Last week, as part of our College Harmony Week celebrations, Traditional Custodian Justine Dillion welcomed our students, staff and College community to Country.

Justine is a Kombumerri and Quandamooka woman – she is the Traditional Owner of the beautiful Gold Coast and Moreton Bay areas. Currently, Justine is the Project Coordinator for Ngarang-Wal Gold Coast Aboriginal Association Incorporated and Guanaba Indigenous Protected Areas, having also served on the Ngarang-Wal Board of Directors for the last 16 years. Prior to this, Justine taught as a Primary School Teacher and as an Indigenous Education Worker to maintain cultural connections.

Justine welcomed students and staff on to the grounds of her Kombumerri ancestors through a very special Welcome to Country and traditional Smoking Ceremony. A Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by a local Aboriginal person to acknowledge and give support to events taking place on their traditional lands. Students were then engaged in a Smoking Ceremony, which involves smouldering native plants to produce smoke. This herbal smoke is believed to have cleansing properties as well as the ability to ward off any negative events. Justine also shared and discussed the appearances of animal totems and buck tucker with students. Did you know we have a plentiful supply of native bush tucker grown on campus?

We thank Justine for sharing her culture, expertise and connection to Country with our staff and students, and we look forward to working with her more in this space.

Aboriginal Flag

This ceremony also included the raising of the Aboriginal flag by our College Captains, Charley Ellwood and Charles Morris. Please read below for an excerpt of College Captain, Charley Ellwood’s speech.

On the 24 January 2022, the people of Australia were welcomed to the news that the federal government had reached an agreement with Luritja Aboriginal artist and designer of the flag, Harold Thomas. The flag was freed.

Good morning Ms Sheehy, Senior Leadership Team, staff and students. This flag is not only a representation of the Traditional Custodians of which we live, learn and work but is an enduring symbol of Indigenous strength, unity and voice that resonates around Australia. Ever since the announcement from the honourable Ken Wyatt, we have sort to ensure that the flag be raised at the front of our College. A message to all students on the importance of reconciliation.

It was truly an honour and privilege to be a part of such a monumental event for our College and the Kombumerri people of our Community. I want to give my thanks to Ms Stephanne Siberry and Mrs. Samantha Middleton for their tireless efforts in making this happen and to the class of 2021 for gifting us the Aboriginal flag. I would also like to extend my immense gratitude to Ms. Justine Dillion for her conduction of a Traditional Smoking Ceremony, sharing her experiences and connection with Kombumerri culture and welcoming us on to the land of her ancestors. Without the help of these amazing people I’m sure that this event would not have been as special as it was. On behalf of the student body of A.B Paterson College, we are incredibly appreciative of the contributions you have made at ensuring the success of the event.

The raising of the Indigenous flag is only one of many events that the College is undertaking on our journey of reconciliation. We hope to continue to build upon this progress and that Kombumerri culture one day resonates throughout all aspects of our College life. As a community, it is imperative that we embark on this journey together and ensure that our commitments to reconciliation are done so in a cohesive manner. Thank you for being a part of this first step. I encourage us all to reflect on what actions we can take today, both now and into the future. – Charley Ellwood, A.B Paterson College Captain

We look forward to sharing more with you in this space throughout the year. Baugull Wanyi, which means thank you in Yugambeh language.

Samantha Middleton - Junior School Curriculum Coordinator and Year 3 Teacher
Stephanne Siberry - Head of Library Services

Well what a term it has been. I could never have anticipated the incredible journey that has unfolded in my first term here at A.B. Paterson. Despite the incredible challenges of an unrelenting  global pandemic and a ‘one in one hundred’ year flood, I can safely say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to the A.B. community. 

In the first few weeks of my tenure here at the College I often heard people refer to the ‘A.B. way’. After a full term in my new role I have come to personally discover the ‘A.B. way’ is a uniquely powerful and effective approach to educating our children. It is already very obvious to me that as a community we are committed to continuous improvement, we aspire to what Carol Dweck refers to as a growth mindset and we hold ourselves to the highest standards. What an incredibly inspiring environment this is to work in. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Academic staff in the review and reinvigoration of our College curriculum. The Heads of House have inspired me with their positive and proactive approach to realigning our expectations of high standards in dress and appearance, work habits and behaviour. I have been inspired by the forward thinking nature of our College’s Student Leaders who play the role of custodians of our wonderful College culture with dignity and dedication. I have also been enthused by the wonderful positive growth that we are seeing across all areas of Co-curricular and cannot wait for the sporting season to begin and the College Musical to hit the stage in Term 2. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside our College Principal, Ms Joanne Sheehy in the development planning stages of the next phase of development here on our beautiful campus. 

Above all else, I have been heartened by the very kind and caring way that the College community has embraced me as a ‘newbie’. To me, these are the things that define the A.B. way and these are the things that reassure me daily that I have found a new home here at A.B.

Bring on Term 2!

Darren Harvey
Assistant Principal 

It certainly has been an eventful and enjoyable start to my time at A.B. which makes the future very exciting! In just one term it is easy to see why A.B. is such a special school; the students, staff and parents have all been very welcoming and I am very appreciative of your early support. 

