Compass No. 536 June 2019

At chapel this week, I asked the teenagers in Middle and Senior College to discuss the following two questions:

• What are some of the boundaries or rules in your family?
• Do you think these boundaries are too strict, too lenient or reasonable?

Having boundaries in families and in life is important. Teenagers and children may wish they had no boundaries or rules in their family. They might at times think their parents are too strict and don’t give them any freedom. But the truth is, we all need boundaries in life to give us structure, safety and wellbeing. At home with our parents, at school with our teachers, at work with employers, in society with governments, there are boundaries, rules and laws. And part and parcel of these are the consequences when we cross them.

All these boundaries are based on the authority that is mentioned in the fourth commandment from the Old Testament; “Honour your father and mother”. This commandment is different from the others. Nearly all of the other commandments start with a “Do not” or a “You shall not”. But this one starts positively with the word “honour”. Honour is not a word we use a lot in our modern language but it betrays a deep positive relationship where there is trust and respect between people.

This gets to the heart of what it means for children to honour their parents or caregivers. Martin Luther, in his Small Catechism, put it this way. What does this commandment mean? We are to trust and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents or others in authority but instead honour, serve, obey, love and respect them. How do children honour their parents? By showing them they can be trusted, following boundaries, being honest when they cross them, listening to others and putting words into action. And how do parents honour their children? By being a parent rather than a friend to them. Not only setting boundaries but also modelling positive behaviour. Some parenting experts talk about being more authoritative than permissive in parenting style. Acknowledging your mistakes to your children also goes a long way.

Trust is at the root of this commandment and all respectful positive relationships. Trust which is also at the heart of our relationship with God, our heavenly parent.

A prayer for family relationships;

Pastor Tim Jarick, College Pastor 

I must confess, the arrival of winter has caught me by surprise! Whilst reading for pleasure is not bound by the seasons, it is perhaps in winter that a good book becomes my companion when it is too cool to venture outside. This makes me wonder how often our students are extending themselves in their reading. I encourage you as a parent to consider these strategies for promoting reading in your household:

• Allow the lights to remain on a little longer so your child can do some reading before they go to sleep.
• Encourage books and magazines to be taken on car trips so that down time can become reading time.
• Role model reading at home and discuss what you have read.
• Give children choice in what they read and have a designated bookshelf in their room.
• Visit bookstores and libraries – they offer a range of genres that are often linked to a series of novels.
• Explore the internet for a range of sites and blogs dedicated to reviewing books for all ages.

The evidence is clear that there is also a reciprocal benefit for reading and writing. Fundamentally reading has a positive effect on a child’s writing skills. This week, it was great to see students in Mrs Croke’s Year 7 class given the choice of reading either Red Dog or The Giver and applying their comprehension skills.

Last week, the Year 9 Student Leaders attended Altitude Day, with numerous other schools from across the Sunshine Coast. We were all suitably impressed by the calibre of presenters and the message they each delivered. Zoe Black, co-founder of Happy Paws Happy Hearts, spoke of the need to follow your passion in life. Likewise, Rowena McEvoy, founder of Max, International College for Fitness Professionals, encouraged students to be powerful, positive, passionate people. Her enthusiasm was infectious. However, it was Ben Pettingill, who provided the greatest inspiration. Ben woke up one morning with 98% of his vision gone and at 16 this was life changing. Nevertheless, Ben, addressed the audience with his story of courage, determination and will power to overcome such a condition. Please take the time to read Ben’s remarkable story for yourselves: https://www.benpettingill.com/.

Planning and preparation are critical components in the execution of a successful project. Indeed, the same may be said of students aiming for success in the upcoming Middle College exams that commence in Week 8. We hope that all Middle College students are actively engaging in purposeful study and preparation. We wish all students in both Middle and Senior College the best of luck during this exam period.

Mr Ben Ryan, Director of Students

Last Thursday, students across Kindergarten to Year 2 had a fun, colourful morning celebrating Under Eights Day. A special thank you to Mrs Shelley Hogan for coordinating the day and to all staff who assisted in running activities and participating in not only colouring the students, but each other! The attendance of so many parents at the event added to the atmosphere and was also appreciated by staff and students.

