Dear Parents

Harmony Day
The Primary Campus was awash with orange as we celebrated Harmony Day.  Both our College campuses celebrate our cultural diversity, inclusiveness, respect and sense of belonging for everyone, several times throughout the year and Harmony Day has become an important day in our Primary Campus calendar.

 COVID-19
It has been widely reported in the media that positive cases of COVID-19 are on the increase, especially in schools.  Schools have become high risk places for COVID-19 and we are experiencing significant absenteeism amongst our staff and students.

Students and staff returning from our recent camps are also experiencing symptoms with some positive cases reported.  With COVID-19 widespread in our community it is important for all of us to ensure we are observing COVID-19 hygiene protocols, constantly monitoring for symptoms, and considering wearing a mask.

The College purchased Infection Protection equipment earlier this year and classrooms, offices, sickbays and public areas are regularly treated to help prevent the spread of the virus.  In addition to this, it is vitally important that students, parents and staff displaying symptoms or feeling unwell, do not attend the College.

The following links to the Queensland Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) website are provided for your information:
Queensland Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) website
Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
First Steps if you have COVID-19
Close Contacts – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Easter Service and Inter-Clan Cross Country
On Thursday next week we will welcome the Year 4 – 6 students to the Secondary Campus for our Easter Service and Cross Country.  It is one of the few occasions where Primary and Secondary students come together in their Clans.  Parents are welcome to attend both of these events.  The Easter Service will be held in the Dome at 9:15am with plenty of fresh air and room for distancing and the Cross Country will follow shortly after with the start and finish line on the Secondary Oval.

It has been a most disrupted term.  I wish everyone a happy and holy Easter and I hope and pray that we can all return to a less disruptive Term 2.

My Best wishes
Steven.

From the Chaplain:
It was great to have a few days away this week with the Year 10 students at the massive Emu Gully complex near Helidon. The opportunity to chat with their teachers in a less formal setting was eagerly taken up by many, and for me, as a newcomer to the College, it was great to meet and learn more about the various personalities within our Year 10 cohort – our ‘leaders of tomorrow.’ The theme of this particular camping experience was “challenge”: a topic always appropriate for teenagers who are still discovering who they really are, deep down, and what their developing bodies can do. Through a series of physically tough (though carefully risk-managed) obstacle courses and the like (including the famous mudbath), the staff and I observed the Year 10 students confront their fears and, more often than not, realise they could handle more than they expected.

We also frequently found ourselves noticing the natural ‘servant leaders’ in the group. Some people raced away from meals; others stayed to clean up. Some people raced into activities; others stopped to plan their approach and encourage others on. Some people failed at a task and let it drop; others failed at first but tried again and again until they made it through.

As we approach our Palm Sunday and Easter services next week, and the Anzac Day services early next term, Christian thoughts inevitably turn to the sacrifice of Jesus, made once and for all upon the cross, for the forgiveness of sins. In his ultimate sacrificing of himself, Jesus followed his own ‘servant style’ of leadership to its conclusion and fulfilled his own teaching that there is no greater love than laying down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). Although no one died on our camp this week (thankfully), it was wonderful to see so many students strive to do good things for their friends, and to see so many natural ‘servant leaders’ stand out with their small acts of sacrifice. We shall follow the careers of these young leaders with interest and look forward to seeing how they shape their College and other environments in the years ahead.

Peace in Christ
Reverend Jonathan