The Week Ahead - Term 3, Week 8
Monday 2 September to Friday 6 September 2019
From the Head of College
Congratulations, and thank you, to our many parents who attended the Warwick Street Campus Trivia Night and the Father's Day Breakfasts. What celebrations – and all for great causes! The Trivia Night raised a record amount of money for the Parents and Friends Association at WSC, and thanks must go to all parents involved in the organisation and work that makes these activities possible. Many thanks also to the kind sponsors of the Trivia Night – a record number of quality prizes were taken up on the night.
Congratulations to our Senior College Choir for a wonderful performance in the Annual Paul Morton Choral Festival. This is the first occasion that our choir has participated, and under the baton of newly appointed conductor Mr Neil Roche-Kelly, their performance was both fitting for this celebratory festival, and one of excellence. Well done to all students and staff involved in our exciting music performance program.
From the College Pastor
Jesus – the Vine
My brother in law owns a vineyard. Year after year he lovingly tends to the vines so that they bear fruit. As a caring relative, I offer to be a taster if he needs someone to make sure the produce is palatable!
One year he was telling me about grafting. This is where he takes a fallen branch from a different vine, then makes a slit in a ‘live’ vine and grafts the new branch into it. This branch is then brought to life as it feeds off its new vine. As the keeper of the vines he then tends to this new branch and cleans and cares for it.
Community News
Do you have family or friends looking at Boarding?
Our annual Boarder Experience Weekend takes place on 14 and 15 September. For families looking at boarding in 2020 or beyond, we invite you to experience a weekend in our boarding community to get a true understanding of what it’s like to be a boarder at Concordia.
For more information and to register for the Boarder Experience Weekend, please contact our Registrar Michelle Price by email at enrolments@concordia.qld.edu.au or by phone at 07 4688 2700.
Cocurricular Music Update
Term 3 is always a busy time for our cocurricular music students, starting with our band sleepover and immediately followed by the Toowoomba Eisteddfod and that’s just the first three weeks! There have been many notable performances to enjoy so far this term and many more to come.
With the Eisteddfod becoming a distant memory, our students have been extremely busy preparing for our annual Farewell to Winter Concert tonight. There have been some sensational performances leading up to this event including the Big Band performance for our Open Morning Assembly and Concordia’s successful return to the Paul Morton Choral Festival.
2019 Calendar Updates
The following event dates are now available or have been amended:
Bible Scene Art Competition
Project Based Learning at Concordia
Junior College
Makerspace Day Camp
WSC P&F Trivia Night
Our 2019 Trivia Night was again a great night and well supported by our College community! A huge thank you must go out to our hardworking members of the P&F who worked tirelessly on this event to make it a success for the third year in a row. Thank you also to Mr Lee Faulkner for not only hosting the event, but for also keeping us entertained for the evening.
Congratulations to the team of “Champions” who have taken out the top spot two years in a row. We look forward to seeing everyone again at our next Trivia Night.
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
TDPS Team Chess Tournament
On Tuesday 27 August 14 of our Junior College students took part in the TDPS TEAMS Chess Tournament. Well done to those students who attended.
Outside School Hours Care
Hume Street Campus
Kindy to Year 2 Pyjama Storytime
What a great time we had with Max flying in to visit us, a very hungry caterpillar, and going on a very noisy, scary bear hunt! Our time flew. I think Mrs Priest enjoyed returning to her ‘prep’ days nearly more than the students!
Pyjama Day – Moved to Monday 9 September
Please note … we are moving the date of this PJ Day from Monday 2 September to Monday 9 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.
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. 134VID, you are this week’s winner!
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.
Please note, the concert this year is being created for Grandparents' Day and will not be performed at our Festival of Learning. You are more than welcome to attend Grandparents' Day.
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
App Needed for Festival of Learning
To make the most of your evening of rich learning, we would like to encourage you to download the apps we have used to create digital experiences around our displays. We have used Metaverse and Microsoft OneDrive. The students have added a variety of stories, games, quizzes and information to their creations and you will need Metaverse and OneDrive to view these. So get ready and download today. This will make your experience easier. If you cannot download these apps, please rest assured we will have some iPads that you can use.
