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Issue 38, 19 February 2020

Head of College Update Dear Colleagues,   2019 Non-Government Schools Census Post Enumeration Exercise Basically, this is a long title to explain the fact that we are scheduled to be involved in an NCCD audit in 2020. It is a normal part of the process and it will primarily involve... Need to know! All College community members, including staff and parents are reminded that the College has established procedures for handling grievances and complaints, both by staff and parents/community members. Allison Busiko (HSC Teacher), Marie Smith (WSC Teacher) and Karen Rohde (SSC Teacher) are the College’s trained Contact Officers and can support you with these processes... ____________________________________________________ The following College policy has been updated. Please read and familiarise yourself with the requirements, as they relate to your role at the College. Purchasing Policy Important Dates Visible Learning in Action  Escape for a moment... Toowoomba has recorded over 183 millimetres of rain since the start of February. Watch the extraordinary power, beauty and life giving properties of water in this clip from 2018 which captured one of Australia’s great natural events – floodwaters that travelled over 1,000 kilometres down the Diamantina-Warburton... TASS hints & tips The order of Teacher Kiosk menu options on the left hand side can be changed (except for ‘My Timetable’ and ‘My Saved Lists’). To change the order on your Teacher Kiosk home page, click on the menu name and drag it up or down. _________________________________________ Do... Employee Benefits  As employees of Lutheran Education Queensland, we are able to access an increased employer superannuation contribution beyond the government mandated 9.5%. If we make a co-payment as per the schedule below, the College will increase their contribution, which in turn, can deliver a substantial benefit to superannuation savings.... Your views matter - Staff Pulse Thank you to the large number of people who completed the first Staff Pulse last week. As aptly named, this survey is short and sharp - 10 questions chosen at random; and gives you a further platform to provide feedback. Here is a snippet... Who was I? Who grew up watching Rainbow Brite; has met Prince William, Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, Peter Beattie and Anna Bligh; memorised "A Bush Christening" by AB Banjo Paterson; lived in Ballina, Augathella, Cunnamulla, Dulacca, Roma, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Brisbane, Isis River, Hervey Bay; has travelled to Thailand, England, France, United... Who am I?  Plan to…become a teacher Am related to…a former staff member Went to school at…Churchie Netflix favourite…The Ozarks Embarrassed by…public speaking Inspired by…my dad Obsessed with…sport of any kind Endured…working on building sites Lived with…many different people Most favourite TV show as a child…Biker Mice from Mars Teaching & Learning Classroom layout - what does the research say? What effect do different classroom seating arrangements have on student participation? What does your learning space reveal about your teaching philosophy? Should teachers or students decide who sits where? Learning spaces come in all shapes and sizes, from rectangular... Concordia in the News It’s generally considered inappropriate to share what a colleague may be doing on Valentine’s Day, however we can confirm that Hayley Sugars, Junior College Music Teacher was performing an intimate recital of songs in the Opera Queensland Studio. Congratulations Hayley!  _____________________________________________ Bianca Coleborn, Director of Marketing and... Education in the News Independent sector surging with 14,000 new enrolments, Education HQ Team Updates - BeYou Term 1’s Staff Wellbeing Forum yesterday afternoon included completion of the BeYou Educator Survey. BeYou is a national initiative for educators aimed at promoting and protecting positive mental health in children and young people and replaces both KidsMatters and MindMatters. The College’s commitment to the BeYou... Feedback With Concordia’s 75th anniversary taking place next year, we would like to re-engage with our Old Scholars network by sharing brief profiles of our past students through our Old Scholars Facebook page. Please find below a link to a quick questionnaire that we would like Old Scholars to complete.... Health and Wellness  Did you know we have 60,000 thoughts a day, and these are usually the same 60,000 thoughts we had the day before and the same before that. You see, our thoughts are not passive words that just roll through our head, they are powerful waves that direct... Thank you! Thank you to the many staff who helped facilitate the temporary isolation of 3 boarding students following their arrival in Australia at the start of term. The College still has one student in China who is yet to arrive in Australia. While scientists around the world are working... In the Community The Queensland Government’s Healthier Happier website has a multitude of resources to improve physical and mental wellbeing. One of the relatively unknown resources available for us all is the free Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service. You get up to 10 free coaching calls with a qualified... ‘Whatever’ Days It is international Tug of War Day today! One of the simplest of sports, dating back to ownership disputes over food and clothing, the history disappears into legend with the Sun and Moon wrestling over light and darkness. Most cultures have references to competitions of strength that involve pulling... The Bunya Pine Recommendations: World Science Festival Brisbane, March 2020                 Toowoomba Events ________________________________________________ Learn to paint your pet, UQ Gatton, Friday 28 February 6.30pm To attempt to reduce emails, if you have non-urgent messages or communications to staff groups, please email them to newsletter@concordia.qld.edu.au for inclusion in Heads Up. 

