The period leading up to the Year 10 Semi-Formal was marked by eager anticipation among the entire cohort, who eagerly awaited this momentous evening. Finally, on Saturday, September 9, the long-anticipated night had arrived, marking the perfect conclusion to the Year 10 exam period. The Semi-Formal event became an unforgettable experience, with attendees dressed in stunning outfits, providing an opportunity to dress up and enjoy a night with friends.

Upon their arrival, students were welcomed by a red carpet and an archway. It was a pleasure to also welcome parents and guardians to the event again this year, who gathered in the Mathematics Courtyard for some refreshments before witnessing their children's grand entrance. As the festivities kicked off, attendees flocked to the photo booth, initially approaching the dance floor with a hint of hesitation. However, this hesitation quickly turned into enthusiastic dancing when beloved tunes drew the crowd in. The photo booth remained a popular attraction throughout the evening, with everyone eager to capture the fun. Attendees departed with stacks of photos and a treasury of indelible memories. Meanwhile, students continued to dance the night away on the lively dance floor.

The success of the Semi-Formal event was made possible by the dedicated individuals who coordinated it. Special thanks are extended to Vipasha Rajkumar, the College Leader for Interact - Senior, Charlotte Squire, the College Leader for Interact – Junior, and the Year 11 and 12 volunteers who ensured that the Semi-Formal was enjoyable for all. A heartfelt appreciation was also extended to the staff members who devoted their weekend to create such a magical evening. Last but not least, a big thank you was given to the Class of 2023 for crafting an evening filled with enduring memories.

Charlotte Brook | Head of Senior School

In our fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of daily life. Students, teachers, and parents alike often find themselves overwhelmed with the demands of school, work, and co-curricular activities. But have you ever stopped to think about the importance of a balanced life? In this article, I will explore the significance of balance in our lives and share some practical tips on how to help achieve it.

Balancing various aspects of life is essential for our overall well-being. It's not just about splitting your time evenly between school, work, and personal life; it's about finding harmony in these different areas. Among the many benefits in doing so, here are some compelling reasons why balance matters:

• Improved Mental Health: Maintaining a balance between work, school, and personal life can help reduce stress and anxiety. It provides time for relaxation and self-care, which are crucial for good mental health.
• Enhanced Productivity: Striking a balance ensures you are not constantly overexerting yourself in one area, which can lead to burnout. When you are well-rested and focused, your productivity in both school and work can significantly improve.
• Stronger Relationships: Balancing your life allows you to spend quality time with friends and family. Building and nurturing these relationships is vital for emotional well-being and happiness.
• Health Benefits: A balanced life often includes time for physical activity and a healthy diet. These factors contribute to better physical health, leading to increased energy and overall vitality.

Tips for Achieving Balance

While it is necessary that we improve our understanding the importance of balance, here are some practical tips for achieving it:

• Set Priorities: Identify your most important goals and values. Focus on these areas while making time for other commitments.
• Time Management: Use effective time management techniques such as creating schedules, setting deadlines, and eliminating distractions.
• Learn to Say No: It's essential to recognize your limits and not overcommit yourself. Politely declining additional responsibilities when necessary is a sign of self-care. In many cases when you say ‘no’, remember that you are effectively saying ‘yes’ to your own balance.
• Self-Care: Dedicate time to self-care activities like meditation, listening to music, exercise, reading, or hobbies. These activities recharge your mind and body (although sometimes I wonder whether a particular round of golf may be providing me with any benefits!).
• Stay Organized: Keeping your school and work materials organised can reduce stress and save time.
• Quality Over Quantity: In relationships and activities, prioritise quality over quantity. Spend meaningful time with loved ones and engage in activities that bring you joy.
• Seek Support: Don't hesitate to ask for help when needed, whether it's from friends, family, or school counsellors. Support networks are invaluable for our own well-being.

In our pursuit of academic and professional success, it's easy to lose sight of the importance of balance. However, maintaining a balanced life is crucial for overall well-being, mental health, and happiness. By setting priorities, managing your time effectively, and practicing self-care, you can achieve a fulfilling and balanced life. Remember, it's not about juggling everything perfectly but doing what you feel is right for yourself and flow of your daily life.

