit students complete a structured goal-setting process where they identify areas of personal improvement and take steps towards achieving this. Mini-rewards are also given along the way for meeting these milestones and much time is spent on personal reflection, accountability and sound decision-making.

The Summit team includes Guidance Officer Patrick Watson and Youth Support Coordinators Mrs Kelly Hebert and Mr Whitney Ueta-Siteine. It is overseen by the College’s Wellbeing co-ordinator, Guidance Officer Cath Sander.

 

 

 

Youth Support Coordinators

Our wonderful Youth Support co-ordinators Kelly and Whitney support students to engage successfully at school and achieve positive outcomes. They have welcomed many of our new Year 7 students, helping them successfully transition into high school.

Over the holidays the YSC office had a refurbishment, knocking out a wall to create an open, inviting space, with a fresh coat of paint and new flooring to make this room a more user friendly and welcoming space. It is the perfect space to run their support programs in. We are loving it!

Kelly worked with some students during their Community Program time in Term 4 last year, where they met with Ms Starmer to discuss a budget for the interior decorating. Students planned what was needed in the space before sourcing where to buy the furniture from. They will be going out to purchase these items next week.  This has been an interesting experience for these young people realising the cost of purchasing all of the items on their wish list and balancing the budget. They have also had to think about the needs of their fellow students instead of their own wants.

The YSC office is open at both breaks for our Secondary students offering a selection of activities such as games, arts and crafts or a chilled space just to hang out, chat and meet new friends.

Getting to know the young people in our school is important to our YSCs – if your child is seeking connection, please encourage them to go and visit Kelly at the YSC office or Whitney who is out and about at breaks.

Kelly Hebert & Whitney Ueta-Siteine

 

School Social Worker

My name is Chantal, I have joined your school community as a School Social Worker.

My role at Calamvale Community College is to support our families.  To be the bridge between school and community.

I can provide:

  • Resource Information
  • Emotional and practical support
  • Student and family wellbeing support
  • Advocacy
  • Connections between parents/carers, support services and the wider community.

Referrals can be made via the Wellbeing team, phone 3712 6333 or contact your child’s Deputy Principal.

 

Calamvale Community College Free Parent Seminars

Hosted by our school social worker CCC Parent Seminars will be held twice per term.  There will be a range of topics aimed at supporting our families and community.

The first seminar is to be held on the 15th February at 5:30 and offers practical tips to support your young person to feel calmer and more capable.

Please see below for more information.  Registration is required.

 

HELP YOUR CHILD OR TEENAGER PREVENT & COPE WITH ANXIETY

 

Wednesday 15th February, 5:30 – 7:30PM, Calamvale Community College – Common Room

We all want our kids to be happy and healthy, yet anxiety is a real problem for many children and teenagers – and adults. The Fear-Less Triple P program is now free in Qld, and this Fear-Less Triple P – Positive Parenting Program seminar offers tips on how you can help your child or teenager develop their own toolkit of effective ways to manage anxiety. The seminar is fun and friendly and it’s FREE! It’ll help you and your kids to reduce anxiety, or prevent it becoming a problem in the first place.
REGISTER NOW: https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/qld-en/contact/find-a-session/2023-02-15/fear-less-seminar//111755/ to learn more and book your free spot.

Junior Secondary News

Eyes Open Social Media Awareness

All Junior Secondary students have participated in two sessions with external provider Eyes Open Social Media, which have focused on social media privacy and safety awareness as well as setting up strong security settings. These sessions were complimented by a parent awareness session where parents gained a greater insight into how to support their children in having a positive social media presence by setting the appropriate privacy settings.

Introduction to our Elder in Residence

Through this month’s newsletter, I am taking the opportunity to say hello and to quickly introduce myself to the College community.

Kurumba bigi yuuingan (Yuggera language) / Jingeri jimbelung (Yugambeh language).

The above greeting is written in both of the languages of my ancestors, the lands on which the Calamvale Community College is situated. The words simply mean “Greetings friends”.

My name is Aunty Roma (also known as Ninyieri Banjilann which is my personal totem/skin name meaning Blue Butterfly), and I am extremely pleased to have been appointed into a new role as the Calamvale Community College (CCC) Elder in Residence.

My responsibilities will be to mainly embed cultural knowledge at CCC while reviewing the curriculum to integrate appropriate Indigenous content, and I would like to envision that my work will benefit both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, teachers, staff, and also the broader members of the CCC community.

Currently I am on campus one day per week, so even though I would like to get a multitude of things done in a small space of time, it is expected that the work I have ahead of me will be a long-term, but enjoyable project.

To start … there are two things that are of utmost importance for me. Apart from taking time to get to know the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jarjums (children), I would also like to meet their parents/carers, so I will be reaching out in Term 1 or Term 2 to arrange a morning or afternoon tea to have a yarn with you. I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend (depending on your availability of course), but I will try to arrange other opportunities if that occasion is not possible for you.

And as a closing note – we always say ‘see you later’ (and never goodbye) in both my ancestors’ languages.
Nanni ngin (Yuggera language) / Nya nya bu (Yugambeh language).

Kindest regards,
Aunty Roma

 

Principal’s News

Welcome to 2023, what a wonderful start we have had to year! Calamvale Community College has reached the 2500 mark this year and we are delighted that we are the school of choice for so many of our community. This is a bumper issue of our newsletter and I encourage you to read through all of the news and information. After a very successful 2022 during which our students achieved impressive ATAR, IB and VET results, we have an exciting agenda for 2023 with a focus on positive accomplishment, wellbeing and engagement. You will no doubt hear more about these in the coming weeks. Take a look at Head of Senior Secondary Ben Huxley’s presentation to see those results. We have a changing of the guard in Wolves and welcome on board Ms Emma Stott and Mr Rob Schwarzbauer in the Sports Director role. We also welcome back Ms Pamela Curtin who will be Head of Department Languages in Mrs Sandy Harvey’s maternity absence.

I will be on 4 weeks leave from today, returning on March 15th. In my absence, Mrs Jackie Welch will be College Principal and Mrs Deb Kelly will be acting Head of Junior School. Mrs Sacha Muller (HOD English Years 3-6) will be Junior School Deputy Principal. I thank the whole team for their support and I am confident that the College is in safe hands for the next month.

Kind regards
Lisa

Senior Secondary News

Year 12 Awards Night – Seniors of 2022

Calamvale Community College took great pride in celebrating the achievements of its 2022 Senior students, with an Academic Awards Ceremony on Wednesday evening of this week. Our returning Year 12s, their families and staff, all started the night with a wonderful soiree, enjoying canapes and drinks as part of a delightful supper service, all provided by the Hospitality Department led by Mrs Leah Cremen and Mr Tom Bishop. Additional Thank-You’s need to go to Mr Allan Sui and Mrs Natasha Cameron for their help and support on the night.
The ceremony itself was a showcase of subject prizes, special award and the announcement of the coveted Dux Award for the highest academic achievement across 2022. Congratulations to Bassel Fayoumi for taking out this award with an ATAR 97.35. Congratulations also goes to all our other prize winners, especially those of special awards, being Kiara Bear, Montana Pearce, Jorja Williams, Angela Yu, Samuel Gonthier, Taylah Anthony and Tia Grewal. There to hand out these awards to our students were the special guests of CCC. A big thank you to Alanna Ngo- Representing – Hon Leeanne Enoch MP – Minister for Communities and Housing, Minister for Digital Economy and Minister for the Arts, Cr Angela Owen – Councillor for Calamvale Ward, Mr Hugh Goodfellow – Assistant Regional Director, Mr Mike Butler – Chair of College Council, Ms Yvette Dempsey – College P&C President, Ms Jing Li & Mr Danny Xiang – SC Brokers, and Mr Danny Chen – Bank of Queensland. Your presence on this most special night of ours was greatly appreciated.

 

Cert Street 2023 – Induction and Commencement

Thursday this week saw the launch of Cert Street for 2023! Senior Certification and Work Readiness students who are enrolled in one of these 6 Industry-standard qualifications, commenced the day with a meet and greet, polo shirt presentation and a full induction. Students were able to then spend the day with their trainer to familiarise themselves with the course, build relationships, and establish work and communication protocols. Thank you to our wonderful team of trainers and support staff. It was great to see you all there, and we’re all very excited for 2023. Every course is 100% full!

Photo Day – Secondary School Timetable

Please make sure that all families have their school photo order envelopes. These were handed out to all students; however, replacements can be obtained from Student Services. The following table is the schedule for the Secondary School. This schedule will occur on Friday 17 February. All students need to ensure that they are in full format uniform, with complete adherence to the school uniform policy. Students in breach of this policy on the day, in instances where uniform/make up/attire cannot be rectified, will be addressed and instructed to attend the make-up photo day in March.

 

 

Secondary School Swimming Carnival

Students had a wonderful day this week at Parkinson Pool for our 2023 Swimming carnival! This year we had our year 7s along with our year 8s to 12s who had nominated to compete spending their time not only racing but being involved in a range of amusing activities throughout the day. Students could earn house points not only through the competitive races but also the many inflatable novelty races along with the salmon runs where they had a chance to cool off.

The teachers even got in on the action and raced the students and took home first place on the big red kangaroo, just beating out the pink flamingo who came in a close second. There was war cries, dance offs, and Ms Stott even gave students a lesson on how to dance to an old favourite, the Nutbush. Throughout the day Keera was up, but a last dash by Tharah saw them take out the day as the winning house.

A big thank you to all the PE staff, Mrs Cox and Mrs Thomas who made the day possible. Looking forward to another great Swimming Carnival next year!

Year 6 PYP Exhibition

One of the major highlights in the Year 6 calendar, is the PYP Exhibition. This year was the first time it was held in the CCC Resource Centre. At the opening, students performed their own version of “We don’t talk about Bruno” from Encanto which they had adapted to suit their inquiry unit for exhibition. Over two days, students presented their learnings to parents, teachers and students from across the College. It was wonderful to see students trying to ‘take action’ on a global issue that they are passionate about. Exhibition is the culminating piece of work for students in the IB Primary Years Program and the quality and diversity of the learning on display was exceptional.

 

YEAR 9 SEMI FORMAL

Our Year 9 students came together in celebration for the very first Year 9 Semi Formal, which was not only an initiative of our Junior Secondary Student Leaders but organised by them as well. The theme for the evening was ‘A night in Paris’ and our students certainly celebrated the end of their Junior Secondary phase of learning and transition to Senior Secondary, with a fun filled evening of dancing and capturing memories in the themed photo booth. A magical evening for our students.  

 

Multicultural Festival

May I begin by thanking Aunty Roma for that very interesting and educational Welcome to Country and pay my own respects to the her and the First Nations people especially those with us here today.

I would also like to thanks Mrs Cox, Mr Butterworth and their student leadership teams for their organisation of this event, Mrs Ellis for this assembly and learning materials, Mr Hepper and Mr Ehrenberg for logistical support and all of the staff from across the College who have made today, wet as it is, possible.  Special shout out to hospitality school of excellence, to Mr Bishop and Mrs Cremen and their team for delicious sampler packs they have put together for you.  Thank you to the classroom teachers in Junior School for the magnificent signage that we will see today – I just love a bit of glitter and it abounds.

Our theme this year, chosen by our student leaders is the Power of Difference.  Whenever we separate ourselves out into similar groups with the same views and the same perspectives – a place where we are often comfortable because no-one argues with us – we make ourselves vulnerable and weak, because eventually something will happen to challenge our very narrow, small and similar view and we will find ourselves without evidence or support and without friends and allies.  History has shown this over and over, isolated populations have over the years been decimated when new people arrive with no understanding, bringing disease and catastrophe.  By learning about, understanding and celebrating our differences – we make ourselves stronger, more inclusive, more resilient and robust with many voices being heard.  By listening to many voices and hearing their message, we create better shared understandings and are better able to find solutions, create inventions, be innovative, positive and ultimately more sustainable and successful.

First Nations people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, are the traditional custodians of this land and have been for thousands of years.  The First Nations people have lived in harmony with the land for longest time.  They are actually the oldest civilisation with a consistent connect to land in the world.  Older the Egyptians and the pyramids, older the Greeks and the Romans, older than the Vikings and the indigenous people of Africa and the Americas.  Everyone else in our community today is part of the multicultural society and our First Nations people are our ever gracious hosts which is why we do the acknowledgement and the welcome to country from Aunty Roma today.  So whilst Aunty and David and some of our staff are sharing their culture today – they do that as traditional custodians, the rest of our festival celebrates the culture of all of us who have joined here in Australia in the last two and a bit centuries.

Today we have many community groups and members of our college proudly and generously sharing what is very special to them, part of what defines and identifies who they are.

Today is about discovering our Difference, it is about finding out more about each other and about the aspects of our culture that define who we are.  Knowledge is power but it also brings harmony.  We are rarely frightened of what we know and understand; we are rarely rude to each other when we know and understand.  Understanding leads to respect and honour.

Today is about celebrating our Difference by engaging with each other – listening and trying to understand what cultural practices we engage with and why those practices are important to each of us.  Thank people for sharing their culture with you today.

Make it your goal today to leave school knowing three more things about someone else’s culture.  Speak to people on the stalls, ask questions be open-minded, curious learners with a desire to understand.

We hope to be an International Baccalaureate World School P-12 in 2023 – knowing and valuing each other, where we come from, who we are and understanding what is important to each of us is the underpinning of being an international school.  We have to live that value of respect.

Our Multicultural Festival would not be the wonderful celebration that it is without the amazing volunteers from our community who reach out to support us and ensure that our students’ cultures are celebrated and recognized.  As always, it was a fabulous day.  Thanks to Mrs Cox, Mr Butterworth, Mrs Ellis and the Junior Secondary Leadership Team for all your hard work. Thanks to the staff including Mrs Sharma, our First Nations staff Mr Swanson, Ms Enoch, Mrs Jackson and wonderful students at CCC who were on board with beautiful stalls and providing assistance.  Many thanks also to:

Mrs Tseng and the Taiwanese community who are so supportive every year.

Queensland Taiwan Centre in Sunnybank

David Yang & May Yang and the Teachers Branch of Buddhas Light Association QLD

CCC Languages Department

Isis Ross

Amy Yang

Rosemary Wilson

Mike Butler

Leanne Duong

Zarah Cavallaro

Yalda Yaqubi

Gurnaaj Pannu

Seema Garg Kaushik

Louise O’Brien

Jackie Wong

Raina Hong

I know I have missed people but thank you all of you for your commitment to our multicultural community.

Have a great day today, try to stay dry and enjoy our celebration of the Power of Difference.

 

 

APEX SHOWCASE and YEAR 9 APEX GRADUATION

 

On Monday 28 November we celebrated the achievements of our Apex Academic Program students as they showcased highlights of their learning from the year. We also acknowledged our Year 9 students who graduated from Apex, having spent the last 3 years learning together. This is quite a milestone in your academic journey and we are very proud of them. 

 

 

Principal’s News

 

Hospitality News

Hospitality Excellence has continued to thrive in Term 4! Even though our students finished school officially in Week 8, many of them have continued with us right up until the end continuing to support the CCC Multicultural Festival and taking advantage of work experience opportunities.

Industry Connect

We visited Darling & Co for a site tour and lunch. It was interesting to see just how many different facilities they offer, and how adaptable they can be for game days across the road at Suncorp Stadium. We took the opportunity to enjoy a meal together where some students tried new dishes for the first time, the Spicy Cauliflower Bites with chilli Caramel and Wakame quickly became the crowd favourite!

On the way back to school, we popped into The Brewing Catchment. We spent time with their Head Brewery who explained the brewing process to us. Our trip was perfectly timed as we were given the opportunity to taste the start of the brew process before there is any alcohol involved – where barley and water are brought together at a specific temperature to draw the sugar out of the barley.

We are very excited to announce that Darling & Co will be coming on board as our program sponsor in 2023. We are looking forward to working with them on our journey to become industry professionals.

Work Experience

Year 10 Cookery and all Year 11 & 12 students in the program, were given the opportunity to complete work experience in their chosen pathway, Cookery or Food & Beverage, with The W Hotel Brisbane, The Star Gold Coast or The Star: Brisbane Treasury. It was a great success and we are looking forward to developing our training relationship with Industry further next year, particularly for our Food & Beverage students.

Industry Employment

We are very pleased to announce that all of our Cookery Excellence students have attained employment in industry this year through our program:

  • Year 12: Montana Pearce has accepted a full time Chef’s Apprenticeship with The Star Gold Coast now that she has graduated.
  • Year 11: Connor Johnson has gained employment with First Nation’s Catering Company, Three Little Birds.

Lachlan Peebles is about to become the very first School Based Chef’s Apprentice at The W Hotel Brisbane.

  • Year 10: Matthew Meadows has gained employment with Algester Sports Club & Noah Schepis-Wells is about to commence a School Based Chef’s Apprenticeships with The Star: Brisbane Treasury.

Hospitality Excellence – Term 4 Showcase

We invited the student’s families back to 3 Trees so they could share in the student’s journey this year and experience their growth at a function the students prepared and served themselves. We were fortunate to have Vanessa Campbell from the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and CCC teacher Natasha Cameron take over the kitchen for the night to support the students as well. It was a fabulous night of celebration for all of our students with their families, over a two course meal, having also enjoyed canapes and mocktails on arrival.

We would like to acknowledge the efforts of all of the Hospitality Excellence students this year. It was the first time we have offered this program as an extension of the Hospitality VET Course, and we have watched them develop their skills and knowledge across the year. We can’t wait to see what our Year 10s & 11s do next!

Congratulations to our 2022 Year 12 Graduates as they embark on their new journeys. We have watched them grow, and develop into true industry professionals over the last three years: Kiara Bear, Oriana Elder, Zara Hashash, Natasha Hinkley, Montana Pearce & Angel Scott.

2023 Applications are now open!

We invite all Year 10 -12 CCC Hospitality student to apply if they are genuinely interested in exploring the industry further. Please contact the Hospitality Excellence Program Coordinator, Mrs Leah Cremen (lwell55@eq.edu.au), if you would like to find out more a bout the program.

 

House Spirit in Junior School

Term 4 House points- CONGRATULATION COBAR!

Over the term, students have been earning ‘That’s Gold’ tokens for demonstrating the College Values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Initiative. What a great achievement in Junior School as nearly 20,000 tokens were collected across the four houses in one term alone. In week 9, Cobar celebrated their success with a silent disco and a Just Dance experience.  With individual headsets, students had choice over the music they could hear and danced their hearts out in a disco lit room. This was followed by a session with Just Dance on the big screen. CCC students have certainly got the moves!

Year 12 Graduation Ceremony

Our Year 12 Graduation Ceremony on Friday 17 November saw 170 Year 12 students finish their time at Calamvale Community College. A large number of students have been enrolled at the College for 13 years! It is always a wonderful moment seeing the photos of the Year 12s next to their corresponding Prep photos thirteen years earlier. 

Graduation marks a major transition in a young person’s life as they move to the next chapter, whether that is further study or work. Our ceremony this year celebrated the great achievements of our students, as well reminiscing on some of the key parts of the cohort’s educational journey together. A full house of families, staff and students were able to participate in this wonderful event. 

We wish our Year 12s all the best in their future endeavours. We will miss them, but equally we celebrate their success as they navigate the next chapter of their lives. 

 

 

Our annual Year 8 camp took place on Monday 21 – Wednesday 23 November in the Mapleton rainforest, located in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. Students thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being away with their friends and participating in a fantastic program of activities including raft-building, canoeing, rope courses, giant swing, abseiling, archery and group challenges. Students and staff retuned back to the College weary from the fun and having made lots of new memories to be treasured for years to come. 

 

Congratulations to our students who have distinguished themselves through their performance in the Arts program across Visual, Arts and New Media, Drama, Music and Dance or through their service to the programs.  Our Arts culture is rich and vibrant within Calamvale with students’ work being acknowledged beyond the boundaries of our College.  We are very grateful for the hours and hours our teachers have willingly dedicated to our students.  Our young people arrive brimming with talent but it is the teachers who craft and mould that with the students into the outstanding performances and achievements that you enjoy.  I know that our teachers see this work as not only their passion but an honour and they delight in our students’ success beyond the school years.   Thank you to our families who are so supportive of our students and our program.

Year 10 and 11 Academic Awards Night

On Thursday 24 November, CCC held its official Year 10 and 11 Academic Awards Ceremony for 2022. This was a wonderful night of celebration, and acknowledgement of the high academic benchmarks achieved by our students across the year. The ceremony awarded Merit, Academic and Subject Prize Awards, as well as a group of special awards. Recipients of these Special Awards were Kearen Huang (IB Diploma Year 11 Student of the Year Award); Astrid Messerschmidt (Griffith University 2022 Spark Award); Jordan Anthony (Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership Award); and Thyambika Maniraj (Australian Defence Force Long Tan Future Innovators in STEM Award). A big thank you to our hosts for the night, Year 11 Leaders Tony Li and Sophiea Loquias (2023 College Captains). And big thank you also goes to Mr Simmons and the Taiko Drummers, Ksenya Khapova, Wyatt Kim  and Phileas Huang who all contributed to the running of the ceremony with beautiful musical performances.

 

 

IBDP Exhibitions

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

We like to celebrate our student learning and take as many opportunities as we can to invite our community into our learning spaces.

Our Year 11s had their end of year TOK Exhibition, showcasing artefacts that had special meaning to them and how this relates to a knowledge question or how we can make meaning from these objects.  The students were articulate in both their written and verbal explanations.

 

 

 

Creativity | Activity | Service (CAS)

As part of the IBDP Core, students are required to complete ongoing CAS experiences and projects.  This links into the strengths and interests of students, encouraging them to focus on balance, but also emphasises a high level of inquiry, risk-taking and reflection to do goal setting, project planning, communicating in groups and altruistic work to serve others.

This exhibition had all of the Year 10, 11 and 12 projects on display and was so good to see the breadth of activities both within and outside of the College.

 

 

 

What a superb end to the year for our APEX students!

Year 9s have had the opportunity to visit QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and engage in some laboratory experiments based on biological disease transmission.  They were able to conduct experiments, collect and analyse data and gain an insight into the career of a medical scientist.  For the second half of the day, they visited the neighbouring University of Queensland Integrated Pathology Centre.  Here they had the opportunity to observe and question the changes that occur to human organs through disease, infection and lifestyle choices.  A very eye-opening experience and had so many links to curriculum and greater wellbeing.

In Week 9, the annual APEX Showcase for students and families made student learning and assessment visible for all.  There was a nice demonstration of inquiry learning and the inter-disciplinary nature of the curriculum.

This was followed by the graduation ceremony for the Year 9s as they celebrated the end of their APEX journey and leap into their senior schooling pathways.

We thank and commend them for their energy, role modelling and balanced approach to their studies and school life.

Prep Transition Program

In the final 5 days of the school year, we welcomed the children who will join us for Prep 2023, into the College. This program enabled these young children the opportunity to meet and work with their new teacher, make new friends and start them on their educational journey at the College. Children visited the College with their parents for two hours every morning over the five days and parents had the opportunity to connect with each other, visit the uniform shop and participate in some readiness sessions conducted by Head of Program for Prep, Mrs Sarah Wilson. I am sure both parents and our pre-Preps enjoyed their time at school and feel more confident about what is in store for them when they start school formally in January 2023.

 

Yar 6 Graduation

CCC farewelled our Year 6 2022 cohort at SunPAC last week. It was a wonderful evening celebrating the achievements of all our students throughout the year. Students performed their graduation dance to the song, ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry for the parents and families in attendance. It was wonderful to see over 300 people come and support the students as they received their graduation certificate.  We are so proud of our students and we wish them all the best as they move to Secondary School in 2023.

 

 

Wolves Sport Awards Night 2022

“Sport mirrors how an individual can play the game of school and life.”

Welcome to the Wolves Sports Awards Night for 2022. With Mr Brenton Male (Director of Sport) at the helm, 2022 was always going to see some tremendous sporting success on the court and on the field! We only felt it appropriate to acknowledge these teams, players and coaches with an equally wonderful Sports Awards Ceremony. The audience was dazzled with a video highlight presentation of the year that was. Congratulations to all of our championship teams across the sports of Netball, Futsal, Volleyball and Basketball; All-School gold medal winners; District reps; Regional Reps and State Reps. We were fortunate enough to have Australian Indoor and Beach Volleyballer Phoebe Bell in attendance to hand out our Special Awards. Special congratulations to JS MVP Jeremiah Tafa; JS Sport Coordinator’s Award Ava Watkins Rameka; SS Squad MVPs and Cross-Country Awards Sione Veamatahau, Isannah Loquias, Alysha Kelly, Keeran Kinahan, Krystal Anthony, Jordan Anthony, Bodhana Harrision, and Nate Argent

JS Coach of the Year – Shian-I Chang

SS Coach of the Year – Mr Bunn and Mr Schwarzbauer

 

 

What successful year our students have had in the Summit program – there has been great progress made, a few challenges absorbed and lots of learning.  Many thanks to Mrs Sander, Mr Watson, Mrs Hebert and Mr Ueta-Siteine (Mr Whitney) whose dedication to our students has made all the difference.  Thank you to our parents for your engagement and your support, we are already looking forward to 2023.

 

This year’s celebrations are special, as 2022 marks the twentieth anniversary of our College, established in 2002 when Calamvale State School was moved from the Calamvale Special School site to the current site and a secondary school to year 9 was added with additional cohorts over the next three years. A great deal of thought and planning went into the foundation of Calamvale Community College, including into its name. We remain the only state college in Queensland that has community in its title rather than the word state and that is indicative of who we are as a school – we are the heart of our community and our community is our reason for being. Our Foundation Motto, ‘Building on Success’ has remained at the core of our College as we aspire to be Curious, Creative and Clever.

Please enjoy this compilation of photos from years gone by as we celebrate “20 years of CCC”.

 

CCC – Awards Season begins! Year 3- Year 9 Academic Awards

We pay my respects to the Yuggera, Turrabul and Yugambeh people on whose land we celebrate tonight, Acknowledge their elders and past and present as we as any first nations people present here tonight.

Good evening invited guests, parents, families and our award recipients this evening,

This year’s celebrations are special, as 2022 marks the twentieth anniversary of our College, established in 2002 when Calamvale State School was moved from the Calamvale Special School site to the current site and a secondary school to year 9 was added with additional cohorts over the next three years. A great deal of thought and planning went into the foundation of Calamvale Community College, including into its name. We remain the only state college in Queensland that has community in its title rather than the word state and that is indicative of who we are as a school – we are the heart of our community and our community is our reason for being. Our Foundation Motto, ‘Building on Success’ has remained at the core of our College as we aspire to be Curious, Creative and Clever.

Calamvale Community College has always been a place of innovation, sometimes that was in the face of great challenge and other times it has been to great advantage. In the first ten years, there were PODs in the Junior School, three year levels in a class must have been a challenge. CCC also implemented New Basics in the Middle School, for which our College received a Showcase Award in 2013. Our Senior Secondary School used to begin at 7.45am and finish at 1pm in those early days with composite classes across the timetable to support a broad variety of classes with a comparatively small population. During this decade, there was little interaction between students in the three sub-schools and at the time, this was best practice. In those early years, there developed a keen interest from our community in the International Baccalaureate program being run in the Queensland Academies. Our community increasingly saw itself reflected in such an educational program and valued the rigour, language, diversity and global competence it delivered.
Over the most recent ten years, our College has grown and developed into an inclusive community that has grasped its diversity and used it to create a learning place where all of our students can see them selves reflected. The adoption of the International Baccalaureate program (IB), Primary Years (PYP), in years Prep to 6 and the Diploma in Years 11 and 12 has provided opportunities for our students to grow as global citizens with five languages being taught and students ever-focused on curiosity and open-mindedness. The introduction of the Middle Years program (MYP) in 2023 will complete our College as the first P-12 International Baccalaureate World School state college in Australia.
Being an IB World School brings with it an expectation that our students will acquire the attributes of the Learner profile, that they will take action and have an impact on their world; they will find their voice. Having transitioned through a realignment of our courses Prep through to Year 12 we have settled on several key levers that provide our students with Voice, Choice and Ownership. In Senior Secondary our students use the evidence of their results to inform their career pathways, selecting: university destinations through the IB Diploma and Queensland Curriculum ATAR courses, with a ranking option provided by a Diploma in Business; Certification pathways access seven different certificate courses and Work Readiness and Traineeship programs partner with our local businesses and industries.

Our Junior Secondary students’ academic success populate our APEX academic excellence program directly from Year 6 leaving few spaces for enrolments out of catchment. Upcoming athletes aspire to join the Wolves 32 program, preparing themselves with coaches and exacting training for a tilt at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. In year 8, our Honours program has delivered every student the opportunity to engage in subjects most passionately enjoyed and to extend their learning experiences beyond the day-to-day curriculum. Students in Year 9 have been our first participants in the IB Community Project requiring students to consider the Sustainable Development Goals expressed by UNESCO and underpinning global competence by taking action based on their learning.

Across the College the opportunities for students to develop their potential are now boundless with diverse Arts programs including The Company delivering two performances this year as well as the annual Musical, this year Aladdin in secondary and what a spectacular show that was and Jungle Book in Junior School as our youngest students enjoy the fun of the theatre presenting a heart-warming rendition. Whilst the sports-minded, the Wolves program has taken competition to the next level this year with a number of very successful participations in state level competitions. We’ll celebrate those achievements with the Sports and Culture awards on Nov 24.
In Junior School, after six years of PYP our Year 6 students’ results are better than ever and their self-confidence and understanding has grown impressively. They have learned to be collaborative thinkers, able to share opinions and use their inquiry process to extend their curiosity, to find out, sort out and go further. The International Baccalaureate program develops the learner profile as a priority, it encourages the thinker and the carer, developing open-minds and academic risk-takers. Nowhere is this more evident than in our Immersion classes in Prep to Year 2. These students consistently outperform their cohorts at CCC and beyond, as they develop the unique skills of bilingualism, some of them this year, acquiring a third language. Our youngest learners across the Junior Years have become principled in perspective, balanced in their thoughts and reflective of their actions. We use our major events to grow these skills – Book Week, Easter Hat Parade, Under 8s Day, gala days and our many cultural celebrations. All of these co-curricular activities are opportunities for our learners across the College. This comes to fruition as our Year 6 communicators present their learning in their culminating exhibition; a highlight of our IB year, I’m sure you will agree.

As you might expect our enrolment at CCC has continued to climb, reaching almost 2500 this year and we were delighted to have a new building with a focus on Digital Technology and the Arts, making more room available for all of our classes across the year levels. Minister to your delight I’m sure, there will be Prep to 12 students access the new building and will try their hand at new subjects including robotics, coding and dance. The building brought with it a much-needed redevelopment of some outdoor space. There have been significant facilities upgrades across the College, including a lot of roofs after that rain event at the beginning of the year. We finish 2023 with refurbished outdoor volleyball and futsal courts, increased car parking, new science and technology facilities, $65 000 of outdoor fitness equipment, fresh painting, downpipes and guttering, new carpets in many classrooms, secondary school lunchtime seating and big plans for 2023.

As always, our Student Leadership has been impactful leading across Prep to 12, working collaboratively to deliver our students voice to the administration as well as hosting major student events. Our whole College has benefitted from the work that these teams have accomplished.
I would like to close by thanking everyone who is part of our College community: our wonderful students, our dedicated teaching staff and leadership, our administration and support staff, grounds, technology and cleaners. This team, together with our P&C led by president Mrs Yvette Dempsey and our College Council led by Chair Mr Mike Butler, our CCCA business community, our elected representatives and our aspirational parents who want the very best for our students. We comprise a wonderful community providing a value-rich, strong and supportive foundation upon which to grow the next generation. Thank you for a very successful 2022 and congratulations on your students’ success here tonight.

 

 

CCC – Awards Season begins! Instrumental Music Awards

Oh What a Night!

Our annual instrumental music awards night was off the charts – talk about resilience and dedication, our students were so professional and presented two concerts and a full night of entertainment that had the audience enthralled. Congrats to Mr Simmons and Ms Ashcroft for developing such a talented team and presenting the showcase with creativity and fun. Congratulations to our students who performed so very well including conducting. Thanks Mr Wood for your support and the classroom teaching team. A few photos and some video for those who missed out…

CCC – Awards Season begins! Prep to Year 2 Academic Awards

Good evening everyone,
Courage, Perseverance, Resilience. That little fellow was most certainly a risk-taker!

Being an IB World School, the thread that weaves it’s way from Prep through to Year 12 are the Learner Profile attributes. The learner profile attributes are the pathway to developing international-mindedness within our school community. They are is a set of ten-character traits that equip students with multi-faceted skills for personal success now and in the future.
Through the IB PYP programme we aim to develop students who develop the trait of being a risk taker, one of our 10 Learner Profile attributes. Our role as educators is to guide students to explore new ideas, encouraging them to build their confidence, so that they step outside of their comfort zone and become courageous in their choices and actions. Being a risk taker in learning, and in life is about having a growth mindset- having a goal, and to focus on what is achievable if you persevere.
Risk-taking means challenging yourself to do difficult or new things. It’s admitting that you just might fail, but you try anyway and you are resilient and you work harder and persevere on order to succeed. Just like in our movie clip tonight.

Risk taking goes further than just in the academic arena. If we want to develop well- rounded students, we need to nurture a wide range of skills beyond the classroom, because by giving students multiple opportunities it will encourage them to find their passion, learn something new or be successful in something that they never thought they could do.
So tonight, I would also like to congratulate all of those students who were risk takers in the Junior School this year, beyond the classroom. Some of you will also be sitting here, receiving an award tonight.

  •  The 12 students in Year 6 who trained for nearly 6 months, to walk 30kms in the Sunshine Coast Kokoda Challenge- this was a first for our JS kids
  •  The 45 Upper Junior Students who participated in the Jungle Kids Musical
  •  The 76 students in Year 1 and Year 2 who joined up for the lunchtime Lego challenge throughout the year
  •  The 65 students in UJ who participated in the Coding and Robotics Club
  •  The 45 students in Year 1 and 2 who challenged themselves by joining the Robotics Club
  •  The 67 students in Year 6 who went to Canberra, many for the first time in a plane and the first time in the snow and skiing
  •  The 22 students who are members of the Year 3-6 choir
  •  The 110 Junior School students from Yr 3-6 who participated in Instrumental Music this year
  •  The 270 students in Year 5 and 6 who signed up to represent our school in Gala Day sport in 2022.
  •  The 105 participants from Year 3-6 in the Young Engineers and the Girls in STEM program
  •  The 30 CCC students who joined 1700 primary and high school students from across QLD for CGen this year
  •  The 119 Year 5 students who went to camp this year, their first time on school camp.
  •  The 28 primary students who have participated in Chess Club and chess competitions this year, one of these competing was a prep student.
  •  The 40 students from Upper Junior who have just signed up to an after school dance troupe in our new Secondary AR block
  • The 50 Year 6 students who are currently trialling to be selected in Wolves sport for 2023

That is a total of 1084 participants in additional programs offered at our College this year, with nearly all of these programs being facilitated by our own Calamvale staff. 1084 students who stepped outside the comfort of their classroom, the security of their own class teacher, in order to dip their toes in the water of the unfamiliar , to try something new, to be courageous, and to be a risktaker. We congratulate them all and I would also like to thank our staff for seeing the value and importance in providing these opportunities for our students.
And tonight, we honour and celebrate the 230 students from Prep to Year 6 who will be receiving an award. These students have shown many of the 10 Learner Profile attributes throughout the year and their achievement tonight is reward for being risk takers in their learning and for the hard work, resilience and perseverance they have shown. Congratulations and well done to each and every one of you.

 

CCC – Awards Season begins! Teaching Excellence Awards

Celebrating twenty years we recognised the contribution of so many of our teachers who have led the way delivering workshops, conference presentations and exhibitions to further our profession. 52 staff received certificates and the loud acknowledgement and applause of their peers.

This year, our twenty-first year, we were delighted to showcase three of our staff from a field of more than 30 were acknowledged in three categories:

  • Early Career                       Tabita Braganza
  • Mid-Career                         Michelle Page
  • Experienced Career          Emma Stott

Congratulations to our whole team, a very professional crew and special cheers to these three staff.

Each of our awardees received a $1200 professional learning voucher sponsored by the Calamvale Community College P&C and presented by College Council Chari, Mike Butler and P&C Executive Karen Richmond.

 

 

Junior School Literature Festival

Last Thursday evening over 80 students and parents joined us for our annual Literature Festival. This evening event enabled us to celebrate the writing of our students from Year 4-12 who participated in a 2 day writing workshop earlier in the term.

Students received a published anthology of their work and had the opportunity to read aloud their written piece to their peers and families. This was a wonderful culmination to celebrate the creativity and perseverance of these students.

Secondary School Musical – Aladdin Jnr the Musical!

Ready to come on a journey to a whole new world? We’re going to make your wishes come true!

Calamvale Community College is proud to present their senior school musical for 2022 – Aladdin Jnr!

We have been working tirelessly to bring this musical to life – and we can’t wait for you to see the culmination of this hard work is a week of performances in CPAC from the 4th to the 8th of October. Check out the poster for all the details or scan the QR code to be taken straight to the booking website. Oh and did we mention that tickets are FREE?

With a record cast and crew of 170 students involved, we are once again employing the “dual cast” system which we trialled with our production of Matilda in 2021. While the ensemble and some roles will remain the same for all six shows, we have cast two people in some of the main roles – and as such have “two” casts (A “Riff Raff” cast and a “Street Rat” cast) – so when booking, make sure to check who is in each cast to make sure you see your students, friends or family have their moment in the spotlight – or even better, come twice and see both casts!

Looking forward to seeing you all at the show!

 

International News

Taoyuan Teacher and Delegate Visit:

The College hosted 25 delegates in Education from the Taoyuan District, Taiwan. The delegates participated in CLIL workshops, classroom observations and presentations on EALD and school management.

Japan Teacher visit

Miyako Murayma from the Udea Someyaoka High School, Nagano, Japan visited the College and spent time with Mr Dean Simmonds and instrumental music students who had been participating in online music collaborations in 2022

 

In 2023, the College expects that professional visits and study tours will increase, particularly one-day visits from international schools, such as tame Meguro from Japan.

Junior Secondary School students make Fathers’ Day Cards

Another great example of our Junior Secondary students taking action is Mrs Collin’s Community Project class who designed and made Father’s Day cards for the P&C to sell at the annual Father’s Day stall.

Junior Secondary Middle Year Program (MYP) Community Project

Congratulations to these Year 7 students who saw their Community Project come to fruition on Thursday. They planned and delivered a whole year level assembly presentation, also inviting Dr Emily Boshammer from Parkinson Veterinary Surgery (and special guest Boston) to raise awareness of the issue of animal cruelty and how we can all positively contribute to the health and wellbeing of animals.

Junior School Student Led Conferences

Each year we continue to build on the success of our Student-Led Conferences. On Thursday 8 September we welcomed families from Prep to Year 6 into the Junior School for this event.

Student-Led Conferences form an important part of our Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the reporting of student learning across all learning areas. Student-Led Conferences involve the students having agency in their learning and taking responsibility for leading the conference with their parent/s, and in doing so, are responsible for sharing their learning and progress with their parent/s.

 

What is the purpose of Student-Led Conferences?

Student-Led conferences are designed to:

  • Empower students to take increased responsibility for their learning
  • Give parents a glimpse of what actually happens in their child’s classroom
  • Allow parents to discuss learning with their child.
  • Assist students in reflecting on their learning and communicate learning goals.

 

What happens at a Student-Led Conference?

  • The child leads their parents in a number of planned learning experiences across learning areas at various stations in the classroom. The learning activities at these stations are chosen by the class. These stations include opportunities to be guided through student workbooks, Personal Learning Plan (PLP) goals and familiar activities.
  • There are more than 5 families in the classroom at any one time.
  • The role of the teacher’s is to prepare students to feel confident is sharing their learning well as being on-hand to facilitate the process.

 

What is the role of parents in Student-Led Conferences?

  • Engage in the activities under the guidance of your well-prepared child.
  • Ask the child questions about their learning.
  • Encourage the child during the conference and provide positive feedback.
  • Assist the child in reflecting on their learning and setting goals for future learning.
  • Reflect on how you can support the achievement of their learning goals at home.

 

These conferences were a thoroughly rewarding experience for students and parents and we thank all families who took advantage of this opportunity.

 

Prep Fathers’ Day BBQ

On Thursday September 1, our Prep fathers were invited to attend a special BBQ to celebrate Father’s Day. The Prep fathers joined Mr Butterworth and Mr Butler where they enjoyed a BBQ lunch before heading over to spend time completing different activities with their child in the Possum playground area. Each father was given a book to share with their child at the conclusion of the BBQ. It was so lovely to see the Prep children and their fathers enjoy reading and listening to their special book before participating in a range of activities. It was a great afternoon had by all!

Junior School Musical – Jungle book

The Junior School Musical took place over the weekend. Students from year 3. 4, 5 and 6 have been practicing from term one to perform Disney’s The Jungle Book. With choreography from year 10 students Lily Joseph and Xara Knight, the junior school cast acted, danced and sang their way through the jungle for four massive shows over Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September . A big thank you to the teachers and students who participated and worked hard behind the scenes to create a magical performance.

 

Enrol now for PREP in 2023!

Requirements for Student Drivers

Requirements for Student Drivers
We are aware that some of our Senior Students are now eligible to drive to school. Through driver education, community awareness and a clear understanding of road safety, it is our aim to ensure everyone in our community stays safe on our roads.
If your student is driving and/or intending to drive to school or is travelling with another student driver, we require that you read and action the following documents:

– Requirements of Student Drivers policy statement.
– Parent/Caregiver Permission and Student Agreement Form.
– Provide a photocopy of (1) the student’s driver’s license and, (2) car registration details

Once read, signed and photocopied, this documentation needs to be returned to Student Services.
The Requirements of the Student Drivers policy outlines the College’s expectations for student drivers. Of note is the requirement for additional passengers to have expressed permission to travel with the driver, and the need for a parking permit to be issued by the College to be able to access the on-site parking area. The requirements are intended to ensure the safety and welfare of all members of our college community.
We thank you for your co-operation in ensuring that student drivers sign the attached form and return it to Student Services to receive their parking permit as soon as possible.
Should you wish to discuss the arrangements of your student driving to school or carrying passengers, please do not hesitate to contact Mel Ellis, Deputy Principal at melli202@eq.edu.au.

Senior School Student Driver Requirements_Permission Forms 2022v1.1

Year 12 Final Week Activites!

R U OK DAY @ CCC

Art Student’s Amaze the Community with Exhibition at Sunnybank Multicultural Gallery

Over the years Calamvale has consistently had outstanding art exhibitions for the college community; has participated in group exhibitions with other schools as part of Artwaves and Creative Generation exhibitions; and had featured exhibitions in Logan Art Gallery – but this year was the first year that senior art students, enrolled in the IBDP, had their own exclusive exhibition out in the community: at the Sunnybank Multicultural Gallery.

The exhibition received enthusiastic praise from not only parents, teachers and gallery staff; but also from members of the broader community who left heartfelt feedback in the gallery visitors book and also went out of their way to contact the college to let us know how impressed they were with the students work. The public was so impressed with the work that there have been inquiries into purchasing the works from the students.

The partnership with the Sunnybank Multicultural Gallery, Sunnybank Shopping Centre and ‘Experience Sunnybank’, is fitting given our students diverse backgrounds, and the “global mindedness” focus of the International Baccalaureate Diploma program. The visual art course in particular requires students to consider the function and purpose of artworks within the cultural context of which they were created. With assessment components particularly structured to force students to research and investigate art works and art history from multiple cultural contexts.

The privilege of participating in the Multicultural Gallery exhibition program was given to us by World Arts and Multi-Culture Inc. who, in the past, have blessed the College with amazing opportunities such as international artists coming and working with our students in a variety of media over the years. This new gallery provides the opportunity to easily access, locally, rich artistic and cultural heritage from cultures represented in our community, which reinforces to students the legitimacy and richness of their individual cultural backgrounds, and helps them to find how they fit within these contexts.

The student artworks, which were on display for a month, showcased a broad range of artistic practices. The course that the students are undertaking is inquiry based – with students investigating not only personal themes, but also diverse traditions of art practice – and is focused on developing the students into individual art practitioner: into artists – not just students of art. As many contemporary artists do, the students have begun to blend and transgress media boundaries – incorporating traditional and established artistic techniques such as Chiaroscuro; impasto; screen-printing and eco-dying with Australian native flora and iron mordants – but also using recycled media, burning, videography, digital drawing and audience interaction. As you can imagine, an art teacher cannot be an expert on so many varied artistic approaches – so the exhibition is a testament to the inquiring nature of the students – learning techniques and processes themselves as part of an authentic artistic process.

The students chose the theme “Progress” because they are in this time of transition: moving from childhood into adulthood; progressing from an identity formed by their family and cultural heritage, to discovering their own identity and position within multiple cultures and contexts; and all too soon for the year 12s: progressing from secondary school to tertiary and beyond… finding their place within the broader world.

The students may still be works in progress… but they proved in this exhibition, that they are artists in their own right.

Artwaves

Student Work Selected for 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY District Art Exhibition

After curating our own Calamvale Community College Art Exhibition at the Sunnybank Multicultural gallery last month, this month we are excited to have a huge range of student artworks selected for “Artwaves” Exhibition. The Logan Art Gallery re-opens from renovations with the celebration of 30 years of this regional Art exhibition, which showcases artworks from nearly 30 secondary schools in the district.

Congratulations to the following Calamvale students who have artworks selected for this exhibition:
– Year 9 collaborative work (Mikaela Yuen, Nicole Tsai, Riya Gandhi, Rosebelle Ly, Tvisha Patel)
– Year 10 Naimah Townsend (2 artworks), Sharon Yu and Jaime Rosales
– Year 11 Yifei Ren (2 artworks) and Franczesca Balbarais
– Year 12 Holly Davies, Alyssa Saez (2 artworks), Kalynta Melina O’Brien-Ruaia (2 artworks) and Daryan McLeod

The exhibition will be on display and open to the public in Logan Art Gallery, Wembley Road, Logan Central, from 9 September to 15 October.

 

Wolves News

Principals’ News

 

We have just completed the busiest time of the year for schools and the newsletter will reflect this.  Our seniors have participated in ‘mock exams’ and have marked these and received feedback which both teachers and students are responding to in the five weeks before Year 12 begin external exams in week 4 of Term 4.  Our students in Applied and Certification subjects are equally busy completing competencies and the Year 8 and 9 students are engaged in senior pathway planning.  Our school focuses very much on career pathways rather than subjects, taking note of required prerequisites.  This philosophy allows our students to use their grades as evidence for their pathway and informs their choices post-secondary school.

Many of you will be engaged in Wolves TCE competitions this week and we are reporting our CCC successes with up-to-the-minute posts on both Facebook and Instagram.  Those engaged wit the Arts within our community will have noted the beautiful exhibition, art teacher April Giblin has on display at the Sunnybank Shopping Centre.  Our Junior School students had a fabulous time in this year’s musical “Jungle Book” which we all thoroughly enjoyed.  We look forward to the secondary school presentation of ‘Aladdin’ after the holidays –Book here!

Our Prep to Year 7 students have continued with a much-needed uninterrupted period of learning this term.  We received our Naplan results for students in Years 3, 5, 7, 9 and although we do not have their individual 2020 comparative results due to Covid, there is a very pleasing lift in students achieving the top two bands in literacy and numeracy across all year levels – this is reflective of our target of 65% of students achieving A and B grades.  Some graphs will be available next term.  Our students have enjoyed the transition to online Naplan finding it more engaging and responsive.

Thank you for your responses to our parent survey on the mobile phone policy, we had seven extended responses ranging from no interest in the policy through to suggestions of consequences and parental engagement.  Next term we will run some trials with locked pouches for our students who have the most difficulty with the rule of ‘off and away’ and see if we can achieve some solid outcomes upon which to base our expectations for 2023.

Our beautifully landscaped new grounds surrounding the AR block will be open to the students from term 4.  They will have the opportunity to use the learning spaces as well as spaces to relax and enjoy conversation.  We are exploring another area inside the fence for some limited soccer and volleyball activity – that’s a holiday project in readiness for 2023.

Please access our website for 2023 Student Resource Scheme (SRS) charges and we would appreciate every effort to begin those payments in term 4, ready for 2023.  There are some increases in Junior School however these are in line with increased access to Apps.  Please note that SRS payments are the baseline parent support of school programs, senior students completing certificate courses or more bespoke programs, including IB Diploma, will have additional charges invoiced.

Student_Resource_Scheme_2023_V1

‘Share the Dignity’ is a program to provide girls at school with sanitary products in vending machines in toilets.  We have applied for one of these machines but have concerns that students will not have money or cards and free access is likely to result in inappropriate use of the equipment.  For this reason and given the very young age of many of our girls, we are investing in the washable Bonds pants, especially designed for menstruation and they will be handed out and added to students’ accounts at a minimal cost of $15-20.  These will be an option to the traditional products provided free and available at Student Services and in LCs.

Next term, we have all of our celebration evenings coming up and you would have received letters this week if your student is involved.  We have record numbers of academic success this year across Prep to Year 11 (Year 11 invites coming second week of term 4) and will be delighted to share this with you.  Similarly, the Sports and Cultural events will reflect on a very successful year; the twentieth of our College. Please note these dates in your calendar

Best wishes for an enjoyable break with your students at home, we hope you have some rest and recreation with great weather.  Stay safe and we look forward to welcoming your students back to school on Tuesday, October 4th.

April Aardvark

the critics are claiming it a ‘sensation’! A fabulous production and the cast – such a professional performance and funny, so funny the audience was reeling. What a delightful experience!
6pm Thursday and Friday night, don’t be the person to miss this experience!

Under 8s Day

This year’s Under 8s Day was a wonderfully successful event. During the formative years children learn quickly and develop their understandings and to celebrate this important stage of their lives, a fun filled morning was organised  for our Lower Junior students, parents and local community.  The theme this year was ‘Play in a Changing World’  and there were so many activities available for our students and parents to engage with. This included face painting, Taiko drumming and using the Virtual Reality goggles to explore different environments ie; under the sea, rainforests, in the pond and space . There was also the annual Under 8s Sausage Sizzle and Art Show to enjoy. There was an influx of parents into Lower Junior which was great to see as well as three of our local childcare centres in attendance. Our Secondary students and some of  Upper Junior classess were also involved supporting at various activities. Our youngest students were engaged, excited and very exhausted after the morning’s activities.

Year 8 History

Year 8 history students have been completing a research project on an self-selected aspect of Medieval times. They have had the opportunity to experience what life is like in the Middle Ages using Virtual Reality. This has given them a “first-hand” insight in an engaging and meaningful way.

 

 

Junior Secondary News

Junior Secondary Semester 2 Goal Setting

Thank you to the parents who attended the Parent Teacher Evening. All students in Years 7-9, have worked for the past two weeks in their wellbeing classes, analysing and reflecting on their Semester 1 Achievement/Effort/Behaviour data. They have set goals and recorded actions to lead to them achieving these goals. Parents are encouraged to talk with their child about these goals and have them share their goal setting with you. Your child can show you their Achievement summary data that was emailed to all Year 7-9 students, which helped to inform their goals. The goal setting that students have engaged in forms part of the College’s commitment to the Positive Education framework which is the foundation for the ‘Thrive’ wellbeing program in Junior Secondary.

 

Mobile Phone Policy- ‘One & Away’

As the College reviews it’s current ‘off & away’ Mobile Phone policy, we would appreciate your feedback in respect to it’s implementation. Please take the time to access the survey by clicking on this Link. and sharing your feedback on a number of possible consequences for breaches to this policy which are being considered.

 

ROYAL PINES LIVET 2022

Hospitality Excellence students embarked on their annual trip to the Royal Pines LIVET Program in July. They were given the opportunity to experience the resort as employees by day, and guests at night.

Students worked rotations across twelve different departments to learn how hotels operate including Functions, Housekeeping, Maintenance, Tees Clubhouse and all the different Kitchens, Pastry is always the most popular.

After hours, we spent time enjoying the facilities available to guests, and dinner in their Japanese Restaurant, Arakawa, where many experienced Teppanyaki for the first time – the Chef provided an exquisite menu and entertainment for the evening as he cooked our meal in front of us.

Royal Pines LIVET is an invaluable opportunity for our students as it allows them to see the industry first hand and consider career opportunities in Hospitality.

Chef Matt Golinski takes over 3 Trees!

Thanks to Gateway to Industry – Hospitality & Tourism, the Hospitality Excellence students were privileged to work side by side with renowned Queensland Chef and Gateway Ambassador, Matt Golinski recently.

Matt designed the menu for the Launch of the College’s Sponsorship Program Function, which he then trained our students to deliver. We spent all day Monday working with Matt preparing for the event, and he even found time to meet with our five aspiring Chefs, so they could discover more about the industry and the next steps they need to take to get their foot in the door.

Matt returned to Calamvale on Thursday to takeover the kitchen for the function which was a huge success, and he took the students through each step of every dish as they prepared for service to deliver a 3 Course Meal:

Squid Ink Tapioca Cracker, Taramasalata, Spanner Crab, Finger Lime

 

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast, Roasted Tomatoes, Zucchini and Caper Salad, White Bean Puree

Chai Crème Caramel, Strawberries, Rose Petal Ice Cream

The Front of House students also had the opportunity to work with Matt on the preparation day in the kitchen, and delivered service on the evening.

It was a fabulous experience for all, and we look forward to having the opportunity to work with Matt again in the future.

 

 

International Program News

Japanese visitor:

The College was delighted to host Ms. Mikayo Murayama from Udea Someyaoka High School, Nagano, Japan.

Mikako spent some time with Mr Dean Simmonds and students who had been sharing some time online on music projects. She also vis=ted some classrooms and observed lessons.

Taoyuan Professional Visit:

The College hosted25 delegates from the city of Taoyuan Taiwan. The delegates attended workshops on CCIL, class observations and met with management of CCC to learn about many aspects of College Administration & education in Australia. The Taoyuan delegation was lead by the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Education, Taoyuan.

Parents and guardians are learners too

Earlier this term, we welcomed Prep and Year One families into College to participate in their own learning through a Reading workshop. Parents and guardians took on the challenge of learning how our early years children learn to read. Families engaged with some interesting research which tells us that our brains are not ‘wired’ to be able to read and that reading is a skill that has to be explicitly and systematically taught. Some of the tips and strategies for supporting your child to read at home can be found below.

Parents and guardians were open-minded risk takers and very reflective, noticing the big differences in the way that reading is taught in schools now compared to when they were at school. Our Prep and Year One students were very excited to have their families in the classroom with them and then be able to practise the tips and skills learned in the workshop.

Prep Teddy Bear’s Picnic

Over the last few months, our Prep students have been immersed in many different adventures to provide real life experiences which enhance their growing oral language, develop their vocabulary and support their oral recount and writing skills.

These intentionally planned and engaging learning experiences have included: our annual Prep Teddy Bear’s Picnic, using Virtual Reality headsets to step into stories, a trip to the Theatre, a excursion on the bus to Toohey Forest, and even a virtual visit to Disneyland to meet some princesses! Students were then encouraged to orally recount and write about their learned experiences, with some very impressive outcomes.

Learning in Prep is so much fun!

 

National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Children’s Day

Thank you to our Secondary School students who helped make today so special for our First Nations junior school students. Students were introduced to our Indigenous Space. Shanieka Booth told the story of the Rainbow Serpent using traditional story stones and sand, Hadassah Mairu taught students Taba Naba, a traditional Torres Strait Island dance, Chloe Donald (who couldn’t be there on the day due to other commitments) made Chocolate & Wattle Seed biscuits for the students to enjoy, and Mahalia Mairu assisted with adding to our Indigenous Space’s jigsaw puzzle and sharing knowledge about Culture & her artworks.

Students who attended also received a gift bag full of goodies including a pack of their very own Wattle Seeds to plant, their very own kangaroo to build, crayons, a Torres Strait Island head dress to decorate, stickers, and an activity book. A big thank you to Melissa Jackson for running around collecting students and participating in the celebrations (and prepping a million oranges).

The Kokoda Challenge

The Kokoda Challenge Program has come to an end for another year after teams participated on 16-17 July and despite all the setbacks, it has been one of the most successful years yet.  

With a program like, sometimes it’s easier to tell the story in number: 

The Lead Up 

  • 80 students trialling for the Program 
  • 12 x teams of 4 successful 
  • 18 x Monday after-school High-Intensity Training Sessions  
  • 18 x Wednesday cardio sessions  
  • 3 x 20-27km Night Hikes on some Fridays (total of about 9000km in hiking) 
  • 1 x excursion to the Gold Coast Hinterland to sample the hills 
  • $14000 raised to facilitate the program, including $10200 donated to the Kokoda Foundation that works with at-risk youth 

The two weeks before the event 

  • 5 x Team Leaders (Teachers) out with Covid or injury 
  • 4 x Team Leaders stepping in 
  • 1 x team collapsed due to student illness/injury 

The Event 

  • 11 x 48km teams participating 
  • Breakdown of students and year levels:  
  • 44 students participating 
  • 13 Year 12s 
  • 14 Year 11s 
  • 9 Year 10s 
  • 7 Year 9s 
  • 1 Year 7  
  • 14 girls/30 boys 
  • 6 x Support Crew – big thanks to those who braved the cold and offered encouragement and support to weary trekkers 
  • 124 meals prepared – thanks to Tom Bishop for coordinating this 
  • Fastest Team – – a CCC record : 10 hours, 18 mins. 
  • Most gruelling effort: also a CCC record for longest completion of the track: Two Teams finished together: 17 hours, 34 mins 

Overall, a large program like this has many moving parts. I’ve mentioned everyone above, but once again, thanks for being part of a program that has immeasurable impact on the lives of our students (and Team Leaders!). 

A special thanks needs to go out to our sponsors: 

Major Sponsors: 

  • Higgins Coatings 
  • Algester Sports Club 
  • Australian Beach Resin 
  • Tactile Learning Centre 
  • GC Plumbing 
  • DG Building Concepts 
  • HTA Global 

 

Raffle Sponsors 

  • The Cruse Family 
  • The Sala Family 
  • Brisbane Broncos 
  • Mella Beauty Studio 
  • Cream House Café 
  • Impressive Dumpling 
  • Zone Learning 
  • Auslaw Partners 
  • Security Screens 
  • Future Plus Education 
  • ACEC Education Group 
  • Kirst Hellmech Photography 
  • Matt Stone Racing 
  • Brad Jones Racing 
  • It’s All About You Massage
  • Savvy Hair and Beauty 


We look forward to an equally successful program in 2022. 

STEM Years 3-9 Information

Secondary School Book Week

Principals News

We are halfway through Term 3 as this newsletter arrives in your inbox and across the College students are highly engaged in their learning and preparing for assessment. Our younger students have been engaged in some more experiential learning on camps and in creative play.

Senior students now have a wonderful Formal night at the Hilton in Brisbane city behind them. They looked gorgeous and had a fantastic time; we are all very proud of how they presented themselves at a formal occasion.

The ATAR and IB DP seniors are completing their mock exams and over the next couple of weeks will follow an exam timetable (emailed home). Attendance at these exams is crucial, as they will provide each student with valuable feedback on their preparation and capability as they enter the final revision period for external exams. Weeks 9 and 10 for these students will include opening marking of work, teacher feedback and preparation of tutorial and study programs for the first three weeks of term 4. Seniors in Applied and certification course are finalising their courses and assessment, completing modules with an expected deadline of the end of this term. Applied and certification students must be in class, there is no opportunity for them to be absent from school. It’s a busy time and no doubt this is evident at home, thank you for your ongoing support and please ensure that students are in attendance at school.

In Junior School, we have just welcomed home our Year 5 student camp from Currimundi and our Year 6 students have had their day in the snow on the Canberra trip. The return of camps to the College calendar has meant a return of an important program in our students’ education, namely building independence and self-management. These skills are invaluable to our students as they enter secondary school, where they are expected to take greater responsibility for themselves, their learning and their outcomes. Our Junior School PYP provides an excellent preparation for secondary school through these programs.

 

 

Of course, many of you also spent time at the College on Friday enjoying Under 8s Day, and we hope that was a very enjoyable time spent with your students in discovery learning.
Many of you have now experienced six years of International Baccalaureate education at CCC. In 2023, as well as gaining authorisation for the Middle Years Program, we are undergoing an evaluation process for IB DP (Senior) and the PYP (Junior School). If you have had students in Junior School in the last five years or you have a senior student who is engaged in or graduated from the IB DP program, the evaluation team would appreciate your feedback. Please click on the link and complete a brief survey to share your experiences. https://forms.office.com/r/CgnkLCgBar

Continuity of Learning and Every Day Counts
No doubt you are fully aware either through the press or your student’s experience that schools are experiencing difficulties with the ongoing impact of the pandemic. Staff and students are frequently absent with cold and flu symptoms, sometimes up to 20% of staff are ill and absent and our student attendance which is normally 93% is tracking at 85% P-12 across the year. Now more than ever, every day is important and if healthy, students must be at school to ensure continuity of learning. I am very grateful to our staff including Deputy Principals and Heads of School across P-12 who are supporting classes when staff are absent. This is a significant drain on resources but a necessary one and as a College we have a focus on resilience and flexibility to mould ourselves to the times in which we live. Thank you for your ongoing support, understanding and efforts to ensure that your students are engaged with their learning.
As the College continues to grow with increasing in-catchment enrolments, as evidenced by the expanding numbers of families attending fortnightly Principal Tours, we now have photos to share of our new facility, AR Block. Students from across the College will have access to the Digital Technology labs and the Lego walls as well as to the new Dance studio, Art facilities and Film and New Media Production Studio. The building has also afforded a redevelopment of outdoor learning spaces and lunch time meeting areas with a bush tucker garden, tiered seating and access paths which will open in Term 4. These are exciting times for students at CCC, here is a peek at some of these facilities

 

Secondary School Processes
To finish, we seek your advice and feedback for College practices that will support continuing high expectations and maximising learning opportunities for all of our secondary students. We know and have experienced the benefits of the removal of phone distractions in class and the re-engagement with each other in the grounds at lunch. After a solid start lasting for 18 months, our mobile phone policy is again a focus and the research about the negative impact of mobile phones on learning is continuing in the press. https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/7852333/put-it-away-dramatic-results-after-schools-mobile-phone-ban/
Our Year 7 students have high incidence of misuse, which is troubling given that throughout Year 6 they had no access to a phone and they did not miss it. Senior students regularly disregard the ‘off and away’ policy, persisting with headphones and texting. Teachers and administration are engaged in arguments with students who are defending their access to their phones and student behaviours escalate if staff press the issue. Afternoon detentions are given and failures to attend followed up and some students (too many) persist with the phones until we reach suspension; some directly refuse, swear and refuse to give their names to duty staff. We would appreciate your feedback through the survey link as we continue to focus our students’ attention on their learning for the six hours a day they are with us. We may have to change this policy next year to removes phones from class using lockers or the like. Click on the here for the survey

Reminder that emails from the College regularly go to parents’ junk mail. I appreciate the response some may have to this statement however CCC does not mail letters home and an email home is our responsibility fulfilled. If this ‘junk mail’ issue is frustrating for you then to improve communications and your knowledge of occurrences at CCC, please identify the College email address and manage this with a rule in your inbox to avoid the ‘junk’.
Kind regards,

Lisa Starmer

 

APEX

APEX students this term competed against 30 other schools in a decathlon of a different kind…10 collaborative challenges of the mind – competing against other schools online. Congrats to the band of APEX students who took on this opportunity to be #knowledgeable. They were engineers, poets, artists, producers, mathematicians, code breakers, writers and scientists. The Year 8 APEX Team came in with a Bronze Award for Art and Poetry, showing they have the skills to compete against the best!

Junior Secondary Humanities

Year 6 Classes visited Year 7 Humanities earlier this Term to celebrate their learning. Year 7 spent 8 weeks inquiring into the consequences of absolute and relative locations on human and economic development. This culminating event saw Year 7 students convince Year 6 to move to a new city to work in their company. Thank you to all students and teachers involved! There was so much energy in every room!

Chaplaincy Support

Dereje Gebremariam, DJ, is our Junior School Chaplain. DJ provides social and emotional support to our students both in and out of the classroom. Each morning before school, DJ can be found greeting students, starting their day with positive conversation. DJ has made strong connections with our students and they know that he is a support to them when needed. The wellbeing support DJ provides varies from assisting students to self-regulate in the classroom, teaching students how to manage conflict and enjoy their break times and even provides Breakfast Club every Tuesday morning for our students across the College.

Lego Club

Curious, creative and clever students in Lower Junior designed their way through a Lego challenge this term. Students were tasked with working collaboratively to design and create a vehicle that moved when force was applied. They considered the function of their vehicle and the function of each of the parts that could be used in their construction. Students were challenged to be thinkers as they designed, tested and redesigned to complete their vehicles. Ms Chen is very proud of their efforts and is looking forward to challenging a new group of Lego Masters next term. This term’s Lego Master will be announced at the first assembly next term.

 

Junior School House Reward

RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, RESLIIENCE AND INITIATIVE!

As students demonstrate the College Values, they are recognised with “That’s Gold” tokens. As a team, students are working towards being the house with the most tokens by the end of term. Congratulations to Keera students who enjoyed celebrating their Term 1 victory with a vibrant and energetic Zumba session. Connie, an experience Zumba instructor, came to Calamvale and got the Keera hearts pumping as they jumped, bounced and grooved to high energy beats.
Congratulations to our Term 2 winners- Cobar! We can’t wait for you to have your Zumba experience.

 

 

Prep Enrolments for 2023!

Hospitality Excellence – QTIC Salute to Excellence

The Hospitality Excellence Program is honoured to announce we have six Year 12 students progress to become finalists this year for the 25th anniversary of the QTIC Salute to Excellence Awards:


Cookery Finalist: Montana Pearce
Food & Beverage Finalists: Kiara Bear, Oriana Elder, Zara Hashash, Natasha Hinkley & Angel Scott

The awards recognise exceptional secondary students for their participation in, and contribution to, their food and beverage and cookery qualifications through VET in Schools (VETiS).
The students are currently preparing for the finals which includes a series of skills tests and will culminate in a panel interview, during the first week of the school holidays.
We wish everyone luck as they continue on their journey and look forward to being able to celebrate their achievements at the end of July.

 

WOLVES updates!

Titration Competition 2022

Congratulations! Titration competitors of Calamvale Community College. This year we have got the opportunity to take 18 students from year 10 and 11 chemistry classes to Griffith University (Nathan Campus) for this competition. Individually some of our students did exceptionally well in this competition.    The students who went for this competition are Navya, Kaylee , Drashti, Mia, Jackie, Leanne, Thryambika, Alyssa, Manya, Tony, Tracy, Max, Tariq, Sophiea, Zoe, Heera, Bhan, Bella-Anne.

 

Titration Competition Result 2022
Name Individual award
Kaylee  Distinction
Drashti  Distinction
Zoe  Distinction
Leanne  Credit
Tony  Credit
Heera  Credit

Fair is foul and foul is fair!

This term, CCC’s Company put on the production of Shakespeare’s, Macbeth! It was 3 thrilling nights of tension, excitement and witchcraft! Company teamed up with Hospitality Excellence to create a theatre restaurant experience that left you wanting more! The cast worked amazingly together and build solid relationships whilst also learning about planning, resourcing, directing and of course, acting! The whole cast worked extra hard to learn Iambic-pentameter of William Shakespeare’s plays and it was clear from the moment it started that the students sang in “Shakespearean”! Special mention to the ever talented, hilarious and sinister, Jaime who played a dazzling Macbeth and to the year 12s, Tia, Melina, and Alyssa; last Company show, well done! Congratulations to all cast members, it was a tremendously brilliant show!!

