The Week Ahead - Term 4, Week 7
Monday 16 November to Friday 20 November 2020
From the Head of College
I am delighted to let our community know that the College Council and the 女女视频 Church of Queensland has called Pastor Thomas Bohmert to the role as College Pastor at Concordia 女女视频 College.
Pastor Thomas has had wide experience in schools having served at Luther College (Melbourne) and at St Peters 女女视频 College (Brisbane), and he has also served in congregations from Central Australia to Tasmania. As Council, we are also delighted that Pastor Thomas is a registered teacher, and he is a current Board member of 女女视频 Education Australia.
We welcome Pastor Thomas and his wife Lyn as they have a preliminary visit to the College over two school days, and our prayers are with Pastor Thomas and his family as they consider the possibility of joining the Concordia community.
The busyness of the end of the school year is now upon us 鈥 end of year functions and camps, marking and assessment, and of course planning for the new school year. It can be a frantic time and I thank our College Community for your ongoing support and genuine consideration for our staff, and for the school more generally. Things are a little more complicated this year and we continue to adjust our end of year programs and events because of the COVID-19 restrictions. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Kind regards and every blessing.
Mr Adrian Wiles
Head of College
From the College Pastor
Community News
Uniform Shop News
The Uniform Shop will be closed from Monday 30 November to Thursday 2 December. The shop will reopen from Friday 3 December until Friday 18 December for appointments only. Please phone SSC Reception to make these appointments.
In the new year, the Uniform Shop will reopen on Monday 4 January. Appointments will be necessary due to current COVID-19 restrictions and sign in requirements.
Please note, the Uniform Shop will NO longer be accepting second hand items of clothing for sale except for Blazers. All current second hand stock will still be available to purchase.
2021 Uniform Guide
The 2021 Uniform Guide is now available to download. You can find this guide at any time on our website under Enrolment > Uniform Shop and on Parent Lounge under School Links > General Resources.
A reminder that sports shoes for all three campuses should be either predominantly white or predominantly blue. There has been a year's grace regarding this at Stephen Street Campus but this rule will be enforced in 2021.
We are happy to announce that we have sourced grey formal shorts for Junior College girls, which are now available to purchase from the Uniform Shop. These shorts can be worn as part of the Junior College formal uniform, substituting for the tartan skirt. There is a photo of the shorts in the Uniform Guide.
We are seeking expressions of interest from girls in the Middle and Senior College who would like to have the grey formal shorts. The supplier of the Junior shorts does not provide shorts for older students, so we are seeking an alternative supplier. If your daughter would like to wear the formal grey shorts, please click this link:
Mrs Bianca Coleborn
Director of Marketing & Enrolments
Project Based Learning at Concordia
Junior College
Outside School Hours Care
Hume Street Campus
From the Director
Week 6 has been a very eventful week with both our Year 4s and our Year 5s going on camp. The Year 4s were adamant that the lasagne for dinner was the best lasagne of their life with possum pull being a favourite activity. Tallebudgera is always an absolute favourite event with so many activities being voted as the best. We are looking forward to all the great stories of their adventures.
Week 6 has also begun the celebrations of our Year 6 students with the Walkway of the Stars being a highlight. Week 7 will continue the transition phase with Orientation Day at our Stephen Street Campus. Dinners and further celebrations will be enjoyed over the next 2 weeks as we wish our amazing students all the best for Year 7 and onwards.
Year Level Afternoon Teas
As it feels like forever since we have been able to enjoy a cup of tea together, we would like to invite you to a cuppa on the Resource Centre veranda over the coming two weeks from 2.15pm to 3pm. Your classroom teacher and I will be in attendance and look forward to catching up. Registration for attendance will be required via the online form next to each year level. Parking will be on the Hume Street Oval.
Prep: Monday 16 November -
Year 1: Wednesday 18 November -
Year 2: Monday 23 November -
Year 3 and Year 4: Tuesdays 17 or 24 November -
Year 5: Thursday 19 November -
Orientation Day 鈥 Monday 16 November
On Monday 16 November we will welcome all of our new students for 2021 to Hume Street Campus. Our incoming Prep students will spend the morning with Mrs Natalie Blackwell and our new students from Years 1-6 will also join their cohort for the day.
Each class will also have the opportunity to spend the morning in their 2021 classroom so they can get a taste of what to expect when they return next year. We look forward to meeting our new students and hope that all students and teachers will enjoy getting the chance to know each other a little better before next year begins.
