Our High School Honours Assemblies occur twice a year to award Honours Badges to students as we celebrate their high achievements from the previous semester. Last week, High School recognised students' success in the areas of College Enhancement, Sport and Academics from Semester Two, 2020. The Years 10-12 students were presented with their Honours badges on Tuesday, 23 February, while our Years 8 and 9 recipients were announced on Thursday, 25 February.
Honours Badges were awarded at Teal, Bronze, Silver and Gold level, as determined by the College's Honours Criteria. King's presented 183 badges in Middle School and 273 in Senior School, an impressive 456 total Honours Awards, encompassing a wide range of pursuits. This is a testament to the continued dedication and excellence of our students, and we congratulate these recipients on their outstanding achievements.
| Teal | Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
| Sport | - | - | 39 | 1 |
| College Enhancement | 20 | 15 | 1 | - |
| Creative Arts | 37 | - | 3 | 1 |
| Academic | 35 | 37 | 21 | 3 |
| Teal | Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
| Sport | - | - | 54 | - |
| College Enhancement | 62 | 28 | 15 | 5 |
| Creative Arts | 29 | - | 5 | - |
| Academic | 26 | 15 | 21 | 13 |
Every year in Term 1, High School runs the Year 7 & 12 Afternoon to help build connection and College culture. This valuable event is often a highlight of the school calendar for the cohorts, as they unite in an array of activities designed for fun and friendship-building. Through these shared experiences, our students often create a comradery that continues throughout their King’s journey.
Bethany McDonald (N7) still remembers her Year 7 & 12 Afternoon when she first began High School, and as a current Year 12 student, her hope was that she could help the Year 7s create amazing memories that would last them a lifetime. Bethany shared some insights from this year's experience:
“On Friday, 26 February, the sun was shining as our Year 7 and 12 female cohorts came together to celebrate the start of the High School journey for Year 7s, and nearing the end for Year 12s. The afternoon was filled with laughter, unity and dancing - the perfect combination in my opinion. Our main activities included a scavenger hunt and laser skirmish, which took us all around the High School to help the Year 7s get to know their surroundings and run off their crazy amounts of energy! The scavenger hunt involved lots of singing, dancing and laughing, as we raced against the other Houses and collected clues. The more subdued beading session gave us all a chance to relax while we helped the Year 7s create their own keychain as a keepsake. The evening concluded with devotions and time where the Year 12s answered questions about starting high school, homework, friendships and other girly things.”
The Year 7 and 12 boys equally enjoyed their afternoon together. It was encouraging to see so many Year 12 boys showing leadership and support to their youngest High School peers, as they competed in House groups during interactive games of laser skirmish, Ultimate Frisbee, ‘The Game’ and Tinball. These heart-pumping, adrenalin-inducing activities were followed by pizzas and a senior student panel, led by College Captain Isaac Gallagher, who shared some words of wisdom to end an incredible night.
Year 12 Reflections From the Night:
'Our Year 12 Legal Studies class recently had the opportunity to visit the Brisbane Supreme Court Library. We were given a tour of how both primary and secondary sources are stored in the library, including journals written by legal experts and State and Federal legislation. It was very interesting to see firsthand how barristers use the Library to source information for their important cases.
One of the Supreme Court Librarians also gave our class a private seminar on how to use the Supreme Court Library Database, where you can research virtually any legal topic or issue and find thousands of relevant resources. This was extremely helpful and set our class up for success in our IA2 Inquiry Reports which are about issues and problems within the Queensland and/or Australian legal system. This helpful excursion ensured we had the resources we needed for our assignment, and it also provided a fun experience to delve further into key legal issues experienced in society.'
By Reese Spence
Year 12 Legal Studies Student
Our Wellbeing Team at Reedy Creek campus began their community outreach efforts early this year with a tin-can meal drive competition. King's have already received 570 tinned food donations, with Newton leading the way in the House tally. Students can continue to bring canned meals to their PC Class until March 19. Thanks to our College's ongoing partnership with Tweed-based charity, You Have a Friend (YHAF), these meals will end up in the hands of homeless people living in our communities across the Gold Coast.
The highly anticipated 'You Have a Friend' Lunch & Free-Shirt Day fundraiser took place on Thursday, 4 March, and it was heartwarming to see so many High School students involved in running and supporting this event. The funds raised from the day will all be donated to You Have a Friend for the purchase of new swags for homeless people.
YHAF Founder, Mr Lee, once expressed his immense gratitude to King's staff and students for continuing to support the organisation. "You have a wonderful school and your support is greatly appreciated. We never really know the extent of someone's background, so we don't judge. We simply love them through their current circumstances."