Cast is as follows:

Lady Macbeth – Tia, Macbeth – Jaime, Macduff – Elizabeth, Banquo – Kaiya, Witch – Lejandre, Witch – Melina, King Duncan – Isaac, Malcolm – Astrid, Ross – Alyssam, Lennox – Zoe , Murderer – Beatrix , Murderer – Ozzy, Narrator – Isabelle, Narrator – Anmol, Doctor – Rylan
Gentlewomen – Taylor, Chorus – Maya,  Chorus – Hollie,  Chorus – Manya, Chorus – Alisha

 

 

 

Library News

June 7 was a very special day for CCC and for three of our Yr 6 students. It was the day for the Brisbane South Region Readers Cup competition, held at Stretton College.

In this competition, which starts early in the year, students are required to read a set of books chosen by the organisers. There are several divisions of the competition – Yr 5/6, Yr 7/8, and Yr 9/10. This year we only had a Grade 5/6 team. Our competitors were Emma-Lee Blaber, Jayden Ahn, and Joseph Martin of Cassowary Green (with Mrs McDowell).

For this competition, students are not to be coached, but only guided in their reading for details in their stories. Ms Toich, our Junior School Teacher-Librarian had guided our team in Terms 1 and 2. As she was on leave for the day of the competition, Ms Cleeton our Senior School Teacher-Librarian took over and travelled with the team to Stretton College for the competition.

 

There were 27 schools competing on the day. It was a perfect opportunity for our team to learn about participation (without which, of course, there is no competition!), how to respectfully represent our school, the kind of questions which can be asked about the books, meet new friends and have fun!

One of the highlights of the day was meeting Pamela Rushby a prolific Australian Children’s Book Author, who has produced over 30 titles! You can see these at https://pamelarushby.com/book/

Ms Rushby lives in Brisbane and gave the Guest Speaker presentation on the day. She gave our students a bookmark each and talked about the ideas she has for her next story.

Our team was very pleased to receive, on behalf of our school, a book award for being involved with Reader’s Cup for over ten years.

Ms Cleeton and Ms Toich were proud of our team on the day for their excellent behaviour and team spirit. One of our team members was absent on the day, so we did not do as well as we would have liked, but the benefits of being there far out-weighed such losses. Each team member was awarded a Certificate of Participation the day after the competition, with Ms McDowell and the rest of the Cassowary Green class present.

Thank you to our students, Teacher-Librarians, and other schools for being part of a city-wide activity which celebrates the joy and fun of reading for pleasure.

We hope to have more teams involved in 2023!

 

Principal News

Quite unbelievable that we are already at the completion of semester one.  Despite the lagging impacts of that unmentionable pandemic on our staff and students and considerable weather events which have impacted our facilities greatly, we have nonetheless much to celebrate this year so far.  There are quite a number of articles in this newsletter that celebrate our students’ achievements and College events.

Mothers’ Day Prep Maths High Tea was definitely a highlight for the Junior School, as were the parent tours of our Primary Years Programs as they sought to learn more about the way

our College engages our students’ curiosity and develops their learning.

Our Student Union have orchestrated some amazing P-12 events for our students as we slowly return to those whole College experiences.  The Leadership Camp in May was a highlight as students across the Junior

 

School, Junior Secondary and Senior worked together to build relationships and set a strategic plan for their work this year.  With only a term to go of their tenure, the Seniors returned from camp and delivered six weeks of Spirit Days P-12 (photos in the newsletter) and a Year 7/12 Swimming Carnival held in the balmy conditions of the indoor Chandler Pool enjoying 26-degree swimming conditions.  The highlight of the day was the floatation race as dragons, unicorns and other mythical animals splashing down the lanes bearing loads of cheering year 7s and 12s.  As we enter our nomination period for Year 11s to assume these roles, we look back and are very grateful for and impressed with the efforts of our senior leaders.  Our Junior Secondary and Junior School leaders will join with the newly elected seniors to continue responding to student voice.

 

Last night, our instrumental music students performed for only the third time this year having achieved across the board SILVER at Fanfare.  Two concerts held the audiences captivated and we revelled in the delight of our youngest strings players, through percussion, senior choir, older strings and electric strings, Senior and Junior bands and of course the wonderful solos and swing rhythm of the stage band.  Special mention has to go to Taylah Anthony who delivered on her dream of a show choir – performing with the stage band – what a night!

So many academic events have highlighted our students’ significant capability, including Basel Fayoumi’s efforts with the Medus team and Dr Ali to provide support for students who are preparing for UCAT examinations. Junior Secondary APEX students’ participation in the Da’Vinci competition and J-Elle Hillery-Shaw’s success in studying Biology at Cambridge University for the next four weeks.  Even the online participation in NAPLAN this year, was an easy and student friendly experience that supported our students demonstrating their achievements.

 

We do everything in our power to continue developing an inclusive and supportive culture at the College, and the introduction of VIVO points in secondary school, matching the “That’s Gold” program in Junior School is just another example.  Students’ engagement with their learning, respect for school and each other is acknowledged and rewarded with points that can be traded for prizes or participation in a ‘fun day’ in the Junior School.

Most of our staff have studied the practices of Universal Design for Learning, with the last 50 to attend professional learning in term 3.  The focus of this work is to ensure inclusion across our classrooms from verified disability to learning diversity that makes accommodation to ADHD, ADD and dyslexia to name a few challenges that some of our students encounter.  More generally staff have participated in a range of professional learnings delivered by their peers across pedagogy and learning strategies to support students’ success.

However, we are still struggling to address the issues of mobile phones in our College and the disruption to learning that they cause.  Students’ refusal to put their phones ‘off and away’ when asked, then to place their phones in a locker or provide their names is causing considerable disruption to our learning programs and students’ lunchtime engagement.  We will be emailing a revised policy to you in the next two days and we are happy for your feedback as we share the reviewed policy with staff and students as well.  In its simplest form, students in secondary school who refuse to turn off their phone and put it away will be given an option to place it in a locker or they will receive a one-day suspension.  Refusal to give their name will result in a further day’s suspension.  Student compliance with the mobile phone policy is a critical aspect of their engagement in all that College life has to offer.  We look forward to your feedback using the College email over the next two weeks admin@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au Please wait for the email to send your feedback, it will have a little more detail.

We hope that you all enjoy your holidays with the students and have a healthy and relaxing time with family.  Best wishes for safe travels if you are away over the holidays.

See you next term,

Lisa

IB Middle Years Programme Update

 

Our development as an IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) candidate school continues to go from strength to strength at CCC! In the first 6 months of the year, our teachers and students have achieved a great deal!As part of our journey to candidacy, our teachers have undertaken their official MYP training. This took place online earlier this year and is one of the mandatory elements required for Authorization.

Our focus this term has been on enhancing our assessment practices in Junior Secondary to ensure that these reflect the standards required by the IB. Assessment in the MYP reflects the needs of students at this age, and builds on the understanding, knowledge and skills developed by the Primary Years Programme (PYP) students in Junior School. A key difference in the MYP is that students are assessed in the 8 subject groups and are learning to think like experts in these areas. This helps to set our students up for success in their Senior Secondary pathways.

Learning in the MYP culminates in tasks where students can utilise their understanding gained in their studies and share it with other students. In the MYP, the goal of learning is not to achieve a result on an exam or assignment, but to enrich the whole person, share what they have learned, and use it to take meaningful action in the wider world.
For more information about Assessment in the MYP, please keep an eye out for information about upcoming Parent Information sessions early next term – all parents are welcome! We would encourage as many parents as possible to attend to learn more about our journey towards MYP Authorization, and what this means for your child!

Here are some examples of amazing learning happening in Junior Secondary!

In Design, students learn to empathise with their users through experience. Their product brief requires them to design for a person who is vision impaired, so they learn how a person with impaired vision may experience an environment. Rapid prototyping is an important part of the design process. In this challenge, students use a variety of materials to rapidly create a prototype for a design challenge.

In Language Acquisition, students learn an additional language to support their intercultural understanding. In Chinese, students learn about the importance of tea in the Chinese culture. They also learn to write using Chinese characters and make artefacts such as windmills using this. In Spanish, students researched a country through guided inquiry, and presented their research in a mini multicultural fair! Students from other classes came to visit and learn from their peers!

 

 

In Individuals and Societies, students study a range of subjects, including Business and Economics. This semester, students designed a new product for Carmen’s fine foods for export to the Japanese market. Students had to do a Business Feasibility Report and Trade Display for their product they designed to export!

Hospitality Excellence – Industry Connect

We have been focusing on learning more about the Hospitality Industry and the opportunities it can provide for us outside of the classroom this Semester.

In Term 1, we went into the City for the day to learn more about Hotels. We spent the morning at The Hotel School learning about the different career pathways available and guest empathy. We enjoyed lunch and a behind the scenes site tour of The Emporium Hotel in Southbank. It was an experience that allowed us to see a different side to the industry then what we can experience at school.

This term we had industry come to us, when Hayley from Hotel Talk came to share her expertise on writing resumes and preparing for interviews in order to start working in industry. Hayley also shared with us different jobs and careers on offer in Hotels which is invaluable as she currently works in the industry herself, training and employing the next generation of hoteliers.

 

Year 11 Griffith University Excursion

Griffith Business School’s Responsible Business and Government Leaders of the Future conference.

 

On Wednesday 25 May, 23 students from our business courses at the College engaged in an exciting and challenging conference with students from a variety of local schools. As part of the conference, students were challenged to problem solve, develop ideas and suggest solutions to reimagine how organisations and leaders face 21st century challenges.

 

Our mixture of students from IB Diploma, Diploma of Business and Accounting classes joined to make teams with students from other schools where they developed logos, mission statements and finally a two minute presentation about their concept. A highlight of the day was encouraging unsuspecting university students to “vote” for their logo which was posted on Instagram. All present on the day voted for the winning team, with three of our students forming part of that team. The conference was an excellent opportunity for our students to develop 21st century skills in communication, critical thinking, teamwork and personal social skills.

 

 

Community Project – Year 9 HPE, MYP and Special Olympics Australia.

Over the Past Semester, Year 9 Students working in the Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum area have been participating in a Middle Years Program (MYP) Community Project in partnership with Special Olympics Australia.
The community project provided an important opportunity for students to collaborate and pursue service learning and over two terms where students participated in a sustained project where they developed their coaching skills and ability to work with young athletes with a disability.

Over the course of Term One, students upskilled with the Special Olympics Australia ‘Coaching a Young Athlete’ Qualification, that, along with equipment and resources generously provided free to students from Special Olympics Australia allowed students to grow in their confidence and ability in becoming a coach.

The collaboration with the Calamvale Special School (CSS) has been a point of pride within our college and something that has a tradition within the HPE dept over several years. This year with approx. 250 Year 9 CCC Students and over 50 CSS Students along with the Support and Teaching Staff involved the project showed the strength of a community when it comes together to engage.

Our Year 9 students engaged in demonstrating the skills, attitudes and knowledge required to complete a project over an extended period of time. The community project of our students provided opportunity to effectively communicate in a variety of situations as students worked in coaching teams. By the end of the journey students began to appreciate the process of learning and took pride in their accomplishments and importantly for a year 9 student, demonstrate responsible action through, or as a result of their learning.
We wish to thank the support of the team at Special Olympics Australia and the positive engagement of the students and staff from the CSS, whom we always enjoy collaborating with in cultivating the understanding and empathy of our students at CCC.

Some student quotes from the experience…

“Throughout this unit, I have learnt how to adjust certain activities to allow participation for students struggling with disabilities and I also gained confidence in guiding and instructing the students.” (Ava Drury, Year 9HPE Student)
“Inclusion is important as it can build up a person’s social, communication and teamwork skills. As well as allowing the student to feel more comfortable with people around and be able to work with each other.” (Darrin Ek, Year 9HPE Student)
“From this coaching experience I gained opportunities to new knowledge, meet new people, and educate them. This taught me to not underestimate anyone, due to who they are and what disabilities they have. Being honest, I, personally have underestimated people with disabilities. After this coaching lesson I learned that many people, regardless of the disability, are actually capable of many things… In the future if I ever get an opportunity to work with disabled people, I will not hesitate. “ (Afrah Fatima, Year 9 HPE Student)

 

PYP Parent Workshop

Junior School parents embodied many of the IB Learner Profiles when they attended the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) parent information session. They were inquirers, thinkers and open minded, as they learned new information about what PYP looks like at CCC. Parents inquired into the IB Mission Statement and many key elements of the PYP such as IB Learner Profiles and Key Concepts. They then visited classrooms to see inquiry-based teaching and learning in action. Many parents reflected on how different education has changed since they were in school. They appreciated the amount of agency students now have in their learning and better understood ways they can support their child in their PYP journey.

Kokoda 2022

This year we have another 12 48km Kokoda Challenge Teams taking part in the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge in the Secondary School, taking place 16-17 July. Our preparation with the extreme weather and covid complications has been somewhat disrupted, but the students and teachers are ready for the challenge, hiking through the night it what will most probably be sub-zero temperatures. Of the 48 students participating, we have:

  • 13 Year 12s
  • 14 Year 11s
  • 13 Year 10s
  • 7 Year 9s
  • 1 Year 7

So far we have trained every Monday afternoon and Wednesday during Sport. Additionally, we have been on three Friday Night Hikes between 20-28km, and are participating in a gruelling excursion through the mountains of the Kokoda Challenge track at the end of the term.

 

This year sees our first Junior School Teams entered in the 30km Sunshine Coast event, which competed on the 18 June. Students enjoyed the experience, as did the teacher leaders. 30km is a long way for little legs! We’re sure these students will take on the 48km challenge in the near future.

A large part of the Kokoda Challenge Program that complements the training and other responsibilities is fundraising. Every year, students raise money to support the Program as well as providing funds to the Kokoda Foundation, which helps at-risk young people. This year we are on track to raise approximately $16000, with over $10000 going to the Kokoda Foundation.

Many thanks to all staff involved as team leaders and support crew – it’s a big commitment and the College thanks you for this.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our major sponsors, as well as sponsors who have kindly donated prizes for our Mega-Raffle.

Major Sponsors:

  • Higgins Coatings
  • Algester Sports Club
  • Australian Beach Resin
  • Tactile Learning Centre
  • GC Plumbing\
  • DG Building Concepts
  • HTA Global

Raffle Sponsors

  • The Cruse Family
  • The Sala Family
  • Brisbane Broncos
  • Mella Beauty Studio
  • Cream House Café
  • Impressive Dumpling
  • Zone Learning
  • Charcoal Champ Chicken
  • Auslaw Partners
  • Security Screens
  • Future Plus Education
  • ACEC Education Group
  • Kirst Hellmech Photography
  • Matt Stone Racing
  • Brad Jones Racing
  • It’s All About You Massage
  • Savvy Hair and Beauty

APEX news

CCC Facilities New Build, Refresh and Playground Update

 

We have handover of the top floor of our new building housing Digital Design and Technology complete with robotic labs, Lego walls, dedicated collaboration spaces and 6 beautiful new classrooms with the best views in the College.  Video coming.

Elsewhere in the newsletter you will see the $52 000 refurbishment of NaturePlay taking a great space damaged by storms to the next level of sophistication – water troughs, permanent creek bed, climbing frame and sandpit. Likewise, a further $50 000 of both Possum and Koala playgrounds, replacing artificial turf and refreshing this treasured playground space. Over the school holidays, remodelling and improvements were made to our Junior School Nature Play space. With a new and improved creek bed, boarded by gardens and the addition of three established trees for shade, this nature play space continues to be an area of great interest and enjoyment to our students. Children play together, interacting with many forms of nature, using their imagination and creativity. Water, sand, natural loose parts like leaves, branches and logs all provide endless opportunities for play.

The College, whilst not flooded sustained significant water damage through roof leaks and many ceilings have been replaced in the last three weeks as well as some carpets.  It has been a logistical nightmare from which we are now emerging, just waiting on delivery of some final items and their installation.  We thank both our students and teachers for their patience during this period of rectification.  Next week the library will be closed for a week to complete works in that building.  It will all soon be finished.

 

Possum Playground

Our Prep students returned from the school holidays and were very curious, as they were unable to access Possum playground.  Contractors have been busy this week doing some maintenance work in this area and it will re-open very soon. Our Prep students have been accessing some other play areas this week , but I am sure they will be very excited when they can return to their special Possum playground. It is already looking fabulous.

 

2021 Year 12 Celebrations of Academic Success

On the top floor of the Calamvale Hotel with a 360 degree view of our community, we cheered our 2021 graduates’ academic success in ATAR, Certificate and IB Diploma pathways.  It was March 28 and we invited our past students back for a celebration of their success, just prior to their university year and entry to the worforce.  Sally Hoang was our 2021 Dux with an amazing 43 IB Diploma score and a Griffith Vice-Chancellor Scholarship and James Lee achieved an outstanding 97.1 ATAR.  Both students were surrounded by the success of their peers, with the IB cohort exceeding world averages, languages students achieving scores of 6.6 (out of 7), bilingual Diplomas, and a diverse group of university and TAFE courses including a number of scholarships secured with successful school achievements.  It was a lovely night and we thank the parents of this cohort for sharing these achievements with us and the students.

 

2022 Leadership Investiture

Having had such a disrupted Term 1 with assemblies cancelled and limited classroom face to face time and no school assemblies possible, we took the opportunity to celebrate our 2022 Student Leadership Investiture with parents at a night time event.

 

 

Congratulations to all of our young leaders whose work has been underway for more than six months but whose elections we have not been able to celebrate.  As well as our Senior Secondary and Junior School leaders, this year we have Junior Secondary Leaders in Year 9.  There is a hectic schedule of events in place for terms 2 and 3 and we are all excited for the increased House Spirit that these events will encourage.  We have a Leadership Camp in the first week of May and it looks like it will be a very busy three days with plans in development, team building challenges and leadership development.

Lions Youth of the Year

All of our senior leaders prepared for this prestigious public speaking competition. Covid stopped one then two participations and Tia Grewal and Basel Fayoumi won the first-round public speaking and overall.  Basel then took CCC from strength to strength attending two more rounds, winning both categories in the first and finally conceding to another student in the third.  Our leaders, as always, made us very proud.

 

Leaders Visit to Parliament House

Minister Enoch invited the leaders to Parliament House and they were treated to a wonderful tour, thoroughly enjoyed by all and then a very special privilege of lunch in ‘The Strangers’ function room complete with silver service.  Minister Enoch ten showed the leaders her parliamentary office and as you can see everyone looked very impressed.  Many thanks Minister for the time taken to make this a really special day.

 

Welcome Back Junior Secondary

Welcome to Term 2 Junior Secondary

Welcome to Term 2. In Junior Secondary this term, we will have a specific focus on the College value of ‘Responsibility’. Our College values play an important role in shaping our behaviour expectations within and outside the classroom, as featured in the attached CCC Matrix of Expected Behaviours. We are excited to be continuing our Thursday Session 2 wellbeing program, focussed on the PERMAH pillars of Positive Education. We will be commencing with a focus on ‘Positive Accomplishment’, as we engage our students in reflecting on their Term 1 Achievement, effort and behaviour results and setting goals for the coming term. To support our wellbeing program, we will have National youth mental health organisation ‘Headspace’ conducting 1hr workshops with our Year 7 & 9 students between 3-5 May, with Year 8 later in the year. There will be a parent workshop on Tuesday 3 May. Stay tuned for more information to be sent out in Week 2.

At the parent teacher evening (10 May) there will be an opportunity to attend a short Junior Secondary presentation & meet / greet  session. This will be run a few times throughout the evening, with timings to be communicated in advance.

 

Students in Junior Secondary have been issued new timetables. This is particularly important for changes in our Arts & Design subjects, across the 10 day timetable.

 

Lastly, planning has commenced for the Year 8 camp which will be held 21-23 November. Information will be going home in the coming weeks.

 

Year 7 & 9 NAPLAN & Secondary School BYOD (Bring your own device)

Our NAPLAN practice took place this week and was a success. There were a few technical issues but it was great that these happened in the practice, so we can address them. NAPLAN will be conducted in Year 7 & 9 during Sessions 1 & 2 on 11 & 12 May. Preparing for NAPLAN has highlighted an issue with some students not having devices at school. CCC has a BYOD policy in Secondary School and laptops are an important resource in our blended approach to teaching and learning. Not having a device can sometimes mean that students are unable to fully or independently participate in some learning activities. Our College resource scheme includes access to digital text books and Ed Perfect. If students don’t have a device, they are also not able to access these resources, which are being paid for by families.

 

 

Junior Secondary Signature Initiatives

We are continuing to develop our Year 8 Honours program in Term 2. Our Honours program provides the opportunity for our Year 8 students to develop their ability and talent with likeminded students in selected disciplines areas. While students take a deeper dive into these areas, they develop their understanding and use of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP) Approaches to Learning (ATLs)- Research, Social, Thinking, Communication and Self-Management skills. Talk with your child about what they have been working on.

 

As an IB MYP (Middle Years Program) candidate school we continue to engage our students in key elements of the program. The MYP Community Project has been introduced to our Year 7 & 9 students this term in their Wednesday Session 3 (if they are not already involved in Wolves or the College Musical). The Community Project is an opportunity for students to collaboratively develop their understanding and application of service learning and action. Service Learning relates to learning about a community in order to serve them to the best of our ability and action is learning by doing, learning through experience and taking principled action. We look forward to sharing more information about these projects once students have commenced their investigation and planning stages.

 

 

CCC Matrix of Expected Behaviours

 

 

 

 

 

Year 10-12 Flood Relief

2022 Yr 10-12 flood Relief

Message from the Principal

 

Welcome back and ANZAC Memorial Assembly

Welcome back to school for Term 2.  We have had a busy first ‘short’ week, as I’m sure you are aware.  Today was the first full-scale ANZAC Day memorial service that we have been able to have in almost three years.  Our students were beautifully respectful and listened to messages of peace, harmony, comradeship, support and courage.  We welcomed Minister Enoch, our local state member although unfortunately Dr Chalmers was an apology due to covid-testing.  Calamvale Ward was represented as were our community and College groups together with Airforce Cadets 214 SQN who formed the catafalque party and Corporal Helerm from the Engineers who shared an understanding of this commemoration with students.

 

 

Student devices helped meet staffing challenges

There are a number of issues of which I need to ensure you are well informed.  Current Covid isolation and quarantine requirements have been a significant challenge for staffing at CCC in the last term.  This has resulted in multiple secondary classes being collapsed each lesson in the day and being supervised by deputy principals.  It is not the same classes every day and we try to avoid this whenever possible.  However, we are a BYOD school and student device audits have shown us that only 50 students in secondary school do not have a device.  Our teachers have been amazing, preparing work whilst in ‘isolation’ and ensuring that One Note is up to date.  If every student who has a device, brought it to school, every day; there would be minimal disruption to learning and we could cater for the 50 students without devices.  Could I please encourage you to ensure that your students bring a fully charged device to school every day.  This fairly simple action would ensure that there was only minimal disruption to a students’ programs of learning.  In terms of security, the lockers we have at school are not fully used, only a key and padlock is required to access them.

At 6pm on Thursday 28th there will no longer be mandatory quarantine for close contacts and staffing challenges should begin to subside.  https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/exposed-to-covid/close-contacts/quarantine-as-a-close-contact/ending-quarantine-as-a-close-contact

 

 

 

 

Wolves News

Wolves part 1 March 2022

 

and Wolves part 2 March 2022

CCC Library

 

CCC Library Report

Calamvale Community College’s Class of 2021 Dux – Sally Hoang

Congratulations to Calamvale Community College’s Class of 2021 Dux – Sally Hoang

Sally was a graduate of the College’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in which she excelled across all subjects.  The programme, which is academically rigorous with an emphasis on breadth and depth of subjects, as well as the highly valuable skills of multilingualism, international mindedness and critical thinking is world-renowned and highly regarded by Universities globally.

Sally excelled and achieved the highest grade of 7s in Higher Level English Language and Literature, Psychology and Standard Level Mathematics and Mandarin – with much of this content at first year University level.   As part of her creativity and commitment to service requirements, Sally was also the editor of the school newspaper; the Calamvale Chronicle

Perhaps her strongest and most talented passion, Visual Arts, provided some of her greatest and proudest achievements across the year.  Sally was selected by the Logan Art Gallery to host some of her art pieces at the annual ArtWaves exhibition for local high schools.  It was here that four of her original art pieces were purchased by members of the public.

At the conclusion of this exhibition, Sally was selected and awarded the prestigious mentorship called: Ripple effect: out of Artwaves.  Each year Logan Art Gallery selects one of the outstanding young artists who exhibited in the annual Artwaves: Logan and adjacent areas secondary schools art exhibition to mentor in developing their own solo exhibition.  The winner of the ARTWAVES Mentorship 2022 program will be provided with guidance and support from Logan Art Gallery to develop their understanding of what it is like to produce an exhibition in the professional gallery sector.  At the conclusion of the mentorship program, the recipient will have a solo exhibition in the Young Peoples Gallery of Logan Art Gallery.

As an aspiring Graphic Designer who has been accepted to study a dual bachelor degree in Business and Design at Griffith University, this unique insight and opportunity to work with artists to produce and curate an exhibition will be invaluable.  Sally has been awarded both the Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship and the Griffith Business School Academic Excellence scholarship.

As a P-12 College, CCC is genuinely able to provide a ‘cradle to career’ journey, providing a multitude of curriculum and extra-curricular opportunities along the way.  For Sally, this included representing the College at a range of creative and academic events and competitions on local, national and international stages, including at Yale University as a Year 9 student.

The College would like to congratulate the entire Class of 2021 who have graduated with the requisite lifelong learning skills, a qualification or score in hand and a mindset and skillset that allows them to take on today and beyond.

 

Junior School Harmony Day

 

 

Junior School Harmony day

Seniors Visit ABC Radio Brisbane

CCC Seniors give students a voice at the ABC consent Forum

 

 

Raise Your Voice

Congratulations to ‘Raise your Voice’

We began the week with a celebration of the Arts led by our music team:  Jess Gill, Sarah Schmeider, Angela Palalagi and Sara Schmeider’s mum Marcia Ruhle who came from Toowoomba to accompany Junior Choir.  Our students have sensational talent that has been harnessed and honed by devoted teachers – thank you for giving them the opportunity to be their very best.

First time ever we had an impromptu CCC Combined Choir AND a promo for Matilda Jr! It was a great night!

 

 

 

Multicultural Festival

Thank you for an amazing day that celebrated the beauty of our College’s diversity.  True to form and not surprisingly at all, the ceremony leaders were given the opportunity to speak in their first language, demonstrating the beauty of diversity right there.

Congratulations on a fabulously successful and important event in which every member of our College had the opportunity to participate, share and enjoy as well as learn and discover.

Thank you thank you to the twenty staff members who ran stalls with students, the support staff who filled some gaps and supported others to do their work, the amazing hospitality and catering team who fashioned our own Eat Street (team of thousands here so I will do a separate thank you), Year 12 boys in hospitality, the Tech guys, the Facilities Crew (Dirk).    What a way to end the term!

 

multicultural Festival sep 2021

 

APEX News

Last week, two teams of APEX students competed in ANSTO’s National Science Week Hackathon. This national event brought fast-paced innovation into our classrooms with students using the design thinking process. Students worked with experts in the field to pitch a solution to food waste in busy families. Mentors provided invaluable feedback to our students and also allowed us to gain insight into the real world of design thinkers.
The creativity, curiosity and clever designs produced by the teams has left the APEX family very proud. We can’t wait to enter again next year.

 

This Friday, 15 APEX students are entering an 800-word essay into the UNSW BRAGG Writing Contest. APEX students are working with senior mentors to develop an explanation of the science, technology, engineering, and maths behind some of their favourite, everyday experiences. The mentor-mentee relationship has enabled senior students to step into leadership roles and give back to the Calamvale community. Additionally, the mentees have had the opportunity to develop positive relationships across the year levels, gaining insight into the senior secondary experience and seeing where their science writing skills will continue to develop. These students have taken curiosity to the next level, working in their own time and at APEX Accelerators to discover and describe the science behind something they’re personally interested in. These budding writers have a chance to win up to $500 in book vouchers as well as the chance to be published in several widely circulated science journals! We wish our writers all the best as they finalise their pieces this week.

Important information to parents about vaping

“Vaping” has become an increasing issue of concern in Australian schools and the broader community, with the Alcohol and Drug Foundation indicating that vaping by young people has increased in recent years. It is important that all parents are informed about this issue and are provided with the facts so they can have conversations with their children about the dangers of vaping. We have identified that some students may perceive that “vapes” and “vaping” are harmless, however, this is not the case.

What is a “vape”? A “vape” is an electronic cigarette. An electronic cigarette or “e-cigarette” is an electronic device that simulates tobacco smoking. It consists of an atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or tank. Some e-cigarettes can be charged in a laptop’s USB port. E-cigarettes heat a liquid, known as an “e-liquid” containing nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavourings and/or other chemicals to create an aerosol or “vapour” that the user inhales. As such, using an e-cigarette is often called “vaping”.

What do “vapes” look and smell like? Vapes come in many different shapes and sizes. Please see attached for some images of what they may look like. Some vapes appear to be marketed specifically at young people with animated illustrations on the cover. Others can look like highlighters, pens or confectionary. The e-liquid can come in many different flavours. Some examples are: bubble-gum, watermelon and many other fruit flavours, vanilla and chocolate, therefore the smell produced by the vape can be reminiscent of these. Some of the products are called “puff bars”.

What are the health ramifications? E-cigarettes are linked to severe lung illness – you can read more about this in a statement from the Chief Medical Officer and State and Territory Chief Health Officers: https://www.health.gov.au/news/e-cigarettes-linked-to-severe-lung-illness

It is important to note that e-liquids, even when labelled ‘nicotine free’, can contain harmful and widely varying substances such as nicotine, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing chemicals. These chemicals can affect adolescent brain development. You can read more about the health implications for young people here: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/E-cigarettes_and_teens/

What are the legal ramifications? Under the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 (Tobacco Act), electronic cigarettes are smoking products and subject to the laws in place for tobacco cigarettes.

These devices cannot be:

  • sold to children under 18 years of age
  • used in existing no-smoking indoor and outdoor places
  • advertised, promoted or displayed at retail outlets
  • provided for sale in a vending machine.

 

Electronic cigarettes that contain liquid nicotine are regulated under Queensland’s Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 (HDPR), on the basis that liquid nicotine is classified as a ‘Dangerous Poison’ under Schedule 7 of the federal ‘Poisons Standard’, which is published on the Therapeutic Goods Administration (‘TGA’) website. Accordingly, in Queensland, liquid nicotine is:

  • A ‘S7 poison’ and a ‘regulated poison’ under the HDPR; It is an offence for a person to manufacture, obtain, possess, prescribe, dispense, sell, advertise, use or destroy nicotine, unless the person is specifically authorised or holds an approval under the HDPR. A significant penalty applies.

Electronic cigarettes containing liquid nicotine can be safely disposed of at a community pharmacy or a local public health unit.

To report illegal sale or possession of electronic cigarettes containing liquid nicotine, call 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

Please refer to the Queensland Government Health site for more information: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/public-health/topics/atod/tobacco-laws/electronic-cigarettes

Calamvale Community College takes this health concern very seriously and we are addressing this at the College level by working with our students to educate them about the dangers of inhaling dangerous chemicals. We respond to any reports of students possessing vapes or students being involved in vaping in accordance with our College’s Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students (available on the website), while also providing education and support. Vapes are a prohibited item at the College, in the same category as cigarettes and other smoking paraphernalia and smoking products. Students can seek support from the College’s Guidance Officers, or make reports to their Year Level Deputy Principal if they have concerns.

We encourage you to have a conversation with your child about e-cigarettes and vaping. Please see attached for some guidelines about how you might approach this conversation. If you have any concerns about this issue and you would like to follow up further, please be in contact with your child’s Year Level Deputy Principal or Guidance Officer.

Thank you for working with us to educate our young people so they can make good decisions for themselves that promote wellbeing, health and happiness.

 

Building a strong culture of parent engagement

It’s something parents hear all the time, but it bears repeating. One of the keys to parents and teachers working together is to have good communication. Parents are vital partners in education. They influence their children’s attitudes about learning, and support learning at home. They are a vital link between home and school. And when they become involved in the life of the school, they make our schools better places to learn, grow and thrive. Educators and parents generally agree that positive, supportive and open relationships between home and school, parent and teacher are desirable. Additionally, research has shown that parent engagement and successful parent-teacher partnerships result in improved educational outcomes for studentsTeachers and parents provide a vital support system to help students flourish. Both groups are important. When parents and teachers communicate and work together effectively, it can significantly impact each student’s long-term success. 

But we cannot confuse the difference between parent involvement in schools and parent engagement. One dictionary definition of involve is “to enfold or envelope,” whereas one of the meanings of engage is “to come together and interlock.” Thus, involvement implies doing to; in contrast, engagement implies doing with. 

Parent involvement in schools includes attending events, volunteering in class or other activities, and serving on school councils and parent committees. It’s not that family involvement is bad. Almost all the research says that any kind of increased parent interest and support of students can help. But almost all the research also says that family engagement can produce even better results—for students, for families, for schools, and for their communities (Ferlazzo & Hammond, 2009) As a school we are striving for parent engagement-listening to what parents think, dream, and worry about.  

The ACT Government defines parent engagement in two parts—family-led learning and family school partnerships: 

  • Family-led learning focused on high aspirations for children, shared reading, a positive environment for homework, parent-child conversation, a cognitively stimulating home environment and support for social and emotional wellbeing; and 
  • family-school partnerships that encourage positive parent-teacher relationships, communication about children’s progress, and engagement in the school community, while equipping parents to effectively support and encourage their children’s learning and wellbeing (ACT Government, 2014). 

As Term Three draws to a close, parents in the Junior School have the opportunity to participate in our Student Led Conference event on Thursday 9 September. 

Student-Led Conferences form an important part of our Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the reporting of student learning across all learning areas. Student-Led Conferences involve the students having agency in their learning and taking responsibility for leading the conference with their parent/s, and in doing so, are responsible for sharing their learning and progress with their parent/s.  

 

This year, we are extending on our process to allow for greater student agency, valuing student voice, choice and ownership. These conferences are a thoroughly rewarding experience (for students and parents) and we strongly encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity.  

Junior School Book Week

Calamvale College’s annual book week was celebrated in style this week, with over 1000 students and staff from Prep to year 6 dressing up as their favourite book character. This years theme, ‘Old Worlds, New Worlds and Other Worlds’ was reflected in the array of costumes on show. Unicorns, a class from Hogwarts’, soccer stars, a hungry caterpillar, coloured crayons and many more creative characters turned up to the entertaining parade. Much fun was had by staff and teachers as they paraded their costumes to the enthusiastic audience. Parents and caregivers enjoyed watching their children celebrate books at this exciting event.

 

University of Southern Queensland Head start Program

Three Year 10 students have been successful in their applications to study a University Course this semester. The students have selected to further their knowledge in the STEM field, studying Lab-based Sciences. This is a huge undertaking and accomplishment and we wish them well and congratulate them on their risk-taking approach to complement their learning.

 

 

Certificate III Laboratory Skills

This week (National Science Week), 45 students in Year 10 and 12 completed their 7-month journey of this science-based course. These students, comprising of IB and ATAR bound students have been working steadily on their theory and then had the opportunity to complete their laboratory practicals under the guidance of our Trainers this week.
This qualification is particularly relevant in current times and reflects the role of workers who perform a range of laboratory techniques, including manual, semi-automated and fully automated, to collect and prepare samples in a laboratory. They conduct a wide range of basic, and limited range of specialist tests across a variety of industry sectors. Workers may be required to assist other personnel to solve technical problems and to adjust formulations and production mixes. They may also train them to collect samples and conduct basic tests reliably.

Upon their successful completion now, students have gained a nationally recognised qualification that opens up science-based employment opportunities, 6 QCE points, a guaranteed VET rank into Griffith University or University of Southern Queensland and newfound knowledge that will help them with their senior science investigations. All of which was fully VET in Schools funded. Certificates will be presented at the Term 4 Secondary School assembly – Congratulations team.

The IB Middle Years Programme at CCC

Calamvale Community College embarked on the next step in our IB journey this term, officially becoming a Candidate School. This means that our teachers and students are learning about the MYP and how its elements work together to create a world-class education for Junior Secondary students at our College.

We are holding regular parent information sessions to keep all parents informed about the MYP and what it means for their child. The next parent information sessions will be held in Week 8. Please see the email invitation which has been sent out with further information.

What are the key elements of MYP?

In the MYP, students study 8 subject groups, with a minimum of 50 teaching hours per subject group each year. The Australian Curriculum is the basis of what is taught in each subject, with the MYP Framework serving as a lens through which this curriculum is viewed. These subject groups align with subjects already taught in Junior Secondary.

Global contexts provide shared starting points for inquiry into what it means to be internationally minded, framing a curriculum that promotes multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement.

Key and related concepts are big ideas, which form the basis of teaching and learning in the MYP. They ensure breadth and depth in the curriculum and promote learning within and across traditional disciplines. These extend and deepen the ley and related concepts from the Primary Years Programme (PYP).

Approaches to teaching and learning, a unifying thread throughout all MYP subject groups, are skills which help students manage their own learning. They provide a foundation for success in further education and the world beyond the classroom. The approach to teaching used at from P-12 at Calamvale is inquiry, and the Approaches to learning are used across all three IB programmes at CCC.

Action and service, essential components of the MYP, set out clear learning outcomes that grow from students’ participation in local and global communities. MYP projects are informed by respected models of service learning, and provides students with opportunities to work with members of their community in an authentic manner.

The community project is a culminating experience in which students collaboratively apply their approaches to learning skills to complete a project which identifies and addresses a need within their community.

By incorporating these elements, the IB Middle Years Programme will provide all students in Junior Secondary a strong foundation for their senior secondary pathways.

For more information about the IB Middle Years Programme, click here: https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/digital-toolkit/brochures/1503-myp-factsheet-for-parents.pdf

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

Calamvale Community College is committed to providing a positive learning environment for all of its students. Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is a whole school evidenced-based approach to behaviour and includes explicit teaching of the expected behaviours needed for success at school. PBL brings together the whole-school community to contribute to developing a positive, safe and supportive learning culture. The framework assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people. 

 

CCC commenced its PBL journey in 2021. The PBL committee has begun developing and implementing procedures, including a behaviour matrix (currently in draft form) and regular lessons, to teach students expected behaviours following the four College Values. 

 

Our four College Values underpin the PBL expectations: 

  • RESPECT – Valuing ourselves, others and the diversity of our world. 
  • RESPONSIBILTY – Being accountable for own actions and contributing through service to the College and community. 
  • RESILIENCE – Having courage to overcome challenges by building positive connections with self and others. 
  • INITIATIVE – Identifying opportunities with a readiness to respond with innovation to achieve a positive outcome. 

 

What is PBL? 

When PBL is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from: 

  • reduced inappropriate behaviour 
  • increased time focused on instruction 
  • improved social-emotional wellbeing 
  • positive and respectful relationships among students and staff 
  • support for teachers to teach, model and respond effectively to student need 
  • a predictable learning environment where staff and students know what is expected to deliver effective practices that can be sustained over time 

 

PBL can be implemented in any school setting to support students from pre-school through to Year 12. The PBL framework supports schools to identify and successfully implement evidenced-based whole-school practices that enhance learning outcomes for children and young people.  

 

How long does it take to implement PBL? 

PBL is a process, not a program. The length of time it takes to get start implementing well varies by school. Schools typically take between 2 to 5 years to fully implement the essential features of the whole school approach. The implementation process is ongoing and constantly modified to meet the changing needs of the school and to address current concerns. 

 

The goal of PBL 

The College will take a proactive, preventative approach to ensure all students receive the appropriate level of support to help them to be successful at school. Student outcomes are monitored so identified students can receive additional support when needed, and a minority of students can access intensive support to enable them to engage successfully at school. 

 

 

NSW Government. (2021). What is Positive Behaviour for Learning?. Retrieved from: https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/attendance-behaviour-and-engagement/positive-behaviour-for-learning/what-is-positive-behaviour-for-learning-pbl#:~:text=Positive%20Behaviour%20for%20Learning%20(PBL)%20brings%20together%20the%20whole%2D,for%20children%20and%20young%20people  

 

Queensland Government. (2020). Positive Behaviour for Learning. Retrieved from: https://behaviour.education.qld.gov.au/supporting-student-behaviour/positive-behaviour-for-learning  

Student Work Selected for District Exhibition

 

Showcasing the rich imagination and creativity of high school students in the region, the Logan Art Gallery annually selects high quality artworks for their art exhibition: “Artwaves”. In the 29th year of this highly regarded exhibition, Calamvale Community College is excited to have a huge range of artworks selected, from bright eye-catching year 7 portraits, through to intricate and thought-provoking year 12 works.

The exhibition will be on display and open to the public in Logan Art Gallery, Wembley Road, Logan Central, from 10 September to 16 October.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Salute to Excellence 2021

Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Salute to Excellence 2021

Calamvale entered the 24th Annual Salute to Excellence Awards this year. To date, QTIC has had more than 128 schools across Queensland participate in the awards including 600 finalists, and 73 winners. The Awards recognises outstanding secondary students, employers, schools and registered training organisations for their participation in and contribution to the tourism, food and beverage and cookery qualifications through VETiS, and School Based Apprenticeships or Traineeships.

We are very proud of Shaeleigh Shearer, our Year 12 Kitchen Operations’ student that was acknowledged as a Finalist. She made it through two rounds of the competition, including a skills test day at TAFE QLD, Southbank Campus. Shaeleigh has spent many hours being trained by industry specialists in preparation for this event. Special thanks to Tom Bishop – College Chef & Kitchen Operations Trainer/Assessor, Adrian Blomfield, Algester Sports Club Head Chef & Vanessa Campbell from the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre for mentoring and supporting Shaeleigh on this journey. 

Last year QTIC added the category of Teacher/Trainer of the Year. We are excited to announce that our Hospitality Excellence Program Coordinator, Leah Cremen took out the category this year. This is an outstanding achievement as the peak industry body has acknowledged the contribution she makes both in the classroom, and in industry.

Shaeleigh is now heading off to complete work experience with The Star Culinary Institute at the Brisbane Treasury Casino. We can’t wait to see her take the next steps as she commences her transition into industry.

Congratulations to both Shaeleigh & Leah!

Science Week Amazingness 

Established in 1997, National Science Week provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge. It also aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to be fascinated by the world we live in today. What better way of portraying this by fun, and exciting Scientific experiments presented by the UQ science ambassadors to the secondary school college.

On the Friday of week 6, the UQ science ambassadors managed to showcase three experiments which included:

-Colour change through chemical dilution

-Dry Ice smoke bubble’s

-Elephant toothpaste

 

 

 

Furthermore, in the previous weeks, a Crystal growing competition was held to see who can form the best and most colourful crystals under the foundation knowledge discovered beforehand about saturated and unsaturated salt liquids. These crystal containers were judged by the on-lookers of the science week presentations’ – winners were awarded prizes for the admirable application skills.

These were showcased to Secondary school students during their lunchbreak, without the effort put in by helping Science teachers, and the interest from the UQ science ambassadors to promote the wealth of knowledge to the school public, none of this would have been possible.

It is without doubt that the UQ ambassadors and guiding teachers are promoting Science to everyone’s everyday life, to not only show that the place and the equipment’s used in their ongoing life are founded upon laws and theories that govern our modern day understanding, but to show that Science will always be a force to be reckoned with.

Kind Regards

Bassel Fayoumi

Calamvale Community College

Reading Buddies – Developing Literacy, Partnerships and a Culture of Care.

The College’s Reading Buddies program seeks to enhance a greater sense of community across P-12 in the College while promoting and valuing literacy. For young learners, it allows them to practise reading aloud in a small group or one on one situation with a mentor. At the same time our secondary students develop empathy and back in their iTime classrooms get to critically question the importance of literacy in society and the processes involved when working with small children. As well as listening to them read, students in Secondary engage in a ‘design thinking’ process as part of their iTime elective. This enables them to find out the interests of their reading buddies and create stories with important messages for them while reinforcing their understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals and Target 4.6 (Quality Education – for and through literacy).

– Pamela Curtin (Head of Global Competence)

‘The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.’ Dr Seuss
Whilst watching our ‘big buddies’ reading, listening to, and conversing with their ‘little buddies’, the benefits are already apparent. Our Lower Junior students look up to their older mentors and look forward to their time each week. Buddy reading provides much needed one-to-one support and encouragement. Students are supported by their mentors whilst expanding their vocabulary and reading familiar texts to improve and practise fluency. This program is helping to build a deeper sense of community and provide authentic mentorship opportunities, whilst also adding up the essential ‘reading mileage’ for our younger students.

It is a well-known fact that the more minutes a child reads each day directly impacts on their future success.
– Sarah Wilson, Head of English P-2

“My Buddy helps me if I make a mistake and he asks me questions about the story. It’s good to make friends with a big kid. He is very nice.”
– Hugo, Year 1

“I love reading to my buddy. She is a great listener and very nice to me. I can’t wait for every Wednesday so I can read with my buddy.”
– Elsa, Year 1

“Watching little kids run towards you with a book in their hands, and a huge smile on their face, showed me what amazing kids we have for the future. I re-joined this year with an open mind as I wanted to help and teach kids as much as I could, I wanted them to have well-rounded knowledge, but I also just wanted to see the smile on their faces again. This year I was given a buddy with learning difficulties. I didn’t know how much he knew; I didn’t understand his problems, but I wanted him to feel safe with me. The first time we read he was so excited, he opened the book and tried reading instantaneously. Over the course of the 8-page book, I saw change in him, he got frustrated and angry that he didn’t know the words, but he kept trying and he wouldn’t give up.”
– Tara, Year 11 student

smart

Principal News

Almost the end of term and apologies for the delays in releasing this newsletter.  Thank you very much for the support that you have given the College over the most recent period of restrictions and mask wearing.  Our students have successfully negotiated four weeks of exams, and two dramatic performances in the secondary school and we have been able to welcome parents into the College for Book Week and student-led conferencing in the Junior School.

 

 

There are a number of issues which are currently concerning parents, which I would like to address here.  Firstly, no student will receive a vaccination at Calamvale Community College without both parent knowledge and permission.  As with any other vaccination, schools require permission for a student to receive a ‘jab’ and Covid-19 is no different.  Those of you who have received a Covid vaccination would be aware of the list of health questions that must be answered prior to receiving the injection.  Only parents have this knowledge and without it, no vaccination can safely proceed.  We will, as always, communicate very clearly in multiple languages if there is any change, but we have no indication of such a decision at this stage.

 

 

Vaping has become the new ‘fad’ amongst our young people and this one comes with some serious health concerns.  Just as smoking is illegal, these nicotine-based vapours are illegal for anyone under 18 and have considerable restraints around general sales.  We have suspended students as young as Grade 4 for bringing and sharing ‘vapes’.  Carrying the responsibility for your students’ health whilst they are at school, we have reacted very strongly to ‘vapes’ being brought to school and then shared with others.   I have attached the vaping awareness-raising information, that we have previously sent out, to this newsletter. Our penalties will remain strong and we encourage you to make sure that your children do not have access to these devices and hence do not bring them to school.

Next week is Multi-Cultural Week and we look forward to this wonderful celebration of who we are at Calamvale; it sadly fell victim to Covid last year.  So, we are back, better than ever in 2021 with a wonderful theme and logo as the focus of the celebrations. The event is presented by our Year 12 International Baccalaureate students with support from Mr Davis and Mrs Ellis; many thanks to the whole team for the event. This year’s theme is The Beauty of Diversity with an Olympics flavour. We are looking forward to next Tuesday when our students will experience the culture and food of our community and hopefully the perspective of others’ in the world.

 

(Student logo artwork credit – Astrid Messerschmidt, Yr. 10)

Today was the Year 12 presentation of ‘Love Bites’ which is an officially sanctioned program that addresses issues around consent, domestic violence, responsibility and rights.  We had 14 presenters from community agencies and the police cutting across cultures and experiences.  Our students were both interested and respectful and we hope that there are conversations emerging from this at home.

We hope to send a pictorial newsletter home next week, that reflects some highlights of the term and focuses on Multicultural Festival.

NCCD Data collection

Junior School Athletics Carnival

Junior School began semester 2 with an exciting day of athletics at their Athletics Carnival.  It was wonderful to have parents in attendance and the students really enjoyed being able to perform in front of parents and grandparents.

The day began with Cobar winning the March Pass and Boree coming second.  After a day of great competition, we ended with Tharah taking the overall win. Well done Tharah, well deserved.  Congratulations to all of our young participants who ran, jumped and threw all day long – it’s all about participation!
Many thanks to our staff who make this day possible, special thanks to Mr Vine and Mr Eaton for all their preparation.  Enjoy some great pics.

COVID-19 Vaccine update and thank you from Dr Jim Chalmers MP

 

 

Principal’s News

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM

As semester 2 begins, we are delighted to announce that Calamvale Community College has received candidacy for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP).  This means that we are on our way to completing the IB full circle across Prep to 12.  Ruth Smith, Coordinator of the MYP will be writing in each of our newsletters with information about the MYP program.  In short, MYP extends the inquiry-based learning of the Primary Years Program that CCC has in Prep to Year 6 and continues to develop our students’ capability across the next phase of learning.

CCC plans to seek authorisation for the MYP at the end of 2023, at which time we will become a P-12 International Baccalaureate World School.  Please see the further article in this newsletter explaining more about MYP at CCC.

MYP Middle Years Programme video

 

 

Welcome to our new Heads of Programs

Larissa Solah Head of Program Languages P-12

Welcome to Larissa who comes to Calamvale from Mansfield SHS.  Larissa has a long history in language acquisition and is very keen to expand our languages program and intensify the support provided to our language acquisition program.  We have a very vibrant languages program at CCC led by a very experienced and diverse staff.  I acknowledge the work of Louise Brown and then Alex Chen for term 2, both of whom followed Sarah Thomas in the leadership role.  Languages is an area of great excitement and development in as we work towards full participation as an IB World School.

 

Ben Harvey Head of Program Innovations P-12

Welcome to Ben who will be leading our Design team as we develop a signature program that focuses on entrepreneurship in design, digital solutions and robotics.  Ben comes to CCC from Gladstone SHS and has had extensive experience in working with both schools and industry and we are excited to welcome him to our team.

I would also like to acknowledge the work over the last ten years of Marie Moo, who has been the key facilitator of our BYOD program at the College has shepherded us to the point where we can begin to go to the next level.  Marie has worked across P-12 in that time and has developed the skills of both staff and students.  I join with our whole community in thanking Marie for her work and dedication to the College.

 

Celebrating Calamvale Community College’s 2021 School Review

Thank you to all of our parents who participated in the review, providing the visiting principal reviewers with your views and feedback. We are so proud of what our College has achieved and are grateful to our community for all of the support that has been given to us.
I want to acknowledge and celebrate our teachers, heads of programs, deputy principals and administration and support staff. We are a big team, but we are absolutely dedicated to the success of our curious, creative and clever students across Prep to Year 12. Thank you to the whole team for your commitment to ensuring that every student has the opportunities to achieve their potential.

I have included the infographic summary from the review team and also the executive summary of the report, which will be posted on our webpage.

 

EIB_Calamvale Community College_Executive Summary_2021

STYMIE

Like all schools public or private we continue our campaign “Saying NO to Bullying”. Since the adoption of the STYMIE reporting program, we have been able to respond much more effectively to students’ issues of bullying. This anonymous platform is monitored throughout the school day and responded to by the deputy principal of that year level.
Through STYMIE we have been able to respond to student’s calls for help as well as provide parents with valuable information in support of their children. STYMIE have now produced a QR code for students to access the site to make reports. Post COVID, everyone is familiar with QR codes and we are keen to share this with parents and students alike.

As is always the case, if you as a parent have a concern or a query and don’t know who to contact, you can send an email to admin@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au This email is checked daily and someone will respond to you within 24 hours. Of course you can always ring the school and follow the prompts to the appropriate sub-school or service.

 

WOLVES Sport

It has been a big month of sport for the Calamvale Wolves. Check out our athletes in action below!

WOLVES VOLLEYBALL INVITATIONAL
In week 5 of this term the Wolves hosted our first major sporting event, the Wolves Volleyball Invitational. The night had music, highlights on the big screen, player introductions on the screen for all Wolves athletes, trophies, and an electric atmosphere! It was said that the crowd could be heard from within the restaurant and CPAC all night! As a lead in event to the Volleyball Queensland Intermediate Cup we invited fellow high performing Volleyball schools in to compete in a tri series format. Both Mansfield SHS and Woodridge SHS jumped at the opportunity. The Invitational had four divisions, Year 9 Girls, Year 9 Boys, Year 10 Girls and Year 10 Boys, that had the teams facing off for the title of champion school! Our teams battled hard all night with our Year 10 Boys making the Final, however we fell just short with Woodridge SHS taking home the trophy at the end of the night.

 

VQ INTERMEDIATE CUP
Week 6 saw our four squads of Junior Varsity Volleyballers head to Toowoomba for three days of gameplay in the states major Volleyball tournament. Students were arriving at the College as early as 6am and returning home as late as midnight. Our teams, coaches and support staff performed to such as high standard across the event which saw our Year 9 Boys reaching the final and ultimately finishing in second place winning the silver medal! To put into perspective the growth our teams have made in 2021, in 2020 we entered two teams in this event with each winning just one out of their six matches. In 2021 we finished 2nd overall, 4th, 6th and 6th with a win/loss record of 12 wins 8 loses across the event. Four of those loses came on finals day when we reached the pointy end where only the best teams remained in the gold medal hunt.

METROPOLITAN WEST CROSS COUNTRY MEET
Our Wolves Cross Country squad had their best performance thus far with our strongest ever squad competing at the Metropolitan West meet. We finished with two students in 7th place (just one spot off making States), one in eight, and one finished… sixth! This means Harrison Young is off to the State Meet for Cross Country which is an enormous achievement. Our Cross Country runners have for the first time been training since the beginning of the year under Coach Watson and this is certainty paying off.

AFL STAR ON THE RISE
Congratulations to Ryan Gilder who has continued to add to his sporting profile as he was successfully selected in the State squad for Australian Rules Football. Ryan was selected through the Metropolitan West Carnival and has since been offered a spot in the Brisbane Lions Academy.

 

 

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALLERS DOMINATING THE USL
Our Varsity Boys Basketballers are dominating at the United Sports League. The team are currently undefeated as they near the finals. They have defeated teams such as Trinity College, St. Philomena, and Parklands Christian College.

Nurse News

 

Instrumental Music News

A big Congratulations to two Calamvale Community Instrumental Music students, Phileas Huang and Hugo Chiang who have been accepted into the  “Australian Honors Ensemble Program”.  Both Students were successful in passing the audition process and were accepted into this years’ program playing Percussion.

Run by the QLD Conservatorium of Music, thousands of students from all over Australia apply, so it is a very prestigious program to get into.   Phileas was accepted into the Wind Ensemble and Hugo was accepted into the Symphony Orchestra.  They will both now get to play alongside some of Australia’s finest young School Musicians as well as work with Professional Conductors and Tutors.  What and amazing experience it will be!!

 

Congratulations to both boys.

The IB Middle Years Programme at CCC

This term, CCC has been working towards applying for candidacy for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Adding the Middle Years Program to the Primary Years Program (PYP) and the IB Diploma already in place means that CCC will become the first state school in Queensland to offer our community a world-class education through three IB programs.

We have been holding Parent Information Sessions to provide information about this exciting development for students and families in Junior Secondary. These sessions have been well- attended, and parents have expressed their enthusiastic support for bringing this programme into Junior Secondary.

What is the Middle Years Programme (MYP)?

The MYP is the second of the programmes offered by the International Baccalaureate (IB). “The MYP encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world, preparing them for success in further study and in life. The MYP aims to develop active learners and internationally minded young people who can empathize with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning. The programme empowers students to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of significance locally, nationally and globally. The result is young people who are creative, critical and reflective thinkers.” (https://www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/what-is-the-myp/)

Who is the MYP for?

The MYP is a framework designed to meet the needs of all students in early adolescence. It can be adopted by schools in different ways to suit the needs of the school and the community. CCC will begin by offering it to students in Years 7-9. All students will undertake the MYP, just as all students in Junior School undertake their learning in the PYP. The framework is flexible, and allows us to continue to meet the needs of all students in our community. Students with disabilities, students whose first language is not English, as well students entering APEX and ADP, will all be learning in the MYP framework. MYP is for every student in Junior Secondary.

How does the MYP connect to PYP and IB Diploma?

There is continuity between the MYP and the other programmes CCC is authorised to deliver. The MYP continues to develop the Learner Profile and Approaches to Teaching and Learning which are common to the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and continues into the IB Diploma.

What do students learn in the MYP?

Students study academic subjects from 8 subject groups in the MYP, and these subjects are those we already offer in Junior Secondary. Their learning is discipline-based, and encourages them to think like experts in these subjects. They learn to be curious, active learners through inquiry which is already the approach being used in our Junior Secondary classrooms. The MYP framework is not a curriculum, but a framework designed to work with the curricula of any country. Students at Calamvale will still be studying a course based in the Australian Curriculum.

How does it prepare students for Senior Pathways?

MYP gives all students the opportunity to achieve to their potential, and prepares students for the multiplicity of pathways offered in our Senior School. The understandings, skills and dispositions developed in the MYP set students up for success in the pathway they are best suited for, whether that is the University-focused pathways of ATAR and IB Diploma, the wide range of opportunities in the Diploma of Business, or the work-focused pathways of VET and work-readiness.

As we move towards candidacy for the Middle Years Programme, more parent sessions will be held to keep our community informed of our journey. Please join us to learn more about how the MYP and an IB education benefits children of all ages at our College!

Leo Club

Hello everyone!

Later this term, we are hoping to start a sustainable gardening club for Calamvale Community College, as a part of our Itime global competency project. Participating Students will be able to help grow fruit, vegetable and herbs for use in the food technology and hospitality classrooms, and learn about sustainable practices. To do this we need your help! Please donate seeds, edible plants, soil or gardening equipment to the front office every Wednesday morning, this will then be collected by the Leo club. Thank you to anyone who donates!  There will be a sign and box places at the front of the office very Wednesday morning in Term 2 and 3.

Tayla Buckley, Year 9 student

HVIA Excursion

On Friday 14 May, 17 Calamvale students who are currently completing the Cert II in Automotive (pre-apprenticeship course) attended the Brisbane Truck show sponsored by the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia. In the morning students congregated in the South Bank Piazza where students observed apprentices locating and fixing faults on trucks. Students were also able to mingle and speak with training organisations such as Tafe QLD, who can offer pathways in heavy commercial / trucking industries.

The afternoon session was at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre for the Careers Expo and students learnt about the wide array of products, services and vocations associated with the trucking industry.

One of the highlights of the day was rubbing shoulders with some visiting NRL stars and photo opportunity with Latrell Mitchell from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

 

These students are to be commended on taking on this opportunity, being engaged with the stallholders.

Many thanks to the team at HVIA who completely funded the transport and ticket registration for our students to attend and to the supervising teachers on the day Mr Williams, Mr Ueta-Sietene and Mr Coke.

College’s Mobile Phone Policy update

We have now come to the end of the first school term of the College’s Mobile Phone Policy’s full implementation across Years 7 to 12. College staff have reported better engagement in classes, as well as more personal interaction between students outside of class time. There has also been a significant decrease in at-school online bullying issues. The positive impact of the Mobile Phone Policy to the culture of the school is heartening.

During the term, students have been given the opportunity to become accustomed to the ‘off and away’ approach when phones are visible and in use. All students are now fully aware of the College’s expectations around this through ongoing communication on an individual and whole-school level.

In Term 2, due to the common understanding around students not having phones out in any way, students seen with a phone in the playground will be instructed to hand it into Student Services until 2.30pm.  Student Services have mobile phone lockers and students will be given the key for the locker holding their phone. Failure to comply with this instruction will be managed by Deputy Principals and will be considered a serious non-compliance with school routines.

To clarify, students will be instructed to hand phones into Student Services when they are:

  • Using their phone
  • Listening to earpods, headphones, speakers as they are linked to a phone
  • Carrying a phone in their hand
  • Showing their phone in their top pocket

Phones must be ‘off and away’ at all times, except for use in the canteen. Teachers will apply the same process in the classroom environment, unless senior students have been given explicit permission to use phones in unique circumstances for an agreed period of time.

As has been communicated in previous letters and newsletter articles, students who hand in phones will personally place them in a locker and will be given a slip with the locker number, as well as the key. Only the mobile phone owner can access the phone. Phones can be collected after 2.30pm each day.

We appreciate the support of parents in the implementation of this policy, as a phone-free environment enhances learning and social interactions of our students.

National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence- 19 March 2021

On Friday 19 March the College joined the nationwide movement with schools across Australia to Take Action Together against bullying. This theme aimed to elevate student voice and empowering them to join the conversation.

At Calamvale Community College we promote and build a culture of a supportive learning environment. Together we can make a change. Everyone has a role to play in supporting young people in dealing with bullying and the NDA events aimed to help start positive discussions.

Students have a voice in talking about bullying. Our college created a NDA video which was shared during connect and placed with the community on Facebook. The main message contained within the video was to take a stand and report – talk to someone or Stymie it! Stymie is an online platform that allows students to confidentially and anonymously report concerns they have about other students.

Primary School Factsheet: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/resource/fact-sheets/documents/primary-school-students-cyberbullying-fact-sheet.pdf

Secondary School Factsheet: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/resource/fact-sheets/documents/secondary-school-students-cyberbullying-fact-sheet.pdf

Stymie- https://www.stymie.com.au/

 

Year 8 News

 

Solar Panel update

The Solar Panel project has commenced at CCC. Buildings are being analysed, measurements are being taken to determine the best placement for the panels.

 

The project is expected to be completed in 2021.

Fire Fighters

On Thursday the 25th of March we had an exciting visit from the Firefighters from Acacia Ridge.  They spent time sharing some vital Fire Safety information and we also got to learn about the different parts of the Fire Engine.

First the Firefighters showed us the clothes and equipment they use in a fire.  This included their uniform, Ninja hat, mask and oxygen tank. We got to see how different they look when they are fighting a fire. It is difficult to hear the Firefighters call out in a fire, so they showed us how it sounded and what to look for.

Next we learnt about fires. Fire Fighter Chris taught us how to STOP DROP and ROLL.

They talked to us about the importance of Fire Alarms and what to do if there is smoke in the house.  Ringing 000, was our reminder and Fireman Chris asked that we all learn our address, so the emergengy services know where to go.

Then we got to see the Fire Engine and learn about some of the equipment on the Truck.  It was very funny seeing some of our teachers hold and use different firefighting equipment.

 

We all felt a bit hot outside, learning about the truck, so they Fire Fighters gave us a quick sprinkle with the water.  Finally as the Fire Fighters left, they showed us the trucks lights and sirens. It was a fun, interesting and authentic way to learn about Fire Safety.

Thank you to all the Fire Fighters for their visit.  I am sure we all learnt something about Fire Safety, Fire Fighters and Fire Engines.

Principals News

I’m writing to thank you for your support of the College during this lockdown period.  It is quite difficult to coordinate a quick response in a very short timeframe whilst we also wait for the larger government organisation to make plans and communicate their response.  We could not do all of this without your support and we very much appreciate that.  It has been lovely to see so many of our parents coming back into the College this year; free to chat together and to meet with teachers at the classroom door.

Term 1 has been a really busy start to the year but it has been a calm start and we’re always happy about that.  Our students’ learning is maximised in a calm and curious environment where they feel safe and have learning as their focus. Unfortunately, this pandemic keeps ‘rearing its ugly head’ and we had to cancel our cross country and fun run which is a shame for the students.  Hopefully, Queensland has managed the situation well and term 2 will, at least, be back to our new normal.

Our senior students, both ATAR and IB have already engaged with some significant assessment.  Many of our certification students are well on track to an early completion of their course work.  Early results suggest that our students have really settled and are dedicated to their work which is demonstrated in improved grades that bode well for 2021 outcomes.

Our Junior Secondary students are enjoying their smaller classes and are really engaging with the inquiry process.  Junior School almost completed their face to face reporting before lockdown and I know parents were happy to hear how their students have settled into the 2021 school year.

Our Mobile Phone Policy across the College continues to be a struggle for some students, however the majority are able to keep their phones ‘off and away’.  With this policy in place, we have seen increased focus in class and a playground that is full of conversation and games being played.

We are looking forward to the launch of the Wolves’ new strip in term 2 and some new signage in the hall, heralding the Wolves’ competitive approach to all that they do.  This year the 48 km Kokoda Challenge is better than ever with more teams competing and each of them is better prepared than before.  We even have a 96km team participating led by Mr Male.  In the background, the rehearsals continue for CGEN and the CCC Musical; we wait in anticipation.

Best wishes for the holiday period, we hope that you have some relaxing and enjoyable times with your families, take care and stay safe.

 

WOLVES Secondary Sport

The new era of sport at Calamvale Community College has started with a bang! Our Wolves athletes have been lighting up the courts and are proving they can not only mix it with the best schools in the state, but also surpass them. With our squads now entering the biggest tournaments in Queensland we are taking our sporting prowess to the next level. In just ten short weeks the Wolves have achieved the following;

  • 33 Southern Scorpion representatives
  • 9 Metropolitan West representatives
  • 4 Southern Scorpion Swimming Age Champions
  • Sent 12 teams to the Volleyball Queensland Beach Cup on the Gold Coast (representing each year level and gender)
  • Won a Bronze Medal at the Volleyball Queensland Beach Cup on the Gold Coast (60 schools participating)
  • Ranked number 14 in the Queensland in Beach Volleyball
  • Played in the AFA Schools Cup – Futsal

Further to that our athletes have participated in the following training activities;

  • Training sessions at Hibiscus Sports Complex – Basketball
  • Training sessions at Nissan Arena – Netball
  • Training sessions at Sunnybank Community Centre Futsal fields – Futsal
  • Wolves Beach Volleyball Festival at Sandstorm Arena – Volleyball

We are extremely excited to see our athletes achieving such success and enjoyment so quickly. Their dedication to their squad, teammates, passionate coaches, and the program is a pleasure to witness. Our Netballers and Basketballers join the playing action next term as they have preparation matches, tournaments, and Leagues lined up (unfortunately these squads have had some Term 1 matches postponed due to lockdown). We have an ever-evolving fixture in 2021 as we find new and competitive tournaments and events for our athletes to participate in, and we are working hard behind the scenes to provide the best sporting program available.

 

The athletes new personalised training attire is scheduled to arrive in week 1 of term 2, along with the school purchased playing jerseys and dresses. We are also launching our online store this week through BLK where students will be able to also purchase personalised playing attire and other gear if they choose (this is not compulsory). Athletes have been asking for this for many years and now for example they will be able to purchase their own match day Basketball jersey in with their surname on the back and own number which they will carry across their schooling. This is a very exciting moment and details will be sent to students via email and TeamApp very soon.