Issue 9, 20 June 2018

Head of College Update Dear Colleagues, I begin by thanking all members of our staff for your work, commitment, guidance and support throughout my first semester as Head of College. It has been a time of discovery and a time of change in some areas of the College. Your willingness... Need to know! This newsletter edition is profiling the ‘Professional relationships between employees and students’ section of the College’s Staff Code of Conduct Policy. 1.8       Professional relationships between employees and students As a staff member, you are expected to always behave in ways that promote the safety, welfare and well-being... Congratulations To Jane Smith, Librarian SSC. Jane’s latest (6th) episode in her ‘Tommy Bell, bushranger boy’ series has just been released. It’s called ‘Mrs Thunderbolt’, and features Captain Thunderbolt’s remarkable girlfriend, Mary Ann Bugg. These historical novels are suitable for kids aged 6 to 10. Available from Jane directly or... Important Dates The program of events for the Pupil Free and Staff PD days can be accessed here. If you are a support staff member who doesn’t work during the holidays, please note that you do need to complete the Take 5 Safety training. This online training can be completed at... Escape for a moment... What’s On Your Great Big To-Do List? Are you forgetting something? Committee Updates Please access an updated Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee poster for distribution.  Technology Even the software seems to be floundering as we approach the last few days of term. This How To – Change how a PDF opens covers off on many recent issues with functions such as printing, images and hyperlinks. Mitch Cooling, IT Employee Benefits A reminder that all full-time and part-time staff can access a one-off allowance of $200 to purchase College Corporate Uniform items. If you are yet to use your allowance, you can view the catalogue here.  You are encouraged to provide feedback and make further recommendations to Bianca, the... Development Opportunity - Lutheran Media Short Video Competition Share a story of God’s love or bible story, make your own creative short movie that is engaging, entertaining and inspires people. Maybe a bible story, or the impact of God’s love in your life or in the world. Categories: school students... Events Members and friends of St Peter’s Lutheran Church Pittsworth are invited to celebrate 50 years of the present church on 24th June from 9.30am. See flyer for more information.  Who am I? This had many staff stumped! Who clearly wasn’t born in Australia, is a crack tennis player and pistol shooter, obsessed (their words) with King Henry the Eighth and the Tudor era, is a pro dancer according to their children, and would love to a be a criminal... Education in the News The university shake-up that's lifting students'grades SMH, 30 May 2018 Feedback Many thanks for your input as we discuss the strategic topic: ‘Quality Education at a Reasonable Price’. As previously stated in the recent staff newsletter, this was a key outcome emanating from the recent parent survey. Current parents indicated that this was a very important outcome for them, and... Health and Wellness More tips to manage stress... Be aware of the way you talk to yourself when feeling stressed. It’s common to say negative or self-defeating things to ourselves over and over, such as, “I can’t cope”, “I’m too busy to deal with all this”, or “I’ll never... Team Updates Please enjoy reading the inaugural issue of the Concordia Boarder Newsletter, followed by Issue 2 which is hot off the press. Unlike the staff newsletter, the boarding one has a complete ‘editorial team’ who meet on Monday nights with hot chocolate and cookies!  Congratulations to the Boarding team,... National ‘whatever’ days It is World Refugee Day TODAY! "This not about sharing a burden. It is about sharing a global responsibility, based not only the broad idea of our common humanity but also on the very specific obligations of international law. The root problems are war and hatred, not... The Bunya Pine  Recommendations:  USQ Festival of Astronomy, 16-18 August 2018 Toowoomba Choral Society Youth Choir’s Production of Disney’s ‘My Son Pinocchio – Geppetto’s Musical Tale’ on Saturday, 14 July.  Thank you for scrolling...you have reached the end! Please send contributions and feedback to newsletter@concordia.qld.edu.au

