Annual Report - Grace Lutheran College
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GRACE LUTHERAN COLLEGE ANNUAL REPORT 2015 (based on 2014 data) 1 GRACE LUTHERAN COLLEGE MISSION “Grace Lutheran College is STATEMENT by the grace of God a Christian community. It aims to continue the preparation of young people for a life of faith and service, so that God will be glorified in the world.” Anzac Avenue, Rothwell Q 4022 129 Toohey Street, Caboolture Q 4510 T: (07) 3203 0066 F: (07) 3897 2188 T: (07) 5495 2444 F: (07) 5495 1779 Dated: 30 September 2015 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Information - Students and Staff 4 Caboolture Campus 10 About Grace Lutheran College 11 Facilities and Resources Development 12 Distinctive Curriculum Offerings 13 Co-Curricular Activities 25 The Social Climate of the College 30 Ministry Team and Service Report 32 Parental Involvement 37 Parent and Student Satisfaction Surveys 40 2014 Staffing Information 42 45 NAPLAN Results Year 12 Outcomes 46 Qld Government’s Next Step Survey 47 Main Destination of Year12 Students 49 3 Kerrie Petersen—Languages ENROLMENT Enrolment at the annual Census (1 August 2014) was:- Reiko Fukushima-Byron—Languages Thiruni Ramaden— contract Rothwell Campus Kristina Kelman—contract ENROLMENT Enrolment at the annual Census (1 August 2014) was:- Michelle Stevensen—contract Oliver Squires—contract Rothwell Campus New Support Staff - 2014 Boys Girls Total Daniel Bishop—Sound tech/Lighting Year 12 118 135 253 Cheryl Costin—Department Assistant Year 11 118 123 241 Libby Duffin—contract Year 10 121 129 250 Alice Hague—contract Year 9 111 109 220 Chantel Nettleton—contract Year 8 94 111 205 Kylie Norton—contract Year 7 65 69 134 1303 Harvey Mills—Property Isaac Scales—contract Caboolture Campus Cheree Woodbridge—PA to Head of Caboolture Campus Boys Girls Total Year 12 25 18 43 Year 11 31 34 65 Year 10 26 35 61 Year 9 29 37 66 Year 8 32 47 79 Year 7 18 18 36 Teaching Staff Left Since the 2013 Annual Report Anne Bitter—Social Science Katie Callaghan—contract Kristina Kelman—contract Jacobie Liddell—contract Annaliis Loth—Creative Industries Tracey Mortimer— contract 350 Irene Ostrenski—contract Total school enrolment = 1653 Daniel Window—contract STAFFING Teaching Staff Leaving at the end of 2014 Figures as at the August Census were:- Alison Blake— Christian Studies, English, History Teaching staff numbered 99 full-time and 34 parttime with Support Staff being 33 full-time and 98 part -time. Tanya Crooks—Head of Senior School Bridget Piper— Film & TV, Media, Visual Art, Staff movements during the year were:- Karen Hopley-Joce—Health & Physical Education, History, New Teaching Staff – 2014 Physical Education Nick Eady—Creative Industries Chris Look—Health & Physical Education 4 Colin Palmer—Chaplain Richard Hall—9 weeks Gerrit van Essen—Industrial Technology Ken Hutchinson—6 weeks Suzette Keleher—10 weeks Support Staff Left Since the 2013 Annual Report Lois Kissick—4 weeks Geoff Bell—Teacher Aide Linda Lawler—7 weeks Lynne Bell—Secretary Caboolture Campus Chris Morrow—4 weeks Jenny Braithwaite— Learning Support Teacher Aide Melanie Page—10 weeks Gordon Curtis—Property Dan Ridout— 5 weeks Margaret Green—Department Assistant Prue Slaughter—10 weeks Wendy Low—Cleaner Peter Smith—4.8 weeks Bev Schultz—Learning Support Paul Vitale—5 weeks Joe Scriven—Property Long Serving Staff at the end of 2014 Support Staff Leaving at the end of 2014 30 Years Kathy Carseldine— Finance Suzette Keleher—Assistant to the Sport Department Wendy Green— Teacher Aide, Learning Support Laurel Rackley— (34 years) - Year 8 Core teacher Esther Harding—Youth Chaplain Chris Podlich—Youth Chaplain Teaching and Support Staff on Leave for 2014 Helen Barry—maternity leave Gaye Bender—4 weeks 25 Years Cleone Cooper—Head of Performing Arts Jennifer Engelking— Finance Office Coordinator Robert Hilford—Assistant Head of Caboolture Campus— Curriculum Gordon Rackley— (34 years in Lutheran education) Head of Service and Activities Angela Brook—4 weeks Rhonda Crump—maternity leave 20 Years Megan Ennis—maternity leave Warren Irvine— Head of Curriculum Lizzie Hewitt—maternity leave Judith Niebling— Mathematics and Science Kate McKenzie—maternity leave Corrine Salmon—maternity leave Rhonda Myers— Deputy Principal’s Secretary Gail Rutherford—Assistant to the Mathematics Department Adelle Somerton—maternity leave Student Leadership Prue Slaughter—unpaid leave The College continues to be very fortunate in the high calibre of its student leaders. The school is thankful for the contributions to the College of:- Teaching and Support Staff on Long Service Leave in 2014 (4 weeks or more) Elizabeth Callaghan—175 hours Senior School Captains 2014 (Rothwell) Reilly Brown Tim Eilola—10 weeks 5 Emma Bennett Senior School Captains 2014 (Caboolture) Chase Taylor Tess Emmerson Senior Vice Captains 2014 (Rothwell) Oliver Stockdale Lauren Reddiex Senior School House Captains 2014 Rothwell Caboolture Antares Captains Michael Yore Matt Dopking Amy West Laine Crocombe Rothwell Vice Captains Nicholas Luff Thanks also to the seniors, GRIP leaders, House Captains, Sports Captains, Band Captains, Creative Industries Captains, Dance Captains, Drama Captains, Academic Captains, Faith and Service Captains, Hospitality Captains, Instrumental Captains, Lifestyle technology Captain, Performing Arts Captains, Sport Captains, Middle School Captains, Middle School House Captains, Student Representative Council Chairs, Tech Crew Captains, Vocal Captains, etc for your positive leadership. This is appreciated. Congratulations to those elected as student leaders for 2015:- Senior School Captains 2015 (Rothwell) Jack Sweetman Victoria McDonald Senior School Captains 2015 (Caboolture) Jasmine Southcombe Saif Mohammed Megan Munro-Gordon Orion Captains Senior Vice Captains 2015 (Rothwell) Joshua Kuchel Nic Dench Simon Kessels Mikaela Bratovic Dana van Scherpenseel Senior School House Captains 2015 Rothwell Vice Captains Ben Heaney Rothwell Antares Mikarlah Born Pegasus Captains Sean Austin Thomas Barton Aimee Scurr Georgia Craddock Rothwell Vice Captains Kiona Sharp Caboolture Captains Kenan Chan Elliot Smith Tahlia Perry Riley Smith Rothwell Vice Captains Liam Fitzgerald Tia Webster Daniel Jeffries Orion Jemma Taggart Mason Hasselmeyer Ethan McMullen Katee Maller Teagan Beaven Phoenix Captains Connor McCallum Daniel Oakes Courtney Taylor Heidi Lingard Rothwell Vice Captains Matthew Lyndon Jamii Dymock Captains Rothwell Vice Captains Neil Ren Mikaylah Atkins Pegasus Captains Mathen van Rensburg Thomas Fazey Katee Maller Kiara Walters 6 Rothwell Vice Captains Instrumental Captains 2015 Cooper Woods Rothwell Caboolture Selina Ho Kelly Bower Elise Kotzur (Year 11) Phoenix Captains Penny Tinto Seth Kennedy Jarod Sone Emily Hitchcock Emily Crandell Lillian Reid Lifestyle Technology Captains (Rothwell) 2015 Rothwell Vice Captains Adam Brown Ashley Brown (Hospitality) Charli McLennan Ashley Butter (Early Childhood/Home Economics) Academic Senior Captains 2015 Rothwell Caboolture Performing Arts Captains 2015 Ryan Marple Annelise Dopking Rothwell Caboolture Sophie Coulon Jared Setch Daniel Bogheim Creative Industries Captains 2015 Rhiane Humphreys Rothwell Caboolture Kate Halling (Visual Art) Maxine Taylor (Film & TV) Sport Captains 2015 Olivia Carney (Film & TV) Brittany Payne (Visual) Rothwell Caboolture Kenan Chan Kiara Walters Tahlia Perry Dance Captains 2015 Rothwell Caboolture Nicola Moran Hope McCarthy Rothwell Vice Sport Captains Adam Brown Hannah Hobson Emily Crandell Drama Captains 2015 Student Representative Council Chairs 2015 Rothwell Caboolture Ally Philp Breeanna Gardner Senior School Rothwell Caboolture Larissa Troeger Courtney Marsh Middle School Faith and Service Captains 2015 Rothwell Rothwell Caboolture Co-Chairs: Emma Hooper & Kayley Halangoda Brienna Conomos Shauna Canning Isaiah Kuchel Kylie Siebuhr Tech Crew Captains 2015 Olivia Berry Rothwell Evangeline Charles Joshua Egan 7 Caboolture Karl Bachmann (Year 11) Vocal Captains 2015 Rothwell Caboolture Abigail Mejia Jacquille Pringle (Year 11) Academic Middle School Captains (Rothwell) 2015 Maigen Smith and Max Orchard Dance Captains (Middle School) (Rothwell) 2015 Middle School Captains 2015 Rothwell Caboolture Mia Gaudry Rusty Daniels Mark Coulon Sarah Ives Mikayla Caniglia Drama Captains (Middle School) (Rothwell) 2015 Abby-Maree Waterton Middle School House Captains 2015 Rothwell Caboolture Antares Captains Isaac Considine Joshua Marriott Colette Blake Maureen Malesa Vocal Captains (Middle School) (Rothwell) 2015 Katie McCluskie Senior Class 2014 Rothwell Vice Captains This was the 33rd Senior class at Grace and a total of 5203 students have now graduated from the College. Lachlan Kessels Mackenzie Hutchings Orion Captains Marvin Teleron Archie Whiting Lily Ritchter Some of the Seniors’ achievements in 2014 are listed below:Academic Miriam Kotzur Corey Shea The following Year 12 students received distinctions for the university subject undertaken in Semester 1:- Tiana Baker Oliver Stockdale (Mechanics & Thermal Physics 1—UQ) Rothwell Vice Captains Pegasus Captains Malik Walters (Engineering Statics and Materials—QUT) Tallis Keam Lachlan Sykes Kit Wood (Management—QUT) Matilda Barrett Ella Moore Rothwell Vice Captains Business Jack Campbell First group of Year 12s graduated from the new Business communication & technologies syllabus this year. Last group of year 12s graduated from the superseded courses of Business Organisation & Management and legal Studies. First group of Year 12s graduated from the new VET course, Business & IT Practices, where 23 qualifications were awarded. Louisa Busfield Phoenix Captains Daniel Kennedy Ewan Maunders Abby Boundy Simaima Gordon Rothwell Vice Captains Elliott Hawkins Bree-anna Butler 8 19% of graduates received a VHA 44% of graduates received a HA 28% of graduates received a SA Achieved the Diploma in Childrens’ Services: Lauren Harison, Alana McDowall, Brooke Whisson, Isabella Raines, Chloe Denton-Bell, Kirsty Bennett Brooke Whisson and Kirsty Bennett having completed their Diplomas received Tertiary offers by early December 2014, way before the first round of offers in mid January 2015. Barista Competition (Brisbane—SE Amber-Lee Kogels—a sliver Award. Certificate Ii Hospitality (Kitchen Operations): Shaun Baker, Joscelynne Barnes, Kirsty Bennett, Lauren Harrison, sinead Hennessy, Zoe Johnston, Amber-Lee Kogels, Nick Mobbs, Claire O’Driscoll, Chloe Simpson, Sharne Stevenson, Holly Teague, Madison White, Harrison Woods. Home Economics students were involved in the project that donated goods to The Lodge—a youth shelter at Northgate. 1 VHA (out of 12) from this cohort at the end of Year 12. Creative Industries Tyson Evans Art Scholarship—Nattie Wallace and Erin Logan entered and had their work on display at the Redcliffe Art Gallery. Film & TV students at the Caboolture Campus won first place in the 2014 QUT Student Film Competition for their 3 minute documentary highlighting environmental action in their region. Department prize was $3,000 to spend on equipment and $250 for each student—Matt Price, Tess Emmerson, Kim Davies Graham, Ainsley Sherwell, Laine Cronbe, Mat Wilton and Ellie Cutler. Nattie Wallace was awarded the JT Press Award for Graphic Art. Academic results for Film & TV very high—there were 2 VHA 10s and this contributed to a total of 18 VHAs in all in a cohort of 64. Academic results in Visual Art were strong—many from this group have gone on to pursue further Tertiary study in either visual Art or the Creative Industries. Nattie Wallace—Art Captain, designed the Wall of Hands for the 201`4 Year 12 sculpture now housed outside the Art Block. FUNDING Grace received $7,549 per student in Year 7 and $7,549 per student in Years 8-12 from the Commonwealth Government Recurrent Grants (the base rate received for the 2014 calendar year) for students enrolled at census in August). The State Government Recurrent Grant was $1,522 per student in Year 7 and $2,284 per student in Years 8-12. Lifestyle Technology Achieving their Cert III in Children’s Services—Lily Madden, Adele Roots, Taylah Richardson, Madelline Crack, Lauren Harrison, Alana McDowall, Reece Burke, Claire O’Driscoll, Adrienne Saunders, Connor Hill, Kate McCloughlin, Mikarlah Born, Rhiannon Thorrpe, Sinead Hennessy, Brooke Whison, Isabella Raines, Chloe Denton-Bell, Kirsty Bennett Working towards their Diploma in early Childhood Education and Care: Sharne Stevenson, Madelline Crack, Reece Burke 9 Qld): Ruth Butler Principal CABOOLTURE CAMPUS Enrolments This year, the Caboolture Campus ‘felt the pinch’ of the initial Prep Year coming through. The year 6 cohort across the state in 2013 had been about .6 of the average of previous years and that was reflected in our Year 7 enrolments for 2014. In 2013 we had 62 students and multiplying that by 0.58 gives us the 36 students we have in year 7 for this year. Year 7 36 Year 8 79 Year 9 66 the opportunity to move what was once “G-Block, then C-Block” at Rothwell to the Caboolture Campus. It is now located to north of our workshops and maintenance sheds. This strategic and timely move has created space for the “Flying Start” constructions at Rothwell and brought with it a textiles room, Dance/Drama/Media studio and practice area, practice rooms for ensemble tuition and practice and an office for VET and Careers Guidance staff for Caboolture. Year 10 61 Year 11 65 Year 12 43 We have been blessed with encouraging, steady growth since our commencement with 88 students in 2008: 2009 141 students 2010 226 students 2011 274 students 2012 327 students, across the first ‘full’ 6 year levels 2013 350 students As seems to be the case in each of these reports, there is seldom any ‘inactivity’ on the building front here on the Caboolture Campus. Over the Christmas break, at the end of 2014, we will build-in the Stage 2A undercroft, as planned. A membrane cover will added to the western half of the Quadrangle for shade and some cover against the elements, whilst a permanent roof will be added to our Multi-purpose courts. The artist’s representation below, provided by PW Architects, gives an idea of how these projects may change our ‘skyline’ in the New Year. In 2014 Tess Emmerson and Chase Taylor are the Senior School Captains at the Caboolture Campus. Enrolments for 2015 have commenced. It continues to be encouraging that nearly 70% of the Year 6s from St Paul’s Lutheran Primary School now see the Grace Caboolture Campus as their secondary school of choice. Staffing With the minimal net growth in student numbers due to the “Prep Year” arriving this year, our teaching staff has remained stable with Mrs Cheryl Costin joining the support team as administrative assistant. Mrs Lynne Bell, PA to Head of Campus, has retired after years of faithful, valuable service at both Campuses of the College. She is succeeded by Mrs Cheree Woodbridge who joined us mid-year. It is exciting to watch the Campus evolve and grow as we continue to find ways to expand the opportunities on offer at Grace Caboolture. I appreciate everyone’s patience as these projects roll out alongside normal day to day school life. On behalf of the Caboolture Campus Administration Team I would like to thank our whole community for their enthusiastic support of the Campus, our staff and our programs, it is a blessing to serve you. Buildings/Facilities Allan Dallas As is the case with building, meeting needs and striv- Head of Caboolture Campus and Deputy Principal ing to be wise stewards of our resources, we took 10 Grace Lutheran College—School Annual Report 2015 (Based on 2014 Data) DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION Grace Lutheran College is owned by the Lutheran Church of Australia, Queensland District. It is governed by the College Council whose Chair is Mr John Gerlach, Vice Chair - Mr Gary Fulton, Secretary - Mrs Pattie Neideck-Collins, Chair of Finance - Mr Peter Logan and Members are Dr Roger Hunter, Mr Craig Klinge, Mrs Gail Symons and Mrs Annette Ubbesen. The College Council reports to the Lutheran Church of Australia, Queensland, in the Annual General Synod report. Grace Lutheran College with campuses in Rothwell (Redcliffe Peninsula) and Caboolture, is a coeducational secondary school, catering for students from Year 7 to Year 12. The Redcliffe campus commenced operation in 1978. The Caboolture Campus is located at 129 Toohey Street, approximately 1 kilometer north west of the town centre and commenced in 2008 with Year 7 and Year 8 students. Grace College partners with three Lutheran primary schools and Grace Kindergarten to provide pre-Prep to Year 12 education. The three primary schools are Grace Lutheran Primary School, Clontarf; Living Faith Lutheran Primary School, Murrumba Downs and St Paul’s Lutheran Primary School, Caboolture. Students enjoy our state-of-the-art facilities that have been designed with the learner in mind and combine contemporary building principles with the latest trends in flexible educational spaces incorporating a range of learning technologies. Grace Lutheran College also owns Googa, a Centre for Outdoor Education and Christian Retreat, together with Grace Lutheran Primary School at Clontarf and Good Shepherd Lutheran College at Noosaville. MISSION STATEMENT “Grace Lutheran College is by the grace of God a Christian community. It aims to continue the preparation of young people for a life of faith and service, so that God will be glorified in the world.” School sector: Independent School’s address: Rothwell Campus: Anzac Avenue, Rothwell, QLD, 4022 Caboolture Campus: 129 Toohey Street, Caboolture, QLD, 4510 Total enrolments: 1653 (Census August 2014) Year levels offered: Years 7 - 12 Co-educational or single sex: Co-educational Characteristics of the student body: Boys make up 48% of students at Rothwell and 46% at Caboolture, and therefore the percentage of girls at Rothwell is 52% and 54% at Caboolture. There were 30 Indigenous Students in 2014, 27 were at our Rothwell campus and 3 at Caboolture campus. 