The Primary Art Department recently ran an art competition aligned to the Foundational Values focus of Term 1 - Learn Passionately. Our students' submissions are currently on display outside the Primary Administration Office. It was wonderful to see such a variety of interpretations of Learning Passionately and to receive so many beautiful pieces of art for this competition. The judges commented on the 'very high standard of artwork' and were impressed by the different artistic media that students used. Thank you to every student who submitted an entry, and special congratulations to our Term 1 Art Competition winners!
| First Place | Jolienne Ji | 1RM |
| Second Place | Andy Li | 1RL |
| Third Place | Ava McCullough | 3RS |
| Merit | Joowan Kim | 3RU Amia Savides | 1RK Mason Beveridge | 2RE Maddi Shephard | 3RU |
| First Place | Angela Kaplun | 5RW |
| Second Place | Isla Browning | 4RB |
| Third Place | Summer Tudor | 4RD |
| Merit | Sarlet Kaplun | 6RC Mia Puzo | 4RW Waldo van Deventer | 5RP Jihun Kim | 6RJ Justine Vu | 6RD |
This week our Year 2 students had an amazing waterbugs incursion that literally brought their Integrated Studies unit to life! The environmental education experts from Waterbug Wonders came to King's Reedy Creek with their creepy crawlies so that the Year 2s could observe the water insects. They learned about the lifecycle of a dragonfly and mosquito and used magnifying glasses to examine the very small molecules. One of the highlights of the incursion was scooping up the water bugs to get a much closer look. The students all loved playing the role of scientists as they explored the exciting world of minibeasts. "I had the best time ever," said Charlotte Sawden (2RM), who wrote a full report below:
Our third and final Foundational Value for the term is "Learning Passionately with Perseverance."
At King's, we believe it is vital for our students to discuss and develop the skill of perseverance, as life will inevitably present them with challenging times where their level of perseverance will determine the outcome. Developing perseverance develops character, and as a student, this could be something like a physically-challenging activity or sports game; a mentally-challenging problem like learning a new mathematical equation; or when focus is needed to complete a task. Students may also face emotional and spiritual challenges, such as being teased or losing a loved one.
In order for a person to develop perseverance, they need to face situations where they are required to practise it - situations that test and challenge them to dig deep and never give up. By simply saying "It’s too hard," or "I’m just not good at maths,” shows a lack of perseverance and does not make the challenge go away, it just means they have to deal with the same problem another time.
Over the next fortnight, Primary students will be discussing perseverance and looking at what the Bible says about it. Classes will be hearing and studying some of the godly men and women in the Bible who showed perseverance and true grit. Men and women who never gave up, no matter what it cost them. Please use this time with your child as an opportunity to talk to them about perseverance, and when they can practise it in their day-to-day lives. This is such a valuable and godly characteristic, and we pray that every student will develop this skill throughout their King's learning journey.
Mr Thomas Bristow-Wilson
Deputy Head of Primary-Reedy Creek | School Culture
The annual Library Lovers’ Day is a chance for students to celebrate the role that libraries play in their lives and to grow a greater love of literature. The theme for the 2021 Library Lovers' Day was Make a Date with your Library and our King's libraries provided giveaways, activities and competitions throughout this special event. High School students had an opportunity to have a 'Blind date with a book,' where librarians chose them a random book based on their genre preference.
The Primary Library's Colouring In Competition was one of the most popular activities among our younger years. This attracted many amazing entries from Noah's Ark and Primary School and our judges appreciated the care and effort so many students put into their work. The first-place winners from each year level received a fantastic new book. Congratulations to the 2021 winners:
| Student | Class |
| Mackenzie | Possums (Noah's Ark) |
| Hazel | PRO |
| Sianna | 1RK |
| Louisa | 2RT |
| Lucas & Mikko | 3RB |
It was great to see hundreds of students involved in all of our competitions. Thanks to our College community for showing your love for literature, our librarians and our libraries. We hope you all enjoyed a memorable Library Lovers’ Day!
King's Noah's Ark Early Learning Centre is always a bustling part of the College! It has been wonderful to welcome our new children (and their families) into the Kindy rooms, as well as into Pre-Prep. The Centre has been full of fun, learning and excitement, as the children have been busy exploring their new environment, making new friends and becoming familiar with the routine. These gorgeous photos show some of our youngest learners as they enjoy their time in Noah's Ark.
As an athlete, it is very important to have a thorough understanding of specific recovery principles for different sports. Applying this knowledge enables an athlete to enhance their personal fitness, and increase their ability to train and perform at their highest capacity over the course of the playing season.
On Wednesday, 24 February, Year 10 PE students experienced a high-intensity circuit workout that involved 17 stations. The goal of the workout was to get students into a fatigued state and promote delayed onset of muscular soreness. This gave them the opportunity to journal their fatigue and to devise effective recovery techniques. After three rounds of the circuit, students applied their post-workout recovery techniques, which included three minutes in a 5-7degree ice-bath! Despite the humid conditions, students worked hard at each station and used the experiences to support their investigative report. Well done Year 10 PE.
King's caught up with last year's College Captain, Reuben Drummond, who recently graduated with an outstanding ATAR of 99.90. Reuben shared some poignant study advice and anti-procrastination techniques, as well as more about his plans for 2021, and beyond...
King's High School parents, does your son or daughter...
If so, we strongly encourage them to attend either Homework Lunch or After School Homework and Assignment Assistance.
