The Year 12 Sunrise Breakfast was a great success, marking a memorable start to the final year for our graduating students. As dawn broke, laughter and excitement filled the air as students gathered to share a meal together, reflecting on their journey thus far and the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead. With a warm atmosphere of camaraderie and encouragement, the event served as a poignant reminder of the bonds forged during their high school years and the bright futures awaiting each and every one of them. Although the weather was not quite what we had anticipated Year 12 students still took it in their stride to have a fun and enjoyable morning. We look forward to an incredible year with our first Year 12 cohort at King's Pimpama.
Year 6 students from our Pimpama and Logan campuses were treated to a Business incursion with one of our parent's and self-taught designer, Ellie Whittaker, who captivated our students with her remarkable journey from passionate artist to successful entrepreneur.
Ellie is a fabric designer and illustrator and has established a thriving business designing vibrantly bold and joyful designs. She has worked with some of Australia's biggest retailers and gained significant recognition, licensing her designs to iconic brands such as Spotlight, Streets, and Best&Less.
Students were captivated by Ellie's remarkable journey from passionate artist to successful entrepreneur. Ellie shared her business story, from working in her mother's fabric shop to a flourishing business and the pivotal role that social media has played in its extraordinary success.
The objective of the incursion was to introduce the primary students to business, entrepreneurship, and the role of social media in business through a real-life case study as part of their Media Arts and Business Project Based Learning (PBL) for this term.
With infectious enthusiasm, Ellie revealed her deep love for drawing and how she transformed this passion into a fulfilling career. Through dedication and determination, she not only turned her artwork into fabric designs but also licensed them for profitable gain, working day and night while raising a family of 4 children. It was evident from Ellie's radiant smile that she genuinely loves what she does, and her work brings her immense joy.
“My greatest pleasure is hearing testimonies of how my fabrics make people feel, seeing others wear garments made from my fabrics and when children choose my designs for their bedroom makeovers,” stated Ellie Whittaker, whose quirky, colourful Aussie designs started as a print on demand hobby.
“The most enjoyable part of my job is drawing for a living,” said Ellie who loves making her own fun Instagram and TikTok reels. She shared her knowledge with the cohort on the technical aspects of social media and how storytelling, visuals, overlays, and voice overs are used in the creative process.
One of the most engaging aspects of the session was the lively student Q&A session that followed Ellie's presentation. Our students seized the opportunity to ask thoughtful questions about sustainable practices, advertising, collaborations, profitability, identifying your target audience and the impact of social media on her endeavours and the creative process. Ellie's insightful responses left a lasting impression on our young minds, sparking their curiosity and igniting their entrepreneurial spirit.
Ellie emphasized the multifaceted role of social media, highlighting its ability to inform, connect, and entertain audiences worldwide. Her designs, which can be found on products at popular retailers like Spotlight & Best and Less, serve as tangible examples of the reach and influence that social media platforms offer to creative entrepreneurs.
As our students continue to explore the dynamic intersection of creativity and commerce in their PBL, Ellie Whittaker's story serves as a beacon of inspiration. Her journey exemplifies the power of passion, perseverance, and innovation in pursuing one's dreams.
We encourage our students to reflect on Ellie's insights and apply them to their own aspirations and endeavours. Whether they aspire to be artists, entrepreneurs, or change-makers, Ellie Whittaker's story reminds us that with dedication and creativity, anything is possible.
Throughout Week 4, Prep parents, grandparents and special friends were invited to visit their child's classroom to experience King's Prep Classrooms firsthand and see all of the exciting things that take place each day in Prep. During their visit, our special guests enjoyed a guided tour of the classroom by their child and were amazed by how much learning has already happened in the first four weeks of school. They also enjoyed participating in some interactive activities with their child and chatting with other class parents. It was wonderful to see so many smiling students as they proudly showed off their schoolwork and learning spaces.
Thank you to our King's Prep parents who were able to take time out from their busy day to attend this special event!
Year 6 student, Bailey Yiend is gearing up for his Futsal tour to the Philippines in May, and he has a wonderful request to make a difference in the lives of young boys and girls there. Bailey is looking for boots!
To help Bailey, we're reaching out to our families with a heartfelt request: if you have any old or unused soccer and futsal boots lying around, Bailey would greatly appreciate your donation. These boots will be collected and taken with him on the tour to give to local boys and girls who may not have access to proper sports equipment.
Your generosity can truly impact lives and ignite the passion for sports in children who may not have had the opportunity otherwise. Let's come together as a community and make a positive difference! Donation containers will be placed at school for collecting the boots. Donations can be made up until the end of Term 1, 2024 via the school.