Issue 14, 19 September 2018

Head of College Update Dear Colleagues,   Welcome to the final publication of ‘Heads Up’ for Term 3. Thank you one and all for your work throughout a very busy Term. As I write, we have staff on tour with students from Year 6 (Hume Street and Warwick Street) and... Outdoor Education If you aren't familiar with the Year 9 Outdoor Education experience, or particularly the Googa Centre, here is a fabulous short video. This educational experience is an unique offering and point of difference for both the College and Lutheran Education.  Googa Video from Grace Lutheran College on Vimeo. Need to know! We made it...here is the final section of the Staff Code of Conduct Policy: 1.16 Personal Presentation and Staff Uniform 1.16.1  Staff are required to dress appropriately to their position and must present in a  professional manner. Denim jeans, casual singlet tops and thongs are not considered   professional... Staff Changes Stephen Street Campus Thank you to Karen Rohde who is stepping up to Sue Franceschini’s Head of Department position as she takes long service leave in Term 4. The College welcomes back Emma Herbert (replacing Rebecca Crichton on long service leave) and Selwyn Gilmore (taking Sue’s classes) for... Important Dates Escape for a moment... For ‘Gruen’ lovers…the pitch to ‘Make University Education Free’. Learning in Action - Mini-Lit Program I am sharing these success stories below with staff at the Junior College this week and wanted to share it with all staff.  I have recently met with Cathy and Emma, our MiniLit teacher aides to discuss how the program is going and to... Campus Update - Hume Street Two of our parents, Warren and Theresa Evans have made this bus with one of our group of students during their electives time. The kids have had a great time and it is now in the playground for all to play on…including the big kids!... Technology To further assist in improving our knowledge of TeacherKiosk functions, see links below to more videos which are also available under the ‘Links’ function: Creating meetings and appointments with students using the e-diaries Student search and Student profile Once you reach the page, scroll to the bottom and if... Events PEARL Network Event – Building school cultures of parent engagement: perspectives of principals and parents, 15 October 5.30pm The Great City Adventure, Toowoomba Regional Council, 3 October 2018 Lifeline Darling Downs, VIP Bus Tour to celebrate National Op Shop week, 3 October 2018    Children’s Holiday Craft Workshop, Middle... Who was I? A ‘Blues’ supporter, mother of 6 children, self-confessed chocolate addict, and related to a world class costume designer… Libby Scouller, Year 1 and Learning Enrichment Teacher, Junior College Sharing Learning Lutheran Education Queensland (LEQ) has launched an impressive new website, actively promoting the offerings of Lutheran schools as “an inspired, Christian educational experience that sets our students apart - as creators, collaborators and innovators”. You can view promotional clips as well as Teacher stories, student and parent stories... Education in the News Skim reading is the new normal. The effect on society is profound, The Guardian Successful educational card game used by Teachers in WA, raising money for Alzheimer’s disease, ABC News South Australian students trial nation-first electronic Year 12 exams, ABC News Do you know about the... Thank you A huge thank you to Matt Engler in the Maintenance Team who has built a truly spectacular birdhouse and feeder for the Boarding community to fill in the space of what once was, a beautiful tree. I’m unsure if Matt is keen to do this as a hobby,... Here's the Dish Spring has sprung, so here is a fresh and healthy recipe from Tyrone Lanagan, Catering Manager to try these holidays. Lemon and Honey Chicken Salad Health and Wellness Thank you to Sonya Herndon who has raised the importance of stretching for those staff who are office / desk bound. Here is a helpful poster to print off and reference for your use.  And here are 5 incredibly simple tips for standing more often. Team Updates - SSC Bookshop / Uniform Shop As was communicated in last week’s ‘The Week Ahead’, from term 4 the Uniform & Book Shop hours will be: Monday 8am to 12pm Wednesday 1pm to 4pm Friday 8am to 11am Staff are encouraged to use the following email clcshop@concordia.qld.edu.au to... In the Community This is the opportunity to treat Affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.  A 2005 paper from the Australia Institute by Clive Hamilton Richard Denniss and David Baker tells us “Aussies have admitted... National ‘whatever’ days Aaaaaarrrrr you ready for it....International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is a parodic holiday created in 1995 by John Baur (Ol’ Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap’n Slappy), of Albany, Oregon, U.S., who proclaimed September 19 (today) each year as the day when everyone in the world should... The Bunya Pine Recommendations You might be interested in some new resources through the Toowoomba Regional Library. They now have Kanopy, an online streaming site. Library members can view up to 10 films per month, and apparently they have teacher resources. They also now have RBDigital, which is great for... Thank you for scrolling...you have reached the end. Please send contributions and feedback to newsletter@concordia.qld.edu.au 

