The Arts, cultural activities and music are sometimes seen as ‘just an add-on’ in schools. But not at Concordia – they are core to what we do across the curriculum and general programs. Historically, the liberal arts were seen as central to worship within the Lutheran church. The sensational works of art, and the music of Bach and others are very special offshoots to worship – particularly in the Lutheran church.   

I have been delighted to see the development of beautiful pieces of art and design across all three campuses. I am sure that these will be featured in coming publications and I look forward to returning to the art ‘shows’ that were gaining momentum last year. Please take time to quiz your sons and daughters about what they are doing in their art, design, and music classes – you may be very surprised by the quality of the work.

Word of mouth is important
This week we began our evening information sessions for prospective families in regional and rural Queensland. Last night in Kingaroy we were delighted by the number of families who have a genuine interest in our ‘Learning in Residence’ program and Concordia Lutheran College. There is a level of excitement and this is on the back of the word of mouth from parents and past families. 

There are further sessions planned for Chinchilla (13 August), St George (20 August) and Roma (3 September) and I encourage members of the College Community to spread the word about our visits. Further information can be gained by contacting the Enrolments Registrar or 07 4688 2700.

Kind regards and every blessing

Mr Adrian Wiles
Head of College

In the lead up to the 2020 Queensland State Election, independent schools and their families will be advocating for policy reforms that empower the sector to maximise its contribution to Queensland’s COVID-19 economic and social recovery. To read the Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) statement, please click here.

The Gomaren and Doctors Creek Catchment Landcare Group Inc. (GDCCLG) are holding a Photographic Competition from 20 July to 20 August. Check out all the details by clicking here.

Have you heard your child/ren talking about being in the Green Zone, or the Blue Zone, or maybe the Red Zone?

No… it isn’t a game we are playing, it is a program that helps students to self-regulate.

Self-regulation is something we all continually work on whether or not we are aware of it. Our students encounter situations that test limits from time to time. If we are able to recognise when we are becoming less regulated, we are able to do something about it to manage our feelings and get ourselves to a healthy place. This comes naturally for some, but for others it is a skill that needs to be taught and practiced. This is the goal of The Zones of Regulation (or Zones for short). In the Junior College, we intentionally teach our students about the Zones.

Preppies are making marble runs this term out of recycling materials as part of their STEM program. They are studying the strength and make up of materials such as paper and cardboard. This week, they learned that if you roll a piece of paper into a cylinder, it becomes stronger than a flat piece of paper. Check out their video on Facebook.

Year 1 students are studying life cycles. We have chosen to look at chickens in particular. They have visited Kindy who were hatching chicks from eggs and investigated their chicken coop, learning about all the components needed to make a coop. This week they are designing their own coops and have begun to build a box replica. We are looking forward to building a real one in the coming weeks.

Year 2 students have been learning with Mrs Stacey Warrener and Mrs Libby Scouller for the past weeks and were very excited to welcome back Mrs Burrows and Stella this afternoon. Thank you Stacey and Libby for teaching our Year 2 students over the past weeks.

Years 3 and 4 – We are looking forward to sharing with you the Years 3 and 4 students' Lego Stop Motion Movies soon. In groups, they have written a narrative and then made a Stop Motion Lego movie to go with the story. How can learning be so much fun?

Years 5 and 6 have been working hard with studies but also building robotic hands and creating amazing art. 

At HSC, tuckshop is held on a Thursday. All orders are to be completed online at My Student Account by 3pm each Wednesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Thursday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. Tuckshop will finish in Week 9.

At Cycle Safety we learnt about signs and turning signals. We also learnt how to turn, go around, prepare to stop and a ditty which is “wear a helmet, keep left, obey all signs and signals, no doubling, single file and use footpaths with care.” We also learnt how to obey road rules. We did a paper exam and a riding exam. Anya and Novella

Cycle Safety was at Groom Park. It was awesome as we learnt how to use our stop signals and how to indicate. Ollie

Very enjoyable and fun learning the road rules. Evi

Loved the free ride. Elijah

Fun learning the hand signals. Annabelle

100% riding and theory. Adelaide

Word on the street is that our newest members of the WSC community have arrived. Welcome to our four new chickens! We look forward to learning about our chickens and watching them grow.

At WSC, tuckshop is held on a Wednesday. All orders are to be completed online at My Student Account by 3pm each Tuesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Wednesday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. Tuckshop will finish in Week 9.

The wheels of the Stephen Street Campus are certainly feeling like they are regaining their momentum again. With soccer or netball training sessions before school and rugby 7s, basketball, volleyball, touch football, Commit to be Fit and our Athlete Development Program after school, our relaunch of sport is feeling good. I am so pleased to have these programs back up and running for our students.

Last week our Year 12 students had a visit from USQ and were reminded of the multitude of pathways that are available to them if they are wishing to continue their education. The University of Southern Queensland has continued a range of scholarships and initiatives to attract and retain local students. For more information around careers and pathways, be sure to visit our dedicated Concordia Careers website.

Australian Maths Competition (AMC)

On Monday, 38 of our students competed in the Australian Maths Challenge (AMC). The competition is focused on problem-solving and applying maths knowledge to linear and abstract situations. It was great to see the level of participation in our students. AMC is externally marked, and students are weighted against others in their year level across Australia. Keep an eye on this newsletter as we wait with bated breath for the results. All students will get a certificate of participation and level of achievement. 

Year 12 Internal Assessment

In the coming days, we mark the final part in the journey of internal assessment for Year 12. The conclusion of internal assessment marks a significant milestone in our progress to finishing Year 12. We have passed our last road marker and are approaching the final stretches before we finish with external examinations. 

Year 12 Maths Methods completed their final internal assessment on Monday, with Specialist following closely on Thursday. On Monday, General Maths will finish their last internal piece and Essential Maths are working on their final assignment due later this term. This conclusion starts our earnest preparation for external examinations. We will be in the trenches putting our last, if not most significant effort, towards our ultimate goal of completing Year 12 on our highest note. 

Good luck, Year 12 students; next step mock exams followed by externals. To quote Charles R. Swindoll: “Battles are won in the trenches, the grit and grime of courageous determination; they are won day by day in the arena of life.”

Ms Karin McKenzie
HOD - Mathematics

On Thursday 30 July, we welcomed Professor Robert McWilliams (Dr Rob) to our College for what will hopefully become an annual event. Dr Rob is one of Yamaha Australia’s education outreach clinicians that I met at a webinar he presented during the lockdown period. Several emails and a few months later and he is in our Chapel working with our Concert Band.

Having spent 20 years as a Professor of Music, Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Education at the University of Wisconsin, Dr Rob brought a wealth of experience to our band workshop. He worked extensively on the art of playing musically in a band and developing musicality through band playing. His approach to ensemble conducting uses strong pedagogical foundations to create a learning environment within a band.

Our students learnt about the multiple purposes of posture, what it means to be musically responsible and Dr Rob’s greatest piece of advice, “listen bigger than you play”. It was great having Dr Rob at the College and it is hoped that he will return soon.

Mr Paul Edwards
Coordinator of Music Performance