Junior College Music Showcase
Next week, we will have the opportunity to enjoy the talents of all of our musicians. On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, students from Years 3-6 will be performing in our Junior College Music Showcase. This will see performances from our choirs and ensembles so they can show the skills they have learnt throughout the year. We look forward to being able to record these performances so we can share them with parents.
Students from Years 3 and 5 will need to bring their instruments on both days.
Colour Explosion Fun Run and Meal Deal
Thursday 19 November is our Colour Explosion Fun Run and Meal Deal. Please send old clothes with the children to wear during the waterslide and fun run.
Our meal deal closes on Wednesday 18 November at 3pm and all orders are through your . This meal deal will be the last week of Tuckshop.
Book Club
Thanks to all the parents who have supported our Book Club in 2020. It has been another busy year with lots of great titles to choose from. Book Club also benefits our school — for every order placed, Scholastic gives back 20% of the order spend to schools to purchase valuable educational resources via its Rewards program. Our Junior College libraries have never been so well-stocked. Here鈥檚 a sneak peek of some of the books that will be available for borrowing early in 2021.
Library Books
Just a reminder that ALL library books and home readers are due back next week. Please help your child look for these at home. Accounts will be issued at the end of term for any outstanding loans.
Blessings for the week ahead
Mrs Juanetta Priest
Director of Campus
HSC 2021 Booklists
Our 2021 booklists are available for online ordering. Our P&F will receive a 10% rebate for all orders placed online before the cut-off date of Wednesday 11 November.
Place your order online through Browns Office Choice. The Book List link is also available in .
Please note, the headphones have been taken off the 2021 booklists due to quality of previously sourced headphones.
- Each student will need a set of headphones for school.
- Please check the strength of the connection where it plugs into the device.
- Our little Prep students sometimes get confused if there is a volume button on the headphones so please avoid this if possible.
Kindy Thermomix Raffle
Warwick Street Campus
From the Director
Going on camp is the highlight of the year for many students and an important milestone in their schooling. After many months of waiting, this week our Years 4 and 5 students finally had the opportunity to go on their respective camps. These times away from home enable students to grow in their maturity and resilience, and experience various challenges that they are not normally faced with during a day at school.
When I visited the Year 5 class at Tallebudgera this morning, there were still many fresh faces (students, not teachers!) who were excited to tell me about all they had accomplished. There were also many stories about great food! Thanks must go to our Junior College staff, who, on limited sleep, made sure that these camps were rewarding and a memorable time for our students.
Orientation Day 鈥 Monday 16 November
On Monday 16 November, we will welcome all of our new students for 2021 to Warwick Street Campus. Our incoming Prep students will spend the morning with Mrs Rowena Weier and our new students from Years 1-6 will also join their cohort for the day.
Each class will also have the opportunity to spend the morning in their 2021 classroom so they can get a taste of what to expect when they return next year. We look forward to meeting our new students and hope that all students and teachers will enjoy getting the chance to know each other a little better before next year begins.
Christmas Dress Up Day - Wednesday 25 November
On Wednesday 25 November, we are asking students to come dressed in Christmas clothes and bring along a gold coin donation to go towards the cost of props for the Musical.
Junior College Music Showcase
Next week, we will have the opportunity to enjoy the talents of all of our musicians. On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, students from Years 3-6 will be performing in our Junior College Music Showcase. This will see performances from our choirs and ensembles so they can show the skills they have learnt throughout the year. We look forward to being able to record these performances so we can share them with parents.
Students from Years 3 and 5 will need to bring their instruments on both days.
Water bottles
It is important for the students to drink plenty of water during the day, so please make sure they are coming to school each day with their water bottles. We also have a water bottle station where students can refill their water bottles if needed.
Every blessing for the week ahead.
Mrs Jackie Minnikin
Director of Campus
$1.00 Ice Block Day 鈥 Friday 20 November
Student Council Students will be selling ice blocks at lunch time in The Shed, Friday 20 November for $1.00 each.