I am thrilled to share the outstanding achievements of our Pimpama King’s Swim Team at the recent HDSS Hinterland Green Meet held at Somerset College. As a parent and a Swimming Queensland Official, I couldn't be prouder of our students for their remarkable dedication and sportsmanship throughout the event.
Despite the challenging weather conditions – with sweltering heat and intermittent showers – our team demonstrated unwavering resilience and determination. They showcased their talent and commitment, representing our school with exceptional skill and enthusiasm.
Many of our dedicated athletes had just completed a demanding weekend at the Queensland Swimming Sprint Championships in Brisbane, followed by participation in the Queensland State Schools Aquathlon Championships in Hervey Bay. Their ability to excel in multiple competitions speaks volumes about their dedication and passion for the sport.
Our Pimpama King’s Swim Team performed admirably, exemplifying the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie that defines our school community. Their efforts have truly made us all proud.
Thank you to our students, coaches, and supporters for your unwavering commitment and passion for swimming.
Shendelle Harrison
Parent of King's Pimpama
King’s Pimpama is getting active about travel this year! We’ve commenced a partnership with the City of Gold Coast, to increase the number of students travelling actively to school and reduce congestion at the school gate.
This year, we will kick off as one of the many schools on the Gold Coast that will together see thousands of families, teachers and community members out-and-about enjoying travelling actively between school and home.
We are launching the Active School Travel (AST) campaign before school on Tuesday, 5 March 2024 from the Gainsborough Parklands (corner of Kosciuszko and Great Sandy Circuits) behind the school from 7:30 - 8:10 am. Parents are encouraged to drop their children at this starting point. After walking to school, a complimentary selection of breakfast items will be available for all of our Primary students to enjoy. This is a first of 4 events for the year.
Zero, the Active Travel Cockatoo Mascot, will be on site to welcome our young travellers to the launch (he is quite the popular attraction) at entrance 2, Great Sandy Circuit. We will have a raffle ticket draw, where some of our young active travellers will win prizes for 'healthy travel'.
Being an active travel school means:
* healthier children
* safer school zones
* increased concentration in students
* reduced traffic around school
* we’ll be directly helping the environment
* resources and skills for children and volunteer parents and carers
* fun with friends!
What can you do to become an active travel family? Even making a change once a week can make a significant difference to school-related traffic. If you choose to carpool, you will need to include one non-family King’s member in your car.
Please use the 4Rs:
* re-mode–swap the car for walking, wheeling and public transport
* reduce car trips by carpooling or combining trips
* re-route–take a slightly different route to avoid congested roads
* re-time school-related trips–consider dropping children earlier or picking them up later.
Please consider to: actively travel to school at least once per week on our Active Travel Tuesday, talk to your children about active school travel or become a volunteer and help us out on these days.
Road Safety:
Our teachers, chaplains and senior student leaders will be in attendance assisting with road safety. The first 50 parents who drop their children at our starting area at 7:30 am will receive a free coffee from the participating Gold Coast City sponsored coffee van. Students will get their Active Travel cards clipped at the Gainsborough Parklands area. Our bus students are automatically included in these events.
Please contact Mr Grahame Anderson on ganderson@kingscollege.qld.edu.au or Mrs Regan Verwey at events@kingscollege.qld.edu.au if you would like to be involved with the events program as a volunteer.
We are pleased to announce that our Primary Art Department will be running an Art Competition again for Easter Fest this year. The Easter Fest takes place on Monday, 25 March 2024. This exciting opportunity allows our students a chance to unleash their creative talents, showcase their artwork to a large audience and have the chance to win some great prizes. This is open to students of all ages.
THEME: Create an art piece that represents Easter Fest's Cross and Crown theme.
Categories:
Prep to Year 2
Year 3 - Year 6
Student's choice of content and medium - submitted on A4 size and 2D
Please ensure your child's artwork includes their name and class and is submitted to Mrs Leanne Doyle - ldoyle@kingscollege.qld.edu.au for judging by no later than 17 March. Winners will be announced on Compass and all entries will be displayed at Easter Fest 2024.
See the competition flyer for more information.
Congratulations to Monique and Joel Snowdon on the safe arrival of their baby boy,
Louis Barry Snowdon, born on Tuesday 6 February 2024. Mrs Snowdon is a Primary teacher at our campus, while Joel, who is an King's alumni from the Class of 2006 is a Primary teacher at the Reedy Creek campus.