This Friday, Year 5 students will be running a Market Day as part of their Business and Economics unit. A great variety of stalls and activities will create a true ‘market’ feel and all funds raised will go to the Australian Lutheran World Service Gifts of Grace program. Thank you to the Year 5 teachers, Mrs Fiona Schefe, Mrs Lu Pollard and Mr Terry Clark, for their efforts and expertise in enabling students to create and effectively manage the event. 

This term, all students in Prep – Year 2 have been busily training for their Cross Country Carnival, which will be held on Wednesday 19^th June, commencing at 1.40pm. A letter providing details of the event was sent home last week. All parents are warmly invited to come along and support their children.

Emotional Resilience is essential in our daily lives, especially to help us deal with confrontations, making choices, getting bad results, encountering negative situations that are beyond our control or struggling with difficult day-to-day activities.

As adults we generally face such difficulties with varying levels of resilience. Equipping children with the skills to develop emotional resilience is an important facet of their growth.

Negative Habits of Mind greatly fuel emotional discomfort. These negative habits of mind include self-downing, the need to be perfect, the need for approval, the ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘I can’t be bothered’ mindsets and being intolerant of others. This week, I would like to continue to share some strategies from the You Can Do It Program, which may help eliminate or help to balance these negative mindsets.

To Eliminate ‘Needing To Be Perfect’

Explain to your child that he/she shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes. Explain that mistakes are a natural part of learning and while it is good to try your best, it is not helpful to insist that everything is done perfectly. Explain that even the greatest scientists and inventors bumble and stumble their way to success. For older children, you can also explain that demanding perfection of oneself can lead to being so worried that it actually lessens one’s ability to perform well. Encourage your child to develop the positive type of thinking called ‘Risk Taking’. In ‘Risk Taking’, a person prefers to do his/her best but accepts that mistakes are inevitable and important as one is learning something new.

Other suggestions for eliminating your child’s need to be perfect include:

• Help your child become more aware of his/her perfectionism and its negative effects on his/her anxiety.
• Have your child make a list of the things he/she always wanted to do but was afraid of not doing perfectly. Encourage your child to try one of these activities.
• Encourage your child to identify areas of weakness. Have him/her try activities in these areas. When he/she has attempted such an activity, point out that he/she now has evidence that he/she can tolerate doing things imperfectly.
• Encourage your child to stop ruminating about grades and instead, get involved in activities unrelated to school.
• Teach your child that there is a continuum of achievement and that achievement is not an all (perfection) or nothing (complete failure) outcome. Encourage him/her to set goals at a place on the achievement continuum where he/she does not have to be the best in order to learn something and have fun.
• Acknowledge and praise your child for attempting things and not doing them perfectly.

Mr David Druery, Head of Staff and Students P-5

Be a role model to your children and challenge yourself to make mistakes! Face difficult activities head on, experience setbacks, learn from failures and try again. 

By recognising and challenging the ever-present messages we and our children receive about success, accomplishments, failure and mistakes, we can help ourselves and our families become healthier, more resilient and better able to learn and succeed. For more information, visit: https://www.psychologytoday.com.

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor

Pacific and IBN Private Golf Day – Sunday 9^th June

We’re looking forward to our upcoming Golf Day this Sunday 9^th June. The forecast is for a sunny day with lots of laughs and good times!

If you are interested, there’s still time to put in a team. If you don’t yet have a team, please contact us ASAP so we can place you in one.

Look out for the activities on selected holes, courtesy of our sponsors:

• IBN Private
• Mooloolah Valley Pharmacy
• Forensix Group
• Fowler Lawyers
• Computercut Signs

There’s more than $4000 worth of prizes and gifts!

There are trophies and prizes on offer for our place winners in addition to prizes for the nearest to the pin, longest drive and more. Plus, don’t miss our Golf Day Raffle with loads of prizes including a BBQ, a Life and Love Photographic Package and a MTA Travel package. Raffle tickets are $10 for 10, including a bonus $20 gift voucher from our fabulous friends at Shine Beauty. Everyone’s a winner! Bring some spare change to purchase your tickets and EFTPOS will also be available.