Costumes for WSC Musical
Parents, please find a list of costume requirement for our Christmas Musical, 鈥楾he INN-SPECTORS'. Some items of your child鈥檚 costume will be provided. Please contact your teacher if you have any difficulties finding the items below:
Prep - Angels
- White dress for girls
- White T-shirts and College sports shorts for boys
Year 1 - Shepherds and sheep
- Plain white T-shirts
- Long black pants/leggings
Year 2 - Wise Men
- Crowns (students to make at school)
- T-shirts (to be purchased by teacher) **Please send sizes to Mrs Lundie ASAP via Seesaw
- College sports shorts
Year 3 - Jazzy Donkeys
- Donkey ears (Teacher made)
- Sunglasses
- Plain black/white T-shirt
- Black long pants
Year 4 - Middle Eastern attire
- Over-large, long-sleeved shirt in a light colour (Op Shop)
- Track pants (any colour)
- Slides/thongs
- Small suitcase or backpack
Year 5 - Stars
- All black
- Stars and hats will be provided
Year 6
- Year 6 individual items for each character
Word on the Street
Word on the street is that both students and staff had fun trying to work out which staff members had pictures on our 鈥淪taff Guess Who鈥 board. Staff put photos of themselves as children on the board and then the guessing began. This game kept everyone amused for quite some time!
WSC Tuckshop Orders - Last Week
At WSC, Tuckshop is held on a Wednesday. All orders are to be completed online at by 3pm each Tuesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Wednesday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. This will be the final week for Tuckshop this year.
WSC 2021 Booklists
Our 2021 booklists are available for online ordering. Place your order online through Browns Office Choice. The Book Lists' link is also available in .
Brown鈥檚 Office Choice -
Please note, the headphones have been taken off the 2021 booklists due to quality of previously sourced headphones.
- Each student will need a set of headphones for school.
- Please check the strength of the connection where it plugs into the device.
- Our little Prep students sometimes get confused if there is a volume button on the headphones so please avoid this if possible.
Stephen Street Campus
Library Hours
Please note that the Library will be closing at 4pm for the last two days of school, Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 November.
SSC 2021 Book Lists
Our 2021 booklists are available for online ordering. Place your order online through . The Book List link is also available in .
Years 11 and 12 - Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) Applications
Application for students in Year 11 and Year 12 in 2021.
An Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) is provided to minimise as much as possible, barriers for students whose disability, impairment, medical condition or other circumstances may affect their ability to read, respond or participate in assessment.
If your daughter or son is entering Year 11 or Year 12 in 2021 and you are wanting to support your child through submitting an AARA application, an AARA Medical Report and a Student Statement must be submitted to the Director of Learning and Innovation. Please use the links below. Alternatively, hard copies of the documents are available at Student Services.
After completing the forms, as well as providing proof of a medical diagnosis, these can be handed to Student Services or emailed directly to Wendy.Bowen@concordia.qld.edu.au.
Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA) have changed the AARA application process. They now require medical support documents to be dated the year the AARA is required for. For 2021, all medical documents to support an AARA application must be dated 2021.
If you need more information, please don鈥檛 hesitate in contacting the College on 4688 2700 or email me directly at Wendy.Bowen@concordia.qld.edu.au
Ms Wendy Bowen
Director of Learning and Innovation
Googa Reflections 2020...
When I was first told that I would be going to a camp for three and a half weeks that was out in the bush with no technology, my first thought was, how will there be any point in this camp? However, after spending time there, many challenges were faced where everyone learnt something new about themselves. Whether we were staring at the ground from 100 metres in the air or walking up and down what seemed to be endless steep hills, there was a point for doing so. In each activity there was the chance that we would grow and learn but only if we pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones. Taylah Salisbury
Being at Googa was the best experience I have ever had in my life. I enjoyed the most of my time being with my friends and got to know other kids I have never talked to at school. Googa helped me to stand up for myself as an individual and to come out of my comfort zone to face challenges with a positive mindset. The most challenging activity for me was the three-day hike but with a positive mindset I managed to finish it. I am glad I did it because it was the best experience ever. Survival was one of the activities I really enjoyed because you have to spend three days in the bush with your dorm group which was awesome. To all the Year 9 students who go to Googa next year, it is really a great experience. I encourage you to enjoy and make the most of your time because it only comes once in lifetime. Edward Matthew