11 FACILITIES AND RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY The Information Services Department is a strong team that works together for the common good of students and towards the success of all projects and initiatives. The beginning of 2014 saw a steady start to the year. Over the Christmas break and early into 2013, a number of projects that were initiated in the trailing end of 2013 were rolled out. Some of these major projects include the Fuji Xerox MyPrints rollout, the cashless tuckshop system at Rothwell, and the online payments of fees and activities (such as school trips), a CCTV rollout and various other small projects. The Fuji Xerox MyPrints and Cashless Tuckshop solution have both fit well within the school, as we are now printing our own ID Cards making use of contactless technology permitting students’ to have better accountability for printing and tuckshop use. Whilst there has been some resistance from parents on uptake of the cashless tuckshop, in general the figures are as expected (and advised) from the supplier of the cashless tuckshop solution. As new students are assimilated into the school (in particular, new Year 7 and Year 8 students), the use will continue to grow. Online Payments for both Grace Lutheran College fees and activities, as well as the Swimming Operations & Swimming Club was a fairly major project involving Westpac Bank, the IT Department, and the Accounts department. It is proving popular, with a vast number of parents now using this functionality for school fee payments. As time goes on, we expect that system to grow also. Partnering with Samsung, the CCTV solution has provided the College with ample coverage and security footage should the need arise. This system will (and has been) expanded since installation, as more buildings are built and other areas are deemed necessary for CCTV Coverage. The current solution covers approximately 90% of the Caboolture campus, and approximately 60% of areas of interest at the Rothwell campus. On the upcoming projects front, we are expecting a few major projects to be undertaken over the coming months and into 2015. These include a Fibre Optic Internet Connection to replace the existing Microwave solution at both campuses, the cashless tuckshop system to expand to Caboolture (ready for use in Term 1 2015), the replacement of a number of PCs as part of our annual PC turnover, and the replacement of hard drives in computers to Solid State Drives to improve overall performance of these machines, in turn aiding the learning process further. The IT Department is also expecting to replace the current staff laptops (which are coming up on 3 years old) in the first quarter of 2015. These machines have served their purpose well over their life, and the staff laptop program has been deemed a success and we look forward to continuing with this over the following years. The Grace Lutheran College Facebook presence continues to grow, with almost 2000 likes and an active presence from all of the staff who contribute to the page. Lego Robotics/Business Centre and Senior Study Centre The building of a purpose-built Lego robotics/Business centre and senior study centre are also going to be fitted out with the latest technology from an IT Perspective – with an abundance of wireless coverage, flat-panel displays and excellent use of A/V Solutions. On top of that, Grace College is the first Independent school in Queensland (and only the second in Australia) to host the prestigious FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Competition from 2014 Onwards. FIRST Australia was hoping for 12 teams, however we are expecting to double that number. We are also one of the first schools in Queensland to have Robotics written into the Year 11 & 12 Curriculum, and have continued to enjoy extremely large growth in IPT Numbers despite a falling state trend. LIBRARIES 2014 has also been a year of growth for Libraries on both campuses. Many positive changes have taken place this year within our department. Some of these changes have been small, like adding subject identifier labels to shelving and moving shelves or resources to provide easier access for students, while other changes have had a greater impact on the library e.g. the moving of two computer rooms into the library space to facilitate the development of the Rothwell Campus Senior Study Centre. Our Rothwell students have embraced these changes and continue to enjoy the wide variety of resources that we have on offer including our ever-popular EBooks and an expanded collection of magazines, both recreational and educational. Regular turn-over of 12 topical displays highlighting the different resources that we hold has increased borrowing and kept the library fresh and exciting. The Library has been made available to Year 11and 12 students as a study centre during block exams this year. This has been well utilized with standing room only on some occasions. The popularity of the After-School Hours Service continues to grow with the library filled to capacity on many an afternoon at both campuses. The staff and Tutors that have been available during the afternoons have provided quality assistance to students across all year levels. We have also had a team of Year 12 Tutors helping out in the library before and after school and at lunch time and this has been greatly appreciated by the students. As we embrace our digital future the both of our Libraries continues to acquire new materials where eBooks were seen to be the focus of purchasing. Providing appropriate support through our existing print collections has also been a focus area ensuring that curricular teachings are supported by library resources. This year the appointed Caboolture campus Librarian has delivered information services to support study classes, teachers and learning. T hrough an understanding of the specific disciplines, the librarian has supported the campus library through developing collections, research needs, staying up-to date with the literature across the curricular areas and assisting students with bibliographic management tools and assignment tasks. Peter Kellett Director of Information Services and Japanese and select two of the three Performing Arts subjects offered, namely Music, Drama and Dance. As well as their core subjects, students in Years 8 – 9 study four subjects chosen from a wide selection of electives. In addition to the core subjects, Year 10, 11 and 12 students also select four elective subjects from an extensive list which includes both Authority and Authority Registered subjects as well as vocational options. (All subjects available are listed with Course Outline Booklets on the College website www.glc.qld.edu.au. They can be accessed by following the links via Programs then Academic.) THE GOOGA PROGRAM All students in Year 10 attend the Outdoor Education Program for four weeks at Googa, nine kilometres from Blackbutt. This program has an emphasis on both working as a part of a group and on accepting individual responsibility while developing leadership skills. Each participant is challenged physically, mentally, socially and spiritually through the experience. ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT In 2014 a number of initiatives and programs were made available to enrich and extend students with academic gifts and talents: DISTINCTIVE CURRICULUM OFFERINGS Grace Lutheran College offers a wide and diverse curriculum at all levels, catering for students with a variety of abilitie s and interests. Grace has implemented the Australian Curriculum (ACARA) but we have also been able to retain and enhance our range of elective choices from Years 8-12. In addition to the regular subjects offered, Year 7 students study a wide range of other subjects including Technology (Lifestyle Technology, Industrial Technology, Graphics and Information Processing Communications and Technology), and Creative Industries (2-Dimensional Art, 3-Dimensional Art and Media). In addition, Year 7 students study German 13 Identified Year 7 students continued to be involved in four Academic Enrichment Days over the course of the year. Students were able to select the subject area of their choice and participate in engaging workshops, whilst mentoring like-minded students from our feeder primary schools. All students were offered the opportunity to participate in the Independent Schools Queensland Days of Excellence. Students had the opportunity to participate in workshops ranging from Stop Motion Animation to Critical Thinking in Mathematics and Forensic Chemistry to Composing. In-class support of students in Year 7 requiring extension was continued from the trial begun in 2013. It is hoped to expand this into Year 8 in 2015. A review of core subject curriculum units in the Years 7 and 8 has begun, with the focus being the explicit incorporation of differentiated instructional techniques and activities into unit plans. The ultimate goal is that Higher Order Thinking Skills is incorporated into class lessons for all students in order to encourage students to think critically and creatively. A wide variety of Extension Elective subjects continue to be offered in Years 8 and 9 that allow students with gifts and talents to pursue their interests at a higher level. Electives offered include Extension English, Investigative Science, Mathematics, History, and Geography as the Extension Electives offered. Extracurricular enrichment offerings such as Maths Club, Chess Club and Debating have allowed students to engage in academic pursuits outside of the school curriculum. Fifteen Year 12 students were accepted to undertake study in a University program while completing their final year at Grace across Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland, Griffith University and University of Southern Queensland. Students requiring Mathematics acceleration continued to take part in a trial program involving compaction of the Middle School Mathematics curriculum, with the trial completed at the end of 2014. It is hoped that the finalised program will be offered to students in Year 7 requiring acceleration from Semester 2, 2015. In spite of numerous changes to the way schools are funded for students with disabilities, the Learning Support Department has been able to continue to provide a high level of inclusive support to students that require educational adjustments in the classroom. The College remains committed to ensuring that all students continue to improve. Mrs Vanessa Murphy Head of Learning Support Sam Ayre Head of Academic Enrichment LEARNING SUPPORT In 2013 Grace College participated in National Consistent Data Collection for students with disabilities. This data will be used by schools and education authorities to improve support for students and will likely be published on the My School website and in other national reports on schooling from 2016 onwards. As part of this process, staff and parents have been challenged by the national definition of disability which includes a much broader range of learning and medical needs. Anzac Day March 2014 Close management of student academic results by curriculum staff has led to more students being identified as requiring assistance through the Supported Learning elective in Middle School. It is envisaged that this early identification should better prepare student for their Senior School studies. The College has also begun to work closely with agencies to assist our senior students with disabilities to obtain supportive employment. This has enabled many of our students to obtain part-time employment and traineeships while remaining at school. The agencies will continue to support our students beyond Year 12. Fraser Island Biology Trip 2014 14 CHRISTIAN STUDIES Years 7 – 12: All students study Christian Studies and all participate in at least 50 minutes of Physical Education per 10 day cycle. The Christian Studies program follows the curriculum developed by Lutheran Education Australia from Years 7-10, and in Years 11-12 there are three options for students: QSA subject (contributes to OP), Study of Religion, QSA Religion and Ethics subject (contributes to QCE) or a Certificate III in Christian Ministry (contributes to QCE). In 2014 we have worked hard continuing the focus on engaging our students with the material to learn and creating learning and assessment tasks which best enable students to show what they have learned. Middle School Christian Studies has had a focus on refining existing assessment tasks, whilst the Senior School has remodelled some of the approaches to units of work and assessment tasks so as to better enable students to grapple with ‘worldview’ which is one of the overarching concepts. the day is an example of our commitment to dealing with issues that are very relevant to the day to day lives of our young people. There is a new Religion and Ethics syllabus which is to be implemented in 2015. As a consequence we have been undertaking a review of our senior program and making the necessary changes so that we comply with this new syllabus. This has given us the opportunity to review our approach and look for ways to improve our course. The new syllabus implementation has meant an exciting shift in our year 10 program. Year 10 will now be the first of a three year program of Religion and Ethics. Assessment will be formative to the end of second semester year 11. Second semester year 11 and all year 12 work will be summative and will contribute to their final achievement level. This will continue to appear on the senior certificate and contribute QCE points. Ms Stephanie Maher Dean of Christian Learning, Spirituality & Service OVERSEAS PARTNERSHIPS Service Learning has continued to be a strong focus especially in year 9 and year 11, with some emphasis in year 7. Exemplar projects which have engaged students in the year 9 Environment unit have been linked to recycling, the RSPCA & creating presentations for primary school students. As part of the Social Justice unit in year 11, students have chosen to engage with a range of issues including for example, homelessness & related issues, poverty, human trafficking, and child labour. Incursions and Excursions continue to form a powerful part of what students encounter in Christian Studies. The Year 11 World Religions excursion continues to be an integral part of student learning as we encourage our students to grapple with the multicultural and multi-religious global community in which we live. Year 9 students engaged with the presenters during the Relationships and Sexuality incursion at a very high level. The material is informative, timely, engaging and challenging and Yearly, two-way cultural exchanges are arranged with schools in Germany and Japan. In 2013—2014 overseas visits or exchanges took place to Indonesia, Japan, Germany, USA, Africa and Cambodia. EXTRA TUITION AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR ALL STUDENTS A large team of capable Senior students volunteer their time to offer tuition to other students in the Maths block every lunch time. Any student can access this support. The library is open Monday to Thursday until 6.00pm at Rothwell Campus, 5.15pm at Caboolture Campus, and Fridays until 3.30pm. Trained staff, teachers and mentors are available to assist any students who need help with homework, study, assignments or research. The extended library hours in 2011 - 2014 have been extremely successful. 15 ENGLISH Middle School Students in the Middle School have continued to embrace the many real challenges of English. The course is designed to promote strong analytical and evaluative skills. Students consider a range of texts in terms of both what is being said and how it is being said. As well, students are required to create their own texts. One of the highlights for the Year 7 students, for instance, was the creation of a picture book, with apt illustrations. Members of the administration team were invited to listen to the students proudly reading their work. In year 8, students wrote short stories and then presented them orally using a variety of technical modes. In Year 9, students each wrote a sonnet, a demanding poetic form, and the results were excellent. In all areas of English, the skills of language are taught and practised. Reading is promoted and we know that students who read at home regularly are often the best writers both in terms of imaginative ability and also in technical precision. Senior School English in the Senior School is a highly analytical subject requiring students to read a range of texts very closely. Students continue to consider the way language works in poetry, drama, film and novels and to realize that cultural context and ideological perspectives are very important aspects of meaningmaking. Students also create a range of texts, from persuasive speeches, feature articles and crime fiction in Year 10 to persuasive columns and interior monologues in Year 11 to short stories and library annex poetry presentations and conference papers in Year 12. Once again this year the Year 10 students thoroughly enjoyed the visit from local journalist Mrs Amy Caldwell who spoke to them about the mechanics of feature article writing. Many students applied her advice to produce exemplary feature articles themselves. Exploring English (formerly Elective English) Exploring English is the new and improved title for the English elective subject offered at Year 8 and 9. This year, the two year course will have run its first full cycle. The subject has enjoyed popularity so far from keen students, who love to read and write. Open to all students, it has attracted some who feel less confident with English, and yet, they have benefited from joining the class. The course challenges them to write a wide variety of texts. Its aim has always been to add depth to what is already done in English. For instance, where English explored poetry, the elective group explored folk songs around the world and created a libretto based on a folk song. Where English classes wrote short stories, the elective students created unconventional short stories. English Communication in Year 11 and 12 This subject is growing in popularity amongst senior students and for the first time, we have operated two classes at year 11 level at