Tim Grosser | Director of Operations & Planning

Prep Ball 2023 was an exceptional evening that brought our Prep community together for a joyous celebration. May Gibbs Courtyard was magically transformed into a jungle, mirroring the creative animal costumes worn by our students, parents and teachers. The atmosphere was filled with dancing, and everyone relished sizzling sausages, popcorn, and slushies. Of course, there were plenty of memorable moments captured in photos with classmates, peers, teachers, and families.

This extraordinary event was made possible by the unwavering dedication of our committed Prep parents, who went above and beyond to create this unforgettable experience for our students. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have such a close-knit, devoted and supportive community. A heartfelt thank you to all who contributed and participated. It will be a night etched in our memories forever.

Sara Bakanay | Deputy Head of Junior School: Pastoral

Prep ball

Poem by Rebecca Tonkin (Prep T Teacher)

Preps celebrated in style at the annual Prep Ball,
the most anticipated event in the school calendar!
Roars were heard as the lions ran freely amongst the other animals
as we had fun with the jungle theme.
Even elephants were seen swinging their trunks wildly.
Pictures and artwork were displayed all over the May Gibbs Courtyard.

Balloons spread colour throughout the jungle,
where monkeys could be found hanging from vines.
A fabulous evening was had by all.
Lions, giraffes, elephants, monkeys and many more.
Laughter filled the air as the children danced the night away with their friends!

A massive shout-out to the following:

FAB (Friends of A.B. Paterson College): FAB's generous contribution in terms of supplies and equipment gave life to the event. A special mention to Kristin Higgins and Kristy Bracehan, who were not only our pillars of strength right from the inception but were instrumental to the success of the Prep Ball. Their generous donation of time, resources, and their genuine care ensured that we had a truly successful ball.

Black in Designs: The Printed Backdrop and Instaframe Signage were just breathtaking. Check out their amazing work at http://blackindesign.com.au/

Parent Volunteers: Your energy, passion, and generous donation of time played a huge role in the success of the Ball.

Student Volunteers: A huge thanks for making the evening fun with your help and face painting skills.

Simon Edgar & Natalie Williams: Your collaboration with the Prep Coordinators was instrumental. Thank you for helping shape the event!

Our Dedicated Prep Teachers and Teaching Assistants: The display of kids’ artwork was stellar, showcasing the talents of our young ones!

A.B. Paterson College Early Learning Centre: Your loan of decorations added that special touch to our ambiance. Grateful!

To all the Parents, Teachers, and Seniors: You make a world of difference in our children's lives. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful and supportive community around us.

A Note on Photos: The captures from our talented photographer has been uploaded to the College's Illalong Newsletter and Facebook albums and will be made available in due course.

Here's to more memories and successes together!

The Prep Coordinators

Our students embarked on an incredible journey in Japan, and we can't help but share their amazing experiences!

Day 1: Japan Bound!

The adventure began with an early morning meetup at A.B. Paterson College, leading to a flight to Osaka via Cairns. They are adapting to the culture, and the bathrooms are different! Nihon wa suteki desu! (Japan is splendid.)

Day 2: Noodle Creations and Aquatic Wonders!

After starting the day with a traditional Japanese breakfast, students showcased their creativity at the Cup Noodles Museum, making their own noodle flavours and artsy packaging. Exploring Tempozan's shops, enjoying the Ferris Wheel, and visiting Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan with its incredible whale shark and spider crab! Osaka wa sugoi! (Osaka is awesome!

Day 3: Universal Studios Extravaganza!

The adventurers conquered crowded trains to reach Universal Studios. The highlights were Super Nintendo Land, Jurassic Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Despite long lines, students insisted it was worth every minute! They indulged in Pokémon cakes, Halloween Snoopy spaghetti, and brought back wizard wands and Super Mario hats. A day of endless fun! Universal Studios wa tanoshikatta desu! (Universal Studios was fun!)