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.
Chess Lessons with Mr Les Lord
Our chess lesson has been cancelled this week due to a school excursion. Our last lesson will be on Tuesday 10 September.
Year 2 to Year 6 Swimming Lessons
The JC Inter-House Swimming Carnival will be held in Week 7, Term 4 on Tuesday 19 November. As our 8 years and older students can compete in this carnival, the Year 2 to Year 6 swimming lessons will be held during Weeks 5 and 6 in Term 4. This will give them their best opportunity of being swim fit and with current skills.
Kindy Reveal
Watch this space for a very special reveal to be made over the next week. We will have more information about this project in next week’s The Week Ahead.
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 8 Events
Click here to view HSC's Events for Week 8.
Forms to Complete - HSC
Warwick Street Campus
WSC Library
All of our classes are fortunate to visit Mrs Rickert in the Library each week and spend time searching for books for their Good Fit Book Boxes. Mrs Rickert is always on hand to lend advice to our students on what book would suit their needs. It is important for students to remember that when they are choosing a book, they need to be mindful of the following things:
- Does the book interest me?
- Is it the right level for me?
- Can I understand what the book is about?
In the words of Dr Seuss and Mrs Rickert: “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”
South Street Crossing Lights
School zones are extremely busy places with countless cars passing by each morning and afternoon.
Please be mindful that if you need to walk across the road on South Street, to use the lights at the crossing. This crossing is provided for all students and adults who are moving between WSC, SSC as well as the Aquatic Centre.
Year 2 to Year 6 Swimming Lessons
The JC Inter-House Swimming Carnival will be held in Week 7, Term 4 on Tuesday 19 November. As our 8 years and older students can compete in this carnival, the Year 2 to Year 6 swimming lessons will be held during Weeks 5 and 6 in Term 4. This will give them their best opportunity of being swim fit and with current skills.
Campus Disco
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.
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 finish in Week 9.
WSC Week 8 Events
Click here to view WSC's Events for Week 8.
Stephen Street Campus
From the Director of Campus
Onwards and Upwards
Week 7 has been a week of celebrating successes on Stephen Street Campus. We are absolutely thrilled with the growth we are seeing in our NAPLAN results. The efforts of our Years 7 and 9 have placed us as the top coeducational school in Toowoomba and ranked third overall!
I have to say that while we make every effort to downplay the whole NAPLAN process and experience for students, these results are definitely worth celebrating. It is very pleasing to see the fruit of all the focused work that is being done by staff and students.
Just last week, our entire English department took two days out to conduct a review of our entire Years 7-12 English curriculum. Collectively, they mapped all the literacy skills that must be demonstrated by the end of Year 12 right back to Year 7 and then having done this, totally reconstructed the units of work from Years 7 to 12. This was done to ensure that these skills are being explicitly taught in a sequential, logical and well-structured manner. I have to say that there was an incredible buzz in the room, with the walls covered in butcher’s paper full of innovative ideas. I look forward to seeing these units being developed and implemented over the next 12 months.
Sports News
Darling Downs Track and Field Trials
Concordia has enjoyed great success at the Darling Downs Track & Field Trials this week at the O’Quinn Street Ovals. Several students have gained selection into the Darling Downs Team to compete in Cairns in October. Congratulations to Taylah Bogg, Christine Watson, Isabella Gratwick, Reiko Vermuelen and Mason Watson. Well done, athletes!
Boarding
Weekly Update
Another week flashes pass – has time increased its speed? Maybe our scientific boarders should look into this phenomena.
This week has brought a reflective time for me.
I was standing outside the dorms, when a lady walking past commented to me, “Why do they keep these – why can’t they build new modern dorms?”
At first I was taken aback, then I started to reflect on the comment.
Physically, anyone can see that the dorms were built years ago. Built of the red and yellow brick, they reflect a time gone past. They speak of a past history, a time when buildings were built to withstand the rigours of weather, built with the best materials available. These dorms are well-maintained, and a group of legendary maintenance staff and cleaners work tirelessly to keep them in the best condition.