the Rothwell Campus. English Communication is a wonderful alternative for students wanting to choose a trade over a university degree in the future. It is not necessarily less demanding than English; it is just different in the demands. At present, the Year 12 class is completing the course by creating a multi-media promotional tool which focuses on the skills of surviving Senior School. English Extension This subject has been offered since 2008 and has continued to enjoy real popularity amongst students who excel in language-rich areas. More about literary theory than literature, it is based on the premise that texts carry no set interpretation and that a reader will make sense of a text according to his/her world view. It is a fascinating, challenging and exciting subject. The teachers feel honoured to read the work produced by the students. Again this year, a highlight for the students was a trip to the library of the University of Queensland, the purpose of which was to enrich their research capabilities. Lois Kissick Head of English MATHEMATICS Year 8 Quiz: Our teams finished first and second in the preliminary rounds, won the semi-final and performed well in the Queensland final. Maths Teams Tournament: Grace entered 28 teams in the Maths Teams Tournament. All of our teams performed well especially in the Year 9 & 10 division where we finished second and third. Overall our College was placed third. Australian Maths Competition: There were 117 participants and 70 students won awards including a Prize, three High Distinctions and eighteen Distinctions. ESSI Money Challenge: Students tested their financial knowledge and had fun doing it while learning about finances by participating in the BOQ ESSI Money Challenge. Mr Mal Hartwig Head of Maths 16 SCIENCE One of the displays at the Yr 9 Dynamic Maths & Science Many of the year’s events are cyclic, although our achievements through these events vary. Completely new was a group of 17 students travelling to the USA in the Easter break to explore aspects of the NASA facilities in Orlando, Florida. A mix of students from both campuses had their imaginations sparked as they saw historic full size rockets, meet astronaut Edward Gibson (who flew on Skylab 4, 1973 for 84d 1h 15min with a total of 15h 22min One of the displays at the Yr 9 in EVA) and engaged with Dynamic Maths & Science fair. simulators and training apparatus. Thanks to Mr Dan Leutton for organising the logistics of the trip and for representing the College so ably on Channel Seven’s Sunrise show. In Term 1, students again competed in the Science and Engineering Challenge. In this experience they are given a range of problems to solve, involving a cycle of thinking and application of practical skills which engineers employ to solve real world problems. Groups who competed varied in their measured level of success, but all were exposed to new methods and contexts which will make them better problem solvers in the future. carried out through the term. Students had compiled their research, results and conclusions into compact displays to allow both staff and students to see and hear about their work. Students were also solving crime in their year 9 Forensics incursion, learning about the amount of work it takes to gather and process evidence to lead to a perpetrator of crime being caught. Year 7 students investigated bridge designs in their Physics unit which concentrates on forces. This year students used a software package to design and pre -test structures, examining loads and stress, before constructing models to physically test. Some of the student models were of a very high standard and able to withstand significant loads before reaching failure point. This unit also showed how scientific approaches can lead to quality solutions for real world problems. Term 4 started with year 11 Biology trips to Fraser Island investigating the ecology of this World Heritage area. Students then use the data collected to report on the diversity of species that are adapted to life in this habitat. Students in year 9 Investigative Science complete independent studies, selecting a topic of their choice to investigate and report on, as a culmination of their two year course. Students choose from topics as diverse as soft drinks and tooth decay, the resistance of tablet coatings to hydrochloric acid, the effect of music genre on concentration and the effect of colour contrast on readability. The diversity of skills, interests and programs engaged by our scientists is encouraging and we hope to provide many more opportunities in the year ahead, continuing to see growth as we prepare our students for the world beyond this College. In Term 2, students in year 9 Investigative Science became cheese-makers, with half of the group producing a camembert and half producing a blue vein cheese. A number were entered into the RNA student cheese competition in May, with many positive comments and scores from the judges. Also in May, a selection of year 10 students sat the Big Science competition, with Jennifer Clark, Lachlan Frawley, William Gibson, Liam Hartley, Ryan Moloney and Corey Quaill achieving high distinctions, as well as a further 10 distinctions and 40 credits. In June students from year 7 to 9 entered in the ICAS-Science competition, with 40 credits, 10 distinctions and 1 high distinction achieved by Max Orchard (Yr 8). In Term 3 a group of students entered the National Chemistry Competition with Matthew Aitken and Michael Griffiths achieving high distinctions, along with a further 10 distinctions and 22 credits. The year 10 Extension Science class hosted Science Week with engaging lunchtime activities ranging from chemical reactions, to water rockets, dry ice bubbles and explosions, to vortex cannons and make-your-own ice cream and sherbet. Dynamic Maths and Science students held a Science Fair in Term 3, displaying the results of investigations which had been Yr 9 student Distinction & High Distinctions winners in the Big Science Competition. Camembert cheese made by Year 9 Investigative Science being used in a ham sandwich. Mr Peter Smith Acting Head of Science 17 LANGUAGES The central focus of studying languages at Grace Lutheran College is to enable students to develop the skills to communicate in German and Japanese. Students come to understand that there are many people and societies within Australia and internationally who normally use other languages. They develop an awareness of a range of linguistic features, process skills and strategies. Another key point in the learning of German and Japanese is that students develop their cultural understanding and inter-cultural competence through communicating in an additional language. All Year 7 students at Grace do two languages – German and Japanese. After this mandatory year, language study becomes elective. The Languages Department at Grace is proud of the high retention rate of students from the initial mandatory period in Year 7, into the elective years, 8 to 12. In addition to an excellent academic program in languages at Grace, there are numerous cocurricular experiences that students can enjoy. In Term 2, 2014, the whole Year 7 cohort participated in our inaugural combined Languages Incursion in the MPC. The event started off with the enthralling beats of the Kizuna Taiko Drummers from the Gold Coast. Kizuna means “bond” in Japanese – very fitting for a morning of cultural, linguistic and cross campus bonding! Following the performance, certificates were awarded to students who had excellent achievements in German and/or Japanese in Semester 1. After the formalities, students were able to sample some delicious German cuisine – Bratwurst, Spezi and bakery items. The students had a great time and we look forward to next year’s event! In May, our Year 8 Japanese students went on an excursion to Mt Coot-tha to learn about Japanese gardens, haiku poetry and sumi-e painting. They also enjoyed an authentic Japanese obento lunch. Then, in June, the Year 8 German students visited King Ludwig’s restaurant at Maleny, enjoying traditional Bavarian foods and learning some fun German games! During Term 3, we hosted 15 students from our exchange school, Nichidai Tsurugaoka, Tokyo. The Japanese students loved participating in the program and not only did they learn lots of things about Australia but they also helped our students understand more about the Japanese language and culture. A similar wonderful exchange of students occurred in Term 4, with 16 students from Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Lebach, Germany coming to experience school-life at both Rothwell and Caboolture campuses. We are most grateful for the wonderful generosity of Grace hostfamilies who have so kindly looked after all of our overseas visitors in 2014. In the spring vacation, 22 GLC students travelled to Japan for an amazing 17 days immersed in the Japanese language and culture. The tour included visits to Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Takayama, Shirakawa, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima. One of the real highlights of the tour was attending classes at Nichidai Tsurugaoka, as well as the homestay with Nichidai families. Mr Ken Hutchinson Head of Languages 18 SOCIAL SCIENCE is now studied in Year 7 and 8. “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder.” John F. Kennedy 35th President of USA At Grace, our keen Geography and History students may also elect to undertake extension studies in both of these areas in Year 8 and 9, where the subjects are then called Investigative History and Investigative Geography. Additionally in Year 10, our students may elect to study any combination of Modern History, Ancient History, Geography and Economics in readiness for their study of those subjects in Year 11 and 12 when they reach senior schooling. History is the disciplined process of inquiry into the past that develops students' curiosity and imagination. Awareness of history is an essential characteristic of any society, and historical knowledge is fundamental to understanding ourselves and others. It promotes the understanding of people and societies, events, motives, movements and developments that have shaped humanity from earliest times. It helps students appreciate how the world and its people have changed, as well as the significant continuities that exist to the present day. The process of historical inquiry develops transferable skills, such as the ability to ask relevant questions; critically analyse and interpret sources; consider context; respect and explain different perspectives; develop and substantiate interpretations, and communicate effectively. Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world, using the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, liveability, sustainability, scale and change. It addresses scales from the personal to the global and time periods from a few years to thousands of years. Geography integrates knowledge from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to build a holistic understanding of the world. Students learn to question why the world is the way it is, reflect on their relationships with and responsibilities for that world, and propose actions designed to shape a socially just and sustainable future. Economics is broadly concerned with developing the ability to make informed, responsible and ethical decisions about the efficient and equitable use and management of wealth and finance. Economics is a problem solving discipline and seeks to develop an understanding of the process of financial decisionmaking by consumers, workers, businesses and governments, both domestically and internationally, to solve the eternal economic problem of a scarcity of resources. Many engaging and valuable learning experiences have occurred in the Social Sciences this year. These have included: Geography excursions to Boondall Wetlands, Cabbage Tree Creek Catchment, Westfield Shopping Centre, the suburb of Spring Hill, Melany Rainforest, Australia Zoo, Seaworld, and Sunshine Coast Beaches. History excursions have included The Abbey Museum, QUT, UQ and Chinatown in the Valley, Queensland Museum, Old Government House, Parliament House and the Commissariat. Additionally, History students have enjoyed events such as Lunch with the Notables and Ancients Alive. Economics excursions have included QUT Economics Student’s Day, Brisbane Airport and the Port of Brisbane. Year 10, 11 and 12 Economics students have been playing the Australian Schools Sharemarket Game with great success. The ASX Sharemarket Games are a hands-on, interactive and fun experience. Starting with a hypothetical $50,000 to invest, create your own share portfolio. Our students have been able to buy and sell shares in real ASX-listed companies using real market prices in real sharemarket conditions. In playing the game it has been quoted by one student that “I am able to test my strategies in real market conditions without risk.” Brad Latter Head of Department - Social Science Our students, along with all school age students throughout Australia, are now required to study Core History in Years 7-10. Additionally, Core Geography 19 Business Education 41, Year 10 Applied Business Students are currently enrolled and working towards attaining a Certificate I in Business. 41 Year 11&12 students are currently enrolled in our standalone VET subject Business & IT Practices, working towards attaining a Certificate II Business and a Certificate II Information Digital Media and Technology. 27 outstanding and inventive business plans were produced ranging from Coffee Shops and Ice Cream, to Formal Dresses and Sports Shoes. This is the final year of the business plan assignments with the Business Organisation & Management syllabus document being rewritten to the new Business Management subject, currently being studied by Year 11 students. Legal Studies investigated numerous and varied contemporary legal issues including: Gene Patenting, Surrogacy Laws, Internet Piracy, Cyberbullying, Identity Theft, Privacy, Criminal Law, Criminal Defences, Civil Law, Forensic Law, Consumers, Minors and Police Powers and Responsibilities. Range of exciting and educational Business Departments Excursions including QUT Accounting Forum, Business Analysis of IKEA, Viewings at the Supreme Courts in Brisbane, Boggo Road Gaol visit, Feasibility Study of Australia Zoo, Forensic Analysis of Cases at the Police Museum and Business Operations in Action at Coca Cola and XXXX, just to name a few. Year 8 & 9 Business & Economics students and Year 11&12 Business & IT Practices students enthusiastically participated in a variety of Business Ventures to raise money for a number of charities, more than $4000 was raised – a fantastic result. Both Rothwell and Caboolture Legal Studies students have had the opportunity to participate in Mooting (Mock Trial) Competitions run by Bond University, the Queensland University of Technology and Moreton Bay Regional Council. All teams deserve recognition for the level of commitment and effort necessary to prepare for these competitions. Their capacity to draw on their understanding of the law, and formulate cogent arguments in a high pressure environment, was remarkable. Particular plaudits go to Mrs Corinne Salmon’s Caboolture team who won the inaugural Moreton Bay Law Association Secondary Schools Legal Challenge! Year 9 CICT has seen the introduction of a Lego NXT robotics unit. Students have loved working on the Sustainability Challenge and applying their problem solving skills to master these robotic challenges. Year 9 CICT Students had the opportunity to participate in Lego Workshops internal and external to the school. Year 7 Computer Literacy students have also tasted the world of Lego by undertaking custom animations using Lego bricks and software, and Year 8 CICT students have also undertaken a small introduction to the NXT robotics. Robotics will continue to grow in 2015 with the new Robotics Centre opening. Outstanding year for the Business Department and we are very proud and impressed by the entire department’s achievements. Ms Andrea Proctor Head of Business Education LIFESTYLE TECHNOLOGY In Lifestyle Technology the Year 12 students of 2014 were involved in Home Economics, Early Childhood and Hospitality. Their achievements throughout the year included: Achieving their Cert III in Children’s Services - Lily Madden; Adele Roots; Taylah Richardson; Madelline Crack; Lauren Harrison; Alana McDowall; Reece Burke; Claire O'Driscoll; Adrienne Saunders; Connor Hill; Kate McCloughlin; Mikarlah Born; Rhiannon Thorrpe; Sinead Hennessy; Brooke Whison; Isabella Raines; Chloe Denton-Bell; Kirsty Bennett Working towards their Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care: Sharne Steveson; Madelline Crack; Reece Burke Achieved the Diploma in Children’s Services: Lauren Harrison; Alana McDowall; Brooke Whisson; Isabella Raines; Chloe Denton-Bell; Kirsty Bennett Barista Competition (Brisbane ~ SE Qld): Amber-Lee Kogels ~ a Silver Award Certificate II Hospitality (Kitchen Operations): Shaun Baker, Joscelynne Barnes, Kirsty Bennett, Lauren Harrison, Sinead Hennessy, Zoe Johnston, Amber-Lee Kogels, Nick Mobbs, Claire O'Driscoll, Chloe Simpson, Sharne Stevenson, Holly Teague, Madison White, Harrison Woods Home Ec students were involved in the project that donated goods to The Lodge ~ a youth shelter at Northgate. 