Year 7 news

Here we are! Year 7s have made it to the end of their first term at Calamvale Community College! In celebration, we had an end of year assembly to reflect on their experiences and successes.  The assembly was jammed packed with activities, including:

  • A live performance from Water Warriors from Urban Utilities. This wrapped up our Humanities Unit 1 focusing on water sustainability.
  • Classroom Karaoke “High Hopes” led by Miss Lucardi, with teachers distributing Easter goodies to the most passionate performers in the audience. Mrs Yan should have won best singer! This was certainly the highlight of the day.
  • Mr Duncanson, Year 7 Deputy Principal, gave students a glimpse of Term 2, and students participated in reflecting on Learner Profile Traits they developed throughout the term. This reflection is on page 106 of their organisers.  Mr Duncanson spoke about the cohorts achievements and how proud he was of their progress.
  • Mrs Thach concluded the assembly and each student was given a blank gratitude card to thank someone who has made a difference in their first term of year 7.  They filled in the note to thank a fellow student, friend, teacher or family member. Students were asked to be a communicator and a risk-taker and given the challenge of handing that card to the person they wrote about.  It was wonderful to see notes for teachers, families and friends being handed out.
  • The assembly concluded with a 6-minute video of Year 7 2021’s learning experiences and events throughout the term.  These photos and videos were submitted by teachers.  Students squealed and laughed in excitement as they saw their photos appear. Some of these images can be seen in the collage below.

 

 

As we head into the Easter holidays, we hope families and students have a wonderful and safe break.

3 Trees Café

3 Trees Café has resumed Breakfast service this year on Fridays! Students have enjoyed learning to cook a variety of breakfast dishes including poached eggs. Staff have enjoyed being able to start their day with a hearty breakfast to go with their morning coffee as well.

The 3 Trees Team looks forward to welcoming you back soon. All going to plan we will be offering dine in service again for the first time in over 12 months for breakfast next term.

QTIC Salute to Excellence 2020… Finally Celebrated!

The Hospitality VET Team had the pleasure of accompanying 2020 Year 12 Graduates, Ella Merrigan & Julia Alon to the QTIC Salute to Excellence Awards at City Hall. Ella was presented with her trophy as the State Winner for Food & Beverage whilst Julia was acknowledged as a Finalist for Cookery. It was great to catch up with the girls; Julia is now 5 months into her Chef’s Apprenticeship with The Star and loving every minute of it, whilst Ella is 2 months into her Diploma of Hospitality Management at TAFE and has commenced training to work in their restaurant 66 on Ernest – you might be served by her if you pop in on a Thursday night. We are looking forward to seeing what lies ahead for these aspiring ladies as they continue their Hospitality journeys!

Hospitality itime

Wednesdays have evolved in 3 Trees! Once a week we have a group of passionate students from our Hospitality VET classes join like-minded students from IB and the Calamvale Special School to develop their culinary skills. This term they have enjoyed working together as they focused on baked goods including Cheesecakes and Choc Mint Roulades.

Next term they are going to start putting their cooking skills to the test as they start to take over menu designs for functions and host some events as part of the IB CAS Program. Stay tuned for more information!

Industrial Skills

This term saw a change in direction for Industrial Skills at Calamvale. With a focus on building and construction students have really engaged with drawing building plans and using surveying equipment to set out the foot print of a simulated proposed new workshop for the college. An essential part of site preparation is knowing where a building going to be located, particularly in reference to other infrastructure, such as walkways, trees and a fire hydrant close to the proposed building site. Students had to deal with issues such as the weather, figuring out how to make their angles 90 degrees and how to check the set out was correct. Out old friend Pythagoras came to the rescue as students used the 3:4:5 triangle method to ensure their angles were correct. This was double checked using the diagonals. With the pegs in place and with the string line set out students measure levels using a dumpy level and staff to find how much fill would be needed to make the building area level. All year 11 and 12 Industrial Skills students were very engaged in these activities. A big shout out and thanks to Mr Nicholas Howe for all of his effort in helping get this project up and running so well.

 

 

 

Mr Mark Tunstall

Design and Technology

Nature Play Grand Opening

In years gone by, children could been seen playing outdoors, making mud pies, building forts with sticks and branches, hiding in the bushes and all sorts of imaginative games with the natural materials around us. In 2020, Calamvale Community College went back to nature, opening various gardens in the Junior School to allow this generation to connect and explore in NATURE PLAY. In the beginning it was simple and organic. Rather than telling students to “Stay out of the garden” and “Put that stick down”, student were encouraged to open their imagination and play in nature. Supported by their teachers to play safely, students collaboratively explored, built, crawled, played and dug their way around CCC gardens. These early connections to the natural world will undoubtedly have long term positive impacts on their connections to the environment in later years.

The passion and excitement for Nature Play grew. A new and exciting Nature Play area was developed and constructed. Mr Bear set curiosity alight in the Junior School as he began his work turning a once sparse and unused area in to a Nature Play delight. Every day, students could be seen in this space working together to create, build and play whatever they imagine. CCC students are certainly creative, curious and clever and Nature Play gives them a space to be all of this and more.

Science Department

Welcome to all our new students and families to CCC. All of you would have received a welcome email from teachers introducing themselves and providing you with the term outline. All junior secondary students in Years 7-9 have or will soon start their assessment for this year, which includes lots of hands on activities in the classes. Students are expected to come prepared to the classroom, and this includes bringing a laptop and a writing book. All students would be finalising their formative assessment in the coming week. Parents will be receiving phone calls regarding students’ progress, if their performance is unsatisfactory in Science at this time.

Senior students in Years 10-12 have also entered into assessment mode. Year 12 students, in particular, are completing their first summative assessment IA1 – data test. Science tutorials are being offered on Monday and Wednesday from 2:45pm- 3:45pm in DT21. Chemistry students have also started their titration practice after school on Thursday & Friday (2:30pm – 4:00pm). The Big Science Competition will also be taking place this year and is open to all Years 7-10 students. All students should also keep an eye out for some fun and exciting extra-curricular activities, such as Crystal growing, which will be advertised soon.

For further information please contact Head of Science Mrs Roshni Sharma – rshar3@eq.edu.au

 

What your child needs to Succeed at school

Are you a parent of a secondary student?

Generation Next has an article on How parents can help students in the senior years of school written by Andrew Fuller. The article states that parents have a vital role in helping students to:

  • Manage time
  • Manage energy
  • Manage stress
  • Manage to get everything in at the right time and in the right place.

Fuller provides details of suggested strategies to help parents achieve their role. Some strategies detailed are:

  • Developing a system – time management planning
  • Dealing with meltdowns and catastrophic thinking
  • What to do when the system breaks down or when your child won’t listen to you
  • How to deal with the build up to exams.

 

Link to full article: https://www.generationnext.com.au/2017/02/parents-can-help-students-senior-years-school-2/

 

 

Item 2

A quick guide to QUT: information session for Year 9 and 10 students

Join QUT student ambassadors and staff for a dedicated Year 9 and 10 session which will provide some tools to help students and parents with course and careers decisions. The session will cover:

  • career planning tips
  • differences between school and uni
  • QUT course information and admission pathways
  • Q&A with current students.

The webinar will be held on Wednesday 28 April, 5.30pm–6.30pm and will provide students with tools to help make course and careers decisions and advice about subject selection. Please register via QUT website:

https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/a-quick-guide-to-qut

 

Item 3

Year 11 and 12 QUT Advice night

Year 11 and 12 students and their parents are invited to get their questions about university answered at the QUT Advice Night on Wednesday 24 March, 5.30pm–7pm. The webinar will offer advice about course and career planning, how to apply to university, study costs and resources available to support parents and students throughout the year. There’ll also be the chance to hear from real students about their university experience and ask questions about their course and university life.

Please register for the event: https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/advice-night

University Experience on Campus Days

Our Year 12 and 10 IB cohorts had their first excursion for the year, visiting Griffith University, Health Sciences on the Gold Coast and QUT Kelvin Grove campus respectively.

The Year 12s had a focus on the Health industry, specifically Pharmacy and participating in hands on workshops.  As well, there was a professor who led a research workshop, perfect for finalising their Extended Essays and upcoming Internal Assessment.

The Year 10s had an introduction to academic research and writing as well as a Q&A with graduated IB students and gaining an insight into life at University and the benefits of IB.  There was even some friendly, yet competitive physical exercise involved!

Overall, very practical and knowledgeable days for our students and an introduction into life on Campus.  Our students represented the College admirably and took the opportunity to ask questions and be active learners.

Media Reports regarding Consent

The issue of consent has become a very concerning issue within our society in recent weeks.  There are calls for schools to do more to inform students about consent.  Calamvale Community College is taking this issue very seriously and considering how to progress.  If you would like to have these conversations with your students, I offer a YouTube video sent to us by one of our parents.  Far from trivialising the issue, it very simply explains the meaning of consent using the analogy of a cup of tea.  It is prepared by Thames Valley Police and I recommend it to you.

“Off and Away” Mobile Phone Policy

Since term 4 2020, Calamvale Community College has had an “Off and Away” mobile phone policy. Contrary to some community opinions, this was not a result of fighting or videoing of fighting. In fact parents whose children has been involved in physical incidents complain about the impetus that a video creates.
Our staff have noticed a marked increase in focus and attention without mobile phones in class. Our deputy principals have noticed a marked decrease in playground harassment without mobile phones in the grounds during school time.
The College has invested in 100 mobile phone lockers for student use, located in the Uniform Swap Room. We have also invested in $70 000 iPads for use in HPE and the Arts where mobile phones have been a valuable resource in Junior Secondary classes. Unfortunately due to shipping delays, these are not yet onsite. Seniors (Years 10-12) are able to use mobile phones in class with teacher permission for specified lessons
Speakers, headphones, air pods and Apple watches are all included in the “Off and Away” policy and our playgrounds are no longer filled with inappropriate lyrics from music played loudly in common areas. There has been an uptake of sporting games at lunch, there are increasing numbers of lunch activities being offered by both staff and students to ensure that our students are occupied without their phones.
Of course students with medical issues requiring phone access have an exemption with written permission, as have students paying with Applepay and the like at finance and canteen.

Please support the College in keeping your students focused on learning and reducing the bullying and harassment that social media brings. STYMIE continues to be a valid way for students to anonymously report bullying or harassment wherever it occurs on campus: www.stymie.com.au

2020 Academic Success

As well as being some of our best champions of the values of this College we have ever graduated.  As well as being respectful and responsible, which most students achieve as they pass into senior years, this group have taken resilience and initiative to another level and have been rewarded with outstanding results and a very positive outlook on life.  The cohort who began our Prep year, graduated Junior School in Year 6 and commenced Secondary School in Year 7, faced new senior system, the first year of external exams in both ATAR and IB Diploma.  They were our first group to really embrace the Diploma of Business as a university pathway and they enrolled in certification and work readiness programs with enthusiasm.

Above ATAR score of 90

including IB students

OP equivalent 5 20% of eligible students
IB scores above 33 OP equivalent 5 20% of IB students
Above ATAR score of 75 OP equivalent 10 80% of eligible students
Above ATAR score of 65 OP equivalent 15 90% of eligible students
Diploma of Business Equivalent 82-87 ATAR University Entry 23 completed
Achievement of QCE Pending additional results 88% of students currently

Whilst the ATAR students had an internal assessment item removed, which may or may not have been beneficial in the end, the IB students had an even closer level of scrutiny with all internal assessments being externally marked.  Our 2020 cohort, their resilience and their initiative have given us one of our best academic years.  All of our IB students have enrolled in university, as have our ATAR and Diploma students who chose this career pathway.  Our Certificate of Education results were reflective of all students’ hard work and we applaud their efforts and their triumphs.  We are so proud of the achievements of our students and their subsequent pathways into careers and work.

CCC has continued our upward trajectory of achievement with a dual focus on graduating students who are ready to be changemakers and citizens of the world with an eye for the perspectives of others and a passion for celebrating and embracing diversity.  For CCC, 2020 truly was, in the best way, unprecedented.

A Message of Congratulations to 2021 Captains and Ambassadors from the College Principal

Each year I have the privilege of acknowledging and congratulating our student leaders for the year ahead. Our Senior Leaders, four school captains and four ambassadors are now half way through their journey as the Junior School leaders join them today .

“Article 12, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says that Every child and young person under 18 years of age has the right to participate and have their opinions included in decision-making processes that relate to their lives.”

Children are experts in their own lives and experiences. We work collaboratively with children and young people because it is their right to be heard on decisions affecting them and they can provide advice and valuable insight into how their rights can best be protected and fulfilled. Participation is one of the guiding principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and a specifically protected right.

Every child has the right to dreams and the right for them to come true
Help pay more for stopping deadly viruses
Help children in third world countries
People should stand up for their rights

Along with rights come responsibilities – in order to have a say, you have to have a voice and be willing to make it heard. You are well aware of what is happening in the lives of children around you, sometimes this is unknown to adults present such as teachers. Children were aware of children in their friendship groups, schools and communities who were experiencing abuse, neglect, violence, discrimination, bullying, poverty and mental illness, to name just a few issues. You want more ways to lead action to tackle these different issues, with the support of adults, instead of the other way around. Children and young people, YOU are active citizens. Despite not always having direct mechanisms to express their opinions on decisions made by the Government, you are highly engaged on local, domestic and international issues. Sometimes you are worried that adults and decision-makers were not planning for an equitable and sustainable future and that you will be the ones to deal with the future repercussions of delayed action on issues such as climate change, conflict, universal education and poverty.

You are dedicated to equality and believe that if all people were treated equally and given equal opportunity, this would address the root cause of many issues you see in society.
Congratulations to our new team

Junior School Captains – Arjav Rabari, Hannah Marsden, Junior School Vice Captains – Amber Sangha, Kayden Gunn and International Captain Charlene Chen

College Captains – Erica Ventura, Rabia Farooq, Disha Rabari and Raha Foroughi, House Ambassadors – Bella Brady, Maryam Rezayi, Ronan Masn and Connor Andrews

So Leadership Team of 2021, I think you know exactly what you want to do this year. I think you have vision and agency. I think across the world your generation is mobilizing and I look forward to following you as you stand up for what you believe in and you ensure that what you believe in, exists here at CCC, happens here at CCC, shines here at CCC – reflecting you and your dreams. Have a great year leadership team of 2021, the first of the decade – Go Team Calamvale!

2020 Alumni

It was an absolute delight to welcome back our 2020 graduates to celebrate their achievements in the previous academic year. Admittedly it was the universities’ ‘O Week’ and so some were unable to make it, but so many made the effort and we were grateful. Our current Year 12s were inspired by the successes and it was great to hear the course in which they are all enrolled and see their enthusiasm for the next stage of life.

Our students were also treated to a presentation by the College Captains of 2018, Makayla Mason, Matthew Butler and Haneen Hawari.

All three had very different life experiences after they left school. The stories of work opportunities, struggling to find the right course and to go in search of their passions was inspiration both in itself but also in its lack of the stereotypical ‘after school’ life. I think our Year 12 got a great understanding of the imprecise nature of selecting university course or indeed of what exactly you might want to do post-school – and that is great, because it reduces the stress of needing to know everything and get it right first time. CCC is so proud of these three young people and we wish them well as they continue on their pathways. Congratulations and thank you Makayla, Matt and Haneen.

Congratulations to all award recipients and best wishes for the year ahead to one and all.

Health & Physical Education News

HPE is off to a cracking start in 2021 with plenty of authentic learning experiences for our students!

Date claimers: 25 Feb Yr 11 Recreation Moreton Island camp; 04 Mar Yr 12 Karawatha Trek; 31 Mar Annual Cross Country; 01 Apr ADP Live and Breathe Leadership Day; Term 1 yr 10 Golf workshops and Term 2 Yr 10-12 Physical Education University of Qld Biomechanics and Motor Learning Workshops

HPE Week 1-5 March 2021

1.A challenge is out there to  all p-6 classroom teachers to do some physical activity (or yoga) for 20min per day during the week 1-5 March 2021.

2.   All teachers p-12 could try some Brain Gym activities in their classes. Or try some at home:

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/10-best-brain-gym-exercises-kids/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5ChXC-rHLE

https://youtu.be/pCpiteBel8E

 

3. Blake Bunn and his Fitness classes will be doing some screenings for teachers 2nd break (12:45-1:20pm). Email Blake BUNN, Blake (btbun0) <btbun0@eq.edu.au> , (cc me in BULLION, Michelle (mbull13) <mbull13@eq.edu.au> ) …teachers could have a ‘free’ training program designed for them. Keep your eyes posted for parents over 50 to join us for a screening in term 2.4. Yr 7 ADP: AFL workshop 10-11:45am on Thursday (4th March). Plus, any interested AFL players to the oval first break Thursday 4 March.5. Yr 4/5 ADP: AFL workshop 11:15-11:45am. Any other students interested in AFL come to the oval (wet weather plan – sport hall).6)   Yr 12 Rec going on a Karawartha Trek 4th March.

4. Yr 7 ADP: AFL workshop 10-11:45am on Thursday (4th March). Plus, any interested AFL players to the oval first break Thursday 4 March.

5. Yr 4/5 ADP: AFL workshop 11:15-11:45am. Any other students interested in AFL come to the oval (wet weather plan – sport hall).

6)   Yr 12 Rec going on a Karawartha Trek 4th March

10 Must Do Brain Gym Exercises for Children

 

You can boost your child’s cognitive skills with a few exercises. Read further to know the brain gym exercises that young child must do for mental growth.

 

Brain Gym Exercise for Students

Yoga in the classroom

Calamvale Wolves News

The Calamvale Wolves have now selected their 2021 High Performance Sporting squads for Volleyball, Futsal, Basketball and Netball. This is truly an exciting moment in sport for the College. These squads are the first in our new era of sport and are already preparing for upcoming tournaments. We have our Volleyball squads attending Sandstorm Beach Volleyball Complex to prepare for the Volleyball Queensland Beach Cup. We have 12 teams entering this tournament which will likely have CCC as the highest entered team. We also have six Futsal squads who are preparing for the Brisbane Metro All-School Futsal Tournament to be held at Nissan Arena and Oxley Futsal Club. Our Netball girls have been travelling to Nissan Arena to train in a elite facility, and will soon be joined by Queensland Firebirds players for specialist coaching. Finally our Basketball squads are in the early stages of preparation for their CBSQ Tournaments later in the year by travelling to Hibiscus Sports Complex. Our Varsity Boys will also be entering the United Sports League in term 2 which is a Monday afternoon tournament.

Our new training jerseys and training attire through elite company BLK are being ordered this week and we cannot wait to see our teams rocking their new stylish look.

 

Investiture and Year 11 and 12 Awards Ceremony

This was a wonderful opportunity for the whole College and wider community to join together to celebrate the very best achievements of our 2020 Year 11 and 12’s.   We also acknowledge our 2021 Secondary School Leaders and Announced our Junior School Student leaders.

 

Please enjoy our student accomplishments and Leaders announcements

 

School Based Youth Health Nurse

APEX welcome 2021 Year 7 class.

After a long selection process, including the creation of an academic portfolio, cognitive testing, and interviews, the successful 2021 Year 7 class was welcomed to the APEX family in style. In Week Seven this term, current APEX student volunteers became mentors. The 2-hour workshop included teamwork, Q&A sessions, VR experiences and rocket launches. Both the incoming class and existing APEX students put their best foot forward and showed us what CCC can be – Curious, Creative, Clever!

 

 

 

 

Arts Update

Despite 2020’s best efforts to suck all the joy out of life, CCC’s Arts Department refuses to submit – with staff and students alike toiling behind the scenes to bring a little bit of colour and a lot of artistic flair to Term 3 and beyond! Our Drama department has an ongoing partnership with Queensland Theatre as part of the Scene Project. In Week Nine our Year 11s will be travelling into the Bille Brown Theatre to perform their take on “Wisdom” by David Burton for other schools and for the professional actors and directors of QT.

Our resident thespian group The Company have been hard at work on Monday afternoons all year, and we finally have a date for our much delayed production of Romeo and Juliet! For two nights only on Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of September, head to our amphitheatre space out the front of CPAC at 5pm for our twist on the star cross’d lovers, in an action packed half hour show. We’re still crossing our fingers that 2020 doesn’t let us down and torpedo your chance to see it, but musical rehearsals are getting serious – and hopefully Term 4 will unveil our school production of Footloose for your viewing pleasure! Keep your eyes peeled for more information to follow.

Finally, Visual Art students have been showing off their incredible talents – make sure to step into the CPAC foyer in Week 9 and 10 to be blown away by the Year 12s exhibition. On top of that, eight of our Year 11 and 12s have been selected to exhibit at the Logan Art Gallery as part of ‘Artwaves’ from 11th September to 17th October, and some have been chosen for the Creative Generation Excellence in Art regional exhibition – with the possibility of being selected for exhibition at GOMA in 2021!

Photo: Year 10 Art students on excursion – with Artist Gus Eagleton and the mural he painted, outside his studio in the “super-ordinary” project as part of the Brisbane Street Art Festival 2020

Pathways 2021 and Beyond

This process is in full swing as we speak. Students in Year 9 are selecting their pathways for their senior years and students in Year 10 are preparing to review their achievements this year before confirming their pathways for Year 11.

We have returned to a pre-requisite based process, in an effort to curb the number of subject changes that students in years 10 and 11 are making due to underperformance in academics. This year, with limited ability to meet with parents, students are selecting pathways rather than subjects with a heavy emphasis on required pre-requisites for career choices and evidence-based decision-making using students’ own academic results.

The College is promoting the Diploma of Business as a guaranteed pathway into a range of tertiary course for those students who are not achieving grades sufficient to pass the external exam component of ATAR. The Diploma will require a B grade in Year 10 English and will enable students to study two other General (ATAR) subjects whilst remaining ATAR ineligible with a pathway to a tertiary course.

Students seeking employment will have five Certificate 3 course from which to select and the opportunity to couple this with 5 Applied subjects. The new alternate pathway GOYA Day every Thursday for Years 11 and 12 will further support these students as they develop a portfolio to fast-track their employment options.
I encourage you to speak with your Year 9 and 10 students about their pathways, rather than specific subjects and ensure that you have sufficient information to support their choices. Please access the Pathways Book on the website HERE and contact a Guidance Officer or Deputy Principal for any further advice required.

 

 

Principal News – Mobile Phone Policy

Our College is currently reviewing our mobile phone policy which has been in place for a very long time. When the policy was last reviewed, 7 years ago, our College had very poor wi-fi connection and was in need of an overhaul of entire system to improve connectivity and download speed. That process was completed last year and we have seen a significant improvement in access to the system this year. In conjunction with that there has been a significant uptake in the BYOx platform with most students now having access to a device of some type other than a phone. Although phone cameras are still used in class and occasionally in media-style classes, most students have an alternative and the College is investigating the provision of more resources to support filming and photography in particular classes.

We are of course aware of the importance of the mobile phones to parents, in terms of communicating with their students for both safety and convenience. For this reason our review of the policy is certainly taking into account that parents value their students having access to a phone at the beginning and end of the school day.
There is no intention to hold students’ phones as an organisational practice or to assign all students a locker for their phone. It may eventuate that if students are found to be breaking the College mobile phone policy, that they may have to place they phone in a designated locker for which they are given a key. This arrangement is still pending the conclusion of the mobile phone survey of parents, teachers and students.

Mrs Angel, secondary principal, has sent information along with the survey link, so please take the time to read the PowerPoint and complete the survey. At present the prevalence of mobile phones is reducing our students’ ability to study, socialise with those around them and as one parent pointed out quite publicly, can even provoke fighting.

We look forward to your feedback which will be given due consideration with that provided by staff and students. It is our intention to have a revised policy in place for Term 4, 2020.

Year 8 APEX Excursion

On Friday of Week 7, Year 8 APEX attended their annual university excursion. 8A and 8C students attended two half day workshops. Rockets 101 – run by QUT Science, Technology and Engineering faculties allowed Students to investigate the relationships between force, mass, thrust, speed and different fuel combinations in order to launch the highest rocket. Students also had the opportunity to explore The Cube – one of the world’s largest interactive digital display systems. The Physics Observatory was a virtual feast and allowed students to run tests on falling objects and a pendulum under different gravity conditions. The second half of the day explored the Liveability of Brisbane City. This workshop – led by executive principal Lisa Starmer – had students exploring the city’s botanic gardens to identify how green spaces are used and are integral to the design of sustainable cities.

2021 Prep Enrolments

We are taking our 2021 Prep enrolments NOW!  See our website for enrolment forms or email admin on admin@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au and we can contact you with more information.

QTIC Salute to Excellence 2020

2020 was a year that saw both the Hospitality & Tourism Industries go on hold and for the first time ever, many businesses closed their doors. It was an uncertain time for everyone and both industries evolved quickly in order so they could re-open. Nothing is the same, but through it all the industries have started to grow again. The inaugural Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Salute to Excellence also had to move with the times. Up until this year, nominees had to write a 3000 word application and then had to attend a Skills Day where they were put to the test in their chosen category, up against their peers. This year was different. The nomination process started being the same however; it then changed overnight into a purely online format.

Calamvale had four Year 12 students take on the challenge to enter this year, two for Cookery and two for Food & Beverage. These four girls all had to film their skills test and then edit it down to just five-minute clips, which was not an easy task. The Cookery entrants had to prepare and present a two course meal whilst the Food & Beverage entrants had to set a restaurant for a three course meal which they then had to serve, including wine service. The next step involved them participating in, group challenges with peers from all over the state, and interviews with personnel in 5 star establishments – all via zoom. It was a real challenge this year, as it also tested their technological skills.

Through it, all they stood by each other and supported one another, which was fantastic as ultimately they were competing up against each other. The girls even opted to participate in the online day at school during the June-July holidays so they could be there for each other. We could not have been more proud of these girls and their perseverance to become finalist in this year’s QTIC Salute to Excellence.

The Awards Ceremony like so many others this year was also online. The four finalists, their teachers/trainers and members of the school administration team all came together to celebrate their accomplishments over afternoon tea in the room their journeys began in just three years ago, their Hospitality classroom. We were so proud to see all of the students acknowledged as finalists and received work experience with The Star Hotel Group: Hannah Getawan & Ella-Louise Merrigan for Food & Beverage along with Julia Alon & Makayla James for Cookery. We were left speechless however when Ella was also announced as the State Winner for Food & Beverage being awarded a scholarship to complete a Diploma in Hospitality Management with TAFE Queensland next year.

The Hospitality team are extremely proud of all the girls and their accomplishments; they all have futures ahead of them in the Hospitality industry and now is the perfect time to enter it, as new doors are beginning to open every day.

Hospitality VET

The Year 12 students have almost finalised their Certificates so our Year 10 & 11 students have to take on new roles and responsibilities in 3 Trees Café. In order to support their development, they have been busy learning new skills.

Year 10 Hospitality & Kitchen Operations

In order to ensure our Year 10s meet the legal requirements of being Hospitality employees, they attended an all-day incursion led by Training Direct Australia to gain their Responsible Service of Alcohol certification. This day also marked the completion of their first competency in their chosen certificate course so their studies are now well underway and many of them have already worked their firstshift in our fully licensed venue, 3 Trees Café. The Year 10s have also been busy catering various functions at school and have proved they can work effectively as a team. We are very pleased to welcome them to our 3 Trees Team and feel we have many buddying Chefs and Baristas in our classes.

Year 11 Hospitality

The Year 11s have had to step up over the last few weeks and take on new roles in 3 Trees Café to ensure it can continue to operate smoothly once the Year 12s leave the team. The have spent the last term, working closely with the 12s that have been coaching them during their shifts. The Year 11 Hospitality class is now focusing on their studies on becoming Baristas. The students have realised this is a challenging role to take on, as there are so many different types of coffee to learn. We are exploring these both in class and during shifts from 7am each day, as each students work towards being able to produce 30 different coffees independently in order to meet the competency requirements.

Year 11 Kitchen Operations

Just like their Hospitality counterparts, the Year 11 Kitchen Operations students have had to step on as they take on the role of running the kitchen during our Friday cafes. The students have embraced this challenge and have been working side by side with their Chef Trainers to produce a regular weekly menu. The students have been learning how to prepare a variety of soups over the winter months and each week have sold out their steak sandwiches. Throughout this journey, the students have also been working on refining their knife skills during class time.The Hospitality Teaching Team is looking forward to watching the Year 10 & 11 students as they continue to blossom in their new found roles in 3 Trees Café as they continue to work towards attaining their Certificate II in Kitchen Operations and Certificate II/III in Hospitality.

Nature Play is coming to Calamvale!

In collaboration with a landscape architect from Nature Play Queensland, a beautifully designed space is coming to life in the Junior School. This Nature Play area will allow students the freedom to engage in imaginative play in a clean and natural environment. Without the restraints of structured, overly designed playground equipment, students will create their own fun in a dry river creek with water pump, a spacious sand pit, climbing mound, balance logs and sandstone blocks for casual seating under the shade of a row of trees. The excitement is building as students watch Mr Bear piece together this natural wonderland!

Keera House Celebration

The Keera students had a wonderful time at the Junior School House Celebration in Week 4.  The students climbed, crawled, raced each other and their teachers and had a wonderful time.  The added demands to meet current Covid-19 restrictions meant extra organisation and supervision around hygiene before and after each session, but then the smiles of delight on the students’ faces meant that this was all worthwhile.

Science Week

During National Science Week 2020, the Science Department ran Trivia Questions daily at breaks, based on a variety of different topics, one being the “The Science of Love”. Students who partook in the trivia, enjoyed the different and amusing questions that were posed and loved learning about Science outside the classroom. There were many who had a newly founded interest in Science and discovered a knack for trivia too. Year 11 Science Ambassador’s also had various activities during the breaks. For the taster day Year 5s also observed a few chemical reactions and created “rainbow in a beaker”. They applied knowledge on density to create different coloured layers. Great resilience and group work demonstrated where students were not afraid to make mistakes and start over from the beginning. “Science is all about finding out and it is ok to make mistakes” said by a wise year 5

Heart dissection by year 9 students

 

Year 10 Biology students collecting primary data to investigate the process that underpins the plant growth. Students used variety of equipment and techniques in collecting the data
Year 5 students visiting senior school, students very curious about the reactions and understanding physical and chemical changes. Lots of questions such as why there is a colour change? Why did it change from powder to foam? Why is it going up? Etc etc

Wear it Purple

 

 

For Wear it Purple Day (28th August), students and teachers alike united to celebrate diversity and our generation of change-makers! At Calamvale, we know our students achieve when they feel safe and respected. Visible inclusion is a great way for us to support all students, and we accept our gender diverse students for the creative and committed learners they are. The students showed great enthusiasm and support for their peers, and sported wristbands from the Wear It Purple organisation, with any proceeds directed to Open Doors Youth Service. Calamvale is dedicated to creating change-makers with a global awareness and empathy towards others.

 

 

 

Year 10 Cert III Laboratory Skills

This term, 34 Yr 10 students in the IB readiness program kick started their skillset by completing a Certificate III in Laboratory Skills. This is a nationally-recognised qualification that was facilitated by an external Registered Training Organisation. Our students were required to complete 13 elearning modules for their theory components and then spent a week in the science labs completing practical, experimental scientific sampling. They tested samples of water, looked at workplace health and safety, mixing of chemicals, prepared microscopic samples, recorded and presented data and looked at environmentally friendly practices. This provides a skillset that makes them immediately employable, plus it provides a high baseline level of knowledge when they are required to design and facilitate their own Science assessment experiments in Yr 11 and 12. An additional bonus is that this provides 8 QCE points into their learner accounts and provides an entry level into University – all before they’ve started Year 11.

The group was commended for their commitment, team work and humour.

Year 5 Exhibition

In Week 4, Year 5 celebrated the end of their Unit of Inquiry about How The World Works. They researched scientists and inventors and created experiments to demonstrate the scientific principles associated with light and matter. They presented their portfolios to other students, teachers and the leadership team, including Mrs Welch and Mrs Starmer! The children were excellent communicators, sharing their knowledge and answering probing questions about what they had learnt. Feedback from the Year 5 children revealed that, while a little daunting, they loved sharing their learning in this way.

Mock Exams for both Year 11 and 12 have run during Weeks 6,8 & 9. These are important opportunities for students to practise retrieving knowledge and applying skills in examination conditions that will mimic External Exams taking place for Year 12 in Weeks 4-7 in Term 4. Additionally, the examinations provide excellent information for teachers in the development of targeted teaching and learning leading into the real thing to ensure students are in the position to perform at their best.

 

Principals News – College Support

Calamvale is an Independent Public School with a designated catchment for enrolment, providing a valuable education to all students within our community. We are not a selective entry school that chooses which students attend, we are a diverse and proud College that is inclusive of all students representing a broad range of values, cultures and languages. It is our intention to meet the needs of all of our students and we strive to achieve that goal each and every day.

The last few weeks have been difficult for our College and our community. Our 2400+ students have a reputation for being capable, confident, respectful and achievers. This is something we have worked hard on over the last few years, under my leadership, by investing in professional development of staff and student development programs and guidance. I care deeply about our students, staff and our entire community of parents, carers and friends. For the last six years, our College has prioritised the shaping of character, the building of resilience, the learning of courage. These goals are repeatedly modelled and embedded into our school culture and supported by a dedicated team.

It is rarely possible to have binary responses to student behaviour. Adolescents (Year 4-12) require support, understanding, consequences and opportunities to redress their behaviour and have an opportunity to grow.

What does Calamvale currently do?

Every student has access to teacher leader, in addition to their classroom teachers, to whom they may go with any welfare issues or concerns that they may have, including complaints about bullying. In Junior School there are seven people available as Heads of Program (4) and Deputy Principals (3). In Secondary School there are sixteen House Leaders (most of whom are Heads of Program) and three Deputy Principals who will speak with any student who has a concern. All of these people are in regular communication with parents and records of these contacts are retained for future reference.

 

SUMMIT is a program staffed by a Guidance Councillor Mrs Cath Sander, Head of Program Mrs Alison Jordan and a Youth Support Coordinator Mrs Kelly Hebert, who provide behavioural modification programs, counselling and one-on-one support for students who present with challenging behaviours at school. This service is solely funded by Calamvale Community College and runs from a designated classroom within the school, with staff regularly attending class with students, providing non-penalty withdrawal, liaising with teachers and supporting individual students daily.

Guidance and Support Services: CCC employs four Guidance Officers, two above our allocation of staffing to support our students:
Ms Nerieda Andersen
Mrs Sarah Stubican
Mr Adam Williams (Mrs Julie Dodt on leave)
Mrs Cath Sander (SUMMIT)

CCC also has available to students:
Indigenous Liaison Officer Mr David Swanson
Chaplain Steve Parker
Teacher Aides Student Support: Mrs Xian Haidley and Mrs Sue Bremner
Community Nurse: Ms Alayna Patterson
School to Work Transitions Officer: Mrs Dee Dobbyn

All of these staff are provided to support students and are directly accessible to students and most to parents as well. In addition to these people and resources, we have had a “Wellbeing Program” in place at CCC for five years based on a philosophy of Positive Education which has been taught to all students Prep to 12 in classroom contexts. However reflection and review are important aspects of a growth mindset and so we are currently undertaking a review. The College already had a Mobile Phone Review in place and this will be concluded this term with outcomes to be implemented next term.

What More Will Calamvale Do:

Adopt the STYMIE program enabling autonomous reporting of incidents of bullying or self-harm through a downloadable App which will provide another avenue of support for students. This program will be launched on Tuesday 15 September and be operational for Term 4.

R U OK? Day will see the launch of a Health and Wellbeing page on our website which will include a public interface for student support information that is currently internally available to students on OneNote, as well as mental health checks and links to community agencies that can assist a student in need.

Review the SUMMIT program to ensure that the most needy students are included in the program and that parents are more strongly committed to the program with a partnership of share responsibility

Review the ‘Positive Education’ program based on the Geelong Grammar model and discuss the benefits of the ‘Positive Behaviour for Learning’ program that is currently a feature of schools local to Calamvale, but just outside of our immediate vicinity. We will report to P&C with the outcomes of this investigation.

Our students have achieved some wonderful outcomes in the last six years and they continue to embrace challenges and our College continues to support them in achieving their full potential. We are grateful to so many of our parents who have supported the College and their students through this time and have continued to focus on high achievement and application to the upcoming assessment period. Over the last four weeks we have had APEX excursions, Literature Festivals, Year 5 Exhibition, House Cup celebrations, the launch of the Calamvale Wolves Sporting Program and a dramatic performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Next week, our students Years 6-12 will enjoy a specially commissioned play “The Last Days of Bedlam SHS” and construction will continue on NaturePlay for the Prep to Year 5 students.

P&C News – Containers for Change is Back! – Fathers’ Day Thank You!

CCC’s award winning Containers for Change recycling program is back! After a COVID19 interruption our community again has the opportunity to support the environment and our kids by donating eligible containers. Every container is 10c that goes directly to supporting our students. Each month during school terms collection days are held between 7:00-9:00am at Junior School drop off. Our next collection date is Tuesday 15th September. We have recycled over 150, 000 containers so far and need your help. Bring your orange Envirobank bags or containers (lids off) and make a difference to the planet and our school. How many can you donate?

 

 

Also a BIG

 

to our P&C volunteers for their organisation around the Fathers’ Day Stall today. There were some very excited students at the drop off zone on Thursday afternoon.

 

Secondary Literature Festival – Writing Workshops

Wednesday 19th August and Thursday 20th August

This year’s Secondary Literature Festival explored the theme of “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”, and our students definitely harnessed their imaginations throughout the day of Writing Workshops. Lead by our passionate and creative English teachers, the students attended four different workshops exploring four unique ways to create narratives.

Miss Lucardie asked students to use personal objects and plasticine to shape abstract settings to create unique descriptions.  Miss Enoch explored oral traditions and storytelling, getting students to manipulate messages and tone in their creation stories.  Mrs Schloss put herself and students in roles as part of a process drama to better understand character.  Mrs Bailey utilised virtual reality to challenge students to build amazing narrative worlds.

The students were extremely focused when writing their unique creative responses, which they have edited with the help of teacher mentors.  These responses are ready for publication in our upcoming annual Student Anthology, to be released in Term Four.  We all look forward to seeing the results of such inspiring work.

Final Day of Bedlam

In Week 10, the P&C has organised something special – to help break up the pressures of the final week of term and bring a little entertainment and excitement back into 2020. We are lucky enough to have Backbone Youth Arts coming in to perform in CPAC throughout the week, with their production of “The Final Days of Bedlam” by award winning playwright David Burton.

It’s the final few days of school…EVER. Audiences are thrust into a fictional version of today where school is no longer compulsory, in fact school for most young people will no longer exist. A group of students at Bedlam High contemplate what this means for them and what they want next. Do they even want to go to school? Should they start their own school? What do they want to learn? What will the world be like without school? The only thing that’s certain is these last few days are complete bedlam. The Final Days of Bedlam is a play written for young people to ponder the role of the classroom, their power and politics, and what learning means.

SOUTHERN SCORPIONS BASKETBALL REPRESENTATIVES

Recently we launched the new look sport where students trialled and were selected for the Calamvale Wolves Senior and Junior Varsity teams. The four core sports of our sport program focus on Basketball, Netball, Touch Football and Volleyball. Recently we celebrated the success of our Senior Varsity Volleyball team who competed at the Queensland Schools Cup Volleyball competition. We look forward to tracking and celebrating further success of our sports stars in the future.

Upcoming Events include the following:

VQ Intermediate Cup Boys and Girls (9/10 combined)

All-Hallows Touch Football Tournament (13, 15, Open Girls)
All-Hallows Netball Tournament (13, 15, Open Girls)

CBSQ Open Basketball Tournament Boys (Open)

CBSQ Junior Secondary Basketball Tournament Boys and Girls (15’s)

CBSQ Open Basketball vs. Woodridge SHS Lead In match

CCCVolleyballvs. B.C.C Volleyball Boys and Girls (CCC 11 Boys vs. BCC 11 Boys, CCC 10 Boys vs. BCC 10 Boys, CCC 8 Boys vs. BCC 8 Boys, CCC 9 Girls vs. BCC 8 Girls)

 

Basketball Celebration

With new ‘new era’ of sport well under way we are already seeing individual success stories emerging. A number of Basketball squad athletes have successfully trialled for and been selected to represent the 13- 15 years Southern Scorpions at the Metropolitan West trials.

We are very proud our athletes and their commitment to their development.Congratulations; Franczesca Balbarais, Reatha Morrell, Pania-Maria Haereiti, Thalia Janson, Jordan Anthony, Zeke Byrne, Tyrese Letalu, J Ventura, Taine Haereiti, Jafe Ogabang and Raymond Malanum

 

 

3 Trees Café – Year 12 Takeover

The Year 12 Certificate II/III in Hospitality & Certificate II in Kitchen Operations students don’t have long to go with their studies, so the teaching team decided to let them experience running the café all on their own.
The Year 12s worked together to design the recipes and menus which included doing all of the ordering and considering the costing involved plus the roster and role allocations. They then worked together to offer a Breakfast Menu to Calamvale’s staff and students on Thursday mornings throughout the term. The teaching team were always on standby but were able to enjoy breakfast themselves as the 12s had everything under control.


The students embraced this opportunity and actively sought feedback in order to improve each week. The most popular items were their Waffles & Frappes that changed each week in order to meet customer’s requests.


The Year 12 Café Takeover was a huge success – the students worked exceptionally well together and were a strong team that are definitely ready to take their next steps out in industry!

The Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea 2020

 

IB and Hospitality have joined forces once again to participate in the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea. This year was certainly a challenge as we had to work together to overcome a few COVID obstacles so we decided to do a cupcake drive instead a stall.


We still managed to sell 130 cupcakes and with donations, raised $204.50 for the Cancer Council.


Shout out to Latisha Hicks-Greenaway who took on the Student Coordinator role this year – she organised the advertising, customer ordering process, cupcake decorating and delivery of the cupcakes to students across the Secondary school. She did a fantastic job to make sure the event ran smoothly.

Special mention to the Year 10 Hospitality & Kitchen Operations students who baked all the cupcakes, along with the Year 10 & 11 IB students that helped on the day. Our Biggest Morning Tea was a huge success thanks to everyone’s willingness to jump in and be part of the team.

Junior School Writers’ Workshop

 

After successfully applying to participate in the Junior School Literature Festival, 42 very excited Year 4, 5 and 6 students arrived for two jam-packed days. There was a buzz in the air. The festival kicked off with five workshops, designed by Calamvale teachers, to provide provocations and inspiration for writing.
The Virtual Reality session, run by Secondary School teacher, Mrs Bailey, transported students into another world where they experienced the sights, sounds and wonders of a magical, mythical new world. ‘This is the best day of school ever, and it’s still only 9:30!’ exclaimed one of our Year 6 boys.

Mrs McLaren explored a Narelle Oliver picture book and modelled a range of drama techniques, to support students to visualise the story and make inferences. Students worked collaboratively to create soundscape to represent an event in the story. Groups worked with Mrs Allen and Mrs Welch to hone their skills in using the five senses and  developed the ‘Show not Tell Strategy’ to enhance their writing.
The second day was intense, a day full of crafting, writing, revising, redrafting and editing. It  required students to take on feedback, demonstrate a growth mindset and persist to produce their best work yet. It was fabulous to watch so many like-minded students share their thoughts, experiences and passion for creativity.

Look out for their published work in our Junior School Anthology early next term!

 

Secondary School News

It has been a fabulous term 3. With COVID plans in place we have been able to create, deliver and connect with our students, teachers and our wider community. Many thanks to our English teaching team for delivering a sensational Literature Festival and to our Science teachers for a scintillating week of Science during last weeks ‘National Science Week’. This week I was thrilled to attend the first performance of Romeo and Juliet performed by our committed students. This talented group of artists have been working hard all year to prepare, and have battled against COVID restrictions to be able to perform. The Arts are alive and well at Calamvale and our talented students never cease to amaze me. All of these events allowed students to immerse themselves in their passion and revel in their favourite subjects.
Last week our current Academic Program of Excellence (APEX) students mentored the incoming 2021 cohort through an afternoon of challenge and bonding. It was delightful to see the leadership and enthusiasm displayed by all.

 

We were pleased to be able to connect with our parents and caregivers at Student Led Conferencing in Week 6. Thank you to those families who came along to hear your student’s reflections on their learning journey so far and their actions for the future. Also during week 6, our Year 11 students had their first experience with Mock Exams. We would like to congratulate them on the maturity they displayed with the autonomy that is granted during an exam block.

Finally, I was elated to attend the Year 12 Formal in week 5. The students presented themselves beautifully and immersed themselves in the evening. I am certain the night steeled their reserve to dig deep and finish their high school education strongly. Currently our year 12 students are in their final Mock exam period. In Week 10, they will return to us, ready to reflect on their exam results and put study plans in place in readiness for their official External Exam block which will begin in Week 4 of Term 4. It has been a pleasure to work with this year 12 cohort and I look forward to celebrating their success at the end of their journey at their graduation on Friday 20 November.

Year 5 Taster Day

The Year 5 Taster day gave the Calamvale Community students the opportunity to try a high school setting. There were a range of exciting experiences on offer from students creating music using digital audio workstations, exploring chemical reactions and appreciating the colourfulness of Science. They used a range of food resources to design and create three different food parcels, explored programming to move a robot through an obstacle course, developed a prototype in a virtual world, explored artwork to reinterpret the world around them and finally they developed and built a design in response to a challenge. It was a fabulous day. The Year 5 students said:I was a communicator when I worked together with other students when doing the design challenge.I became more knowledgeable when I thought about new ideas in philosophy.I became more knowledgeable when I didn’t know how to solve the escape puzzles in the Philosophyclass when we had to figure out the codes to get out of the escape rooms.I was an inquirer when I was doing music because I was asking lots of questions about how the song sounds.I enjoyed Taster Day because it was fun and it was getting us to try things like cooking, designing, music, etc. (future choices!) We are lucky to go to CCC!

 

Tharah House Rewards Day

Tharah rewards day was postponed till Friday, Week 10 Term 3 – yes the last the day of the term. What a way to finish the term. It will occur in Sessions 3 and 4 and the students will experience a movie, a gladiator course,basketball inflatable and a 30 meter inflatable obstacle course.Permission notes were emailed home earlier this week and are due back by Week 10.

2020 Senior Formal – Magical Wonderland

Formal The College was the first state school in QLD who proceeded with a formal in Term 3. It was a spectacular night and was a formal like no other for all the right reasons – there was karaoke, magicians, music, videos and glamour. There were people who worked tirelessly to ensure that the evening was memorable for all the right reasons – thank you to all of the staff that worked together to make this an event that our Year 12 students will never forget and was a true highlight of 2020.

 

 

Yr 11 Chinese Hot Pot Party

Yr 11 Chinese Hot Pot Party organised by the Mandarin class as an authentic cultural experience. The class designed their own ingredients list and planned the event – in Chinese. This emphasises our importance on learning ‘language through culture’. The Chinese mother-tongue students joined in and explained the hot pot tradition and how it is to be enjoyed, allowing them to introduce and share their own culture to others.

In the absence of so many external cultural experiences that we normally engage in, it is great to see the students participating in a rich and authentic experience within the classroom.

Stay tuned – a newsletter written, illustrated, edited and published by students for students. A Year 11 CAS (Creativity | Activity | Service) project involving many students across multiple year levels. First edition landing soon!

 

Year 7 APEX Excursion

Week Seven was a busy week for APEX. On Thursday, our Year 7 APEX classes went to Boondall Environmental Centre. This excursion, in place of the annual trip to UQ, allowed students to delve deeper into their Ancient Australia inquiry. Rick, our cultural educator, helped students to explore Dream Time stories, fire making techniques, boomerang throwing and the use of symbols for communication in Pre-Colonial Australia.

After lunch, students had the opportunity to explore the wetlands and develop their creative side. Students used curriculum knowledge from the Visual Art and Film and TV electives. They explored the influence of natural surroundings on art as well as applied their knowledge of the elements of photography to take some stunning photos, pictured below.

Yr 11 IB Core Camp

A closed Stradbroke Island didn’t deter us from holding our annual IB camp experience. Like true problem-solvers, the team re-designed it into a CCC campus incursion with overnight sleepover included.

In Week 10 Term 2 our Yr 11 IB students participated in a 3-day camp experience that will be hard to be beat in future years. The Camp focused on the IB Core and wellbeing and developing the full suite of skills including self-regulation, collaboration, taking care of self and others, as well as a focus on academic research, writing and reflection in preparation for their TOK and Extended Essays.

It began with a CAS nature and art walk through Karawatha Forest and followed with some hilarious team building activities. The Coordinators – Mrs Sihvola, Mr Davis and Mrs Thomas did an excellent job of providing diverse, challenging and rich experiences to bring the team together

  • Representing the learner profile through a balloon sculpture activity
  •  High-challenge, high communication, high stress escape room competition
  • Exploring internationally minded issues through virtual reality
  • Mute puzzle storytelling sequencing (yep as complicated as it sounds)
  • Early morning, group exercise activities before breakfast
  • Indigenous oral history and art experience (thanks Miss Enoch)

Our philosophy/theme for the three days was “when you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence” and we focused on being grateful, supportive, working ‘round table’ to problem solve. Plus we literally ate around a large kitchen table.

Thanks to the catering team at school who provided the delicious food.
A truly memorable experience!

 

Term 3 Uniform Shop Hours and Containers for Change is coming back!

Uniform Shop Hours

Normal Hours will resume on 13 July 2020 – Appointment Only!

Monday             8.00am – 12.00pm

Tuesday                   CLOSED

Wednesday        8.00am – 12.00pm

Thursday           2.00pm – 5.00pm

Friday                8.00am – 12.00pm

 

 

 

Immersion Day

Platypus Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 classes had an Immersion Day to celebrate Chinese Culture. We were open-minded to trying new things and participated in a range of fun activities including painting designs on fans, practicing our Chinese writing and numbers, making a yummy edible teacup, colouring a Rat for Year of the Rat and playing some Chinese games.


Our favourite activity was leading our partner, who was dressed as a Chinese Lion, by playing a drum. Miss Chen demonstrated how to make Fried Rice and we got to taste some, the students all agreed it was delicious!

At the end of the day we watched a Dragon Boat Race then reflected together and thanked our teachers and teacher aides for organising the Immersion Day. Students got to take the items they made to show their families.

We had a wonderful time celebrating and can’t wait for Semester Two!

 

Secondary School News

I would like to recognise the contributions of parents and resilience of students during this last term of learning at Calamvale. Whilst many students have flourished, we recognise that it was a very different way of learning to what we had planned at the start of 2020. It was delightful to see our students taking positive action towards acts of kindness on Friday 19 June, when we celebrated our inaugural Kindness Day. It was a lovely way to lead our Year 7-10 students into their exam block during week 10.

In Semester 2, we will see some significant changes in our staff for a range of reasons. We have some staff returning and leaving from maternity and long service leave which means that we must say goodbye to a number of our staff who have been on contracts with us. I would like to say thank you and goodbye to Dr Gary Lake, Sean Lans, Nia Eaton, Anita Parakh-Morgan and Warwick Comber. We will be welcoming back Huon MacKinnon-Farnworth, Michelle Bullion, Sherri Lilly, Theola Mason and Rebecca Robertson and new to the College will be David Jiang and Renee Dillon. Due to these variations, there will be a number of changes occurring to student timetables. All students will be issued with a new timetable on Monday 13 July. We will be beginning the new Semester with an assembly, so all students should go to the Sports Hall on the first bell at 8.25am on Monday 13 July. They will receive their new timetable during lesson one. Throughout the first week of the Semester, students will cover sessions on creating or re-connecting with essential agreements in their classrooms, upcoming assessment for the term and appropriate study skills and goal setting to ensure your child is reaching their potential. In Week 2, you will be emailed the Semester 1 report card for your student. From Week 3, teachers will be conducting phone interviews for Student Led Conferencing. Information regarding how to book an interview with your student’s Connect teacher will be released with the report card.

Please note that in Semester 2, we will be continuing to adopt our blended approach to learning in the classroom. Consequently, as per our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy, every child is required to bring a charged laptop or ipad to school every day. These will be audited during the assembly on Monday 13 July.

In the meantime, I would like to wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday, and we look forward to welcoming your student back to us for another successful Semester at Calamvale Community College.

Congratulations and Happy Holidays

2020 was always going to be year of firsts, as our seniors graduated the International Baccalaureate Diploma for the first time and our ATAR students negotiated external exams also for the first time and then we ran into the pandemic.  So in addition to those first, we have cancelled just about every event in our school calendar and toggled between face to face and learning@home for all of our students from Prep to 12.  We have learned to wash our hands and social distance and many of our regular routines and practices have been changed for the foreseeable future.

From a positive perspective, we have all become very capable in a digital learning world.  We have found ways of staying connected through virtual parades and zoom meetings and our students have continued to collaborate both inside our College and online.  We have shared arts performances by the teachers, who could forget ‘Footloose’ and beamed our Students of the Month home through SeeSaw and Youtube.

The strong sense of care in our community has been evident as parents, teachers and students have supported each other with messages of appreciation and kindness.  Our students led Kindness Week across the College and had those messages into tangible signs which was heartwarming.

My sincere thanks to our whole staff team, admin, teachers, support staff, teacher aides and cleaning staff – we could not have journeyed through this semester without our strong team.    Many thanks to parents and carers as well and to our students for their resilience in difficult times.  We hope that you enjoy the holidays without the burden of learning@home, I know the staff are looking forward to the two weeks.

Take care, stay safe,

Lisa

Principal’s News

Term 3 and Covid-19 Restrictions

As we emerge from the most severe of the Covid-19 restrictions, some of our procedures will be reduced and others will have to remain in place. From July 10th much of the responsibility for the Covid-19 restrictions will rest with the College. Where we can provide the correct social distancing, we will run events for the students. The use of an RSVP process will underpin our management of the number of people at any event.

There is a new calendar up on the website and below are some of the highlights and the thinking behind the decision to run particular events:

Both athletics and cross country carnivals have been missed and there are no state level competitions. We are endeavouring to run a ‘competitors’ only event for students who train for these sports. This will provide event times for those students who require them for non-school ‘meets’ as well as an experience for our Year 12s for whom this is the last set of school carnivals.

Assemblies will return to the school calendar for both secondary and junior schools, but not for the whole college.

Awards nights, performances and exhibitions are postponed at this stage and will not occur in term 3. Where it is possible there will be virtual displays of art and live streamed or pre-recorded performances. The students will be able to attend performances as it is only the parents and staff for whom we have to provide social distance. If we are not able to host over 500 people for an event this year, we will seek to postpone the awards ceremonies to the beginning of 2021 unless there is another solution.

Parent-teacher interviews and student –led conferencing will be postponed and instead phone interviews will be held. Where appropriate meetings will be held using Microsoft Teams as a virtual facility.

 


Year 9 and Year 10 Senior Pathways parent information and SET planning nights will be held in the gym, with appropriate social distancing, which may feel a little sparse but we have the space and technology to do this. These will be advertised this week and held in weeks 1 and 2 of Term 3. There will be ATAR, Certificate and Diploma sessions as well as IB sessions using CPAC for the smaller group.

The Year 12 formal will go ahead on Thursday night August 13th, although Rydges is unable to host our senior cohort in a manner that will allow the students to enjoy the event, due to restrictions. CCC will subsidise the formal so that we may hold a very elegant event in the gym, which will be unrecognisable with wall screens, and props. This is a one-off for 2020 which has been a particularly difficult year for the seniors. Unfortunately, whilst there will be a photographer for the students and a photo booth, we cannot have family photos due to the crowding – so these should be arranged prior to arrival. We will have the car parade but no pre-formal event as we cannot use share plates, drinks or allow gathering of adults. Information will continue to be made available via email to Year 12 families.

Elsewhere in this newsletter is the publication of my letter to our local representatives regarding our on-going traffic problems. Due to the tight spaces around the Prep building and the confluences of paths around the Year 1 classrooms, we will continue the LookOut program for term 3. Parents will be welcome to park and queue for their students.

2020 Year 12 Formal Information

We can now confirm that the formal will be held at CCC and will be an amazing ‘one of a kind’ event.  As we prepare bookings for flooring, furniture and very impressive room-conversion decorations, we will keep you informed.

There are still rumours, the latest being that the tickets will cost $200.  As I wrote in the email home to parents on June 9, the College will seek to subsidise this event.  The ticket price will remain the same although there will be no family photos. The tickets are normally approximately $140 and the students have fund-raised to reduce this cost, this year is unlikely to be any different.

The Year 12 formal will go ahead on Thursday night August 13th, although Rydges is unable to host our senior cohort in a manner that will allow the students to enjoy the event, due to restrictions. CCC will subsidise the formal so that we may hold a very elegant event in the gym, which will be unrecognisable with wall screens, and props. This is a one-off for 2020 which has been a particularly difficult year for the seniors. Unfortunately, whilst there will be a photographer for the students and a photo booth, we cannot have family photos due to the crowding – so these should be arranged prior to arrival. We will have the car parade but no pre-formal event as we cannot use share plates, drinks or allow gathering of adults. Information will continue to be made available via email to Year 12 families.

Mobile Phone Policy

At various meetings held in Term 3, we will be consulting with parents and students about our existing BYOD and mobile phone policies.

Whilst most of our students have access to a digital devices, some do not. Since the weeks of learning@home during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have found more flexible ways to learn using our digital devices. Whilst computers are not essential to learning, they are very useful devices and our students have significantly developed their capacity to use these, as have all staff. The College has a proposal to support families in accessing digital devices for learning in 2021. This will involve a payment made over three years for the use of the device and more details will be provided in Term 3.

Our P&C have brought to the College Administration’s attention, issues regarding mobile phones. From the College’s perspectives phones can be a very useful device, with a calculator, web access and a range of apps that are useful to students. The same device circumvents Education Queensland’s filtering services, making social media accessible to students throughout the day. Phones also provide easy access to videos, music and photos which are frequently air-dropped to large numbers of students in the immediate vicinity, which is not desirable.

We are open to a community discussion and development of mobile phone policy that will provide the basis of the College response to issues arising from mobile phone use.

Year 12 Career News

During iTime this week, Year 12 students were given an opportunity to learn about post-Year 12 pathways and QTAC applications. A copy of the presentation slides is attached along with the current information regarding open days for tertiary institutions. Students have been, and will continue, receiving information via the shared OneNote “Well-being and Career Hub” and regular updates via email.

Every Year 12 will receive an appointment time (regardless of ATAR, Diploma, Non-ATAR or IB) to meet with a guidance officer during Term 3. It is the responsibility of students to attend their allocated appointment time. For this appointment it is expected that students wishing to make QTAC applications have with them their “Guidance Appointment QTAC Preference Sheet” (see attached) completed and signed by parent/caregiver. Students are also encouraged to develop a list of any questions or discussion items to bring with them to their appointment. Students on a non-ATAR or vocational pathway will also be given the opportunity to meet with the guidance officer to discuss pathways and/or further study options.

All students who attended the presentation have received a copy the QTAC guide. The information contained in this guide is also available online via the QTAC website (www.qtac.edu.au). Students with VET qualifications (Cert III, Cert IV and Diploma) are eligible to apply for some universities and courses offered via QTAC. Please note, that students have been asked to use the adjusted ranks (not unadjusted) as their guide to receiving a successful offer in a course. There are details within the presentation slides regarding preferences courses and key dates.

Once students have completed their guidance officer appointment it is their responsibility to complete an application via the QTAC website. QTAC charges a fee of $45, which allows for three free changes of preferences (meaning students can change their preferences when ATAR/IB results are released –provided the closing date has not passed for their chosen course or offer round). It is also the student’s responsibility to ensure all necessary documentation is uploaded to QTAC, including EAS scholarship details, prior to any deadlines.

Guidance Appointment Preferences Sheet

Open Days 2020

QTAC Presentation CCC 2020

 

2021 Senior Pathways

As we approach the end of the first year of the new ATAR system (only 14 weeks before external exams) and as we prepare for our current Year 9 and 10 students to enter that system, we are preparing to share our learnings with both parents and students. The following information and further detail will be shared with parents and students at our information nights in term 3.
Every year 100% of our seniors graduate with a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). The QCE remains with us however it has become more complex to calculate. For students enrolled in ATAR subjects, mathematics and science results are dependent upon external exams for 50% of the grades achieved by students and Humanities for 25% of their grades. Schools can no longer reliably calculate whether students will have accrued sufficient points to effectively secure the QCE. Applied subjects are more predictable however Essential Maths and English still have an external exam component. In addition, the points accrued by certificates towards QCE and ATAR have changed, as has the rank-entrance to tertiary institutions of certificates and diploma level qualifications.
The more certainty our students can have about their subject selection, the more likely they are to achieve successful outcomes in Year 12. The more likely they are to secure their QCE and the next stage of their learning or work life. To that end, we are offering our students entering years 10 and 11, dedicated pathways instead of a collection of subjects. These pathways will lead students toward their chosen fields of employment via tertiary study, TAFE/certification or directly to work.
At next term’s Information Evenings for Years 9 and 10, five pathways will be presented to students.

In order to deliver these pathways, we require a more flexible day structure. We are proposing a flexible timetable one day a week.  This will provide a more personalised learning program.  On the flexible day, IB and ATAR students will operate on a traditional timetable with High Level subject study opportunities for the IB stream.

Students studying diploma and certificate courses will use this day to access their courses through our registered training organisations or through CCC delivery of modules.

Students enrolled in TAFE or traineeship will be encouraged to attend these sites on this day, although there is some flexibility, in doing so students will avoid missing four subject classes and being required to complete the work outside of school time and without direct teacher support.

Below is the proposed combinations of subjects that will deliver our best options for our students.

There is much more to discuss and questions to be asked.  All of this will occur in term 3 as we endeavour to provide a more responsive learning program for our senior students.

Secondary School Sport

Secondary Sport will adopt a dynamic new look in semester two. Students across the Secondary School will be exposed to exciting new opportunities that will raise the profile of sport within the College. Our developing athletes will now be presented with opportunities that they have never been presented with before which include entering Queensland All-Schools competitions that pit the best players in the state against one another and also the opportunity to play against new schools from outside of our school district. We are very excited for students to experience these new opportunities and immerse themselves into our new sporting culture. Go Wolves!

 

Calamvale Wolves Sports Department Proposal

Brenton Male – Secondary Sports Coordinator

iTime Term 2

This week, we have embarked on a timetable change which has taken effect as of Wednesday 10 June. We are trialling a swap between Lesson 2 and 4. This change has been made so that we can capitalise on the staff who are available at the school and to increase engagement into our iTime activities. All students in year 7-11 have chosen either mainstream iTime, Sport, Hospitality or Musical. Students in year 12 have been streamed into either Study Skills or Essential Maths Tutorial. Below is further information about each of the offerings

 

iTime Year 7-11:

 


Year 12 Study Skills: Students who are studying 3 or more General Subjects in yar 12 will be attending weekly study skills sessions. These sessions are aimed at building the student’s capacity to use high yield strategies to improve long term memory capabilities in preparation for external exams.  Students are enhancing their study planning habits, developing effective study strategies that can be implemented now, as they work through their final unit of work before exams.  Students are being provided with time to put their study habits in place and next term will focus on the real test preparedness hints and tips.

Year 12 Essential Maths Tutorial: In the Essential Maths tutorial we are analysing the Common Internal Assessment task and devising strategies to work through solutions for each style of question. We are also encouraging the students through this time to critically analyse their Problem Solving and Modelling Tasks, so that they follow the processes involving problem solving. Students will then be able to better understand the requirements of the Essential Maths course and complete it successfully.

Musical Year 7-11: Unabowed and indefatigable, the Arts Department refuses to let 2020 be the death of CCC’s proud tradition of entertaining school musicals – we are back and working tirelessly to salvage our production of Footloose. Whether it is ultimately seen by an audience or not is in the hands of the fates, but students are still being given invaluable rehearsal and performance experience – with an all-acting, all-singing and all-dancing cast giving their all, and a hardnosed, creatively inspired crew assisting with everything from costumes and props, to microphones, lighting and front of house.

Hospitality iTime Year 10 and 11: Students studying either a Certificate II/III in Hospitality or Certificate II in Kitchen Operations at Calamvale Community College have had the option of choosing Hospitality during iTime. This session is part of our Signature Program where students have the opportunity to go beyond the classroom to explore the industry and also develop their skills further in order to support 3 Trees operations. We are also working with our industry partners within the Global Competency context, to establish projects for our students to participate in, which incorporate charity and sustainability opportunities, once COVID restrictions are lifted.

Sport Year 7-11:  Due to Covid-19 restrictions Interschool Sport will look different for the remainder of term two. Each Wednesday students will remain with their current Summer Season Interschool Sport team to participate in a mixture of activities. These activities will relate to the sport they selected and will include team training, skill development, team strategy meetings and inter team tournaments. This is a very exciting opportunity as it allows the teams to further immerse themselves into their chosen sport and further enhance their sports specific skillset. Interschool Sport has also transitioned from session four to session two each week which will allow students to participate in their sporting endeavours earlier in the school day. With regards to the Winter Season of Interschool Sport it is currently postponed and we will provide you with further updates in the near future. (edited)

Response to traffic

Response to Traffic

Thank you for your patience with our LookOut Program for dropping-off and pick-up students this term.  I understand the frustrations, but please rest assured I have listened to every complaint and suggestion.  Unfortunately I have no authority to manage traffic and carparks outside the College fence and so earlier this term I have collated our efforts to address the issues and attached some samples from parent suggestions and sent the letter below to our elected representatives at Brisbane City Council and State Government levels.

Supporting Our Students Mastering English

At CCC we welcome international students of all ages. We recognise that the English language needs are very different, and we have a team of eight caring and experienced educators to support students to make the progress they need to be successful in all subjects.

Making friends with their English-speaking  class-mates, and engaging in regular lessons are all excellent ways of improving English through immersion. However, we also recognise the importance of students receiving dedicated English language lessons, where they learn vocabulary, grammatical structures and broader language skills.

On entry to the school, all students receive a language assessment to determine their level in each of the macro-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Students are assigned a bandscale level (1-6) to ensure that they receive targeted support according to their specific needs.

In the Junior School (Prep to Year 6), students are withdrawn from their mainstream classes to receive very small group (8 max) English lessons. These lessons run 2-5 times a week, depending on the bandscale level. In Year 5 and Year 6, the aim of the lessons is to prepare students for entry into secondary school. Two afternoons a week, after school, we run a Support Club where EALD stduents can attend to receive additional support to complete homework. This is particularly beneficial where parents have limited English to help their children at home.

In the Junior Secondary School (Year 7 to Year 9), EALD students are allocated to a smaller class (max 20) and engage in lessons taught by specialist maths, science and English teachers who are also enthusiastic teachers of language. A teacher aide also supports students in these classes. These classes allow students to learn English language through the content of the subject. Lessons are challenging in content, but scaffolded in language use. Progress in bandscale levels are closely tracked, to ensure that students are prepared for Senior years. Two afternoons a week, after school, we offer additional assignment and homework support at EALD Club.

In the Senior School (Year 10-12), students are supported through their chosen pathway. International Baccalaureate offer lessons in Chinese A (first language) and English B (additional language). We also offer English as an Additional Language as an ATAR subject (university ranking), and we provide in-class support to students who choose Essential English as their pathway. We aso encourage stduents to study their mother tongue through Distance Education courses where possible. Senior EALD students can also take advantage of an array of tutorials and after school support.

