The Week Ahead - Term 3, Week 7
Monday 26 August to Friday 30 August 2019
From the Head of College
The coming week sees our newly expanded Makerspace Day Camp launched for 2019. Students in Years 5 and 6 from Concordia and other schools across Toowoomba will gather at Hume Street Campus on Wednesday 11 September for this innovative event. It is exciting to see the program that has been developed by the Junior College staff; and in particular, Ms Fiona Stone – 3D printing, robotics and design will be the order of the day.
Towards the end of the week, we will celebrating Father's Day in the Junior College. I look forward to meeting parents generally and fathers more particularly at these functions.
From the College Pastor
Community News
Track and Field
QCIS Track and Field
Our Junior College students have been very busy representing Concordia over a host of Track and Field carnivals during the past few weeks. This is the culmination of our extensive Track and Field programs and involvement which started back in mid Term 1.
Last Monday, over 30 of our athletes jumped on the bus at 5am in very chilly conditions to travel to Brisbane to compete alongside our Senior College students in the annual Queensland Combined Independent Schools Track & Field Carnival which was held at the University of Queensland Athletics venue.
2019 Calendar Updates
The following event dates are now available or have been amended:
Project Based Learning at Concordia
Junior College
Every Family – Triple P Parenting Programs
Click on the flyers below for further information about upcoming Triple P Parenting Programs.
JC WSC Year 5 & HSC Year 5/6 Brisbane Space Excursion
The WSC Year 5 and the HSC Year 5/6 class Brisbane Space Excursion will take place on Tuesday 3 September 2019. All parents have been emailed the relevant information regarding this trip. If you have not received this email, please contact your child’s teacher. All permission forms are due back by Monday 26 August 2019.
JC Year 6 Canberra Trip
Preparations for the Year 6 students from WSC and HSC to participate in the 2019 Canberra Trip are well and truly underway. Over the next few weeks students from both campuses will meet to discuss aspects of the trip as well as share their learning.
Students, teachers and attending parents are eagerly awaiting a variety of educational programs and tours which focus on Australia’s history and democratic processes, as well as visiting the Snowy Mountains and enjoying the snow.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians having the opportunity to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizen Education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding for each student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs.
Mr Paul Baker & Mrs Allison Busiko
Year 6 Teachers
Author Visit
Mrs Irena Kobald was our Author Visit this year. Irena (who is also our German teacher this year), was born in Austria, has a Master’s degree in Russian and had picked up English while living in various overseas countries by the time she came to Australia at the age of 26. She has worked in a wide range of remote schools in the Northern Territory, taught German in Queensland schools and English as a second language to both adults and children.
Irena has authored two published books. Her first book My Two Blankets was her book that she shared with the students and it includes the themes of friendship, family, feelings, cultural diversity, integration and social issues - to name a few.
My Two Blankets was the 2015 Australian Book Council Picture Book of the Year. Its was shortlisted for the 2015 Prime Minister’s Literary Award, received a ‘starred’ review for the Kirkus Prize (U.S.) and was reviewed in the New York Times Book Reviews (23/08/2015).
Irena has given over 250 presentations with My Two Blankets in nine countries and in three languages. My Two Blankets has been translated into 18 different languages as well as being printed in Braille.
The students were fascinated to hear from Irena. The older students heard the original story and learned about the journey that an author goes through to have their book published.
Thank you, Irena, for being such an inspiration to our students.
Makerspace Day Camp
Year 4 Amaroo Environmental Education Centre Excursion
New Parent Lounge permission response
All Year 4 parents have been emailed relevant information regarding this excursion to be held on Thursday 12 September 2019.
Please refer to this email for directions on how to provide your permission for this excursion via Parent Lounge. Permissions are due by Tuesday 27 August 2019.
Outside School Hours Care
Hume Street Campus
You Have Been Spotted Sporting the Concordia Spirit
Here is your chance to get a free coffee voucher from Wayne’s Encouraging Cup. Just be spotted in our car park sporting the Concordia Car Sticker and you could be the week’s winner. If you have been spotted, please see Carolyn or Delmae in Reception and they will give you a free voucher. If you need a sticker, let Reception know and they will get one to you. RET30, you are this week’s winner!
Chess Lessons with Mr Les Lord
Our chess lesson has been cancelled this week due to the TDPS TEAMS Chess Tournament. Our last lesson will be on Tuesday 10 September.