1 VHA (out of 12) from this cohort at the end of Yr 12. Catherine Stickland Head of Lifestyle Technology 20 DESIGN TECHNOLOGY Name Change - Industrial Technology has change name to Design Technology for next year 2015 Curriculum (Middle School) - Introduction of a new approach to the delivery of Industrial Technology with new work program books being utilised for overall delivery of our courses. New initiatives and new technologies have been implemented with enthusiastic take up of all involved. Areas of particular note have been pneumatics and hydraulics into year nine and aerodynamics into year 8. Continued change in this area will happen in 2015. Curriculum (Senior School) - Introduction of certificate course in engineering, construction and furnishing to the Grace RTO and into the classrooms. These subjects have grown leaps and bounds and now having waiting list for students to get in. In 2015 an extra class of construction and engineering will be offered taking the numbers to 3 construction and 2 engineering in year 11 2015 Curriculum Planning - New syllabuses have been implemented in Graphics and Technology Studies for start of 2014 and staff have been involved in writing courses for these and seeking approval from QSA. Year 12 curriculum documents are currently been planned for the start of 2015 for these subjects. - Certificate courses in Engineering Construction and Furnishing will continue to evolve as our first lot of students look to graduate from these courses in 2015. Year 12 assessment tasks are currently being planned and review with industry to ensure standards are being met by our students as well and staff have been involved in getting personal accreditation to deliver the best qualifications we can offer drawing of the past and into the area of design. Students again have been achieving very well and are enjoying the challenges faced in this subject. Facilities - Renovation of W3, W4 & W5. These new uplifting facilities have helped inspire and enhance student learning. Machinery and tools were purchased as well as walls painted and new fixed furniture installed. These facilities are very modern and well respected by all who have the pleasure working in there. - The building of a fantastic new facility the Trade Skills Centre is currently under construction. Students will commence work in this new building at the start of 2015 in Trade Pathways of Construction, Engineering and Furnishings. These new pathways have been Industry approved and offer students national qualifications current in industry. Staffing - This year we welcomed Charlie Byers to our teaching staff at Caboolture Campus. Charlie has brought a fresh new teaching experience to our department and has been a positive addition to our team. He has fitted in excellently into his new role here and has become a respected and valued member of the Grace community by both students and staff. - This year we welcomed Isaac Scales to our Caboolture team. Isaac working as our teacher aide three days a week and is doing an excellent job. He is valued in the community and a big part of our Industrial Technology program at the Caboolture campus. Mr Marcus McKinnon Head of Design Technology - New Year 7 - 10 programs for design technology have been in place this year (2014) with a current review taking place of effectiveness, enjoyment, results and outcomes with the aim to adjust these programs for 2015. Some changes will be made for 2015 in the areas of structure/ scaffolding and project tasks. - With vertical timetabling being started at Caboolture campus for 2015, Design Technology staff are busy planning how this will affect the teaching of our courses. Changes are being made to ensure a safe, enjoyable and challenging curriculum is being offered to meet required outcomes for those students wishing to begin further study in Design Technology areas. Curriculum results - Along with the traditional projects some innovations have been put into place across all the year levels with some excellent results being record across all grades. Students in Graphics have been solving design challenges using CAD software and with a slow shift away from the technical 21 this year called "Australian Gothic". Through the study of this style, students worked together on new performance techniques as well as learning about Australia's colonial history and Indigenous issues. PERFORMING ARTS DANCE Year 12 Dance graduating with exceptional results including a VHA 10, 9 and a high percentage of the class exited on a VHA. Dance Showcase was a great success with the highlight of the evening being the outstanding student choreographed items. Year 9 and 11 Dance classes have performed to a very high standard in their presentations at Caboolture Collective. The year 9 danced a Bollywood piece while the year 11 class performed an Indigenous inspired contemporary piece. High quality, sophisticated and creative choreography tasks have been a feature for both campuses this year. Year 12 student Kathryn Currie has been accepted into Jason Coleman's Ministry of Dance in Melbourne to complete a full time course providing a Diploma of Elite Performance a tremendous honour. MUSIC The Game On! Music program was introduced into Year 7 this year and will continue on into year 8 next year. Students in this program have been studying a second study instrument, completing the Music Craft Theory course and partaking in workshops, masterclasses and performances. The students completed two workshops led by Mrs Claire Carvolth and Grant Collins and a masterclass lead by past students who are studying or working professionally as musicians. In fourth term the students performed as soloists in the Game On! Recital. All Year 7 students participated in a percussion and dance workshop, Be the Beat, led by Grant Collins. Year 8 Music students have been working on developing songs for an interactive storybook aimed at pre-schoolers and based on Mem Fox’s “Wombat Divine”. The year 9, 10 and 11 music students have all performed popular songs from different eras. The year 9s focussed on rock music prior to 1980, the year 10s prepared a cover of a post 1980 rock song and recorded it at 180 Studios and the year 11 presented an evening concert of contemporary popular songs. Highlights of these three year levels from the Rothwell campus were performed at a lunch time concert in term 4. Year 12 Music and Music Extension students have achieved outstanding results with a high percentage of the class exiting on a VHA The Performance Music students (Cert III in Music) visited the Griffith University Conservatorium at the Gold Coast and explored the options of tertiary study in popular music. The Certificate III Tech Production students have benefitted from new equipment supplied by the P&F and the Performing Arts Support Group. DRAMA Year 10 students presented a Variety Night performance. With all aspects of the show managed by the students, a real feeling of accomplishment was achieved and there was very positive feedback from parents for this evening of student devised comedy. Years 10-12 travelled in to see the main stage production of George Orwell's 1984 as devised by Shake and Stir Theatre Company. Students enjoyed the play and were able to achieve strong results on the accompanying written task. "The Mousetrap", "All Stops out" and “Amazing Grace” were the year 12 students’ final class productions. All three performances were very well received. Years 8-12 Drama came together in Term 1 to see the on-campus production of "Bard to the Bone. Year 11's tried a new type of performance style Mrs Cleo Cooper Head of Performing Arts 22 VOCATION EDUCATION (VET) PROGRAMS Trades Skill Centre 2014 has been a very exciting year as we were finally granted funding to commence building the Trade Skills Centre at the Rothwell Campus. Construction will be completed by the end of the school year and classes in Certificate I Construction, Certificate I Furnishing and Certificate II Engineering pathways will commence at the start of 2015. VET Qualifications at GLC The VET qualifications that we offer as school subjects underwent an audit in 2014 and as a result we are in the process of updating our training and assessment materials to make sure that we are adequately preparing our students for the industry of their choice. Several Industry Partnership dinners were conducted throughout the year so that local industry leaders could give us valuable input into the development of our training and assessment practices and to validate our updated resources. Students this year produced an extremely high standard of work in the VET qualifications taken as school subjects, such as Visual Arts, Business, Information Technology and Digital Media, Technical Production, Workplace Practices, Christian Ministry, Construction, Children’s Services, Engineering, Music and Hospitality. The “hands-on” nature of these subjects have allowed students to develop practical skills that will be highly valued in the industry of their choice. Work Education Caboolture students were able to choose Work Education as a subject for the first time in 2014. Due to small numbers at Caboolture it was decided to combine the Year 11 and Year 12 students and enroll them all in 30981QLD Certificate II Workplace Practices. To gain this certificate, students must complete 80 hours of structured workplace learning and an enterprise project. Students were able to gain valuable experience in a wide variety of industries such as aviation, fashion, outdoor education, hospitality, retail, construction and engineering. For their Enterprise Projects this year, students at Rothwell have chosen to dedicate their time to assisting the elderly in the new residential care facility, Seabrae Manor, located directly behind the Rothwell campus. It is an excellent opportunity for students to develop employability skills and compassion for those most vulnerable in our community. Students assisted residents to attend a church service, served morning tea and delivered the daily mail to individual residents. It was a very enjoyable experience and a welcome break from the elderly residents’ usual routine. Staff Traineeships Once again several members of our support staff have taken up the challenge to gain further skills or qualifications to assist them in their current roles. Congratulations to the following staff who have completed this year: Sharon Gordon – Certificate III Education Support Allison Stansfield – Certificate III Business Angela Brooks – Certificate IV Business Many thanks to all of the VET teaching staff who also upgraded their Certificate IV Training & Education to include the mandatory new unit in Literacy and Numeracy. Student Involvement in VET Pathways School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships During 2014 on the Caboolture campus, 12 students were undertaking school-based apprenticeships or traineeships in a wide variety of industries such as retail, hospitality, business, childcare, horticulture, animal services and diesel mechanics. The involvement of students in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships at the Rothwell campus numbered 37; in many of the same industries but also included sport and recreation, aged care, hairdressing, electrical, carpentry, allied health and interactive digital media. The number of students undertaking school-based traineeships and apprenticeships have decreased considerably since last year, due to cuts in State Government funding that enforced employers to pay for a significant amount of their training costs. This has made it more difficult to source employers willing to take on school-based trainees. VETis However, the number of students enrolled in VET qualifications studying off campus, has dramatically increased. 32 students at Caboolture and 71 students at Rothwell have been studying in a wide variety of areas such as media, events, fitness, photography, graphic design, hospitality, health services, children’s services, business, animal studies, beauty, plumbing and fashion design. These qualifications all help to gain points towards the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and range from Certificate I to Diploma level. With more VET qualifications being offered as school subjects across both campuses, these numbers should reduce again in 2015. Mrs Leisa Jones Head of VET 23 CAREERS Face-to-Face Interview Program This continues to be the mainstay of Grace Lutheran College’s support for students in their career development journey during the senior phase of learning. It is what sets us apart from most schools in the field of career guidance because we have a commitment to an intensive individual approach involving a series of one-on-one interviews with the students between Year 10 and Year 12. This continuity allows us to build both a personal relationship with each student and an evolving record of their progress during these crucial years. This year this process was continued by Ms Suzanne Wright, as Head of Careers and Mrs Sharyn O’Connor at Rothwell and Ms Monique Atwell, part-time, at Caboolture. We hope we have done justice to the process created by our predecessors and given wonderful support by the Administration of the College and that each and every one of the students we deal with feel they can access all the support and information they need or desire to implement their decisions regarding their future and career goals. Work Experience Program: The Career Department administers a highly organised, well executed and well received Work Experience program for each Year 11 student. This includes placement in an occupation and location negotiated with each student. This year that involved placing 225 students from the Rothwell campus the majority of whom went out to work the first week of Semester 2 and 60 students from Caboolture who completed a week of work in the last week of Semester 2. As in previous years, a teacher visits each workplace with a view to see firsthand how the students are performing and to thank the employers personally for helping the College to make this program a success. This massive organisational feat is ably carried out by Mrs Barnard who contacts each and every one of our employers several times in the months prior to when the two groups of students go out in an effort to make the program run as smoothly as possible. Caboolture Campus: The evolution of Careers at the Caboolture campus has been swift and has achieved another milestone this year. This year the growing population of students at the Caboolture have been seen by Ms Monique Atwell who they know well as she is also part of the teaching staff. Ms Atwell interviews students for the equivalent of two days a week but has the advantage of being present at the College full-time. The Year 12 students at both campuses have been exposed to the same information regarding University Open Days, guest speakers, information sessions and one-to –one counseling to support the crucial decision-making they are undertaking. Inter-Departmental Cooperation The Careers Department staff work closely with numerous groups within the College particularly the VET Department, Lifestyle Technologies (placement of Early Childhood students, a total of 54 in Years 10, 11& 12 this year for their Work Experience), Curriculum leaders, Learning Support and the College Administration Team to strive for the fullest support for individual students and their particular needs. Contribution to Wider Forums As a Department, we contribute to various in-house committees whose tasks whose tasks involve overall policy development and implementation. In addition we are part of a number of professional bodies which keep us current with all the advances in our complex and growing field through continuing professional development. 24 Support for Parents Our services are available to parents as they try to help students make good decisions. The newsletter is an important means of communicating the plethora of opportunities and information available to support parents as the first and arguably most important “career coaches” of our young people. The Career Snippet articles and Extra Snippets are an effort to provide an overview and links to a large number of the events and materials produced by Tertiary Institutions and Employer organizations. We are also available to speak to parents with or without their students about any concerns regarding career development, study habits and pathways after school. We endeavour to provide information, guidance and an “outsider’s perspective” of individual situations either face to face or over the phone and encourage any of our parents who have any concerns to make an appointment. Support for Past Students We are happy to provide ongoing support to past students who might like to come back to ask for our assistance as their interests and circumstances change over time as well. Ms Suzanne Wright Head of Careers CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Opportunities exist for students to be involved in a wide range of co-curricular activities. Gifted, caring teachers provide role modeling in Pastoral Care, leadership training and an attitude of servant hood as they help to develop the God-given talents, teamwork and self-esteem of students. Please note, students at the Caboolture campus can participate in, not only ensembles and activities on their own campus, but many cross-campus programs as well by audition (e.g. whole school musical, extension ensembles, major tours and in team sport). Debating: Debating is open to all students in Years 7 12 and the College participates in the Queensland Debating Union competition. Typically the College enters multiple teams into each age group and debates take place on Wednesday evenings at a variety of venues. All senior students are able to contest the State team selection trials that are held in February and March each year. Chess: Mr Leutton runs a weekly chess club on Mondays in S6. Students in Years 7 – 12 are encouraged to attend regardless of their level of play. Any student who wishes to learn how to play chess is catered for, along with the more advanced player. Performing Arts: Beyond the curricular offerings of Music, Dance and Drama, there are over 20 performing arts ensembles in which students can become involved, including dance groups that explore styles such as liturgical, musical, theatre and hip hop, drama ensembles and production casts, and music groups including choirs, bands, orchestras, jazz groups and chamber music ensembles. Students are also able to join behind-the-scenes groups such as the Sound Crew and Technical Crew. Additionally, students have the opportunity to participate in school musicals. Private and group tuition is offered to students wishing to learn an instrument (at additional cost). Concerts, festivals, involvement in worship both on campus and in churches outside the College as well as Performing Arts Tours throughout Australia and overseas provide students with a wide range of experiences and facilitate the growth of self-confidence and an appreciation of others. 