Throughout their time at Calamvale Community College, our international students feel well supported in their English and they make very good progress. Ultimately, our aim is that students confidently and successfully access the curriculum, eventually without support needed.  We find our younger students learn English very quickly and within 2-3 years no longer need any additional help. This is very rewarding for us.

Tips to Improve English

Read books, comics and English websites

Watch TV programmes and movies with English subtitles turned on

Make friends with English-speaking class-mates – arrange play-dates and activities at the weekend

Older students should be encouraged to live with an Australian family

Listen to English-spoken music

Keep a notebook to write all new vocabulary you learn throughout the day – and then try and use the new words yourself as quickly as possible.

Diploma of Business

The Diploma of Business provides an alternative pathway to the ATAR score for students into tertiary study.  In 2020, the Dip. Business is providing a rank of between 82 and 87 ATAR equivalence.  Commencing in Semester 2 will be our next intake window for the Diploma of Business, and will be made available to year 10 and 11 students meeting pre-requisites for course completion. This qualification has proven to be very popular and represents significant opportunities not only for future employment, but also for university entrance at a selection of local universities. We will continue our successful partnership with Axiom College as the external RTO and coursework provider, however we will be moving into a model where bv one of our own staff members will be delivering the face to face lessons to our Calamvale Community College students. This transition will significantly reduce the cost of the Diploma for students who enrol semester 2 in 2020 and beyond. Further details around course structure, price and enrolment in this course will be available to students and families.

 

3 Trees Café

In order to continue to provide an industry experience for our Certificate II/III in Hospitality & Certificate II in Kitchen Operations students, 3 Trees has been continuously evolving to reflect the impact of COVID-19. Term 1 ended with customers unable to even enter the café and now whilst we can welcome guests back in, we have chosen to remain takeaway only at this stage. The students have become more aware of hygiene and safety, whilst supporting us on our journey. We have seen this as a positive experience as we have been able to work together to review our service styles and menus, and consider ourselves very lucky as we have been flexible enough to not have to close our doors, even being able to extend our trading hours. We look forward to a time in the future when we can welcome the public back, and also offer dine in experiences. We will keep you updated on the CCC Facebook page – stayed tuned!

Junior School Report Card Information

At Calamvale Community College, we value ongoing communication between home and school and seek to make this communication as authentic and valuable as possible. We are always seeking to ensure that information provided enhances your understanding about your student’s current learning and helps you support their learning.

In Term 1, prior to the online learning period, parents had the opportunity to discuss student progress with the class teacher during oral reporting interviews. Some of these were held face to face and some were conducted as a telephone interview.
With the disruption to face-to-face learning and the onset of COVID-19 restrictions in schools, we have made the decision to delay our academic reporting period until next term.

You will receive your student’s academic report card on Friday 7 August (Term 3 Week 4), a delay of four weeks.

The Semester 1 formal report card will consist of achievement, effort and behaviour grades for key learning areas as well as generic subject comments. The final global comment will address the individual student’s progress.

A parent teacher interview affords parents the time and place to connect with teachers, discuss assessment items, review student work, share information and communicate a plan to enable the student to move forward with their current learning. After receiving your academic report, you have the option of making contact with the classroom teacher if you require an interview. You can do this by communicating directly with the classroom teacher via email or through the regular classroom communication channels.

Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely
Jackie Welch
Junior School Principal

CCC visit to Hangzhao Dong Fang High School

In November 2019, representatives from Calamvale Community College had the pleasure of visiting Hangzhao Dong Fang High School in China through EQI. During the visit the Secondary School Principal and Head of Program (Teaching and Learning) shared practices with our Chinese and other International Colleagues through workshops, cultural tours and many other amazing experiences.

The welcome and hospitality of the staff at Hangzhao Dong Fang High School were highlights of the visit. Principal Lee guided us through a tour of the school, which showcased the impressive facilities, the students and the culture of the school. The immaculate grounds of the school include beautiful gardens, and extensive facilities for the boarding students of this school. Through the grounds, there are reminders of the vision and philosophy of the school in both Chinese and English, reminding students to achieve their best through effort, persistence and positive attitude.

During our workshops, we worked with teachers from international backgrounds, sharing expertise of the Queensland Senior Curriculum and pedagogy in Australian and Chinese school settings. These highly interactive professional exchanges helped us to appreciate how Chinese students approach learning in the Queensland Curriculum, as well as sharing processes and experiences to support the teaching, learning and assessment of the curriculum.

Whilst we were at the school, we immersed ourselves as many aspects of school life as possible, from eating local Hangzhao food in the school canteen, to running with the students during their morning exercise session. Seeing a school cafeteria menu which included Bullfrog and Duck Feet as menu items was an experience, and very tasty! We were very impressed by the spirit of the students during the daily exercise, and pride and responsibility taken by each class for the cleanliness of the learning environment.

Not only were we able to experience and share the life of Hangzhao Dong Fang School, but our hosts kindly guided us through the sights, food and experiences of Hangzhao. Experiencing Hangzhao food and the sights of area was a highlight of the visit! We ate street food and local delicacies on our first day in Hangzhao along the banks of the Grand Canal. Hot Pot was definitely a favourite, with different types of meat, mushrooms and lotus. We attended banquets which featured a huge variety of local dishes, including stinky tofu, jellyfish and deep fried lotus, and we learned how to eat fresh local crab the Hangzhao way!

Our visit to Hangzhao included many famous local sights. A night cruise down the Grand Canal deepened our appreciation for the history and ingenuity of the Chinese people, and the beauty of the canal banks. Visiting West Lake, a famous scenic spot by night was also a highlight. We would also like to thank our hosts for taking us to the Lingyin Scenic area, with its ancient temple and Zen Buddhist statues, and for introducing us to the varieties of local tea during the tea ceremony.

Thanks to EQI, we returned to Calamvale Community College with a heightened appreciation, not only for Chinese culture and food, but also for the perspective of Chinese students studying in our College. As a school with a significant number of students from mainland China who come to study at our school, this visit has helped us to appreciate and better understand how our students must feel when they first arrive at our College. Through this visit, we have developed a greater connection to China and to the experiences of our Chinese students.

APEX News

In Term Three all APEX students will be participating in the world-renowned ICAS Assessments. The assessments allow students to extend themselves academically and take up the personal challenge of competing in an international assessment.

APEX applicants for Year 7 2021 have recently sat the ACER Cognitive Abilities (CogAT) test on Saturday 13th June and in Week 10 will attended interviews. The APEX team wish to acknowledge the high standards of applications received this year and are looking forward to meeting individually with all applicants.

In Term Three Year 9 APEX students will discuss how the strong foundation of skills and habits built in APEX could lead them to experience success in the two streams of senior secondary that prepare students for tertiary education. Students will discuss the unique university pathway, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, that is available at Calamvale Community College.

Secondary School updates and reminders

We are now several weeks back from online learning and it is timely to remind students and parents our College expectations and inform you of some changes that have occurred due to the ongoing relaxation of restrictions.

Student time management: In week 6, assessment planners were emailed to parents and students. Please work with your student to assist them to use this planner to manage their time to ensure they stay on track to submit assignments and study for exams for each of their subjects.  During Connect time (Tuesday Lesson 2) over the past two weeks, students have been learning about study skills and tips to better prepare for their assessments. Please note that the results that students achieve in subject in year 9-11 will be used as pre-requisites for entry (and continuation in) General subjects.

Student attendance and timeliness:  The first bell rings at 8.25am.  Students are expected to be at their class door by 8.30am at the latest. Be aware that traffic is not an excuse for being late.  All students are expected to be in the College on time to their first lesson of the day.  Please be aware that after 9.00am each morning, students must enter via the front gate near administration. All other gates will be locked. This is to ensure the safety of the student community and to limit community members from entering the school grounds during learning time.

Students entering and leaving the school grounds: Thank you to all of our students who have quickly adjusted to the new process of entering and leaving through the senior and back gates. Thank you also to the parents who have adapted to our pick up routine in the afternoons. We remind you that students can wait to be picked up by parents at the top basketball courts. Parents can drive up the gravel road to collect students from here and then head straight onto the access road near Beaudesert Road.

Uniform: The weather has started to become cooler, and all secondary students are reminded that they are expected to wear their ties and all students are only permitted to wear school jumpers (College branded jumpers, or plain navy with no hoods or branding). A reminder that tracksuit pants are not a permitted part of our uniform. Please ensure that your student is equipped with all items of our uniform and that they leave home each day in full correct uniform. Dress Code  If students are out of uniform they will not be permitted to enter the classroom and will be directed to the Uniform Loan Room.  Students will be required to change out of their incorrect item and into a school loan item. This uniform loan room is able to be opened due to the new relaxation in COVID requirements.  A number of procedures have been implemented to ensure the uniforms adhere to the current health advice.

Students collecting uniform items

  1. Students attend Uniform room if they are out of uniform. Uniform Attendant to interview and issue slip. Uniform Attendant to wear gloves prior to students entering the room.
  2. Students to use hand sanitiser as they enter the room. Students are to be issued with uniform piece and an antibacterial plastic bag (new bags will be used each day for each student).  Students place their piece of clothing in the plastic bag.  Uniform Attendant will tag bag.  Student exits room.
  3. Uniform Attendant to remove gloves, wash hands and use sanitiser.

Students returning uniform items

  1. Uniform Attendant to wear gloves prior to students entering the room.
  2. Students are to use hand sanitiser upon entering.
  3. Students are to enter change rooms with antibacterial plastic bag containing their original clothing item. Students place used uniform item in tub as they exit and place plastic bag in the bin.
  4. Items of returned uniform are to be washed. Shoes are to be disinfected and be reissued the following day.
  5. Uniform Attendant to remove gloves, wash hands and use sanitiser.

Year 6 to Year 12 BYOD

Did you know…

From Year 6, CCC students can bring a device to school that is either a laptop or an Apple iPad! Students will continue to use this device throughout Junior Secondary. From Year 10-12 students are expected to bring a laptop device to school every lesson every day.

Bringing a device to school enables students to…

  • Facilitate Inquiry learning through accessing educational sites and research material
  • Use OneNote in each of their subject areas to access subject material, produce work and access ongoing feedback from their teachers
  • Engage with Education Perfect as a study tool to reinforce concepts in class and at home
  • Access emails and easily communicate with their teachers
  • Access timetables and Connect notices to be up to date with College events

CCC students are expected to bring their own device to school every day to enhance their learning opportunities and fully engage in the all aspects of the curriculum. For more information about BYOD and the Responsible Use of Technology Policy, please visit the College website https://calamvalecc.eq.edu.au/extra-curricular/computer-and-internet

Join LEO Club

Leos are young people who want to make a difference. Aged between 11 and 18 years, Leos are the youngest members of Lions Clubs International. They get together to deliver projects that will help to make the world a better place- one step at a time! Past projects include: refugee food donations, working with the Mater Hospital, breast cancer care packages, cash and resource donations to families in our community, bake sales, sponsoring Calamvale Junior School projects and many more. Our purpose:

  • To promote service activities among the youth of the community to develop the individual qualities of LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY
  • To unite its members in friendship, fellowship and mutual understanding


The Leo Club is looking to start back up Term 3, 2020. Any students in year 7-12 who would like to join, to please email your interest to Leo Club Advisor, Mrs Thach, at tthac13@eq.edu.au.

Years 3 to 6 BYOD- BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE

It’s great to have our students back in the classroom and learning face to face however, online learning brought to the forefront positive aspects of using a device to enhance and engage students’ education. In order to continue this great work, it is important for students in Years 3 to 6 to bring their compatible device to school.

What are the benefits of my child having a device at school?

From Year 3, CCC students bring their own Apple iPad to school to use in a blended approach to their education. While maintaining regular bookwork, students also use their devices EVERY DAY at school in the following ways:

* SeeSaw to access reading materials, activities, record their reading and upload their learning activities while allowing teachers to give written and oral feedback
* Applications like Matific, Literacy Planet and Reading Eggs
* As a tool for research in their inquiry units
* To record their learning in text, visual, photo or video form

How do I know my child and their device is safe at school?

CCC has a Responsible Use of technology Policy to ensure iPads are kept safe and the students using them are also protected:

* Devices stay in school bags before and after school (there is no unsupervised access to iPads)
* Devices must come to school in a protective case
* Upon entry to the classroom, students follow the classroom procedure for the safe storage and use of iPads
* Students do not access their iPads during breaks. iPads remain in a locked classroom
* Students access the internet using the school network allowing access to appropriate sites only
* Teachers use the ‘Classroom App’ to adequately supervise individual iPads
* Students participate in lessons around the responsible use of technology

For students who do not bring their own device to school, they may share in a limited number of devices allocated to the Learning Community.

What happens when my child goes to Secondary School?

Students may continue to use their iPads in Junior Secondary School. Alternatively, from Year 6, students are permitted to bring a laptop to school. A device is an investment in your child’s education now and in the future!

CCC students are encouraged to bring their own device to school every day to enhance their learning opportunities and fully engage in the all aspects of the curriculum. For more information about BYOD and the Responsible Use of Technology Policy, please visit the College website https://calamvalecc.eq.edu.au/extra-curricular/computer-and-internet

Inbound Study Tours 2019
The college hosted student study tours from Admiral Farragut Academy (TianJin, China), Tama Meguro Junior High School (Tokyo, Japan), Okayama Sojan High School (Okayama, Japan), Bangkok Metropolitan schools (Bangkok, Thailand), Taichung Girls Senior High School (Taichung, Taiwan) and Hangzhou Primary Schools (Hangzhou, China).
Students engaged in English language lessons, class integration, sports & cultural events, external excursions and many of the schools students were home-stayed by the College community.

INTERNATIONAL STAFF

  • LISA STARMER – Executive Principal
  • DAVID HEPPER – International Programs & Business Manager
  • CHRISTINE WILLIAMS – International Coordinator/ Homestay Coordinator
  • SARAH THOMAS – Head of Languages

CONTACT DETAILS

MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS DAVID HEPPER
Email – dhepp0@eq.edu.au
Phone – +613712 6333
Mail – 11 Hamish Strett, Calamvale QLD 4116
Web – www.calamvalecc@eq.edu.au

FOR ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS OR QUERIES

EDUCATION QUEENSLAND
Website – www.education.qld.gov.au

EQ Interntional
Website – www.eqi.com.au

EQI Subclass 500 (schools ) Visa Policy

https://eqi.com.au/ISP%20PP%20PDFs/international-student-programs-subclass-500-%28schools%29-visa-policy.pdf – subclass 500

1800 QSTUDY

https://eqi.com.au/studentservices/Pages/1800-qstudy-student-faq.aspx – Q study

Immigration and Citizenship Information

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ – Immigration and Citizenship

Affiliations / Connections

SISTER SCHOOLS

o Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School, Taiwan
o Nantong Senior High School, China
o Hangzhou Donfang High School, China

 

FRIENDSHIP SCHOOLS/OTHER AFFILIATIONS

AUSTRALIA

  • Brisbane Chinese Language School
  • Browns Language School, Brisbane
  • Department of Education International, (DEi)
  • Education Queensland International, Brisbane
  • Griffith University, Brisbane
  • Queensland Korean Orchestra, Brisbane
  • Study Tours Australia
  • Union Institute of Language, Brisbane
  • University of Queensland – Extension Studies International & TESOL Education, Brisbane
  • WEP: World Exchange Program
  • Whites Hills State College, Brisbane
  • World Arts Multicultural Inc., Brisbane

INTERNATIONAL

  • Cheon seong Middle School, South Korea
  • Daejou Education Training Institute
  • Haemi Middle School, South Korea
  • Okayama Sozan Junior High School, Japan
  • Osaka School of Music, Japan
  • Feng-Sheng Senior High School, Taiwan
  • International Baccalaureate Organisation
  • Jionysu Education Services for International Exchange
  • Tama Meguro Junior High School, Japan
  • Taipei Economic & Cultural Office, Brisbane
  • Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group, Taiwan

 

 

Language Assistants Program 2019 – WEP

The college has established strong links with the World Exchange Program (WEP) and for the fourth year were thankful for the support of WEP who in collaboration with the college were provided with a language assistant from China, Shunshan Shu (Angie). Angie was able to assist both our Chinese and Korean students for three terms, being a fluent speaker of both languages.

DE International – Taiwan Teacher Assistant Program
Jing Lian Lou (Ellen) joined the college in Term 3 for two terms. She assisted students studying Chinese in all year levels.
Angie and Ellen assisted our students greatly, enjoyed their time at the college and hosting by home-stay by members of the college staff.

Both Angie and Ellen have continued to further their education in teaching in their home countries

Welcome from the College Principal

The second International Journal comes to the readers in very different circumstances with the effect of COVID-19 throughout the world. This is a new experience for educators, students and families.

Our international student base for long term students remains strong and we look forward to welcoming new international students to the college, as well as education professionals and study tour students when the restrictions are eased.

All of us have learnt to adapt to the new environment, as the world slowly moves towards a new normality, lets ensure that our global connections remain strong.

I wish you all well and enjoy the reading of articles and updates contained in Volume 2.

Our 2019 International Year 12 Graduates 

Primary Year Program (PYP)

International Baccalaureate/ISP News

Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things”
– Flora Lewis

“A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

Being an IB World School as well as a state school with one of the largest international student populations means our student body enjoy many benefits; socially, linguistically and educationally.
Our international students thrive in our College where over 60% of our students are multilingual, who are naturally internationally minded and thrive in the microcosm of multiculturalism. Here they are able to establish further community connections at both global and local levels as well as acquire English in a fully immersive environment.
Our growing IB Diploma Programme, caters to aspirational and highly academic students aged 16-19 from both local and international enrolments. Students complete two language subjects (mother tongue and a second language), a humanities, a science (or two), mathematics and an optional Arts subject. IB students are covering content that is at a first-year university level in their Higher Level subjects. Diploma Programme graduates, on successful completion, gain an IB score which is recognised worldwide and highly desired by universities on all continents. As international mindedness and understanding cultures through language is a main philosophy of IB, students who are multilingual have a natural advantage.
At CCC, we offer Chinese-speaking students the opportunity to study Language and Literature in their native tongue; Chinese and we are the only school in Queensland to do this. This means that Chinese-speaking students read, study, write, speak, interact and learn completely in Chinese and sit their external exams in Chinese. Students then choose English as their second language at a simpler acquisition level and undertake all of their remaining subjects in English. Students who meet the characteristics to obtain an IB Score then have the added advantage of joining 21% of graduating IB students with a recognised Bilingual IB Diploma.
International student applications for the IB are to be submitted via our College International Students Manager, dhep0@eq.edu.au along with supporting documents, such as most recent report cards. Students need to be in the top 85 percentile across a range of subjects to be eligible. An English scaling test may be required before an interview is conducted. It is preferable that international students enrol and begin their education in Australia in June/July of Year 9 or 10. Further information and subject handbook is available on our College website: www
The three profiles below are an insight into the perspective of some of our ISP and IB students

Katniss Hsu

Wade Lin

Sabrena Kuo

Design at Calamvale Community College encompasses several subjects including Design, Digital Technology, Food Technology and STEM in year levels from Prep to 12. This area of learning is extended beyond the classroom with students participating in lunch-time and after school clubs, internal and external competitions and excursions to University Design Faculty and prominent city architectural buildings.

Students learn skills that help solve real work problems and represent their ideas in multiple ways through drawing, creating prototypes of architecture models, products, services and graphic designs.

Calamvale’s 2019 DUX – Christine Le

Then and Now!

Le Nhu Huyen (Christine) – College DUX 2019 – Achieved the highest academic achievement in Year 12.

Christine arrived in Australia in 2017 as an international student. She commenced studies at the college in Term 3, 2017.

Since graduating from the College, she is now studying a Bachelor of Vision Science at Queensland University of Technology.

Christine was the first International student to receive the DUX Award.

Indonesia Chefs Visit – Vocational Culinary Arts program

The college hospitality team hosted 10 VET teaching chefs from Indonesia for 3 weeks. The chefs observed and participated in student lessons and observed culinary practices at the Royal Pines, Sirromet Winery and the Sofitel in Brisbane.
The program designed by the college was a valuable experience for the visiting chefs who normally attend Paris for this program.
A highlight was the lunch on the final day, Indonesian delicacies prepared by the staff and the hospitality team.
Our hospitality commented on the unique sharing of ideas and practices and themselves learnt from the program.

Japanese School Visit 2019

Last year in June, 8 Students and 2 Teachers went to Japan for an 8 day Cultural and School exchange trip.

During our short stay in Japan we crammed in a lot of activities and were “on the go” the whole time. We visited three Schools. Two were for Taiko exchange and the other was our Sister School Tama Meguro Junior High which is located in central Tokyo. Upon arrival at Tama Meguro, we received an official welcome and spent the day experiencing Japanese Culture and daily life in a Japanese School. We spent a day at the Taiko Lab where we had a two hour Taiko lesson as well as performing two pieces at a Taiko Concert that evening. We went to a Flute making work shop where we got to make our own Japanese Flutes and we also had a traditional dinner with a Japanese family outside of Tokyo.

From a tourist point of view, we experienced many highlight. Just being in Tokyo and seeing the sights and sounds every day was a highlight. But the main highlight was our day trip to the Ancient City of Kamakura which is located about an hour south east of Tokyo.

Each student had many positive things to say about the trip and their personal highlights and favourite moments are many and varied. Here are some of the things students mentioned they liked. Riding the trains. Visiting the 7/11 at the end of a long day and buying snacks. Seeing the City lights of Tokyo at night. Interacting with students at the Schools we visited. Playing Taiko with fellow Taiko Students at the Schools. Doing Calligraphy. Being part of a Japanese Tea Ceremony. Performing at the Taiko Concert. Going shopping in down-town Tokyo. The traditional Japanese rooms we stayed in. Experiencing different culture and just getting to know each other better.

All in all it was a very successful trip. We look forward to our next visit to Japan.

The College was honoured to host students from Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School, Taiwan and Nantong Qixiu Middle School in Jiangsu Province, China.
Both visits occurred in Term 3, 2019 and students took part in English language lessons, class integration activities at our college and external excursions. Students stayed with host families from the school community.

The close bond remains between the schools, the relationship with Kaohsiung school extends 5 years and with the Nantong school being 3 years.

In previous years, students from Calamvale Community College have visited the schools in their home country.

International schools Visit in 2019

Events 2019
Da-Feng Symphony Orchestra Performance (Taiwan)
The group members are composed of graduates of the Da-Feng Elementary School Symphony Orchestra and were visiting Brisbane to perform at the 2019 Brisbane International Arts Festival. Our students were treated to an excellent performance by the Orchestra.

Chinese Youth Goodwill Association (CYGA) Performance & Workshops (Taiwan)
The CYGA impressed the students with performances of the Diabolo, Acrobatics and Ribbon Dancing. CCC students participated in workshops with the CYGA performers. The CYGA performers were also in Brisbane to perform at the 2019 Brisbane International Arts Festival.

Osaka School of Music & Dance Collaboration (Japan)
For the third year running, students from the Osaka School of Music schools based in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka and Sapporo visited the college and performed for CCC students. The Japanese students and CCC students who were part of the cast of Beauty and the Beast combined to perform ‘Belle’.

Fumiko Yamazaki – Music Workshops (Japan)
The college was honoured to have Fumiko, a professional musician from Japan who plays the piano, vibraphone, marimba, Japanese drums and percussion instruments made from bamboo, visit the college and delivered workshops to our music students. Fumiko performed a concert for our music students and their parents in CPAC. This was the second visit by Fumiko to the college in as many years.

Professional Visits 2019

The college hosted Principals, teachers and other education professionals from the International Exchange Association for Education & Culture (China), Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong), Korea Education Development Institute (South Korea), New Taipei City Yuteh Private School (Taiwan), Longquanyi District Education Board (China), Kalorex Schools (India), Ministry of Education (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and Ping Tung High School (Taiwan).

Education sessions were delivered on the Queensland Curriculum, National Curriculum, Programs for Gifted Students, Programs for Dis-advantaged Students, International Programs, English Language Support for International Students, Building an Effective Teaching Team, School Leadership for P – 12 Schools, Primary Year Program, International Baccalaureate Program and Teacher Collaboration.

Other programs provided included work-shadowing of the Executive team, work-shadowing / collaboration of the teaching team, classroom observations (both sub-schools) and campus tours of facilities and showcasing areas of excellence.

Easter Hat Celebrations

Enjoy our virtual Easter Hat parade from students in Prep to Year 2.

Secondary School Online Behaviour

The e-Safety Commissioner has provided support with information so that parents continue to monitor and ensure the safety of their students in an online environment. There is also additional information provided pertaining to some apps that might be accessed by students to make a social connection with their friends. You are strongly encouraged to take some time to explore the information on this site. Link

At this stage, we have no further information on what learning will look like for our students in Term 2. Please ensure you look for updates on our Facebook page prior to the commencement of Term 2 -20 April (Term 2 start date). As you would appreciate, this is new and unchartered territory for our College, however, I can assure you that our staff are committed to ensuring that our students continue with their learning in the event of a school closure after the break.

To all of you, we send our best wishes, we are strong community and ‘we are all in this together’.  CCC will be there to support your children and continue their education through this time.  Take care, stay well and stay home if you can.

Warm regards,

Sharyn Angel

Secondary School Principal

Secondary School Online Learning

 

 

Here are some details, pertaining particularly to Secondary School.  Whilst the information mirrors that of Junior School, it is structured and delivered differently to account for adolescent ways of learning.

Attendance and Engagement

Attendance will not be recorded on students’ report cards for the coming semester, however it is vital that we monitor our students’ presence online and engagement with their studies.

  • Teachers will record their students’ online presence in their subject and each week will send a generic email home for that subject
  • If a student is not present online, for two weeks, you will receive a modified absence letter from our attendance officer, asking you to intervene to ensure that your students can and do engage in their learning. If there is illness at home or difficult circumstances – parents and carers will be able to communicate that to the attendance officer.  We intend to share this information but please be patient if we miss something or double up.  There will be no text messages.

Lesson Delivery:

  • Each teacher will be uploading the learning for a full week. Students will be able to manage the time they use to engage with their learning.
  • We will continue to use the Inquiry model to deliver learning, with provocations to stimulate curiosity, learning intentions and success criteria to enable students to self-check their learning.
  • We intend to include a range of ways of learning in each lesson package. There will be information delivery, activities to engage students in learning, opportunities for students to generate work and get teacher feedback, online tools and programs with variety being our tool for engagement.
  • There will be scheduled times when all teachers are present ‘live’ online so that students can virtually interact.
  • Do not expect ‘live video conferencing’ as you have seen on television, or in business. Whilst we have sought and achieved permission to use platforms such as Zoom, there are all sorts of protocols including parental supervision and 18+ limits as well as expertise.  We have investigated this and it is not our starting point for general classes.
  • IB classes in Year 10-12 may operate a little differently to the rest of the school to meet the needs of their curriculum. DP Mel Ellis will release information about this, in the coming days.
  • We are also considering Zoom as a learning tool for groups of secondary students studying instrumental music – if we intend to use this platform, there will be separate permissions sought from you.

 

Monitoring of Learning:

Teachers will engage with students across the week.

  • Student work that is submitted will be stamped indicating that it is received.
  • Drafts and formative pieces will be commented on with either written or recorded feedback with the usual turnaround times. Responses will not be immediate.
  • Parents who have concerns will contact the teacher directly, through existing channels and processes.
  • It is our hope that we can provide face to face opportunities for students to speak with teachers, complete experiments – all dependent upon the social distance and the restrictions that are in place next term.

Assessment:

How we collect evidence of student learning will be different when compared with a face to face class.  We will collect student samples over time, use Education Perfect quizzes, open book exams, written student responses.  There are many ways to assess a little differently to the usual format.

  • An assessment planner in week 2 will provide some information about timing throughout the term. We cannot provide definitive answers until we have a better idea of how school will be experienced and for how long we are online.
  • As usual, weeks 6 and 7 will be formative assessment weeks
  • There will be assignments given and collected with drafts due
  • IB students will continue their Internal Assessment items

Junior School Online Behaviour

Students in the Junior School will be accessing their learning through Seesaw. This is a closed platform which allows the teacher to allocate lessons to the whole class, small group of individual students. Students will not be able to see or comment on each other’s work or see the individual feedback the teacher gives to a student.

It is important however, that parents continue to monitor their child’s use of technology, as we predict that students will miss the social connection they have with their friends on a daily basis and will look for other opportunities and platforms to meet these needs.

The e-Safety Commissioner has provided support with information so that parents continue to monitor and ensure the safety of their students in an online environment. There is also additional information provided pertaining to some apps children may try to access to make a social connection with their friends. I strongly encourage you to take some time to explore the information
on this site.  Link

As we enter a two week holiday period, at this stage, we have no further information on what learning will look like for our students in Term 2. Please ensure you look for updates on our Facebook page prior to the commencement of Term 2 – Monday 20 April 2020 (Term 2 start date). As you would appreciate, this is new and unchartered territory for all of us, including
for you as parents and caregivers. I can assure you however, that our staff are committed to ensuring that our students continue with their learning in the event of a school closure after the break.

To all of you, we send our best wishes, we are a strong community and ‘we are all in this together’. CCC will be there to support your children and continue their education through this time. Take care, stay well and stay home if you can.

Yours Sincerely
Jackie Welch
Junior School Principal

Junior School Online Learning

 

In the event of a school closure in Term 2, it is important that families have some further information regarding online learning.

Lesson Delivery:

 Teachers will be uploading lessons for the day every morning. This allows families to plan for access to learning if students are sharing devices across the household.
 Attached to lessons there will be teacher instruction (voice, video, written).
 As well as scheduled lessons, we also encourage families to find opportunities that do not involve a device, including the sharing of a story, enjoying a game together and spending time in the garden engaging with nature.

Monitoring of Learning:

 Teachers will be routinely checking throughout the day. Please take into account that teachers will also be preparing for subsequent online lessons throughout the day, so feedback will not be instantaneous and will range from an acknowledgement of receiving work, whole class feedback to the class or individualised feedback depending on the assigned task.

 If there is a specific question pertaining to a task or an issue with accessibility, we aim to address these within a 24 hour period.

Assessment:

 Teachers will be monitoring students’ responses to learning activities on a daily basis and will adjust subsequent lessons/activities in response to this. This mirrors what happens in the classroom on a regular basis.

 During your child’s online learning they will have formative learning tasks in Mathematics, English and Unit of Inquiry. These tasks are designed to provide information for your child’s teacher on their current understanding of what they know and can do. This is not a test and will not be used to give your child an A-E rating. This will help your child’s teacher plan for their next step in learning. Your child will need to complete these tasks independently as much as possible.

 Teachers will make an announcement with the learning activity so that parents are clear that it is a formative learning task.

Student Engagement:

 Just like regular school, every day counts as the College and parents work together to support students with their
continuation of learning.

 Teachers will be monitoring of task engagement during the day.

 Teachers and/or Deputy Principals will be making contact with families after a period of non-engagement with the
online learning platform.

Online Behaviours

It is always important that parents monitor students’ use of technology, taking care to check that the use is appropriate.  CCC will not take responsibility for student behaviour on any platform other than those supervised environment that we are sharing.  We have teachers, Heads of Programs and Deputy Principals scrutinizing the spaces that we have authored. Each of the sub-school letters has information for parents on how to monitor students’ online behaviours.  It should be stated, that any inappropriate or defaming use of our staff’s online persona, voices or videos, or indeed the placement of CCC activities, photo or video onto a public platform will be dealt with in the most serious manner, with consequences which could, among other things, disconnect students from the online learning environment.

Community Engagement and Wellbeing

To support parent engagement, we have put in place a number of processes which will assist us and you in tracking our students’ engagement, reporting their participation to parents/carers, monitor student welfare and provide us with feedback as to the quality of our lessons.

Following this email will be emails from both Sub-School Principals providing details specific to their school.  There will also be an IB email, tailoring this information to that course’s format and expectations. Our newsletter will provide all of this information in an easy to access format and will be sent out on Friday afternoon this week and again at the beginning of the school term.

In addition to the curriculum-based learning, it is our intention to provide separate information and activities that will support students’ mental health and wellbeing, engagement with others and in maintaining a positive attitude.  There will be Global Competence sessions available in Week 1 for secondary students and some wellbeing activities:  mindfulness, brainbreaks and positive education sessions for all students across the College.  We will build on these as the term progresses.  Year 11 and 12 will have access to QTAC preparation and career planning.

Positive Education at Calamvale Community College

Calamvale Community College’s wellbeing framework is based on positive psychology. Positive Education is the application of positive psychology in an educational setting. It is a framework that is based on the science of wellbeing and the strategies people can apply in their lives to experience a flourishing existence.

Character Strengths

It has probably been a while since you completed the VIA character strengths survey. Maybe some significant events have happened in your life since you last completed it. Please go to the following website to re-do the VIA Character Strengths survey. If you have not completed the survey previously sign-up to complete the free version.

https://www.viacharacter.org/Survey/Account/Register (use the live link above or type this URL into your browser)

 

Keep your eye out for more about Positive Education at CCC in upcoming newsletters.

Nerieda Anderson
Calamvale Community College
Developmental Guidance Officer, Psychologist

IB University Experience Days

The IB cohorts in Year 11 and 12 plus the Year 10 Prep class have begun the year networking and learning from various faculties, professors and experts at Universities across SEQ.  In coordination with other IB World Schools; Benowa SHS and Cleveland DSHS, IB students were able to visit a campus, sit in on lectures, participate in workshops, hear from past IB students and network with like-minded IB students.

The Year 10s visited Griffith University on the Gold Coast where the focus was on leadership and how everyone can be a leader and this is the year to develop the skills and build confidence in self, so that there is automaticity in the years to come.

Year 11 visited QUT, Kelvin Grove with a thematic approach to Extended Essay preparation and workshops targeted to academic research and writing as well as collecting and analysing data.  There was also a Q&A session with graduated IB students who spoke at length about how the skills they learned from the Diploma Programme prepared them for university.

Year 12 visited UQ, St Lucia with an interesting keynote presentation from Professor Ellerton on how to think and the importance of thinking and how AI technology will never be able to replicate the level of thinking that humans have.  Students also worked collaboratively on various science challenges as well as examining science data that will assist them with their upcoming Science IAs.

This was a great opportunity for our tertiary-bound students to be able to explore campus and sit in on lectures and workshops that developed their IB specific skills.

What is iTime?

We are living in a time of change and our children and young people are more and more exposed to the debates around climate and are witnessing through the news, on social media, and first-hand the environmental catastrophes locally and around the world.

Now more than ever, we have a responsibility to alleviate any fears that those in our care may be experiencing and flip this situation so they can see not only the natural beauty of the world and value what is and what it can be in the future, but what they have to contribute and to know their voices and their actions are important.

We ask that you explore these issues with your children, perhaps around the dinner table in the evenings, and encourage them to recognise themselves as conscious risk takers and inquirers who have the capacity to make a difference.

In the Secondary School, we are now running ‘iTime’, an 80 minute session held every Wednesday as the last class of the day.

In iTime, students explore their own place in the world, value the skills they have and how they connect with others, and design projects that support the Sustainable Development Goals. This time allows them to make connections with their learning, discover their passions, and seek ways to contribute to the larger community through Creativity, Activity, and Service. It is a valued and valuable part of their education and will enable them to thrive as local and global citizens and in their future career paths.  It is a space where students can contribute in the following ways:

 

  • Term 1: Recognise the importance of community and be able to connect with others while their own strengths and discovering their own interests
  • Term 2: Creating a product to give to others
  • Term 3: Designing and participating in a physical activity that they can teach others
  • Term 4: Producing a product or service to improve well-being in the community or for the environment.

Soon, students will be launching their e-folios (digital learning portfolios) which they will be able to share with you, demonstrating how they identify themselves as changemakers, and the skillset they have that enables them to contribute and to improve their own lives, those of others, and to  the environment. This program leads towards an assessment that is included in student term report cards under Global Competence and we value your support encouraging and checking in with your child so they realise that you are also invested in this goal.

To participate actively in this class, students need a laptop or ipad to be able to conduct their own research and document their learning through the portfolio process.  Students who do not have a device will need an exercise book and will need to undertake research online at home.

If you have any queries about this new program, please feel free to contact the school.

Best wishes and thank you for your support.

 

Pamela Curtin

Head of Global Competence

pcurt28@eq.edu.au

Introducing Ruben Bornez Fernandez – our Spanish Language Assistant

Rubén comes from Ciudad Real, in central Spain, where he recently obtained a degree in English Studies and Literature. Rubén hopes to become a language teacher in the future and will start a Masters Degree in Teaching after his stay in Australia. Over the past few years, Rubén acquired valuable teaching experience thanks to internships in the USA and Ireland, where he worked as a Spanish Assistant in universities. Rubén also has some experience with younger children and teenagers, as he worked as an au pair in England and as an English Tutor and football coach in summer camps. Rubén has recently completed a 150-hour course in teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, including a brief internship, and is excited to put himself to the test with Australian students.  It is a dream of his to teach English to students as education and languages is a passion of his.

He is currently working with our Year 9 APEX students studying Spanish for the first time, as well as the IB Diploma Spanish students.  He can also been seen out on the football pitch as Assistant coach for our interschool football (soccer) teams.

 

We look forward to welcoming Ruben to our College for the semester and using his expertise in our language classrooms.

2020 Lantern Painting Competition

Congratulations and good luck to all the CCC students who entered the 2020 Lantern Painting Festival as part of the 2020 Brisbane International Arts Festival. Winners will be announced on Saturday 14 March.

Secondary School Swimming Carnival

Principals News – Learning Across the College

 

 

 

The Junior School is using a platform familiar to parents and students, Seesaw.  This platform has versatility and the opportunity to include a wide range of learning styles as well as built-in parent interaction.

Secondary School will predominantly use OneNote, with which our students and many of you are familiar.  A number of faculties and the IB program will branch out into Collaborate and EdStudios to meet particular needs.

All students have the necessary logins and access and if there are problems, then our teachers have a line of support directly to our Tech Team available to them. This support is not directly open to the students; they gain access via their teachers.  The College has endeavoured to make contact with all families to gather information regarding devices at home and Wi-Fi or connectivity in order to provide some paper learning resources which will be posted out to families in the event of a school closure next term.  These resources will not match online learning but will provide links to curriculum and valuable learning opportunities.  The frequency of mail outs will depend on access to the College and the length of time we are online.

Learning online is not a replication of face to face learning; it is a new and different way of engaging.  Whatever we might hope for, students are not going to follow the timetable of school, not least because they might not have access to a device at the ‘regular’ time of the lesson.  When students choose to do their learning and the availability of devices in the household, will be impacted by sleep patterns, household routines, the presence of siblings and parents/carers.  We may find that students develop independence, expand their agency (their voice in their learning) and learn to use tools and strategies that they otherwise might not have learned; that will be a welcome outcome from a difficult period in their lives.

Valedictory 2019

On Friday 15 November the graduates of 2019 left the sports hall for the last time to the beat of the Taiko drums. There were tears, hugs and congratulations from families, friends, younger students, staff and each other. In a moving Valedictory ceremony, students heard from their Executive Principal, Student Leaders, and Secondary School Principal, about the mark they have made at the College as well as advice for the future. Executive Principal, Lisa Starmer, reminded the audience how special this group have been right from their prep year of schooling. They will forever be the first cohort of students to complete 13 years of education.

 

The assembly was incredibly proud of the vocal performance from year 12 student Seini Baleiyasawa, who sang a beautiful rendition of “Whenever you remember” by Carrie Underwood. Previous school captain Nicole Antonio, and proud member of the Calamvale Alumni, spoke to the year 12 students about the challenges and joys that await them post schooling and encouraged them to seek challenge and to be resilient.

Secondary School Principal Sharyn Angel commended the students on embracing all of the opportunities that they have been afforded at Calamvale and urged them to continue to seek and consolidate further opportunities in their lifetime.

The packed sports hall was a reminder of how special these year 12 students are to our staff, their parents and the wider community. We thank our parents and caregivers of our 2019 graduates for entrusting your students to us. We urge all of our Year 12 students to become a part of the Calamvale Alumni and we thank them for their contribution to our community and for the great contribution they are going to make to the world.

 

Years 3 – 12 Academic Awards Night

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2019 Year 3-12 Academic Awards night on Wednesday 13 November. It was an evening where student achievement was celebrated and the evening highlighted the enormity of opportunities that Calamvale Community College has to offer.

With special guests, Dr Jim Chalmers, Honourable Leanne Enoch, Councillor Angela Owen, Mr Alan Jones, Mr Stephens Biggs  all in attendance, it was evident that CCC holds a special place in the heart of many highly regarded community members.

Executive Principal – Lisa Starmer, Mike Butler – Council Chair and Lisa Mason – Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association President and gave rousing presentations about how spectacular 2019 has been. Special thanks must be given to our Council members (who have led the strategic direction of the school), P&C members (who have raised a phenomenal $80 000 for the College this year), our teachers and our staff members, for providing so many opportunities for our students.

Congratulations to all of our students who received awards on the night. Our special award winners for 2019 are as follows:

Saema Kazemi Bevan Faulkner
Community Award Upper Junior
Upper Junior
Liana Brennan Work Ethic Award Upper Junior Upper Junior
Zainab Qurbanzadah Spirit of Brisbane Upper Junior
Cameron Sander Academic Excellence Award Upper Junior Upper Junior
Huei-Yu (Lina) Wang International Student Community Engagement Award Senior School
Reinnan Pomar Work Ethic Award Senior School
Ali Adam UQ Young Achievers Program Senior School
Charlotte Ashford UQ Young Achievers Program Senior School
Sally Hoang UQ Young Achievers Program Senior School
Labeena Malik UQ Young Achievers Program Senior School
Yi-Tao Tsai UQ Young Achievers Program Senior School
Huei-Yu (Lina) Wang International Student Community Engagement Award Senior School
Holly Davies Bevan Faulkner Community Award Senior School
Abbey Haber Bevan Faulkner Community Award Senior School
Tara Coleman Spirit of Brisbane Award Senior School
Aiswarya Prakash Spirit of Brisbane Award Senior School
Sylvester Lam Spirit of Boeing Award Senior School
Katriel Freudigmann IB Diploma Student of the Year Award Senior School
Kayla Tafe IB Diploma Student of the Year Award Senior School
Amity Sansom Mavis Moo Memorial Bursary Award Senior School
Aiswarya Prakash Mavis Moo Memorial Bursary Award Senior School
Isabella Van Win Dr Jim Chalmers Award Senior School
Adysson Ubaldo Emerging Leaders Award Senior School
Riley Andrews Emerging Leaders Award Senior School
Latishia Hicks-Greenaway Emerging Leaders Award Senior School
Tayla Davis Emerging Leaders Award Senior School
Bassel Fayoumi Emerging Leaders Award Senior School
Amelia Micallef Australian Defence Force Long Tan Teamwork and Leadership Senior School
Claire Durrington Australian Defence Force  Long Tan Teamwork and Leadership Senior School
Yi-Chen (Katniss) Hsu The University of Queensland Achievement Award Senior School
Nhu Huyen (Christine) Le College DUX Senior School

 

Design Challenge

Over 4 weeks, 10 Year 5 students each from Algester Primary School, Sunnybank Hills Primary School and Calamvale Community College (CCC), participated in a Design Challenge. Students used the design process to re-design a product that meet the features of their design brief. In teams of 5 students unpacked the design brief and found themselves tasked with:

  • re-designing a product: either it’s function, appearance, materials or content,
  • appealing to target audience of 8-15 year olds of any context,
  • environmental friendly through: materials, manufacturing, transportation, endo of life disposal,
  • creating a prototype.

Students worked hard during each of the four, ninety minute workshops and back at school, in order to be able to demonstrate: the originality of their idea, creativity- through their idea, prototype and presentation, their collaboration and how their idea helped others (global competence).

The Design Challenge culminated in each team pitching their idea in both an informal and formal context to parents and teachers with informal conversations, demonstrations and a short presentation to the whole audience. The Design Challenge was facilitated by teachers from the Technology Faculty of CCC.

2020 Book lists and Resource Scheme Forms

Resource scheme

Purpose of the resource scheme

  1. In accordance with the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, the cost of providing instruction, administration and facilities for the education of students enrolled at State schools who are Australian citizens or permanent residents, or children of Australian citizens or permanent residents, is met by the State.
  2. Parents/carers are directly responsible for providing textbooks and other personal resources for their children while attending school. In recognition that these costs can be high, the school operates a Student Resource Scheme (the “scheme”) that enables a parent/carer to enter into an agreement with the school that, for a specified annual participation fee, provides for the temporary use by the student of prescribed textbooks and/or other resources, and/or the purchase of consumables and materials for the student.

Benefits of the resource scheme

  1. The purpose of the scheme is to provide the parent/carer with a cost effective alternative to purchasing the prescribed textbooks and/or resources elsewhere, through reduced prices gained from the school’s bulk purchasing practices.
  2. The scheme also ensures that students have consistent personal resources for their education, and saves the parent/carer time and money in sourcing the prescribed materials elsewhere.
  3. The scheme is not used to raise funds for other purposes, and revenue collected through the scheme is applied only to the operation of the scheme.

 

Junior Secondary Years 8 9 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Prep Participation Agreement Form 2019

Prep Student SRS Breakdown of Charges 2019

Secondary SRS Letter 2019

Senior Secondary Certificate Courses School SRS Letter 2019

Senior Secondary Certs SRS Breakdown Charges 2019

Senior Secondary Participation Agreement Form 2019

Senior Secondary Year 10 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Senior Secondary Year 10 SRS Breakdown Charges 2019

Senior Secondary Year 11 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Senior Secondary Year 11 SRS Breakdown Charges 2019

Senior Secondary Year 12 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Senior Secondary Year 12 SRS Breakdown Charges 2019

CCC SRS booklet 2019 FINAL

Junior School SRS Letter 2019

Junior School Years 1 – 3 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Junior School years 1 – 3 SRS Breakdown of Charges 2019

Junior School Years 1 – 6 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Junior School Years 4 – 6 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Junior School years 4 – 6 SRS Breakdown of Charges 2019

Junior Secondary Student Year 8 and 9 SRS Breakdown of Charges 2019

Junior Secondary Year 7 SRS Breakdown of Charges 2019

Junior Secondary Year 7 Participation Agreement Form 2019

Stationery lists

The booklists for your 2020 Back to School Book Packs are ready for you to place your order, please go tohttps://order.campion.com.au/index.html#resourceListListView?code=C27425FF , click on “Order here” and follow the prompts.

We recommend that you open an account as that will save you having to re-enter your details for other orders. For multiple children, we recommend that you place all your orders in one transaction, your packs will still be delivered with one pack per child.

If you do not have access to the Internet or if you wish to pay cash (cheques are not accepted), you are welcome to visit the Campion Education Retail Store in Salisbury and place your order in person, there is plenty of car parking.

 

DELIVERY ORDERS placed by the due date, will be sent to your nominated address in the fortnight ending 24 January 2020. Additional charges apply for late orders.
COLLECTION ORDERS will be available from Monday 20 to Saturday 25 January 2020 at the Campion Education Retail Service Centre in Salisbury. Please ensure you tick the Campion Store Collection box for this option.

 

Calamvale C.C. Year Prep Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 1 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 2 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 3 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 4 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 5 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 6 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 7 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 8 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 9 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 10 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 11 Booklist 2019

Calamvale C.C. Year 12 Booklist 2019

2020 College Leaders

 

After an extensive nomination process that involved an application form, a presentation to their peers on assembly plus an interview and vote, our 2020 College and International Captains were announced a few weeks ago.  Congratulations to the following students:

 

Secondary College Captains: Kayla Tafe, Eunice Oyet, Patrick Brian-Nillson and Jack Semini

Kayla Tafe

Eunice Oyet

Patrick Brian-Nillson

Jack Semini

Junior School Captains: Brendan Sander and Batoul Soliman

Brandan Sander

Batoul Soliman

Junior School Vice Captains: Laura Braitling and Hannah Marsden

Laura Braitling

Hannah Marsden

Junior School International Captain: Jasbaani Dhillon

Jasbaani Dhillon

 

We look forward to your leadership, projects and legacy in 2020.

International News

2019 was another big year for the International team, increasing numbers of International students and international study tour groups and visitors. This included visiting culinary chefs from Indonesia which was a highlight.

 

Many thanks to the staff of CCC who assisted the many programs and supported the international students.

 

Happy Holidays!

Felices Fiestas!

Selamat Hari Raya!

Tanoshii Kurisumaso Wo!

Meri Kirihimete!

Ji Ri Yu Kuai!

Sawadee Pee Mai!

Jeulgeoun Hyuil!

Ngay Le Vui Ve!

BYOD @ CCC

DARE to Ignite

DARE to Ignite – an opportunity for students to share their learning journey and actions they have taken to extend their learning beyond the classroom and a simple assessment task.  This was a calendar highlight for this term with students from Year 2 to 11 showcasing various aspects of their projects for the year.

Students spoke passionately, proudly and articulately to a wide audience in an interactive manner, demonstrating their confidence and knowledge and reflections.  There were groups demonstrating solar powered toy cars, recycling, simulated games, art from plastic, robots fighting, environmental advocacy projects and fundraisers, mental health awareness, art experimenting, a high tea and even a 4D dystopian experience (not for the faint-hearted!) based on the novel 1984.

This was an initiative for students to demonstrate their curriculum learning in PYP and APEX, EDGE and iTime projects, CAS and student leadership.  Thank you to the teachers, coordinators, HoPs and Deputy Principals who helped put this event together and the staff and families who attended and interacted with our students.   These young people are to be commended for being risk-takers, principled communicators.

Year 6 Graduate Junior School!

Graduation Day is a rite of passage for our Year 6 students, marking the end of a phase of learning and opening the door to another. It is always a proud day for students and families. The ceremony was filled with music and smiles, and the occasional tears of pride and accomplishment. We are very proud of our 2019 Year 6 cohort.

 

As a P-12 College, our graduation ceremony is an important marker in the journey through the College over time. Straight after the graduation, Year 6 students become Year 7 students and participate in a Welcoming Ceremony organised by the Secondary School. This ceremony brings together Year 6 students from CCC and the many students who will be attending the College from other Primary Schools in 2020.

 

House culture is a strong feature of the Welcoming Ceremony, with students coming into the College being allocated a House and welcomed into the College Community.

Taster Days @ CCC

CCC’s Year 5 Taster Day took place on Friday of Week 8. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to have access to the resources and expertise of teachers in the Secondary School. We are very lucky being a P-12 College! Students engaged in a selection of activities, namely:

 

  • Science
  • Hospitality
  • Philosophy
  • Visual Art
  • Drone Racing
  • Virtual Reality
  • Design-thinking Challenge

 

The goal of the activity is to give students a taste of some of the many pathways the College has to offer as students progress through their years here. And being a Secondary School student for the day is something memorable as well.

 

We look forward to giving more Junior School students the opportunity to participate in Taster Days in 2020.

APEX Graduation Dinner

On Wednesday 20 November, the APEX team were very proud to celebrate our graduating class of Year 9 students. Throughout the three year program, students have proven to be curious, creative and reflective thinkers who are ready to take on the challenges of senior. The audience enjoyed viewing a photo montage highlighting many fond memories of our APEX students’ journey together including excursions, incursions, inquiry opportunities and learning that extended beyond the classroom. It was evident that during their time together the students have formed close friendships, something which has provided a supportive network of like-minded peers.

Parents and students also enjoyed the DARE to Ignite displays showcasing classroom work as well as entrepreneurial ventures the students designed. This exemplified the students’ capacity to apply higher order thinking skills and reflect upon how they can make a difference in their community locally and globally. Following their graduation, students and teachers enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner at De Sette Soldi. The dinner had a wonderful ambiance and it was certainly special to be able to celebrate at one of our APEX student’s family-run business.

We wish our students the very best of luck in their senior studies and have no doubt that they will continue to achieve outstanding results. We are proud to report that in 2020 we will have two new Year 7 APEX classes beginning. Our current Year 9 students have set an exceptional example and maintained high standards of achievement throughout their studies. This has proven to be very motivating for our younger students striving for academic excellence.

 

Athlete Development Program steps it up!

On the 18-20 November Students from the College’s Athlete Development Program participated in a Sports Leadership Camp facilitated by the BLK Performance Centre located at Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast.
The group of year 7- 9 ADP students left the College after a sequence of Fitness Tests and headed down to participate in a variety of Physical and Sporting Challenges.


Whether it was the early start for an aerobic run, stepping up to compete in a Aquathon race, having fun at the night games, working hard at Group Fitness training or a simple message of motivation to inspire and reframe beliefs… Our Students Stepped Up!
A big thank you to the ADP Staff who supported the students over the three days of Camp.
Some Quotes from Camp…
“I learned Camp wasn’t just about Sport, but what it does to us as a whole. Not only physically improving myself, but also improving my friendships along the way too”- Year 8 ADP Student Sophiea Loquias

“The food was mint” – Year 8 ADP student Zeke Byrne
“Camp not only helped improve our physical skills but also helped develop and strengthen our mindset and social awareness/skills. It helped grow you, not just as a developing athlete but also as a human being”. – Year 8 ADP student Casey Meadow
Camp was the highlight of the year. It was amazing experience that improved my physical and mental state. I really enjoyed it and I truly hope that we can do it again”. – Year 7 ADP Student Jordan Anthony
…”Lots of Opportunities to show Leadership”. – Year 9 ADP Student Ryan Butler
“Camp was good I liked riding the bike”. Year 9 ADP Student William France.

 

Sports Awards Night

Our Sports Awards evening was held on 14 November and certainly did not disappoint. Guest speaker for the evening was paralympian Monique Murphy who shared her extraordinary journey which included some powerful messages of resilience, determination and gratitude for our students to take away with them in their individual sporting pursuits. A bumper crowd was entertained by a Q and A session with Monique which was facilitated by Year 12 students; Claire Durrington and Caitlyn Kercher who also did a magnificent job in hosting the evening. Major award winners for the evening were as follows:

  • Junior School MVP: Nikeisha Ngaru
  • Junior Secondary MVP: Macy Hauser
  • Senior Secondary MVP: Claire Durrington
  • Junior School Coach of the Year: Mr Ben Vine
  • Secondary School Coach of the Year: Mrs Emma Stott-Leggat
  • House of Year: Cobar

I would like to congratulate all of our award winners on the evening and would also like to extend my gratitude for the organisation of this magnificent evening led by Director of Sport: Ms Vicki Goodall and College Publicity/Events Officer: Mrs Nicole Kedacic as well as our dedicated team of sound technicians for making this such a successful event.

Prep – Year 2 Awards Evening

On Monday 18 November we acknowledged the youngest members of our College and celebrated their fine achievements at The P-2 Awards Night. Below is a transcript of my speech to our young achievers.

‘These young people are our leaders of the future. They amaze me every single day with their curiosity, their questions and how they are realising that their teachers, their parents and the other adults in their lives don’t always the answers to their questions. And do you know what? That’s ok.

They are thirsty for knowledge, they have grand ideas and plans and they are passionate about learning and about how they can solve big problems.  They care! They will be world changers…..no, they are world changers!

Too young you say? I don’t agree. I truly believe that age simply doesn’t matter if you want to create a huge impact on the environment or on other people’s lives. And to prove this point, I want to share and inspire you all some examples of young children who have successfully made a huge difference through their remarkable actions.

Kelvin Doe

One of Sierra Leone’s most famous inventors got started when he began looking for ways to fix local problems with technology as an 11-year-old, just five years after the country’s volatile civil war ended. By 13, he was powering neighbourhood houses with batteries made out of acid, soda and metal in a tin cup. He went on to build a community radio station out of recycled parts that he powered with a generator also made out of reused material.

 

Melati and Isabel Wijsen

Melati and Isabel were only 10 and 12, when they started on a course of activism that has drastically decreased the global usage of single-use plastic. These young women were inspired by the country of Rwanda’s ban of plastic bags in 2008, and decided to try to get their native Bali to do the same. Their homegrown initiative of beach cleanups and government petitions graduated to an organizations advocating for reduced plastic use in 15 different countries. Bali is officially plastic bag free, and Indonesia will be by 2021.

 

Jahkil Jackson

After 9-year-old Jahkil helped his aunt distribute food at a local homeless shelter in his native Chicago, Jahkil decided he wanted to do more to help his community. This is how Project Am I was founded. Here, Jakhil distributes “Blessing Bags” full of snacks, toiletries, a towel, and socks to people experiencing homelessness. Over 3,000 Blessing Bags have been given out in Chicago communities

 

Ryan Hickman

When Ryan Hickman was 3 years old, he took a visit to the rePlanet recycling centre in California. Here, he found his calling. At 7, Ryan started Ryan’s Recycling. What started out as collecting cans and bottles from his neighbours as recycling has risen to over 50 customers and over 200,000 bottles and cans.

Sound Familiar?

Preeya Sundar

One 7 year old girl….Preeya Sundar. Had an idea. Saw an opportunity to support our own P&C and help save the planet, she got a group of friends together, she spoke to her teachers and this small group of students are now taking action by talking to their peers each and every day advocating for how they can not only reduce waste, but also help air condition classrooms across the school by just recycling their poppers and water bottles –making a difference- 10 cents at a time. The 10cent crew was formed and has quickly become part of the fabric of our school. Who knows what they will do next and where this small act will take them in the future. They care and they are principled and they are making a difference to our College community and we thank them.

I hope you are inspired and moved by these innocent and hopeful young people who have made an impressive and exceptional mark in their community. They come from different backgrounds and they all are good role models to humanity. They have brave hearts, they speak their minds, they fight for what they think is right. Their simple acts only reminds us that no one is ever too young or old to make a difference. Their stories and accomplishments will surely change your outlook in life.

To all of our young students tonight, I want to thank you for the enthusiasm you have shown towards your learning this year.

Don’t ever lose your thirst for knowledge, continue to question and ponder big thoughts and ideas. You are citizens who inquire, who reflect and who care about each other, the environment and the world you live in.

You have big hearts, and you too can make a difference, and you can make a difference now, all it just takes one small action. Pick a dream, strive for something and then ….just go for it!’

A message from the Acting Principal Mr Michael Ward

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome into your dynamic community.  It has been my privilege to fill in for Principal Starmer while she is on leave these last three weeks.  I am impressed with the quality of work happening here at Calamvale and the innovative thinking across P-12 that is so characteristic of the approach you value.  Final OP information is yet to be released for our year 12 students, which will be shared early in the new year.  The College continues to grow in size with strong enrolments for 2020 on our books and exciting plans for the continued growth of our signature programs.  As the end of term rapidly approaches I want to thank parents and carers for your support of the College and our staff for your commitment.  I wish all of the students a safe and happy time over the break.  One of our enterprising Calamvale students,  Taylah Anthony, has been collecting second-hand childrens’ books for the annual appeal at my permanent school, Crestmead State School in Logan City.

If there are any further donations of suitable literature or reading material for young readers aged between 0 and 15, please leave them at the office before Friday afternoon and I will ensure they get to Crestmead where they will assist the school’s work immensely.    Sincere thanks to everyone who has made a contribution – our Crestmead kids will be truly grateful.  Take the time this Christmas-New Year season to relax and re-energize, spend time with loved ones and doing the things that bring joy to your life.

Facilities Announcements

I am delighted to announce to the community that the College will be a busy place over the Christmas-New Year break.  Principal Lisa Starmer was able to negotiate some significant developments for the College before commencing her leave, and I have been involved in project start-up meetings over the past fortnight in order to get things moving.  The following has been approved for action:

  • Refurbishment of the current Platypus (resources and Junior School Music) into a new Prep space.
  • Installation of three new demountables at the back of Kookaburra which will contain four new secondary classrooms and a new primary music space.
  • Major air conditioning installations to complete the school following the Minister’s recent announcement.  This should be ready early in the new year
  • In addition, Principal Lisa Starmer should be in a position to announce details of a new permanent building in the new year as a response to College growth and our burgeoning facilities needs.

This is a good outcome for the College and I am delighted to assist in these final weeks with getting these projects moving.  We are grateful to our P&C  Association President Leesa Mason, and School Council chair Mike Butler, who provided critical support in achieving this outcome.

Sunflower Competition

Congratulations to our senior team in the Science Department who have won a Third Prize in the UQ sunflower competition. Students had to record video of them planting sunflower seeds, over a period of time watering them and adding fertiliser. Finally students had to cut the flower head and weigh it. Over 40 video entries across QLD and NSW were received. Thank you to Ms Ellul, Ms Robertson and Ms Sharma for their encouragement of these students throughout the process.
Three senior students attend the awards ceremony at UQ’s St Lucia campus on Saturday 26 October with Ms Sharma.

 

 

 

Music Fest Bands Competition

Over the course of the last few days our Junior Band, Senior Band and Jazz Band have all participated in the annual “Music Fest” Bands’ Competition.  Each ensemble performed exceptionally well and achieved great results with complimentary comments from the adjudicators.    Junior Band and Senior Band received Silver Awards for their performances……and today, Jazz Band took out the Gold Award!!  Congratulations to these ensembles. It’s due to all their effort and hard work through-out the year.  I feel very proud of them.

Artwaves Excursion:

In Week 1 of Term 4, the Year 10 – 12 Visual Art General and IB students attended the annual Artwaves exhibition at the Logan Art Gallery. The students enjoyed an immersive experience: inspired by the work of highly talented students from the Logan Region (including artworks from our own College) the students had the opportunity to be creative by completing a Mixed Media Collage Workshop with local Artist in Residence, Sandra Johnson. This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to analyse the wealth of imaginative and creative works produced by students their own age whilst further developing their own creative skills, concepts and ideas.

 

Murals and College Art exhibition:

Year 12 Visual Arts in Practice classes worked feverishly to complete their new murals before the Annual College Art Exhibition in week 3. With a new location and format (installed in 3Trees restaurant and CPAC foyer, and opened on the same night as the instrumental music awards) the College Art Exhibition showcased artistic talent of students from grade three through to grade twelve. With hospitality students on hand to serve delicacies to guests, the exhibition space provided a great venue and atmosphere for the performances of various instrumental ensembles from the College. Many thanks to Tom Bishop and Leah Cremen for the use of the space, and the service of the hospitality students; and to Dean Simmons and Catherine Erbacher for sharing the evening, and the musical talents of their students.

Year 11 Art Day/Night excursion to Mount Coot-Tha and Eat Street Markets

With the introduction of new senior curriculum, comes exciting new experiences for Visual Art students. To springboard the year 11 Visual Art students’ inquiry process, they engaged in a unique stimulus experience in two vastly different environments in surprising proximity to each other; visiting Mt Coot-tha (the largest natural forest area in Brisbane) during the heat of the day; and the bustling multi-cultural Eat Street Markets at sunset, and into the night. With such diverse environments and “en plein air” art making activities to stimulate their creativity, we can’t wait to see where the students’ inquiry process takes.

 

Become a Barista Competition

Calamvale Community College recently participated in the annual Become a Barista Competition at Tim Adams Speciality Coffee in Salisbury. The entrants are judged on their ability to prepare and serve six espresso based coffees to industry standard within a 10 minute period. In preparation for the event, the students attended a training session with professional baristas where they learnt latte art and worked with the 3 Trees training team to design their Signature Beverages that had to be espresso based, iced, black and fruit infused which was quite a challenge.
We are very pleased to announce that the students embraced the challenge at hand and attained great success on the day receiving:

Excellent performance (GOLD): Ella-Louise Merrigan
Very good performances (SILVER): Saige Amos & Ella Nolan
Best espresso (sensory): Ella-Louise Merrigan
Best Signature beverage (sensory): Saige Amos
We look forward to continuing to watch the students develop their barista skills. You can sample their espressos’ in 3 Trees Restaurant & Café on most Fridays.
Congratulations again to Ella, Ella & Saige!

Year 7 – 9 Restaurant Competition

3 Trees Restaurant & Café hosted our first Year 7 – 9 Restaurant Competition at the start of the term. Students were given the challenge of designing a meal that featured egg as the key ingredient and cost less than $5 a serve in teams of two. The finished products were a selection of both sweet and savoury dishes prepared to an extremely high standard, with one team even inspiring our VET Awards breakfast menu with their creation. It was great to see the students take risks to develop their skills and knowledge both through their preparation and on the day. The students ended the day with a Bread Making Masterclass led by Allan Siu which was enjoyed by all and left FT Block smelling like a bakery.
The day would not have been a success without the guidance of our mentors: Natasha Cameron, Leah Cremen, Alan Siu, Giuseppe Tedesco-Gueli and Thuy Thach-Nguyen. Special thanks to our judges: Tom Bishop (3 Trees Restaurant &Café), Vanessa Campbell (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre) and Simon Kelly (Training Direct Australia).
Congratulation to our eighteen budding chefs, we can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
Gold Medal Recipients: Ashley Adams, Jessenia Abdullah-Brooking, Ryan Atta-Singh, Ian Choi, Eleena Finall, Ben Gordon, Chantelle Gwynne, Kaiya Grigull, Mia Luong, Beatrix Messerschmidt, Noah Schepis-Wells, Angel Scott, Enya Yang & Sharon Yu
Silver Medal Recipients: Ghazala Arbish, Astrid Messerschmidt, Isaac Oliver & Mamoon Waqas

DARE to Ignite 2019

CCC is very excited to host its first ever ‘DARE to Ignite’ Evening. An event designed to showcase all of the engaging inquiry-based action projects our students have been leading throughout the year. From within our classrooms to our CAST activities and extra-curricular experiences – our students will be sharing their learning journey. This includes student groups from across the whole college. A map and schedule of events will follow soon. Can’t wait to see you there.

 

Musicals

2019 saw the debut of some amazing talent across both Junior and Secondary Schools.

This year our Musical season was kicked off by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. With over 50 students from Years 7 to 12, this production absolutely blew audience members away. Featuring Misha Mehmet as Belle and Jack Semini as the Beast, both these students were making their CCC performance debuts and absolutely knocked it out of the park. Special mention must go to the behind the scenes crew. The actors get much of the accolades, and deserve every bit of praise they get…but it is the backstage crew that are the life-blood of these productions. Without their professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm, we would never be able to put on the amazing shows we do throughout the year.

 

 

Not to be outdone, Junior School stepped up and improved upon their amazing effort from last year and delivered a wonderful performance with Disney’s Aristocats. It was a show full of energy, fun, laughs and some of the best talent Junior School has to offer. A true ensemble cast, students from across Junior School committed to create a magical show that entranced audiences of all ages. A massive thank you to all teachers involved, no matter how big or small their contribution. The Arts are flourishing in CCC, in no small part because of the passion and drive of the teachers. Congratulations to all.

Principal’s News

What is the International Baccalaureate?
This is a frequently asked question and I am always happy to elaborate. For students in Years Prep to 6 and increasingly in years 7 to 9, International Baccalaureate is a way of learning. It incorporates our Australian Curriculum and gives it an international perspective. There is a focus on the Learner Profile as the most important characteristics of a learner.
IB Jigsaw Head picture
The other really important piece of the IB program is the action that happens at the end of the inquiry cycle and the learning phase. This is a response from the students which might be as large as a community project or personal a conscious change in personal perspective. Throughout this year, Ms Pamela Curtin has been with support from a small staff team, building our Global Competence Framework which will encompass this aspect of action-learning but also provide pathways for student leadership and to engage student voice. This will be launched in 2020, but here’s a snapshot.