Day 4: Osaka to Hiroshima

Efficient as a bullet train, our Japan Tour legends journeyed from Osaka to Hiroshima on the Shinkansen, navigating stairs and luggage like pros. They paid their respects at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, creating a plaque and folding paper cranes for world peace. The day wrapped up with Okonomiyaki at Okonomimura. Tired but enriched, our students made memories to last a lifetime. Hiroshima wa totemo omoshirokatta desu—Hiroshima was fascinating!

Stay tuned for further updates on our our FB and Instagram pages from our seasoned travellers!

Sue Walduck | Director of Teacher Development & Effectiveness

Last week, our Year 5 students thoroughly enjoyed three busy days of team building exercises, outdoor adventures and quality time with their peers and teachers at the Bornhoffen camp. 

Aside from the weather causing some shutdowns and delays across the day, it appeared that everyone was enjoying the sun and having a great time with their cohort regardless, and with a slightly adjusted program, we managed to get each cohort and a couple of staff members time on the obstacles.

The feedback from the vendor and supervising teachers across the day was very positive, as expected all students were exceptionally well-behaved and polite. The vendor made special mention that our students and staff were the best behaved and well-mannered group they have worked with!

For the number crunchers, the final numbers are in. We had over 1,200 students from our youngest pre-prep to Year 12 register and attend the event across the day. Grossing just over $12,000 for the day.

A big shout-out must go to our House Captains who led the morning sessions, ballgames and activities, while the inflatables were set up and then immediately put on hold due to the prevailing wind. They were supported by some fantastic Year 10 & 12 students who continued to assist throughout the day to make sure the event ran smoothly. Special mention must also go to Jahn Komorowski who spent the day out and about in the Brumby suit.

Thank you to Dean Tuesley for collating the footage and images collected during the day to put together our event wrap-up video in time for this week's end-of-term assembly.

Thanks again to all staff who popped down to supervise their classes or do volunteer playground duty on the oval during lunch time.

Once again thank you to everyone for your support of this event!

Michael Culverwell | Head of Mackellar House
Andrew Hayes | Head of Wright House

The Regional Track and Field Championships were held over three days at the Gold Coast Performance Centre in Weeks 7 & 8 of Term 3. On the back of outstanding results, a total of 36 students were invited to attend.

Congratulations to all students who competed, especially those who did Personal Bests or qualified for the State Championships coming up in Week 2 of Term 4.

This year, a record if 15 students were selected to represent the College and the South Coast Region at the State Championships, which is the most in recorded history. We wish those students all the best in their preparation for the event next term!

Summary of Results

We look forward to continuing to build our athletics program and training will continue into Term 4. 

An updated timetable will be made available for Week 1 of Term 4 and we hope to see students taking up the opportunity to access high quality sessions on a regular basis.

Congratulations to our students who competed in this event!

Matt Stopel | Head of Athletics & Assistant Head of HPE Faculty

Last Friday afternoon, 8 September, we had our last Junior Chess Club lesson for Term 3. Throughout the term, students accumulate points for their games during the lessons and at the end of the term, they are presented with medals by their coaches for their results. Three out of the five classes were presented with their medals; the other two classes will be presented early in Term 4. Please see attached photos and results below.

Advanced Class:

1st Place - Gold Medal Recipient - Nicholas Liew (3L)
2nd Place – Silver Medal Recipient - Alana Liew (5C)
3rd Place – Bronze Medal Recipient - Emily Wong (5L)

Beginners 3 Class:

1st Place - Gold Medal Recipient – Benjamin Jiao (4D)
2nd Place – Silver Medal Recipient – Aiden Chen (1P)
3rd Place – Bronze Medal Recipient – Jimmy Zhang (3Y)

Beginners 2 Class:

1st Place - Gold Medal Recipient – Austin Xu (1M)
2nd Place – Silver Medal Recipient – Vivaan Raje (2L)
3rd Place – Bronze Medal Recipient – Georgia Berger (2H)

Congratulations to these students for their excellent efforts.

Lena White & Trent Davis | Chess Co-ordinators

Congratulations to Christian-James (CJ) Kujenga of Year 5 who plays for the under 12 Seahawks Basketball team.