My experience at Googa has been nothing but positive. I not only grew in skills but also how I perceive the world around me. Throughout the entirety of Googa, we were challenged physically, emotionally and, most importantly, mentally. The strength to continue to keep fighting though rain, hail or sweltering heat was a massive feat for 14-15 year olds to achieve. At any point in time we could have given up and refused to continue but we learnt to support and work together to make sure each one of us stepped over the line. While living together 24/7, we learnt a lot about each other and built connections and memories. Googa really changed my mindset about many things. I am very much a pessimistic person but with the help of my friends and Googa staff I learnt that having this attitude doesn鈥檛 only make the experience horrible for yourself but for others. With learning to have a more optimistic outlook on the challenges we faced, I found that I didn鈥檛 find them as mentally draining. I want to encourage students coming though Middle College who are yet to experience Googa to really look forward to going because when you are on the bus coming back from Googa, you are going to miss it and want to stay forever. Mia Hallaran
Googa was something I had been dreading since Year 7 when I started at Concordia. Now that I have completed it, I feel silly for worrying about it so much. Googa was lots of fun, even the challenging parts. This experience showed me that I can do more than I thought I could and to be more grateful for what I have at home. It also allowed me to come out of my shell more and become friends with girls I never really talked to at school. Going forward I hope to cherish fond memories and remember all that Googa has taught me. I encourage future Googa participants to go in with a positive attitude, do their best and be a team player. Claire Welsh
Googa was a great experience; I went to Googa with an open mindset and I came out with one of the best experiences of my life. My favourite thing about Googa was solo as me and the maroon boys had fun with our bonfire. I also enjoyed the three-day hike as it was fun getting lost (it was Gavin鈥檚 fault). There were definitely bad times, but I could barely remember them as I have gotten closer to boys I thought I would never talk to and I thank them, my classmates and the Googa staff for making this experience great. Keenan Burns
Googa has all made us realise that life isn鈥檛 about what we have or what we want, it鈥檚 about all of the moments and memories we make along the way. It鈥檚 about the people you have in your life to share all of those special moments with. Everyone takes away something they learnt from Googa to use in their everyday life even if it鈥檚 just the motivation to keep persisting on when times are tough. The challenges that were brought upon us like the three-day hike were not only challenging but they helped us to connect and develop as individuals. Googa was an amazing experience with memories that will stay with us throughout our whole lives! Maddison Geiger
Setting up tents in the rain, screaming about snakes and spiders, eating raw potatoes at 2pm: it all makes you realise how lucky you are at home. It makes you grateful for the things you take for granted, like a roof and a cooked dinner. However, don鈥檛 get me wrong, I loved it. It鈥檚 so easy to see the bad in these situations and let it ruin the experience of Googa, but if you smile and laugh through it, you鈥檒l really get to enjoy the camp. Jasmin Long
Googa taught me to challenge myself and learn to try things I haven鈥檛 done before. Whether I was metres above the ground for High Ropes, or walking down valleys and up hills for hikes, I had to consistently push myself. We had to go without our comforts or family, making us all the more grateful for them when we returned. James Conrick
Googa has brought me closer to the 20 other boys I was with. The experience made me realise who I can really trust and who is loyal as a friend, whether they were waking me up in the morning or keeping me safe in the high ropes. I鈥檓 happy that I became closer with boys I don鈥檛 talk to much at school, so I know they can trust and be loyal to me and I can be the same for them. Alex Theodosis
The Googa experience for me was having to spend four weeks with some people who I didn鈥檛 like or know that well and some of my best mates. The experience you get back from the camp is knowing people better and having gratitude for all of the privileges, as well as the things your parents do for you. Jacob Irwin
A four-week camp in the middle of nowhere, its sounds crazy but it was crucial to go into it with a positive mindset. What you put into the experience is you get out of it. Four weeks of testing yourself and pushing yourself to do things you were not used to doing. Friendships were made and new connections were created. Through this experience I learnt to push myself and give everything a go or I would regret it. You will be tested physically and mentally on multiple occasions and you will require support from others, and you will need to support others as well. This experience guided me and taught me how to grow into a young man. This experience is pivotal for everyone to grow and become a better person. Zaeden Clayton
To be completely honest, I went into Googa with a damaging mindset. The staff, my friends and the enjoyable activities helped me overcome this. I am so glad that the majority of Googa had me smiling. I became proud of myself and I鈥檓 now aware of what I can do - anything I put my mind towards! Googa showed me how brave and persistent my friends and I could be. I am petrified of heights, so the high adventure activities were a challenge, but I am so satisfied to say that I completed it. At Googa, I became friends with people I never would have thought to talk to. There are no negatives about Googa, go in with a smile on your face and make the most of it, it goes by really fast. Josh Lambert
Googa has pushed me to my limits and strengthened me in ways I never thought possible. The experience has made me realise that I have to go outside my comfort zone and undergo challenges to grow as a person. Through the many things Googa threw our way, such as living with our friends and hiking in the pouring rain, we learnt resilience and adaptability. Googa will never tear you down, only help to build you up in ways you could never imagine. Aimee Lau