The program of events at Pelican Waters Golf Club will be as follows:

• 8.30am – registrations open
• 9.00am – brunch is served
• 9.45am – putting competition
• 10.30am – shotgun start
• 3.30pm – meal and presentation at the 19th. Families of players are invited to meet and have a drink at the clubhouse. 

Click here to download the Registration Form. The registration fee includes a cart, brunch and a meal at the 19th. It will be a whole lot of fun, so gather your team together now and contact our Golf Day organisers, Erin and Darren Carter on 0403 125 824 or via email: fop@pacluth.qld.edu.au.

What’s Ahead…

Save the date for our upcoming Trivia Night on Saturday 17^th August in the College gym. Teams of 8-10 are welcome to test their knowledge for the title of TRIVIA WINNERS.

Mrs Jenny Lee, FoP Chairperson

Over the past few weeks in OSHC, we have been focusing on our dental hygiene. We have been encouraging all children to have a cup of water with them at afternoon tea so they can rinse their mouth once they have finished eating. We are also developing a poster with input from children as a visual reminder. Children are currently planning a ‘dental surgery scenario’ by researching what they will need and constructing items from what we can find around the service. During Vacation Care, a dentist will also visit us to educate us on dental hygiene. The full July Vacation Care program is now available: https://www.pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au/college-community/outside-school-hours-care.

Mrs Natalie Sorbello, OSHC Coordinator

Mooloolaba Rotary, in partnership with USC and Voices on the Coast, are organising the Telling Stories Competition again this year. The competition is for students in Years 4-9 and the main goal is to encourage students with their creativity and writing skills. The theme of this year’s competition is “I should have listened!” and entries are due on Monday 19^th August. For more details, click here to view the entry form!

Ms Nell Keen, Head of Library

Last week, students from Years 5-10 competed in the da Vinci Decathlon. Students had a rewarding and stimulating time, working to solve problems from 10 disciplines under the pressure of time and competition. They demonstrated great collaborative skills and resilience in the face of rigorous academic challenge.

The results were:

Year 6

• 2nd place Science
• 3rd place Code Breaking
• 3rd place Engineering

Year 7

• 3rd place Art and Poetry

Year 9

• 3rd place General Knowledge

We are very proud of all our students and thank them for their positive and disciplined representation of the College. Some of our Year 6 competitors have written about their experience below.

“Last week, students from Years 5-10 competed in the da Vinci Decathlon. For Years 5 and 6, it was held at St. Joseph’s Nudgee College on Wednesday 29^th May. It was a huge school, it looked like a mansion! The theme was landscapes. On our day, we had to complete tasks for Code-Breaking, General Knowledge, English, Creative Producers, Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Art and Poetry, Ideation and Cartography; the areas in which Da Vinci studied. It was a challenging day, which we had been preparing for every Wednesday during lunchtime.

At the end of the day, the awards were announced. Our team placed second in the Science event and third in both the Engineering and Code Breaking events. Everyone tried their best and were amazing! Overall, it was a memorable experience and we achieved a lot. We would like to say a big thank you to Mrs Belchamber for organising our lunchtime practices.” – Lily, Jasmine and Emily, Year 6 Students

Last Thursday we celebrated Under Eights Day at Pacific. This year’s theme was ‘Celebrating the diversity of languages within the home, culture and community’. Students from Kindergarten to Year 2 took part in our Colour Explosion: School Fun Run. They enjoyed completing the colourful course which included activities such as mini hurdles, sprint races, sack racing and parachute games, just to name a few. Each activity represented a different country and as the children passed through the station, they learnt how to say hello in the national language of each country.

Thank you to all those students who participated in the colourful morning celebrating being under eight. A special thank you also to the Prep to Year 2 staff who helped run the morning so that it was an enjoyable time for all.

Mrs Shelley Hogan, Prep Teacher

Outdoor Adventure Opportunity – Rock Climbing and Abseiling

We are pleased to announce the confirmation of an Outdoor Adventure opportunity taking place in early Term 3. 

The Rock Climbing and Abseiling Adventure will take place over the weekend of Saturday 20^th – Sunday 21^st July at Brooyar State Forest. This adventure is available to Senior Students (Years 10-12) and our Duke of Edinburgh participants in the Bridge (L1 and L2) or Bronze Awards. There are costs involved to attend.

