Thank you to our incredible A.B. Paterson College Community - words cannot express how much your support is appreciated and valued.

Thank for your your Time, Talent and Treasure. Thank you to our wonderful Parent volunteers who donated their time to help on Giving Day. Thank you to our Students and Staff whose talents shone so bright on our Giving Day stage and helped us to celebrate our College Spirit. Thank you to those who donated your Treasure - your generosity will bring relief and make a positive impact to those in our community who need it most right now.

Finally, our sincerest gratitude to our event sponsor, Computer Alliance, with your continued support, 100% of these funds will go directly to our Foundation to help our community.

We hope you can all hear us cheering with gratitude!!

Your gift. Their future.

Edward Klimowicz | Foundation Board Chairman

A celebratory Cake Smash to celebrate the success of Giving Day!
Thank you to all those who made it possible. A mighty achievement by our A.B. Community.

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller ·

5-4-3-2-1-0 booster (bus) ignition and liftoff!

Very early last Saturday morning, our Space Camp students and staff left for an adventure of a lifetime. It’s a long way from A.B. Paterson College to the The Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida, USA, but an amazing experience awaits our excited voyagers. We cannot wait to find out what they have seen and done. 

Our Space Camp travellers completed the first (short) leg of their long journey and are now on the plane safely and on time to LA. 

"The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it." - Kalpana Chawla

Our A.B. Paterson College Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 Academic Academy students arrived safely to Space Camp after their long trip to Huntsville, Alabama - and it was surely worth the wait!

Our students and eight staff are in full awe and excitement of what lies ahead for them during their Advanced Space Academy Program!

Our students are having an ‘out of this world’ experience at Space Camp! So far, they have done Mission Simulations (where they have controlled a Space Mission), groups have been scuba diving and some have experienced the G-Force – which has some students reconsidering space travel in their futures!

Belinda Pilgrim | Director of Student Academic Performance

Our Space Camp crew are enjoying their final adventures until moving on to their next destination! Starting their day celebrating Jena's birthday at breakfast - Happy birthday Jena!

They have just loved all the activities presented to them and also the team work and mateship.

Miss Pilgrim's favourite comment of the day... “Miss Pilgrim-I wasn’t looking forward to trying the Diving but I remembered how important it is to find my courage and have a go…..and I did it and loved it!”

Congratulations to Hayden Ozoux, Samuel Longhurst and Jonas Longhurst who recently competed at the Australian School Sport Triathlon/Aquathlon Championships. 

All three students represented themselves and the College admirably. 

In the Aquathlon, Hayden finished with a Bronze medal which places him third in all of Australia, an amazing achievement! 

Both Samuel and Jonas were competed against younger athletes and still finished top 20 in Australia. 

Congratulations again to our talented Brumbies!

Nathan Burgess | Director of Activities

In what seems like an eternity ago with another jam-packed term of activities, the 2022 Junior and Senior APS Athletics Carnivals were held across three days at Somerset College. Both of these teams performed incredibly well and did the College proud in what were immensely enjoyable days for all involved, providing an opportunity for students to compete at a high level and gauge where they were at against the best athletes the APS Competition had to offer.

From these carnivals, and some outstanding individual achievements, 26 of our A.B. Paterson College Students qualified for the Regional Trials, which were held across three days at the Gold Coast Performance Centre at Runaway Bay.  All Brumbies athletes had top 10 finishes in their respective events and, overall, managed to secure 25 podium finishes: 6 firsts, 11 seconds and 8 thirds.

The following students deserve to be commended on being selected to compete at the Regional Track & Field Championships.

From here, the best-performing students were selected to compete at the State Championships to be held at QSAC (Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre) in mid-October. This Carnival will see the best student-athletes the state of Queensland has to offer. Importantly, due to the amazing performances from our A.B. Brumbies competitors at the Regional Championships, 15 have been selected in the South Coast Regional Track & Field Team to contest the QLD State Titles! This is a very special achievement and one that the students, coaches and College deserve to feel very proud of. Congratulations to the following 15 A.B. Paterson College students who were selected.