High School students can receive extra homework or assignment assistance during any of the free support sessions held every lunch break from Monday - Thursday (see subject timetable below).
| DAY | SUBJECT | LOCATION |
| Monday | Maths | Maths Matrix |
| Tuesday | Science IDT Art | Maths Matrix FabLab Art Rooms |
| Wednesday | Business Humanities IDT | Writers' Block Writers' Block FabLab |
| Thursday | English | Writers' Block |
After School Homework Assistance
These sessions run every Monday - Thursday* from 3:15pm - 5pm with five tutors available during every after school session to assist students. These are run by either a Head of Department or King's high-achieving alumni, who are available to help with any questions. Students do not need to pre-register.
| YEAR LEVEL | LOCATION |
| Years 7 - 9 (Middle School) | Main Library |
| Years 10 - 12 (Senior School) | Maths Matrix classrooms |
*Please note that these sessions do not run in Week 8 of Term 4.
During High School assemblies this term, teachers have been discussing the importance of the Four Pillars for effective learning and success, and are currently focussing on Pillar One. It is important that parents are aware of these Pillars to be able to reinforce these important practices at home.
The first Pillar of academic success is HOME because these important practises begin at home - the place where most learning originates. Parents can guide and support students as they endeavour to improve these aspects of their life, but as capable teenagers, they must take personal responsibility for adopting these habits. There are numerous online articles and videos on Pillar One elements, and we urge parents to review these with your student/s to ensure you are on the right track in terms of this First Pillar of Academic Success. Here are some examples:
Johan Claassen
Dean of Studies (High School)
Elevate Education work with our High School students throughout the year to deliver impactful workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing and exam preparation. King's parents have free access to Elevate Education’s Parent Webinar Series for Term 1, 2021 which will help you learn ways to better support your children at home as you reinforce the skills they learn at school. If you missed their last webinar on the important topic of Time Management, you can view this via the button below until Wednesday, 10 March.
The next webinar is focussing on TECH DEVICES - Setting Boundaries and Promoting Self-Regulation with Teens. This live webinar will take place on Wednesday, 10 March from 6pm - 7pm. Registration is free for King's parents but you must complete the registration link via the button below to participate.
Join the next webinar: TECH DEVICESKing's Outside School Hours Care (KOSHC) are now taking Vacation Care bookings for the upcoming September school holidays. KOSHC is run from their centre near the King's Church auditorium and they have another exciting program coming up including Lego Masters, a Camp Out, Ultimate Tag, plus excursions to Inflatable World, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Putt Putt and so much more! Noah's Ark also run a Vacation Care program for students in Prep - Year 2. Find out more via the button below.
| Vacation Care | Friday, 17 Sept - Friday, 1 October (inclusive) Monday, 4 October is closed for the Public Holiday Places are limited so please book via the method below |
| Age range | Prep - Year 6 students (and above) |
| Cost | $60 ($80 on excursion days) |
| Bookings | Login to complete the KOSHC Booking Form, or email reedycreek@koshc.net.au |
T: (07) 5593 4233
E: reedycreek@koshc.net.au
W: koshc.net.au
BOOKING DATES
Please note that the lock-in date is Friday, 10 September, and all bookings after this date are locked in. A $10 per child, per day cancellation fee will apply for any cancellations after the lock in date.
The Careers Department hosted a number of universities from as far north as Townsville to our campus on Thursday, for an informative University Showcase especially for our Year 12 cohort. Representatives from universities including Griffith, Bond, UQ, QUT, SCU, TAFE, Southern Cross and JCU Townsville, all presented to the group on a range of important tertiary topics such as university accommodation, offsetting costs, scholarships and more. A QTAC representative also discussed the university application process, which is used by most universities in Queensland. Students then had the opportunity to visit each university's booth to collect brochures and ask more specific questions as they begin to prepare for their studies beyond King's.
View the links below to find out more about current school-based traineeships available for Year 10 and 11 students:
| Nail Systems International - Cert III Business SBT - three job opportunities for an urgent start at Arundel, Gold Coast (1-2 days per week | Mon - Fri | 9am - 4pm). See Mrs Lubbe, Pathways Officer, if interested. |
| MEGT Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Career Hub vacancies. This Career Hub site has many tools and information for potential apprentices and trainees. |
Study for a UNSW degree at the ADF Academy and graduate as an Officer in the Australian Defence Force. Students will receive service training, while studying for their degree, and will earn a salary while learning (with no HELP debt) with a guaranteed role upon graduation as an Officer in the ADF.
Find out more by joining an online information session where you can speak with current serving military personnel and learn more about the ADF. Click the link to find out more or register:
| Aust Defence Force Academy Info | Wed, 10 March | 6.00pm |
| Indigenous Elders & Influencer Lunch | Fri, 12 March | 6.00pm |
| “I can, You can” Women in Defence Luncheon | Sat, 13 March All welcome: RSVP by 11 March | 10.00am |
| GC Gap Year: Info Session* *for those who have started an application | Tues, 16 March or Mon, 19 April | 6.00pm |
More information on AAFC can be found on the website www.aafc.org.au.
The 'Where to Next' Hub is available on CareersEvent.com, and provides an informative Careers Hub for senior students and their parents. Visit the hub for access to tertiary webinars, upcoming events and the latest news on careers and courses.
For a full list of events or to register for the King's Careers Newsletter, visit King’s College Careers.