If you would like further information regarding this opportunity, please contact Mr Nick Tait or Mrs Natalie Campbell prior to Friday 7^th June 2019.

Adventurous Journey

The Duke of Edinburgh Award develops attributes such as leadership, teamwork, self-motivation, communication, confidence, empathy and provides students with the opportunity to consider new skills and paradigms. The Adventurous Journey Sector, which includes both a Practice Journey and Qualifying Journey, forms an integral aspect of attaining such attributes.

Practice Journey (Expedition or Exploration): Students participate in an experience that is either an outdoor activity or a cultural exploration. Knowledge and understanding are generated within the Practice Journey and applied within reflection and application of these new skills and knowledge.

Qualifying Journey (Expedition or Exploration): Students participating in the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards are required to display their knowledge and understanding from their Practice Journey. The Qualifying Journey must be exactly the same activity as the Practice Journey (for example canoeing, kayaking, bushwalking, rock climbing or a cultural exchange). Students reflect upon their learnings from the Practice Journey and present a Preparation Document that includes program details, safety and outcomes relevant to the experience. The Preparation Document will be outlined by Mr Nick Tait to relevant participants and requires approval prior to attendance.

Please note: The Qualifying Journey does not relate to the Bridge Award students in the same way. Bridge Award participants have their whole journey planned and supervised by Mr Nick Tait. Leadership attributes are still encouraged and nurtured within a supported environment.

Mr Nick Tait and Mrs Natalie Campbell, Duke of Edinburgh Team

Over the weekend, four Pacific Music students, Ben McCormac, Elizabeth Wegener, Dion Owen and Eden Williams attended the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) at the Brisbane Conservatorium of Music. The program is run in conjunction with Griffith University. Students spent three days working with top conductors from around the country and had the opportunity to play with many talented musicians from around the state. It was a huge honour for these musicians to be selected to participate in this program. They also represented Pacific in the final showcase concerts on Sunday afternoon. Well done!

Monday was a great night for Pacific as we had three teams in the Monday Night Netball grand finals! All teams played very well and it was great to see parents, friends and teachers supporting our players. The results were as follows:

• PLC Junior Yellow – Winners
• PLC Junior Blue – Second place
• PLC Senior White – Second place

Well done to all students who played in the competition and congratulations to our PLC Junior Yellow team and their coach Mrs Michelle Dufty. We had a very successful season and we hope to see all students back next year as well as some new faces!

Last week, Pacific had four teams play at the Sunshine Coast School Futsal Titles. We thank our coaches Mrs Virginia and Mr Matthias Schlotterbach, Mr Duncan McNee and Mr Ben Ryan for their support of our teams. They have provided an overview of how their teams went below.

It was the first time the Pacific U12 girls futsal team had played in a futsal tournament and they faced some strong competition in their games against the U13 Kawana Waters State College and Chancellor College teams. The girls showed great stamina throughout the tournament and walked away as the U12 champions! Congratulations!

The U13 boys futsal team represented the College with pride and commitment. Over the course of the day the boys played in a round robin tournament against teams from Chancellor and Kawana Waters. This was the first time they had played in such a tournament together and they improved with each game they played. Whilst the team finished fourth in their division, they are the making of a good side if they stick at it. Notable performances came from Max Symes, Darcy Connors, Austen Thomas and Luke Harrys.

The Pacific U15 boys futsal team had a great bond, which showed throughout the tournament. The team played well in the rounds and finished third on the table. The team then faced off against Kawana Waters State College in the semi-finals. The boys played and defended well against a very organised team and it was a close loss in the end. Well done, boys.

The Open Boys Futsal team competed in the Sunshine Coast School Futsal Titles at Caloundra stadium on Monday 27th May. The boys played well to reach the semi-finals before being beaten by the eventual winners, the Chancellor State College team.

Mr Brett Kersnovske, Head of Sport

To Our Pacific FC Families…

We believe our families are the most valuable of all our resources. They bake and help in the canteen, get our players to the games on time and cheer our players on (not to mention all the washing). Thank you for being part of Pacific FC!