State Qualifiers

Ruslan Akimov, Leilani Bultitude, Sophie Burtenshaw, Ashton Coward, Hannah Ferguson, Jasper Fitzgerald, Liam Glover, Sally Gordon, Ruby Hasted, Emilie Hutt, Agapetos Lote-Felo, Hayden Ozoux, Hudson Schultz, Harrison Staunton-McCallum and Grace Wolff

It would be remiss of me not to thank our dedicated team of coaches for providing students with the support, guidance, and mentoring required to allow students to perform as well as they did. These coaches included Mrs. Leana Joyce, Mr. Steve Jackson, Mr. Matt Stopel, Mrs. Tennille Mitchell, Ms. Sona Preiszlerova, Ms. Emelia Surch, Mr. Noah Fielding, Mr. Darrell Menezes, and Mr. Warwick Ford. The Activities Department’s team consisting of Mr. Nathan Burgess, Ms. Sara Eade, Ms. Emily O’Sullivan, and Mrs Julie Ashton-Lucy are also owed a massive thank you for all of their hard work in ensuring our students are all well prepared and provided with the tools necessary to succeed at such a high level.

Lachlan Webb | APS Squads Coordinator

Our Year 1 students have been studying the unit Peko Peko Watashi (Hungry Me) this term in Japanese. In the spirit of Book Week, students have been learning about a particular mini beast, a world-famous caterpillar well-known to young readers called The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. Students have been reading the book in the Japanese language, learning about what our caterpillar friend likes to eat on particular days of the week, and reflecting on how the transition from caterpillar to butterfly in the story relates to their own transition from Prep to Year 1 this year.

In terms of the days of the week, the Japanese days of the week are quite different from English:

They are written the same in the Chinese language however are pronounced differently. The first character in the name of each day is a simple concept linked with an elemental force of nature such as fire, wood, water, etc. Each element is also equated to a planet.

The Japanese way is about respecting all non-living and living things. Students have been learning to pay respect and give thanks to the element featured for each day of the week.

Students have learned that:

• On Sundays, we give thanks to the Sun for providing light and warmth from its rays.
• On Mondays, we give thanks to the Moon for watching over us as we sleep soundly in our beds.
• On Tuesdays, we give thanks to Fire for keeping us warm and providing a means for us to cook yummy treats.
• On Wednesdays, we give thanks to Water, for keeping us clean, hydrated and for allowing us to swim.
• On Thursdays, we give thanks to Wood, for providing shelter, cool tree houses and a place for our furry friends to rest.
• On Fridays, we give thanks to Gold, for our Olympic medallists to wear proud and for the jewellery that adorns us.
• Lastly, on Saturdays, we give thanks to the Earth, for the ground that we play on and for the place where all magical things grow.

The Languages Department is excited to share that for the first time ever in A.B. Paterson College history our Year 1 students were able to cross live to our Honjo-Higashi Senior High School friends in Japan where we shared songs and stories of The Very Hungry Caterpillar via Zoom. Our students could not believe their eyes when they saw so many excited Japanese faces looking back at them in real time! On top of this, our Japanese friends sent us photos on how they celebrate the element of each weekday.

Please enjoy the photos of how Honjo-Higashi students and A.B. Paterson College students celebrate from Sunday – Saturday! 

A massive thank you to Honjo-Higashi Senior High School teachers and students for sharing your passion for languages with us.

Barriga Sensei | Languages Teacher

Year 3 have just completed their Richmond Birdwing Butterfly design project. Students have spent the term learning about the classification of animals in Science. To make connections with both Design and Technologies and Service Learning, students have designed and created an enclosure or habitat best suited to the infamous butterfly. They also had to take into consideration the vulnerability of the butterfly and come up with ways in which humans might look at their awareness of the plight of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly.

During Design and Technologies, students used the design cycle to investigate the butterfly’s enclosure, they then generated ideas and created their version of its habitat. Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed the creation stage of the design cycle and this can be seen in the images below.

We look forward to sharing both the enclosures and the various digital presentations that have been created to accompany the project. Supporting the students’ understanding around the effect of their actions and predictions about change and events in their environment. Well done Year 3!

Beth Claydon | Head of Digital Literacy and STEAM

Sushi is the most famous dishes outside of Japan, and one of the most popular dishes among the Japanese. In Japan, sushi is often enjoyed on special occasions, such as a celebration. On Wednesday 14 September, the Year 7 students studying Japanese were able to watch an interactive demonstration in both Japanese and English, and then apply their newly learned techniques by selecting ingredients, centring these on a bed of seaweed and rice, and then rolling it to create the perfect maki-zushi.