Issue 20, 20 February 2019

Head of College Update Dear Colleagues,   The results of the recent survey to staff are in and Leadership is meeting today to consider approaches going forwards. Both your feedback and the agreed actions will be released in the next newsletter. There are some great suggestions to be taken up, and the... Need to know! The College’s Staff Code of Conduct and QCT’s Code of Ethics and Professional Boundaries for Teachers outline clear expectations around contact with students, and specifically to not use social network sites to email or contact students or parents; and to not invite students or parents into your... Staff Changes Teacher Tammy O’Rourke in the Junior College commences maternity leave next Friday. Our well wishes are with Tammy and her family as they welcome a precious little person into the world! Important Dates Visible Learning in Action As can be seen in the photos below, Visible Learning is alive and well at the Junior College and students are gradually developing a shared language around Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and what it means to be in The Learning Pit. After our workshop on SOLO... Escape for a moment... As the new Junior College strings program gets underway, take a look at what talent we could be nurturing, noting that these 2 musicians (who toured Australia last year and Brisbane in December) started playing the cello in their childhood are are renowned for their masterful... Committee Updates The Heath, Safety and Wellbeing Committee continues to seek new members, particularly teaching staff. The committee meets in week 5 with the first meeting being Monday, 25 February at 3.30pm in the Noack Room at SSC. Please come along on the day, or contact Sonya Herndon to register your... Technology Apologies in advance to the tech-savvy colleagues who knew this forever…staff and parents can add College calendar events to your own calendar via the app. 1.      Open the app and click on calendar 2.      Select any event from the ‘today’ ‘week’ or ‘month’ options 3.      Click on the 3... Employee Benefits The College’s new employee support program was launched yesterday at the Staff Wellbeing Forum. Access EAP is a nationwide EAP provider that offers you access to free and confidential face-to-face or phone counselling sessions at a time and location of your choosing. As the College aims to provide... Development Opportunities Have you heard of HundrED? Pedagogically sound, ambitious innovations.  The 100 inspiring innovations for 2019 can be seen here https://hundred.org/en/article... ______________________________________________________________________In addition to face to face workshops, USQ have developed 4 STEAM podcasts to help inform teaching practice.  ________________________________________________________________________Academic integrity course for teachers - to promote good scholarship and support... Who was I? Who was born a premmie at 3 pounds 3 ounces; grew up watching 'Romper Room'; amazingly will chow down liver but refuse to eat peas (Tyrone - take note!); and is so inspired by Mother Theresa's message of helping the poorest of the poor that she is... Who am I?  I was born…in Mareeba I have travelled…to Canada with a school basketball team My favourite TV show is...Grey's Anatomy In my spare time...I create and sell art work to people outside of my family Sharing Learning - Trauma Informed Practice The impact of trauma on the brain can be profound. Through my postgraduate studies I have learned so much about the impact trauma can have on the cognitive, emotional, behaviour and psychological development of a student. This resource, Making Space for Learning is so informative... Education in the News “No Secrets” Teaching That Supports Student Agency, Corwin Connect __________________________________________________________________ ISQ have released the results of the “What Parents Want” survey feedback from 3,638 parents of children at Queensland Independent schools. Here are a few key findings as we lead up to the College open day... Feedback  The improvements in internal communication within and between campuses is evident in the increased use of TeacherKiosk notices and group emails. A reminder to all staff that there are several staff related email groups already established and maintained by IT. These include: HSC/SSC/WSC_Teacher_Aides HSC/SSC/WSC_Teachers HSC/SSC/WSC_Admin SSC_HODs SSC_Senior Teachers Before... Health and Wellness - defibrillators save lives! Our College defibrillator has been moved from the SSC Health Centre.  It is now wall mounted and situated in the walkway between the dining room and the Business Office just beside the entrance to the Main Office. Please note that the case is... Team Update Now that Shane has completed his employment with the College, I want to provide an update of proceedings going forward. Since its implementation 12 months ago, SysAid has provided an effective way to lodge, assign, monitor and manage maintenance and cleaning requests. Going forward, all requests must be made via... New Resource Following staff feedback, the Business Office has set up a second-hand stationery area in the Uniform Shop. If you have any items that you no longer need or use, or even double ups of items in drawers or cupboards please drop them in. Staff across all campuses are... ‘Whatever’ Days How’s your relationship with your favourite animal friend? Today is Love Your Pet Day and is a chance to show your cat, dog, bird or 'significant other' how you really feel. Treats, pampering and all the attention that the little guy or gal can handle are a great way to... The Bunya Pine Recommendations Talented daughter of Angela Donaldson, Emma is experimenting with her photography and has taken a sunflower photo at Clifton, Qld and has decided to print it on blank cards and note cards. She has them for sale in packs ranging from $8 to $25. She also... Thank you for scrolling...you have reached the end. Please send contributions to newsletter@concordia.qld.edu.au 

