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One of the reflective conversations which I have had with a Year 12 family in the past fortnight was about the great compassion which our students display at school every day. I proudly, and often, tell those folk who are not connected to the College about the incredible calibre of students we have at Concordia. This prompted me to do further readings around the topic of Raising Compassionate Children. So, what does it take to raise a compassionate, moral child? Researchers have found that worldwide, this is parents’ number one priority – instilling caring is more important to them than their children’s achievement. But how much difference do parents make in this area? Following are some suggestions for us as parents:

• Praise is more effective than rewards. If we want to reinforce caring, rewards run the risk of leading children to be kind only when a carrot is offered, whereas praise communicates that sharing is intrinsically worthwhile for its own sake.
• Nouns work better than verbs. It’s better to encourage a child to “be a helper” than “to help,” and it’s better to say, “Please don’t be a cheater” than “Please don’t cheat.” When our actions become a reflection of our character, we lean more heavily toward the moral and generous choices. Over time it can become part of us.
• With bad behavior, evoke guilt, not shame. Shame is the feeling that I am a bad person, whereas guilt is the feeling that I have done a bad thing. When parents get angry, withdraw their love, and threaten punishments, children feel shame and believe they’re bad people. When children feel guilt, they tend to experience remorse and regret, empathise with the person they have harmed, and aim to make it right.
• With bad behavior, say you’re disappointed. The beauty of expressing disappointment is that it communicates disapproval of the bad behavior, coupled with high expectations and the potential for improvement: “You’re a good person, even if you did a bad thing, and I know you can do better.”
• Model caring and generous behavior. Studies have shown that children pay more attention to what adults do than what they preach. Children learn generosity not by listening to what their role models say, but by observing what they do.

[Acknowledgement: Adam Grant, the New York Times]

Good luck and every blessing to our Year 12 students as they begin their External Assessment block next week. I am also looking forward to visiting our Year 9 students, on Monday and Tuesday, in what will be their final week at Googa – where have those four weeks gone!

Thank you for your ongoing support of Concordia and the great words of encouragement shared with me on a regular basis.

Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend.

Yours in Christ

Mr Anton Prinsloo
Head of College

Quote: As we learn to have compassion for ourselves, the circle of compassion for others, what and whom we work with and how, becomes wider. [P. Chodron]

The dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen or as an optimistic state of mind, based on the expectation of positive outcomes. It has to do with the future, or future outlook. The use of the word steadily declined since the early 1800s, but in recent times increased again. Perhaps that reflects something in our wider society, where in recent times the belief that we can control our future, we can subdue and control nature and make it work for us has been somewhat dented, as we are faced with an increasing number of issues that are out of our control, from climate change to a pandemic. It appears hope is growing in importance again!

As Christians we are told that God is in the business of hope. God is even called the God of hope (Rom 15:13), and in many places the bible encourages its readers to know the hope which God brings into their lives and to live in that hope. This is far more than wishful thinking. It is a call to see reality through God’s eyes, to recognise who is ultimately in control and that this God has our good in mind. It is an invitation to trust God, who through Jesus revealed his loving heart to us, and who has opened a future to us. At Concordia (and really any school or institution working with children) we are also in the business of hope, as we seek to prepare young people for their lives in this world, to serve in love and be bearers of hope.

St Paul prays this way for the congregation at Ephesus, whom he helped found - and ultimately for us: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:18-21)

May this divine hope fill and encourage you.

Pastor Thomas Böhmert
College Pastor

This year, we are delighted to be holding the annual Trivia Night on Friday 4 November, with Lee Faulkner from MMM Radio as our host for the evening. To ensure we continue to provide a wonderful event, we need some assistance from our community. If you are able to assist with organising the night, being a sponsor, donating prizes or even putting a table of guests together to support the event, we would be very grateful for your assistance. I understand that everyone is busy, but if you could give some of your time, even in a small way, it would be appreciated.

If you would like more information about the Trivia Night and what you can do to support the event, please contact me or email Mrs Angharad Lubbock, angharad.lubbock@gmail.com for further details.

Tickets are on sale now! To purchase your tickets or a table, click here.

The WSC staff are already studying up for the occasion and we look forward to seeing you there!