Book Week Dress Up Parade
HSC bounded into Book Week’s Secret Powers with a parade of amazing costumes and characters. The students then enjoyed reading their books with a buddy. It is always such a delightful sense of community watching the students sharing time and activities between the older and younger students. HSC staff also had a lot of fun performing the Power of Punctuation. We have even had the suggestion that it could be a travelling show … hmmm now there’s something to ponder!
Pyjama Day – Monday 2 September
Homelessness is a growing problem in Toowoomba. The Basement provides blankets and swags to people who are homeless in our community. Backpack beds for Homeless are given out to the homeless so they stay warm during the cold Toowoomba nights. These backpack beds are the most awarded single person ultralight weight crisis tent in the world – which is also a backpack! Each backpack bed costs $110.00.
HSC would like to support this program by raising money from our ‘Bring a gold coin and come dressed in Pyjamas Day’. Our Student Council and the Year 5/6 students would also like to run a bake sale/milo stall on this day. For 50 cents students will receive a biscuit or slice and a cup of Milo.
Prep and Year 1 Swimming Lessons
This term our Prep and Year 1 students will complete 8 x 45 minute swimming lessons during Weeks 9 and 10. These lessons will take place at the Concordia Aquatic Centre. Students will need to bring their swimwear, towel, goggles and thongs. Please clearly name each item so that it can be returned if lost. Children will use their House swimming cap which remains on Campus. Lesson times are below.
HSC’s Family Baby Board
Just for a bit of fun, we are building the Concordia’s Hume Street Campus Family Baby Board. In the walkway, we have a board where we will collect photos of ourselves as a baby or toddler and then have fun guessing who everyone is. If you have a photo of your child/ren, please send it in. We can photocopy it to save getting the photo damaged or email it to adminHSC@concordia.qld.edu.au and we will print it out. Thank you to our photo contributors so far. The students are having a lot of fun working these out.
Father’s Day Breakfast – 30 August
Festival of Learning and Grandparents' Day
Students and staff are excited to present two separate events on Thursday 5 September and Friday 6 September, our Festival of Learning and then Grandparents' Day.
Festival of Learning
We invite you to join us on Thursday 5 September from 5pm to 7.30pm.
The classrooms will be open for students to showcase their terms learning. Come join us in the Junior Playground for something to eat. The food vans will be available serving hot chips, chicken chips, dagwood dogs and drinks or you may bring your own picnic food.
There will be plenty of time to visit your child/s classroom/s and then check out the learning of other classes as well. We are looking forward to a very exciting night.
Grandparents' Day
The following day Friday 6 September is Grandparents' Day. The anticipated program for this event will be:
- 8.40am-9.45am: Grandparents to visit classrooms (a bell will ring at 9.45am to finish up in the classrooms and start moving up to the Hall)
- 9.55am: Student Concert in the Hall
- 10.45am: Morning Tea under the trees
Kindy to Year 2 Pyjama Storytime
Parent Help for Grandparents' Day
We would love your help on Grandparents' Day to either provide a plate of food for morning tea and/or help set up and serve. Each year level is being asked to bring a certain type of food to share.
- Prep – Fruit Platter
- Year 1 – Hot Food (mini pies, quiches, sausage rolls etc)
- Year 2 – Biscuits
- Year 3/4H – Cakes/Cupcakes, Muffins
- Year 3/4W – Slices
- Year 5/6 – Sandwiches
For more information and to indicate your availability please submit your indication through the fillable form. To avoid huge wastage and in consideration of our earth’s sustainability, we are happy to wash up dishes to return to you, however, please ensure that your name is on them please.
HSC Tuckshop Orders
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.
HSC Week 7 Events
Click here to view HSC's Events for Week 7.
Forms to Complete - HSC
Warwick Street Campus
WSC Wall of Fame
The students at Warwick Street Campus are continuously producing work across all curriculum areas of an extremely high standard. To celebrate this work we have decided to share it with our community by creating a WSC Wall of Fame so we can showcase the learning of our students.
The WSC Wall of Fame is located at the top of the stairs near Reception and currently has selected pieces of our student art work on display. These pieces were created by students across all year levels and we are proud to show it to all who visit us throughout the day.