Our treat cabinet was fully loaded on Saturday thanks to our amazing bakers. A big shout out to Elise, Leanne, Diann and Rita for their creative cupcakes, slices and the chicken rolls! Thank you also to the helpers from the Sharks, Bears, Barracudas, Eels and Cobras. All of our canteen and set-up / pack-up volunteers were so organised.

Our Round 9 volunteer winner of the $50 Rebel Sport gift card is Sherilyn Palmer from the U11 Barracudas. Well done!

Special Thank You From a Pacific FC Supporter

We received a special thank you from a supporter this week who passed on their appreciation to our behind-the-scenes crew of Paul McFadyen, Zane Russell, Liam Russell and John Williams. Due to the thorough and diligent work of these set-up and pack-up organisers, all games went ahead smoothly.

Coaching Volunteer of the Week – Toby, U7 Bears

A shout out to our amazing helper, Toby. He turns up to every game and training session. The kids just love him. We are so thankful to have him and Damien coaching our team. – Mel, U7 Bears Assistant Manager

U8 Hammerheads

Pacific U8 Hammerheads coach, Matt Patullo, awarded Ewan the player of the match on the weekend. Thank you to Lachie and Sebastian who played two games in a row to help out the Hammerheads when they were down three players. The Hammerheads won their match, with Sebastian and Marcel scoring nine goals between them. – Emma Patullo, U8 Assistant Manager

Round 10 – Wear Green and Gold

A note from the Sunshine Coast Churches Soccer Association:
We are asking players, team management, committees, parents and supporters to wear green and gold to our Round 10 games (Saturday 8^th June) so everyone can see our passion for our Female National Team. Whether your clothing or hair is green and gold, we want to see the way you supported the Matilda’s for their first game of the World Cup. Share a selfie on the day on our Facebook or Instagram page to go in the draw to win prizes. Don't forget to hashtag your photo with #sccsasupportsmatildas

The Matilda’s first group game against Italy is on Sunday 9^th June at 9.00pm.

Pacific FC Team Photo Day

Our photo day will be held on Saturday 27^th July. Look out for the photo envelopes at our next home games on Saturday 22^nd June.

Mr Zane Russell, Pacific FC President

As some of you may be aware, the College is adding blouses and trousers as options for the Year 1-12 Girls Formal Winter Uniform.  

Unfortunately, due to an issue with our supplier, the availability of these items has been delayed. A stock arrival date will be confirmed via the newsletter once advised by our supplier. We thank our community for their patience on this matter.

The Uniform Shop is open from 8.00am to 9.30am every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Orders can be placed online via www.flexischools.com.au and will be delivered to your child the following day.

Mrs Peta King, Uniform Shop Convenor

Sunday Worship Times St Mark’s Church @ Pacific 9.30am Pacific Lutheran College (Entry via Red Cedar Drive, Meridan Plains) Google Maps St Mark's Lutheran @ Pacific   Are you looking for a friendly church where young people, old people, children, families and singles are appreciated, empowered and encouraged to grow as Christians? Everyone is welcome! Get in touch: Pastor Ray Morris 0429 856 532 ray.morris@lca.org.au www.stmarkslutherancaloundra.net

Pastor Ray, St Mark’s Lutheran Church

8                       Sunshine Coast Robotics Competition (8.00am-3.30pm)

9                       Friends of Pacific Golf Day

10                    Year 4-6 SCISSA Training (3.15-4.15pm)

10-12              Middle College Exams

10-14              Senior College Exams

13                    Year 4-6 SCISSA Gala Day

16                    St Mark’s @ Pacific – Prep Bible Presentation (9.30am)

17-18              Year 12 QCS Practice

18                    Friends of Pacific (6.30pm)

19                    Prep – Year 2 Cross Country Carnival (1.40-3.00pm)

20                    Year 4-6 SCISSA Photos

21                    Year 7-12 Athletics – Javelin, 1500m, 12yrs High Jump

                         Ensembles Concert

23                    St Mark’s Anniversary – Pacific Voices

25                    Year 10 Leadership Day

                         Year 12 Tides Waterfront Dining Experience

25-27              Year 4 Camp (Luther Heights)

26                    Japan Trip Departure

27                    K-12 Chapel

                         Term 2 Concludes

28                    Staff Day