25 PERFORMING ARTS CO-CURRICULAR REPORT Performing Arts at Grace College has once again had a productive and rewarding year. We are ever grateful for the dedicated students and staff who continue to strive to achieve the best possible results in everything that they do. Game On! This year saw the start of a new and exciting course in the Performing Arts department. Game On! is an extension music program in the Middle School where capable musicians are selected to participate and are then given access to additional workshops, masterclasses and performance opportunities. Students also learn a second study instrument as part of the program. The course runs from Year 7 through to Year 9. This year the Game On! students participated in percussion workshops, a practice workshop with renowned musician Grant Collins, a masterclass with guest tutors and an end of year recital. Arts Festival 2014 saw the Rothwell campus’s inaugural Arts Festival featuring a celebration of dance, music, visual art and film. The three day event incorporated Jazz Night, Wearable Art, Wind Bands Showcase, Strings Showcase, Dance Showcase, film viewings, art exhibitions, instrumental music recitals, workshops, street entertainment and food stall. It was a superb event and we look forward to the next one in 2016. Middle School Musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was presented as this year’s Middle School Musical. Seventyseven Caboolture and Rothwell students from years 7-9 put on a vibrant and energetic performance which was critically acclaimed, and had many parents coming back to see it again, so impressed were they with the polish of the performance. As a first time for a Grace musical, the performances were staged in the MPC, with staff working closely with Brisbane Concert Lighting to provide an amazing stage and a full production experience for all students. Special mention to students Liam Kirkpatrick (JOSEPH), Rhianna Brown, Elianna Thompson and Katie McCluskie (NARRATORS), Matthew Bapty (PHAROAH), Matthew Parsons (LIGHTING) and Zac Jarrett (SOUND). Staff were also greatly assisted by a number of senior student mentors. Caboolture Dance This year Caboolture dance has continued to flourish, giving beautiful presentations at Easter and St Paul’s chapels, Showcase and Open Day, as well as working especially hard for their Tour presentations. They had a particularly busy Term Three performing at Danc'Ed in the Spotlight, Caboolture Collective Dance Showcase, St Paul’s Fair and received excellent feedback at the Beenleigh Eisteddfod. Dancers from the Troupe were also featured at Grace Celebrates and in the Middle School Musical. Dance Club has also had a great year and were featured at Caboolture Collective and Grandparents at Grace. Caboolture Drama Theatresports started the year with some fun, performing at Impro Nite, as well as at Showcase, Open Day and Caboolture Collective. The Year 7 Drama Club were also able to show off skills in improvising at Showcase, as well as providing a performance to the Grandparents at Grace. The Drama Troupe worked hard preparing a variety of items for regular, Easter, Christmas chapels and a St Paul’s chapel and especially for Bundaberg Tour, items from which were also featured at other College events. It was also great to see so many students using their dramatic talents in the Middle School Musical. Caboolture Music The Music program at Caboolture Campus continued to strengthen this year, with both Concert Band and String Ensemble receiving Silver Awards at Eisteddfods as they combined forces with their Rothwell peers. Drum Line was also warmly received at both the College Anzac Day service and the community march in Caboolture, as well as providing a rousing send-off for the Year 12s on their final walk through the campus. Jazz Band and Celtic Ensemble were both popularly received at the St Paul’s Fair, and all the ensembles, including Vocal Group, showed their quality at a variety of events such as Showcase, Open Day, Caboolture Collective, Anzac Day, on Tour in Bundaberg and at Grace Celebrates. The standard of the Instrumental Tuition program and teachers that underpin these great ensembles was highlighted at their Recital, as well as in students again receiving places in the State Honours Ensembles Program. In addition to all of this, three Worship Bands also served the Chapel services this year, as well as performing at the Easter and Christmas chapels and Showcase. The year ended with a farewell to the Seniors who had formed their core of their ensembles for so many years, as we welcomed the incoming graduating Primary students in a Concert band performance. Caboolture Tech The Caboolture Technical Crew have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to provide sound, lighting and stage crew support on numerous events including: Showcase, Open Day, Easter Chapel, Anzac Day Service, Caboolture Collective, Tuition Recital, several class productions, Exo Day and Final Chapels. A continued focus on mentoring this year has seen our Yr 7s learn the skills to light and amplify their first shows, including Grandparents at Grace. The Certificate III skills learnt by our graduating and current students have been invaluable on many occasions. It was also very pleasing to see Tech Crew leaders at both campuses honoured for their servant-hearted contribution over many years, as they received Grace Medallions. Rothwell Dance 2014 has seen great success for both the Middle and Senior School Dance Troupes at the Rothwell campus. All students were involved in many different events, festivals and competitions, both on campus and in the wider community. For many students, the highlight this year was the 26 International tour to Singapore, where the dancers were privileged to perform at some fantastic venues and also reaped the benefits of an unforgettable backstage tour of the Singapore Dance Theatre, where they were privileged to witness a full company rehearsal of their latest repertoire. Danc’Ed in the Spotlight is a festival day celebrating Dance Education and involves over 500 students from the district. Our students participated in Hip Hop and Jazz workshops with industry professionals, engaged in an industry forum, rehearsed on stage and showcased their work for one another in an afternoon dress rehearsal, before a public performance in the evening. The students also again competed in the Beenleigh Eisteddfod. The MS Troupe were awarded a Highly Commended for their jazz routine, ‘Ease on Down the Road’ and 3rd place in their Contemporary section, with the piece ‘Say Something’, beautifully choreographed by Senior Dance Captain, Kathryn Currie. The Senior Dance Troupe were awarded 2nd place in the Musical Theatre section with their piece ‘Puttin on the Ritz’ and also received an Honourable Mention for ‘Bom Bom’, in the highly competitive Senior Jazz section. The students reveled in the success of the day and loved the competitive atmosphere. Our annual Dance Showcase event was another highlight, this year being the closing event of GLC’s inaugural Arts Festival. Over 100 students from both curriculum and co-curricular classes were involved in delivering professional performances and showcasing many outstanding student-choreographed works. The culmination of the Dance year was found in the finale event of Grace Celebrates. It is wonderful to have the opportunity for all three College troupes to come together and perform as one on the big stage at Boondall Entertainment Centre. The students mastered the challenge of working with helium balloons to reflect the ‘Lift’ theme of the year and in turn created a memorable piece that reflected their incredible standard of technique and talent. Rothwell Drama The highlight of the Drama calendar has been the biannual Senior Drama Production. This year, the students were privileged to work with Zen Zen Zo Theatre Company with resident director Drew der Kinderen. Drew coached and guided the cast of 19 yr 10-12 students in the unique and challenging Physical Theatre style to create an original piece entitled ‘The Crane Wife’. The skills and techniques the students mastered during the 10 week rehearsal process will be invaluable in their development as young dramatic performers. Drew commented on their professionalism and enjoyed working with them for such an extended period. As well as this, we entered 3 Theatresports teams who each performed excellently in the state-wide competition. Despite not making it through the very difficult heats, they really held their own and were very entertaining! Theatresports Training has been a great success, headed up by past-student Monique Gregory who has developed and trained many enthusiastic students on a Friday after-school. Rothwell Music As well as major performances at the Arts Festival, Rothwell music ensembles have enjoyed a busy and productive year once again. Semester 1 began with a very successful Instrumental Music Camp, held at Luther Heights. Rothwell String Ensemble, Concert Band, Chamber Strings and Wind Symphony, as well as Caboolture String Ensemble and Concert Band worked hard for three days with Grace ensemble directors, as well as renowned guest conductors Peter Francis (Band) and Neridah Oostenbroek (Strings). Other highlights of Semester 1 include strings students from both campuses working with Lutheran schools from the sunshine coast in a day workshop and concert, Wind Symphony and Concert Band hosting American conductor Steve Peterson for a day of workshops, Wind Symphony competing in the Australian National Band Champion ships, and Chamber Strings being awarded third place at the Queensland Youth Music Awards. In the June/July holidays, Chamber Strings, Wind Symphony and Senior Vocal group joined with Senior Dance Troup on a 10 day tour of Singapore. All groups performed to an exceptional standard in a number of performance settings, and participated in a number of cultural exchange performances with local primary and high schools. Following on from performances at the Arts Festival, a number of groups competed in the MusicFest competition. String Ensembles from Caboolture and Rothwell combined forces to receive a Bronze award in C grade and Concert Bands from both campuses did like-wise to also be awarded Bronze in C grade. Chamber Strings competed in A grade and were awarded Silver, with a special Adjudicators Award being presented to lead violinist Rebekah Hall for outstanding solo playing. Vocal Showcase again illustrated the fine standard of solo vocalists and choirs at Rothwell campus. To conclude the major performances for the year, students from primary ensembles at both campuses combined to present perhaps the finest Grace Celebrates orchestra and choir performance to date. The orchestra received a number of compliments from audience members and production crew alike. Rothwell Tech The students involved in the Rothwell Tech and Production crews have worked at many events on the Rothwell campus providing sound, lighting and stage support. Events this year included Opening Service, ANZAC Day service, the Senior School Musical Beauty and the Beast, Dance Showcase, Wind Bands Showcase, Jazz @ Suttons, Strings Showcase, Exo Day, Wearable Art and much more. Their tireless efforts behind the scenes are much appreciated by all who are involved in our ensembles, productions and events. This year our Cert III Tech Production course will see its second group of graduates. Mrs Rachel Howley Head of Co-curricular Performing Arts 27 CREATIVE INDUSTRIES We have had the pleasure of welcoming Nick Eady to the Visual Art Department at the Caboolture Campus. Nick Eady has filled in this year for Megan Ennis who will return in 2015 from maternity leave. We would also like to wish Lizzie Moreton from our Caboolture Campus all the very best on her maternity leave and a big congratulations on her new baby girl. A very big welcome to Libby Duffin who has replaced Lizzie whilst she is on her maternity leave. We sadly say goodbye to one of our Visual Art teachers Mrs Annaliis Loth who is moving to Dalby. Annaliis has been with us for 3 years and has always been a very valued member of staff. We would like to take this opportunity to wish her all the very best. Mrs Joanna Blaylock the Visual Art Assistant at the Rothwell Campus will be going on 12 month maternity leave in 2015, we would like to wish her all the best. This year a number of our Visual Art students entered the Creative Generation Excellence Award in Visual Art and Design. We are delighted to announce that two of our Year 11 students, Jessica Sanchez and Rhianne Humphreys were selected to be a part of the Regional Exhibition held at the University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery from the 21st August 13th September 2014. This year we had a large number of the Rothwell Campus students enter the Tyson Evans Art Scholarship held at the Redcliffe City Art Gallery. The students submitted impressive portfolios of work and showcased one selected artwork for the exhibition. It is wonderful to see so many students involved in this opportunity and to see the promotion of the Grace Lutheran College Creative Industries Department. This year the ever popular Wearable Art Night at Rothwell joined forces with the Performing Arts Department to create an Arts Festival that was held over the weekend of 8th - 10th August. The evening showcased a diverse range of very colourful and creative wearable art designs by Year 10 Visual Art and Certificate students. The theme for 2014 was ‘Art through the Ages’, with categories based on art movements such as Pop Art and Surrealism. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Creative Industries Committee Captains – Year 12 students Nattie Wallace and Erin Logan for their commitment to the Department and hard work. This year the Caboolture Campus hosted their Wearable Art evening on Friday 29th August as part of the Caboolture Collective. The students are to be commended on the amount of effort put into their costumes and for such a great night. Film Night 2014 held on Friday 24th October was a combined campus affair, held for the first time at Event Cinemas Morayfield. Students were delighted to see their films on such a large professional screen and enjoyed dressing up in red carpet attire for a little Hollywood glamour. The senior students are to be commended on their dedication to the subject Film and Television and for producing such quality work. Congratulations to the Film and Television Department at the Caboolture Campus for winning first place in the 2014 QUT Student Film Competition. The student shot a 3min documentary highlighting environmental action in our region. The department received $3000 to spend on equipment and each student received $250 each. The students to be commended are: Matt Price, Tess Emmerson, Kim Davies Graham, Ainsley Sherwell, Laine Crocombe, Mat Wilton and Ellie Cutler. Film Club and Film Crew at both campuses are up and running and going strong. Film Club is more directed at the junior year levels and focuses on the skills of production and Film. Film Crew is an active committee that works on capturing the school's activities and events. Art Club was run at the Rothwell Campus in Semester One by our Visual Art Captain – a new inititive of the committee. Jenny Barnes Head of Creative Industries 28 SPORT As well as compulsory programmed sport with weekly Interschool involvement in the local Schools competition in many sports, students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of sports in a number of extra-curricular competitions such as the Independent Schools Competitions, State Wide Knockout Competitions, Club Competitions and Weekend Carnivals. These competitions occur outside school hours at many venues throughout Brisbane and beyond. Grace Lutheran College has always been very successful in these competitions. Many students at Grace achieve at a very high level: In 2014 there were a number of students selected in State and National Teams. Grace teams won a number of competitions at District, Regional, State and Australasian level. Grace Swimming Club is in the Premier division for Brisbane Swimming and is headed by former Australian Paralympic Coach, Mr Chris Phillips. In 2014, Mr Phillips coached Year 12 student, Josh Hollindale to qualify for the Australian Open Short Course Championships. Students at the Caboolture campus can participate in their own campus-based teams, as well as trial for cross-campus teams. This enables students to compete for Grace at the highest level, as Grace teams frequently qualify for State and National level competitions. Sports Achievements in 2014: Inter House Carnivals Overall House Shield – Pegasus Inter School District Carnivals Swimming Combined - First Cross Country Rothwell – First Caboolture – 6th Athletics Rothwell – First Caboolture – 4th Co-Curricular Teams Junior Girls AFL CASSA Champions 12 Years Boys Soccer Districts Schools Champions Open Girls Sunshine Coast Schools Water Polo Champions Representative Sport 105 District Representatives 63 Regional Representatives 6 State Representatives Athletics – Isaac Colgrave, Matthew Siebuhr, Cooper Patterson, April Scurr Baseball – Jeremy Taylor 1 National Representative Swimming - Madison Thompson Metropolitan Finalists & Champions Open Boys Baseball Champions Year 8 Girls Softball Finalists Year 9 Boys Soccer Finalists Superstars Madison Thompson - Australian Swimming Winning 2 individual Silver Medals and 5 Relay Gold Medals Swimming overall won by Pegasus Swimming Caboolture won by Antares Swimming Rothwell won by Pegasus Awards 7 Gold (500+ points) 3 Honour Board – Jasmine Southcombe - 672Pts, Mikarlah Born - 623 Pts and Benjamin Heaney 603Pts Cross Country overall won by Pegasus Cross Country Caboolture won by Orion Cross Country Rothwell won by Pegasus Staff involved in sport - 25 Teaching Staff, 2 Office Staff, 25 Junior Sports Staff and 8 Grounds Staff. Athletics