 

 

 

Middle Years Program
Junior Secondary are loving the work they are doing in Inquiry and our teachers are embracing the opportunity to engage more directly with students. Our units of work are being launched with a provocation rather than a tile. A provocation is a question which seeks to inspire or interest the students in engaging with their next body of learning. So rather than approaching the work ‘cold’ we accessing the knowledge they already have and prompting them to question further, to indicate where their interests lie and to connect the new knowledge to areas of understanding that they already have. This is the process of the PYP in Junior School and we are slowly transitioning that through to our secondary learning styles.
Survey and feedback
My much promised survey of Junior Secondary parents will go out in the next week as well as the final round of student surveys in Years 7, 8 and 9. I look forward to hearing from you regarding your responses to our changes in the implementation of routines, Keys to Consistency, as well as shifts in learning styles and of course your general responses to school life in the adolescent years.

Diploma (Years 11 & 12)
Our IB seniors together with PYP students and others from across the College have revitalised “Dare to Ignite” – don’t miss it – it will be a wonderful showcase of our students’ learning.

More Growth in 2020 – more and more of our community are choosing CCC
Our College has had five years of constant growth in student numbers. The really exciting aspect of this is that, that growth has occurred inside the Calamvale Community Catchment, which means that our community is choosing our school as a school of choice. Thank you. Becoming a member of the Calamvale Community College community is a commitment to a global education with an international perspective on our world but it is also entering into a partnership between parents and families to achieve the best possible education for our students. Our International Baccalaureate programs, which address all aspects of the Australian Curriculum, and provides our students with the opportunity to grow in the Learner Profile, to understand how they learn and how to maximise their learning and achieve their best results; their personal best. Our students have achieved many personal bests this year. Please follow us on Facebook, read the newsletter and watch our information boards to track their success. We are very proud of your children, our students and very confident in their continued success. Thank you for your trust in us and your commitment to our ongoing partnership for our students.

 

Can and Bottle Collections
Once again a massive thank you to Mr Butler, College Council Chair for his, his families and our P&C commitment to the recycling program as a fundraiser for our school and an environmentally friendly way to dispose of our cans and bottles We had record contributions and it is an outstanding result. Thank you for the time taken to collect and deliver these to our school – more air-conditioning to come.

 

Congratulations and thank you P&C Junior Disco
What a wonderful Halloween Night it was! A great funding raising event for all the P&C’s hard work supporting our students. Thank you to the volunteers and our amazing Junior School staff team.

Musicfest
Over the course of the last few days our Junior Band, Senior Band and Jazz Band have all participated in the annual “Music Fest” Bands’ Competition. Each ensemble performed exceptionally well and achieved great results with complimentary comments from the adjudicators. Junior Band and Senior Band received Silver Awards for their performances……and today, Jazz Band took out the Gold Award!! Congratulations to these ensembles. It’s due to all their effort and hard work through-out the year. I feel very proud of them.

 

Strings at Music Fest 2019

 Thank-you for all your support during this huge performance term!

Our Music Fest results show the students’ hard work during the year.

 

Congratulations to Symphony Orchestra on their solid performance, receiving a Bronze Award, on Monday 21 October at Iona College!

Here are some of the adjudicator’s comments:

  • “some musical moments”
  • “there is good potential in this growing orchestra”

 

Congratulations to Crescendo on their strong performance at Coorparoo Secondary College on Thursday 24 October, receiving a Silver Award!

Here are some of the adjudicator’s comments:

  • Great energy, fantastic performance”
  • “Excellent stage presence and presentation”
  • “Well done, a solid and cohesive ensemble played with confidence”

 

CONGRATULATIONS to those students who performed in the Corelli Music Fest on Saturday 26 October at Coorparoo Secondary College. A GOLD AWARD!!

Here are some of the Adjudicator’s comments:

 

  • “Pieces were well prepared”
  • “Rhythm was secure”
  • “Very fine warm tone with Sword Dance showing fine dynamic variation”
  • A Platinum tick for Presentation!

ADP
Congratulations to the graduating class of 2019 Athlete Development Program. The team celebrated with a beautiful formal dinner where they were marked on their etiquette and dressed in formal attire. It was Athletes on the Red Carpet – and a credit to the whole ADP staff team.

 

 

CCA Breakfast and VET Awards
Congratulations Saige Amos – VET Student of the Year, Jayden Finch – Trainee of the Year & Reinnan Pomar – Outstanding Effort VET Award they took out the highest VET Awards which were presented at a Business Breakfast at Three Trees, two weeks ago. These students have achieved the highest standards in vocational education, they are industry ready and have very bright futures.

FAREWELL Year 12’s

Our final Secondary Parade for our Year 12 cohort took place on Tuesday 29/10. The assembly was packed with celebrations of success for students, as well as the crowning of Boree as the Secondary School House Cup Winners for Term 3. The most important feature of the parade, however, was the farewell to our Year 12 students. As part of our tradition, our Prep Class, in preparation, designed some graduation cards as gifts for the 12s. These were given to the Year 12s as the Preps entered the Hall. The Preps then formed a guard of honour which the 12s crawled through. The height of the Preps makes it a bit hard to walk through. It was a special moment of the 12s and the College and displayed our wonderful, inclusive P-12 culture.

ICAS Assessments recognise and reward academic excellence. The tests are designed to assess students’ ability to apply classroom learning in new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Every year over a million students participate in ICAS around the world.
This year the assessments were completed online for the very first time. Students competed in Spelling, English, Writing, Mathematics, Science and Digital Technologies.
Congratulations to all students who were risk-takers and volunteered to be involved. Particular mention to our Distinction students (top 10%) and High Distinction student (top 1%):

Creative Generation

Creative Generation State Schools on Stage celebrated its 15 year anniversary! CCC is a foundation school, having participated in the arena style production every single year since its inception. This year’s theme ‘Our Time’ reflected key milestones in humankind through music and dance, and was intended to encourage today’s young people to create their own legacies that will be celebrated long into the future. The college would like to acknowledge, congratulate and thank this year’s participants for their incredible commitment and contribution to another successful CGEN!
We would also like to say a massive thank you to the parents and teachers that supported their students’ involvement. Opportunities to become involved in the numerous categories of CGEN 2020 will be advertised throughout the college later in the year.

The show will be aired on Network Ten at 12 noon on Saturday 28 September with an encore screening on Sunday 29 September at 11 am on 10PEACH.

QTIC Salute to Excellence

Calamvale Community College has had their first finalist in the Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Salute to Excellence Awards, which recognises Year 11 and 12 students that are undertaking or have completed vocational education and training in tourism, food and beverage or cookery. Saige Amos is a Year 12 student studying a Certificate III in Hospitality at the College who has been recognised for her leadership, skills and dedication to Hospitality through her nomination for the Food and Beverage Category. Throughout her studies, Saige has excelled in a variety of roles at Calamvale’s 3 Trees Restaurant & Cafe along with participating in work experience opportunities at Royal Pines Resort and Suncorp Stadium. Saige is currently preparing to participate in the upcoming Become a Barista Competition and hopes to go on to study Events Management at university next year.

 

Congratulations on a fantastic achievement Saige!

Electronic Sports Competition- Esports

Esports, also known as electronic sports, is a form of competition through video games which is on a rapid rise globally. On Saturday 20 July, the Calamvale team consisting of Year 12 students; Chris Jeong, Thang Truong, Matthew Shearer, Xavier Lee and Ethan Mackinlay, competed in the live finals at the University of Queensland for the Queensland High School Championship. League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game in which players must strategically work together in order to win.
Over a ten week period that included over 40 schools and 300 students from Queensland, the team went through the round robin stages of the tournament undefeated, and cemented their place to compete in the live finals at the Schonell Theatre. With great teamwork, grit and determination, the boys worked together and defeated Merrimac SHS in the Semi Final and had their sights set on the Grand Final.


In the Grand Final, the Calamvale team faced off against Kelvin Grove College to decide who would be representing Queensland in the National Finals. Albeit hard-fought and with great determination from both sides, the boys fell in the Grand Final and had to settle for the second best team in Queensland. Although falling just short of reaching the national stage in Melbourne, the team as a whole garnered something not many others have; an insight into competitive gaming, and an experience to what it would feel like to play on a live stage as an Esports Professional. Just recently, American 16 year old Kyle Giersdorf took out the first-ever Fortnite World Cup winning $3 million in prize money, which is more prize money than Novak Djokvic winning Wimbledon or Tiger Woods winning the US Masters. This truly demonstrates the reality of Esports becoming a strong part within sporting society.

Written by CCC student Brad Szakowski (Team Captain)

Japan Trip 2019

In the last week of Term 2, 8 of our Taiko students, along with Mr Simmons and Mrs Ferguson headed off to Japan for a week of Taiko activities, School visits and cultural exchange. After some initial dramas with their flight being cancelled, they still made it to Japan in time to attend their first activity. They no sooner checked into their Hotel and they were off again to visit “Matsugaya High” for an afternoon of Taiko playing with their Taiko Club.
On day 2 they went to the “Taiko Lab” in central Tokyo for a 2 hour Taiko lesson with a professional Taiko Instructor. Then that evening they were all part of a Taiko Concert in Tokyo where they performed 2 of their pieces as well as getting to watch other Taiko groups perform, including professional Taiko Group, “Mugen”. Day 3 they went to Flute making workshop and made their own Bamboo Flutes. This was followed by an afternoon of sightseeing as well as catching up with Fumiko, the Japanese Percussionist who visited our School last year. They went to Asakusa and visited Tokyo’s oldest Temple and Shrine. Then in the evening went to Tokyo Tower for some great night views of Tokyo City. Day 4 they went to Kamakura which was the medieval capital of Japan. It was good to get out of Tokyo and see a different side of Japan including ancient Temples, beautiful gardens and a massive statue of Buddha! Day 5 they visited our sister School, “Tama Meguro High” and were made to feel incredibly welcome. They picked us up from the train station, welcomed us with a Tea Ceremony, provided us with lunch and invited us to their classrooms to engage in various activities. It was a very enjoyable day, and many students said it was the highlight of the trip. That evening they went to a Japanese family’s home for dinner and had a smorgasbord of very delicious Japanese foods. Day 6 we went to “Shoyo High” for an afternoon of Taiko activities as well as visiting classrooms and engaging in activities with their students. Once again, it was a very enjoyable exchange and as with all the Schools, the Japanese Teachers and Students made us feel very welcome. That evening we went to the famous “Shibuya Crossing” in central Tokyo and braved the crowds to make our way across the “5- way scramble crossing” in a sea of people! Day 7 was our final day. Before our long haul back to the airport, we went to “Ginza”, which is one of the “flahsiest” suburbs in Tokyo and did some shopping in a 7 story stationary store!

All in all, it was a very successful and rewarding trip. We learned more about Taiko, became to understand Japanese Culture a little better, made friends at the Schools we visited and enjoyed visiting some wonderful places in and around Tokyo.

On 20 July, 20 students, 5 teachers and 6 members of the Support Crew embarked on the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge. Teams competed in the 48km course, hiking through the night in hilly, rough terrain.

2019 saw CCC’s best performance to date, with 18 of 20 students completing the challenging course. On top of this, the time taken by teams to complete the course improved remarkably. Mr Bunn’s Team finished in just 10 hours and 40 mins, 3 hours faster than any of our teams in the previous two years.

Overall, the teams demonstrated grit and determination and wonderful teamwork to achieve their goal. It is important to note that the event itself is only a part of the challenge. Students must train for 6 months, as well raise money for the Kokoda Foundation, so the Kokoda Challenge is a long-term commitment for our students.

We are extremely proud of all the teams and look forward to our 2020 campaign. Special thanks must go to our Support Crew and sponsors who made the event possible.

Strings SUZIE G ELECTRIC VIOLINIST VISIT

On Monday 22 July, Suzie G, electric violinist and entertainer visited Calamvale CC to give a show in CPAC for all the Instrumental Music Strings students and then a coaching session for our new Electric String Quartet, Cadenza Quartet.
Suzie dazzled everyone with her musical performance, lighting and smoke machine! Some Junior School students won a free CD of Suzie G’s music in the quiz! Several Senior School students were fortunate to have a play on Suzie’s bright pink violin or our school electric cello!

IB Camp

In the last week of Term 2, our Year 11 IB students journeyed their way to North Stradbroke Island. Here they spent three days residing at the University of Queensland’s Moreton Bay Research Station. The main purpose was to focus on the IB Core; Theory of Knowledge, CAS and the Extended Essay. Students undertook some mindfulness activities with a scenic ocean backdrop and focused on exploring their creative side with some artistic work.

The group also developed their teamwork skills with a specific focus on precise communication and the importance of this. Lots of fun with Duplo, balloons and puzzles.

A main component was exploring the strong indigenous history of the island. We were guided through the mangroves and heard stories of oral traditions and the importance of sustainability and balance. The students also then worked with a local Quandamooka gallery to develop their own indigenous art pieces using traditional techniques, which are now proudly on display in our IB Hub.

There was a strong emphasis on the initial thinking and planning of the Extended Essay with some workshops on designing research questions and mindmapping.

The group demonstrated many of their attributes of being communicators, knowledgeable, inquirers, balanced and risk-takers and braving the wet weather. Fantastic trip!

Sydney/Canberra Cultural Tour

On Sunday 18 August, 108 of our Year 6 students embarked on a six-day trip to Sydney and Canberra by bus. The bulk of the places visited directly linked to classroom lines of inquiry, which brought the students’ learning to life.

During the 2019 Cultural Tour, students enjoyed visiting:

• Parliament House
• Australian War Memorial
• Questacon
• Old Parliament House
• Australian Institute of Sport
• Government House
• Mount Ainslie Lookout
• National Museum of Australia
• Perisher Snow Fields
• Circular Quay in Sydney
• Taronga Park Zoo

There are many people who need to be thanked for making this year’s trip one of the best yet. Thank you to our wonderful staff who accompanied our students on the trip – Ms Connor, Ms Bertoli, Ms Haslam, Ms Leatherbarrow, Ms Pearn and Mr Loriaux

We also need to thank the Federal Government who recognise the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government contributed $60 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Hospitality Excellence Program for 2020

The Hospitality Excellence Program for 2020 has now officially launched and applications are now open. The Hospitality team would like to extend thanks to all of the Year 9 students and their families that came to our showcase evening in 3 Trees Restaurant & Café on Wednesday 7 August. It was great to be able to share what we do with you and information about our subject in Year 10 and beyond. We enjoyed seeing what our budding chefs have been up to in Year 9 Food Technology and look forward to sampling their Bento boxes.

 

 

 

Students who are interested in studying Hospitality or Kitchen Operations next year contact the Program Coordinator, Leah Cremen (lwell55@eq.edu.au), if you have any questions.

 

World Arts and Multicultural Inc (WAMCI) news

Thanks Mr Butler, College Chair, for accepting the invitation to become an advisor to the .  He was delighted to received a signed copy of Melody Chen’s new book.

Principals News

We have reached the end of Term 3 and there is some sense of satisfaction across our school. In Senior, our Year 12s have completed the QCS and were unphased by it and well prepared. It is always a difficult task, as it is the only time that these students actually face an external test. We are confident in their capability as they head into the last six weeks of their school lives.
Our Year 11s have also negotiated their first taste of either the IB Diploma curriculum or the new Queensland curriculum, units 1 and 2. As is always the case in Year 11, everyone has realised that you need to work harder in Year 11 than you perhaps thought you would. Our students in Applied and Certificate courses, are also experiencing what it is like to have more autonomy but also more responsibility for the completion of their tasks.

I want to encourage all parents and carers to provide constant encourage and perhaps some time management for our Year 11 and 12 students. They are constantly faced with challenges to their time and whether they know it or not, they would benefit from advice and then support. Thank you for your engagement with our students, your children, in partnership to achieve their best possible outcomes.

 

CCC matching the World in the TIMMs testing.
All schools, at some stage, participate in the TIMMs testing, and CCC is no different. Here are the statements from the TIMMs website regarding school performance across the world:
Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Japan continue outperforming all participating countries in mathematics at the fourth and eighth grades, maintaining a 20 year edge according to results released today from TIMMS, the longest running, large scale international assessment of mathematics and science in the world. Read more at https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/ then have a look at CCC level pegging with the world, not yet at the front! I can’t put the graphs into this newsletter as the quality or reproduction is poor, but I will have them up on the website for next term.

 

 

 

Key Successes
In Mathematics and Science, CCC is equal with the world average
In self confidence in learning mathematics and science, CCC is above the world average in all categories
In positive thinking about learning mathematics and science, CCC is above the world average
And then there’s this one, we are the black bar and being less than the world numbers is better in every aspect – our students feel safer, calmer, less anxious and more included than the students across the rest of the world.
This is one time that we want to be less than the world. Go Calamvale!
I will post the general Naplan results on the website for next term. Our results are strong and they reflect our increasing focus on supporting students to achieve at their greatest potential. It takes account of the fact that our youngest learners who are becoming bilingual achieve mastery in Year 5 and 7 in the majority – supported by our College in specialised support for their considerable capacity.

NAPLAN Feedback.
It’s good, we are always improving and we are proud of our students’ success. I will post the general NAPLAN results on the website for next term. Our results are strong and they reflect our increasing focus on supporting students to achieve at their greatest potential. It takes account of the fact that our youngest learners who are becoming bilingual achieve mastery in Year 5 and 7 in the majority – supported by our College in specialised support for their considerable capacity.

Thank you for all your support this term, happy holidays!

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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          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 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 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 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!

 

 

2020 Prep Enrolments are now open

What age can a child start Prep?

Queensland children are eligible to attend Prep in the year that they turn five by 30 June. There have been no changes to the eligibility age for Prep since it began in 2007.
Occasionally, schools are asked to consider allowing a child to begin Prep early. To allow this to occur, there are legal requirements which must be met. Being born in July is not a guarantee that a child will be given approval to enter Prep early, or that they are ready for school. Starting school early does not necessarily give a child a head start to schooling. For the best start to schooling, attending a quality kindergarten program remains the best educational option for all children in the year before they start Prep.
For information regarding enrolling in Prep for 2020 please contact the school enrolment officer or administration on 37126333.

Prep Chinese Immersion Program

In 2016, Calamvale Community College introduced a Chinese Immersion Program for identified students in Prep. The intention of the Immersion program is to provide a rich bi-lingual experience for the students within an integrated learning environment. Research increasingly shows that most young children are capable of learning two languages and that bilingualism affords cognitive, cultural, and economic advantages (Bialystok, 2001; Genesee, 2004; Hakuta & Pease-Alvarez, 1992)

What is an Immersion Program?

Immersion is learning in another language, not just learning the language.
Over the course of their study, students in this Immersion Program will:
• Gain a basic knowledge of Chinese language and culture
• Undertake simple communicative and interactive activities
• Gain an understanding and learn to speak words derived from Chinese characters
• Read and recognise words derived from Chinese characters
• Write words derived from Chinese characters

Traditional Model

All students from Prep –Year 6 currently learn Chinese in dedicated lessons ranging between 30 – 90 minutes per week, depending on the year level.

Extended Model

• Students in the Prep Immersion Program receive between 60-120 minutes of their schooling each day delivered in Chinese by a specialist Chinese speaking teacher.
• Reading, Writing, Letter knowledge / Spelling and some Mathematical units are delivered in English similar to all other Prep classes.
• Units of Inquiry which are Science / Humanities based are delivered in Chinese.

Benefits for Students

There are actually a number of benefits to developing fluency in a second language:

It makes them smarter

Learning a foreign language is a great way to improve their cognitive function.

Bilingual children are better able to grasp the English language as they come to the terms with the grammar of a foreign language.

A study by Illinois State University found students who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary.

They are better at problem solving and multitasking as they can comprehend different language structures and easily switch between the two, and they develop a stronger memory as they have more language rules and intricacies to remember when communicating, and more information and associations to retain and recall.

It broadens their horizons

When learning a foreign language, you don’t simply learn about vocabulary, you also learn about the country’s culture and society. Your child will have a greater appreciation for the world we live in and a more educated international outlook. Also, being able to communicate in the native language whilst abroad will be a real moment of pride and a great confidence boost.

It’s a way to challenge your child

Learning a foreign language is a great activity to challenge your child. It will keep their minds stimulated and focused, and ensures that they remain enthusiastic and continue to enjoy the learning process.

Enrolment in the Prep Immersion Class

All students enrolling in Prep undertake a short oral language screening assessment in November prior to the start of the school year. From this assessment, families are offered a place in the Chinese Immersion class. Enrolling in the Immersion class requires a commitment to the Immersion Program for a three year period (Prep- Year 2). Students in the Prep Immersion class stay together as a class group building on their language proficiency from Prep to the end of Year 2.

When student graduate from the three year immersion program, the class group moves in small friendship groups to the mainstream Year 3 student population. Their language proficiency continues to be extended during LOTE (Language other than English) classes when they come back together as a class group to participate in Chinese enrichment program.

Click on the link below to see our Prep students in our Chinese Immersion Class after 4 weeks in the Immersion program

Athletics Racing down the track!

We have reached the end of our carnival season, which has come early this year due to the games being held in Darwin in July. Boree have triumphed in the Junior School and we had a wonderful turn out of students dressed in their yellow, green, red and blue. Mr Loriaux was on the microphone and had those competitors racing for their events. The cheers and the warcries of Junior School were amazing as was the attendance of so many parents there to see their children race. Please find a delightful compilation of pictures celebrating the day.
Congratulations Boree – your participation was excellent and you won the day!

Secondary School have also completed most of the athletics carnival with just a few events still to run, so no results yet – although I think perhaps Boree is looking good for a clean sweep – we’ll have to wait and see. The students had a really high level of participation in events and I know Cobar was particularly well represented. There were several long standing records broken, among them:

 

Age Event Name New record Old record
15 Javelin Mitchell Chowdhury 41.80m 39.08 (2004)
12 Javelin Menaya Bell 18.70m 14.60m (2005)
15 Javelin Tiana Richards 36.29m 23.71 (2007)
16 Discus  Moana Pearse 28.09m 26.81 (2005)
13 Long Jump Juni Pullen 4.94m 4.93m (2015)
15 Long Jump Shareef Mwechiwa 5.83m 5.64m (2010)
16 Long Jump Zak Lewis 5.78m 5.69m(2010)
12 Long Jump Nekeisha Ngaru 3.93m 3.70m (2002)
15 Long Jump Tiana Richards 4.90m 4.40m (2004)
14 Shot put Jericho Fozefau-Strickland 11.55m 11.18m (2011)
16 Shot put Brigham Alofipo 13.24m 12.90m (2005)
12 Shot put Pania Haeriti 10.35m 8.45m (2002)
15 Shot put Tiana Richards 11.57m 9.14m (2012)
16 Shot put Moana Pearse 9.66m 9.48m (2005)
17 Shot put Sophie Vercoe 9.37m 9.05m (2006)
13 Triple Jump Ryan Gilder 9.20m
15 Triple Jump Shareef Mwechiwa 10.90m
16 Triple Jump Levi Clare 11.51m
17 Triple Jump Caleb Tettey 11.90m
16 Triple Jump Fanta Aruna 9.16m

Congratulations to all students who achieved their personal best times, heights or distances, to our record breakers and to our age champs (yet to be announced but many of you know who you are) Across the College – well done!

 

 

 

 

 

ARTS NEWS

We have had a very busy time in the Arts over the last couple of months, with even m ore exciting opportunities for our students on the horizon. Some of the highlights our students have participated in include a Masterclass with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra that our instrumental music students engaged with on 1 May. Multiple artists from woodwind to brass, came into CPAC to work with our students and produced something very special. This, along with their efforts throughout Semester one, can be seen later this term in our annual Music@6 showcase.

 

Music Circles visited our Year 9 Music students recently, taking them through an extensive song writing workshop. This partnership with industry professionals helps to develop student understanding of music writing and will push our students to achieve their very best. This is mirrored in our Year 10 Drama class where our Partnership with Queensland Theatre continues to grow as part of their assessment they are participating in The Scene Project, which will see them working with award winning playwright, Angela Betzien. Their final performance will actually be staged on Queensland Theatre’s very own Billie Brown Stage in South Brisbane.

Our Art students have had a very busy couple of weeks, travelling to GOMA to see the 9th Annual Triennial of Contemporary Art as part of their exploration of Artists, and also exploring Karawartha Forest Park. These excursions help to provide valuable stimulus for our students, engaging with their surrounds and experimenting with different mediums. Term 4 will see their work displayed in the restaurant for our annual Art exhibition.

Extra-curricular activities continue to provide our students with multiple opportunities, including the Junior School Musical and the Secondary School Musical. This year the Junior School will be presenting Disney’s Aristocats, with auditions and rehearsals starting very soon. Meanwhile, the Secondary School will be presenting Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Rehearsals are already well on the way, with a partnership with Rockit Productions helping out with the choreography.

Creative Generation is also currently in full swing here at the school with our students beginning rehearsals for the State Spectacular. This is an amazing experience that we are privileged to be a part of, and you will soon see our students sporting their exclusive Creative Generation jackets in and around the school. These young artists work extremely hard and share the stage with some of the State’s very best performers.

The Company is also working hard on two productions this year. The first of which is a partnership with our very own Three Trees Restaurant; a dinner and show starting Wednesday 8 May. For $25 you get a wonderful dinner at our restaurant, followed by a 30 minute production of Shakespeare’s Othello in our outside Amphitheatre. The evening concludes with dessert back in the restaurant. Two more performances will be held on the 15 and 22 of May and reservations can be made through Student Services.

The Company is also rehearsing a two act play for Terms 3 called Stories in the Dark. It is a powerful story about hope and determination. It is a challenging text, but one that extends our students as performers and provides our audiences with some outstanding theatre.

This is what the Arts department is currently up to at CCC. The year is but young, and there are many more opportunities on the horizon. Junior and Secondary choirs, Raise Your Voice, and the Moscars to mention only three. The Arts are truly alive at CCC.

House Culture at Calamvale


House Culture is the lifeblood of the College’s culture. Both in Junior and Secondary, House Spirit and friendly competition permeates all elements of the College. Unlike other schools, House relates to the classroom, extra-curricular participation and attendance, not just sporting carnivals.
Junior School students have the opportunity to win points for their house on a daily basis, as students demonstrating Learner Profile Attributes are rewarded with gold tokens. Every fortnight at assemblies, these tokens are counted and all contribute to the House Spirit Cup in Junior School.
Secondary School’s House Cup, which is made up of six different elements of College culture, is calculated each term, with a combined House Celebration Day for the winning House taking place in the following term. This Term, both Junior and Secondary School will be participating in similar activities.
The following parts of College life contribute:

  •  Student Attendance
  •  Behaviour (report card)
  •  Effort (report card)
  •  Values in Actions Points (allocated in class each lesson)
  •  College Culture (various competitions)
  •  Participation in CAST

Overall, a House can only be victorious if everyone in that House contributes in the best way they can. The first House Cup will be celebrated on Thursday 23 May. Boree, Cobar, Keera and Tharah – who will be the next winners?

World Scholars’ Cup Success!


Congratulations to our Junior and Senior teams who competed at the Brisbane Regional Round of the World Scholars’ Cup during the first week of the holidays. This year we had an amazing eleven teams enter, with students from Years 5 – 10 taking on the challenge. Excitingly, nine of our teams have qualified for the global round in Sydney.
This annual competition is held all over the world, with many international and private schools competing. Over 2 very long days, the students undertook a range of challenges, including Debating, the Scholars’ Bowl, Collaborative Writing and individual challenges. They competed against teams from 14 others schools including other state and private schools at Churchie and won a number of awards.

Our Junior Teams (Year 5-8) had some wonderful achievements, Ameesha Prakash, Dain Sony and Kaylee Alcayde placed 3rd in the Team Debating Challenge. Ameesha Prakash was nominated as one of the outstanding speakers in debating at the competition and performed in the Debate Showcase with other selected speakers from both the Junior and Senior divisions. Astrid Messerschmit, Beatrix Messerschmidt and Ben Godon also placed 2nd in the Top Challenge Team achieving many medals individually in this area, alongside their other medals. There were many other highly notable achievements including: 6th place in Social Studies – Zach Weir (Year 6), Arts – Eloise Marsden (Year 5), Science – Isaac Oliver (Year 8) and gold medals in writing for Year 5, 6, 7 students – Amber Tran, Delwyn Zeng, Thryambika Maniraj, Tiffany Song, Vicky Kweon.
The Senior Team, Riley Andrews, Connor Andrews and Danielle Sekulla, competed against teams of students from Years 10-12, and placed 11th overall in the Team Writing Challenge and 13th in the Scholars’ Bowl.
We would like to thank these talented students and their families for giving up their time to train on Wednesday afternoons, study at home and to compete in the holidays. Thank you also to their teachers who teach them the skills needed in academic competitions such as this one. A special thank you to Ruth Smith for her wonderful coaching in the Wednesdays leading up to competition.

Join a Calamvale CAST team!

Please find attached information regarding Term 2, 2019 offerings!
Join the Calamvale CAST, Term 2, 2019

Queensland Symphony Orchestra

On Wednesday 1 May, the Calamvale CC Symphony Orchestra students were very excited to host 5 guest musicians from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. The guest musicians worked with our students in their instrument groups for the first half of the rehearsal. Please see some work-in-progress photos!


Hayley Radke worked with the flutes and clarinets.
Mark Bremner worked with the trumpets and trombone.
David Montgomery worked with the percussion section.
Min Jin Sung worked with the cellos and double bass.
Katie Betts worked with the violins and viola.

 

Then everyone came together to rehearse and the guest musicians played sided by side with our students. After just 45 minutes of intensive tutorials with our guests, Ms Erbacher and our audience of over 30 people were super-impressed by the improvement!
We look forward to further collaborations later in the year with the guest musicians from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra!

We’re increasing safety around our school

Brisbane City Council has supported our school to develop a tailored traffic management plan (TMP) to help ease traffic congestion and increase safety around our school and the local community.

Our TMP focuses on creating a more efficient pick-up and drop-off zone, increasing active travel opportunities and ensuring our school zone operates safely.

As a valued member of our community, we need your assistance to ensure safer school streets for our students and families. Please remember to always drive with care, observe time limits in the drop and go zone and only cross the road at signalised intersections, pedestrian refuges, school and zebra crossings or when safe and legal to do so.

To find out more, talk to the school leadership team or visit brisbane.qld.gov.au and search ‘school traffic management plans’.

Our school traffic management plan

Did you know we’ve completed a school traffic management plan (TMP) to increase safety in our community? Brisbane City Council’s TMP is a tool for schools to identify and address traffic management issues to ease congestion, streamline pick-up and drop off periods and create safer school streets.

As a valued member of our community, we need your assistance to ensure safer school streets for our students and families. Make sure you drive, walk or ride safely around our school to help support our plan and keep our community safe!

To find out more, talk to the school leadership team or visit brisbane.qld.gov.au and search ‘school traffic management plans’.

Positive Education at Calamvale Community College

 

Teachers at Calamvale Community College have participated in intensive professional development within the field of Positive Education (i.e., the application of positive psychology practices within an educational setting). Positive Education concepts are embedded into CCC teachers’ curriculum planning, daily practices, Junior School house rallies and Secondary School wellbeing lessons. Each CCC newsletter will now feature a brief introduction to a Positive Education concept.

 

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

 

 

Keep your eye out for more about Positive Education at CCC in upcoming newsletters.
Nerieda Anderson
Calamvale Community College
Developmental Guidance Officer
Psychologist

Open Day May 28

Whilst we understand that our families frequently have students across the College, it is often the case that families have more knowledge about one particular area and so Open Day is an opportunity to come to the College and learn more about what’s on offer.
On Tuesday 28 May, we will be spotlighting our Signature Programs @ Calamvale. What will be presented is not the entirety of what’s on offer but rather focuses on specific points of interest for new students in Junior School, students moving into Secondary School and specialist programs.

Following a welcome in CPAC by both Heads of Campus, Mrs Welch and Mrs Angel, our guests for Open Day will gain an understanding of the Yr 3-12 Instrumental Music Program and the International Baccalaureate mindset that underpins our College philosophy. There will be details about our inaugural scholarship program for a selected number of instrumental students, before the group separates to listen to presentations on the following:
International Baccalaureate – Primary Years: curious|creative|clever
Prep 2020 – the first year of school
Mandarin Immersion – Prep-Yr 2

APEX – Yr 7-9 Academic Excellence: Power through Knowledge
ADP – Athlete Development Program: Success through Sport
International Baccalaureate –Yr 10-12 Getting to University and Staying There

For the first time this year, there will be an additional focus on our Hospitality Excellence Program which operates in our licenced restaurant Three Trees. This program is an entry point for students who might be out of catchment and provides an expert training course which feeds into the ‘high-end’ restaurants which specialise in very sophisticated dining. Our visiting parents and community members will finish the Open Day with a tour of the commercial kitchen and a question and answer session in the café at Three Trees.

We look forward to welcoming you to the College and ask you to share this friends and family who may be interested. Please note that there will not be a Principal’s Tour on this day. These tours are held on Wednesday, every fortnight with our executive principal. Book through the webpage or the front office 3712 6333.

AMAYDA

This term, CCC launched our inaugural program with AMAYDA. We have 20 students enrolled in this resilience building, self-regulating martial arts program and it was launched by Queensland’s own, Jeff Horn – the boxing champion with a passion for anti-bullying. Jeff’s attendance at parade on May 5th was very well received with the entire student body, Years 6-10 chanting the strategies of Avoid, Assess and Apply. Our students really enjoyed the sense of empowerment but also were fully understanding the responsibility and respect that accompanies all or our actions. Below is a snapshot from the AMAYDA website and here is the direct link https://amayda.com.au/ and there are photos from the program.

AMAYDA has formed an alliance with your school to build confidence in their students and prepare them for secondary school. We do this by engaging students through role playing a range of potentially difficult situations and providing practical solutions. They will learn the best real-world self-defence skills taken from a wide range of martial arts and boxing. The bottom line is that the AMAYDA Program will help your child to survive when you can’t be there. It’s about giving both you and your child peace of mind.

We also combine the physical training with core values taught in martial arts:
• to have RESPECT for yourself and others;
• to have the COURAGE to do the right thing, even when you’re scared and to make the right decisions when subjected to peer pressure;
• to have the INTEGRITY to do what you say you’re going to do; and
• to build RESILIENCE, by strengthening their self-image, enabling students to recover quickly when faced with adversity.

All of these values combined are what we call – AMAYDA EXCELLENCE.
Our programs are carefully reviewed by our Program Mentor and world class trainer Glenn Rushton, martial arts veteran and Kung Fu master, Sifu Frank Mechler and Australia’s greatest boxer, former school teacher and National Ambassador Against Bullying in Schools, Jeff ‘The Hornet’ Horn.
Welcome to all parents interested in preparing their children for the next step in schooling. The step up to secondary school is a big one for any child and can be a very daunting and sometimes, even the most confident student can struggle with this transition.

With the lives of parents getting busier and busier it sometimes hard to know for sure if your child is emotionally ready for the big changes ahead.
Here are some things to consider…
• 1- Is your child going to be responsible for getting themselves to and from school by public transport or other?
• 2- Are you confident that your child would know what to do if confronted with a physically or emotionally stressful situation?
• 3- Do you believe that your child would make the right decision when confronted with peer group pressure?

Student Leadership

Our adoption of the International Baccalaureate programs from Prep through to Year 12 with the Middle Years Program to begin in 2020, has resulted in a shift of philosophy toward student leadership. From 2019 onwards, our leadership program as well as building the confidence of its students, providing opportunities to lead and collaborate with others will have a particular service focus with respect to the community.

This is a shift in culture away from events-based leadership and towards a service orientation. We have already begun a focus on entrepreneurship which resulted in over 40 students and teachers being trained in the GENIN model of entrepreneurial model of innovation and competition over a month late last year. https://www.studyqueensland.qld.gov.au/genin This proved quite a daunting expectations for our students and so we expect this added service element to complement entrepreneurism and in doing so provide an expanded number of opportunities for a greater diversity of students.

We begin our program this week with 40 prospective student leaders joining our Calamvale Community and College Alliance breakfast. The business leaders who have worked with us for four years and last term explored their own experiences of entrepreneurship and leadership, will this week mentor our young people in their own innovative ideas in answer to the question: If I could make a change in the world, what would it be? The format will be speed mentoring (similar but obviously different to speed dating) but all participants will speak with up to 6 business people in the process.

There will be continuing workshops over the next month, leading into a peak experience motivational presentation on June 13th by the student leadership organisation called High Resolves.
http://www.findschoolworkshops.com/High-Resolves/High-Resolves-Global-Citizens–Global-Leaders-

This company will present to our students about Social Progress and in semester 2 on the Better Self.  Sixty students from 6, 7, 8 and 60 students from 9, 10, 11 will have this experience as a launch into student leadership at Calamvale.  We expect that students will present, in groups, to you as parents on the evening of June 13th which will provide an opportunity for you to share in their learning and possibly even give them feedback on their plans.

Please encourage your students to participate when the opportunity arises, either through Year 6 teacher, years 7-9 Humanities or by contacting Mr Butterworth in Keera or Ms Curtin in Cobar.

Thank you to our amazing Parents and Citizens

 

CCC would like to thank President Mrs Leesa Mason and her executive team and wonderful supporters for all their hard work last week. Weeks ago, we had lots of parents making gifts for the stall for Mothers’ Day, many thanks to each and every one of them as well and to all the people who assisted with resources and materials. Our P&C ran the Mothers’ Day stall for two days and then moved it to the oval for three days for three sports days – what an amazing effort! Our P&C have the ambition to air-condition our College and every gift contributed to that target. Thanks you to Mrs Mason and her wonderful team. We all hope you had a wonderful Mothers’ Day and enjoyed your CCC created gift!

 

Another round of applause….College Council Chair Mr Butler
Mr Mike Butler has been an unfailing proponent of the 10c bottle refund and it is he who collects your orange bags of bottles on the first Tuesday of every month at the Junior School student drop off zone. The money collected is also going towards College air-conditioning which is otherwise unfunded. We all wish we had enough funds to do have all of the requirements for our College. At present our bus is booked every day, saving us $450 minimum for the excursions – cheaper excursions and more flexibility for our classes. For our recycling scheme, thanks Mr and Mrs Butler for ensuring that we can collect as many bags as possible. 70 000 bottles is one air-conditioned classroom – it sounds like a lot but in three months we have almost got the first one.

 

Cross Country

The Cross Country is always a positive and fun filled event at Calamvale Community College and this year was no exception. Congratulations to the students who participated in the competitive cross country races in the morning.

It was wonderful to continue our partnership with the ‘I can I will’ foundation and the Calamvale Special School, which resulted in hundreds of dollars being raised and the beauty of inclusion being on display as both student from Calamvale Community College and Calamvale Special School watched Secondary Principal Mrs Sharyn Angel be ‘slimed’ for a good cause. Students then embarked on a fun filled obstacle course which resulted in many house points being accumulated. Congratulations to THARAH for being overall winning house on the day.

As always we thank our HPE and Sport staff for the tireless work they do to provide opportunities for our students.

Positive parenting for the digital age

At Calamvale Community College, we use a blended approach to learning. We are committed to developing student’s 21st Century technology skills, whilst also recognising the need for students to be able to write for extended periods of time in readiness for their external exams in year 12. Our core values are Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Initiative. For students to be appropriately prepared for lessons each day they must demonstrate responsibility and initiative by bringing along a fully charged laptop to school as well as their student workbooks and writing materials for their classes.

In 2019, we have introduced Digital Textbooks to the college. There are many benefits to digital textbooks, such as their portability, interactivity, built in assessment and feedback mechanisms.

  • All students in year 7 are provided with the full suite of digital textbooks as part of their Student Resource Scheme fees. Therefore, once you have paid your student fees, your family will be sent the digital textbooks code, so that your child can access these resources.
  • Students in years 8 and 9 are required to purchase a digital textbook for their mathematics subject. This is listed on the Campion book list which can be found on our College website. This is a separate purchase to the Student Resource Scheme fees.
  • Students in years 10 and 11 are required to purchase digital textbooks for their chosen subjects. These are listed on the Campion book list which can be found on our College website. These are separate purchases to the Student Resource Scheme fees.

There are so many advantages with improved technology in our daily life. With the help of mobile technology we are able to talk to our friends and relatives who are living far from us. With the help of the internet, we are able to learn new things and have access to online courses. With the help of aviation technology we are able to reach distant places within hours which took years of time to reach in olden days. With the help of social networking we are able to find our childhood friends and relatives and we are able to document and share important events in our life. With the help of information technology we are able to share information to any part of the world within milliseconds.

However, it is important that in this digital age, we understand how to keep our children safe and how they must behave responsibly to ensure they can receive all the benefits that technology can offer, without it being detrimental to their health or well-being. The most important thing to remember is that if we are purposeful with our parenting, we can set our students up for successful futures.

Helping children learn online safety

Make sure children and young people:

  • question what they see online and realise not everything they see is real
  • know your family values and become critical consumers. You might ask ‘Why do you think they are doing that?’ or ‘What would happen if they did that in real life?’
  • are respectful in all communication and don’t do or say anything online they wouldn’t in person
  • do not share personal information without your knowledge
  • know how to screen or block unwanted contacts that happen by phone, email, text, social networking or online games
  • understand that what they put online can be seen by people they may not intend. It may be there forever and impact relationships and jobs
  • know as they get older they can develop a positive online ‘digital identity’. When well managed, this can showcase skills and creativity.

It is important to stay involved in your child’s online life. How you do this will change as children gain skills and become more independent.

The online world

The best way to keep children and young people safe is to talk with them and be involved in their online world. You will be building your own technology skills, as well as a trusting relationship with your child. They will be more likely to come to you if something worries them.

Parents can:

  • help children and young people understand the risks, and practise safe online skills at home and away from home
  • supervise online activities and set rules and limits. These can change as children develop their online skills and become more mature
    talk about how and when you will use screen technology in your home. You might agree:

    • to keep devices in a room that is open. It will be easier to be aware of what children are doing
    • that devices will be out of bedrooms after ‘lights out’ as they can interfere with sleep
  • make sure children and young people have plenty of technology-free time and develop a range of ‘offline’ skills and interests. Learning to entertain themselves without technology is a skill that needs practice. Physical activity and creative play are important for healthy development
  • model safe and responsible use yourself.

Don’t let the online world shape children and young people’s values. They need balanced information and guidance from you.

Setting up safe internet use

There are things you can do to help keep children safe online, eg filter unsuitable content or monitor their internet use. If you decide to do this, make sure you are up front and explain your reasons. If you go behind children’s back, it may encourage them to hide things from you.

You could:

  • enable Google SafeSearch on all devices
  • enable parental controls on streaming services such as YouTube, Netflix and AppleTV
  • install software that filters content or lets you choose what times devices can be used/not used
  • get to know how your child’s phone or device works so you can help them use it safely
  • know children’s email addresses and passwords so you can monitor activity. If you do this, remember to let children know what you are doing and why
  • check the permissions you are giving when you or your children install a new app. Your personal data such as photos and documents might be accessible to others. Read unbiased reviews before installing apps
  • know how your device stores data, and whether this is secure. Many devices use ‘cloud storage’, eg Google Drive or Apple iCloud, to store data such as documents, photos or videos.
  • Make sure children and young people:
    • know the risks and benefits of ‘geo-location’ or ‘checking-in’ functions that identify their location. These can be limited or disabled
    • use a PIN or access code on their phone or device so if they are stolen they can’t be used to send negative texts or images to contact lists
    • do not expose younger children to inappropriate content.

The best way to keep children safe online is to know what they are doing. No software can completely guarantee their safety.

Cyber bullying

Cyber bullying is when technology is used to harm others. It usually happens more than once and can involve abusive or threatening emails or texts, making fun of someone, or posting embarrassing or damaging information or photos. It is a big concern because it causes harm, can escalate quickly and involve a lot more people than face-to-face bullying. It can also happen anytime day or night, and parents may not know it is happening at all.

If there is cyber bullying:

  • talk with your child or teen and show you understand what this means for them. It can have a big impact emotionally, socially, and sometimes physically. Reassure them that it can be dealt with, and you will support them
  • use the report/block function to report it to the site or service it occurs on. If they do not remove it, contact the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner who can have it removed
  • report it to the school if the bullying is by another student. Schools have anti-bullying policies and can help stop it
  • do not confront the person directly if you know who is doing it. This can make things worse
  • report serious threats to your local police. A threat made online could be against the law
  • help your child get support if they are very upset. School counsellors, the Kids Helpline or eheadspace are good places to start.

Make sure children and young people:

  • have other responsible adults to talk to if they are not comfortable telling you
  • keep a record of bullying messages, eg screenshots
  • know how to support a friend who is bullied
  • know not to bully others, and to act in a respectful way at all times
  • are careful about personal information which could make them vulnerable if shared online. Remember once it is online, they lose control over who sees it.

Sometimes people put offensive messages online for ‘fun’ and to provoke a response. This is called trolling. If it continues, it is considered to be cyber bullying and sites are obliged to remove the material.

Action in the Primary Years Program

 “If it is to be it’s up to me”

   (William H Johnsen)

The first newsletter article for 2019 discussed ‘agency’ as being one of the key focus areas of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Enhanced Primary Years Program (PYP). Agency relates to the space for student voice and choice in their learning.

At the core of student agency is ‘action’ and this has always been, even more so now with the Enhanced PYP, integral to the program and an overarching outcome of international-mindedness.   Through taking individual and collective action, students will come to understand the responsibilities associated with being internationally minded and appreciate the benefits of working with others for a shared purpose. It is through action that students see that they have the power to make a difference and see themselves as being capable and active agents of change.

Demonstrations of action can include:

  • participation – contributing as individual or group
  • advocacy – action to support social / environmental / political change
  • social justice – relation to rights, equality and equity, social well-being and justice
  • social entrepreneurship – innovative, resourceful and sustainable social change
  • lifestyle choices – eg. consumption, impact of choices.

A focus on ‘action’ in learning, brings to the forefront the imperative questions: ‘Why is this knowledge important to know? How is this knowledge going to help me / others in the future?’ As teachers plan units of inquiry they consider what the overarching ideas are and how exploring these lend themselves to the possibility of students taking action. Some units of inquiry have an explicit and obvious focus on action (eg. proposing environmentally sustainable actions) where others rely on a student making their own connections with new knowledge, motivating them to take personal action in respect to their learning (further researching an area of interest and sharing this with the class).

Action can be big and it can be small, at school, home and in the community. Regardless, students can be supported through the process and in all cases, taking action should be recognised and celebrated. Students need to be taught the steps and perseverance that is often required in taking action. The action cycle is a simple yet powerful tool used to teach students how to take action. By going through the three steps of choosing, acting and then reflecting back upon the results of their choice, students are able to grow socially and personally, developing skills such as cooperation, problem solving, conflict resolution and critical thinking. They also exhibit their commitment to the Attributes of the IB Learner Profile. This is an important part of a student’s participation in their own learning.

 

There are many examples of action across the Junior School, big and small examples of students taking their knowledge further and applying it in real life situations. Last year, a group of Year 2 students successfully advocated for the banning of plastic straws at tuckshop. Recently, as Year 6 students presented their learning in an exhibition style, many students took action through their high level of participation and initiative, to ensure that they effectively communicated their knowledge to an audience. Here are some of the responses to this action by our College Administration Team:

 

 I always love visiting student exhibitions to see students demonstrating their curiosity and learning. Year 6’s exhibition on Thursday of Week 8 was a wonderful experience. Students had chosen a vast selection of different influential people in world history, and I learnt a lot from observing and speaking to the students about their chosen subjects. From civil rights activists to influential sportspeople, the variety was the highlight for me. Most importantly, seeing the pride on students’ faces when articulating their learning, for me, is the best part of PYP in action. I look forward to students sharing more of their learning experiences with me as the year progresses.    

                                                                                                                           Sean Loriaux, Deputy Principal

It’s great seeing the students becoming more able researchers and inquirers. They are developing their ability to present and communicate their understanding in different ways, which will only continue to grow throughout the year.

                                                                                                                            Deb Kelly, Deputy Principal

Congratulations to our Round 10 QATSIF (Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation) QCE Scholarship.

 

Congratulations to our Round 10 QATSIF (Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation) QCE Scholarship.

Hannah Getawan

Zane Hill

Shahnae Algie

Jordy  Houser

We hope these four very deserving students are inspired to pursue their studies with passion and dedication.  Congratulations to each of you.If you have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and would like to apply for the 2019 scholarship round, please access this website for all the information and contact Mrs Volschenk here at the College for support.  www.qatsif.org.au

Latest Opportunity!

All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, years 7 through to 12 are invited to submit a creative piece for this year’s QATSIF Creative Arts Competition. This year’s theme is Grounded in truth, Walk together with courage. The creative piece could be from any of the creative arts: eg. Visual art, poetry, dance, drama, photography, music, design, videography etc.

Competition Closes:  5pm Friday 10 May 10

More details to be announced soon.

Michael Griffin visits CCC

International motivational speaker, Michael Griffin, normally based in Adelaide addressed parents and students at Calamvale Community College.  An educator, speaker, pianist and author of several books, including Learning Strategies for Musical Success, Michael motivated our students with great advice about the value of a Growth Mindset.  He challenged our students that if they wanted to be good at something, really good, expert, then they had to practice 10 000 times.

Respect Responsibility Resilience Initiative

Our times call for our students and our community to step up and live the principles that our College values, together. It is not by luck that our College has historically and continues to be, a relatively safe place. CCC is not idyllic or perfect but on any one day, its diversity far outweighs any disunity. We are not free from bullying, but we are determined to address it and that is a constant challenge which we pursue with rigour. Cultural disharmony is not typical of our interactions and our playground is a safe place for our students. Occasionally the events of the world, touch our local community, never more so than when those events are motivated by intolerance, fear and hate. But we are resilient and we and our children will overcome these influences, together. It is not only the tragedy of Christchurch that has impacted CCC at present, but that event has certainly focused our attention on the values that underpin who we are: respect, responsibility, resilience and initiative.
On January 1, 2020, Queensland will for the first time have a Human Rights Act which will enshrine 23 rights for every individual (https://www.adcq.qld.gov.au/human-rights/queensland-human-rights-act) living in our state. I would like to think that our community has already begun our students’ education in a key plank of this legislation – respect. As an International Baccalaureate World School we embrace the Learner Profile and all of its characteristics. As a community we teach our children to respect themselves and each other and to value these learner profile attributes in each other. But without modelling, our children will not understand how to enact those words. If we leave an empty space or a silence, questionable public role models who perhaps do not espouse our values will fill the gap. Those of us, parents and teachers, who are directly in front of our children and students, must demonstrate the attributes we want them to copy.
Let’s take the initiative and recognise that our children listen to us every day, they hear what we say, how we say it and what we do having said it. At this time in particular, let’s make sure that our children know how to show respect. At CCC, let’s make respect our highest priority and make that unconditional in our words and actions everyday. Let’s be caring, principled and balanced. Let’s be open-minded and on occasions when we aren’t, let’s be reflective and take responsibility for that and right, to the best of our ability, whatever wrong we might have done. Let’s model this for our children, so that they grow up in a better world. Let’s consciously show them how to behave with respect to ourselves and others. Let’s model how to take responsibility with courage not shame. Our community knows how to support each other and grow our resilience. Let’s all step up, step forward and take the initiative to make a difference for the betterment of all of our children. https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/recognition/learnerprofile-en.pdf

Say NO to Bullying; R U OK?; Harmony Day

There is a familiar message here and it is – the importance of our community addressing issues that impact our children. Social media and its 24/7 continues to be an issue for us. Our students are jeopardising their learning time as staff endeavour to address the impact of social media on children’s health and wellbeing. We do not shy away for the need to support students through difficult times or address behaviours that are anti-social and inappropriate. But we need your help! Many of the issues causing our students pain and distress, sometimes leading to significant harm, anxiety and possibly depression are emanating from the lives they live on social media. These lives, and sometimes there are several, are lived predominantly through smartphones. Much of the angst that students experience and that comes to the surface during school hours has begun during the 18 hours that students are not within our supervision. That schools can supervise students’ use of mobile phone use is a challenge. As such, removing smartphones from the school environment would change the learning landscape, predominantly for the better. But that is almost impossible and is not going to happen beyond junior school. Junior School processes of leaving phones with teachers is effective and will continue. There would be issues with such action, for both parents and students, if we followed the same process in secondary school. So in the lieu of ‘banning the smartphone’, I am appealing to parents and carers to take a more active role in supervising your students’ smartphones. Where parents pay for smartphones and plans, there is some leverage.
Calamvale Community College’s stance is that students are only supposed to access their phones when a teacher gives permission.
They are not permitted to:
film other students
take photographs of other students
post any visual material including students in CCC uniform onto social media platforms

Students who breach these rules are given significant penalties and have been excluded in serious cases. Our College does not tolerate or condone bullying. In these times, bullying frequently relies on the above listed behaviours. We are currently reviewing our students’ use of mobile phones within the College grounds. This will not result in a ban, but it may result in some curtailed activity and students’ acceptance of responsibility for what emanates from their phone, no matter who is the user at the time of the communication.
Whatever you can do to support your student’s understanding of the impact of social media, posting visuals or opting into inappropriate conversations, please do. Devices collected at night and charged in a common family space is a great idea – most of the negative social media communication happens after dark when we think our children are asleep. Teenagers need on average nine hours sleep a night. There are some sites below which may support your efforts. We have a 24 hour turnaround time for complaints posted to our college email: admin@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au
And remember, you can ‘block them’, it’s not the ultimate solution but it’s a start.
https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/health/bullying

https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying

Teens Talk: What Works to Stop Cyberbullying

Teens Talk: What Works to Stop Cyberbullying

South Side Youth Orchestra

 

Hello from the Southside Youth Orchestra!

We run two orchestras for school-age string players, founded in 2017. With currently over 60 members, we cater for players ranging from Preliminary level to AMEB Grade 8. We always welcome new members, and will soon be auditioning for Term 2 entry!

Our experienced conductors and educators, Mr Daniel Holloway and Ms Jemma Powell, guide students to develop their musical potential through ensemble skills and teamwork. The students also have fun forming friendships with other young string players! Our members range in age from 7 to 16 years old.

Our two orchestras perform a concert at the end of every term to showcase the repertoire that they have learned. In 2018, we performed as part of the Southside String Festival, combined for a concert with the Western Suburbs String Orchestra, and took our community outreach program to a retirement home, in addition to our regular concerts. In 2019, we have exciting concerts planned, including a combined concert for our advanced orchestra SSYO1 with the Queensland Youth Orchestra’s Junior String Ensemble.

SSYO2: minimum one year of learning, basic note-reading and rhythm skills required.
Rehearsal time: 8:30 – 10:00 Saturday mornings

SSYO1: minimum AMEB Grade 3 standard or equivalent, with ensemble experience taken into account.
Rehearsal time: 10:15 – 12:00 Saturday mornings

If you would like to join the Southside Youth Orchestra, please apply here for an audition. We look forward to welcoming new members into the Southside Youth Orchestra family!

After School Soccer Programme

 

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 2.

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: info@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: 7 May 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.

Join the Calamvale CAST

Positive Engagement is one of the branches of the College’s Positive Education framework that focuses on students becoming the best version of themselves. We are committed to providing extra-curricular activities that are opportunities for students to be creative, curious and clever through the CAST schedule. CAST stands for:
C – Clubs
A – Academic Competitions
S – Sport
T – Tutorials
Each term we will publish a new version of CAST for families to discuss and plan around.
Get involved – join the CCC CAST with over 70 opportunities to engage.

 

Positive Education School

 

Did you know that Calamvale Community College is a Positive Education school?

Calamvale Community College’s wellbeing framework is based on positive psychology. Positive Education is the application of positive psychology in an educational setting. It is a framework that is based on the science of wellbeing and the strategies people can apply in their lives to experience a flourishing existence. Positive Education is an evidence-based approach to student wellbeing that blends academic learning with skills that fall within the seven domains that appear around the outside ring of CCC’s Positive Education symbol (see above). Positive Education skills relate to concepts such as altruism, gratitude, optimism, resilience, growth mindset, engagement, mindfulness and identifying strengths in self and others.
Keep your eye out for more about Positive Education at CCC in upcoming newsletters.


Nerieda Anderson
Calamvale Community College
Developmental Guidance Officer
Psychologist

Helping Children Cope After Tragic Event

Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Young People Cope After Tragic Events

Distressing events like tragic accidents in your local area, or that took place in familiar places like a popular holiday location, or even disasters that happen far away, but are covered by the media, can be powerful and upsetting incidents that intrude on daily life.
This resource sheet includes some helpful tips for parents, caregivers and teachers for helping children and young people to cope following local, national, or even world tragedies.
(Australian Psychological Society)

 

Helping-children-affected-tragic-events APS FACT SHEET

Kristin Perissinotto – International Women’s Day speech

 

I’m a powerlifter. Powerlifting is a performance-based sport, so we get tested on our strength, and compete to see who can move the most weight. As with all strength sports, powerlifting is heavily male dominated, and we’ve only seen it rise in popularity among women in the last few years. This is because traditionally, men are taught to make themselves larger, and women are taught to make themselves smaller, and to take up less space. This is not only metaphorical, but also physical. Everywhere we look, the fitness industry is pushing products and plans to make women skinny. They use the buzzword ‘toned’ frequently. ‘Toned’ has become somewhat of a societal rule for women. Women are expected to ride that very thin line where we’re not too skinny, but definitely not too big. Toned refers to small muscles. Not too large because that’s masculine, and of course to have a low body fat percentage. Every one of these diet and exercise plans promotes appearance and aesthetics over performance and health. A prime example are Skinny Teas, which have been proven to simply be a laxative in tea form. Skinny teas will make you weigh less on the scales, and at most flatten your stomach for the time you drink them. They do absolutely nothing for your health or fitness.

 

Women have been taught for centuries that the most important thing we can be is attractive, which today means toned. In the 90s it meant skinny. After World War II, it meant fuller figured, or “curvy”. We’ve been on diets in order to appear desirable for generations on generations.

 

I don’t have a stereotypically feminine body. It’s not on trend either. I’m too big to be toned. Too muscular to be curvy. I have a well developed upper body, which is a big no-no for women. Societal standards tell us upper body muscles are for men to develop, and if women must build muscle, it should only be on the lower body. But my body is strong. I built it with hours in the gym and literal tonnes of food. I feel empowered and independent when I can lift things unassisted, both in the gym and carrying groceries in from the car. I no longer value my body as an objectified entity. It belongs to me, not to society.

 

Unfortunately, with the increase in women who strength train, strong stereotypes still persist, even among the athletes themselves. Being in the community myself, I always see female athletes claiming that even though they lift heavy, they still ‘look like a woman’. I’m going to break down two issues I have with this statement. 1. What is looking like a woman? If you identify as a woman, however you look is like a woman. There’s not clause in the definition of “woman” that refers to what one looks like. No hair length, breast size, or body shape defines a person as looking like a woman. Diets, hair cuts, weight changes, and clothing choice does not and will never make someone more or less of a woman. The second issue is that this statement is somewhat of an attack on women who have developed a lot of muscle. Saying they are less than. Discounting the effort they put into their bodies. It’s very hard to gain muscle, and it’s generally even harder for women. Genetics also plays a large part in one’s ability to gain muscle, so you could have two women side by side who have trained for equally as long and equally as hard, but have a very different amount of muscle. Comparing ourselves to other people isn’t and has never been the way to get ahead. You will always gain more by lifting others up, rather than tearing them down.

 

Reports on female athletes in the media are a prime example of how differently men and women are still treated. When the Olympics rolls around, we will rarely see any media coverage on the women’s beach volleyball doubles, for example. Instead, the media focus on their uniforms. For years, coverage of Serena Williams was dominated by talk about her body. She was too muscular, too masculine, or too dark skinned. Stories upon stories were published about her outfits, which were too colourful. The way she celebrates winning a game was too over the top. She is a woman with a big personality, and society didn’t like it. Despite being one of the greatest tennis players, and all around athletes of our time, she was reduced to somewhat of a spectacle.

 

On the other hand, the Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova, who never won a singles championship game, was voted one of the World’s Most Famous Athletes. She has been labelled as “the hot tennis player”. She’s stereotypically attractive, and therefore gets media attention. There was not a game she played where the commentators didn’t comment on her appearance. She retired years ago due to injury, yet is still in the media frequently. Most recently, for the birth of her twins.

 

The focus on female athletes bodies, attractiveness, is somewhat of a disclaimer. It’s telling the world that their athletic performance, their speed, power, and strength isn’t enough. Attractive female athletes will always get the more ‘positive’ attention, yet very rarely is it for their performance.

 

We are entering into a body revolution. Times are changing. More and more women are training to get strong and fast. Fit and healthy. Making goals that aren’t based on dress sizes or weight on the scales. Body weight is meaningless in our day to day lives. We should never dictate our lives and happiness by a number on the scale or the size of our clothes

 

I want to see the world change into a place where women are valued for more than our appearance. I want to see a world where the media report on female athletes without talking about their bodies or outfits, or love lives. I want to see women valued for what they bring to the world.

 

The past couple of years have seen lots of people pushing back against feminism on the grounds that it is no longer necessary, but I believe everything I’ve just spoken to says otherwise. The argument is that women have the vote, and are allowed to study and work in whichever field we choose. In these regards, yes, we have reached equality – in the Western world anyway. However, to quote Beyonce, gender equality refers to the social, political and economical equality of the sexes.

 

Socially, we still have a ways to go. Men and women are still held to very different standards in society. In Australia, it’s safe to say most of our gender equality problems are societal. Politically, we do not see an equal representation of women in parliament, which is currently made up of 32% women. Our society’s poor treatment of our first Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, showed us that devastatingly, our public cannot handle a woman in a position of power.

And, as we know pay parity is 217 years away, so we have not reached economic equality.

 

Why is gender still on the agenda? Because we haven’t achieved equality. The gender pay gap still exists. It is still deemed odd for men to be stay at home dads. Women are still attacked and abused on the street and in their homes. Claims of harassment by men are still ignored. We live in a country where men with emotions are deemed weak. Women are expected to cry, and men aren’t allowed to. The toxic gender stereotypes in our society, especially in Australia, are damaging all of us.

 

We teach women that being a mother is the only thing to aspire to. We shame career women who go to work and leave their kids at home. We belittle men who take time off work to care for their children. These things should be a personal choice, not one based on society’s rules. Every woman is capable of having a career, and every man is capable of being a stay at home dad. Women shouldn’t be shamed for taking the less popular route. We can raise children, or work, or look after the home, or all three.

 

How do we achieve this progressive change? Until a few years ago, I was resigned to the fact that we can’t. I just thought that this was the world, and I had to get over it. I thought that the world was too big and I was too small. But then I realised that if everyone thought this way, nothing would ever change or improve. If the suffragettes decided they couldn’t be bothered, we wouldn’t have the vote. No women would be here today, to learn or to teach. I wouldn’t be allowed to speak to a group or pick my own outfit, or shave my head. If nothing ever changed, we wouldn’t have TV or Netflix or lamps. Slavery would still be the norm, and kings would behead their wives when they got bored of them. The worst thing we can do for our cause is be complacent. So don’t laugh at a joke you think is sexist, or spread rumours about women. Be an ally for our cause. International Women’s Day isn’t only for women. It’s for all of us. To celebrate how far we have come and to fight for progress in the future.

Principal’s News

Building a strong culture of parent engagement

As Term One draws to a close, parents in the Junior School have had the opportunity to meet with classroom teachers to discuss student progress thus far and set goals for the rest of the semester and the year. Parent-teacher communication plays a big role in helping your child to have a successful academic career. Since parents and teachers know different aspects of a child’s personality, they must work together to solve problems and celebrate gains.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!

It’s something parents hear all the time, but it bears repeating. One of the keys to parents and teachers working together is to have good communication. Parents are vital partners in education. They influence their children’s attitudes about learning, and support learning at home. They are a vital link between home and school. And when they become involved in the life of the school, they make our schools better places to learn, grow and thrive. Educators and parents generally agree that positive, supportive and open relationships between home and school, parent and teacher are desirable. Additionally, research has shown that parent engagement and successful parent-teacher partnerships result in improved educational outcomes for students. Teachers and parents provide a vital support system to help students flourish. Both groups are important. When parents and teachers communicate and work together effectively, it can significantly impact each student’s long-term success.

But we cannot confuse the difference between parent involvement in schools and parent engagement. One dictionary definition of involve is “to enfold or envelope,” whereas one of the meanings of engage is “to come together and interlock.” Thus, involvement implies doing to; in contrast, engagement implies doing with.

Parent involvement in schools includes attending events, volunteering in class or other activities, and serving on school councils and parent committees. It’s not that family involvement is bad. Almost all the research says that any kind of increased parent interest and support of students can help. But almost all the research also says that family engagement can produce even better results—for students, for families, for schools, and for their communities (Ferlazzo & Hammond, 2009) As a school we are striving for parent engagement-listening to what parents think, dream, and worry about.

The ACT Government defines parent engagement in two parts—family-led learning and family‑school partnerships:

  • Family-led learning focused on high aspirations for children, shared reading, a positive environment for homework, parent-child conversation, a cognitively stimulating home environment and support for social and emotional wellbeing; and
  • family-school partnerships that encourage positive parent-teacher relationships, communication about children’s progress, and engagement in the school community, while equipping parents to effectively support and encourage their children’s learning and wellbeing (ACT Government, 2014).

To support parents to effectively support and encourage children’s learning we facilitate a number of parent workshops throughout the school year. Workshops unpacking the Sounds to Letters Spelling Program, supporting students with problem solving and supporting students’ journey in the Primary Years Programme (PYP) are just a few of our offerings and are all designed to equip parents with background information, new knowledge and a toolbox of strategies to support students with learning at home. These are regularly held throughout the year, advertised via email and on Facebook. I encourage you to engage with your school and join  us in building partnerships to connect learning at home and school in 2019.

Taiwan Artists’ Workshop

Taiwanese Artists’ Workshop at Calamvale

 

On Monday 16 July, Calamvale Community College welcomed three leading Taiwanese artists on campus to conduct practical workshops for our Year 9, 11, and 12 Art students.

These workshops were organised in collaboration with World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. (WAMCI), a large and influential body that coordinates collaborative performances and activities across Brisbane. This organisation aims to stimulate, educate, and inspire through celebratory and interactive events such as the Brisbane International Arts Festival and the Taipei Puppet theatre. The College maintains a robust and productive relationship with WAMCI and as such, this workshop event was first and only one of its kind in Queensland.

Our Art students were privileged to receive instruction and critique from three renowned Taiwanese artists boasting Doctorate and Masters qualifications in Fine Arts. Students gained a wide breadth of artistic knowledge and practical skills in these workshops, as each artist mentored in a different painting form. Mr Wang Gow Chang – who maintains special interests in historiography, Chinese aesthetics, and landscape painting – focused on watercolour artworks. An ink painting workshop was led by Mr Hsiao Chu Sheng, who imparted his wisdom as a prolific artist with an idiosyncratic ink style and dry-dyeing background technique. The third workshop in oil painting was headed by Mr Liao Jih Yin – an Art Research scholar whose evocative works have featured in exhibitions worldwide.

At the end of these workshops, students entered their creations into the 218 WAMCI Arts Awards competition. Several of our young artists were recognised with awards commending their artistic achievement and workshop participation. Senior Art teacher and CAS co-ordinator at the College, Mr Peter Davis, has thanked these artists and congratulated all recognised students:

“It was a great opportunity for students to learn from international experts, broadening their perspective about cultures and artistic techniques.”

All students are encouraged to broaden their sensitivity and receptivity to international art and cultural practices by viewing works by these renowned artists, featured in the Modern Ink Painting Exhibition at the Chun Tian Gallery until 25 July.