CJ's team won the South Queensland Basketball Competition for their division on the weekend.

CJ is now a South Queensland Basketball Champion!

Well done CJ!

Nathan Burgess | Director of Activities

The College is proud to celebrate the following staff members who have just attained the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE) status.

• Leanne Clark
• Samantha Middleton
• Sophie Wager
• Genevieve Whittington

Along with renewing MIEE’s:

• Kelly Whiteway
• Jo Schaefer

These exceptional educators have completed significant additional learning from Microsoft to attain this status, demonstrating their deep commitment to integrating technology into their classrooms and fostering collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking among their students.

The College is proud to have such a strong group of MIEEs. These educators are using technology to create engaging and interactive learning experiences for their students. They are also sharing their expertise with colleagues, and will continue to inspire the next generation of learners.

Jo Schaefer | Technology Integration Manager

In our Prep – Year 8 Japanese classes, acquiring the skill of reading and writing the Hiragana script helps create a foundation for learning the Japanese language. It assists with the phonetics and pronunciation and allows students to access a wider range of resources to develop their communication skills. 

This week, to complete their Year 8 Japanese course of study, three students from each class were selected to put their skills to the test in the highly contested annual Hiragana Spelling Bee. 

After a close competition, we would like to commend all contestants for their diligence and positive participation. 

The 2023 results are:

• First Place: Mimi Shen
• Second Place: Zain Baba
• Third Place: Imogen Peak

Congratulations to these students!

Yoko MacDonald | Languages Teacher

What a fantastic finish to the term for our Year 7 Japanese class!

On Tuesday 12 September, in their last Japanese lesson of Term 3, Year 7 students had an exciting opportunity to roll their own sushi and taste it with their classmates.

Thanks to the generous assistance of Japanese parents, Mrs Whiteley, Mrs Sunakawa, Mrs Abedian, Mrs Johnson, and Mrs Woodall, students had a memorable time culminating their study of the Term 3 Sushi Unit.

Year 7 student of Japanese, why don't you try treating your family to some sushi at home!

Yoko MacDonald | Languages Teacher

We are thrilled to once again be able to invite prospective families to experience the A.B. difference at our Open Day on Wednesday 11 October.

Open Day is a great opportunity to tour our magnificent learning precinct, The Winton Centre, visit the May Gibbs Prep Precinct and Lilly Pilly Learning Centre, and meet Principal, Ms Joanne Sheehy, members

of the Senior Leadership Team and Head of Admissions, Mrs Karen Milburn.

Bookings are essential and further information, including the booking link, can be found on the College website here - Open Days and College Tours.

To register for Open Day click here.

Please feel free to share this information with your friends and family. We look forward to welcoming them to our College!

We invite our past students, parents and staff to join us to celebrate our  inaugural Alumni Long Lunch, Grazing on the Green, proudly brought to you by A.B. Paterson College Foundation.

Reconnect as we reminisce and relive fond memories of your time at the College. 

Celebrate milestone occasions as our classes of 2013 and 2003 come together for their 10 and 20 year reunion. 

Tickets are now available for purchase. The ticket price includes a three-course lunch, live music and drinks throughout the day.

We look forward to sharing this special day with you. 

For any enquiries, please contact Tegan Parker at tparker@abpat.qld.edu.au.

The September school holidays are fast approaching!

Dates:  Friday 15 September to Friday 29 September

The Vacation Care Enrolment Pack includes:

• Parent information letter
• Program and activity list
• Incursion information
• Booking and permission form
• PG Movie Consent form

Find out more here.

If your family is relocating at the end of this year, written notification of student departure should be provided to the College by the first day of Term 4, Tuesday 3 October, as agreed to in the Contract of Enrolment signed on acceptance of an enrolment place. Where this notice is not provided, the College may charge one term’s fees in lieu of notice, as budgets are prepared on student numbers.

Please email Head of Admissions, Karen Milburn at KMilburn@abpat.qld.edu.au if your family will not be at the College for the start of the 2024 school year.