Watch out for new additions to the Wall of Fame in the coming weeks!
Book Week Day
Each year, across Australia, the CBCA brings children and books together celebrating Children’s Book Week. The Warwick Street Campus Book Week Parade is always a highlight of the school year, with students and teachers making costumes from their favourite books, and dressing up on Book Week Day.
This year was no exception, with our students and staff going to extraordinary lengths to show off their creative costumes! At the end of our parade, the staff were able to share their favourite story with the students – The Day the Crayons Quit. The students and parents listened intently to the story as it was read by our staff who, in some cases, showed incredible similarities to their crayon character! The children then enjoyed sharing their favourite books with their buddies.
Thank you to everyone for all of the time and effort that was put into each costume. A fun day was certainly had by all!
Swimming Lessons Prep, Year 1 & Year 2
Swimming lessons will be in Week 9 on Wednesday 11 September, Thursday 12 September, Friday 13 September, 1pm-2.30pm and Week 10 on Wednesday 18 September and Thursday 19 September, 11am-12.30pm.
Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 Students will complete five lessons of 30 minutes each.
Years 3-6 will have their lessons in Term 4.
Students are to wear sports uniform on these days. Please ensure that all items are clearly named so that they can be returned if lost.
Father’s Day Stall
The P&F will be running our annual Father’s Day Stall on Friday 30 August. If you would like your child to purchase a gift, please send a $10 note to school with your child and they will be able to choose from a wide selection of lovely gifts. There will also be a smaller range of $5 gifts available if you would prefer. If you would like your child to purchase more than one gift (maybe for Grandad?), there may be an opportunity for them to do so, stock permitting.
Campus Disco
You're Invited...
Dads and significant male relatives - you are invited to come and enjoy a Sausage Sizzle and make your best paper plane with your child or children on Friday 30 August at 7.30am in The Shed. A great treat for Father’s Day. Save the date now!
Please see fillable form for more information and RSVP details.
WSC Tuckshop Orders
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 start in Week 3 and finish in Week 9.
WSC Week 7 Events
Click here to view WSC's Events for Week 7.
Forms to Complete - WSC
2019 Author Visit - Years 5 and 6
This week in Australia is Book Week. On Tuesday 20 August, the Year 5 and 6 classes went into the Resource Centre where our lovely German teacher Frau Kobald came and told us about her two amazing stories based on her children.
Her two stories are called ‘My two Blankets’ and ‘The Dream Peddler’. She told us about a ‘language waterfall’ which is when we would say this: Hello. Wir sprechen Deutsch. (Hello. We are talking in German).
In My Two Blankets the book is all about a girl from Sudan being showered with a waterfall of strange words. She already has her blanket from Sudan but has to build a new English blanket. This book is based on her daughter.
The Dream Peddler is also based on a true story about her son. The Dream Peddler is about a boy who is gullible. The gullible boy meets a Dream Peddler who says he can do amazing things. The Dream Peddler slowly changed the boy into a completely different person and his worried parents do not recognise him. Slowly the boy melts a bit of his frozen heart. Then a bit more. Then a bit more until his parents give him the love he used to have.
By Hannah and Elliott
Year 5, WSC
Stephen Street Campus
Our Friends from Argentina are returning to Concordia
In 2018, we were fortunate to have a group of students and staff members from St Matthew’s College in Buenos Aires in Argentina join us for a day of sporting competition during their tour of Australia and New Zealand.
We are delighted to advise that St Matthew’s College will be joining us again this term with a new group of 74 students and 9 staff members arriving on Thursday 5 September and departing on Saturday 7 September. This year we are able to accommodate the visitors in our boarding houses for their two night stay so we will not require billets.
Sign Up for Rugby 7s!
QAMT Years 7 and 8 Maths Quiz
Last Tuesday evening we competed in the QAMT Years 7 and 8 Maths Quiz Regional Finals for the Darling Downs. There were 12 teams competing from the region, eight of which were from Toowoomba. Our team improved their score every round and even improved on their scores from round 1.
After the final round, the team managed to come fourth, but placed in overall sixth position as there were teams tied in second and third place. Their scores were only 0.5 behind the teams in shared third place. Congratulations Charlie Pietsch, Morgan Meadows and Brady Cullinan, you made us proud!
Ms Karin McKenzie
HOD - Mathematics