Issue 34, 30 October 2019

Head of College Update Dear Colleagues,   Relaxing at this time of the school year always appears to be more difficult than normal, and finding time to simply step away from the busyness of the daily grind is seemingly impossible. On reflection, it is actually the time of the school... Congratulations Congratulations to the following staff members who are finalists in The Chronicle’s Top Teacher poll:  Dave Rentell Lee-Anne Millett Melissa Reimann Rowena Weier Let’s get behind them! To vote, click on the following link: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/vote-now-toowoombas-top-teacher-final/3865490/ Note that you may need a Chronicle subscription to vote…or trying clearing your web... Thank you The Leadership team extended appreciation to all teachers on World Teachers Day last Friday. The day was also an opportunity to reflect on the people who shaped your education and made the person you are. If you haven't already, please enjoy the student thank you video created by Bianca.  Need to know! Please note the 2020 staff professional learning and development days when planning holidays for next year. Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 January First Aid and CPR courses (invited staff) Wednesday 22 – Friday 24 January ALL staff to be in attendance Monday 22 – Wednesday 24 June... Staff Updates Best wishes to Charada Grimes who is leaving the country tomorrow to teach English to Mother Tongue Bible Translators in Bangladesh and then travel through Israel as part of her calling to support Wycliffe Bible Translators; and also to Juanetta Priest, who is heading on Grandparent duty from next Thursday. Important Dates * For detailed information on all Graduation Week events, please read the Parent Letter. * Please purchase your tickets for this event by clicking on the following link: Click Here Escape for a moment... Jason’s invitation for the Staff Wellbeing Forum at SSC yesterday was a hoot, and as requested by Mr Smith, backsides were trackside!  Committee Update - SSC Staff Association The year is almost at a close and the SSC Staff Association seeks your support for both the End of Year event and Secret Santa gifts. There are treasured memories (questionable for some Secret Santa gifts!) in both traditions at the SSC, and I would... Technology Did you know that you can view Daily Notices via the School Calendar? If you click on the pin icon for each week day, this opens the notices for the day.  __________________________________________ The Business Office is currently testing a new online timesheet, which similar to leave applications, can be... Development Opportunities QCAA assessor (confirmation) recruitment As the saying goes...if you can't beat them, join them! While applications for Chief and Lead confirmer roles have officially closed, QCAA are still accepting applications for Confirmer positions.  As a Confirmer, you will: contribute to an important quality assurance process in the new... Events USQ are running Virtual Open Evenings in October and December via Live Stream Who was I? Which secondary teacher has worked on an island; travelled to Europe; regrets not going to Hawaii when the opportunity arose; starred in TV commercials when they were younger; have met Mike Willesee and Steve Liebmann; claims 'The Dirtwater Dynasty' as her favourite miniseries of all time; and... Who am I?  I was born…in the Garden City I have travelled to…some truly beautiful parts of Australia and would like to travel overseas I love…spending time with my family and friend and time in my garden Some of my favourite food is…pasta, eggs benedict and sticky date pudding I... Education in the News USQ applauds new era of Australia space research, USQ USQ graduates have the highest starting salary in Australia (for the third consecutive year), USQ No set classes, exams or ATARs at new Sydney School, SMH What Did We Learn Today? Reflecting on Evidence of Learning, Corwin... Health and Wellness The College, with the support of an external provider, will be delivering First Aid and CPR training on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 January. Invitations for staff who are due for renewal will be sent later this week. If you don’t have a First Aid qualification currently... ‘Whatever’ Days 30th October is…Checklist Day! Interestingly enough, it is said that this day harkens back to some rather dark roots. During the 1930s, early aviators were searching for ways to allow flying to be much safer and avoid the all-too-common crash during takeoff. After several costly mishaps, one group... Thank you for investing the time to keep up to date on all things Concordia. Your contributions are valued and can be emailed to newsletter@concordia.qld.edu.au 