Over the course of Term 3, students have studied about traditional Japanese sushi fillings and toppings, and discussed why food products like rice and seafood are widely consumed in Japan. They have learned to appreciate the history and evolution of sushi, and how modern sushi differs between Japan and Australian sushi restaurants. The sushi demonstration allows students to experience first-hand the techniques and skills required to create rolled sushi. 

Without the help of our amazing and enthusiastic parent volunteers, this incursion would not be as successful as it is, and I would like to acknowledge and thank Mrs Naoko Yamaguchi, Mrs Tomoko Woodall, Mrs Fumiko Abedian, Mrs Yoriko Johnson and Mrs Akiko Whitely for the meticulous preparation and kind assistance they provided to our students throughout the afternoon. Also, a big thank you to Japanese teacher, Mrs Yoko MacDonald, who also provided support to the students during their lesson.

Cheyne Sandercoe | Head of Languages

As part of the Spanish curriculum in Term 3, students have been learning about Spanish souvenirs, shopping and making transactions, as well as Spanish designers and fashion. To further enhance students’ knowledge of Spanish high-end clothing and the fashion world in Spain and Latin America, as well as food in Spanish-speaking countries, the Year 8 students of Spanish had the opportunity to present a Spanish fashion designer of their choice. They also attended a fashion parade created by themselves where they described their clothing in Spanish. To finish it off, students ordered an authentic meal from Mad Mex restaurant in Pacific Fair.

“Yesterday all the Year 8 Spanish classes came together to present our work on Fashion Designers in the Year 8 Spanish Fashion Show. For two weeks we had been working in small groups, researching and creating a presentation about a Hispanic designer and their clothes. We showcased our Spanish skills as our groups paraded clothing that represented the fashion designer, while other group members described the clothes in Spanish. It was so interesting to hear about the designers chosen by other groups and some of the groups put together such nice outfits. Overall, it was a really nice morning to display what we had been working on this term.” – Riley Roy

“The day started off with a kick, as we strutted down the room in our Spanish themed outfits excited to show them off – there were 10/10 outfits all around! Joy and excitement rolled around when the burritos came out... they 100% lived up to the excitement.” – Ben Wear

“The day lived up to expectations with the fashion show taking up the spotlight and then the burritos took our taste away.” – Nate Stoddart

“The Spanish incursion was such a great experience, inspiring my knowledge of fashion designers from Spain. The food was also a great addition to the experience. Thank you!” – Annika Singh

We would like to thank Mr Scott Lee from Mad Mex, a parent of the College, who kindly provided the 80 meals for our students to enjoy.

A big thank you to the Languages Faculty, especially to Mrs Cheyne Sandercoe, Ms Michelle Barriga and Ms Elisa Valade for their assistance with this incursion.

Ursula Lindeberg | Spanish Teacher

Japanese gardens have been built throughout history for various purposes, such as Tea Gardens, designed for recreational enjoyment or Dry Zen Gardens, created for religious fulfillment. On Tuesday 13 September, Year 8 students studying Japanese participated in an incursion to experience activities that might take place in a Japanese Garden: 

• the beautiful, traditional tea ceremony;
• an informative and interactive demonstration on bonsai miniature tree manicuring and maintenance; and
• a martial arts demonstration that focused on building strength and concentration through slow movements. 

These activities were part of the Japanese Garden unit students study throughout the course of Term 3, in which they explore how different cultures utilise space to create gardens and compare the styles and uses of them. As part of their assessment, students also had the opportunity to create their own Japanese garden through a range of media such as a diorama, 3D paint, Minecraft or a hand-drawing, and then apply descriptive language to write about their designs.

The Languages Faculty would like to acknowledge and thank Mrs Sachiyo Seki (Tea Ceremony), Mrs Kim Rochelle-Brown (Liliana Bonsai), and Mr Koji Yamasaki (martial arts) for guiding our students through these interactive and enjoyable activities.

The Japanese incursion was fun. I loved doing the tea ceremony and the martial arts stretching. It was really interesting watching the tea ceremony, because it shows a lot about the history of Japan. The style of creating the tea is very gentle, organised, and it fascinated me. The martial arts stretching was perfect for me. I do karate and I could relate and stretch at my level. – Kirill Piatin, Year 8 Student

Cheyne Sandercoe | Head of Languages

Roll Up, roll up! One and all!
It was time to dance, they all had a ball.
They were under the big top to the Fair,
Where the sound of laughter filled the air.
A place for games, music and ice-cream,
Hotdogs and snow cones, what a dream!