 

A peek into the life of a Saudi Arabian educator

Mr Hamdan Mohammed Alhwaishan is one of 25 Saudi Arabian educators visiting Calamvale Community College for ten weeks in Term 4 as a part of the “Building Leadership through School Immersion” professional development programme.

What have you gained from your experience at the College?

At Calamvale, I have learnt many valuable skills and knowledge. For example, I have picked up new reading techniques and strategies to use in my teaching of English literature. I have also learnt how to support students to analyse a text closely.

What has been the most rewarding or exciting experience you’ve had here?

The most exciting experience has been following the development of young students – especially their personalities – in their first years at school.

What are some similarities and differences between education and schooling in Australia and Saudi Arabia?

There are similarities between our uses of technology for teaching, as well as in the subjects we offer at each learning stage.

Here, you do not use curriculum books for each subject like we do in Saudi Arabia. Also, school starts at 6:45am and ends at 1:30pm in Saudi Arabia, whereas lessons start later in Australia, from 8:30am to 3:00pm.

What are you future aspirations and teaching goals?

I hope to improve my English language teaching strategies and methods; this will help me to support my students to love and learn English language at school. My experience here in Australia will play the main role of changing and improving my teaching life for the better. Australia is the perfect place to get an excellent education, and that’s why I chose Australia for my teaching program after I got my Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics in 2012. I am planning to visit Australia again in the future.

A peek into life as an International Captain

Year 6 student Linda (Yiting) Jiang is our one of our International Captains for 2018. At Calamvale Community College, our International Captains have been chosen as representatives for the both our long-term international student population. In this capacity, Linda mentors new international students, assists with orientation to school life, organises lunch and out-of-school activities, facilitates language assistance tutorials or clubs, and helps to involve our international students in on-campus events.

What sort of responsibilities do you hold as an International Captain?

Some responsibilities I hold as an International Captain include welcoming international students visiting our school and attending, participating and organising evens like the Multicultural Festival and other Student Council events. My weekly responsibilities include raising the flags, going to Student Council meetings and helping with assemblies.

What have been some key events for you as Captain?

Some key events for me as a captain are meeting the international students and most importantly, the Multicultural Festival. The Multicultural Festival really stood out to me because it was a huge event and everyone was able to share things about their culture.

How do you connect with the international student population of CCC?

I connect with the international students by welcoming them and communicating with them. They share things about their culture, and I can share and talk about what we do.

What does being a good leader mean to you?

To me, being a good leader means being responsible and doing what you are supposed to do. Initiative is most important because a good leader has to take action without being told. I believe that leaders are chosen because they don’t just do what’s been told, but also take initiative to make a positive change without being reminded.

What are some of the benefits of being a School Captain?

One benefits of being a school captain is that I am in the Student Council, which means that I can work closely with other captains and representatives to organise events and make changes.

A peek into the life of an EALD teacher

Hello there! My name is Meila (Ms Wang) and I am an EALD teacher at Calamvale Community College. If you didn’t know, EALD stands for English as an Additional Language/Dialect. Hence, my job is to teach students who do not speak English as their first language.

 

Being an Australian born Chinese myself, I completely understand the challenges and difficulties that come with learning a secondary language. More than that, I’ve learned to find true love and joy in being immersed in such a culturally diverse country and now, workplace. Calamvale Community College is a true representation of a multicultural Australia – we have students from all nations and cultures!

 

Every day, I get to come to work and interact with international students, students from immigrant families and even refugee families, too. My heart is filled daily being able to learn about these wonderfully colourful cultures! One of my favourite parts of this job is being able to hear stories from students about their countries, hometowns, cultural foods, dances, music, dress and even jokes. Being an EALD teacher is such a blissful and rewarding job, especially when I see my students break down those tricky language and cultural barriers.

 

I encourage you to join me on this exciting journey. 

Affiliations / Connections

• Browns Language School, Brisbane
• Cheon seong Middle School, South Korea
• Feng-Sheng Senior High School, Taiwan
• Department of Education International, Brisbane
• Education Queensland International, Brisbane
• Griffith University, Brisbane
• Haemi Middle School, South Korea
• Okayama Sozan Junior High School, Japan
• Osaka School of Music, Japan
• Queensland Korean Orchestra, Brisbane
• Sister Schools:
o Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School, Taiwan
o Nantong Senior High School, China
o Hangzhou Donfang High School, China
• Tama Meguro Junior High School, Japan
• Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group, Taiwan
• Union Institute of Language, Brisbane
• University of Queensland – Extension Studies International & TESOL Education, Brisbane
• Whites Hills State College, Brisbane
• World Arts Multicultural Inc., Brisbane

 

Event Highlights 2018

2018 Term 1 Events

Study tour of Korean primary students

From 29 January to 23 February, we welcomed 11 students from Korea on a 26-day study tour. While at the College, the visiting students attended fun and engaging lessons about Australia’s history, geography, and wildlife. They took intensive English classes, which were complemented by immersive day-to-day timetabled sessions with their Calamvale buddy. Students enjoyed full-day excursions to two of the Gold Coast’s world-renowned theme parks – Movie World and Wet n Wild. This study tour concluded with a day of sightseeing at the Southbank Precinct – Brisbane’s premier lifestyle and cultural destination that boasts extensive parklands, a man-made beach, multicultural eateries, and architectural landmarks.

Sports Day with Tama Meguro JHS

On 1 March, we hosted a Sports Day with visiting students from Tama Meguro Junior High School in Tokyo, Japan. The College welcomed these 96 Japanese students with an electric performance of “Shibuya Crossing” by the school’s Taiko Drummers. Throughout the day, students rotated through several activities such as the Fitness Obstacle Course, a challenging maze of stations that tested physical fitness. The Tama Meguro students also participated in an informative and enjoyable Aboriginal Program, filled with interactive elements including didgeridoo lessons and boomerang throwing. The visiting school was farewelled with a ceremony and an exchange of gifts.

Study tour from Okayama Sozan

From 13 to 21 March, the College welcomed a second study tour from Japan, this time from the Okayama Sozan Junior High School. At the College, the 30 visiting students participating in food tasting sessions, English lessons and cultural activities. Their itinerary also included a full-day excursion to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in West Brisbane, a visit to the University of Queensland campus, and sight-seeing across Brisbane city.

Term 2 Events

Thai Study Tour

From 23 April to 4 May, the College hosted 25 students from Thailand Government schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. These students engaged in an immersive stay at Calamvale, attending English conversations lessons and timetabled classes with their buddies. This tour coincided with ANZAC Day, which allowed these international students to witness the commemorations firsthand. The trip also included an introduction to some of our famous fauna during a wildlife presentation.

Osaka Dance Project

On 17 May, collaborated with the Jikei Gakuen Group of Japan and the University of Queensland for the Australian Dance Project, held at the Calamvale Performing Arts Centre. 58 students from Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo and Fukuoka performed five dances, with the highlight being the last performance – a collaborative performance of Japanese and Calamvale students to the sounds of ‘Zippity Do Dah”. This was the second year of the joint project.

Indian Principals’ Delegation

On 30 May, the College hosted a delegation of principals from India on a one-day tour of the College, followed by productive presentations regarding offshore work and shadowing programs.

Term 3 Events

New Taipei City and Nan Tou County Professional Visit

On 10 August, 25 school leaders from New Taipei City visited the College for a one-day professional visit. This delegation included an esteemed Professor who sits in an advisory committee in charge of international education policy for the Taiwanese Ministry of Education, as well as high profile Academic and School Operations Supervisors, Principals, Academic Directors, and teachers.
The topics of discussion involved our International Baccalaureate journey towards accreditation, our anticipated 2019-2020 IB course structure and strategic plan to educate global citizens, as well as the various facets of our robust International Programs. The delegation also observed classrooms and toured the College, with particular emphasis placed on IB and Senior Secondary classes.

Kinmen County study tour from Taiwan

From 20 – 26 July, students from Kinmen County, Taiwan visited Calamvale for a six-day tour. These students enjoyed an excursions to a local park, Brisbane City for sightseeing, and the Southbank precinct for shopping and relaxing. At the College the touring students participated in an insightful unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) lesson with Mr Paterson, as well as a wildlife show and classes alongside their assigned buddies.

 

Mingzhu and Jiangsu Study Tours

This term commenced with two simultaneous – but very different – Study Tours from China.
On 30 July, we welcomed five students from our Sister School in China – Jiangsu Nantong High School. The students took part in English language lessons, class integration sessions, and were treated to an Australian wildlife show at the College. Our warm and hospitable host families allowed these visiting students to appreciate the Australian lifestyle and take part in leisure activities. The students also travelled to the Gold Coast and Sydney as a part of this tour.
This annual visit from our Jiangsu Sister School was complemented by the inaugural visit of Mingzhu School students to the College. On 30 July, we also welcomed 11 students from Mingzhu School in Changchun, China for the first time on a one-week study tour. The students completed English lessons at the College, and attended class integration sessions alongside a buddy student.

Visit from Kaohsiung Boys

Kaohsiung Boys School arrived for a 12-day tour, spanning 21 August to 1 September. This visit had a strong science focus – our Kaohsiung guests visited the University of Queensland to enjoy an Australian Wildlife show and conduct a laboratory experiment on campus. These students also sampled the broad tertiary education offerings Griffith University and the Australian Catholic University. Science took precedence at the College, with engaging STEM lessons offered. This tour also enjoyed several excursions across Brisbane, including a visit to the Lone Pine sanctuary, shopping at the Airport DFO, and sightseeing at Mount Coo-tha and Southbank precinct.

Calamvale Community College: now a world-class institution

Mel Ellis – IB Diploma Coordinator

Calamvale Community College is celebrating its milestone accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The College is now the first and only independent state school in South-East Queensland to offer both the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for its young learners, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for high achievers.
Calamvale’s IB accreditation is set to change the education game for Brisbane’s Southside. College Executive Principal Lisa Starmer says that this pedagogical shift will provide students with an unmatched learning experience that promotes independent learning and international mindedness.
“The College encourages all its students to live as learners – this ethos will take now shape through a comprehensive continuation of world-class learning, teaching, and assessment from Junior through to Secondary School.”
This unique educational pathway begins in Prep, where students explore and engage with the world in a structured, yet authentic way. The IB Primary Years Programme is a framework for organising curriculum; as such, the College maps the Australian Curriculum across six transdisciplinary themes, ensuring a progression of skills and knowledge. Standardised PYP units of inquiry allow young learners to consolidate their prior knowledge, actively engage with new experiences, and reflect on their learning journey.
Calamvale has chosen to implement PYP because it provides a relevant, engaging, and indispensably global education – the IB strongly advocates for education without borders. This allow the College to concretely foster transdisciplinary approaches to learning, develop students’ international mindedness, and target the attributes of learners that are valued in our College, in the community, nationally, and globally.
For Senior students, the IB Diploma Programme will provide capable students with an internationally recognised qualification that is recognised in over 75 countries and 2,000 universities worldwide. IB graduates are in hot demand across the world – IB schools are renowned for shaping students into compassionate, ethical, and industry-ready leaders.


Now an IB World School, Calamvale Community College has undoubtedly become a “College of Choice” where students are afforded the opportunity to choose their own academic and future career trajectories. Whether this includes performing on stage, creating artistic works, speaking other languages, excelling in the sciences, or applying cutting-edge technologies, Calamvale Community College will be the first choice for all students.
Calamvale Community College hopes to enable its creative, curious, and clever students leave its campus to take charge of their education and pursue the international academic and career opportunities that will come knocking.

Our Positive Education Journey

Given the alarming rise of mental illness in young people, schools need to be equally focussed on building well-rounded, self-reflective students as much as clever ones. This, however, is no easy task. School-based wellbeing programs are often disconnected from student experience, and participants are unlikely to adopt strategies that have been introduced through stand-alone lessons or brief training sessions.

Positive Psychology is an evidence-based paradigm that offers a unique approach toward wellbeing and the creation of a happy and fulfilling life. Where other psychological paradigms explore a person’s deficits, Positive Psychology focuses on what is right with a person. It provides strategies for navigating the challenges of life more effectively by engendering positive emotions, strengthening relationships, building resilience, and focusing on a person’s strengths.
Positive Education is a new and exciting approach to holistic education that integrates the fundamental principles of positive psychology into existing school curricula. This new education model has been applied to great success at other Australian schools like Geelong Grammar School in Victoria.

Positive Education is not just a lesson, but a culture – once embedded, this program will underpin everything at the College.

The College is firmly committed to integrating the Positive Education mantra – learn it, live it, teach it, embed it – throughout its entire P-12 campus. We have developed a five-year plan that will create a Positive Education culture within the College to help students thrive and flourish. The first two years of this plan focuses entirely on the indispensable core of our College – our teachers. All teaching staff have been encouraged to explore Positive Education for themselves within their professional and personal lives. The benefit of this is two-fold – we believe that the wellbeing of our teachers is just as important as our students, and teachers who have experienced positive outcomes are in turn authentic and enthusiastic proponents of the program. Since 2017, the College’s Positive Education Team has organised over 20 hours of professional development to facilitate the growth and uptake of the Positive Education program. Students will now start to get a taste of everything Positive Education has to offer.

Steam initiatives at CCC

Since 2017, Calamvale Community College has grown tremendously as a leader in transdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and arts (STEAM) endeavours that provide our students with the opportunity to define their own academic and future career trajectories in an increasingly tech-savvy world. From curriculum re-design, competition victories, national conferences, through to extra-curricular and international opportunities, the College has advanced significantly as a STEAM institution that fosters risk-taking inquirers and innovative thinkers.
Junior
This year, the College has deepened its commitment to digital learning by providing new opportunities for Junior School students to take advantage of technology equipment and online educational environments. Inquiry Units relating to Design and Digital Technology have now been linked directly to the current IB Primary Years’ Programme framework – this will allow students to hone their collaborative, critical thinking skills whilst improving their digital literacy. Year 4-6 students will also experience taster days that will whet their appetite for STEAM subjects and modes of inquiry. All Junior School students are able to participate in technology-focused extracurricular initiatives such as the Junior Science Ambassadors Program and lunchtime ScratchJr coding sessions to create interactive stories, games and animations.

Junior Secondary
Design and Digital Technology electives are now offered to Middle School students in Years 7-10, with all course content comprehensively mapped to Australian curriculum (ACARA) standards. This year, the College has nominated Year 7 and 9 students to join the STEM Horizons for High Achievers program – a Queensland Government initiative that provides immersive experiences and specialist activities for excelling students to enhance their learning. The College also promotes the uptake of STEAM subject by young females through targeted programs such as Years 6-9 Tech Girls Droid workshops and STEAM Residential camps that have been expanded to include female Year 5 and 6 students this April. High-achieving APEX students in Years 8 and 9 also have the opportunity to participate in QUT STEM workshops that focus on areas such as rocket science, mechatronics, and Arduino programming.

Senior Secondary
For Senior Secondary students, the College boasts a wide range of flexible study options that include capstone STEAM electives and vocational pathways such as Aeroskills. These courses are supplemented by a diverse array of industry and international opportunities. For example, Calamvale Community College is one of only sixteen schools to join the Aerospace Gateway to Industry Schools program, an industry-supported scheme that offers students invaluable opportunities to pursue their interest in the aviation sector. As a part of this program, the College has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company. In 2017, the College also participated in the Queensland STEM Student Exchange Program, which saw one of our Year 10 students travel to Taiwan on an immersive 12-day study tour across New Taipei City.

Competitions
The College’s recent competition entries and successes are testament to our effective cultivation of problem-based learners and innovators. This year, our Year 6 competit

ors placed 10th out of 135 teams at the Queensland Sumo Robot Competition; our Year 5 students participated in a 3D-printed car race against students from Algester State School; and a team of Year 10 students have been accepted into the World Robot Summit held in Japan this September. Other national and state-wide contests challenge our students to exceed their potential across various STEM fields. The Big Science Competition, organised by Australian Science Innovations, challenges our students to apply their science knowledge across a range of real-life, contemporary contexts. To help our students succeed in their competitive, academic, and vocational pursuits, the College has invested in a $500,000 upgrade of its STEAM lab, which now contains the newest interactive technologies such as virtual reality equipment, 3D printers, aquaponics systems, EV3 robotics resources, and diverse engineering tools.
The College is committed to building creative, curious, and clever students, and this begins with dedicated and knowledgeable teachers. Our teaching staff have worked towards developing their competencies across all STEAM subjects. Looking towards the future, the College aims to expand both the breadth and depth of its STEAM curriculum and industry partnerships. Our vision for the next few years involves re-imagining and re-designing our learning spaces so that our students have cutting-edge technologies and innovations at their fingertips, as well as enabling the further integration of arts into our STEAM curriculum.

World Education Program (WEP): Meet Bo Liu

The School Language Assistants Program (SLAP) is an Australian Federal Government scheme that seeks to provide Australian schools with the opportunity to gain a linguistic and cultural resource person from overseas for up to 12 months.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all visiting assistants. Over the course of their visit, assistants are immersed into our Australian culture, our day-to-day activities through home-staying, and what it means to live as a local in Australia.
Within the school, assistants gain skills through classroom assistanceship. They assist teachers in classroom preparation, observation and direct learning of students. Assistants can also work individually with students or in small groups, and help prepare students for oral examinations. There is also scope for cross-curricular activities in collaboration with other subject areas.
At Calamvale, we have welcomed Bo Liu for Terms 1 and 2. Bo lived in China and completed studies in Graphics Design before applying for WEP. She heard about the program from her friends, and decided to apply in order to improve her English and gain exposure to other countries and cultures.
The application process took about three months; after she was accepted, Bo arrived in Brisbane during October last year. She was immediately smitten with the warm climate of Queensland, and the close proximity of the Gold Coast.
At Calamvale Community College, Bo quickly settled into the rhythm of education and teaching in Australia. On a typical day, Bo would assist the Chinese language teachers prepare for the Year 1 and 2 classes – this includes tasks such as photocopying, filing and laminating documents, as well as researching about fun and engaging tasks to incorporate into lessons. She plays games with them and organises DIY activities regarding China and the Chinese culture. Bo also accompanies students on excursions. Throughout her stay, Bo has always aimed to always facilitate language and cultural exchange with her young students.
Bo is still undecided regarding her plans after her 10-month WEP assistanceship. She would like to pursue teaching, and would ideally visit or study in Australia again, thanks to her positive experiences at Calamvale.

Today’s generation is living in a world that is more connected, more dynamic and able to access more knowledge than any other point in time. Our students are aware of this globalised world and the interconnections that exist; however, it is our responsibility as educators to ensure they receive a global education, one where students adopt an international perspective on contemporary events and issues. UNESCO defines a global education as one which:
• enables people to understand the links between their own lives and those of people throughout the world
• increases understanding of the economic, cultural, political and environmental influences which shape our lives
• develops the skills, attitudes and values which enable people to work together to bring about change and take control of their own lives
• works towards achieving a more just and sustainable world in which power and resources are more equitably shared1.

The overarching philosophy of the International Baccalaureate – as represented by the outside circle of the programme model – is that of international mindedness. This ethos is all encompassing and embedded in all aspects of the curriculum, the core and the Learner Profile.

Our students are frequently exposed to different viewpoints, texts, value systems, and influences that allow for a deep understanding of issues from a global lens in whatever topic of study.
Teaching through global case studies allows us to foster thoughtful, skilled and empathetic citizens of the world. Our students are encouraged to think laterally and work

collaboratively to approach real-world issues with close consideration and confidence.

For example, in the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project, students in junior secondary engage with students in Korea and Taiwan to discuss Australia’s influence on the Korean War and code and program Pepper the Robot collaboratively.

Our students have also broadened their international sensitivity by listening to an American journalist, in a Brisbane school, talking about the influence of the Lockerbie plane disaster in Scotland and the ramifications for media literacy when analysing global current affairs.

Students are also provided with the opportunity to learn from field professionals working in other countries – IB students are enhancing their academic writing and research skills by connecting with professionals via live conferencing in France and the US in fields of interest, such as medicine and science.

The College believes that through a wider network, a globalised education can be achieved. As such, we have begun to internationalise the connections and opportunities proffered to students. Please continue to follow us as we traverse borders and boundaries on this education journey.

1 Hicks, D. (2009). The global dimension: teaching for a better world. Retrieved from http://www.teaching4abetterworld.co.uk/global.html

Ni Hao, Konnichiwa, Annyunghaseyo, Sawasdee, Namaste, Selamat Pagi, Hello!

I extend a warm welcome to the readers of the first International Journal from Calamvale Community College. The journal provides you with an introduction to the global nature of the College as it continues to embark on an international focus.
Over the last three years, Calamvale Community College has markedly increased the breadth and depth of its international scope and connections. In 2015, Calamvale welcomed a small contingent of six international students and conducted only a handful of study tours. From this modest platform, we took a sizeable leap into our first sister school agreement, which was forged with Kaohsiung Municipal Girls Senior High School in Taiwan.
Since then, the College has moved from strength to strength – each year we extend our international commitment and seize global opportunities for our students across all year and subject levels. In 2018, our school campus was home to more than 75 long-term international students from Years 1 to 12. Our Senior students are afforded the option to homestay with a host Australian family for the duration of their studies, which is often two to four years in duration.
Not only have we witnessed a marked increase in the number of international students, but also their respective countries of origin. Our students hail from across the globe, including China, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. These students complement and enrich our thriving multicultural school and enliven our campus.
We have also forged new and mutually beneficial sister school arrangements with institutions in Japan and China. We also maintain ratified friendships with schools in Korea and Taiwan.
The College’s involvement and engagement with the international community is multifaceted and diverse. We now pursue global connections in innovative and collaborative ways. Professional visits from international teachers, principals and educational boards allow us to develop productive relationships and demonstrate the robustness of our curriculum and pedagogy.
We now host 8 to 10 inbound study tours a year, as well as visits from our Sister Schools from China and Taiwan. These study tours expose our students to the vibrancy and joys of diverse and dissimilar cultures, and allows visiting students to become immersed in the Australian way of life.
The College regularly hosts events of an international flavour, including arts festivals and workshops, music and dance performances, and diplomatic functions. Not only do our students benefit from partaking in cultural observances, but they gain industry experience and increase their sensitivity to global issues. Our students have also benefited from our successful foray into global collaborative classrooms with schools across Asia, with live participation in cooking classes, humanities lessons, and cultural sessions.
The College looks forward to extending its international presence and welcomes you to be part of this exhilarating journey.

Collaboration Concert with Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra

On 25 March, Calamvale Community College held the inaugural Collaboration Concert with the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra (QKO) at the on-campus Calamvale Performing Arts Centre. Established in 2016, QKO has continually expanded to become the most dynamic and diversified orchestra in Queensland. For QKO, this joint concert is of mutual benefit: “Our objective for collaborating with various educational institutes is to promote friendship and thus a long-term relationship between the institutes and QKO.” Our relationship with QKO is strong; their young musicians currently use the College’s CPAC as their main rehearsal venue.
This concert provided our music students with the opportunity to interact with and perform alongside like-minded young musicians. Audiences listened to performances by the Calamvale College String Quartet, the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra’s Strings and Woodwind Brass Percussion, as well as collaborative performances that showcased the combined talents of these young performers.

Alongside on-campus collaborations, our students have also participated in a variety of activities and performances outside of the College. In March, Instrumental Music students from across the College visited the Conservatorium of Music at Southbank and attended a lecture presented by the Deputy Director. Our Taiko group began the year with an international focus – they performed at our Multicultural Festival, welcomed and farewelled our visiting Japanese schools, and showcased their skills at the Japanese “Kisaraga” Festival at Roma Street Parklands.

Brisbane International Arts Festival – Performance and Workshops

The College participated in the 2018 Brisbane International Arts Festival as a celebration of Harmony Week – an Australian federal government initiative that aims to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity and engender belonging and community regardless of race, religion, or culture. The Festival aims to share cultural experience from around the world with Queensland community. It will be presenting exceptional artists from local and overseas, include folkloric and ethical dances, arts exhibitions, painting competition, documentaries, cultural workshops, orchestral concerts and theatre performances.

On 10 March, Calamvale hosted the Taipei Puppet Theater Performance, which captivated audiences with traditional puppet performing techniques showcased on an innovative and sophisticated stage. Puppet theatre is a traditional performing arts which is associated with cultural, recreational and economic activities in Taiwan. The tradition has been passed down for hundreds of years, with old folk stories that are still relevant to our young audience.

The theatre performers also held an engaging and immersive workshop for our Year 6 students. The participants gained an understanding of the history of puppet performance and experienced the beauty of this form of art. They students learnt to control and manipulate the puppets’ motion, and drew links between hand movements and the how characters express their feelings and emotions. The hands-on learning experience was enjoyable for all involved.

The College was also one of only three schools in Queensland to participate in the Lantern Festival, a stunning visual spectacular hosted by the World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. Our students also entered into the Lantern Painting competition; several winners received awards and had their lanterns exhibited at the Queensland Taiwan Centre in Sunnybank.

A Day in the Life of an International Student

Name Kien Tran – Age 18
Start term/year @ CCC Term 1, 2016
Home Country Vietnam
Previous School Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue

How would your close friends describe you in 3 words?
Crazy, a daydreamer, and chaotic.

What do you think your best quality is?
I am very confident.

What was the funniest thing that happened to you at CCC?
Once I thought that a teacher was saying “Hi!” to me, but they were speaking to someone standing behind me. I was definitely a bit embarrassed!

DAILY ROUTINE
What does your morning routine look like?
I am not really a morning person, so my routine includes drinking a cup of tea and listening to music to energise me.

What are the three things you absolutely need each day for school?
Physically, I need my laptop, definitely the school Wi-Fi, and my notebooks. Mentally, I need a lot of confidence to try new things, as well as a lot of effort to finish my assignments and homework.

STUDY
What subjects do you study at the College?
IDMT, Certificate II in Business, Drama, Film and TV, Maths A, English ESL

What are your favourite and least favourite subjects? Why?
I enjoy both Drama and Film & TV as they both have a strong creative focus, and they include enjoyable assignments that are less stressful. English ESL is my least favourite subject because my assignments require me to include expert-level, complex phrases in English, which can be quite time-consuming and challenging.

What do you enjoy most about Calamvale and living in Australia?
I really appreciate the kindness and friendliness of the school population, from my fellow students, teachers, and all the way up to the Executive Principal. There’s also a huge range of subjects to choose from at the College – for example, if you’re creative, you can specialise in arts and humanities subjects, and if you enjoy mathematics, you can specialise in business or accounting. Here, you focus on your strengths, rather than just a fixed set of subjects.

What is one interesting thing that you’ve learnt recently?
For an English assignment, I was asked to expand upon a part of a novel which was not mentioned or a plot point which was left unexplored. We could either act out, write down, speak out, or film how we would fill in this blank. This project was perfect for me!

Who is your favourite teacher or College staff member, and why?
All of my teachers are favourites! But if I had to pick just one, I’d pick Mr. Brown, who used to teach me Health and Physical Education. He was incredibly wise, and he actually introduced me to chess.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS
What hobbies and interests do you have?
I love to play chess, and my friends and I actually participate in both in-school and inter-school chess competitions. I also love to watch movies and listen to music – both of these activities strengthen my creative mind, and I often watch movies to dissect each frame to see how they’ve been produced. I also enjoy playing and watching basketball.

LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
What are some of differences you’ve noticed between Australia and your home country?
To be honest, the people I’ve met in Australia are friendlier and nicer – everybody makes an effort to include you at school. Senior school life is also less stressful – I feel like I am learning the same things as I would in Vietnam, but I am also playing to my strengths. A Certificate or a Bachelor’s degree completed in Australia is also highly valued in Vietnam. Otherwise, my daily life and routine are pretty much the same.

Did you find it difficult to adapt to life/study in Australia? How did you overcome these challenges?
The biggest challenge was definitely language – my English skills were pretty poor when I first arrived in Australia. However, like in basketball and chess, I practiced a lot to increase my vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. The College really supported me a lot with this.

GOALS
What are your long-term goals? Do you want to continue to live/study/work in Australia?
I’m not too sure at the moment; I’m happy to live and work in either Vietnam or Australia – this really depends on my circumstances, future salary, and living arrangements.

Do you want to attend university? What would you like to study?
I definitely want to study and learn more in the future, but this may not necessarily mean that I will attend university. I would love to become a film editor and work in film production, so I can pursue this career with on-the-job training opportunities.

Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years?
In the future, I see myself working with a film production team on projects that focus on human beings and their interrelationships. Rather than travelling a lot, I’d like to save money to open a retail business of some kind.

A Day in the Life of an International Student

Name Lina (Huei Yu) Wang – Age 14
Start term/year @ CCC Term 4, Year 7, 2016
Home Country Taipei, Taiwan

How would your close friends describe you?
Crazy, talkative, and kind.
What do you think your best quality is?
I am very friendly.

DAILY ROUTINE
What does your morning routine look like?
I usually wake up around 6:30am. I leave at about 7:30am and walk to school, usually watching funny videos online to wake me up.

What sort of food do you cook/eat on a daily basis?
Usually rice and noodles, but I eat basically anything!

What are the three things you absolutely need each day for school?
I absolutely need my pencil case, my reading glasses, and my phone.

STUDY
What subjects do you take? What are your favourite and least favourite subjects?
Business, Maths, Science, HPE, English and Humanities My favourite subject is Maths, because I’ve already learnt ahead in Taiwan. My least subject is HPE – I enjoy the theory, but not the sports!

What are your long-term goals?
Well, I want to continue living and studying in Australia, because the lifestyle is more relaxed. I would ideally like to complete the International Baccalaureate at the College in my senior years. I would like to attend university, and study psychology because I am interested in how the mind works. In five years’ time, I’d like to travel and hopefully work as a barista while studying. In ten years’ time, I see myself working as a psychologist.

What do you enjoy most about the College?
I love how kind my classmates are, and how relaxed yet enjoyable my school life is.

What have been some interesting activities or events that you’ve been a part of at CCC?
Well I’ve competing in two really fun and interesting competitions for badminton and Chinese writing. They were both good experiences to have with my friends.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS
What hobbies and interests do you have?
I love to listen to music most afternoons. I also play badminton every Friday afterschool, which is great exercise. On the weekends, I like to visit Sunnybank, a nearby suburb that has a wide variety of multicultural restaurants.

LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
What are some of differences you’ve noticed between Australia and Taiwan?
Generally, the life in Australia is slower – this is nice and relaxing, but sometimes frustrating, especially when shopping centres close early!

What is one thing that you have/use in Australia that you now cannot live without?
I can’t live without my laptop – I use it in almost every class and for every assignment. I also write down a lot of notes in my notebook here in Australia.

Did you find it difficult to adapt to life/study in Australia? How did you overcome these challenges?
The main challenge was language – I really studied a lot and practiced with my teachers and friends.

How did you or your parents choose Calamvale?
My mother and I came to Brisbane on a holiday from Taiwan, and she really liked it here. She wanted me to study here, so we contacted an agent to help us with that.

A Day in the Life of a Homestay Family

A Day in the Life of a Homestay Family
Names Lindo (42y), Hermina (40y), Lian (13y), and Hugh (3y)Pamittan

When did you begin as a homestay family?
We started in January 2017. Our homestay student is Kenn Certifico.

What does a day in the life of a homestay family look like?
Morning: Typical morning preparing breakfast for everyone then school drop off.
Midday: Do household chores, cook for lunch then lunch with our 3y/o son, Hugh.
Afternoon: Short nap with Hugh then school pick up. Afternoon tea with kids.
Evenings: Dinner then homework time for kids, TV for parents. Kenn and Lian would sometimes watch TV with us if all school stuffs are done.
Weekends: Lindo and I sometimes work on weekends. But if not, Saturday is usually a family day out in the park, beach, mall, catching up with friends, watch movies or eat out. Sunday is church day and relaxing afternoon at home.

What is your morning routine with your homestay student?
Our morning is always getting ready for school on weekdays. I cook breakfast and prepare lunch boxes for my students (Kenn & Lian). Since Kenn started living with us there is not much difference in our routine except now I have to prepare two lunch boxes instead of only one.

What is your usual afternoon routine with your homestay student?
Our usual afternoon with Kenn is having afternoon tea after school pick up. Then she will stay in her room to rest or do her homework.

What sort of food do you cook and eat on a daily basis?
Most of the time we cook our native Filipino/Asian dishes with rice. However, 3-4 times a month we do Cheap Tuesday takeaway, a sausage sizzle, or pasta meals.

What is your homestay student’s favourite food?
Adobo with rice.

What sort of lunches/snacks do they bring to school?
Before dinner, I would usually save some of the dish for Kenn’s lunch the following day. And would alternate it with sandwich every other day. That’s her main meal. On top of that, she will have something sweet (like cookies, muesli bars, cupcake, etc); something savoury (like chips or crackers); and fresh fruit and sometimes juice.

How do you enjoy your time with your Homestay student?
We usually spend quality time with Kenn before and after dinner during school days. We have now included Kenn in our daily routine. Sometimes we would allocate her to do the cooking for us. Kenn and our daughter Lian are also allocated to wash the dishes on some days. She would also spend time to play with Hugh and Lian. Our Saturdays can be busy if Lindo and I are not working. Kenn is part of the family now hence she is always with us where ever we go for family activity. This is same on Sundays where we go to church, sometimes eat out for lunch then just relax at home before the week starts again.

What are some memorable moments you’ve shared with your Homestay student?
I think the best ones are those times we spent with our short-term homestay students – Kenn would bond with them really well. Kenn would always join us when we take our short-term students out to popular tourist spots in Brisbane & Gold Coast. Our short-term students don’t treat Kenn as a homestay student, but as part of our family because we introduce her as our eldest daughter.

What is your favourite part about hosting a Homestay student?
There is no specific part as our “favourite” because the entire hosting experience is just beautiful and we really love doing it.

Have you had to make any adjustments/changes in order to accommodate your Homestay student?
Not much. Everything remains the same except now I had to prepare two lunch boxes instead of just one. And we have to do school drop off and pick up to and from two different schools as our daughter goes to a different school. But that doesn’t really bother us at all as both schools are not that far from our place.

What have been some of the challenges associated with Homestay, and how have you overcome these?
With Kenn, I think what is quite challenging for us is taking the responsibility to be her guardians and having to push and encourage her to improve her grades and to reduce her time on gadgets like her phone or iPad. It was quite difficult at the start as we were still trying to know her and make her feel comfortable with us. We always give her advice about the importance of education and her future. We do this by constant open communication especially during dinner time where we also include our daughter.
With short-term home stay, communication is what we find challenging as they speak different language. But we always have ways to communicate with them, and this includes downloading the “Google Translate” app on our phone. This is a very effective communication tool that we use for our short-term homestay. We do our best to use anything that would help us communicate with them to make their experience fun, memorable and unforgettable one.

Have you also hosted students during short-term trips or study tours? If yes, which one/s (year/country/school)? How does short-term homestaying differ from long-term?

Jan 2017 – China – No2 Experimental Middle School of Henan.
March 2017 – Japan – Okayama Sozan Junior High School.
August 2017 – Taiwan – National Feng-Hsin Senior High School.
Sept 2107 – Taiwan – Kaohsiung Senior High School.
Feb 2018 – Korea – Seowon Elementary School.
March 2018 – Japan – Okayama Sozan Junior High School.
April 2018 – Thailand – Samseannok School and Chim Plee School.

There’s not much difference between short stay and long stay except the short stay ones goes so quick and we feel that time we spend with them is not enough. We are just starting to bond with them and get to know them better and then next few days they are due to go back to their countries which we really find sad especially for our kids. But the whole hosting experience is great. We are enjoying it because we get to learn about different countries and cultures.

Students embark on a cultural study tour of China

On 17 September, 15 students from Years 8 to 10 embarked on a cultural study tour of China with a jam-packed itinerary planned for their 17-day trip.
This tour has received significant financial subsidisation from the Jiangsu Educational Services for International Exchange (JESIE). Calamvale Community College qualified for this support through its sister school affiliation with Nantong Senior High School.
Our students travelled around Beijing and visited many well-known locations including the Great Wall of China – an unmissable world wonder, the Forbidden City – the largest ancient palace in the world, the expansive grounds of Tiananmen Square, and the imperial gardens of Summer Palace.
The group then moved on to Nanjing in the Jiangsu province for sister school immersive activities at Nantong Senior High School. The students also visited educational and cultural sites throughout Nanjing, including Xuanwu Lake, Mendong Old Town, and Dr Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum.
Our students were also lucky enough to partake in the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival alongside their sister-school peers – and indeed the entire nation – during this momentous public holiday. The following week, our students stopped at Shanghai and marvelled at the supertall World Finance Centre skyscraper, Yu Garden, Old Town Market, and toured through Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. The group also experienced a Chinese Acrobat Show, met cuddly pandas at Shanghai Wild Animal Park, and took in the views at the Bund, Shanghai’s vibrant waterfront district.
This cultural study tour was an amazing opportunity for our students to dive into the Chinese way of life – from everyday school routines, to domestic life at home, through to national celebrations.
Our students were particularly inspired upon learning the story of Zhang Jian – an industrialist and leading social reformer who used his sizeable fortune to transform the lives of his fellow Nantong citizens by building schools, roads, medical facilities and libraries.
This cultural tour also piqued the interest of province locals, with reporters accompanying our students and teachers during their visit to a museum and an artist’s residence. During this news report, broadcast on Nantong Television on Friday 27 September, our students articulated their increased cultural sensitivity and broader understanding of China as a result of this immersive tour.
http://app.nttv.cn/h5appcz/article/201809/f628e4c90e744c5585d67870699057fe.html?isshare=1&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0

Global collaborative classes underway

Calamvale Community College continues to stay ahead of the curve by forging strong international connections in new and innovative ways. This term, the College has initiated the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project, which involves real-time audio-visual exchange with primary school classrooms across the globe.
This project stems from an Education Queensland innovation and learning initiative – the College successfully bid for and received a grant which included the provision of advanced technological equipment. As such, this project utilises a digital platform to bridge between two continents and pursue meaningful global relationships whereby our students can broaden their international mindedness and sensitivity.
Our first global partnership, forged with Dongdae Primary School in South Korea, commenced in Semester 1. Collaboration sessions with Dongdae students have proven fruitful and stimulating for our Year 5 learners who were nominated by their teachers for this project.
Across the semester, collaborative classes with Dongdae have explored the unique aspects of daily life and school learning in both South Korea and Australia. Our students discussed their Media Arts projects, which centred on health and wellbeing, and responded to questions from their Korean buddies. Likewise, Dongdae’s students provided interesting information about the popular culture of South Korea, including an entertaining introduction to K-Pop.
Most recently, our students received a thoughtful welcome package from Dongdae, filled with delicious Korean snacks, key rings detailing our students’ Korean names, and traditional Korean flutes called sogeum. Over the next sessions, we intend to learn how to play this instrument, and it would be great to perform something together. The package was opened during a live-stream class – this allowed the Korean students to share in the excitement while their Calamvale friends explored their personalised gifts.
Our students intend to reciprocate by sending over some iconic Australian items and artefacts. This will be followed by a collaborative session during which our students will explain the significance of these items to their Korean counterparts, once again allowing for greater cultural insight and discussion.
We have also joined with Haemi Middle School in Seosan, South Korea for a class on Humanities lead by Mr. Matt Butterworth.
Over the coming weeks, Calamvale will initiate partnerships with new countries from across Asia. Our students and Mrs. Marie Moo will showcase Pepper the Robot to their new friends from Feng Seng Senior High School from Taiwan. Lead by Mrs. Francine Potts, a collaborative classroom focussing on hospitality and nutrition will operate in partnership with Cheonseong Middle School from Yangsan, South Korea.
Further live collaborations are in discussion with schools in China, Taiwan and Japan. The subsequent sessions will cover a variety of topics, including language exchange and enrichment, musical performances, and reading classes with Australian picture books.
As an IB World School, these collaborative relationships strengthen our commitment to fostering global citizens and help prepare our students for their global futures. We plan to integrate global collaboration into our units of inquiry and extend these sessions to benefit students across multiple year levels. The long-term goal is to offer every student the opportunity to collaborate with an international school through the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project.
We look forward to developing our partnerships with schools in South Korea and fostering invaluable relationships with others across the globe.

Our students accepted into Taiwan study tour

Sabrena Kuo

Tammy Thai

Calamvale Community College extends its congratulations Ms Ariel Tseng and to two high-performing Year 10 students – Sabrena Kuo and Tammy Thai – who have been accepted into the 2018 STEM Taiwan Study Tour, a unique international learning opportunity that is funded and organised by the Queensland Government.
On this immersive 12-day tour of New Taipei City held in December, our students will experience school life and STEM study, travel to captivating historical and cultural locations, and visit industry precincts where they will engage with real-life STEM implementations. A selection panel assessed student applications on a merit basis, including each student’s academic achievement in STEM subjects; their Mandarin proficiency and demonstrated interest in continuing language studies; and their capacity for ambassadorship as student representatives of Australia.
From this rigorous application process, only 2 teachers and 10 students were selected from across Queensland. The Department of Education International panel was greatly impressed with Ms Tseng’s high level of dedication she has shown to the teaching of the Chinese language and her efforts in preparing students to become global citizens. Executive Director of Department of Education International congratulated our students on their successful applications, and remarked that the “selection panel was immensely impressed with the high level of dedication [these students] have shown to the study of the Chinese language.”
Our College Principal has congratulated Ms Tseng and these talented students on their acceptance into this competitive-entry program. “Sabrena and Tammy should be immensely proud of their efforts and achievements. The College has always endeavoured to provide its students with the best STEAM opportunities, teaching, and preparation, and in this case, it has paid off tremendously.”
The College aims to increase STEAM uptake, foster active global citizens, and open international pathways for its most capable students with the introduction of International Baccalaureate programmes in the near future.

Calamvale represents at World Robot Summit

Two talented Calamvale students have recently returned from an exhilarating trip to Tokyo, Japan for the 2018 World Robot Summit (WRS). WRS is hosted by the Japanese government with a view to build Japan’s presence in the global robotics industry ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The summit drew over 10,000 visitors and was held simultaneously with Japan Robot Week and other robotics-related events in Japan.
Calamvale Community College was the only independent public school in Queensland to compete in the Junior Category of the World Robot Challenge. This foray into the world of international competitive robotics marks the culmination of eight months’ work under the supervision of Mr Eamon Hickey. Year 10 students Michelle Chuong and Wenjie Luo worked tirelessly with their team to design, build, and program a robot from scratch.
The theme for this year’s Junior Competition was “Robots at Home” – our students addressed the issue of food preparation and fresh food intake for individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease or other illnesses that impair fine motor control and hand strength. In the Challenge’s Open Demonstration component, Michelle and Wenjie’s robot demonstrated its capacity to funnel items, such as fruits and vegetables, through a spinning blade which slices and dices them as necessary into a bowl.
Our team not only considered the technical performance of their robot, but also its real-life context – how it will interact with humans, its physical environment, and even other technological devices. The panel of judges asked our entrants to prove the authenticity of their robot as their own creation; they were prompted to explain the technical aspects of their robot, describe their choice of programming language and style, and outline the scope of their teamwork.
Our students’ robotics skills were then put to the test during three skill challenges, couched in deceptively simple language. In the “Robot Guide” test, teams had to guide another robot through an intricate house floorplan with various obstacles. The competing robots then shifted from being guides to being followers in the “Follow Me” test. This challenge had teams contending with speed variations and trajectory changes, and navigating through tight turns in order to follow another robot as accurately as possible. The final task was to “Pick Up” an object – our team had to programme their robot to consider all the variables we, as humans, automatically consider when we move an object, including size and shape, relative weight and height, and the drop-off location.
In the Global Collaboration event, all competitors entered into a new Open Demonstration Challenge with a new theme and newly forged teams. Our students joined together with university students from Thailand and Japan. With Halloween just around the corner, this multi-national team designed and executed a trick-or-treat robot that could dispense candy as requested into waiting bags. For our students, this was a unique opportunity to work with highly proficient individuals for whom robotics is a passion. What Michelle and Wenjie lacked in expertise and experience as secondary students, they made up for with their strong communication and ability to talk the assessors through their demonstration.
Both Michelle and Wenjie strongly believe that their classroom learning at Calamvale prepared them for this competition. Wenjie said, “we wouldn’t have progressed very fair if not for what we learnt in STEAM. The lessons provided us with the requisite knowledge in building, designing, and programming robots.” These two exceptional students also adopted a multidisciplinary approach by drawing from their experiences with challenging English assessment. “The English oral presentation really prepared us to speak confidently in front of expert audiences and improvise when necessary,” Michelle said. Our girls were thrilled to receive expert feedback which complimented their phenomenal oratory skills. “They said that if this was a speaking competition, we would’ve won.”
Wenjie and Michelle thoroughly enjoyed working together and persevering through stressful situations, language barriers and time constraints to deliver great innovative content.
The 2018 World Robot Summit drew international interest, and Calamvale Community College was spotlighted in the Queensland Premier’s media release which emphasised the sheer scope and magnitude of the event. You can read the media release here.

Japanese musician tours Calamvale

Calamvale recently welcomed Fumiko Yamazaki, a prolific and highly respected Japanese percussionist, for a week-long visit.

Fumiko boasts a broad range of musical competencies – she plays the piano, vibraphone, marimba, the Japanese drum, as well as self-created percussion instruments made from bamboo. Fumiko has released several musical albums, writes for her own column in Niigata Prefecture, and has played for Japanese TV programs, including song shows on NHK, Japan’s national public broadcaster.

Fumiko is also a highly capable music educator. She studied classical music at a tertiary level, and has been actively involved in teacher education and instruction across the Japanese drum, ensemble music, and wind instruments. During a two-day workshop, our students were able to learn from a leading figure who is not only a highly skilled musician, but someone who understands how to successfully impart knowledge and foster musical talent.

Fumiko arrived on 29 October and performed with a marimba and vibraphone at the College’s Academic Awards Night. She performed two solo pieces – a traditional Japanese song, “Kagome Kagome”, as well as one of her own compositions titled “One”.

On 31 October, our teachers and students collaborated with Fumiko for a jam-packed concert in CPAC. Involved in this Concert were the Taiko students, Mr Mark Moore and Mr Dean Simmons. A total of eight pieces were performed at the Concert, three of which were Fumiko’s original compositions, and one was a modern Japanese folk song performance by guest soloist, Jennifer, from J Percussion.

A full and enthusiastic audience was captivated by the music created by the instruments such as the miyadaiko, shinobue, and student vocals. Fumiko wrapped up her tour with an exploration of our expansive campus and classroom observations.

Our Kaohsiung Sister School visit Calamvale

In mid-August, the College welcomed 13 students from Kaohsiung Girls Senior High School (KGHS) in Taiwan on their 2018 Study Tour. Calamvale Community College signed a Sister School Agreement in August 2015 – since then, Kaohsiung students have made four trips to the College, and we have made reciprocal journeys twice, with the third planned for 2019. Our respective schools principals have also maintained a positive relationship, with Executive Principal Lisa Starmer visiting Kaohsiung as an invited guest for their senior graduation ceremony in 2017.


This year, the Kaohsiung girls were treated to a back-to-back itinerary full of new experiences and adventures. They participated in an insightful and immersive Indigenous culture excursion to the Ngutuna-Lai Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Studies Centre in Inala. Our Taiwanese guests witnessed boomerang throwing, as well as Indigenous song, dance and storytelling. The also visited Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to see our native animals up close, followed by a trip to the beach and Mount Tambourine. The girls also arrived just in time for the Ekka – they were very excited to experience such an iconic Queensland event.
There were many on-campus events of mutual benefit to our students. The Kaohsiung girls visited a Year 9 APEX Mandarin class and gave an insightful and interactive presentation about the culture, scenery and food of Taiwan, the Kaohsiung province and its unique delights, and the vibrancy of KGHS.
Cherry, the KGHS Tour captain, expressed her excitement at seeing so many multicultural faces at the College. “We thought that there would be a large White population, but upon reaching, we saw so many more races and nationalities, which was amazing. Many of the [College’s] teachers are from different countries as well.”
She hopes to explore Australia and take advantage of our invaluable resources. “In Taiwan, there aren’t that many books written in English, so I’d like to visit a bookstore here in Brisbane. I would like to visit Australia again as a tourist, and be immersed in the English language.”
The girls said their farewells and departed on Monday. The College hopes to extend its productive relationship with KGHS by working collaboratively through the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project. In the near future, we hope to hold live-stream music performances, invite submissions to our upcoming online art gallery, and hold English and Chinese language enrichment classes.

Saudi Arabian educators gain new skills

This term, the College welcomes 25 educators from Ministry of Education Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MEKSA) for a rotating 8-week programme of professional development and enrichment. The “Building Leadership through School Immersion” programme, facilitated by The University of Queensland, aims to raise the standard of English-language teaching through English proficiency enhancement and practical methodology training.
These educators will undertake an invaluable immersion experience at Calamvale Community College, under the supervision of our experienced teachers, and within authentic classroom contexts.
During this school experience placement at the College, these visiting educators will see the Queensland curriculum implemented in classrooms and gain practicum experience with our multicultural student base. They will also gain knowledge about how our students learn, what methodologies our teachers adopt, and how to engage with colleagues and the broader school community. It is hoped that such observation and participation will inform teacher practice and the applicability of this learning in Saudi Arabian classrooms.
October and November will see these educators rotating through several Year 7-12 classes, including English Literature, English Communication, English Enrichment, Humanities and Social Sciences, Philosophy and Reason, and Legal Studies.
At the end of their placement, these visiting educators will deliver an interactive presentation to our students about their own culture, such as the Arabic language and alphabet, traditional cuisine, dress and customs. As such, this programme will enrich the cultural knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity of both our school community and visiting teachers alike.

Taiwan Youth Folk Sport performance

In August, the College graciously welcomed the Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group for an enchanting performance that demonstrated to our Year 3 students the beauty of cultural exchange, inheritance, and expression.
This youth troupe – established as a Taiwanese government initiative in 1987 – consists of 30 students aged between 11 and 14 from schools across Taipei City. These young performers have trained for two years in order to represent the richness of Taiwanese culture with their specialised skills, physical agility and creative flair.
Although Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group tours five continents across the globe, our students were incredibly fortunate because Calamvale was the only school chosen to host a performance in Queensland. The College maintains productive relationships with the sponsoring organisations, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Brisbane and the Hakka Association of Queensland.
Held at CPAC, this year’s folk art performance was characterised by a contemporary sporting flavour. The troupe showcased the performative elements of gymnastics,

badminton, and soccer alongside storytelling and modern dance. For example, diabolo spinning featured within a beautifully orchestrated dance; the audience was left in awe as the performers manipulated multiple diabolos simultaneously with amazing changes in speed, direction and movement. The performers also took rope skipping to a new level by weaving a touching story with whirs, waves, and loops. A

shuttlecock kicking display also demonstrated the stylistic precision and graceful agility of the young performers. The group also encouraged its young audience with a motivational dance performance about persevering against adversity and building resilience across all sporting endeavours.

The Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group also exposed our students to some of the festive and artistic practices that underpin Taiwanese culture. For example, the Group performed a harvest dance with bamboo sticks, traditionally performed by the aboriginal Taiwanese Amis Tribe in anticipation of an abundant harvesting season. The performers also illustrated cultural significance of the Dragon Boat Festival – one of the largest celebrations in Taiwan – by wearing scented sachets, enacting dragon boat races, and eating sticky rice dumplings. These cultural performance were complemented by traditional folk music and vibrant clothing.
Throughout this performance, our students learnt about the value of preserving our diverse cultures, participating wholeheartedly in sports, and refining our unique talents.

Calligraphy workshop with Taiwanese artist

On 18 September, our Junior School Art Club and Year 9 LOTE students were lucky enough to participate in two calligraphy workshop lead by Kuo Hsiang-Ling – a prolific and highly respected calligraphist renowned both within Taiwan and internationally. Kuo maintains a distinguished reputation and has been invited to participate in exhibitions held across France, It

aly, and Canada, instruct students in the Philippines, and take up an honorary director position in Hong Kong.
During these workshops, our students seized the opportunity to dabble in calligraphy, develop new artistic competencies, and broaden their cultural mindedness.
Our students gained an appreciation for the historical and cultural significance of calligraphy, as well as the technical prowess required to accentuate the beauty of handwriting with only a brush, ink, and paper.
These workshops were organised specifically with our young students in mind, which is testament to the multidisciplinary and international connections the College maintains.

Kuo Hsiang-Ling has come to Brisbane to exhibit her calligraphy at the Chun Tian Art Gallery in Priestdale from 15 September to 10 November. The exhibition – titled “Colour and Ink” – showcased the distilled purity, tranquillity, power and vista of Kuo’s oeuvre.

Numbers to Know

DepartmentNumber
College Office07 3712 6333
Student Absence Line07 3712 6360 or
Student.Absences@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au
Junior Student Services07 3712 6390
Senior Student Services07 3712 6323
Finance07 3712 6332

Staying in the Loop

Our newsletters will be issued every month, but you will not have to wait for the newsletter to keep up to date with what’s happening at the College.  The following options are our primary means of communication and it depends on the medium as to how much information you will receive:

Newsletters each month.

“Calendar and News” tab on the website is regularly updated, please check here for scheduled events.

Facebook as events happen.

College Signs are reminders of upcoming events, and an opportunity to celebrate successes and welcome visitors.

Newsflashes on the website usually the next day after events have happened.

QSchools is an app parents can download and it receives notifications immediately from the school and the website newsflashes, just like Facebook. It’s located here

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/qschools

or

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.gov.qld.dete.wfs.queenslandschools

QParents which is an Department of Education portal into our school allowing you to access your student’s information and pay online.  You will need 100 points of identification and office staff are happy to assist you if it is difficult.  Available here:  https://qparents.qld.edu.au

Website tabs and pages are updated termly, but documents are frequently attached here in the tab labelled “Support and Resources” then click “Forms and Documents”

Newspaper is where we occasionally get to celebrate.

Coding for the Future

The future is STEM. According to a new Federal Government report, “STEM skills are associated with 75% of the fastest-growing occupations”
Do you want your child (Grade 1-4):
1. Learn another language? (coding)
2. To be inspired to be part of the next generation of STEM innovators?
3. Build confidence and motivation?

Register today for “Coding for the future” by Dr Tony Zhang to help to build the foundation for your child’s learning in STEM in a way which is fun, interesting and easy to understand.  The workshops will be held at Calamvale Community College from March 13th to April 3rd with limited places available.  Cost is $149 for 4 weeks.

A lengthy article will be uploaded to the website ‘newsflash’ space this week.

For more information contact Matthew Collins 0490064218 or email SES.BNE@gmail.com

This is not CCC supervised activity but the staff have all been cleared with ‘Bluecards’ demonstrating their appropriateness to work with children.

Welcome Adaline Moy to our International Program

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Ms Adaline Moy who has joined our International Team here at Calamvale Community College.  Adaline comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience.   She has been with Education Queensland for the past 15 years, working in roles such as Personal Assistant to the Principal. In more recent years, she was offered an opportunity to work with international students.  Adaline or Addie as she is best known is able to relate and empathise with our international students on a personal level as she herself was once chosen to be an exchange student in Japan.  Addie has strong family values and is married with two teenage children.  Her love for life extends through to her passion for animals. At home she finds herself surrounded by her numerous pets including dogs, cats, birds, chickens and fish! She has a thirst for learning and is currently undertaking a Diploma of Counselling.  Addie’s primary role here at Calamvale Community College is Homestay Coordinator.  She looks forward to meeting you all and would like to embrace this opportunity to extend an invitation to our community by inviting you to contact her should you want to become involved in our homestay program. If you have any questions relating to the international program, Addie may be contacted by phoning the school directly on (07) 3712 6333 or you might like to drop her an email at amcca116@eq.edu.au.

Next level training for ADP Students

Developing the physical literacy of our young people is a key tenet of the College’s Athlete Development Program (ADP). Whether the Physical literacy lies in an elite sports pathway or the creation of fitness habits that enhance mind and body, tailored training that is consistent and challenging is crucial.

This year we are excited to announce a partnership with local Community based fitness coaching provider ‘Triple A Performance Training’ and the Athlete Development Program to assist with the students training and fitness development.

Triple A Performance Training operated by College Alumni, Mr. Adam Lee described how he was excited to return to his Alma Mater and help develop the next generation of sports stars. Coach Lee, who himself went through the Athlete Development Program, is an upcoming elite athlete. With experience of representing Australia in Triathlon last year at the World Championships and operating a successful community-based fitness business, Coach Lee brings an excellent skill-set to this opportunity.

Triple A Performance Training will be offering a structured program of fitness sessions tailored towards the individual needs of the young athlete. These sessions will run on Tuesday 2:30 – 3:30pm and Thursday 3:00 – 4:00pm and will cost $5 a session. More information on this can be obtained through Mr Brown, Coordinator of the ADP.

Instrumental Music News

It’s a simple connection but a powerful one. The internal drive required to pursue an activity relies heavily on the greatest of all motivators – making progress. For musical progress, nothing is as important as the quality and quantity of practice time.

We are very honoured to be hosting Michael Griffin, an international motivational speaker based in  Adelaide at Calamvale Community College on Monday 18 March. He will be giving presentations for the Junior and Senior School Instrumental Music students and also a presentation in the evening for parents.

These inspiring and interactive presentations will equip students and parents with the methods and growth mindset required to maximise the prospect of learning music enjoyably and successfully. Learners with a growth mindset work harder, embrace challenge, persist for longer and learn from criticism.

Monday 18 March

  • Senior School Instrumental Music students presentation – 10 to 11.10am
  • Junior School Instrumental Music students presentation – 12.15 to 1.15pm
  • Parents of Instrumental Music students presentation – 6 to 7.15pm

 

A MUST-SEE PRESENTATION FOR STUDENTS STUDYING MUSIC AND THEIR PARENTS!

www.professional-development.com.au

Senior School Swimming Carnival!

On the 11 February Calamvale Community College held its annual secondary swimming carnival. A change in venue this year enabled the school to use the local Parkinson Aquatic Centre.

A hot summer’s day didn’t deter a large number of talented competitors and even a larger number of enthusiastic supporters.


No records were broken this year however the stand out performance of the day were Kayla Stewart winning all events across her age group The crowd cheered for the swimmers in their respective houses and were able to cool off several times and provide their contribution of points by completing the ‘Salmon Run’. Tharah was triumphant in the Cheering competition with Cobar reigning supreme (by 120 points) for the complete competition with Keera running second and Tharah third.

 

Approximately 50 competitors have successfully qualified for the District Carnival next Wednesday at the Sleeman Sports complex at Chandler.

 

Cobar – 760

Keera – 640

Tharah – 585

Boree – 501

 

Met West Success!

CCC are happy  to announce two students successfully trialed for the MetWest 13-19 yrs Softball team. Claire Durrington, and Mikayla Jespersen both made the regional team, and are off to the QSS State Championships in Redcliffe from 21 to 24 March, where MetWest hopes to defend their state title won at last year’s tournament at Hervey Bay.

Claire and Mikayla did CCC proud, trialing very strongly and being selected within the 14 member MetWest team, 11 of whom are current or ex-Qld level players.

Well done girls and good luck in March!

Calamvale Cross Country – Raise money to support students with a disability to access sport.   

When:

15 March 2019 (Friday Week 7 Term 1)

Why:

The “I can I will foundation” lead by Conan Visser will be supporting this event. His foundation will provide a PT to coordinate a mentor program with the funds raised.  There will be awesome ‘highest’ fundraiser prizes. In past years people have won Broncos/Lions memorabilia and tickets to games.

Times:

8:40-10:30

Competitors wanting to compete for entry into the district Cross Country Race, and HPE classes on in Session 1 & 2 (Normal classes  for the rest of the college)

11:40

Parade and minimum gold coin (or) $5+ to be in the draw to slime a House Leader/ Deputy/Principal!

1:00-2:00

Cross Country Novelty Fundraiser Race

(Please ensure your student/s has/have appropriate attire and shoes for the afternoon novelty event. Students love mud!!

2:00-2:30

2nd break stay together for presentations and eating. AFL oval finish.

Novelty Race Obstacles

Sand pit Hurdles/High Jump Mats/Under Tarp/Jelly Throw/Mud Pit/CSS water pistols. FUN!!!

If you are a parent and you want to donate to this cause and/or run in this event make your way to Calamvale Community College Sports Hall by 11:40am on the day.

Michelle Bullion

Head of Program p-12 HPE

3712 6333

Year 12 Team Building Day!

Year 12s began their final year of schooling a little differently this year.  The cohort spent Day 1 exploring aspects of team and how to work as a team more effectively through activities such as group drawing, team skipping and dance.

A big component of this day revolved around goal setting and the importance of setting SMART goals for this year and the habits and positive behaviours that are required to achieve this.  Some chose goals around OPs or obtaining a full-time job from their school-based apprenticeship or passing every subject as their goals for the year.  The importance of attending every day were outlined and the links with success in whatever their chosen pathway became very clear.

It was positive to see the engagement and interaction with each other and seeing different students step forward to lead various activities.

Bring on a successful year Class of 2019!

Connecting at Calamvale

Deep human connection is the purpose and result of a meaningful life. When we truly feel connected to something, it will inspire the most amazing acts of love, generosity, and humanity.In 2019, Calamvale Community College is ensuring our students feel connected to our school, their community and each other through a number of key initiatives. First of all, students will meet with their ‘Connect Class’ each morning. This session was previously called ‘Advisory’, however, upon reflecting on our purpose, we decided that this time would be best spent connecting rather than advising. Each morning students will connect with each other and their teacher, which will ensure for calm entry to the school each morning. Students will regularly be given updates on their attendance, and will reflect and share strategies with their classmates.
Each fortnight, students will have an extended ‘Connect’ class where they will engage in Positive Education together focusing on developing their character strengths and being given the opportunity to discuss Emotions, Health, Purpose, Engagement and Relationships.

In 2019, students will also be encouraged to join our CAST (Clubs, Academic activities, Sports and Tutorials). These before school, lunch time and after school offerings are further opportunities for students to connect, collaborate and be creative. Connectedness to a school is what makes students want to attend school. Hence CAST is improving student attendance. CAST activities give students a place where they can catch up with friends, build respectful relationships with teachers and meet like-minded individuals in a safe and structured environment. CAST allows students to work with others, share new knowledge and solve problems in groups.
The theme for the student leadership team for 2019 is also ‘Connect’. The leadership team will be identifying opportunities for students to creatively connect with local and global communities in areas such as environment, social justice, well-being, health, sport and exercise. All Calamvale Community College students are encouraged to participate and contribute to leadership initiatives in our College.
As always, we want to connect with you, our parent community. It takes a village to raise a child, and we are so glad that you have entrusted your children and families by joining our community. Please see below for the many ways that you can stay connected and contribute to our College.
We look forward to a great year ahead.

Join our P&C: Next meeting Tuesday 19 March – 6.30pm, Administration Common Room
Like us on Facebook: Calamvale Community College
Like our P&C on Facebook: Calamvale Community P&C Association
Check out our website: calamvalecc.eq.edu.au

Welcome to Year 7!

It was a pleasure to meet so many parents, and discuss how we as partners can provide the best start for our newest cohort.  If you missed our portion of the event please find attached a snapshot of the topics which were covered.

Do not hesitate to contact your child’s Head of House should you wish further clarification of any of the subjects

• Mr Dean Stevens – Tharah: Head of House
• Ms Lisa Batley – Boree: Head of House
• Ms Louise Ferguson – Cobar Head of House
• Ms Alison Jordan – Keera Head of House

.Year 7 information session

Learner Agency in the Enhanced PYP

For the past six years, the International Baccalaureate has been reviewing the Primary Years Programme (PYP). The process started in 2012 and resulted in the official launch of the Enhanced PYP on the 50th birthday of the IB in October 2018. The three main areas of the Enhanced PYP are: The Learner, Learning& Teaching and the Learning Community. Agency is at the centre of the Enhancements, but what is Agency and how does this translate into inquiry teaching and learning in the classroom?

 

We all have Agency, the capacity to act intentionally. Recognising and supporting agency creates a culture of mutual respect, acknowledging the rights and responsibilities of students, schools and the wider community, enabling students to take ownership of their learning and teachers of their teaching.

 

Learner agency can be remembered as ‘voice, choice and ownership”. The idea of agency is closely connected to self-efficacy, a belief in one’s own ability to succeed. When learners believe in themselves and have a strong sense of identity, they are more likely to exercise agency.

When students are agentive, they:

  • Take initiative, responsibility & ownership
  • Express interest
  • Make choices
  • Are aware of their own learning goals
  • Monitor and adjust their learning
  • Voice opinions
  • Influence and direct their own learning
  • Develop approaches to learning & dispositions

 

 

They also work collaboratively with teachers to:

  • Make decisions together
  • Create shared agreements
  • Create shared routines
  • Set up learning spaces
  • Reflect together

 

 

It is important to recognize that teachers cannot give learners agency, but rather they can create opportunities in which learners can exercise agency. They can do this by:

  • Working in partnership, building relationships
  • Actively listening
  • Respecting and responding to learner ideas
  • Noticing learners’ capabilities, needs and interests
  • Reflecting on when students need help, intervening & giving feedback
  • Establishing a welcoming culture
  • Modelling desired behaviour and language

 

In 2019 as we continue to extend our inquiry pedagogical practices, we are committed to ensuring our classrooms centre learning and teaching around learner voice, choice and ownership. If you walk into a PYP classroom that is dedicated and focused on giving students the chance to exercise learner agency, you will see:

  • Students and teachers collaboratively creating learning engagements and assessments.
  • Students setting learning goals and monitoring progress.
  • Students fostering their own belief in themselves and their own ability to succeed.
  • Students being active, engaged participants in thinking and learning.

Welcome to a new year in the Academic Program of Excellence (APEX)!

In APEX, we aim to equip students with the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for the multiple pathways leading to cutting-edge careers in the 21st century workforce. The program is designed to enrich the learning of students who demonstrate high standards in academic achievement, behaviour and effort across all areas of their learning.

A core feature of this program is the integration of technology and inquiry based learning. Inquiry involves learners:

  • tackling real-world questions, issues and controversies
  • developing questioning, research and communication skills
  • solving problems or creating solutions
  • collaborating within and beyond the classroom
  • developing deep understanding of content knowledge
  • participating in the public creation and improvement of ideas and knowledge

In APEX this looks like an interdisciplinary approach. This is when subject specific knowledge and skills are taught, and authentic connections are made to knowledge and skills between disciplines. Students are taught by subject specialists teachers – students are developing ways of thinking, knowing and doing in each discipline.

Students undertake studies in:

  • Core areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities (History, Geography).
  • Year 7, 8 and 9 – HPE and Chinese for a semester
  • Year 7 and 8 – electives on a term basis
  • Year 9 – semester long electives

Here is our 2019 APEX information Powerpoint for more exciting news about current are past APEX students :- APEX Parent Information Evening

Line Manager and Deputy Principal: Mel Ellis – melli202@eq.edu.au

APEX Coordinator: Karina Masonwells – kwall190@eq.edu.au

Teaching & Learning Head of Program: Ruth Smith – rxsmi7@eq.edu.au

 

Why is it Important to Celebrate our Success?

We’ve been back a month already and we are still celebrating our students’ successes.  Curious, creative and clever defines Calamvale Community College and that is no better exemplified than in the 2018 seniors’ results.  Across multiple pathways, leading to all walks of life, Calamvale students have met and exceeded expectations.

Why is this so important for CCC?