overall won by Orion Athletics Caboolture won by Orion Athletics Rothwell won by Pegasus Triathlon overall won by Orion Triathlon Caboolture won by Antares Triathlon Rothwell won by Pegasus Thank you to everyone for your expertise and dedication. Mr Lyell Reck Head of Sport 29 THE SOCIAL CLIMATE OF THE COLLEGE Pastoral Care: As a school with a distinctive Christian ethos, Grace Lutheran College believes that Pastoral Care is a core component of who we are. Pastoral Care programs deal with a number of life related skills through the course of the year. Among others, these include anti-bullying, self-esteem and teamwork. Pastoral Care is the concern the school has that each individual feels he or she belongs to the community and has the fullest opportunity for spiritual, personal, social, physical and academic growth. Pastoral Care is expressed through the teacher’s personal commitment to each individual student, a commitment to what that student is and what he or she can be. Pastoral Care is communicated to the student in various interpersonal contacts in the classroom and other learning interactive situations, both formal and informal, where an atmosphere of respect and love for the student as a child of God is maintained. The Pastoral Care Programs: In 2014, a 35 minute period every morning was set aside for Home Class meetings which included pastoral care, devotions, assemblies, Chapel, and programs that included development of life skills and a sense of worth of each individual and positive teacher – student relationships in an atmosphere of trust, mutual respect and valuing each as a child of God. As a result of the commitment to caring for each individual, staff members at Grace Lutheran College are very conscious of the need to protect children. Regular training in the Child Protection Act raises awareness of abuse and the processes involved in responding to suspected, or evidence of, abuse. The Anti-bullying Policy is explained to students and reiterated regularly and methods of responding to bullying aim to teach young people to genuinely care for each other. Students are also given information about appropriate responses to cyber bullying. Grace Lutheran College has a commitment to maintaining a safe place for the young people in our care. Since 2010 a number of staff have been trained to be able to facilitate Restorative Practices conferences, i.e. structured mediation to resolve conflict. Restorative justice is at the core of assisting to build and maintain relationships. Restorative skills are shared with students to enable them to manage with support, conflict and harm that may occur in their daily lives involving relationships. All students are involved in an orientation program at the commencement of the school year during which their focus is very strongly directed, by outside presenters, towards the skills, attitudes and information required for that year. To enhance the various aspects of the Pastoral Care program, students are invited to attend conferences (e.g. Amnesty International, 40 Hour Famine), breakfasts with relevant speakers (e.g. Unifem, Women of Substance etc) and day-long events. Camps: As an aspect of Pastoral Care, Grace runs a series of camps away from the College in order to achieve a number of different aims. Year 7: All Year 7 students attend a 3 day/2 night Pastoral Care camp in their first term at the College. This camp is designed to help students form relationships with their peers and Home Class teachers. The camp is also designed to enable students to develop problem solving and group work skills as well as develop students’ understanding of the spiritual life of the College. 30 Year 8: All Year 8 students attend a day or overnight camp to assist in building relationships with new Year 8 students as well as problem solving exercises and learning to work as part of a team. Accompanied by their Home Class teachers, they are encouraged to develop positive social relationships with their peers as they challenge themselves and receive information about commencing secondary studies at Grace. Year 9: All attend a one day retreat event as part of their Christian Studies course. An experienced outside facilitator engages with and challenges students about the way they perceive and relate with their peers, concluding with opportunities for peer affirmation and reconciliation. Year 10: Googa Outdoor Education: All students in Year 10 attend the Outdoor Education Program for four weeks at Googa, nine kilometres from Blackbutt. This program has an emphasis on both working as a part of a group and on accepting individual responsibility while developing leadership skills. Each participant is challenged physically, mentally, socially and spiritually through the experience. Relationships Expo: With the support of our school counsellor, Year 10 students have the opportunity to listen to and work with a number of presenters and workshop facilitators exploring key ideas relating to relationships and sexuality. This day is part of a unit of work undertaken in Christian Studies which is designed to guide students towards making positive decisions and building strong relationships. Year 11: Work Experience: All Year 11 students participate in Work Experience for one week. Students are placed in work situations throughout Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast so that they can experience the routine and other realities of a working life. Year 12: All students attend the Year 12 Retreat for 3 days/2 nights. During this time of separation from the normal activities of school life, students are challenged to consider their future in terms of future study, life skills, personal and spiritual on-going development. Service: Many students are actively involved in service in the local and global communities. Many fundraising activities are undertaken including annual support for Shave for a Cure, Make Poverty History, Rotary initiatives through Interact, Leprosy Mission, World Vision, Jump Rope for Heart and Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS). Student Leadership: The character, independence and leadership of our students are attributes that are highly prized and recognised in the wider community. In particular, all Year 9 and Year 12 students are expected to show leadership in the Middle and Senior Schools. There are designated sub-school, sporting, performing arts and academic captains at each level. Grace has a fine record of mentoring by older students of younger students. A large number of Year 12 and now Year 9 students offer regular volunteer academic tutoring at lunchtimes. Older and past students also serve as mentors in performing arts, sports coaching and other co-curricular pursuits such as debating. Past students continue to provide excellent rolemodelling and support through employment at the College during their university years – after school in the Library and through the co-curricular program. Grace students are known in the community by employers as the young people of choice for employment. Leadership Camp: Selected Year 11 students attend a Leadership Camp at the end of the school year to prepare for the roles they will undertake as leaders of the school student body during the following year. 31 MINISTRY TEAM In 2014 the Ministry Team welcomed Pastor Jim Strelan. We have been excited to work as a team on thinking through the nature and goals of chapels which are held each week for our young people. Cognizant of the fact that we welcome young people from the broad range of faith perspectives and experiences to our College Community, our team has sought to imagine chapel as a place where everyone feels a part and able to participate. We have agreed on three key elements which inform and direct our thinking about what chapels should look like and what they should include. For our College, chapel is a time to connect with God, self and others, a time to proclaim God’s good news and a time to respond to the invitation contained in what is heard. We have enjoyed shaping Middle School Chapels and Senior School Chapels to respond to where our students are coming from and to shape services which engage our young people. Some of the key series this year have included, “Religion, Science & You”, Identity, “God Speaks”, “On the Couch”, “Jesus and Culture”, “Lift”. A number of different staff, teaching and non-teaching alike have contributed to the spiritual life of our students through their participation in chapels and through their support of a range of other activities. Staff also enjoyed the opportunity at the end of term one to give time to rest and to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. A range of options for investigation, reflection and rest were offered to staff to support their own spiritual journey. 2014 also saw the introduction of “THE EVENT”. The focus of this youth event was to encourage young people to make connections with Christians and Churches from the wider community. It was an amazing opportunity to work collaboratively with Christian leaders from churches in our community. EXO Day shifted to a whole school event and as with past years was an amazing opportunity for our students to share with their community the key message, “Life is Excellent with Jesus”. Our students showed wonderful commitment to serving others and making this a memorable day. Stephanie Maher Dean of Christian Learning, Spirituality & Service SERVICE REPORT For the first time this year the Ministry Team worked with the Faith & Service Captains planning and running a voluntary retreat for year 12 students which was entitled, “Unblock”. The theme for the retreat focussed around thinking about and responding to the blockages which can prevent young people from living well and following God. The retreat was definitely a time of refreshment, encouragement and fun for students and staff alike and we look forward to developing this new tradition. Faith & Service Captains at both campuses have continued to show leadership in a range of powerful and exciting ways. Voluntary Chapels for senior students have been ably organised and led as have programs with a focus specifically on “Girls” & “Boys”. Leadership shown in the area of service has also been a blessing to see. 32 ALWS Day in Term I saw a consideration on issues in rural Cambodia. The Middle School SRC subsequently entered into a ‘Village partnership’ where they funded a road building project that will allow children to get to school and medical help in the wet season. AWARE days in Terms I and II saw a range of groups highlighted including ‘This Star Won’t Go Out’, ‘She Rescue’, ‘Watoto’, ‘Autism Awareness’, ‘Harvest Cambodia’ and the ALWS project Year 10s in Pastoral Care ran a ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ program. Year 9 Christian Studies classes ran their ‘God’s World, Our World’ program which included many activities and fundraising to support a variety of groups (this was repeated with the other half of the classes in Terms III and IV). Interact held their usual Easter Egg drive and also did many ventures to support ‘Harvest Cambodia’. ‘Shave for Cure’ was again a highlight, raising over $20000 to be one of the top 30 fundraisers in the state and one of the top schools. 40 Hour Famine was again a major focus in Term III but the school also participated in Daffodil day and Jeans for Genes Day with AWARE days helping ‘Meals on Wheels’, ‘Mimi’s House’, ‘Ronald McDonald House’, ‘Royal Flying Doctor’, ‘A21’ and several other Year 11 RE projects. the burden with people is more than fundraising. At the Athletics Carnival, food stalls were held to support our Indonesian partners in Project XChange, our African Watoto orphanage and Interact raised money to support Harvest Cambodia. A ‘water relay’ was again held to replicate life in the developing world. Food stalls were run at EXO-day for the first times where themed displays and food for Africa, South-East Asia and Indigenous Australians were highlighted along with an Indigenous themed prayer wall and ongoing work on the permanent ‘Wall of Hands’ installations. Year 7s in Pastoral Care began their ‘Love in Action’ program making care packages for the ADF and 57 packages were handed over at the end of the year. Year 8s in Pastoral care filled 107 (a school record) shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Year 11s delved into many issues in their Religion and Ethics classes as they talked both theoretical and practical aspects of social justice with students producing story-books for Cambodia, serving at a local homeless food outlet, working at a shop that supports fair work for women in Thailand who have been rescued from the human trafficking industry, running the annual ‘I Can’ appeal for Bayside Community Care, bringing in a speaker for A21 and raising funds for numerous other charity groups. Year 12s began a long-term vision to support the Australian Numeracy and Literacy Foundation through the ‘Wall of Hands’ program. Individual clay tiles were cast for graduating students to leave a permanent ‘mark’ to show their support of ‘Close the Gap’ programs and there are now 2 installations in the central courtyard. The Year 7s wore red for ‘Day for Daniel’. Year 10 Health classes ran a ‘Surfaid’ program including a beach trip to Caloundra and raised over $1000 and improved awareness of the issues faced by the people of the Mentawai Islands. Lifestyle Technology classes once again were involved in several service projects. The Year 8 Textiles Classes made toys for an orphanage in Ethiopia, ran the Textile Showcase to raise funds to purchase sewing machines for Nepalese people through Compassion, Year 8 Food Studies cooked meals for people in need in the local community and the Year 11’s made soft furnishings for a local youth shelter. The Department also ran a breakfast to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research. It has been a busy year with many students learning what it means to serve and to see opportunities to help God’s people in God’s world. Students are learning that understanding a problem and sharing Mr Gordon Rackley Head of Service & Activities MINISTRY TEAM — CABOOLTURE CAMPUS Leadership Team & Major Changes: We welcomed Pastor Jim Strelan in his role as College Pastor and have appreciated his input at the Caboolture campus. We’ve continued to value the weekly involvement of Esther Harding and frequent visits from Gordon Rackley and Chris Podlich to assist with Chapels. It is with grief that we farewell Esther at the end of 2014 as she has been a blessing to the school, but we are also excited for her about the new adventures that await. 2014 Faith and Service Captains; Rachel Kotzur and Georgina Macphail made a positive contribution as leaders of the Faith and Service team and several key projects throughout the year. Service Projects: 33 Support for World Vision’s The 40 Hour Famine reached unparalleled levels including a Tuckshop Takeover, a Movie Night and approx. 70 students giving something up to help raise over $6700 for the cause. Our annual “Play for Refugees” event in May, an event largely run by Year 12 students, had its highest level of participation yet and raised approx. $1300 to support the work of Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) and their partners in Cambodia. A team of seniors raised over $500 through the Bridge to Brisbane in 2014 to raise funds for Watoto We’ve continued to develop the partnership with our Lutheran friends in Sumatra and have raised funds to purchase textbooks and a computer for them this year. Other charities supported in 2014 include: Finke River Mission, Smith Family Back to School Appeal, Australian Literacy and Numeracy foundation, and Caboolture Community Action. Student Activities and Groups 2014 saw the exciting launch of “Grace Youth”. Under the leadership of Esther Harding, this involved a leadership team of volunteers from local churches (St Paul’s Lutheran Church and Destiny Christian Church) working together to help our middle school students connect with each other, with God and with local youth groups. A solid group of students have continued to enjoy Grace Youth in 2014. EXODAY was again a major highlight. This year it had an unprecedented level of student participation in the day. It involved performances from 3 student bands and a wonderful message and musical performance from local youth leader: Grace Coleman. With a crazy dance off, inflatable amusements, a Tough Guy Challenge, Girl’s Boulevard, Chillout space, Sausage Sizzle, an avenue of service tents and activities, and more, it was a wonderful afternoon. Esther ran a girl’s group throughout the year and held wonderful “Girls Night” events. Verne Wilson worked with Kris Forman in heading up a Guy’s Shed ministry throughout the year. Other groups and activities that ran and were supported were: LYQ camps, Shave for a Cure, Day for Christien, Day for Charmaine and a Footy Tipping Competition. Prayer, Staff & Pastoral Care As 2015 approaches, we look back at the past year with gratitude and praise God for the many relationships that were developed, conversations that were had and ways that students moved closer to Christ. We especially celebrate Esther Harding’s contribution over the past 6 years as she ventures off to some new ministry challenges in 2015. We also look forward to the new year with its new challenges and opportunities and we are excited about the ways that God will continue the good work that He has begun at Grace Caboolture. Shalom. Mr Kris Forman Christian Studies Coordinator & Lay Chaplain NAIDOC week We held a whole school chapel with Brooke Prentice as our inspiring guest speaker. Other special activities included: Traditional Games with a team from Jisas Wantaim, a teacherstudent TRL match (with members from Jisas Wantaim playing), fundraising for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy foundation (work especially with Aboriginal children), chapel presentations from Ps John Heffernan (former missionary to Aboriginal people in Central Australia) and we enjoyed the contributions of Aboriginal Artist Peter Mulcahy throughout a range of classes. Chapels A small group of staff have continued to meet weekly to pray for the school. We’ve continued to invest into the teacher’s spiritual and theological development through LEA’s Pathways, including offering sessions at St Paul’s Lutheran Primary School. We’ve continued to work with the Student Welfare Team to provide pastoral support to students and staff facing challenging times. Majors themes included: “Your place at Grace”, “Spirit, Story, Song”, “Big stories” and “Back to Basics”. Guest presenters included Lackson Matolokoshi (Zambia) and Ps John Heffernan. 