Issue 39, 4 March 2020

Head of College Update Dear Colleagues,   Thank you for the work that you are doing, yet often goes unnoticed. I have had some sensational feedback about the parent evenings held in the first half of this Term – these do not happen successfully unless staff are prepared to go... Need to know! International film crew on campus – The Film Guys Next week, Concordia will be hosting team members from an international production house that specialises in memorable and exciting videos that drive results. The Film Guys have an extensive history of creating entertaining, interesting and engaging videos for boarding... ____________________________________________________ The following College policies and guidelines have been updated. Please read and familiarise yourself with the requirements, as they relate to your role at the College. Facilities Hire and Use Guidelines (minor ammendments)Staff Code of Conduct (there are updated policy references and clearer direction that the appropriate use of electronic communication extends... Important Dates *Interhouse Cross Country Program – all campuses Visible Learning in Action  The Visible Learning Leadership Team is currently focusing on embedding and understanding more of the “science of learning”. Looking how we move from Surface to Deep to Transfer learning within our subjects and how we can shape our Year 9 “Learning Program” with these deliberate learning progressions.... Escape for a moment... A quarter of this year has almost passed, and change is permeating many aspects of our work and life. This short clip encourages us to accept that this is not the future, this is the ‘now’. Committee Updates The Health Safety and Wellbeing Committee met last week and you can read their meeting minutes here. SSC staff – please note that there is only 1 designated disabled parking space at the campus which is behind the CSI building. Just like public areas, this space needs to... TASS Updates Behind the scenes work is continuing with the configuration and trialling of many features in Teacher Kiosk, Parent Lounge and Student Café. Some of these include: School Fees Account and Payments in Parent Lounge to streamline administrative processes and improve the parent experience Staff leave applications through Teacher... Technology Last Friday (28/02/2020) all Adobe licences expired and Adobe requires every device to be licenced individually per user. If you haven’t already, please follow these instructions to active your licence. Please do not download/upgrade any new versions of Adobe on your device, as this will likely break the programs and your... Development Opportunities Further to Adrian’s recommendation, the AITSL teaching tips for this term cover a variety of topics, including: Students getting to know each other Colleague engagement Relaxation and mindfulness Getting to know parents and carers The importance of providing feedback Getting to know student needs Here are some of... Events A huge shout out to all women this Sunday, as it will be International Women’s Day. The theme this year is: Here is creative video reminding us that gender differences make no difference to children, so why should it matter to us.  Who was I? Who is studying to be a teacher; is related to a former staff member; when to school at Churchie; watches The Ozarks on Netflix; is obsessed with sport of any kind; is inspired by his Dad; has endured work on building sites; and has fond memories of... Who am I?  Can’t......bake Raised......3 children Embarrassed by......falling off a treadmill In my spare time I......enjoy yoga, the gym, walking, reading and sewing Inspired by......my parents Plan to......learn how to use a computer....properly Will......pass my driving test Auditioned for......the Royal Ballet Once I......sang in a concert in front of thousands,... Library News SSC Library learning spaces If you are wondering why there is a felt campfire in the library- it is because I am slowly aligning the areas in the library to better represent David Thornburg’s learning spaces model. There are waterholes and caves to come! Because we are a... Education in the News Five qualities of great teachers, Teacher Magazine Action research: Physical activity and student writing, Teacher Magazine Teaching 100 teachers: What this teenager is doing with Minecraft is mind-blowing, Microsoft Latest New QCE System update, QCAA Team Updates - BeYou Thank you for completing the BeYou Educator Survey. Your feedback will now inform the BeYou Action Groups as to the specific priorities for each campus.  Health and Wellness  As has been highlighted through a recent and tragic event in Brisbane, Domestic and Family Violence is unfortunately a common problem. It can take many forms including verbal and psychological abuse, or physical violence. The College’s Employee Assistance Program Partner, AccessEAP, is sensitive to the complexities that... Thank you! A significant thank you in advance to the following colleagues who are supporting the College at upcoming rural shows. The flow of visitors to the stand is often unpredictable, therefore if you are available to support any of the days, please contact Bianca.  In the Community - Pyjama Foundation Fundraiser I have been a Pyjama Angel for 3 and a half years.  I visit my young friend weekly during the school term for an hour.  We start our sessions with some reading and currently we are challenging each other with times tables.  We... LLL App The LLL is pleased to announce the release of their banking app! Established in 1921, LLL Australia is a charitable financial institution which provides savings accounts that are simple to operate, with a great interest rate and no fees or charges. The LLL has a variety of savings... ‘Whatever’ Days Today is World Maths Day!  NSW Education Mathematics teacher, Holly Millican, has created YouTube videos to share her strategies in teaching mathematics. If maths was this engaging when I was back at school, I am confident I would have achieved higher results! Here is just one of them.  The Bunya Pine For Sale: Orders can be placed with Pastor Chris either in person or email to pastorchris@live.com.au or haideejanetzki@hotmail.com  Recommendations: Toowoomba Golf Club is hosting a ‘Teachers Day’ every Thursday afternoon in Terms 1 and 4. Only $12 for 9 holes. __________________________________________________ It seems most bunya nuts have now... To attempt to reduce emails, if you have non-urgent messages or communications to staff groups, please email them to newsletter@concordia.qld.edu.au for inclusion in Heads Up. 