 

Because it proves we can! Too often our students don’t believe in themselves and sometimes our community doesn’t trust that this level of success can be achieved right here in the local community.  It is true that hardworking students get good results, but what these results prove is that all students can achieve the best results at Calamvale Community College.  The 2018 results demonstrate that our dedicated staff are able to provide the ‘power-lift’ required for support our students achieving their potential.  This College has produced 4 OP 1 in two years and has consistently over three years achieved 55-60% OP 1-10.  This is no accident, the students and the teachers have worked tirelessly to leverage their full potential.  For the third year running, beginning with ten in our first year, last year we graduated 34 Diplomas of Business; testament to the trust that exists between parents, students and staff to achieve the best outcomes for each student’s chosen pathway.  The traineeships and apprenticeships are equally important and match the OP scores in their high level of success.  Follow the link to our website to see just a snapshot of our students’ success https://calamvalecc.eq.edu.au/our-community/alumni

 

So what were those results?

Three of our students, Jasmin, Humda and Dona achieved OP1 this year, James scored OP2 and 60% of the students who studied the OP course, achieved OP1-10, 93% OP1-15 guaranteeing them access to any of the universities in Brisbane.  Dona Sony was the recipient of the University of Queensland Vice Chancellors’ Scholarship.  The overwhelming comment from our students was “I just can’t thank my teachers enough!”  underlining the great relationships and the results that are achieved by hardworking students and dedicated teachers in state schools.

As well as these results, released during the holidays, 34 students, already recognised at Awards Night 2018, completed a Diploma of Business and are able to access a rank-equivalent OP 9 in targeted courses and 100% of students graduated with a Queensland Certificate of Education and many more took opportunities to extend their vocational learning into TAFE and onto employment.  Calamvale Community College is delivering on community expectations for local students in our local area.

What difference does this make?

At 2208 students, our community is demonstrating their trust in our College and we are relishing the opportunity to drive success for each and every one of our students.

There’s no better place to be than CCC!

 

 

Welcome back!

We’ve been back at school for almost a month and we’ve had a cracking good start.  CCC has three additional teachers and additional teacher aide hours to support our over 2200 students.  I was delighted to read in the latest OECD Report on “The Future of Education and Skills”, the high priority given to student agency, creativity, collaboration and innovation.  CCC’s current agenda including the IB Learner Profile is absolutely on target in response to this important report.  I will make this available from the ‘Principal’s Welcome’ on the webpage.

Junior School has dived straight into Inquiry and there are parent information sessions coming soon for new parents who want to learn about our International Baccalaureate curriculum.  ‘Meet and Greet’ was a great success with parents enjoying group information, tours and classroom visits.  There is a great opportunity for students in Years 1-4 to participate in Coding Workshops after school, advertised elsewhere in this newsletter.

Junior Secondary has also ‘hit the track running’ and our grade 7 cohort has settled in so well, they are making great use of the new student organisers and have their ‘Keys to Consistency’ down pat.  We have had a few issues with Campion, our digital text provider, but these have now been resolved and the students are accessing their digital texts and using their computer and tablets.  Just remember, we do have lockers and you can access these through student services, registering the locker and using your own combination lock.

Seniors began the year in style with a great day together building their goals and a sense of team to drive them forward, as our beloved ‘half cohort’, our first Preps, our first Sevens into Secondary School and now our last OP graduating year – what a ride for parents and students alike.  The IB Diploma team have settled into the groove of IB with a busy year ahead and one excursion to UQ already completed.

Secondary Swimming Carnival was a great House Day, and we have taken the concerns on board about the sun and the heat.  Every shade shelter the College owned was  at the pool and students were asked to wear sun shirts and reminded, every half hour, to use sunscreen.  We are now considering a reduced group of students, who can be sheltered from the sun or a twilight carnival.  We will communicate further on this matter.

Our College Council is not to be outdone and next week is hosting a STEM workshop led by the UQ STEM Ambassador and Regional STEM Champion Mr Brett Crawford.  Our Mathematics and Science teachers will be in attendance using this relationship to craft our Inquiry lessons; Brett is happy to work in classrooms in following weeks. Our P&C had a bumper ‘Cuppa with Greta’ last week with so many parents taking the opportunity to get to know each other and enjoy learning more about the College and our community.

Instrumental Music has record numbers of students with over 200 students enrolled in woodwind, brass, percussion (including Taiko) and strings. There are now as many students in strings as the other instrument which is marvelous news for our orchestra.  We have an additional string teacher, Mr O’Donohue, so there are now six days of tuition a week for our instrumental music students as well as Mr Simmons working in Junior School music and Secondary classroom music.

What a great year we have ahead of us.  Please join us for the first P&C Meeting on March 19th.

Curious, Creative, Clever – no better place to be, than CCC.

Principal’s Address to Investiture

I would like to begin by paying respect to Elders – past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within the Calamvale community.
You have heard me speak many times about team, about collaboration and cooperation about the need for us to work together, respect each other. About seeking to be a starry team, that is united not a team of individual stars because we are much stronger together than alone- no matter how good each of us might be.
That is acknowledged by the success of our year 12 cohort last year, some of whom are with us today – together they achieved more success than any one of them could have achieved alone. 2018 proved to you that being on Team Calamvale equalled success, significant success, across traineeships, diplomas, employment and OP results. We welcome here today, some of our high achievers from last year, whose results weren’t available when we finished the year. They are here today to celebrate but also as inspiration, as evidence to each of you that you can do this, here, at Calamvale, achieving the same results that are achieved in the most prestigious school – they did, you can do it – it’s up to you!
But teams need coaches and leadership and that’s why we are here today. I welcome back our 2018 leaders Matt Butler and Mikayla Mason, to remind us of last year’s journey. Today, we are here to celebrate the leadership that will grow tomorrow’s leaders.
It is in our College purpose – “Calamvale Community College is committed to the development of curious, creative, clever young leaders for tomorrow’s world.”
Our future needs you as young leaders, an internationally minded people who will step forward, selflessly and lead others, in our delightfully culturally diverse world, who will lead in the face of whatever challenges might arise – and there are some aren’t there?
Let’s step beyond Calamvale for a moment and consider some of those challenges that face us 1 million dead fish in the Menindee Lakes  6 years of drought followed by devastating floods all but destroying Queensland’s cattle industry Disappearing species Warmer, rising oceans affecting our island neighbours  Lack of opportunity for the poorest people in our community

Every generation faces challenges sometimes those challenges are enormous and sometimes they are less so. But success in our times, a successful future for all of us requires leadership.

Leaders are people who can use a vision, let’s say freedom, to create hope and to bring people together, like a community, and organise those people in that community to achieve that vision.

Such leaders don’t care about badges or about being noticed or acknowledged Leaders care about their vision, about others, about authenticity, about staying true.

There is no better demonstration of leadership right now in Australia than that of Craig Foster, former captain of the Socceroos, who together with the Victorian football club, Pascoevale, mobilise Melbourne, then Australia, FIFA and nations across the world and successfully – one leader – brought Hakeem al-Araibi home from Thailand to Australia. What amazing leadership – what vision and commitment from a sporting community, from a community of people, just like ours.

 

Leadership is our staff focus for 2019 – about leading where you are here in the Calamvale community. Our staff are identifying their strengths, their character st

rengths and using those strengths to share their skills, to promote others (you), to propel our team forward.

Every member of our staff has been asked to consider their strengths and what they might lead in their classrooms, in their faculties, ask them about it, ask them about their strengths but prepared to share yours, your strengths and your vision, what you hope for in your time at CCC.
Leadership is about making the player next to you, the best player on the team – Leadership is about considering the team before yourself and it’s about vision, belief, loyalty and commitment – those are the traits that others seek to follow.

Lachlan (College Captain), Clen (International Captain), Bella (College Captain), Dalyza (College Captain), Ashlyn (Junior School Captain) and Sae

ma (Junior School Captain) are the start of Student Leadership Team for 2019 – they are your chosen leaders, they hope to inspire and mobilize the leader in each of you, so that we can all benefit from your character strengths as you step forward in whatever space, friendship group or class you are in to lead your vision.

Our College leaders will ignite student leadership this year. This is your opportunity to step forward to stand for something and to lead others toward that vision. It will fell ‘risky’ but you are risk-takers, it will require commitment, but you are principled, some people will disagree, but you are open-minded and balanced. And above everything else you have that special trait, that special x factor that we are all so lucky to share in, that pushes us further, higher and faster – we are Calamvale! Make this year, a year of extraordinary leadership, Calamvale – it’s in your hands!

Year 6 Graduation

 

Our Year 6 students were recently farewelled from the Junior School at the annual Year 6 Graduation Ceremony. This event is always well supported by our CCC families and has real significance in the lives of our students, families and staff alike. Year 6 Learning Communities worked collaboratively to ensure that they could put their own unique ‘stamp’ on the proceedings, selecting entry songs for the arrival of each class as well as selecting and performing their own chosen 2018 graduation song, ‘I’ll be there’ by Jess Glynne. The graduation of students from Year 6 into Junior Secondary, symbolises another important change and transition in the lives of these young people. It is planned and very timely, that the graduation occurs at the conclusion of the final unit of inquiry for Year 6 students, which involves them in inquiring into the Central Idea: ‘Changes people experience at different stages of their lives influence their well-being’.

 

Year 6 Welcome to Junior Secondary

Following a beautiful graduation ceremony, the Year 6s shuffled up into Junior Secondary with the now traditional Welcome Ceremony.  War cries reverberated through the gym as the existing Houses of students welcomed and celebrated the arrival of the 2019 Year 6 students.  Students were individually welcomed after the entrance flag bearing procession and each was initiated with a lei of the correct House colour.  Even our newest students from surrounding schools were there and have now been included into the Team Calamvale!  Congratulations and welcome to all of our new families who are joining us for their secondary years’ journey.

 

Happy Holidays

We have reached the end of a very successful year at CCC and I think everyone is looking forward to the summer break.  We are finishing with OP information yet to be released but I can shared with you that our QCS mean was 5 points above that of the state, which is a wonderful achievement for our students and teachers; there have been years past where the mean was 10 points below the state mean.  We hope to have 60% of our students achieving between OP 1-10 and 93% between 1 and 15, the remaining eligible students have Diplomas in Business with the rank equivalent of OP9.  Individual student results are very exciting and we will share that news as it is publicised. So with that news together with record numbers of VET certificates achieved and the largest cohort of APEX and ADP students enrolled – 2019 is looking very exciting.  We have our largest cohort of Grade 7 in-catchment enrolled students with some very exciting classroom events planned for them.

In Junior School, we have again filled our Mandarin Immersion class and have a burgeoning Prep enrolment.  The LCs are all in Shuffle-Up as we speak and our newest Preppies and their parents and carers have had a great week.  Year 6 graduation was a very heart-warming event as was the welcome into the Junior Secondary School.

In breaking news we have purchased a bus for the College which will seat 28 students and make travel to sporting events, excursions and universities, cheaper and eas

ier for smaller groups.  The bus will be wrapped in CCC promotions which celebrate our students and share our story as we motor around Brisbane.  Special thanks to our P&C their wonderful support throughout the year; they have made a significant contribution to the purchase of the bus and we are very grateful.

 

 

Congratulations to all of you who jumped into the recycling collections and filled an orange bag with bottles and cans.  Fantastic response from Junior School, it was only launched in Junior School due to the time of year.  Many thanks to College Council Chair, Mike Butler, for his determination and persistence to make this happen and Adam Bear, Facilities CCC for his support in problem-solving collection; CCC and our students will be the beneficiaries of the funds.

Not finished yet though, the College has saved some additional funds to begin our air-conditioning program, which will be adopted by the P&C in 2019 as the major fundraising focus.  Many parents have had concerns about the heat in classrooms and the impact this has on learning.  Whilst we acknowledge this, we are not funded for this sort of infrastructure and the costs of installation and running are considerable. In consultation with the P&C and staff, we have chosen to begin in three different areas of the school to provide equity.  Hopefully prior to the beginning of school next year, we will have completed air-conditioning in the internal rooms (no external windows) of Creative Industries and Digital Technology.  We will have also completed Cockatoo, Kookaburra and Platypus which are the hottest of the Junior School classrooms.  It is our intention to complete L Block for the Junior Secondary students, but there are some further considerations before completion of this block.  I hope that you will continue to support the P&C with this fund raising initiative throughout 2019 and beyond.

2019 sees the re-launch of our BYOD program with students in Year 7 having a digital textbook package requiring a device to be brought to school each day.  Hopefully the favourite present for 11-12 year olds at CCC this year is a laptop.  Students in Years 10-12 will also be using digital texts across a range of subjects.  Junior School continue to bring iPads in Years 4 and 5 and BYOD in year 6.  There are other articles in this newsletter which give more details about these programs and please reference the website https://calamvalecc.eq.edu.au/extra-curricular/computer-and-internet

Don’t forget to check into our new look webpage for all the latest including 2019 semester 1 calendar . If you don’t use FB, sign up to Qschools for all the latest updates during the school year.

Many thanks to all of you for being a great support to our staff and our College.  Congratulations to all of our student leaders for their great work throughout the year.  To all of our students who live and breathe our values of respect, responsibility, resilience and initiative – we are proud of each and every one of you.  Keep an eye on FB over the holidays.   We are all already looking forward to next year, but in the meantime wish you happy holidays and season’s greetings.

Lisa

New Uniform Updates for 2019

The CCC P&C Association has worked with the College to develop the new Skirt and updated uniforms and we are pleased to advise that they have arrived in store and are available for purchase.
Two styles of uniform garments had major changes and the remaining had features updated to improve fit and look.

Junior College uniform changes
Junior College sees the introduction of the new look dress $56.00 This can be worn by students from Prep. to year 6. The old-style dress has now been reduced to $35.00 and can still be worn until 2020. Note limited sizes available.

Formal uniform Sports Uniform
Dress Whole College sports polo – Note old style junior polo can still be worn until 2020
Blouse or Shirt Elastic sports shorts
Culottes, shorts or trousers. No skirts

 

Junior Secondary Uniform changes
Formal Uniform Sports Uniform
Blouse or shirt Whole College sports polo (Old Middle College polo)
Trouser or shorts Elastic sports shorts
Skirt
*** Note all students wearing a skirt in 2019 that are in year 7 will be required to wear the new style only. Year 8 and 9 students can wear the new or old skirt. ***
New Cultural Length Skirt
No skorts or culottes (replaced by shorts )

 

Senior Secondary
Formal Uniform
Blouse or Shirt with Tie
Skirt, Cultural length Skirt, Shorts or Trousers

 

Sports Uniform
Whole College sport polo – Note old style senior polo can still be worn until 2020
Elastic Sport shorts

 

Whole College winter uniform
New style fleecy jumper – note old style can be worn until 2020
Micro fibre jacket – now $67.00
Year 10 to 12 blazer – by order
New Accessory items available
Leather Belts
New Trolley bags are available in Medium and large (this item is on trial for 1 year)
Hajibs in Navy and White
The return of the College library bag

EARLY SHOP HOURS FOR 2019

Monday             21 January          9.00am – 2.00pm

Tuesday             22 January          9.00am – 2.00pm

Wednesday        23 January         9.00am – 4.00pm

Thursday           24 January          9.00am – 7.00pm

Friday                25 January          9.00am – 2.00pm

 

Monday             28 January          CLOSED (Public Holiday)

Tuesday             29 January          7.30am – 12.00pm

Wednesday        30 January          8.00am – 12.00pm

Thursday           31 January           2:00pm – 5:00pm

Friday                1 February            8.00am – 12.00pm

Normal Hours will resume on 4th February 2019

Monday             8.00am – 12.00pm

Tuesday                   CLOSED

Wednesday        8.00am – 12.00pm

Thursday           2.00pm – 5.00pm

Friday                8.00am – 12.00pm

 

For further information please see 2019 Uniform Policy and price list on the College web site.

If you have any questions, please email pandc@calamvalecomcoll.eq.edu.au.
Remember to follow us on Face Book – www.facebook.com/CalamvalePandC

Leesa Mason
CCC P&C Association

Year 12 Graduation

 

On November 16, we farewelled the class of 2018.  They have now been on holidays or at work for almost four weeks, had to believe.  We have been so proud of this cohort and all that they have achieved, we wish those seeking university entrance, all the very best for the upcoming mail and university offers.  No doubt those who were TAFE bound are enjoying some deserved time off as well and some hard workers have already entered the workforce – best wishes to each and every one of you and your families.

Following the technical difficulties of the actual ceremony, we have mailed out the Valedictory Video and the Formal Video together with a screen shot of each class.  We hope that these have provided some lasting memories.  If anyone did not receive theirs, please contact the admin office in the New Year.

 

Student Resource Scheme

  1. In accordance with the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, the cost of providing instruction, administration and facilities for the education of students enrolled at State schools who are Australian citizens or permanent residents, or children of Australian citizens or permanent residents, is met by the State.
  2. Parents/carers are directly responsible for providing textbooks and other personal resources for their children while attending school. In recognition that these costs can be high, the school operates a Student Resource Scheme (the “scheme”) that enables a parent/carer to enter into an agreement with the school that, for a specified annual participation fee, provides for the temporary use by the student of prescribed textbooks and/or other resources, and/or the purchase of consumables and materials for the student.

Benefits of the resource scheme

  1. The purpose of the scheme is to provide the parent/carer with a cost effective alternative to purchasing the prescribed textbooks and/or resources elsewhere, through reduced prices gained from the school’s bulk purchasing practices.
  2. The scheme also ensures that students have consistent personal resources for their education, and saves the parent/carer time and money in sourcing the prescribed materials elsewhere.
  3. The scheme is not used to raise funds for other purposes, and revenue collected through the scheme is applied only to the operation of the scheme

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2019 Stationery Lists

The booklists for your 2019 Back to School Book Packs are ready for you to place your order, please go to www.campion.com.au , click on “Order here” and follow the prompts.

Enter our School login code X2G7, choose the year level and make your selection, please remember to place your order ASAP so you Pick up or have it delivered to your home before the 2019 school year starts.

 

We recommend that you open an account as that will save you having to re-enter your details for other orders. For multiple children, we recommend that you place all your orders in one transaction, your packs will still be delivered with one pack per child.

If you do not have access to the Internet or if you wish to pay cash (cheques are not accepted), you are welcome to visit the Campion Education Retail Store in Salisbury and place your order in person, there is plenty of car parking.

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Formal

Our formal was again a great success and our seniors looked just amazing.  We held the event again at Victoria Park with record attendance of teachers and the students dance the night away.  We’ve included the group photo for your interest.

CCC Takes on the World at Yale University

The CCC World Scholar’s Team have continued their academic success at the recent Tournament of Champions at Yale University, USA, coming home with numerous gold and silver medals.

From November 16-20, the team of 3 students competed in a series of challenging academic events against over 400 teams from 58 countries. The Tournament of Champions is the pinnacle event of the World Scholar’s Cup, with students having to qualify for the competition through the Regional and Global Round events. The best of the best teams from across the world then compete in 4 intense days of academic competition, in events such as the Team Debate, Scholar’s Bowl, Collaborative Writing and the Scholar’s Challenge.

The CCC Team won a gold medal for their team performance in Collaborative Writing, placing 16th overall, the second-highest performing Australian school in this category. In the individual award for Writing, Sally Hoang also gained a gold medal, achieving 25th place overall from a field of over 1200 stude

nts. The other team members, Tavpreet Kaur and Sofia Juria, were also awarded a silver and a gold medal respectively for individual performance in writing. Sofia added to this, winning as additional 3 gold medal for the Challenge Areas, making an impressive 5 gold medals total. The team placed 97th overall, a credible achievement for their first foray into this competition.

Preparation for the Tournament of Champions is intense, and the CCC team has been preparing through study and training since February. To compete in the World Scholar’s Cup, students must study 6 curriculum areas based around a theme, An Entangled World. The subjects include the Science of Memory, the History of Diplomacy, Black Markets and Literature, Art and Music. The events require students to utilise their deep knowledge of the subjects in inter-disciplinary challenges.

The competition took place at historic Yale University, giving students a taste of life at this prestigious campus. Stirling Chemistry Laboratory, the Shubert Theatre and Berley Hall were all venues for events, and the experience culminated in the Closing Ceremony in Woolsley Hall.

 

“Our students have achieved amazing results, not only at the Tournament of Champions, but throughout all rounds of the competition,” said team coach, Ruth Smith. “This competition is invaluable in helping our high achieving students to develop deep knowledge in a range of internationally relevant subjects, and utilise them in events which also demand a high level of rapid critical and creative thinking by connecting and utilising knowledge. I’m incredibly proud of their achievements.”

“It was a wonderful experience.  New York was amazing and the competition was really fun, a bit nerve-racking but very exciting.” (Sofia Juria)

“I loved the writing, it just comes naturally, so I wasn’t scared about this part of the competition.”

(Sally Hoang)

“I was really nervous to begin with, but as soon as we began our team just worked really well.” (Tavpreet Kaur)

 

World Scholar’s Cup not only gave the CCC Team the opportunity to compete against the best teams from across the world, but also to meet students from other countries and develop lasting international friendships. This aspects of the competition reflects the focus on international mindedness at Calamvale Community College’s International Baccalaureate programs and we look forward to continuing our involvement in this competition in years to come.

“I am so proud of our students.  They showed courage entering such a large competition and they really had to stretch out of their comfort zones.  They took that challenged and really made us and their parents proud.  Congratulations girls and go Calamvale!”  Ms Starmer, Executive Principal.

Young achievers recognised at Lower Junior Awards Night

On 6 November, we celebrated the diverse and extensive achievements of our youngest learners at the 2018 Lower Junior Awards Night. This ceremony was attended by Ms Crystal Lane representing Dr Jim Chalmers, Federal Member for Rankin, and Councillor Angela Owen, Councillor of Calamvale Ward. Family and friends in the audience were treated to three special performances by the Piccolo Choir – “I’m a Little Robot”, “Zoom Zoom Zoom”, and “Our Little Song”.

This year, our foundation Immersion class completed their 3-year intensive Mandarin language programme. As such, we recognised our 17 participating students in this cohort for their enthusiastic and diligent foray into language acquisition.

We also congratulated those students who attained the highest academic achievement within each of the Key Learning Areas. These students have worked tremendously hard all year, and they serve as excellent role models for their peers. Congratulations to our recipients of Academic Awards:

Year 1

Anya Gulati English
Micah Dean Mathematics
Emily Loo Inquiry

LOTE – First Language

Prabhleen Kaur Class Music
Vanessa Sinclair LOTE – Second Language
Nooruddin Shah Health & Physical Education

 

Year 2

Cameron Sander English
Sienna Crawford Mathematics
Derick Zeng Inquiry
Isabella Chakly Class Music
Youchen (Yolanda) Zhang LOTE – First Language
Carene Lewis LOTE – Second Language

Health & Physical Education

 

Merit Awards were conferred to those students who demonstrated commitment to personal growth and achievement, and displayed exemplary behaviour towards learning. Congratulations to:

Prep

Braithan Gunn Possum
Amber Hunt Possum
Jake Van Der Hoeven Gecko
Bethania Fisseha Gecko
Juan-Zhu Pan Gecko
Ridha Kanaani Gecko

 

Year 1

Tyler Cabrera Echidna
Olivah Ashton Echidna
Vuziga Yanga Echidna
Prabhleen Kaur Echidna
Atonio Hunt Platypus
Dominique Gillis Platypus

 

Year 2

Charles Yu Koala
Harrison Lilly Koala
Chloe Zhao Koala
Tsi-Ti (Tiffany) Chou Koala

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Naveed Qurbanzadah, our recipient of the Bean Faulkner Community Award. Naveed willingly promoted College activities and volunteered services within and beyond the classroom.

 

 

The Spirit of Brisbane Award went to Jayden Johnstone, who was congratulated for his quiet achiever approach to volunteering, mentoring, or supporting other students, the community, or persons in need.

 

We also congratulate Demari Schelkis – our recipient of the Work Ethic Award for a student with diverse learning needs – for his commendable work ethic and improved social skills on display this year.

 

This year, our Academic Excellence Awards were conferred to Cameron Sander and Derick Zeng, for attaining the highest academic achievement within Lower Junior. Cameron and Derick demonstrated the attributes of great learners across all areas of the curriculum. They have been exemplary inquirers, thinkers, and communicators – they displayed sincere commitment to their learning which has enabled them to achieve such great success this year.

Thank you to our parents, teachers, and the many staff members who have contributed to Lower Junior this year. We will continue to work hard to ensure that our young learners succeed in 2019 and beyond.

Office, Finance & Uniform Shop

Office Hours

Monday8.00am - 4.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 3.30pm
Wednesday8.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 4.00pm
Friday8.00am - 3.30pm

Finance Room

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 12.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Uniform Shop

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday2:00pm - 5.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Saudi Arabian Delegation

This term, the College welcomes 25 educators from Ministry of Education Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MEKSA) for a rotating 8-week programme of professional development and enrichment. The “Building Leadership through School Immersion” programme, facilitated by The University of Queensland, aims to raise the standard of English-language teaching through English proficiency enhancement and practical methodology training.

These educators will undertake an invaluable immersion experience at Calamvale Community College, under the supervision of our experienced teachers, and within authentic classroom contexts.

During this school experience placement at the College, these visiting educators will see the Queensland curriculum implemented in classrooms and gain practicum experience with our multicultural student base. They will also gain knowledge about how our students learn, what methodologies our teachers adopt, and how to engage with colleagues and the broader school community. It is hoped that such observation and participation will inform teacher practice and the applicability of this learning in Saudi Arabian classrooms.

One visiting educator, Mr Handan Mohammed Alhwaishan, sees manifold benefits emerging from this program. “My experience here in Australia will play the main role in changing and improving my teaching. At Calamvale Community College, I have learnt many different valuable skills and knowledge, as well as new techniques and strategies used in reading and teaching English Literature.”

October and November will see these educators rotating through several Year 7-12 classes, including English Literature, English Communication, English Enrichment, Humanities and Social Sciences, Philosophy and Reason, and Legal Studies.

At the end of their placement, these visiting educators will deliver an interactive presentation to our students about their own culture, such as the Arabic language and alphabet, traditional cuisine, dress and customs. As such, this programme will enrich the cultural knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity of both our school community and visiting teachers alike.

The ‘MVPs’ – Sporting Awards

We capped off a stellar year of College sport with an equally phenomenal awards night on 30 October to recognise our dedicated young athletes and coaches. This night was made extra special with the presence of an esteemed guest – swimming legend and Olympic gold medallist, Mrs Libby Trickett OAM – who congratulated our students alongside families and staff. We recognised the sporting excellence, sportsmanship, and collaborative efforts of our students, with both individual and team awards conferred.

The College Sporting Spirit Award commends the positive contribution our recipients have made to College sport through their participation, their promotion of sport culture, and their proud representation of Calamvale at sporting carnivals and interschool events. We extend our congratulations to Nate, Erica, and Olivia for dedicating their time and effort to raising the profile of College Sport.

Nate Argent Junior School
Erica Ventura Junior Secondary
Olivia Nason Senior Secondary

 

 

 

Calamvale Community College proudly maintains a reputation for producing high-calibre athletes – the Athlete Development Program (ADP) Achievement Award recognise

s those students who have cultivated success through sport and demonstrated a high level of sporting achievement this year. Congratulations to our recipients: Daisha, Shareef and Jordie. Congratulations also to Kaylee, Riley and Ruby for their significant involvement in the program, recognised through the ADP Contribution Award.

Daisha Kennar Year 7
Shareef Mwechiwa Year 8
Jordie Fannin Year 8

 

Kaylee Alcayde Year 7
Riley Porter Year 8
Ruby Martin Year 9

Across the year, our students participated in three major carnivals – swimming, cross country, and athletics. We congratulate all 40 of our College Age Champions for their peak performance in all three carnivals. Some of our students also progressed to the District level, and we congratulate Nate, Levi, and Yusuke for their pre-eminence as District Age Champi

ons in cross country, athletics and swimming respectively.

Nate Argent 10
Levi Clare 14
Yusuke Sheng 15

 

 

Since its introduction in 2010, our cheerleading program has grown in both strength and competitiveness every year. Our teams have constantly focused on improving their skills and teamwork. We congratulate our Cubs All-Star, Leilani, and the recipient of the Cubs Spirit Award, Ellie. Well done also to Kayla, our Cheetahs All-Star for 2018, and ou

r Cheetah Spirit recipient, Maddison.

Congratulations to our most esteemed Cheerleaders of the Year – Lily and Charlotte – for their commitment to their respective teams, their excellent technical skills, and their sustained improvement and engagement.

Lily France Junior
Charlotte Campbell Secondary

 

 

Testament to the formidability and proficiency of our young athletes, we congratulate 33 Best and Fairest Interschool Sport Award recipients for their personal achievements in interschool competitions; 43 Southern Scorpions District Representatives who were chosen to represent the district at regional carnivals, and 13 Metropolitan West Region Representatives who did Calamvale proud in State Championships.

Of course, when you bring together dedicated and skilled young athletes who share a common drive for sporting success, you produce formidable teams that stamp their authority against interschool opponents. As such, we congratulate our 15 District Team Sport Champions in Touch Football, Softball, Basketball, Netball, Rugby League, and Cricket, as well as our highly accomplished Metro Champions, the Year 9 Boys Basketball team.

This year’s Team of the Year is the School Cup Volleyball team, comprised of 10 talented and dedicated young men who were crowned Queensland Schools Cup Volleyball Champions in the College’s first entry into this highly competitive and prestigious tournament.

 

Our most prestigious award, the Sportsperson of the Year, is conferred to three outstanding athletes from each sub school, recognised for having achieved the most success across their sporting endeavours in 2018. We extend our warmest congratulations to our MVPs Fred, Shareef, and Drew for their incredible athletic abilities, exceptional training standards, and commendable sportsmanship. These three athletes have been exemplary role models for their peers and have represented Calamvale tremendously throughout 2018.

Fred Oyet Junior School
Shareef Mwechiwa Junior Secondary
Drew Edwards Senior Secondary

 

A special thank you goes to our esteemed guest, Libby Trickett OAM, who congratulated many of our recipients personally and presented them with their awards. Libby also joined us for a Q&A segment, “On the Couch with Libby”, which proved very insightful and instructive for our budding athletes and Olympians in the making.

 

Thank you to our wonderful coaches who dedicated their time and efforts to nurturing talent, developing technical competencies, and facilitating student success throughout the College.

2018 has been a fantastic year of sporting success and improvement – we look forward to a bigger and better 2019.

World Robot Summit

Two talented Calamvale students have recently returned from an exhilarating trip to Tokyo, Japan for the 2018 World Robot Summit (WRS). WRS is hosted by the Japanese government with a view to build Japan’s presence in the global robotics industry ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The summit drew over 10,000 visitors and was held simultaneously with Japan Robot Week and other robotics-related events in Japan.

Calamvale Community College was the only independent public school in Queensland to compete in the Junior Category of the World Robot Challenge. This foray into the world of international competitive robotics marks the culmination of eight months’ work under the supervision of Mr Eamon Hickey. Year 10 students Michelle Chuong and Wenjie Luo worked tirelessly with their team to design, build, and program a robot from scratch.

The theme for this year’s Junior Competition was “Robots at Home” – our students addressed the issue of food preparation and fresh food intake for individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease or other illnesses that impair fine motor control and hand strength. In the Challenge’s Open Demonstration component, Michelle and Wenjie’s robot demonstrated its capacity to funnel items, such as fruits and vegetables, through a spinning blade which slices and dices them as necessary into a bowl.

Our team not only considered the technical performance of their robot, but also its real-life context – how it will interact with humans, its physical environment, and even other technological devices. The panel of judges asked our entrants to prove the authenticity of their robot as their own creation; they were prompted to explain the technical aspects of their robot, describe their choice of programming language and style, and outline the scope of their teamwork.

Our students’ robotics skills were then put to the test during three skill challenges, couched in deceptively simple language. In the “Robot Guide” test, teams had to guide another robot through an intricate house floorplan with various obstacles. The competing robots then shifted from being guides to being followers in the “Follow Me” test. This challenge had teams contending with speed variations and trajectory changes, and navigating through tight turns in order to follow another robot as accurately as possible. The final task was to “Pick Up” an object – our team had to programme their robot to consider all the variables we, as humans, automatically consider when we move an object, including size and shape, relative weight and height, and the drop-off location.

In the Global Collaboration event, all competitors entered into a new Open Demonstration Challenge with a new theme and newly forged teams. Our students joined together with university students from Thailand and Japan. With Halloween just around the corner, this multi-national team designed and executed a trick-or-treat robot that could dispense candy as requested into waiting bags. For our students, this was a unique opportunity to work with highly proficient individuals for whom robotics is a passion. What Michelle and Wenjie lacked in expertise and experience as secondary students, they made up for with their strong communication and ability to talk the assessors through their demonstration.

Both Michelle and Wenjie strongly believe that their classroom learning at Calamvale prepared them for this competition. Wenjie said, “we wouldn’t have progressed very fair if not for what we learnt in STEAM. The lessons provided us with the requisite knowledge in building, designing, and programming robots.” These two exceptional students also adopted a multidisciplinary approach by drawing from their experiences with challenging English assessment. “The English oral presentation really prepared us to speak confidently in front of expert audiences and improvise when necessary,” Michelle said. Our girls were thrilled to receive expert feedback which complimented their phenomenal oratory skills. “They said that if this was a speaking competition, we would’ve won.”

Wenjie and Michelle thoroughly enjoyed working together and persevering through stressful situations, language barriers and time constraints to deliver great innovative content.

The 2018 World Robot Summit drew international interest, and Calamvale Community College was spotlighted in the Queensland Premier’s media release which emphasised the sheer scope and magnitude of the event. You can read the media release here.

Teaching Excellence Week

This month, the College dedicated an entire week to our hardworking teachers to recognise the invaluable contributions they make to our shaping students, enriching our school, supporting the wider community, and advancing the profession.

Throughout the week from 24 to 28 October, we treated our teachers to a BBQ breakfast, coffee, bookmarks and chocolate in their pigeonholes, and a celebratory event in CPAC.

The UN World Teacher’s Day on 5 October not only celebrated the pivotal role teachers play in educating all learners, but also generated awareness about the factors which impede access to, and the provision of, quality teaching across the globe.

Testament to the broad teaching talent at Calamvale, 19 of our teachers were conferred Teaching Excellence Awards to formally acknowledge their high-quality teaching practice. These teachers were also nominated for 2018 Queensland College of Teachers awards.

The College extends warm congratulations to our place winners:

Chrissie Fatialofa 1st
Natalie Mahon 2nd
Belinda Robertson 3rd

 

Throughout 2018, our teachers have demonstrated excellence in the creation of flexible and innovative learning experiences, their contributions to academic development, their facilitation of inclusive and participatory learning, and their use of technology to enhance their teaching practice.

Of course, one week of recognition does in no way requite the countless hours that our teachers dedicate each day to educating the next generation, and the innumerable contributions they make to prioritise the learning and wellbeing of our students. We thank our teachers for shaping the curious, creative, and clever students for which the College is renowned.

Making artistic waves

Our Art students have been making waves with two arts exhibitions and excursions to kick off the term.

On 12 October, our Year 10, 11, 12 Visual Art and Year 10 IB Art Students went to the Queensland Art Gallery to marvel at a number of captivating exhibitions which spotlight the Queensland experience from the region’s own perspective.

The featured Robert MacPherson ‘Boss Drovers’ exhibition displayed an exhaustive catalogue – comprising 2400 individual drawings – of boss drovers, rugged individuals responsible for moving thousands of livestock and workers across the great pastoral routes of Australia.

Walking through the Indigenous Australian Art Collection, our students gained an appreciation for the works of Namatjira, arguably Australia’s best-known Aboriginal artist, and the artistic homages he inspired.

Moving from a state perspective to a more local one, our students also visited the Logan Art Gallery to marvel at the creative talents of some of their own at the 2018 Artwaves exhibition. Artwaves is an annual art exhibition of work sourced from the creative and talented high school students in the Logan region. Artwaves aims to demonstrate the wealth of imagination and creativity present in the City of Logan and adjacent areas.

 

This year’s exhibition featured works from 12 of our students, as well as exemplary creations from other local schools. Accompanying our students was Secondary Arts teacher Ms April Gilbin, who commented, “our students loved seeing their work and their peers’ work exhibited – they were very proud.”

 

These students then participated in a workshop with Vikki Kindermann, Visual Art teacher. The room was set up with a range of still life objects to draw, which the students creatively reflected in their works using a range of art-making techniques and mediums. Finally, the group created a recycled book out of their drawings and experiments. This was an enjoyable and engaging experience for all involved.

Moon Festival

Calamvale Community College capped off Term 3 with a fabulous celebration of the Chinese Moon Festival, an important cultural celebration of familial and community bonds. The roundness, completeness, and brightness of the full moon symbolises reunion and rejuvenation. This Festival was perfectly timed, as our College community came together one last time before breaking for the school holidays.

 

About 300 students and families gathered together to partake in the Moon Festival. Our College Chinese teachers organised a variety of cultural activities including calligraphy sessions, lantern construction, Chinese poem recitations, jade rabbit and lion head papercrafts, a Tangram puzzle competition, a photo booth, and moon-gazing through a telescope. Students and families also tasted the traditional moon cake and enjoyed a BBQ Panda Picnic.

 

 

This fun-filled and harmonious cultural observance was made extra special by our community volunteers who invested both their time and expertise to aid the learning of Chinese culture.

Parent helpers organised three high-quality telescopes for moon watching. While observing the contour of moon with their naked eyes, students imagined the Moon Lady and the Jade Rabbit. With telescopes, the true colour of the moon was also unveiled with modern science to our Festival goers.

 

The AusOriental Inc. Orchestra, a local Chinese music group, also performed to a delighted audience with classical Chinese instruments, such as the erhu. These orchestral performances were accompanied by Beijing Opera and Chinese folk dances. Such high-quality performances throughout the night brought an authentic atmosphere and experience of Chinese culture to all.

 

 

 

 

APEX Excursions

An integral part of APEX (Academic Program of Excellence) is the opportunity for our participating Year 7, 8 and 9 students to experience an immersive day at one of Australia’s top universities in Queensland. These excursions expose our high achievers to the university pathways they could pursue in the future, while the fun-filled workshops whet their appetite for tertiary study and research.

On 17 September, our Year 8 APEX students had a challenging day at QUT Gardens Point campus which focused on STEM skills and introduced them to potential careers in Engineering. In the NASA Little Bits workshop, our students used Little Bits to recreate the circuitry embedded within satellite dishes used to communicate in space. In the Code a Solar System workshop, our students worked collaboratively to create an orbiting robotic solar system using Sphero robots. The Year 8s also explored the Physics Laboratory in the Cube, where they solved problems relating to gravity and other forces.

On 16 October, our Year 7 APEX are experiencing life at UQ St Lucia. At the Antiquities Museum, participating in workshop about Ancient Rome. They enriched their learning in Ancient History through interaction with real Roman artefacts. This workshop, the Coinage and Propaganda of Roman Emperors, involved students handling and deciphering images and Latin inscriptions on ancient Roman coins.

In early November, three of our talented APEX students attended the final two full-day workshops for the STEM Horizons for High Achievers program, which is aimed at students who excel in STEM subjects. These students were among those selected from schools across Queensland to extend and enrich their learning in real-world contexts. This week, students attended the Freshwater CSI and Building Blocks of Life workshops, accessing facilities and staff at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and Griffith University Ecocentre.

We also congratulated our graduating 2018 Year 9 APEX class, comprising high-performing students who achieved outstanding results in their subjects, on competitive fronts, and across all collaborative endeavours.

Japanese musician tours Calamvale

Calamvale recently welcomed Fumiko Yamazaki, a prolific and highly respected Japanese percussionist, for a week-long visit.

Fumiko boasts a broad range of musical competencies – she plays the piano, vibraphone, marimba, the Japanese drum, as well as self-created percussion instruments made from bamboo. Fumiko has released several musical albums, writes for her own column in Niigata Prefecture, and has played for Japanese TV programs, including song shows on NHK, Japan’s national public broadcaster.

Fumiko is also a highly capable music educator. She studied classical music at a tertiary level, and has been actively involved in teacher education and instruction across the Japanese drum, ensemble music, and wind instruments. During a two-day workshop, our students were able to learn from a leading figure who is not only a highly skilled musician, but someone who understands how to successfully impart knowledge and foster musical talent.

Fumiko arrived on 29 October and performed with a marimba and vibraphone at the College’s Academic Awards Night. She performed two solo pieces – a traditional Japanese song, “Kagome Kagome”, as well as one of her own compositions titled “One”.

On 31 October, our teachers and students collaborated with Fumiko for a jam-packed concert in CPAC. Involved in this Concert were the Taiko students, Mr Mark Moore and Mr Dean Simmons. A total of eight pieces were performed at the Concert, three of which were Fumiko’s original compositions, and one was a modern Japanese folk song performance by guest soloist, Jennifer, from J Percussion.

A full and enthusiastic audience was captivated by the music created by the instruments such as the miyadaiko, shinobue, and student vocals. Fumiko wrapped up her tour with an exploration of our expansive campus and classroom observations.

Calamvale spotlighted in Chinese news segment

Fifteen students from Years 8 to 10 touched down in Brisbane in early October after a whirlwind cultural study tour of China with a jam-packed 17-day itinerary.

Our students travelled around Beijing for two days visiting world-famous locations, and then moved on to Nanjing in the Jiangsu province. Here, they engaged in immersive activities and forged enduring friendships at our sister school, Nantong Senior High School.

Our students were also lucky enough to partake in the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival alongside their sister-school peers – and indeed the entire nation – during this momentous public holiday. The following week, our students stopped at Shanghai and marvelled at the supertall World Finance Centre skyscraper, Yu Garden, Old Town Market, and toured through Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. The group also experienced a Chinese Acrobat Show, met cuddly pandas at Shanghai Wild Animal Park, and took in the views at the Bund, Shanghai’s vibrant waterfront district.

This cultural study tour was an amazing opportunity for our students to dive into the Chinese way of life – from everyday school routines, to domestic life at home, through to national celebrations.

Our students were particularly inspired upon learning the story of Zhang Jian – an industrialist and leading social reformer who used his sizeable fortune to transform the lives of his fellow Nantong citizens by building schools, roads, medical facilities and libraries.

This cultural tour also piqued the interest of province locals, with reporters accompanying our students and teachers during their visit to a museum and an artist’s residence. During this news report, broadcast on Nantong Television on Friday 27 September, our students articulated their increased cultural sensitivity and broader understanding of China as a result of this immersive tour.

http://app.nttv.cn/h5appcz/article/201809/f628e4c90e744c5585d67870699057fe.html?isshare=1&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0

Fundraising at CCC

Calamvale Community College has raised more than $2,800 for local and national charities during a fundraising extravaganza that has been building momentum since August.

The entire College rallied together for a PJ and Onesie Day to raise funds for the Children’s Tumour Foundation (CTF) and Ronald McDonald House. CTF – which supports individuals living with neurofibromatosis – is close to the hearts of the school community. Over the years, the College has raised more than $2,500 for CTF and neurofibromatosis. This year, students celebrated diversity and inclusivity by turning the school campus into a menagerie of lions, tigers, bears and superheroes.

While the rest of the school community went home to warm beds, the College’s Year 12 students donned their pyjamas and onesies throughout the night for a Winter Sleepout event. From 4pm to 7am, the College’s senior students camped out in the library with limited food resources, cardboard beds, and no technology.

These students woke up tired and sore but with big smiles, having just raised $400 for Orange Sky Australia, a Brisbane-based entrepreneurial start-up committed to improving conditions for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Braving the cold with her students was the College’s Executive Principal, Lisa Starmer, who proudly acknowledges the humanitarian efforts of her students.

She says that the College encourages student-based fundraising efforts as they build maturity, and breed long-term social engagement and community commitment. “Our students are active citizens of the world – they are caring, committed, and most of all prepared to go the extra mile to help those in need.”

The College’s younger students are also leading the way, with Year 6 student Tayla Davis initiating a Cupcake Day to raise funds for the RSPCA and animal welfare. On 6 September, the smell of home-made cupcakes, brownies, and cookies wafted across the campus and attracted the school community to donate more than $890 for the RSPCA.

The new QSchools app

Parents have recently made representations to the College regarding the new QSchools app launched by Education Queensland. This app differs from QParents, which requires parents to provide identification in order to gain access to their student’s absence information, to change details, and to make payments. The QSchools is a centralised hub from which users can access the information from our school website, our Facebook updates, school notifications, and reminders. As such, it replaces the need for access to Facebook, SMS messaging, website and calendar access, and most emails apart from lengthy notes.

The QSchools app is readily downloadable and then immediately accessible. The College will be using QSchools from this term

A year of musical success capped off with Music Fest

Our young musicians have shone brightly at an interschool music competition, Queensland Prestige Music Fest, held 13 and 31 October at Calamvale CPAC. Music Fest aims to provide an environment where excellence in performance and music education can be celebrated, and students can benefit from expert adjudication and critique.

Ensembles are judged on three criteria: (1) their musicianship, which relates to their responsiveness to style, expressiveness and artistic rendering of the composer’s intention; (2) their technique, including intonation, production, accuracy and skill level; and (3), their presentation and selection of an appropriate repertoire.

To meet such comprehensive criteria, our students have worked hard all year, rehearsing every week.

Three Year 7 students thoroughly enjoyed the experience:

“We received a Gold award in Music Fest which was an amazing experience. This is a reminder to all of us on how our efforts and hard work paid off well. We believe we achieved this with teamwork and dedication.” Phoebe Gordon

“I had an exciting journey throughout the year as being part of the Calamvale Instrumental Music Program. Receiving a Gold Award in Music Fest was a major achievement in the Crescendo Orchestra.” Jafe Ogabang

“Music Fest was a memorable experience! Getting feedback on our performance that day really helped to improve and extend our skills as a team. Meeting the music composer Steven Chin was eye-opening and receiving the award from him was truly unforgettable.  Being part of the Calamvale College Music Program in 2018 is a golden opportunity that no one would like to miss. It is wonderful to be part of the team and see everyone grow individually and as a team.” Dain Sony

Despite most of our Corelli Junior Strings students competing for the first time, this talented ensemble won a Silver Award. Our Crescendo Senior Strings were amazing and earned a Gold Award. Our Junior and Senior Bands were also rewarded for their hard work with two Silver Awards.

The adjudicator commented on the well-suited repertoire chosen by our students, as well as their good dynamic range and attention paid to the conductor.

The College capped off a year of fine music-making and joyful performance with the Instrumental Music Awards Night on 23 October.

Cultural Awards recognise our emerging talent

Every day, we aim to shape our students into unbridled artists who are curious, clever, and creative beyond all limits. The College offers the very best Arts experience for its secondary students, and at the end of the year we celebrate the efforts of our high achievers, strong leaders, and eager participators.

At the 2018 Cultural Awards Evening, we recognised those students who demonstrated exemplary cultural excellence and engagement across four art forms: visual arts, drama, music, and film.

Testament to the broad talent at Calamvale, 47 students received awards that commended their commitment and leadership, service to the College, and achievement in the Arts.

Exemplary students also received Rising Star and Encouragement awards that recognised their enthusiastic participation and potential for future excellence in art.

Congratulations to Bridgette Kedacic, the very deserving recipient of Creative Futures Award and Perpetual Trophy. Bridgette has been recognised for her talent and aptitude in creating outstanding artistic work at a consistent level while displaying service, dedication and commitment to her creative community and endeavours. Through her successes in film-making and musical performance, Bridgette has demonstrated that she is determined, passionate, and in possession of an extremely creative mind. We hope Bridgette continues to build herself as a supportive, intuitive and inspirational force within the wider artistic community.

 

 

 

We also congratulate our recipients of the Achievement in the Arts 2018 Melody Chen WAMCI Award Patricia Rosales and Mikayla Mason. Patricia and Mikayla have demonstrated their dedication and passion for the Arts unreservedly throughout the year and across multiple art forms. These students have led, performed in, and proudly represented the College across events both on and off campus – from musicals, choirs, concerts, assemblies, festivals, to other extracurricular events. We thank them for the time and concerted effort they have applied throughout the year to promote the Arts at Calamvale.

Celebrating excellence in 2018

On Monday 29 October, we took pause during this immensely busy term to recognise the manifold successes of our most distinguished students. The 17th annual Academic Awards Night – one of my calendar highlights – celebrates the achievements of our Year 3 to Year 12 students.

In attendance at this ceremony was the Honourable Leanne Enoch, Minister of the Queensland Government and Member for Algester; Ms Crystal Lane representing Dr Jim Chalmers, Federal Member for Rankin; and Councillor Angela Owen, Councillor of Calamvale Ward.

The College has always embraced a culture of academic excellence and improvement. We support each and every one of our students as they strive to achieve their highest academic potential, all the while overcoming any challenges that may impede their journey. Our high achievers for this year deserve recognition, not only because of their academic successes, but because they exemplify fortitude and unwavering tenacity in the pursuit of excellence.

Foremost, Calamvale Community College extends its warmest congratulations to our 2018 College Dux Dona Sony. Testament to her comprehensive academic excellence, Dona has received subject awards for English, Chemistry, Physics, and Philosophy and Reason, and has finished at the top of her class across five subjects. Dona is a dedicated, hardworking and conscientious student whose successes are sure to continue well into the future.

 

 

 

 

We also congratulate Lawrence Liang, our Year 11 Dux, recipient of the UQ Create Change Achievement Award. With two subject awards in Mathematics B and Accounting, Lawrence has distinguished himself as one of our highest-performing international students. Lawrence has overcome

language barriers to demonstrate a mature and determined approach to his studies, and his genuine desire to learn sets a great example for his peers.

The diversity of our student population is reflected in the scope and breath of our academic achievement across subjects and disciplines. With the following three awards, the College recognises student excellence within various subjects and domains of learning, as well as the sustained commitment to furthering their education through university programmes and tertiary study.

Griffith Business Year 12 Program Award: Our high-achieving Year 12 Business students committed to additional study through Griffith University to further their education

n and broaden their knowledge of social entrepreneurship, employability, and innovation. We congratulate Donya, Daniel, and Shreya on their successful completion of this challenging program.

Donya Baharvand Year 12
Daniel Castaneda Year 12
Shreya Datt Year 12

 

 

Spirit of Boeing Award: Congratulations to Drew for his passion for aircraft maintenance and the wonder of flight, as well as extraordinary effort he applied in furthering his understanding of flight.

Drew Edwards Year 12

 

 

 

UQ Young Achievers Program Award: Well done to Mitchell, Humda, Dona, and Matthew for their ongoing participation and achievement in the University of Queensland scholarship programme that supports senior secondary students as they progress into tertiary programs. This support includes mentoring, significant financial assistance, and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development.

Mitchell Bell Year 12
Humda Zainab Year 12
Dona Sony Year 12
Matthew Butler Year 12

 

 

 

We also recognise the various ways in which our students contribute their own learning, our school, the wider community, and global causes through service and engagement. We thank our recipients for their commendable work ethic, persistence, and infectious spirit.

Bevan Faulkner Community Awards: Dakota, Tavpreet and Mikayla have been recognised for their willing and enthusiastic promotion of College activities and volunteer services, both within and beyond the classroom.

Dakota Long Upper Junior
Tavpreet Kaur Junior Secondary
Mikayla Mason Senior Secondary

 

 

 

Spirit of Brisbane Awards: We congratulate Tayla, Matthew and Haneen for their quiet achiever approach to volunteering, mentoring, or supporting other students, the community, or persons in need.

Tayla Davis Upper Junior
Matthew Butler Junior Secondary
Haneen Hawari Senior School

 

Work Ethic Awards: Cayden, Shonal, and Zane have been recognised as students with diverse learnin

g needs who have displayed a commendable work ethic and improved social skills.

Cayden Bear Upper Junior
Shonal Dutt Junior Secondary
Zane Moffett Senior School

 

Harry Moo Memorial Bursary Awards: We congratulate Jordan and Aarenn on their exemplary persistence, commitment, and determination in the pursuit of excellence across all endeavours.

Jordana Korhecz Year 12
Aarenn Tay Year 12

 

The College promotes leadership in all forms and capacities – our students proudly espouse our values both on and off campus, and strongly advocate on behalf of those they represent. We recognise not only our experienced student leaders, but also those who have been working tirelessly in unbadged leadership capacities.

Emerging Leaders Award: Congratulations to Connor, Mason, Sofia, Tavpreet, and Jordana for their invaluable passion, initiative, and leadership across a range of fields, including the arts, academia, and the Student Council.

Mason Gatehouse Junior Secondary
Jordana Korhecz Junior Secondary
Connor Andrews Senior Secondary
Tavpreet Kaur Senior Secondary
Sofia Juria Senior Secondary

 

 

Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Awards: Congratulations to Riley and Nathan for consistently displaying the qualities of leadership, teamwork, resourcefulness, cooperation, communication, community involvement and problem solving.

Riley O’Hara Year 10
Nathan Joinbee Year 12

 

 

 

 

In the increasingly globalised world we live in, it is vital that our students maintain an international perspective across all their endeavours, one that is informed by compassion, ethical practice, and unequivocal respect for all individuals. We celebrate those students who demonstrate commendable international mindedness and engagement.

International Student Community Engagement Award: Congratulations to

Kien, a conscientious international student who has significantly contributed to the improvement of our College and community through hi leadership and s

ervice.

Kien Tran Year 12

 

IB Diploma Student of the Year Award: We congratulate Te Aika, who exemplifies the IB philosophy by being principled in her work ethic, reflective of her learning, curious about a range of topics, and caring towards her classmates.

Te Aika Barriball-Schmidt Year 12

 

 

 

 

 

The learning journey our students embark upon is not always smooth or easy. It takes a great deal of grit and determination to power ahead past the obstacles that come between us our goals. As such, we recognise and congratulate our students on their hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Caltex Best All-Rounder Awards: Congratulations to Matthew, who has demonstrated the highest level of commitment to doing his best in all pursuits and excelling across academic studies, sport, community service, conduct, attitude and leadership.

Matthew Tsimpikas Year 12

 

 

 

 

Dr Jim Chalmers Award: Congratulations to Hashrina, who has modelled perseverance and determination by overcoming significant challenges to complete Year 12 and continue on to tertiary education.

Hashrina Kaio Year 12

 

I would like to extend my final congratulations to all our award recipients – thank you for enriching Calamvale Community College with your excellence, tenacity, diligence, generosity, and your overwhelmingly positive approach to learning. I wish you all the best in your future studies and endeavours.

Numbers to Know

DepartmentNumber
College Office07 3712 6333
Student Absence Line07 3712 6360 or
Student.Absences@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au
Junior Student Services07 3712 6390
Senior Student Services07 3712 6323
Finance07 3712 6332

New security fencing to keep our College safe

Our College will soon be the recipient of a million-dollar security fence around its boundary.  We have had long consultation with the infrastructure department of Education Queensland to address the implications of new fencing at the College.  The fencing will provide a barrier along the western side of the service road that splits the College from the ovals – this will provide a greater level of security for our younger students against the ever-present risk of parents exceeding the 10kph limit on that service road. The fence will also isolate the gymnasium facility from the school, providing added security on the weekends and evenings when this facility is available for community hire.  Locked gates will restrict all unauthorised access to the College on the weekends and public holidays, which will dramatically reduce the vandalism and trespassing that the College incurs; this has been my experience at other schools which have had a similar fence installed.

Unfortunately, the installation of the fence will mean the removal of the hedge and some other trees on the perimeter of the property.  I know how much this hedge means to many foundation families who purchased plants and may have helped to plant the hedge. Because this hedge is so sturdy, it provides an excellent foothold from which to scale even a 2-metre fence.  It is with a heavy heart and much argument that I acquiesced to remove the hedge.

The College’s location atop this grassy knoll will most likely mean that the fence will not impede the view of the College, and that being black, it will disappear into the foreground and be overlooked.  We will be building some more gardens around the front of the College to replace the much-loved hedge.  This fence will keep our students safer, which is always our first concern.

Introducing digital texts to CCC

With the introduction of a new senior certification system comes new learning expectations and assessment – we endeavour to keep our community abreast of any relevant information as it becomes available. Most of our attention has been focussed on the units to be studied, the timing of this work, and the nature of assessment, so that we can best prepare our students for their Year 12 experience in 2020.  The most recent information has indicated the need for students to store documents for extended periods of time, and to submit senior assessment through digital portals so that they can be quickly accessed and processed. As such, all students in their senior years will require access to digital devices for use in classrooms and for assessment submission.

As a result of this, all senior students attending the College in 2019 will need to have a portable digital device, such as a tablet, iPad or laptop. A smart phone is insufficient. In keeping with this requirement, students in Years 10 to 12 will access their textbooks in digital format. This decision to adopt to digital textbooks has been discussed and ratified by the P&C at a recent meeting. This transition from the traditional paper-based format will greatly benefit our students – digital textbooks can be loaded onto students’ devices, thus making them accessible anywhere and at any time for the duration of their course. This removes the need for students to transport heavy texts to and from home, the costly exercise of replacing damaged books, and the need for class sets.  Digital textbooks will also provide high-quality, curriculum-aligned information for students, including some interactive capacity, and most texts cover two, if not three years of learning from Years 10 to 12.

Documentation will soon be distributed outlining how to access digital texts, the associated costs, and the subsequent changes to the Student Resource Scheme payments.

Purchases will be made through an external provider, Campion, and families of students (including IB) in Years 10 to 12 will deal directly with this company.  The College will continue to provide technical support for students with regards to their laptops, though no responsibility will be taken for repairs.  Lockers will continue to be available throughout the Secondary School, and will be allocated upon request.

Keeping in line with an increasingly digital world, the College will also introduce digital textbooks to Year 7 in 2019. This decision – which has also been ratified by the P&C – will remove the need for us to purchase new paper-based texts and will allow our younger Secondary students to become familiar with this digital format.

The packages available to Junior Secondary students are very impressive in price, quality, and breadth of subjects covered in a purchased bundle of digital texts. There are bundles of texts covering all subjects that students can sample in Years 7, 8 and 9.  After investigating the requisite costs surrounding this change, the College has made the decision to purchases the licences for Year 7, as it is significantly cheaper for schools than it is for parents.  Students will be provided with codes to access Year 7 text bundles after payment is received.  Parents will however be responsible for providing the device for students.  More information will be provided with minimum specifications for all digital devices.

2019 Summary of Secondary School Student Resource Scheme Changes

Together with the P&C, the College has reached an agreement as to the Student Resources Scheme charges for 2019. These updated charges will reflect the introduction of digital texts in Years 7, 10, 11 and 12.

789101112
2018$180$180$180$220$220$220
2019$250$175$175$180$185$170

Building resilient students and a safer community

Recently, we documented and represented the “Bullying. No Way.” framework.  I encourage you to familiarise yourself this process, accessible through Junior School classroom teachers, Secondary School Heads of House, House Leaders, or administration via: admin@calamvalecollcom.au.  Please work with the College in this process to modify inappropriate behaviour, and understand that due to privacy constraints, we cannot discuss specific student matters.  As always, we seek to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students, to implement skills and strategies to build resilience, and to produce consistently appropriate and acceptable behaviour. Please report concerns early and help us ensure that our community is inclusive, accepting and supportive.

Social media use and video recording – your vigilance is required

As social media becomes part and parcel of daily life, we are finding that students are increasingly falling short of our expectations about recording and distributing video footage of the school, other students, and events.  The College rules are very clear – students are not permitted to film each other whilst at school.  Any social media posting with footage of students at school during the school day, or after school in uniform, is a breach of privacy, is not permitted, and will result in suspension in most circumstances. What one student finds acceptable, another does not.  Filming fights escalates the situation. The length of time that footage is public is irrelevant – through means such as taking screenshots or downloading and re-uploading, videos can remains in circulation despite the original video timing out or being removed. The College has addressed this numerous times and will continue to do so.  What students post on social media – providing privacy settings restrict public visibility –  are not of concern to the College unless presented as evidence of bullying.

Please discuss this with your students and make sure that they are aware of the penalties. Your vigilance around this matter is appreciated.  The College’s Responsible Behaviour Plan can be viewed at: calamvalecomcoll.eq.edu.au

Global collaborations underway at Calamvale

Calamvale Community College continues to stay ahead of the curve by forging strong international connections in new and innovative ways. This term, the College has initiated the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project, which involves real-time audiovisual exchange with primary school classrooms across the globe.

This project stems from an Education Queensland innovation and learning initiative – the College successfully bid for and received a grant which included the provision of advanced technological equipment. As such, this project utilises a digital platform to bridge between two continents and pursue meaningful global relationships whereby our students can broaden their international mindedness and sensitivity.

Our first global partnership, forged with Dongdae Primary School in South Korea, commenced in Semester 1. Collaboration sessions with Dongdae students have proven fruitful and stimulating for our Year 5 learners who were nominated by their teachers for this project.

Across the semester, collaborative classes with Dongdae have explored the unique aspects of daily life and school learning in both South Korea and Australia. Our students discussed their Media Arts projects, which centred on health and wellbeing, and responded to questions from their Korean buddies. Likewise, Dongdae’s students provided interesting information about the popular culture of South Korea, including an entertaining introduction to K-Pop.

Most recently, our students received a thoughtful welcome package from Dongdae, filled with delicious Korean snacks, key rings detailing our students’ Korean names, and traditional Korean flutes called sogeum. Over the next sessions, we intend to learn how to play this instrument, and it would be great to perform something together. The package was opened during a live-stream class – this allowed the Korean students to share in the excitement while their Calamvale friends explored their personalised gifts.

Our students intend to reciprocate by sending over some iconic Australian items and artefacts. This will be followed by a collaborative session during which our students will explain the significance of these items to their Korean counterparts, once again allowing for greater cultural insight and discussion.

We have also joined with Haemi Middle School in Seosan, South Korea for a class on Humanities lead by Mr. Matt Butterworth.

Over the coming weeks, Calamvale will initiate partnerships with new countries from across Asia. Our students and Mrs. Marie Moo will showcase Pepper the Robot to their new friends from Feng Seng Senior High School from Taiwan. Lead by Mrs. Francine Potts, a collaborative classroom focussing on hospitality and nutrition will operate in partnership with Cheonseong Middle School from Yangsan, South Korea.

Further live collaborations are in discussion with schools in China, Taiwan and Japan. The subsequent sessions will cover a variety of topics, including language exchange and enrichment, musical performances, and reading classes with Australian picture books.

As an IB World School, these collaborative relationships strengthen our commitment to fostering global citizens and help prepare our students for their global futures. We plan to integrate global collaboration into our units of inquiry and extend these sessions to benefit students across multiple year levels. The long-term goal is to offer every student the opportunity to collaborate with an international school through the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project.

We look forward to developing our partnerships with schools in South Korea and fostering invaluable relationships with others across the globe.

Book Week spotlights the hidden treasure of reading

The College unleashed the inner bookworm in every student with a fun-filled Book Week extravaganza held in Week 10. This year’s theme – Find Your Treasure – had our students exploring the hidden delights of reading and discovering new worlds mapped out onto the page.

Throughout the week, the library held lunchtime pirate activities and competitions for all students to enjoy, while a special canteen menu satisfied our starving scallywags.  

There were read-a-loud sessions with our teachers and executive staff sharing picture book stories with our young students and passing down the oral literary tradition. The BCC Sunnybank Hills Library also organised activities for our students to engage with.

The Lower and Upper Junior School Book Character parades transformed our Sports Hall into a bustling fantasy world with bears, witches, dwarves, fairies, superheroes and of course, pirates. Pepper the Robot lent a helping hand by welcoming all in attendance and providing directions to activities. Our robotic First Mate also delighted audiences by reading a picture book during the Whole School Assembly.

For our Secondary students, a COSPLAY day on Thursday had characters from all across the pop culture spectrum wandering across our school campus. Students were encouraged to pop into the library to collect house points for participation, get their photo taken, and enter into the most original costume competition. On this day, our students also contributed to closing the literacy gap by making gold-coin donations to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

This Book Week was not only about reading, but also about writing. During the complementary Literature Festival, Secondary students participated in a workshop with a visiting author to learn about the writing and publishing process, as well as to develop and refine their writing skills. Students were also offered the opportunity to submit a piece for potential publication in a student creative writing anthology.

Indigenous AIME Excursion

The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME, pronounced ‘aim’) is a mentoring bridge between high school and university.

On that bridge, there are two lanes. One lane has university students making their way out to high schools to deliver free mentoring. In the other lane, students travel to university campuses for mentoring workshops and activities.

AIME offers:

  • Group tutoring delivered on-campus at schools
  • School visits (pictured)
  • Career and transition support for Year 12 students
  • Workshop held at the Griffith University Nathan campus.

Overall, students aged from 12 to 18 receive over 100 hours of extra-intensive support. The AIME initiative proves the framework and motivation for students to lift themselves and pursue higher education.

Earlier in the term, our Year 9 to 12 students visited Griffith University to participate in the program. They wrote forgiveness raps and thank you letters, had a yarn time, played a bit of footy, and made new connections with other school students.

To date, more than 25,000 students have completed the AIME program and all participants leave with an increased sense of strength, identity, purpose, and aspirations.

Students embark on a cultural study tour of China

On 17 September, 15 Calamvale students from Years 8 – 10 embarked on a cultural study tour of China with a jam-packed itinerary planned for their 17-day trip.

This tour has received significant financial subsidisation from the Jiangsu Educational Services for International Exchange (JESIE). Calamvale Community College has qualified for this support through our sister school affiliation with Nantong Senior High School.

Our students will travel around Beijing and visit many well-known locations including the Great Wall of China – an unmissable world wonder, the Forbidden City – the largest ancient palace in the world, the expansive grounds of Tiananmen Square, and the imperial gardens of Summer Palace.

The group will then move on to Nanjing in the Jiangsu province for sister school immersive activities at Nantong Senior High School. The students will also visit educational and cultural sites throughout Nanjing, including Xuanwu Lake, Mendong Old Town, Dr Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum, and attend the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

At Nantong Senior High School, students will participate in sister-school immersion activities over four days. Then, they will travel to Shanghai whether they will venture to World’s Finance Centre, and explore education and cultural sites such as Yu Garden, Old Town Market, Nanjing Road and experience a Chinese Acrobat Show.

This cultural tour will broaden the cultural mindedness and awareness of our senior students, and allow them to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Back at home, our students were also afforded the opportunity to mingle with international peers, with Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School students visiting Calamvale on their 2018 study tour in late August. This tour maintained a specific focus on STEM – our guests participated in an on-campus STEM lesson, visited UQ for a laboratory experiment, and enjoyed excursions to ACU and Griffith University.

It is hoped that the College will further its productive connection with Kaohsiung through a collaborative research project between the respective schools through the live video classrooms platform. This project – with a tentative focus on natural disasters such as droughts on flood – will be discussed further in Term 4 and launched in 2019.

Unique calligraphy workshops at CCC

On 18 September, our Junior School Art Club and Year 9 LOTE students were lucky enough to participate in two calligraphy workshop lead by Kuo Hsiang-Ling – a prolific and highly respected calligraphist renowned both within Taiwan and internationally. Kuo maintains a distinguished reputation and has been invited to participate in exhibitions held across France, Italy, and Canada, instruct students in the Philippines, and take up an honorary director position in Hong Kong.  

During these workshops, our students seized the opportunity to dabble in calligraphy, develop new artistic competencies, and broaden their cultural mindedness.