Mrs Jackie Minnikin
Director of Campus

It contains…

The Week Ahead – CLC’s weekly newsletter
* Director’s Report – this is either The Week in Review or putting a particular focus on a certain topic.
* Table of Events for the following week – we have moved this so you can find it easier
* Detailed Information about future events
* Links to excursions
* Articles from Head of College and College Pastor

Calendar of What’s On at CLC
* Extra tip – open an event you are interested in. Tap on the three dots in the left-hand corner and either add to your calendar or share to text, messenger, email.

Notices
* Notifications and reminders
* Your app can be set to receive only the campus’ information that you want. This is in Settings>Subscriptions.

Contacts
* Recording your child’s absentee for the day
* Email addresses and phone numbers to members of Leadership, Campus Admin, Uniform Shop, Bus Runs, etc
* Direct email links to the above

Links – Direct links to
* My Student Account
* CLC Website
* Facebook
* Information and resources on eSafety and careers

Parent Lounge – link to
* Where you can update your parent/student and student medical details
* Links to all College Policies and Information

Seesaw – is our learning app
* Share in your child’s learning journey through Seesaw. This is an amazing space to watch.
* Small messages about minor topics are fine to be messaged through to teacher via Seesaw.
* Absentees and more major concerns should be dealt with through email or phone call.

If you can’t find something or something doesn’t sound right, please call Carolyn or Marteen on Reception. Their numbers are in contacts.

Shirts
It is wonderful to see so many people wearing the Concordia Indigenous shirts which were designed by Chrissy Watson, one of our own Year 12 students. These shirts can be worn by students on all three campuses on a Wednesday. The Sports Hoodies have also been welcomed with great excitement and these can be worn at any time with the sport uniform. If you missed out ordering one of these, there will be another opportunity in the New Year.

to view HSC's Events for Term 4, Week 4.
to view WSC's Events for Term 4, Week 4.

Mrs Juanetta Priest - Director of Campus (Hume Street)
Mrs Jackie Minnikin - Director of Campus (Warwick Street)

SWQ All Schools Primary Touch Competition
Last weekend, our Junior College students competed in the Mixed Division of the Southwest Qld Primary All Schools Touch Carnival (Carnival) at Dalby. While many of our students where relatively new to the sport they trained hard and produced some fantastic efforts over the duration of the Carnival against the best Touch schools in the Southwest Qld region.

This is the 3^rd time Concordia has entered this competition and our students thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The players showed improvement both individually and as a team. We were fortunate to make it through to the semi-finals, which is our best result yet. After a big day of competition and a few injuries, our team lost in a very good competitive game to Lourdes Primary school who then went on to win the Carnival. We look forward to trying again next year.

These types of experiences are not possible without the assistance of various stakeholders, and special mention must go to Mrs Mel Ward who assisted myself with coaching before and at the carnival. We thank our group of parents that supported our players at the carnival from the sidelines and for giving up their time for this to opportunity to happen.

This has concluded our Touch program for the year. This program is building momentum across Concordia and we are already very excited for 2023 developing our future Touch stars.

Results:
Game 1 – Concordia 9 defeated Dalby SS 0
Game 2 – Concordia 3 defeated OLSSC Dalby 0
Game 3 – Concordia 4 Drew St Thomas More 4
Semi- final – Concordia 1 lost Lourdes 4

Team – Arabella Knopke, Lisa Richards, Lilah Talbot, Eloise Chettle, Chloe Chettle, Evi Purchase, Will Klein, Jonathon Rice, James Rice, Chase Robertson, Joshua Dolley and Lachlan Rashleigh.

Basketball
The Friday Night Basketball Competition for our Junior College team started this term. The competition has been running for many years and is a great opportunity for our budding basketball enthusiasts to learn the game while having some great fun with their friends. Good luck to this team and coaches this term.

10-12 Yrs Track and Field State Championships
Recently the 10-12 Yrs Track and Field State Championships were held in Brisbane. CLC was represented by Emma Walkington and Charlie Lowis in a variety of events over the few days. Emma made the semi-finals in both the 100m and 200m events recording some PBs along the way. Charlie also achieved some pleasing results in his events. This is a great achievement for these athletes to compete at such a high level, and a fantastic experience for them competing against some of the best in the state. Well done!

“Commit To Be Fit program”
The ‘Commit To Be Fit Program’ will be starting in Week 5 at HSC and WSC for all interested students in Years 2 to 6. This program will run for four weeks. The program will run at:
HSC – Tuesday 7.30am-8am on the grassed area between hall and tennis courts, and
WSC – Wednesday 7.30am–8am in the shed.