Magicians, ringleaders, dancers and mimes,
Whimsical characters and cirque, sublime.
Where the world became a fantasy,
And you were more than you dreamed to be.
This was their chance to shine their light,
Under the big top were our Prep families Friday night!

Jacinta Lauder, Rebecca Barraclough, Kayla McNaught and Kristina Diaz | Prep Teachers

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the recent Prep – Year 3 Vocal Festival! Across the weekend of the 10 & 11 September, over 230 students took to the stage and performed solo for our visiting adjudicator Mrs Tammy Kilpatrick.  All students did an outstanding job, receiving certificates, brightly coloured ribbons, ‘smelly stickers’ and of course, chocolate frogs!

Students should be extremely proud of the bravery they demonstrated and the lovely singing that they presented – well done students! There were more than a few proud parents spotted in the audience!

Congratulations to those students who were selected by Mrs Kilpatrick to receive a special ‘Adjudicator’s Choice Trophy’ for their outstanding performances.

• Prep – Srija, Evie, Tilda, Aston, Hanze & Tommy
• Year 1 – Eleanor, Taya, Carter & Alex C
• Year 2 – Arleena, Treia, Flynn & Kai
• Year 3 – Natalie, Charlotte, Noah & Jayden

Rachel Newcombe | Assistant Head of Performing Arts Faculty

The annual Poetry Competition was held on Monday September 5 and Tuesday September 7. This was a wonderful event celebrating our love of Australian poetry at A. B. Paterson College.

What is poetry? According to a world-famous poet, Robert Frost; “Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words”. Poetry sparked a variety of emotions in the finalists of this completion. Some were moved by sadness, grief and anger while others were moved by happiness, passion, pride, and a sense of justice and many more. Poetry has played an important part in shaping our history. Poets tell stories to capture the richness, strength and vitality of our society and a sense of what it means to be Australian. Let’s not forget who our College is named after, Andrew Barton Paterson, who was one of the greatest Australian Poets of all time. The audience enjoyed listening to a rich collection of beautifully recited poems. There were 3 categories: Traditional, Contemporary and Own Poem. We had 3 finalists for every category in each year level. It was an incredible accomplishment to be selected to perform.

I would like to express my gratitude to our wonderful adjudicators who took time to be part of this special event. Mr Darren Harvey (Assistant principal), Ms Rebecca Taylor (Deputy Head of Junior School: Teaching and Learning), Ms Cailyn Hoffman (Director of Early Learning), Ms Anne Wood (Head of English) and Miss Kimberly Costello (Assistant Head of English) were invited to adjudicate and they did a fantastic job. I would also like to acknowledge and thank our teachers who worked to instil a love of literacy and poetry and the skills to create the beautiful poems. Of the finalists who performed, the following students were awarded first place in each category:

Thank you to teachers and parents for supporting our students in their quest to produce and perform outstanding poems.

Sara Bakanay | Acting Head of Junior School

Congratulations to Summer Weiner of Year 4T who competed at the Australian Open Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Competition held in Byron Bay last weekend. 

Summer won both GI and no GI classes via submissions. She is very dedicated to her art and has very proud parents.

Well done Summer!

Nathan Burgess | Director of Activities

Congratulations to our 2022 Bumper Sticker Winners!

Sam Beh and Bernadette Sudha

Our winners have received FREE tuition for their eldest child for Term 4.

Thank you to all our weekly winners throughout Term 2 and Term 3 this year and to everyone in our community who proudly displays their A.B. Paterson College bumper sticker wherever they drive!

Look out for our annual bumper sticker competition again in 2023!

Nikki Ward | Director of Community Relations & Development

We're very excited to have the Cornerstone Concert 2022 held in our LPAC Theatre this Saturday evening, 15 October 2022 at 7pm!

You'll be entertained by not only our Old Collegians in the Cornerstone Chorus, but also our Senior Girls and Boys A Capella Choirs.

Purchase your tickets for $27 each here, it's sure to be a concert not to be missed! Book your tickets HERE now! 

We think you'll enjoy this link to their latest music video, where the group sings 'It's a Beautiful Day' by Michael Buble. CLICK HERE to watch the video.

Please join us in supporting our Old Collegians and this amazing group of young men who support our College in so many ways! See you there!

CLICK HERE to view the flyer.

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 4 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 2023 school year.