Issue 70, 27 October 2021

Head of College Update Dear Staff This week finds us moving into the second half of Term 4 already. When I look at the school calendar for the remaining 4 weeks, it boldly reminds us that the remaining weeks are going to go by even quicker. I would like to... Gifts galore… I was recently informed that in order to get my Christmas parcels to their destination (mostly in Germany) and my online Christmas shopping home on time, I better plan ahead and do it soon. Well, last year I received my Christmas parcel from my parents in Germany in... Need to know! Planning and preparation for 2022 is well underway with some exciting new wellbeing initiatives and development opportunities being included in the Annual Plan. The year looks set to begin with a jam-packed development week with the schedule now available to all staff. Please take the time to... Career Opportunities Bus Driver We are seeking a Bus Driver to undertake the school bus run and assist with transportation for school activities, this is a permanent part-time position commencing January 2022. Boarding Residential Tutors We are still in need of live-in Residential Tutors for boys boarding. Do you know... Assistance Needed Concordia Archives We are still on the lookout for an archiving enthusiast. We are looking for someone who would be able to volunteer 2-3 hours per week. The position would involve working closely with our Teacher Librarian to maintain the existing archive, archive new items and respond to... Book Review The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling By Wai Chim Possible curriculum areas: EnglishAvailable at: SSC Suitable for: Senior school/holiday readingThemes: Mental health, family relationships, racism, immigrant families, otherness This book broke my heart a little bit, but I loved every page of it. I loved the relationship... Staff Contribution Fund The Staff Contribution Fund was started in 2019 to provide staff with an official channel should they wish to support students who need assistance paying for certain school items. Staff can contribute to the fund via a fortnightly payroll deduction or via a one-off donation if preferred.... Visit from Paywise Glen Thurbon from Paywise will be visiting our Campuses next week. Monday, 1 November: 8.00am until 11.30am - Warwick Street Campus – Staff Room 12.00 midday until 4.00pm (if required) - Hume Street Campus – Staff Room Tuesday, 2 November: 8.00am up until 4.00pm - Stephen Street... Wellness with AccessEAP Escape for a Moment In honour of our wonderful video Queensland's Best Kept Secret, let's take a look at who else is dancing their way through the work day. Keeping with the dancing theme... this one looks at the work being done by Dr. Trevor Boffone to connect with and...