There will be a variety of fitness activities each morning. Come along and have some fun with your friends while being active. Students are to meet at these areas with a water bottle at 7.30am. There is no need to sign up for this Program. If it is raining on the mornings at HSC, the program will be cancelled for that day.

JC 8-12 Years Inter-House Swimming Carnival
Nomination forms have been emailed out to parents to complete and return via a Jotform. This is for students who wish to compete at the JC 8-12 years Junior College Swimming Carnival held at the Concordia Aquatic Centre on Thursday 17 November.

Students have been involved in swimming lessons already this term with TJ’s Swim in preparation for this Carnival. Once nominations have closed on Wednesday 2 November, they will be collated and added to the program. More information will be available in the upcoming weeks in relation to this action-packed fun day.

Mr Darryl Fry
Teacher / Junior College Sports Coordinator / Head Coach, Touch

Please ensure that students have the following items:

• Warm clothing - this would be great for the students to wear to and from the pool as we don't know what the weather is going to be like
• Swimming togs
• Goggles
• House swimming cap
• Towel

To avoid any lost items, please clearly label all of your child's items including their shoes, underwear and uniform.

Year 12 exams
I trust our Year 12s have had a productive yet restful week as they prepare for their exam block, starting next week. External Exams, while bringing expected levels of stress, are also an opportunity for students to finish well and apply themselves to this final step in completion of their studies. Exams can be a strength for some, but highly challenging for others. It is for this reason that it is important for students to keep themselves grounded throughout the exam block. Through collaboration with past senior students, the University of Sydney has produced a set of eight steps to ensuring students maintain optimal performance and wellbeing:

1. Start your day right
Take care of your well-being first thing in the morning so you can dive into your day with a clear mind. An active start is a great way to set yourself up for a productive day. Begin your morning with exercise or a gentle walk, squeeze in 10-minutes of meditation and enjoy a healthy breakfast before you settle into study.

2. Schedule your study
“Setting up a schedule will help you organise your time so much better,” says Master of Teaching student Wesley Lai.

Setting a goal or a theme for each study block will help you to stay focussed, while devoting time across a variety of subjects will ensure you've covered off as much as possible. Remember to keep your schedule realistic and avoid over-committing your time. Adds Wesley, “Make sure to schedule in some free time for yourself as well!”

3. Keep it consistent
“Make studying a habit,” recommends Alvin Chung, who is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. With enough time and commitment, sitting down to study will start to feel like second nature rather than a chore. “Do it every day and you’ll be less likely to procrastinate because it’s part of your life’s daily motions,” says Alvin.

4. Maintain motivation
Revising an entire year of learning can seem like an insurmountable task, which is why it’s so important to break down your priorities and set easy-to-achieve goals.

“I like to make a realistic to-do list where I break down big tasks into smaller chunks,” says Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Studies student Dannii Hudec.

“It’s also really important to reward yourself after you complete each task to keep yourself motivated.”

Treat yourself after each study block with something to look forward to, such as a cup of tea, a walk in the park with a friend or an episode of your latest Netflix obsession.

5. Minimise distractions
With so many distractions at our fingertips, it can be hard to focus on the task at hand. If you find yourself easily distracted, an “out of sight, out of mind” approach might do the trick.

“What helps me is to block social media on my laptop. I put my phone outside of my room when I study, or I give it to my sister or a friend to hide,” says Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws student Caitlin Douglas.

While parting ways with your phone for a few hours may seem horrifying, it can be an incredibly effective way to stay on task.

“It really helps me to smash out the work and get my tasks done,” affirms Caitlin.

6. Beware of burnout
Think of the exam period as a marathon rather than a sprint. It might be tempting to cram every single day but pacing out your study time will help to preserve your endurance.

“Don’t do the work for tomorrow if you finish today’s work early,” suggests Daniel Kim, who is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Commerce and Advanced Studies.

Savouring your downtime will help you to avoid burning out before hitting the finish line.

7. Get a good night's sleep
Sleep is one of your greatest allies during exam season.

“I’ve found that a good night’s sleep always helps with concentration and memory consolidation,” says Bachelor of Science (Medical Science) student Yasodara Puhule-Gamayalage.

We all know we need to be getting around 8 hours of sleep a night to perform at our best, but did you know the quality of sleep also matters? You can help improve the quality of your sleep with some simple tweaks to your bedtime routine.