Our students gained an appreciation for the historical and cultural significance of calligraphy, as well as the technical prowess required to accentuate the beauty of handwriting with only a brush, ink, and paper.

These workshops were organised specifically with our young students in mind, which is testament to the multidisciplinary and international connections the College maintains.

 

Kuo Hsiang-Ling has come to Brisbane to exhibit her calligraphy at the Chun Tian Art Gallery in Priestdale from 15 September to 10 November. The exhibition – titled “Colour and Ink” – showcases the distilled purity, tranquillity, power and vista of Kuo’s oeuvre. Exhibition admission is free.

The School Based Youth Health Nurse Service

Hello! My name is Michelle, and I am the new School Based Youth Health Nurse. I am employed by Children’s Health QLD and am at the school Mondays and Fridays and the fourth Wednesday of the month.  I do not do attend to first aide or the sickroom as there are very capable first-aid trained staff in the school that attend to that, and very well might I add.

I work along with the other amazing support staff in the school, your young person can talk to me confidentially about any health issue impacting on their life.

The School Based Youth Health Nurse role is to give health information and support to young people so they will make healthy choices in their life. Health in the holistic sense of emotional, mental, social and physical.

I also work with the school community on issues that may affect the health and wellbeing of young people and the school community as a whole. I do this with evidence-based programs and information for curriculum, teaching and learning activities; providing health information and referral; supporting the development of an healthy environment and school culture that the school is working on all the time.

In individual consultations the nurse and other student support staff can provide health and wellbeing information about:

  • Feeling unhappy, stressed or very worried
  • Healthy relationships at home and at school
  • Personal and family problems

However I can also assist with:

  • Healthy body image
  • Healthy eating and physical activity
  • Growth and development
  • Sexual health and pregnancy
  • Smoking, alcohol and other drugs with regards to themselves or other people around them.

 

In most cases, it is best for young people to talk to their parents/carers about health and wellbeing issues. The nurse can support young people to do this.

Young people have a right to confidentiality when accessing health services, just an adult can when they go to the doctor. As a health service provider the nurse respects this but sometimes there are issues in which the nurse must refer to other services for the young person’s safety. When a student comes to see me I explain what circumstances these are.

You can contact me via the office where you can leave a message for me and I can get back to you when I am next at the school.

Supporting young carers

Do you know a young person looking after a family member or friend? In Queensland, there are currently more than 60,000 young people helping a family member or a friend with things like cooking, cleaning, paying bills, taking medication or visiting the doctor.

For some young people, the definition of normal entails going to school or going out with friends. For others, however, normal involves caring for a family member or friend with a disability. These are young carers.

There is a dedicated team from Young Carers that can support and make your life better for these young people. Carers Queensland can help with:

  • Free, confidential telephone counselling
  • Small-group and face-to-face counselling
  • Information about available services and accessing help
  • Meeting and connecting with other young people at regular themed event
  • Talking to the school about support.

We know that juggling life and caring responsibilities can be a balancing act, and so Young Carers are there to help relieve any financial pressure experienced along the way.

The Young Carer Bursary Program offers a $3000 scholarship to young carers aged 12-25 to assist with the costs of education. In 2017, over 340 young people received financial support.

Applications open in late July to early August each year and are accepted for up to six weeks from the opening date.

If you would like more information about this program, please email: ycbursaries@carersaustralia.com.au.

Please visit this website for more information: https://carersqld.com.au/support-services/young-carers/

Good Health to you and your family,

Michelle Clekovic

School Based Youth Health Nurse

Good health to you and your family,

Michelle Clekovic

School Based Youth Health Nurse

Cheerleading victories for our Cheetahs and Cubs

Our cheerleading teams – the Calamvale Cheetahs and Cubs – have swept up the several trophies this term at two state-wide competitions.

In late August, our teams competed for the first time in the Aussie Gold State Spectacular Compe

tition, held at the Logan Metro Sports Centre in Crestmead. Both teams have been working super hard and their efforts were rewarded with some awesome results. The Calamvale Cubs placed 2nd in their division of five teams – an amazing success. The Calamvale Cheetahs also took out 2nd place in the High School Level 1 Division by a very narrow margin.

In mid-September, our teams entered the arena again to compete in the Australian All-Star Cheerleading Federation State Championships held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach. Our students worked tirelessly to polish their routines, and they did an impeccable job. Our Cub cheer squad placed 4th in the Primary Level 1 Division, and the Cheetahs really soared to new heights – they won 1st place in the Level 1 High School Division. To top it all off, our Cheetahs were announced as the Scholastic Grand Champions, making them the highest scoring school team in the state!

This is an amazing victory that testifies to the academic prowess of our students and the hardwork and dedication of our coaching staff. Congratulations!

Uniform Updates

Please visit the P&C Facebook to see some of the updates to our uniforms and ordering processes.  Our new blazer, which is available to students in Year 10, 11 and 12, and the Year 12 jersey for 2019, can both now be ordered through the uniform shop.  Senior jerseys – as an item of memorabilia – are subject to the usual conditions of payment completion. The uniform shop will kept updated with the names of eligible students by the Finance office.

Thank you to those many families who waited so patiently for the delivery of this year’s zip-up jackets, which was delayed due to a colour error on the part of the supplier. It was stressful process for all, and your understanding was greatly appreciated.

Office, Finance & Uniform Shop

Office Hours

Monday8.00am - 4.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 3.30pm
Wednesday8.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 4.00pm
Friday8.00am - 3.30pm

Finance Room

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 12.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Uniform Shop

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday2:00pm - 5.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Sydney/Canberra Cultural Tour

On Sunday 19 August, some of our Year 6 students departed Brisbane for chilly Sydney and Canberra on the 2018 Cultural Tour.

This year’s tour was the biggest one we have had for some years, with 100 students attending. During the six-day trip, students enjoyed visiting Parliament House and the Electoral Education Centre, both of which complemented their current unit of inquiry. Our Year 6 students also visited Questacon, the Australian War Memorial, and National Museum of Australia.

One of the absolute highlights of the tour (besides playing in the snow!) was the opportunity to visit Government House and meet His Excellency General the Honorable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. His Excellency took the time to talk about his important role and responsibilities to our country, as well as answer a range of questions from our students. We also got a sneak peek of His Excellency sitting for an artist who was working

on a portrait of him.

There are many people who need to be thanked who made this year’s trip one of the best yet. Thank you to our wonderful staff who accompanied our students on the trip – Deb Kelly, Tamika Bertoli, Rachel Penn, Alana Takawe, Lyn Lee, and Mark Smith.

We also need to thank the Federal Government who recognise the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government contributed $60 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Office, Finance & Uniform Shop

Office Hours

Monday8.00am - 4.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 3.30pm
Wednesday8.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 4.00pm
Friday8.00am - 3.30pm

Finance Room

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 12.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Uniform Shop

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday2:00pm - 5.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Numbers to Know

DepartmentNumber
College Office07 3712 6333
Student Absence Line07 3712 6360 or
Student.Absences@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au
Junior Student Services07 3712 6390
Senior Student Services07 3712 6323
Finance07 3712 6332

INTERNATIONAL STAFF

  • LISA STARMER – Executive Principal
  • DAVID HEPPER – International Programs & Business Manager
  • CHRISTINE WILLIAMS – International Coordinator
  • LEESA MASON – Homestay Coordinator
  • SHARON VOLSCHANK – Head of Special Education Services Prep – Year 12
  • MELIA WANG – EALD Teacher

CONTACT DETAILS

MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS DAVID HEPPER
Email – dhepp0@eq.edu.au
Phone – +613712 6333
Mail – 11 Hamish Strett, Calamvale QLD 4116
Web – www.calamvalecomcoll@eq.edu.au

EDUCATION QUEENSLAND
Website – www.education.qld.gov.au

EQ Interntional
Website – www.eqi.com.au

Principal’s Welcome

Welcome to Calamvale Community College, a P-12 College providing thirteen years of education for your child on a single campus within a supportive framework of high expectation.  Our College prides itself in providing a wide range of learning opportunities across the academic, cultural and sporting fields to provide your child with rich and rewarding learning experiences that will lead and support them as they grow from child into adulthood.

A P-12 College provides a unique opportunity for students to grow through their childhood and adolescent years within the nurturing environment of a single community.  The stability and familiarity of that community allows the development of a culture of ‘high challenge’ in learning.  We know that high achievement occurs when there is high expectation.  We also know that children and adolescents need confidence to accept the challenges that are presented – our community enables both the high expectation and the confidence to accept the challenge and achieve to their greatest potential.

Our College has welcomed 90 International students and is set an culturally diverse community speaking 106 languages.  Our programs support a broad range of bilingual students, some of whom are acquiring their third language.  Diversity is celebrated and encouraged and our students through their travel, interactions and language have become world citizens.

Positioning our College as an International Baccalaureate World School offering Primary Years Program (PYP), Diploma for Years 11 and 12 and about to begin candidacy for the Middle Years Program in 2020 has been a deliberate and strategic decision on the part of the College Council.

The PYP captivates our youngest learners investing in their curiosity and giving them opportunities for self-direction and self-regulation, underpinned by the principles of the Learner Profile.  Students work collaboratively with their teachers and each other learning the inter-relationships within the curriculum which enables students to follow their curiosity and discover and experience their learning.

The Diploma Program has provided a unique opportunity in Queensland schools to study literature in students’ mothertongue as well as using an international certified examination process to provide direct access to universities across the world.  The demanding entry process for Diploma, the academic rigour and the balance provided by the student-centred, action-focused learning combine to produce an outstanding education to meet the diverse needs of a uniquely positioned community.  Our students graduate as the young leaders for our world:  collaborative, responsive, resilient, curious, creative and clever.

Our College’s Foundation Motto is ‘building on success’ and from that first letter scribed or that first friendship made on the playground, through to the satisfaction of mastering complex problems or conquering a fear and performing on stage to achieving a personal best on the track; we will be there to encourage and celebrate your child.

Building success is based on our values of respect, responsibility, resilience and initiative; all that we do and expect is inherent in these values.  Our community comprises students, parents, extended families, affiliated associations and businesses, all of whom take their responsibility to educate our young people very seriously; we are in partnership as we take this journey through to Year 12 graduation and all the possibilities of what lies beyond.

I am honoured to be College Principal of an institution that provides an individual learning journey for each and every one of our 2200 students.  Our College organisation defies the anonymity that new parents might expect within such a large student population; I can assure you that every student is known and planned for within the learning communities of the Junior School or the Houses of the Secondary School.  As a parent with a question about a student, there is a school community leader who is the single point of contact ensuring accessibility when there is a query and that the communication channel is strong.

I invite you to browse through this journal to discover all that is on offer when you join the Calamvale Community and look forward to providing your child with every opportunity to fulfil their potential at CCC.

 

Lisa Starmer

Executive Principal

 

 

Bullying. No Way.

Bullying is an issue in the greater community that affects many young people. No school is immune to bullying, as it is inherently a relational issue between students. At Calamvale Community College, we are firmly committed to providing a positive learning environment for all students. We understand that bullying occurs in all schools, and have in place a number of processes to address incidents of bullying when they occur.

To start, however, it is very important to define bullying so it can be addressed appropriately. A shared understanding of bullying is the starting point for effectively prevention and restorative practice. The College adopts the Australian Schools standard definition:

“Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert).

Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.

Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.”

This definition makes a clear distinction between a single incident or conflict, and on-going bullying. This element causes the most confusion – a student who experiences a single incident of mean or inappropriate behaviour is not being bullied. As much as these single incidents are not acceptable, they are not bullying and cannot be treated as bullying. These incidents may be just as serious, but they require different responses. Bullying is a complex relational problem between students and as such, it requires a response by the College that is tailored to the specifics of the interaction.

If you require more information on bullying, the College recommends the “Bullying. No Way.” website: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/

Additionally, an outline of our response to bullying is contained within the College’s Responsible Behaviour Plan for students on our website.

Kaohsiung Girls visit Calamvale

In mid-August, the College welcomed 13 students from Kaohsiung Girls Senior High School (KGHS) in Taiwan on their 2018 Study Tour. Calamvale Community College signed a Sister School Agreement in August 2015 – since then, Kaohsiung students have made four trips to the College, and we have made reciprocal journeys twice, with the third planned for 2019. Our respective schools principals have also maintained a positive relationship, with Executive Principal Lisa Starmer visiting Kaohsiung as an invited guest for their senior graduation ceremony in 2017.

This year, the Kaohsiung girls were treated to a back-to-back itinerary full of new experiences and adventures. They participated in an insightful and immersive Indigenous culture excursion to the Ngutuna-Lai Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Studies Centre in Inala. Our Taiwanese guests witnessed boomerang throwing, as well as Indigenous song, dance and storytelling. The also visited Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to see our native animals up close, followed by a trip to the beach and Mount Tambourine. The girls also arrived just in time for the Ekka – they were very excited to experience such an iconic Queensland event.

There were many on-campus events of mutual benefit to our students. The Kaohsiung girls visited a Year 9 APEX Mandarin class and gave an insightful and interactive presentation about the culture, scenery and food of Taiwan, the Kaohsiung province and its unique delights, and the vibrancy of KGHS.

Cherry, the KGHS Tour captain, expressed her excitement at seeing so many multicultural faces at the College. “We thought that there would be a large White population, but upon reaching, we saw so many more races and nationalities, which was amazing. Many of the [College’s] teachers are from different countries as well.”

She hopes to explore Australia and take advantage of our invaluable resources. “In Taiwan, there aren’t that many books written in English, so I’d like to visit a bookstore here in Brisbane. I would like to visit Australia again as a tourist, and be immersed in the English language.”

The girls said their farewells and departed on Monday. The College hopes to extend its productive relationship with KGHS by working collaboratively through the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project. In the near future, we hope to hold live-stream music performances, invite submissions to our upcoming online art gallery, and hold English and Chinese language enrichment classes.

 

 

Our Instrumental Music Program

The College’s Instrumental Music Program is grooving to the rhythm of 2018 with style and finesse.

Four of our ensembles participated in the Fanfare Bands Competition, an interschool contest organised by Education Queensland which offers our students the opportunity to learn from expert adjudication and to pursue musical excellence alongside their peers. Our Senior Band and Orchestra were awarded Bronze, while our Jazz Band and String Ensemble Corelli both won Silver.

Our first semester has also been marked by successful showcases, public performances, and invaluable workshops with regional and international guests.

Earlier in the year, our students engaged in a wide variety of enriching activities. Our Beginner Band and Beginner Strings groups had their Immersion Programs in February. The Jazz Music Institute, a Brisbane-based specialist jazz school, visited the College on an Incursion workshop. In March, Calamvale Community College held the inaugural Collaboration Concert with the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra (QKO) at the on-campus Calamvale Performing Arts Centre. Established in 2016, QKO has continually expanded to become the most dynamic and diversified orchestra in Queensland. This concert provided the College’s music students with the opportunity to interact with and perform alongside like-minded young musicians. Audiences listened to performances by our String Quartet, the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra’s Strings and Woodwind Brass Percussion, as well as collaborative performances that showcased the combined talents of these young performers.

Our students have also participated in a variety of activities and performances outside of the College. In March, Instrumental Music students from across the College visited the Conservatorium of Music at Southbank and attended a lecture presented by the Deputy Director. Our Taiko group began the year with an international focus – they performed at our Multicultural Festival, welcomed and farewelled our visiting Japanese schools, and showcased their skills at the Kisaragi-Sai Japanese Festival at Roma Street Parklands.

At the end of Semester One, the College’s Instrumental Music Program successfully hosted their first all-ensembles showcase for 2018 – Music@6. Close to 200 students performed on the evening across eight ensembles, including the Mallets Duo, Junior Band, Senior Band, Stage Band and Taiko Drummers, as well as three string groups – Crochets, Corelli, and Crescendo. It is always a privilege to perform for familiar faces, and our students embraced the opportunity to demonstrate their musical talents and collaborative skills. All ensembles performed on the evening to a full house with a very enthusiastic and supportive audience.

This term, our Junior Brass and French Horn students participated in Brass Master Classes. Our Taiko group performed brilliantly at the Japanese Immersion Day, hosted by Seville Road State School. On Saturday August 25, guest conductor Toni Bonetti will instruct and work collaboratively with our students in a combined Band and Strings workshop. Through August and September, another guest conductor – Josh Hatcher – will run rehearsals for Senior Band and State Band and assist them with their preparations. On September 15, the Taiko Group is performing for esteemed guests at the World Multi-Cultural Dinner at Sun-Pac. This term our Senior Band, Stage Band and Taiko groups will all perform at College assemblies.

The College’s Instrumental Music Program is showing no signs of slowing down – our Term 4 calendar is booked out with variety of performances such as the Music Fest Bands Competition, Art Waves Festival, College Arts Night, Whole College Awards Night and of course an all-ensembles performance at our End of Year Instrumental Music Awards Night. To top off the year, the College will welcome Japanese Percussionist – Fumiko Yamazaki – for a week in October. She will collaborate with a number of our Percussion Students for two workshop days, followed by a Concert in CPAC.

The College continues to provide students invaluable opportunities to develop new skills collaboratively and independently, to hone their musical proficiencies each lesson, and to celebrate their musical talents with confidence on stage. To further prepare our talented musicians for local and international opportunities, the College will offer Music as a part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 2019.

Calamvale Scholars reign victorious

In a truly astounding triumph, Calamvale Community College has emerged as the only school in Queensland to be recognised as a Champion Team in the Junior Division of the World Scholar’s Cup, defeating more than 290 teams from across the globe.

In mid-August, our talented teams travelled to Melbourne to compete in the Cup’s Global Round against more than 1,500 scholars from 27 countries, including Indonesia, China, Singapore, India, and Zimbabwe. Both our Senior and Junior students walked away with several gold and silver medals for writing and the Scholar’s Challenge.

Back in April, Calamvale tentatively entered into the World Scholar’s Cup, and walked away with multiple accolades. In the 2018 Brisbane Round, Calamvale’s Junior Division team was crowned the Overall Champion, awarded first place in the Scholar’s Bowl, and took home bronze for both Challenge and Writing events.

The Cup’s theme for 2018 – An Entangled World – resonates across the intertwined and inseparable subject areas of History, Arts and Music, Science, Social Studies, and Literature. This interdisciplinary entanglement is by no means superficial; competitors must commit to significant study and preparation beyond the comfort of the classroom.

They must delve into complex, real-life issues such as the ethics of cryptocurrency and black market trade, the history of conspiracy, and the veracity of flashbulb memory. Competitors also participate in collaborative events including scavenger hunts, keynote speeches, panel discussions, and a talent show.

Literature Challenge Subject winner – Sofia Juria – said, “I was very excited to debate with my teammates and demonstrate the skills we’ve learned in past training sessions. Outside of the academic events, I couldn’t wait to present in the talent show and explore the city, not to mention adopt another alpaca!”

Tavpreet Kaur, another member of winning Scholar’s Bowl team, reflected on her excitement for the Cup’s Global Round. “This was an amazing opportunity to represent the school in a different city for debating and trivia. We presented in the Talent Show as the TIM TAM TEAM and participated in the Scholar’s Fair and the Scholar’s Ball. The biggest highlight was definitely adopting another, bigger alpaca!”

Despite our students’ palpable excitement for the Cup’s mascot alpacas and entertaining event highlights, this competition is no walk in the park. The World Scholar’s Cup requires entrants to consider, apply, and extrapolate their knowledge in unexpected and confronting ways.

In the Scholar’s Bowl, for example, competitors must solve analytical and multimedia challenges under extreme time pressure, keep up with questions of increasing difficulty, and persevere against opponents shouting out incorrect answers.

In the Collaborative Writing event, competitors must consider the strengths and weakness of their fellow teammates as they each choose a different persuasive essay prompt from a selection of six statements. The Cup also complicates multiple-choice questions in The Scholar’s Challenge by raising the stakes – competitors can select more than one option as correct, but the more answers, the lower the question’s weighting.

The College’s organising teacher, Ruth Smith, has dedicated countless hours to preparing her students for this Global Round in Melbourne. “The teams have been preparing outside school time, researching in the subject areas as well as preparing to use their knowledge across all of the subjects in the Scholar’s Challenges. This has taken great dedication from our students, and will place them in excellent standing for the competition.”

Despite such manifestly mind-numbing challenges, the College has firmly entered into this global thought arena with multiple trophies and personal commendations from the organisers. Our students continue to excel on regional, national, and international stages – be it sporting victories and hospitality medals here in Brisbane, to global gambits in Melbourne and robot challenges in Tokyo.

For now, our superb teams have set their sights on global success – let’s hope that their inaugural entry into the World Scholar’s Cup continues to yield unprecedented triumphs.

 

 

 

QASSP Educators’ Workshop at Calamvale

to participate in professional development blended workshops linked to the Design and Digital Curriculum.

These educators are affiliated with the College through the Queensland Association of State School Principals (QASSP), which boasts 1300 members and advocates for the best possible education for 315,000 primary school students across Queensland.

Calamvale Community College has been hosting educators from the QASSP Acacia Branch for five years. This year, our College Secondary staff – Ms Mel Ellis, Ms Marie Moo, Ms Elke Schneider, Mr Zac Cheng, and Mr Eamon Hickey – facilitated these hands-on and engaging workshops.

Visiting primary school educators experienced first-hand what the College offers in terms of STEAM curriculum and facilities. Over the course of the afternoon, participants rotated through a variety of in-depth sessions which focused on boosting their problem solving capabilities, refining their specialised mathematics and scientific knowledge, and recognising transciplinary curriculum links in the classroom.

The educators explored the functionality of MakeyMakey by using conductive materials to create an input device. A Virtual Reality tour allowed them to hear, see, and understand how a specialised teaching space can be repurposed in innovative ways. Our staff imparted practical knowledge about and increased competency in Scratch, and the educators created a short animation.

In the Sumo Robo Challenge, the QASSP educators worked in teams to design and build competitive robots. This workshop activity required participants to apply block, drag, and drop coding to program their robots to seek and destroy all opponents. All teams worked collaboratively to adhere to competition size and weight rules, and applied their problem solving skills to re-program and re-build as necessary.

The teams also met Pepper – a humanoid robot created by Softbank Robots in Japan – and explored her programming features and her utility as an educational tool.

Overall, these workshops provided an invaluable opportunity for all QASSP educators to build productive relationships, share knowledge, and strengthen interschool communication through a professional network. Following the 1.5-hour workshops at CPAC, school teams enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at the College’s 3Trees Restaurant. This was the largest event on the restaurant’s calendar, and their service and menu did not disappoint.

The success of this annual event rests with our exceptional Secondary staff members, our talented hospitality team and students, as well as our outstanding venues and event facilities. Our local QASSP educators are sure to keep coming back for more each year.

International guests and friends welcomed to Calamvale

The College welcomed 25 educators from Saudi Arabia for a preliminary professional development visit on 19 July. This visit – the first of its kind in Queensland – precedes and anticipates a 10-week programme in Term 4, during which these visiting teachers will gain practicum experience at the College.

During this one-day visit, the Saudi Arabian teachers were warmly introduced to our professional and teaching staff, our robust International Programmes, and the multicultural aspects that enliven our College.

These teachers – all in-service English teachers from various secondary schools across Saudi Arabia – were interested in observing English, Humanities, and Drama classes and meeting our secondary students.

This professional development programme in Term 4 will allow the Saudi Arabian teachers to gain exposure to the Queensland English curriculum, and understand how we conduct lessons, teach content, and assess achievement in English and ESL programmes at the College. The teachers will provide in-class support as teacher aids and gain practicum experience with our multicultural student base.

The teachers will also attend professional learning sessions on select educational topics, develop their teaching skills, and establish learning improvement plans during the course of their visit.

The College hopes that this professional programme will enrich the cultural knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity of both our school community and the visiting teachers. We look forward to developing this professional relationship further during the upcoming term.

This term also commenced with two simultaneous – but very different – Study Tours from China.

On 30 July, we welcomed five students from our Sister School in China – Jiangsu Nantong High School. The students took part in English language lessons, class integration sessions, and were treated to an Australian wildlife show at the College. Our warm and hospitable host families allowed these visiting students to appreciate the Australian lifestyle and take part in leisure activities. The students also travelled to the Gold Coast and Sydney as a part of this tour.

This annual visit from our Jiangsu Sister School was complemented by the inaugural visit of Mingzhu School students to the College. On 30 July, we also welcomed 11 students from Mingzhu School in Changchun, China for the first time on a one-week study tour. The students completed English lessons at the College, and attended class integration sessions alongside a buddy student.

 

Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group 2018

In August, the College graciously welcomed the Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group for an enchanting performance that demonstrated to our Year 3 students the beauty of cultural exchange, inheritance, and expression.

This youth troupe – established as a Taiwanese government initiative in 1987 – consists of 30 students aged between 11 and 14 from schools across Taipei City. These young performers have trained for two years in order to represent the richness of Taiwanese culture with their specialised skills, physical agility and creative flair. 

Although Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group tours five continents across the globe, our students were incredibly fortunate because Calamvale was the only school chosen to host a performance in Queensland. The College maintains productive relationships with the sponsoring organisations, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Brisbane and the Hakka Association of Queensland.

 

Held at CPAC, this year’s folk art performance was characterised by a contemporary sporting flavour. The troupe showcased the performative elements of gymnastics, badminton, and soccer alongside storytelling and modern dance. For example, diabolo spinning featured within a beautifully orchestrated dance; the audience was left in awe as the performers manipulated multiple diabolos simultaneously with amazing changes in speed, direction and movement. The performers also took rope skipping to a new level by weaving a touching story with whirs, waves, and loops. A shuttlecock kicking display also demonstrated the stylistic precision and graceful agility of the young performers. The group also encouraged its young audience with a motivational dance performance about persevering against adversity and building resilience across all sporting endeavours.

The Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group also exposed our students to some of the festive and artistic practices that underpin Taiwanese culture. For example, the Group performed a harvest dance with bamboo sticks, traditionally performed by the aboriginal Taiwanese Amis Tribe in anticipation of an abundant harvesting season. The performers also illustrated cultural significance of the Dragon Boat Festival – one of the largest celebrations in Taiwan – by wearing scented sachets, enacting dragon boat races, and eating sticky rice dumplings. These cultural performance were complemented by traditional folk music and vibrant clothing.

Throughout this performance, our students learnt about the value of preserving our diverse cultures, participating wholeheartedly in sports, and refining our unique talents.

A first in Queensland: Calamvale Scholars reign victorious

Emerging triumphant against thousands of competitors from across 50 countries and more than 290 teams, students from Calamvale Community College have been invited to Yale University in the United States to compete in a global gambit against schools from across the world.

This competition – the World Scholar’s Cup – maintains a prestigious reputation and is considered one of the most comprehensive and formidable contests offered to students worldwide.
In a truly astounding victory, Calamvale Community College has emerged as the only school in Queensland to be recognised as a Champion Team in the Junior Division of the Cup’s Global Round. The College’s students also walked away with several gold and silver medals across multiple events.

This Cup journey for Calamvale has been months in the making – their students entered into this global thought area back in April during the regional Brisbane Round. Here, the Junior Division team picked up their first trophy as Overall Champion.

Now, our talented local students have the opportunity to travel to Yale University with the ambition of being crowned Tournament Champions.
The Cup’s theme for 2018 – An Entangled World – resonates across the intertwined and inseparable subject areas of History, Arts and Music, Science, Social Studies, and Literature. This interdisciplinary entanglement is by no means superficial; competitors must commit to significant study and preparation beyond the comfort of the classroom.
The Cup requires scholars to consider, apply, and extrapolate their knowledge in unexpected and confronting ways. They must delve into complex, real-life issues such as the ethics of cryptocurrency and black market trade, the history of conspiracy, and the veracity of flashbulb memory. Competitors participate across collaborative events including scavenger hunts, keynote speeches, and panel discussions.

The College’s Executive Principal Lisa Starmer commended her students, saying that they strongly exemplified the curious, creative, and clever mindset for which the school is widely known.
“This isn’t any ordinary competition – these students are tackling real-world issues with all the boldness, tenacity, and ingenuity required from international diplomats. To participate and perform so impressively against such competition shows that the problem solving and critical thinking skills of our students are second to none,” she said.
The College’s organising teacher, Ruth Smith, has dedicated countless hours to preparing her students for this unique competition. She sees the Cup as an invaluable opportunity for her students. “Our teams continue to extend themselves – they have been preparing outside of school, researching in the subject areas, and building their interdisciplinary skills. This has taken great dedication from our students, and their commitment will place them in excellent standing for the competition,” she said.

Despite a steep learning curve, Calamvale Community College has firmly entered into this global tournament with multiple trophies and personal commendations from the organisers.
As for the students, they seem unfazed by the monumental challenges ahead. They’re cool, calm and collected, and they have their sights locked on nabbing bigger and better alpacas – the Cup’s furry mascot.

“I am very excited to debate with my teammates and demonstrate the skills we’ve learned in past training sessions. Outside of the academic events, I can’t wait to adopt another alpaca!” said Sofia Juria, a member of the winning Junior team.

This year’s competitors have all been members of the College’s APEX program which supports gifted and talented students. The College has solidified its commitment to preparing students for global futures by gaining accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
An IB qualification – recognised in over 75 countries and 2,000 universities across the world – will unlock international opportunities for its most capable students. The College will offer the IB Diploma and Primary Years Programmes in 2019.
For now, Calamvale’s students have set their sights on international success – let’s hope that their inaugural entry into the World Scholar’s Cup continues to yield unprecedented triumphs.

Our students collaborate as global citizens

On 19 July, our Year 10 IB students, the Year 9 APEX student leaders from all year levels participated in the High Resolves Global Citizenship Program and completed the Collective Action and Effective Collaboration modules.

 

High Resolves is a not-for-profit educational program that motivates high-school students to become engaged and proactive global citizens, ready to tackle contentious world issues, both current and anticipated.

Within these modules, students developed their understanding of purposeful collaboration, gained the requisite skills to deal with divergent opinions, and learned how to negotiate towards mutual agreement.

 

The Collective Action module demonstrated first-hand how poor communication can complicate diplomatic agreement and action on real-world problems. Our students role-played as ambassadors representing different countries at the General Agreement on Climate Change.  Our ambassadors embraced their roles and negotiated passionately for several rounds. At the end of each round, each student ambassador publically delivered their decision, accompanied by much cheering and booing.

In the Effective Collaboration module, students learned how to accommodate different perspectives and elicit active engagement from others. The “Guess What?” activity required effective team-based collaboration to build a whole from its parts. Students had to express their individual observations and compile their knowledge in order to identify an everyday object based on fragmented information. The module concluded with a discussion about the applicability of these skills across a wide range of circumstances including at school, in the wider community, and on a global level.

At the end of the module, each student filled out their own ‘I resolve to’ card, and made a commitment to undertake specific action as a global citizen in the following days or weeks.

These skills for the IB students are being further developed through an inquiry project into the re-design of their IB Hub in CI block – watch this space!

Primary Years Programme (PYP)

Calamvale: a premier institution for young minds

 

Calamvale Community College is pleased to announce its authorisation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, accredited to offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students in Prep to Year 6.

Calamvale is only the second state school in Queensland to offer PYP. The authorisation process involved a two-year candidacy period, during which the College implemented a broad range of IB standards and practices.

PYP is a framework for organising curriculum; as such, the College maps the Australian Curriculum across six transdisciplinary themes, ensuring a progression of skills and knowledge across the programme. The PYP values an inquiry based approach to teaching and learning which is student-centred – it values and develops students’ questions and curiosity, and allows our young learners to meaningfully connect their lives to the experiences of those around the world. Similarly, structured and purposeful PYP units of inquiry allow students to consolidate their prior knowledge, actively engage with new experiences, and reflect on their learning journey.

The IB advocates for education without borders; this ethos is embedded within the PYP curriculum to stimulate international sensitivity and consideration. The IB Learner Profile allow us to concretely foster transdisciplinary approaches to learning, develop students’ international mindedness, and target the attributes of learners that are valued in our College, in the community, nationally, and globally.

Calamvale has chosen to implement PYP because it provides a relevant, engaging, and indispensably global education; it values the prior knowledge, experiences, and curiosity of students and develops their capacity to contribute as global citizens. A comprehensive study conducted by Deakin University found that PYP students performed significantly better than the national average in science literacy and aptitude. ACER research also shows that IB students outperform non-IB students in key areas such as mathematics, reading, and writing.

IB PYP Co-ordinator at Calamvale, Mr Mark Smith, says the implementation of the Primary Years Programme is one of many ways that the College is investing in its young learners.

“Our teachers and students have all reported that moving towards a more inquiry-based approach has reinvigorated teaching and learning at the College. Our students are highly engaged, curious and seek to learn new skills and find the information to answer their own questions. We have a high proportion of students who have taken action in response to their learning, which already indicates to us that they are becoming more independent and can envision their roles as active learners.”

 

 

Study Tours and Professional Visits

The College has welcomed guests from 3 countries in weeks 1 and 2 of Term 3

  • English teachers from Saudi Arabia were visiting as part of the ‘Building Leadership for Change Through School Immersion’ Program

 

  • Education delegates from the Kanagawa Board of Education, Japan, visited to develop their knowledge of IB and PYP

 

  • Pre-Service teachers from National Taipei University observed class lessons and teaching methods in the secondary school

Numbers to Know

DepartmentNumber
College Office07 3712 6333
Student Absence Line07 3712 6360 or
Student.Absences@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au
Junior Student Services07 3712 6390
Senior Student Services07 3712 6323
Finance07 3712 6332

Office, Finance & Uniform Shop

Office Hours

Monday8.00am - 4.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 3.30pm
Wednesday8.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 4.00pm
Friday8.00am - 3.30pm

Finance Room

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 12.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Uniform Shop

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday2:00pm - 5.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Kokoda Challenge

Calamvale takes on Kokoda

CALAMVALE, 14 JULY — Calamvale Community College has once again risen to the Kokoda Challenge and successfully competed in the arduous 2018 Jim Stillman Cup.
The Kokoda Challenge is a nation-wide event that draws inspiration from the brave efforts of Australian WWII diggers to defend against an invasion of Papua New Guinea, and aims to instil the values and ethics espoused by Kokoda veterans. This year, the College nominated five teams to compete for the prestigious Jim Stillman Cup, named in honour of a 39th Infantry Battalion legend who braved Kokoda during perilous armed conflict.
Our teams, each comprising four students and one teacher, tackled an intense 48 kilometres of Gold Coast Hinterland terrain with winding trails and steep climbs. Competitors started at Numinbah Valley Hall and made their way through seven checkpoints to reach the finish at Nerang Velodrome. Overall, the Challenge drew out between 13 and 16 hours’ worth of blood, sweat, and tears from our tenacious participants. This test of physical endurance and mental fortitude enriched our students by building their resilience, focus, and teamwork skills.
Deputy Principal Sean Loriaux sees this gruelling challenge as an unforgettable experience: “Kokoda is a fantastic opportunity for our students, and willing teachers, to challenge themselves and develop their character. We look forward to further involvement in this initiative in years to come.”
The College not only assembled in numbers to carry on the Kokoda spirit, but all teams independently raised funds for the Kokoda Youth Foundation, which empowers young Australians from diverse social, cultural, and need backgrounds.

Creative Generation

CGEN 2018 – This is Me!
Calamvale Community College is immensely proud to have performed once again in Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage (CGEN), an award-winning performing arts extravaganza that showcases young talent from across Queensland. The College is one of only eight schools to have participated in CGEN since its inception, and on 13 – 14 July at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, our performers took to the stage to mark our fourteenth consecutive year.
After a highly competitive audition process, thirteen Calamvale students – ranging from 6 to 15 years of age – were offered an unrivalled opportunity to acquire new skills, build their confidence, and collaborate with like-minded peers. This year’s theme – This is Me! – signified a grand-scale celebration of acceptance, love, and all that makes us unique. This theme was powerfully conveyed to audiences through riveting performances, including a Motown Medley of six songs with Calamvale’s Hannah Rogerson (Year 10) as senior featured dancer. Her younger sister, Caitlin (Year 6), featured in four group items throughout the event. Eleven students also contributed as mass dancers in group performances that emphasised both collaboration and individuality.
This state-wide production provided its crew – comprising more than 1800 students, dedicated teachers and DETE staff members – with a timely reminder that individuality is our greatest gift. Every year, CGEN offers invaluable opportunities for students, teachers, and school communities alike. CGEN encourages all students, from diverse ability levels and need backgrounds, to unlock their creative potentials during auditions and showcase their honed talents on stage. All co-ordinating teachers and staff members are also offered the opportunity to expand their professional networks and collaborate with industry leaders. Likewise, CGEN continues to allow school communities to see their students perform with flair and flourish on an arena stage in a world-class venue.
The College’s co-ordinating teacher, Mrs Christine Knight, made an indelible contribution as CGEN Backstage Manager this year. She commended all participating students, and lauded CGEN as a tremendous opportunity and pathway into the world of professional artistry. “Year after year, this incredible program has proven to be a unique and rewarding experience for everyone involved.”

Logan Art Gallery Exhibition

Creative Calamvale talent on exhibition

CALAMVALE, 27 JULY – Get ready for a feast for the eyes with an environmentally conscious flavour. A new Logan Art Gallery exhibition, set to open on 27 July, will feature the resourceful masterpieces of our creative Junior School Art Club students. This exhibition – crisply titled “The Birds” – will display bird sculptures made from up-cycled materials. Students drew inspiration from the positive impact of recycling and sustainable waste management on Australian birds and wildlife.
Former College Art teacher Gayle Kutuzov guided her students in designing and assembling colourful, creative, and thought-provoking sculptures. Students challenged their creative limits by designing around and experimenting with various materials, including recycled milk bottles, spray containers, old cardboard, and papier-mâché. Our junior artists brought their recycled birds to life with vibrant acrylic colours and lined pattern designs. In an attempt to capture the boundless diversity of bird species in Australia, each sculpted bird possesses different traits, physical features, and personalities.
Our students hope to inspire all visitors to appreciate the material items they use every day, and to re-imagine junk as tools for expressing creativity and craftsmanship. This exhibition aims to invoke reflection about the impact our actions have on the fragile brilliance of our natural surroundings and wildlife.
The College’s Art Club is co-ordinated by Ms April Giblin and Ms Claire Collins. Ms Giblin says that this exhibition celebrates the unmatched creativity of our College’s young artists: “Clair and I are very proud of the students – every morning they bring their positive attitudes and creative energy into the classroom. Their efforts have really shone through in their artworks; overall, they’re a great group of students that love being in the art room.”
Exhibitions at the Logan Art Gallery are open until 1 September, with free admission for all visitors.

International Baccalaureate DP Program

CCC: now a world-class institution

 

Calamvale Community College is immensely proud and pleased to announce its accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, authorised to offer students the Diploma Programme in 2019.

After a comprehensive, three-year authorisation process, the College joins over 5,000 learning organisations worldwide across 138 countries as a World School. Calamvale Community College is one of only a handful of schools across Queensland that offers the Diploma Programme.

As such, the College is pleased to offer the provision of an internationally recognised qualification that will unlock global opportunities for its most capable students.

The Diploma Programme will benefit our Senior students in innumerable and invaluable ways; they will receive university-level instruction from expert teachers, develop robust study skills, engage in multidisciplinary critical thinking, and gain knowledge from international perspectives. This programme not only expands its candidates’ academic capabilities; it is renowned worldwide for shaping students into compassionate, ethical, and erudite young leaders.

The IB Diploma is underpinned by a robust pedagogy which strengthens students’ abilities and expands their potential in three key ways. All candidates will become: knowledgeable and principled thinkers through the rigorous IB Group 1 to 6 subjects and Extended Essay (EE) project; open-minded and reflective inquirers through the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) module; and balanced and caring communicators through the Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) program.

However, the IB Diploma Programme is as intensive and challenging as it is robust – students are required to complete a minimum of 150 class hours for Standard Level (SL) courses and 240 class hours for Higher Level (HL) courses. Compulsory contact hours must be supplemented with independent learning, which requires significant dedication, effort, and perseverance. As such, enrolment into the IB Diploma programme will only be offered through the Academic Programme of Excellence (APEX) for high-achieving and gifted students.

Although the IB endorses independent learning, students won’t be on this journey alone – the College has implemented multiple layers of expertise and support to guide students through their IB years. All candidates can access teachers for subject-related matters and consult co-ordinators about the IB Core or to access counselling.

Now an IB World School, Calamvale Community College has undoubtedly become a “College of Choice” where students are afforded the opportunity to choose their own academic and future career trajectories. Whether this includes performing on stage, creating artistic works, speaking other languages, excelling in the sciences, or applying cutting-edge technologies, Calamvale Community College will be the first choice for all students.

We hope to support and work alongside our prospective IB Diploma candidates as they undertake this unique learning journey.  If you or your child is interested in the IB Diploma, please contact Administration on admin@calamvalecomcoll.eq.edu.au.

QLD Hanzi Reading Aloud Competition

 

Earlier this month, fifty students from Prep to Year 12 competed in the Reading Aloud Competition, an annual contest featured in the 2018 Queensland Hanzi Character and Cultural Festival.
The term Hanzi denotes the traditional Chinese characters which comprise one of the oldest and most prolific writing systems in the world. Mastering Hanzi requires an appreciation for its intricacy and beauty, as well as a wider understanding of Chinese culture, traditions, and forms of expression.

This competition was held at the Queensland Taiwan Centre in Sunnybank and encouraged participation from both native and non-native Mandarin speakers from schools across Brisbane. All contestants were judged on their ability to correctly identify, pronounce, and intonate a range of Chinese characters.
These competitors not only showcased their language aptitude and proficiency; all students boosted their public speaking confidence and enthusiasm by performing in front of like-minded peers, staff members, and the wider community.
Junior School Deputy Principal Mandy Knudsen has commended all students and LOTE teachers on their competitive spirits: “Our students spoke confidently and well. The commitment of our staff and students is outstanding and has produced pleasing outcomes for all who participated.”
Our participating students were awarded certificates acknowledging their efforts, skills, and dedication to their learning Chinese language and culture. From the Chinese Immersion Program through to the IB Chinese Ab Initio and Literature courses, the College is committed to building the international mobility, sensitivity, and mindedness of all students.

Year 12 Ski Trip

An unforgettable ski trip

During the mid-semester break, 31 lucky students left chilly Brisbane and headed for even colder conditions amongst the Snowy Mountains for an absolutely unforgettable ski trip. This year, 23 skiers and 8 boarders travelled to Ski Rider Hotel and Perisher Snow Resort in New South Wales for seven days of pure joy. Our students were accompanied by teacher Mr Chris Paterson, Mrs Rebecca Robertson, Mr Milton Savva and family members.

The group witnessed snow falling just as they arrived on Sunday, and then experienced uninterrupted days of beautiful, blue, calm skies – perfect skiing and boarding weather. For some students, like Olivia Nason and Jasmine Smith, it was their first time seeing snow fall. For returning students like Bridjette Kedacic and Jordana Horhecz, this trip was the best one yet.

During the day, students gained new skills on the slopes, waged snowball fights, explored at their leisure. Throughout the nights, the students were kept busy with three-course meals, movies, a magician show, trivia, and a photo recap night.

One student, Samuel Best, remarked that “the 2018 ski trip has become my highlight of not just this year but my schooling life, developing connections which will continue to burn deep into the future. This ski trip has been an experience I will never forget!”

 

This snowy sojourn was all thanks to organising teacher Mr Chris Paterson, who undertook an arduous twelve months of planning to bring this trip into fruition. “The students were legendary throughout the week as they learnt more about skiing – and about themselves – on this life changing journey.”

Taiwan STEM Tour

 Students accepted into Taiwan Study Tour

Calamvale Community College extends its congratulations to Ms Ariel Tseng and two high-performing Year 10 students – Sabrena Kuo and Tammy Thai – who have been accepted into the 2018 STEM Taiwan Study Tour, a unique international immersion program that is funded and organised by the Queensland Government.

. A selection panel assessed student applications on a merit basis, including each student’s academic achievement in STEM subjects; their Mandarin proficiency and demonstrated interest in continuing language studies; and their capacity for ambassadorship as student representatives of Australia.

From this rigorous application process, only 2 teachers and 10 students were selected from across Queensland. The Department of Education International panel was greatly impressed with Ms Tseng’s high level of dedication she has shown to the teaching of the Chinese language and her efforts in preparing students to become global citizens. The Executive Director of Department of Education International also congratulated our students on their successful applications, remarking that the “selection panel was immensely impressed with the high level of dedication [these students] have shown to the study of the Chinese language.”

On this immersive 12-day tour of New Taipei City held in December, our students will experience school life and STEM study, travel to captivating historical and cultural locations, and visit industry precincts where they will engage with real-life STEM implementations.

Our College Executive Principal has congratulated Ms Tseng and these talented students on their acceptance into this competitive-entry program:

“Sabrena and Tammy should be immensely proud of their efforts and achievements. The College has always endeavoured to provide its students with the best STEAM opportunities, teaching, and preparation, and in this case, it has paid off tremendously.”

 

The College aims to increase STEAM uptake, foster active global citizens, and open international pathways for its most capable students with the introduction of International Baccalaureate programmes in the near future.

Taiwan Artists’ Workshop

Taiwanese Artists’ Workshop at Calamvale

 

On Monday 16 July, Calamvale Community College welcomed three leading Taiwanese artists on campus to conduct practical workshops for our Year 9, 11, and 12 Art students.

These workshops were organised in collaboration with World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. (WAMCI), a large and influential body that coordinates collaborative performances and activities across Brisbane. This organisation aims to stimulate, educate, and inspire through celebratory and interactive events such as the Brisbane International Arts Festival and the Taipei Puppet theatre. The College maintains a robust and productive relationship with WAMCI and as such, this workshop event was first and only one of its kind in Queensland.

Our Art students were privileged to receive instruction and critique from three renowned Taiwanese artists boasting Doctorate and Masters qualifications in Fine Arts. Students gained a wide breadth of artistic knowledge and practical skills in these workshops, as each artist mentored in a different painting form. Mr Wang Gow Chang – who maintains special interests in historiography, Chinese aesthetics, and landscape painting – focused on watercolour artworks. An ink painting workshop was led by Mr Hsiao Chu Sheng, who imparted his wisdom as a prolific artist with an idiosyncratic ink style and dry-dyeing background technique. The third workshop in oil painting was headed by Mr Liao Jih Yin – an Art Research scholar whose evocative works have featured in exhibitions worldwide.

At the end of these workshops, students entered their creations into the 218 WAMCI Arts Awards competition. Several of our young artists were recognised with awards commending their artistic achievement and workshop participation. Senior Art teacher and CAS co-ordinator at the College, Mr Peter Davis, has thanked these artists and congratulated all recognised students:

“It was a great opportunity for students to learn from international experts, broadening their perspective about cultures and artistic techniques.”

All students are encouraged to broaden their sensitivity and receptivity to international art and cultural practices by viewing works by these renowned artists, featured in the Modern Ink Painting Exhibition at the Chun Tian Gallery until 25 July.

 

Year 5 Camp – Tyalgum Ridge Retreat

Year 5 Camp

Our Year 5 students had a fabulous experience on their recent three-day camp, held for the first time at Tyalgum Ridge Retreat in New South Wales.

Our buses arrived at the camp mid-morning on Monday July 16 – the first day of Term 3 – to a picturesque location and freshly baked morning tea.
The camp schedule was jam-packed full of fun; all 122 students participated in a wide range of activities. Our Year 5 cohort canoed through calm waters, went bike riding, explored their bushy surrounds with a hike to a hidden waterfall and using their newly acquired orienteering skills, rode the flying fox, completed a low ropes course and participated in a range of initiative games.


Students also learned practical camping skills, including how to build a camp fire and cook damper. At night, they explored the skies and participated in a range of evening activities organised by their teachers.
The camp staff and facilities were very inclusive and catered for the diverse needs of our students. Our accompanying staff members encouraged all students to be risk takers, to be inquisitive, and to work collaboratively with their peers.
On Wednesday, our students returned very tired and filled with good memories; they demonstrated an appreciative, enthusiastic, and open-minded approach to their camp experience.


We would like to thank our dedicated school staff who worked tirelessly to ensure our students had safe and comfortable stay at Tyalgum.

Important Dates in June

01 July01 Jul – 15 Jul 2018 School Holidays
09 July09 Jul – 13 Jul 2018 Rugby League Boys Invitational 10-11 yrs
15 JulyTerm 3 starts
16 JulyWelcome back to Term 3
9.00am-11.00am Year 10 - Romeo & Juliet incursion
9.00am-12.00pm Taiwan Artist Workshop
2.30pm-3.30pm LEAP Leadership
17 July6.30pm-8.30pm - P&C Meeting
18 JulyAll Day - Taiko Performance
12.15pm-12.45pm - Kokoda Post Celebration Event
6.00pm-7.30pm - IB Information Evening for Year 9 families
19 JulyAll day - Met West Regional Trials - 10-12yrs Girls Softball
All day - Secondary School Athletics Carnival @ School
All day - High Resolves Workshop for Year 10 & Student Leadership Team
9.00am-2.30pm - Professional Visit - Saudi Arabia Teachers
20 JulyAll day - Café
All day - Met West Regional Trials - 10-12yrs Boys softball
All day - Year 12 Theatre Trip
20 Jul - 26 Jul 2018 - Kinmen Study Tour
21 July21 Jul - 23 Jul 2018 - Cross Country State Champions 10-19yrs
22 JulyAll day - Netball Invitational 10-11yrs
23 July23 Jul - 27 Jul 2018 - Beenleigh Eisteddfod - TBC
9.00am-3.00pm - Profesional Visit - Kangawa BoE (Japan)
2.30pm-3.30pm - LEAP Leadership
4.30pm-5.30pm - Kokoda Post Celebration Event
24 July8.40am-1.20pm - Year 9 Careers Day
9.00am-2.30pm - Professional Visit - National Taipei University
5.30pm-7.00pm - 1,2,3 Magic for parents
25 July6.30pm-8.30pm - Restaurant Christmas in July
26 JulyAll day - Archery Excursion - TBC
All day - UQ Earth & Environment Day Excursion - Year 9 APEX & Year 12 Geography
26 Jul - 29 Jul 2018 - Football State Champions 13-15yrs Redlands Football Club
26 Jul - 29 Jul 2018 - Rugby League State Champions 14-15yrs Padua College
All day - Met West Regional Trials - 11-12yrs Girls Rugby League
1.00pm-10.00pm - Suncorp Experience Day
27 JulyAll day - Café
9.00am-10.00am - UQ Mad Challenge - Panel Tertiary Representatives
29 July29 Jul - 01 Aug 2018 - Golf State Champions 10-18yrs Kingaroy
30 July30 Jul - 31 Jul 2018 - District Athletics Carnival
30 Jul - 03 Aug 2018 - Deqing Stud Tour
30 Jul - 05 Aug 2018 - Nantong Sister School Visit
2.30pm-3.30pm - LEAP Leadership
31 JulyAll day - Student Led Conferencing - Times TBC
All day - ICAS English Competition
All day - Sofitel Breakfast Excursion - TBC
All day - Year 10 Career Day/Market
5.30pm-7.00pm - 1,2,3 Magic for parents
6.00pm-8.00pm - Year 10 & 11 Subject Information Evening

2018 Term Dates

School holidays and term dates for Queensland state schools

The Department of Education sets the term and school holiday dates for all Queensland state schools.

TermDatesLength
Term 1Monday 22 January - Thursday 29 March10 weeks
Term 2Tuesday 17 April - Friday 29 June11 weeks
Term 3Monday 16 July - Friday 21 September10 weeks
Term 4Monday 8 October - Friday 14 December10 weeks

Staff professional development days (SPDDs) for 2018

  • 18, 19 January
  • 11, 12, 13, 16 April
  • 22 October

Finishing dates for 2018

  • Year 12 – Friday 16 November
  • Year 10 and 11 – Friday 30 November
  • Prep to Year 9 – Friday 14 December
  • Special schools – Friday 14 December

Public holidays

For public holidays, show holidays and special holidays in Queensland, visit the Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s website.

Numbers to Know

DepartmentNumber
College Office07 3712 6333
Student Absence Line07 3712 6360 or
Student.Absences@calamvalecc.eq.edu.au
Junior Student Services07 3712 6390
Senior Student Services07 3712 6323
Finance07 3712 6332

Office, Finance & Uniform Shop

Office Hours

Monday8.00am - 4.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 3.30pm
Wednesday8.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 4.00pm
Friday8.00am - 3.30pm

Finance Room

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
Tuesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday8.00am - 12.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

Uniform Shop

Monday8.00am - 12.00pm
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday8.00am - 12.00pm
Thursday2:00pm - 5.00pm
Friday8.00am - 12.00pm

International News

Australian Dance Project – collaboration with Japanese Schools of Performance

In Week 5, CCC partnered with the Jikei Group of Japan and the University of Queensland for the Australian Dance Project, held at Calamvale. Students from Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo and Fukuoka performed in CPAC. The highlight of the performance was the last performance – a collaborative performance of Japanese and CCC students to the sounds of ‘Zippity Do Dah”. This is the second year of the joint project.

Virtual Gallery Grant

The College has been awarded a grant from the EQI Innovation Fund to develop a VR Art Gallery. The gallery will be exhibiting student work from CCC, 2 indigenous schools in Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Year 10 STEAM students will be developing the platform – this will be a classy interface for CCC with international and friendship schools.

David Hepper
International and Business Manager

3lements Multisport Club donation

Calamvale Community College has graciously accepted a large donation of sporting resources and outdoor equipment from the 3lements Multisport Club, a local triathlon training organisation. After ceasing operations in March, the members of this club chose to donate their physical assets to the College. For the club, the College was at the top of the recipient list, as many of the club’s members were former students of the school. The club’s donation comprised a set of ten road bikes, tents, indoor trainers, swimming equipment, and a trailer (pictured). The club initially obtained these assets as a part of a community grant that focused on local road safety.

The College awarded Certificates of Appreciation to Hazel Edwards and Kerry Lee members who donated the resources (pictured) in recognition of their service to the school. Calamvale Community College anticipates that these resources will be used by their students in the Athlete Development Program, an excellence program that aims to cultivate student success through sports and physical activity.

Creative Generation

This July, Calamvale Community College will once again perform at Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage (CGEN), an award-winning performing arts extravaganza that showcases young talent from more than 120 state schools across Queensland. The College is one of only eight schools to have participated in CGEN since its inception in 2005.

After a highly competitive audition process, two students from the College have been invited to perform centre-stage as featured dancers. Sisters Hannah and Caitlin Rogerson will perform in the Junior and Senior dance ensembles respectively. Along with other members of her ensemble, Hannah will feature in eight items including a Motown Medley comprising six songs, while her younger sister Caitlin will participate in six featured group items throughout the event. Eleven other students have also been selected as massed dancers for numerous group performances.

Celebrating her tenth consecutive year of involvement, the College’s CGEN coordinating teacher, Christine Knight, also holds an important position as a teacher crew member. Christine’s role as Backstage Manager involves supervising the movements of more than 1500 students over four days at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Christine exalts CGEN as a “tremendous opportunity for our students to be involved in a professional production on a huge scale. CGEN is incredible fun and our students experience the true reward that comes from commitment and hard work. Our students and teachers meet and befriend like-minded individuals from schools across Queensland. I can’t praise it enough.”

Executive Principal Lisa Starmer says that the College’s fourteen years of participation with Creative Generation has been invaluable for her creative students. “CGEN not only complements our robust performing arts portfolio – it has and continues to offer our students an unrivalled opportunity to build confidence, acquire new skills, network with industry professionals, and realise their creative potential on an arena stage.”

CGEN 2018 will be held on 13-14 July at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Even after fourteen years at CGEN, the College is showing no signs of slowing down – they are already working towards massed choir and instrumental nominations for next year, as well as growing the number of dance participants.

Sporting triumphs at Calamvale Community College

Calamvale Community College has solidified itself as a sporting powerhouse after its basketball, softball, rugby, and volleyball teams emerged as victors across Interschool tournaments last week.

On Wednesday, the College had several Year 7-9 teams qualify for and compete in the Brisbane Metropolitan Finals. The Year 9 Boys team were crowned champions after sweeping through to the final round undefeated in all matches.

Calamvale’s Years 7/8 and Open softball team also made it through to their respective semi-finals and final rounds of the Brisbane Metros. In rugby, the College’s Open Boys’ and Girls’ teams are now Karawatha District Champions after forging through undefeated at Gala Day on Friday.

To top it all off, Calamvale entered their Year 9/10 Boys’ team into Volleyball School Cup for the very first time in Toowoomba this weekend, and emerged as unprecedented Division 3 Champions after a tense three-set final.

The College’s Executive Principal Lisa Starmer has nothing but praise for her talented students and hardworking coaching staff: “these sporting achievements are testament to our comprehensive sports programs which shape our students into formidable young athletes.”

Despite such commendable victories and efforts, the College is showing no signs of slowing down; its teams are gearing up for the Winter Interschool round and aiming to become district champions across all sports.

Jordan Roache
Senior School HPE Teacher

Positive Education – The Start of the Calamvale Community College Journey

In a modern world where mental illness in young people is on the increase, schools need to be equally focused on building well-rounded, self-reflective students as much as clever ones. Schools know this, but wellbeing programs often come and go and many lack a level of comprehensiveness or are taught as stand-alone lessons, lacking context. Positive Education differs in that it is based on the fundamental tenets of positive psychology and is a broad education model that is proven to help students flourish into happy and fulfilled individuals.

However, more importantly, Positive Education is not just another educational fad. At a school, it is a way of being, a culture that underpins everything that school has to offer, which will ultimately give students the ability to withstand the pressures life will throw at them. Calamvale Community College (CCC) understands this and has made a firm commitment to improve the lives of its students by investing heavily in the Positive Education philosophy across its entire P-12 campus.

This article is the first in a series that will document CCC’s Positive Education journey in the hope of encouraging more schools to follow this path. Based on the model developed by leaders in the field, The Geelong Grammar School, CCC has developed a 5-year plan that will create a Positive Education culture in the College to help students be the very best versions of themselves.

So what is positive psychology and Positive Education?

Essentially, positive psychology differs to other psychological paradigms in that it centres on what’s right with a person as opposed to what’s wrong with someone. It is completely evidence-based and is primarily focused on giving people the tools to ‘flourish’ in their lives, with Positive Education being the educational philosophy and practice created from this psychological paradigm.

It would be foolish to try to summarise Positive Education now; however, the following link will do Positive Education justice on a superficial level.

Click here to view more information.

Calamvale’s Teacher-Centred Implementation Plan

Firstly, like Geelong Grammar, CCC has chosen to follow the mantra:

Learn it, Live it, Teach it, Embed it.

This mantra illustrates the fact that implementation of a truly embedded culture, where the rudiments of positive psychology typify the daily machinations of a school, has to start at the beating heart of that institution – its hard-working teachers.

Additionally, CCC strongly believes that the wellbeing of its teachers is equally important as its students, so has invested greatly in Positive Education with its staff, as they will professionally, and more notably, personally benefit. Our model highlights that teachers have to be given ample time to learn the framework and personally live the evidence-based strategies before teaching it to students. Authenticity is paramount for students to take the framework seriously and teachers who have experienced positive outcomes from their own practise of the framework can only be authentic.

Consequently, the first two years of our implementation plan is completely teacher-focused, giving teachers the opportunity to explore Positive Education in their own personal context rather than be pushed into delivering the Positive Education Framework to students somewhat blindly.

Where are we now and where are we going?

Right now, every teacher is engaging in over 20 hours of professional development in 2017 with a similar amount of time planned for 2018. Teacher wellbeing is the focus and the College’s Positive Education Team is constantly monitoring the program and adapting based on teachers’ feedback. Overall, the Calamvale Team of 160 educators and numerous support staff are the first to benefit from Positive Education at the College and we hope that other schools explore this opportunity for their staff and students also. Feedback from staff has been universally positive, which means we know we are definitely on the right path. We look forward to sharing the highs and lows of this exciting initiative as time rolls on.

Sean Loriaux
Deputy Principal

Preparing our students for the new senior education system

The Calamvale Community College 3 year senior

Based on a review of Queensland’s Senior Curriculum by the Queensland Government, the Year 11 cohort of 2019 will be the first group of students to experience the new curriculum and tertiary entrance system that has been on the planning table for the last three years. The new system sees the end of the Overall Position (OP) and the introduction of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) in its place. Additionally, a key change to the new system is the implementation of external examinations for all academic subjects in the Senior Curriculum.

External examinations will play a crucial role in a student’s Senior Schooling for those students on a tertiary entrance pathway. Calamvale has been preparing students by doing assessment under external examination conditions for the last two years for Years 7-10. More importantly, however, to support students’ development to be their most effective in this new context, the College has designed a 3-Year Senior course of study for Year 10s starting in 2019. The advantages of this 3-Year Senior model are numerous.

Firstly, in Year 10, students will sample the subjects that will be assessed in later years to ensure that the subjects meet the pathway choices of the students. This sampling will be done in combination with core requirements of Year 10 Australian Curriculum where relevant. In the new system, students changing subjects during Year 11 and 12 is extremely disadvantageous, so Year 10 is the time when decisions about pathways and subject choices will be finalised.

Moreover, the studying of Senior subjects in Year 10 will primarily focus on the development of 21st Century skills. These skills are those that are deployable in the changing landscape of our future generations, as the job titles of many of our young people have yet to even be named. Our goal is to facilitate the development of student skills that can be applied in any context that they are placed within in our changing world.

Overall, focusing on the underlying skills through the 3-Year model will better prepare students for the future, as well as the Year 11 and 12 external examination system that begins in 2019. Designing Year 10 as a space where students can grow and better prepare themselves for the business end of their studies is something that Calamvale believes in strongly.

Here at Calamvale, we are confident that our students are being best prepared for successful futures. If you have any questions about senior pathways or options at Calamvale Community College please contact Deputy Principal: Sean Loriaux.


Educating the Global Generation: CCC’s Multicultural Festival

On 28 June, Calamvale Community College will host an immersive, all-day Multicultural Festival. This year’s theme – World within a World – spotlights the College as a microcosm of the world, where students originate from 101 cultures and speak more than 66 languages. The festival aims to celebrate the College’s cultural diversity, boost community harmony and spirit, and engender a sense of belonging irrespective of race, religion, or culture.

With stalls spread along the College’s peace path, this vibrant festival will prove to be a true sensory delight – there will be interactive cultural lessons to try, stunning traditional dress displays to see, migration stories to read, and international culinary treats to enjoy. The College has also invited Mr Imtiaz Ali – refugee, current student, and volunteer for Red Cross Australia, to address all students as a keynote speaker at the whole College assembly.

This exciting multicultural event will not only celebrate the linguistic and racial diversity of our 2100 students and increase international mindedness and cultural awareness, but it will also provide invaluable volunteering opportunities for both school students and community members.

This is not just a stand-alone event – carefully planned by our very own student leaders, the College’s Multicultural Festival follows the United Nation’s Day of Cultural Diversity in May, coincides with in-class multicultural wellbeing lessons in June, and precedes NAIDOC Week held in early July.

Click here to download the Multicultural Festival flyer.

Sharyn Angel
Senior School Principal

Duncan Pegg’s Parent Forum

Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Forum

Guest Speaker: Professor Matt Sanders, Triple P founder

Topic: Raising Confident, Competent Children

Date: Tuesday 26 June 2018
Time: Tea and coffee from 6.30pm / Forum 7.00–8.30pm
Location: Performing Arts Centre, Sunnybank Hills State High School. 77 Symons Rd, Sunnybank Hills
Cost: FREE
RSVP: By Friday 22 June via email qgtpiadmin@triplep.net
Bookings are essential.

Parents do the best they can but I don’t know any parent who doesn’t sometimes have doubts about whether they’re doing the right thing. That’s why I’m so delighted that Professor Matt Sanders has agreed to be guest speaker at our Triple P Forum.

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is one of the most effective evidence=based parenting programs in the world, backed up by more than 30 years of ongoing research. Triple P gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them confidently manage their children’s behaviour, prevent problems developing, and build strong, healthy relationships. The program is currently used in 25 countries.

 

Calamvale Community College – a first generation Independent Public School

The Independent Public Schools Initiative is currently under review, with the possibility of any review being that the initiative might cease. Below is an overview of what this initiative has meant to our College.

The Independent Public Schools (IPS) initiative was the Queensland Government’s response to this statement, and it has positioned us at the forefront of the innovative reshaping of education practice and policy. IP Schools are high-potential schools that are selected on the basis of their growth, performance, and demonstrated ability to innovate and share good practice across the state education system. Once selected, these schools are proffered greater autonomy and operational flexibility, whilst maintaining the same core values as other state schools.

Calamvale Community College has been a first generation Independent Public School (IPS) since this Queensland Government initiative began in 2013. From this time, the College has taken many opportunities to maximise the learning outcomes, wellbeing and success of its 2100 students.

The College Council is a demonstration of the enhanced local governance and autonomy which enabled the restructure of the three phases of learning to enable staff expertise to be applied in a 7-12 timetable. This has directly improved student outcomes, comprehensive preparation across Years 7 to 12, and increased opportunities for Junior School students to gain specialist tuition in the Arts and STEAM subjects.

The financial and operational flexibility has allowed the College to seek out and employ staff whose skills match the needs of students, new programs, and the College as a whole. This includes the employment of experts in STEAM subjects, as well as English Language tuition to support students from multicultural and non-English speaking backgrounds. Invoking increased flexibility has always been tempered as per the IPS Framework. The College is guided as always by an adherence to transparency and accountability structures, and as such has worked collaboratively with both the School Council and the Local Consultative Committee.


The ability to shape its own strategic direction has seen the College moulding globalised, future-minded students by trialling of innovative practices and programs. In 2016, we introduced Immersion Mandarin from Prep to Year 2, which exposes our youngest, most enthusiastic learners to a new language and fosters their linguistic and cultural interests. Similarly, the College now possesses an enhanced capacity to engage with the global community, and this has led to the substantial growth of its International Student Program. The College’s international base has grown from 5 students in 2015, to now 75 long-term students in 2018. The College continues to develop the international mindedness and cultural sensitivity of its students with study tours, live classroom collaborations with international schools, and professional visits from teachers, principals, and educational boards from across the globe.

Greater flexibility and autonomy to tailor curriculums has allowed us to cater to the needs of our students, and anticipate and apply innovative trends in education. The Playgroup – a new preparatory program – nurtures the language and social skills of the College’s youngest students, and allows them to fully engage with their learning from a young age. Pending successful authorisation,the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years and Diploma Programmes will also provide interested and capable students with comprehensive, internationally recognised qualifications that will allow them to pursue study and career options both at home and abroad. From second language acquisition through to community service projects, the sheer breadth of the IB program is conducive to fostering the international sensitivity, mobility, and cultural awareness of all candidates. The IB endorses a student-focused perspective of inquiry and learning, through which all candidates emerge as future leaders.

Schools like Calamvale Community College are also supported by the IPS Alliance – a collaborative initiative of principals from Queensland’s 250 IP Schools, governed by an elected Executive Group. The Alliance seeks to complement the independence of its respective schools with empowered leadership and meaningful collaboration. It also provides IP Schools with the capacity to both individually and collectively improve student learning, equity, and wellbeing. By harnessing their collective capacity to influence state-wide change, the Alliance seeks to share good practice across the state school system.

Through IPS we feel that both Calamvale Community College and Education Queensland have been the beneficiaries of our involvement in the initiative. We urge you as our community to support the Independent Public Schools program in whatever way you are able to do so.

Lisa Starmer
College Principal