34 SCHOOL COUNSELLOR’S REPORT 2014 Programs included in 2013 1. Year 10 Mental Health Seminars (Anxiety/Stress) 2. Healthy Minds Expo 2014 3. Year 9 CS Incursion 4. Seasons Program 5. Restorative Practise 6. Year 12 Transition Talks 7. Youth Excel program Year 8 girls program (Michelle Mitchell) 8. School Counselling Service (Rothwell & Caboolture) 9. Student Practicum (Sarah Robinson) 1. Year 10 Seminars: Managing Anxiety and Stress Given the rise of stress related issues among adolescents a series of seminars on stress and anxiety was provided to the year 10’s in term 2. This seminar provided students with an overview of anxiety, including symptoms and coping strategies. Students were presented with a summary of the likely causes of anxiety and how to manage it successfully. Students also engaged personally by participating in a stress test to determine their own exposure to mental health risks. 2. Healthy Minds EXPO (Walking with Others) 22 July 2014 With the Expo growing each year the theme for 2014 entitled “Walking with Others” encouraged supporting those who have suffered with mental health related problems. The fact that one in five teenagers will experience some form of mental health related issue requires greater empathy and skills in this area. This year, mental health providers were well represented across many genres including, Lifeline, Kids help line, Headspace, Teen Challenge, Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Intercept, Gnadenfrei, Queensland Police and many other local and State providers providing a smorgasbord of options for our youth to sample. Our guest speaker for this year was Liz Walker who addressed the year 9 students regarding her own battle with mental health with provision of support strategies for young people. The Expo this year focused on the senior school only and was received positively by staff, students and hosts alike. Students were invited to browse the variety of host’s displays and talk with them about their specific services with eight concurrent workshops held for house groups immediately following. Issues discussed related to: The Adolescent Brain Anxiety/Depression support strategies Taking care of your Mates Body Image and support Keeping mentally Healthy The EXPO was a heralded a great success with new hosts commenting on the positive influence and committing to returning again in 2015. 3. Year 9 Christian Studies Incursion It was again my privilege to be involved with the delivery of the CS incursion on Sexuality and relationships with the year 9 students in term 3. As part of the panel I was afforded many opportunities to address some of the curlier questions posed by the year 9 boys. A number of professionals from Youth Excel and Get a Grip for Teens were engaged to provide specific talks on a broad range of issues including, sex and media, contraception, dating and sexting, pornography and gender specific discussions. 4. Seasons Program Grief is one of those nasty emotions that can be difficult to process on your own. Through the 8 week “Seasons” program we were able to provide support for students in a small group setting. This enabled young people to explore some of the more challenging aspects of grief and loss in a safe and supportive environment. 5. Restorative Practise As the school counsellor I am often challenged by the tremendous opportunity afforded those who enable affected parties (staff and students) to work through personal and workplace grievances. It has been a great pleasure to observe the powerful dynamics of restorative practise involved in these conferences bringing reconciliation and a way forward for those involved. 6. Year 12 Transition Talks As part of the personal development of students in 2014 and especially the year 12 cohort I was asked to provide some informative talks on a number of key subjects which included “Transitions”. The year level was courteous and gained insight into managing the difficult transition from high school into tertiary study and vocational employment. 7. Youth Excel program for Middle school year 8 girls (Facilitated by Michelle Mitchell of Youth Excel) One of the most beneficial aspects of a small group program is that teenage girls have a role model to relate to. As I have run the program myself I have found the girls have often discussed their life choices and circumstances, wanting my approval or disapproval of behavior as a benchmark as to what is right and wrong. This has been invaluable for many of them experimenting with sex, alcohol, fad diets and the like. Kind Regards Michelle Mitchell Founding Director Youth Excel www.youthexcel.com.au 35 8. Student Counselling (Rothwell). 2014 has proved to be a very busy and rewarding year with many students, staff and parents across both campuses benefitting from access to the school counselling services. The counsellor’s role consists in providing personal guidance, interventions and referrals for the student and staff body at the college. Once again this year many students and parents have been assisted with personal counselling, family consultations and mediations to bring, comfort, challenge, and change to their circumstances. Student Counselling (Caboolture Campus) This year has seen a number of complex issues of concern for some students at the Caboolture Campus. These range from: low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, struggling to cope, and self-harm. Sometimes relationship situations affect students at a very deep level. It is extremely important for all teenagers to feel that they are safe, unconditionally loved, valued and encouraged particularly at home. When these things are absent or unstable it creates anxiety and often depression and can lead to other self-destructive behaviours. Students frequently need support in these areas. As apart of the Pastoral Care program, I have talked to Year 11 about the consequences of getting caught up in "High Risk" activities related to alcohol, drugs and sex. I have also talked with Year 12 about the significant change ahead of them in regards to finishing school. Debbie Cale-Clark School Counsellor GLC Caboolture Sarah Robinson (Practicum Student) whole school mental health programs, experiencing the day to day implementation of counselling at a school level, and identifying my strengths and weaknesses as a student counsellor as well as ways in which I can improve my own practice. I feel very blessed to have had this opportunity with Grace during my studies and I feel confident in my ability going forward from here with my studies, and hope that once I graduate in 2015 that I may be able to make a difference in young peoples’ lives. I would like to thank Dale for his knowledge, his patience, his time and his expertise, as well as Grace Lutheran College and the staff for making my time at Grace a possibility and an enjoyable experience. Kindest regards Sarah Robinson Student 164297Australian College of Applied Psychology. Summary This has been a challenging year for many, with obstacles to overcome and additional support required for the students, parents and staff of the Grace Community. I continue to be amazed by the determination of many of our students who in spite of substantial personal challenges continue to progress with their life ambitions, dreams and goals for the future. I feel extremely blessed to hold such responsibility for the welfare of others and thankful for the opportunities to engage in a supportive Christian community that values the personal welfare of its staff and students. I continue to believe that the counselling service of Grace Lutheran College has made a significant difference in many lives and families and look forward to new horizons in 2015. I would also like to take this opportunity to once again personally thank Mrs. Ruth Butler and the administration team for their support and encouragement of the counselling service at Grace College during this year. Dale Dearman School Counsellor Grace Lutheran College PH 38972120 E. dale_dearman@glc.qld.edu.au During Term 1 and Term 2 of 2014, I undertook my student placement for my Bachelor of Counselling through the Australian College of Applied Psychology under the supervision of Grace Lutheran College's Student Counsellor, Dale Dearman. This placement opportunity required me to observe the counselling experience in practice as well as learn how to implement the skills I have learnt throughout my course into a real life counselling setting. My time with Dale not only offered me these two things, but gave me invaluable insight, knowledge and confidence in dealing with clients, or in this case, students. During my placement at Grace, I spent time observing Dale’s counselling sessions with students, discussing theories and counselling methods with him, planning 36 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PARENTS & FRIENDS (P&F) COMMITTEES The P&F maintains a high profile in the College through the Retail Centres (Tuckshop, Book Store and Uniform Store). A substantial amount of money is raised each year from these and other ventures and this money is channeled into resources at the College. P&F Committee – Caboolture Campus As stated in the Parents and Friends Committee P&F Terms of Reference, the main aims of the P&F Committee are: To develop a sense of community around the College, and To fundraise to provide additional resources for the College. Encouraging volunteering in the College community Supporting social activities within the College community In 2014 Grace Caboolture P&F have been successful in all ventures. The P&F have engaged in activities that have incorporated both fundraising and developing a sense of community, such as manning booths at Farm Fantastic over 3 days and holding a sausage sizzle at Bunnings over the Easter weekend. Feedback from volunteers has always emphasised the comradery that develops between the volunteers, and it’s a chance to get to know other Grace parents and friends. Other activities that the P&F has been involved in include: Supporting Open Day by running a food stall. The Annual Trivia Night – always a lot of fun, with interesting activities, this year making enormous bubbles! Supporting the Caboolture Collective by running a food stall. Car Boot Sale – first trialled in 2013, and was such a success that it’s again being held in 2014 at the end of November. This is a wonderful service to new and current parents, and another great social day. Shopping Tour, another example of combining fundraising with socialising. Held last week-end, this successful day, shopping from 7am to 6pm, saw parents, friends and students at Grace Campus and St Paul’s combine for a day of extreme shopping! Thank you to everyone who has helped make P&F activities successful – from the volunteers who willingly give their time, to the people who support events by donating items, and the parents, friends, students, and staff who attend events on the day. A special thank you to the co-ordinators of the different events – Brony, Harrison, Kelly, Sharon, Linda, Melissa and Clare. Thank you to the staff (Tess, Audrey, and Julie) and volunteers who work in the College Tuckshop and Retail Centre – your assistance is greatly appreciated, as you provide a much needed and appreciated service to both students and parents. In 2014 the P & F supported the College by purchasing over $10 000 of equipment, including: Materials for Picnic Tables, which were constructed by students with the support of Mr Charlie Byers. Cheese making equipment - students have already had their first foray into showcasing their cheese making ability at the Brisbane Exhibition. A Solar Telescope that can be used to view the solar system during the day – as the first step in developing a Solar Observatory at Caboolture Campus, a first for Grace College! In 2014 the P&F have invited guest speakers to meetings – Mr Rob Hilford, Mrs Edwards, and Year 10 Maths X to showcase Astronomy; Ray McKinnon, Business Services Manager, to discuss Finance Operations; and Kathryn Hopwood, Advertising and Marketing Manager. This was a wonderful opportunity for the P&F to learn more about what happens at Grace behind-the-scenes. The P&F wishes to formally thank Bronny Emmerson (who has held the position of Secretary), Shirley Matthews (who has held the position of Finance Officer and Ordinary Member), Clare Dopking (who has held the position of Ordinary Member) and Darren Wilton (who has been the P&F’s email guru) for their outstanding contribution to the P&F in 2014 and for many years previously – your support, time and volunteering spirit have been very much appreciated. As my three years as Chairperson of Grace College Caboolture Campus comes to an end this year, I would like to personally thank everyone who has supported me in this role. I am so thankful to be part of such an amazing team, that have worked together to grow the role of the P&F within the College community. 37 Thank you to all active P&F members for your support and valued contributions during 2014. Each year the P&F continues to develop positive links with students, staff, families, and community members - working together as a team is what makes Grace Caboolture P&F special. Community support and spirit is growing every year, and may this continue in 2015, by the grace of God. The Committee would like to thank the leadership team for their unwavering support and attendance at meetings and all parents who have made a contribution to P&F meetings and events. We look forward to a further growth in parent involvement in 2015. Marlies Bower-Kramer P&F Secretary Rothwell Melissa Thiess P & F Chairperson, Caboolture P&F Committee – Rothwell Campus The year 2014 saw an encouraging increase in attendance of the Rothwell Parents & Friends General Meetings by College parents. The P&F has continued to support the leadership team by assisting with catering and/or parent liaison at events such as Open Day, Grace@Work AM and PM, Consultation Day, Orientation Day and Middle School Closing Service. Assistance was given to College staff in the preparation and running of Sale Day. The Rothwell P&F Committee also has representatives in Uniform, Education and Building and Property Committees. As in previous years, Heads of Departments have applied for funding from the P&F in 2014. These funding requests are paid from the fundraising account, which enabled departments to finance a variety of items including: Creative Industries – Camera, trolleys and lighting equipment for Media/Film/TV Design Technology – Hand tools/machinery Library – eBooks Lifestyle Technology – Kitchen, sewing room, Green Tree Frog Restaurant improvements/refurbishments such as lighting and painting Ministry – Musical instruments for Chapel; support for ‘The Event’ and EXO Day Performing Arts – Musical instruments such as piano, tuba, base and cello Robotics – Support of robotics program such as Lego resources Science – Laboratory equipment for new Chemistry EEIs (Extended Experimental Investigations) The Legacy Fund remains an important asset to support the College’s strong financial position. This fund, designed to support events to further the spiritual needs of the College community as well as the wider community, has again been put to good use this year. One of the worthy causes has been a donation towards a paver prayer space at 38 Committees Parents are invited to be involved in a number of committees under the auspices of the College Council: Building & Property Committee, Education Committee and the annual Consultation Day when members of the College Council, staff, students and parents meet to discuss strategic directions for the future. Parents are also invited to participate in the Uniform Committee. Swimming Club The College is also responsible for the operations of the Grace Swimming Club which is open to families whether or not they are associated with the College. There is a successful Learn-to-Swim operation as well as Squad activities supervised by a high level Swimming Coach and Assistant Coaches. A committee of keen parents manage the Squad activities and competitions. Parent Nights Home Class Parent/Student/Teacher Relationships: These relationships are the basis of Grace’s strong reputation for Pastoral Care. Middle School parents attend Home Class Teacher/Parent interviews at the end of Term II, and Senior School parents at the beginning of Term III. It is essential that all parents attend these interviews to maintain a strong partnership and communication with the school. Parents of Year 7 students are invited to a Cake and Coffee information evening early in the first term. This provides an opportunity for parents to meet key personnel in the Middle School as well as meet their own student’s Home Class teacher. This evening is also designed to help parents make connections with other parents in their child’s House Group. A second evening is held for Year 7 parents during Term II to assist with Subject Selection and information about the Year 7 Canberra Trip later in the year. Year 8 parents are invited early in Term 1 to a Cake and Coffee information evening. This provides an opportunity for parents to meet key personnel in the Middle School as well as meet their own student’s Home Class Teacher. This evening is designed to help parents make connections with other parents in their child’s House Group. Parents of Year 9 students are invited to three evenings throughout the year. The first being an informal Sausage Sizzle get together during Term I, the second (Term II) to hear a presentation on the Year 10 Outdoor Education Program (at Googa), and the third during Term III is a Subject Selection Evening. At the Subject Selection Evening senior subject teachers present a 20 minute talk describing their specialised subject, as well as there being a general presentation on OPs, Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), University Entry requirements and Vocational Education and Training (VET). At these events, parents are encouraged to attend with their students, ask questions or discuss any concerns they may have. Middle School Subject Teacher/Parent Interviews: There is a night set aside for this early Term III. Likewise, parents of Year 10 students can attend the Subject Selection Evening set aside for consideration of Year 11 electives, if their student wishes to make further changes to their subject selection for senior school. Parents of students attending Googa are also invited to a briefing and preparation session ahead of their student’s departure. In Senior School, parents are invited to the College to discuss Work Experience, the QCS and QTAC requirements as well as academic progress of their students. Additionally, two evenings are held in Term II for parents of Senior School students to meet with Subject teachers to discuss their student’s progress. As well, at the end of Semester 1 for Middle School and the start of Semester 2 for Senior School, when report cards are distributed, all parents attend an interview with the Home Class teacher to review the academic and pastoral progress of their student. Parent Support Groups: The Performing Arts Co-Curricular activities are highly supported by a very active Parents Support Group which organises fundraising throughout the year. Parents are also involved in sports coaching and are always very supportive with their presence and assistance at Swimming Carnivals. 