Issue 83, 3 August 2022

Head of College Update Dear Staff Stronger Every Day! I recently saw the above slogan at a Health and Fitness Centre and it struck me that I should be reflecting on and applying this to the various areas which make up my daily journey. After returning from a Contemporary Learning... Statistics and God In recent weeks I have been privy to a number of webinars looking at the latest data from the 2021 Census and some other sociological research and data from our ever-changing society. I’m sure you are aware of the decline in people self-identifying as Christian in Australia,... Need to Know Term 3 Wellness Session Ali Palmer will be returning next week to facilitate the next staff wellness session. A reminder to please register for a session by following the link: Term 3 Wellness Session Commonwealth Census This year the Commonwealth Census will take place on Friday, 5... Valedictory Dinner Staff Invitation Career Opportunities Strings TutorWe are currently seeking a passionate Strings Tutor to provide individual tuition to strings students as well as conduct the College Strings Ensemble. The position is approximately 4.5 to 6.5 hours per week with potential for growth. Hours of work are negotiable and highly flexible. Residential TutorsWe... Teachers Save More with RACQ Bank As part of RACQ Bank's ongoing commitment to the education community, we have developed a range of discounts and benefits for teachers and education staff on our loans and term deposits. Our teachers' offers are one of the ways RACQ Bank recognises Queensland teachers... Who was I? I was born in Glen Innes and have lived in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast beforecoming to Toowoomba. I have travelled to over 20 countries and I love Ireland and Italy the most. In addition to travel, I love painting and drawing, relaxing at the beach... Who am I? I was born in… Melbourne I have lived in... China & Tasmania I've travelled to... New Zealand, Pacific and Asia My favourite dish is ... breakfast I'm currently watching... The Split, Too Close & Schitts Creek My favourite joke... I don't need one, life is funny enough... Wellness with AccessEAP 5 Health Pillars There are many ways to exhale, and one particularly helpful one is cleaning out the unnecessary and outdated information in our brains. Like a spring clean in our house or car, a cleanout of the mind requires taking time and reflecting on all aspects... The Bunya Pine National Tree Day Toowoomba Regional Council will be undertaking their National Tree Day planting event on 3rd September 2022. New trees and shrubs will be planted out across three Toowoomba Region parks, as part of an initiative to increase the region’s urban forest population. This event is... Education in the News Can Hospitals Help Us Address the Teacher Shortage? By Shannon Meyerkort A proposal to adopt a clinical-style model which embeds student teachers in schools only months into their training is being proposed as one solution to the growing teacher shortage crisis. A roundtable meeting on August... Escape for a moment... Some of our fellow earth dwellers are off to a cracking start in 2022, creating a bunch of weird and wonderful new world records for us to enjoy.

Issue 89, 9 November 2022

Head of College Update Dear Staff Research tells us that on average only 59% of a target audience will actually stop to read an article, newsletter or email during a normal working week. The same research also tells us that this could drop to as low as 35% when either... Advent! Well, it’s a couple of weeks away yet, in fact, the Sunday after the students finish is the First of Advent this year, leading into the 4 week period of preparation for Christmas. I guess for many that means panic stations, presents, food, parties… At least school will be... Career Opportunities Groundsperson Expressions of interest are sought for the role of part-time Groundsperson. The role is a fixed-term position for 2023, working 19 hours per week. The successful applicant will undertake grounds and maintenance tasks to ensure the high-level presentation of the College. Operations Staff Expressions of interest are... Need to Know Travel Credit With the holidays fast approaching, we’re hoping someone on staff can use a remaining travel credit we have with Virgin Australia amounting to $236.75. This credit expires on 31/1/23 and it would be great if we didn’t lose it. Payment to the College to reimburse... Who was I? I have travelled to India, the USA, France, England and Italy. My favourite pastime is cooking and my favourite meal is pasta or pizza but I don't like Nutella. My greatest achievement is pitching a perfect game in baseball and I've won a cooking competition. I aspire... Who am I? I was born in... Toowoomba I have lived in...Toowoomba and Brisbane I have travelled to... Iceland, Finland, Spain, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Thursday Island, Berlin, Paris, London and Belgium. I have participated in... 3 world records My favourite food... I love food so no ‘favourite’ Teaching food... The Bunya Pine World's Greatest Shave A reminder that Karin McKenzie and Bella Gratwick are shaving their heads on 22 November, in support of this great cause. It would be fantastic if more staff are willing to shave, colour or cut. If you're interested in participating, please contact Karin or... Escape for a moment... In the spirit of Melbourne Cup, this clip has been shared by Libby and Claire for all to enjoy!