“Avoid caffeine in the 6 hours leading up to sleep, turn off screens an hour before going to bed, and go to bed at the same time every night,” suggests Yasodara.

8. Be kind to yourself
With exam dates looming and stress levels rising, chances are high that you might have a bad day (or a few!) during the exam period.

According to Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Studies student Amy Cooper, the best way to handle those bad days is to show yourself some kindness.

“I know that if I’m in a bad state of mind or having a bad day, I’m not going to be able to produce work that I’m proud of,” she says.

For Amy, the remedy for a bad day is to take some time to rest and reset.

“It’s much more productive in the long run for me to go away, do some things I love, and come back with a fresh mind.”

Immerse yourself in a mentally nourishing activity such as going for a bushwalk, cooking your favourite meal, or getting stuck into a craft activity.

All the best Year 12!

Have a great week.

Yours in faith,

Mr Jamie Pukallus
Director of Campus

If you’re not keen to go bald, you can show your support by donating to those who are participating using the button below. Students can purchase a burger or participate in Crazy Hair Day on 4 November or pay for the privilege of getting a crazy (temporary) colour on 22 November. Mr Jamie Pukallus has provided an extra incentive for everyone to reach the fundraising target. He too will shave his head if the goal is met before the big day!

Oktoberfest in Brisbane was enjoyable and fun. I found that there were a lot of traditional German things at the event, for example, music, food, and traditional dress. I like the tents and traditions, the music and the fact that everybody had the opportunity to get involved. I would recommend to future people attending Oktoberfest just to try all of the things there and to try the traditional food and to get involved in the games and competitions. BRYCE HUGHES

I enjoyed Oktoberfest because I got to experience all the German food and traditions that are there. I had a pretzel and it tasted very good and I wish they were in Toowoomba. My favourite part was when we were in the petting zoo. ERIN OTTO

The Oktoberfest for Teens experience was really enjoyable for us. The food was amazing with any German food you can imagine from sausages to pork knuckle. The rides were exhilarating and somehow worth the wait from the lines to reach it. JASPER DAYUS

Oktoberfest in Brisbane gave us an insight into what the real Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany would be like. During our time at Oktoberfest in Brisbane, we experienced the smell of traditional German food, the traditional German wurst on bread, and a schnitzel burger. While at Oktoberfest, we also witnessed the traditional dances and performances that occur at Oktoberfest. When attending the festival we got to experience the true atmosphere of Oktoberfest, there was a petting zoo and jumping castle to entertain us and also two main rides.

Oktoberfest was not like any other festival that I have been to in Australia. It was a lot louder and the enthusiasm of the stallholders was at a different level. The sounds, smells, and tastes were all very different from Australian festivals. The German food had a very distinct taste to it and was very delicious. The smells of German food also filled the air and gave away an inviting smell. Oktoberfest was definitely a new experience and I will never forget it. ISABEL MUNDT

Representative Sport

Congratulations to Emma Walkington who recently competed at the Queensland School Sport 13-19yrs Track and Field State Championships. Emma came 13th in the State for the 100m and 200m events and 22nd for long jump. Great work, Emma!

Freddy du Toit played in the National School Futsal Championships in Brisbane during the recent school holidays, representing the West Queensland Team. After the tournament, Freddy was selected into the Australian Under 14 Futsal Squad for 2023, which is scheduled to tour the UK in April/May 2023. Freddy has chosen to forego the tour and take the time to improve his soccer level.

Amazing achievement, Freddy! Wow! We are super proud of you.

We bid farewell to Mr Steve this week as he re-establishes himself back in the Northern Territory. We wish him all the best.

Mr Wally along with Mr Prinsloo visited Palm Island over the weekend and have established a great relationship with many families who are looking at enrolling their children at Concordia. We look forward to the increase in boarding numbers in 2023.

Kashar Bounghi returned to Volleyball after an injury in Term 3, however, the opposition was a little too strong on the night and our team was defeated. While being out injured, Kashar has attended all games to support the rest of her team. Well done, Kashar, for your team spirit and commitment. A valued team player. Our boys Keenan, Damon and Alkim enjoyed their game and gave it their all but unfortunately they did not finish with a win.

Rugby 7s is in full swing and our students are thoroughly enjoying the trip to Highfields and the strong competition.

Look forward to next week and hope you all enjoy our pics. Stay safe and take care.

Mrs Maureen Taurima
Girls' Houseparent