39 PARENT AND STUDENT SATISFACTION WITH THE COLLEGE Ongoing positive feedback has been received from parents by correspondence, in person and over the telephone thanking the College for its continual care, safety and education of their children. Parents are also invited to complete a biennial online satisfaction survey and/or to contact the Principal or Head of Sub-School with feedback at any time. In November 2014, 321 students from both campuses voluntarily responded to the College’s online Satisfaction Survey which included the following questions and space for comments and answers to yes/no questions. Using a five point scale of 5 strongly agree, 4 agree, 3 neither agree nor disagree, 2 disagree and 1 strongly disagree the results are shown in the graph below. Questions 1. My teachers expect me to do my best. 2. My teachers provide me with useful feedback about my school work. 3. Teachers at my school treat students fairly. 4. My school is well maintained. 5. I feel safe at my school. 6. I can talk to my teachers about my concerns. 7. Student behaviour is well managed at my school. 8. I like being at my school. 9. My school looks for ways to improve. 10. My school takes students’ opinions seriously. 11. My teachers motivate me to learn. 12. My school gives me opportunities to do interesting things. 13. I have been able to select subjects that I like and are relevant to my future aims. 14. I receive sufficient help when needed to aid my progress as a learner. 15. I find learning at Grace stimulating and engaging. 16. The co-curricular program at Grace provides sufficient opportunities for me to develop skills (i.e. Performing Arts, Creative Industries, Sports, etc). 17. I can learn well in classes and activities that feel well-managed and safe. 18. The staff members at Grace are approachable and helpful. 19. At Grace I feel known and cared for as an individual. 20. People at Grace support me when I have an emotional, spiritual or relational problem. 21. I enjoy going to Grace. 22. I take pride in my uniform and how I wear it. 23. As a student, I can accurately predict my grades for assessments. 24. I would consider taking a subject that was offered mostly before or after school (e.g. 7:30 - 8:20 am, 3:15 - 5:00 pm). 25. My teachers know how I learn. 26. My teachers know what they teach. 27. My teachers set intellectually challenging learning activities. 28. My teachers have helped me accept responsibility for my learning. 29. I enjoyed the experience at Googa Outdoor Education Centre. 30. My expectations of Grace are being met. 31. The publicity I see or hear about Grace, reflects my experience here. 40 Response (%) 41 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q8 Agree Neither agree nor disagree Survey Questions Disagree Strongly disagree Q9 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 Q19 Q20 Q21 Q22 Q23 Q24 Q25 Q26 Q27 Q28 Q29 Q30 Q31 Strongly agree Q7 Student Satisfaction Survey Results 2014 STUDENT SATISFACTION RESULTS 2014 Contact person for further information: For further information on the school and its policies, please log on to the school website, www.grace.qld.edu.au or contact the Principal’s Secretary on (07) 3203 0066. _________________________________________________________________________________ 2014 STAFFING INFORMATION Staff composition, including Indigenous staff: Teaching staff in 2014 numbered 117 full-time and 43 part-time, with Support staff being 22 full-time and 101 part-time. Average staff attendance for the school, based on unplanned absences of sick and emergency leave periods of up to 5 days: No. of Staff No. of School Days 283 195 Total Days Staff Absences Average Staff Attendance Rate 1492 97.30% For permanent and temporary staff and school leaders the average staff attendance rate was 97.30% in 2014. Proportion of teaching staff retained from the previous year: No. of permanent teaching staff at end of previous year 122 (2013) No. of these staff retained in the following year (the program year) Percentage retention rate % 151 (2014) 100.23% From the end of 2013, 100.23% of staff were retained for the entire 2014 school year. QUALIFICATIONS OF ALL TEACHERS Qualification Percentage of classroom teachers and school leaders at the school who hold this qualification Doctorate or higher Masters Bachelor Degree Diploma Certificate 0.5% 8.8% 48.5% 28.8% 13.4% 42 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Grace Lutheran College provided extensive professional development opportunities (PD) for all teachers in 2014, some of which were as follows: Pastoral Care Higher Order Thinking Skills Learning Support Child Protection Curriculum Pedagogies Careers Christian Studies Use of ICT / Robotics Teacher coaching and internal sharing of staff expertise First Aid CPR Oxygen Equipment Valuing Safe Communities including anti-bullying, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination Total number of Teachers: The participation of the teaching staff in PD activities during 2014 was: Total expenditure on teacher PD in 2014: Average expenditure on PD per teacher: 172 100%. $40,187.87 $233.65 KEY STUDENT OUTCOMES Average student attendance rate (%) for the whole school: No. of school days in program year 186 Total no. of all student Total no. of all student absences 1654 Average Attendance Rate % 19310 93.72% The average attendance rate for the whole school as a percentage in 2014 was 93.72%. Average student attendance rate (%) for each year level: Year levels Total no. of students in No. of school days a particular year level in program year Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 170.8 284 286 311 306 296 186 186 186 186 186 186 43 Total no. of student absences in a particular year level Average Attendance Rate for a particular year level % 1741 94.52 % 3136 94.06 % 3388 93.63 % 3930 93.21 % 3362 94.09 % 3753 93.18 % A description of how non-attendance is managed by the school: The following are acceptable reasons to the College for non-attendance: Illness/ Accident Overseas trips Compassionate grounds e.g. funerals Selection in State or Regional sporting teams offered or cultural activities Exceptional circumstances approved by the College The College would expect to be notified and its approval obtained prior to the expected absence for all of the above circumstances (except for illnesses and accidents). In the case of illness / accident, the College should be contacted by 9.00am each day either by SMS text message or by leaving a voice message. A Doctor’s Certificate is required if a student is absent for more than two days because of illness or accident. The College reserves the right to refuse the request to leave early if it is not satisfied with the reasons given. Students, who have been marked absent on the daily roll and have not been accounted for with an earlier telephone call from a parent on the absentee line, will be contacted by SMS on the parent’s mobile phone to establish the reason for their absence. Students with unexplained absences or a high absenteeism rate are contacted by the relevant Home Class Teacher, Year Level Co-ordinator, or Head of Sub-school. Parents may be asked to show cause when absenteeism is persistent. It is not acceptable for students to remain at home to complete assignments. Appointments for doctors, dentists etc. should be set for after school hours, including on sports days. Apparent retention rate: Year 10 Base Year 12 Retention rate % 307 296 96.42% Number of Students Year 12 student enrolment as a percentage of the Year 10 cohort is 96.42%. NAPLAN results for Years 7 and 9 in 2014 Privacy and interpretation of data The fundamental principle for reporting performance information is to support school improvement throughout Queensland and to provide a profile of all schools to the community. While the reporting initiative is a valuable move towards sharing education information, it brings with it responsibilities in the areas of personal information and privacy. The reporting of student achievement information needs to be managed according to appropriate privacy provisions and needs to ensure that publicly available information is accurate and easily interpreted. 44 2014 Naplan Results for the Grace Lutheran College READING % at or above National minimum standard (Queensland) Year Average Score (Grace) Average Score (Queensland) % at or above National minimum standard (Grace) Year 7 (2014) 550 542 98.8 94.5 Year 9 (2014) 582 571 94.8 90.9 SPELLING Year Average Score (Grace) Average Score (Queensland) % at or above National minimum standard (Grace) % at or above National minimum standard (Queensland) Year 7 (2014) 541 537 97.5 91.5 Year 9 (2014) 575 575 93 91.5 GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION Year Average Score (Grace) Average Score (Queensland) % at or above National minimum standard (Grace) % at or above National minimum standard (Queensland) Year 7 (2014) 557 541 93.2 92 Year 9 (2014) 598 568 96.2 89 WRITING Year Average Score (Grace) Average Score (Queensland) % at or above National minimum standard (Grace) % at or above National minimum standard (Queensland) Year 7 (2014) 524 505 94.4 85.9 Year 9 (2014) 563 544 87.5 79.5 NUMERACY Year Average Score (Grace) Average Score (Queensland) % at or above National minimum standard (Grace) % at or above National minimum standard (Queensland) Year 7 (2014) 547 544 98.2 95.4 Year 9 (2014) 585 580 99.6 94.3 45 YEAR 12 OUTCOMES On average, each year: 1 in 4 of ALL students at Grace achieve an OP1-7 (This compares with 1 in 6 of ALL students in the State.) Over time, 20% more Grace students go on to university than is the average in other schools across the State. In 2014, 94.9% of students who applied for tertiary entrance received a place. Grace 2014: Congratulations to Grace College Year 12 students across both campuses on their very pleasing OP results for 2014. Again, Grace students have exceeded the state average achievement by over 15% in the OP1-15 range taken across the whole cohort of Year 12 students. With 83% of the 295 students in the cohort OP-eligible (compared to the State, where less than 55% of students are OP-eligible) 71% of Grace OP-eligible students still achieved an OP1-15. 23 students (9.5% of the OPeligible cohort) achieved an OP1-3; 67 students achieved an OP1-7 (28% of the OP-eligible cohort); and 107 students (44% of the OP-eligible cohort) achieved an OP1-10. Thank you to all teachers for your excellent work with these students. Congratulations also to the students who achieved VET qualifications in addition to, or as an alternative to their OP. Outcomes for our Year 12 cohort 2014 Number of students awarded a Senior Statement 295 Number of students awarded a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement 287 Number of students who received an Overall Position (OP) Number of students awarded one or more Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications Number of students awarded a Queensland Certificate of Education at the end of Year 12 Number of students awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD) 244 Percentage of Year 12 students who received an OP1-15 or an IBD Percentage of Year 12 students who are completing or completed a SAT or were awarded one or more of the following: QCE, IBD, VET qualification Percentage of Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) applicants receiving an offer 71% 46 128 287 0 27% 94.9% How to Measure a School’s Academic Performance? It is difficult in the Queensland system to compare schools adequately given that there are significant differences among schools in terms of the number of students who are OP-eligible. That is, it is clearly inappropriate to compare two schools on the basis of the number of OP-eligible students who achieve OP115 (for example) where one school has 90% of their students eligible, and another only 50% or 60%. A fairer measure would be to compare the number of students who gained an OP range (such as OP1-15) against the TOTAL cohort, not just those who were OP-eligible. At Grace over the last 6 years these percentages were: 60.66% (2009); 63.11%(2010); 65.96%(2011), 61.13% (2012) and 63.53% (2013), 59% (2014). In 2014 this was more than 15% higher than the state average, taken across the whole cohort of Year 12 students. Another more appropriate way to assess academic achievement is the percentage of students each year who go to University, according to the Queensland Government Next Step Destination Survey. At Grace each year around 55% of students go to University which is 20% above the average in the Moreton Bay Region. ____________________________________________________________________ *QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT’S NEXT STEP SURVEY Queensland Government’s Next Step Survey 2015 Background information: This report is based on the findings of the Queensland Government Next Step survey, which targeted all students who completed Year 12 and gained a Senior Statement in 2014, whether they attended a government, Catholic or independent school, or a TAFE secondary college. The Office of the Government Statistician conducted the survey between March and June 2015, approximately six months after the young people left school. Responses were collected via computer-assisted telephone interviewing and an online survey. The state-wide and regional reports of the Next Step survey can be located at the Next Step website at www.education.qld.gov.au/nextstep. 2015 SUMMARY OF POST-SCHOOL OUTCOMES FOR YEAR 12 COMPLETERS 2014: Percentage of Students in each category Percentage of Students in each category GRACE QUEENSLAND 2015 2015 University (degree) VET total (Cert IV+ III, I-II, apprenticeship, traineeship) 55.4% 40.6% 21.5% Working full-time or part-time 17.2% 21.1% 25.3% Seeking work or not in labour force 5.9% 13% Post-School Destination in 2015 47 2015 Summary of findings for Grace Lutheran College Year 12 completers 2014 is: Grace students have again achieved excellent post-school outcomes according to the Queensland Government’s Next Step Survey conducted each year. 79% of Grace students responded, showing that 76.9% of young people continued in some recognized form of education and training in the year after they left school and of these, 55.4% continued to university and 21.5% to VET study destinations. 17.2% were in employment with 5.9% seeking work or not in the labour force. The graph below shows how this compares most favourably with Moreton Bay - North and Queensland. Figure 1: Main destination of Year 12 completers, Grace Lutheran College, Moreton Bay – North, and Queensland 2015 Figure 1 compares the main destinations of all Year 12 completers for Grace Lutheran College with those of Moreton Bay - North and all schools state-wide. Differences may reflect diversity in the types of students attending different schools, regional variation in labour markets and access to university and VET providers. The table below reports the response rate for Grace Lutheran College. It expresses the number of respondents from this College, as a percentage of all Year 12 completers attending Grace Lutheran College in 2014. It has not been possible to ascertain how representative these responses are of all students at this College. Survey response rate for Grace Lutheran College: Number of Year 12 students in 2014 (a) 48 Number of Year 12 students in 2014 (a) Number of responses received from students (b) Percentage response rate 233 295 79% (b/a x100) Figure 2: 2015 Main destination of Year 12 completers in 2014, Grace Lutheran College Definitions of main destinations: The pathways of Year 12 completers were categorised into ten main destinations. Respondents who were both studying and working were reported as studying for their main destination. A table defining these categories can be found in the statewide report at www.education.qld.gov.au/nextstep. The Grace Lutheran School Annual Report was updated on 4 September 2015 to include the Next Step Survey Results. *Department of Education, Training and Employment, August 2015, Next Step 2015 – A Report on the Destinations of Year 12 Completers from 2014 in Queensland – Grace Lutheran College www.education.qld.gov.au/nextstep. This work is licensed under an Australian Creative Commons Attribution Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ © State of Queensland (2015) 49