It is great to see the breadth of programs on offer within co-curricular, from Sport to Activities and the highly professional Arts program. Despite the challenges that COVID has once again presented, we have been able to fit a number of events into a shortened Term 1. Our students have had the opportunity to compete in the A.B. Swimming Age Championships and run the new Cross Country course. Our high performing Rugby and Netball players went on tour to the Sunshine Coast and produced some amazing results. We have seen the successful launch of our eSports program including the FUSE Cup competition while our continuing activities of Chess, Makerspace and Creative writing have seen great participation numbers. 

Our Individual Performance Sports have seen an influx of new coaches who have increased the quality of our coaching staff, improving the overall student experience in our squads. None of these things would have been possible without an amazing team working behind the scenes. 

Also new this year, Sara Eade has been outstanding in role as Assistant Director of Activities - the College is very lucky to have her. Lachlan Webb took on a new challenge as our APS Squads Coordinator and has bought a great level of energy to the role while Julie Ashton-Lucy has been a invaluable to the running of our Sports program. Outside of these three staff members, we have had huge contributions from so many people within the College. Thank you to all the staff who have been involved with Co-Curricular in Term 1. 

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the program. We look forward to offering some new opportunities to our students as we move through the year. 

Thanks again to everyone for their support and have a great Easter break.

Nathan Burgess
Director of Activities

Last weekend, 17 students took part in a Qualifying Bronze Duke of Edinburgh camp. The practical aspects of the two-day camp were to learn about the environment, safe bush walking skills, planning meals and cooking for themselves and their peers. They were accompanied by teachers, Mr Andrew Sole, Miss Hope Foster and Mr Michael Culverwell.

The focus of the camp was for students to develop both leadership and teamwork skills in a challenging environment whilst having fun. The Duke of Edinburgh program builds resilience and independent thinking in young people as part of its core philosophy.

Students took part in two days of walking and one night of camping. Due to the wet weather prevalent in the area over the weekend, students camped under cover at the College. Walking destinations were local to the Gold Coast. On Saturday, students explored the spectacular Burleigh Heads National Park with views of Surfers Paradise to the north and the northern New South Wales coast to the south, and in the afternoon walked a number of trails through the Nerang National Park.

On Sunday, the group walked the whole the length of Federation Walk, culminating at The Spit Lighthouse before returning along the beach before having lunch. In the afternoon, they headed out to the environs of Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area where they were amazed at the rich variety of wildlife so close to a busy urban setting.

Andrew Sole
Head of Outdoor Education

A.B. Paterson College is founded on a unique Australian spirit which embodies character, determination, resilience, and integrity.

The Kokoda Youth Program, based on the Gold Coast, is a not-for-profit organisation established to change the lives of local teenagers by instilling the spirit of Kokoda, by embodying courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.  The Foundation run several major endurance events to help raise funds for their programs.

The College is entering 9 teams of students in Years 10, 11, and 12 participating in the 48km and the 96km Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge Event in July 2022.

The first training session took place at Mount Nimmel Hall last Sunday. Students and staff attending walked a distance of 12km taking approximately 4.5 hours in duration.

Thank you to all those involved, especially Mr Stephen Cooke, Ms McNaught and Ms Emily Fletcher.

The next scheduled training session is on 24 April at Polly's Country Kitchen.

Andrew Sole
Head of Outdoor Education

Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

This year, the College celebrated Harmony Week 2022 as a collective – despite still needing to be mindful of social distancing guidelines. Harmony Week was celebrated the week of Monday 21 March – which is the official Harmony Day. It was a beautiful week, dedicated to celebrating the multiculturism that is our College – and Australia.

Throughout the week, our Tucker Bag sold delicious food specials from other countries – representing Greece, India, Mexico, Italy and China.

There were also lunchtime workshops that students could participate in. On Monday, Sensei MacDonald, and a group of origami masters, taught our Year 4 to 6 students in the art of origami from Japan. On Tuesday, the Lilly Pilly Learning Centre hosted a ‘Sing in Another Language’ event. Students from across the College shared their songs and language with each other. On Wednesday and Thursday, Mrs Tennille Mitchell and Ms Sona Preiszlerova led Indigenous Games on our College ovals for our Year 4-6 and Year 1-3 students. Our cultural workshops concluded on Friday, when Mrs Jackie Olivier led our Year 4-6 students in a unique Harmony Week art activity. Students took the very Aussie gumnuts, which were collected from our own campus trees, and students painted each one to represent the colours and symbols of the countries our A.B. Paterson College student identify with. A collection of these painted gumnuts will be displayed in our Homestead library to represent Harmony Week 2022.

Harmony Week 2022 was also a week of firsts. Our College’s First Nation students, College Captains and Year 6 flag raisers were invited to raise the Aboriginal flag for the first time at the College, which was gifted to the College last year by the graduating class of 2021. Local Kombumerri woman, Justine Dillion was invited to be a part of this monumental event – where she first led the students in a smoking ceremony and spoke about the culture and traditions of the area. To learn more about this important event, please read the accompanying article in this week’s newsletter.

On Wednesday 23 March, our College students joined together, within their own homerooms to watch a beautiful Harmony Week 2022 video and participate in various Harmony Week activities. The video, created by students, staff and parents of the College, shared the message of Harmony Week and spoke to the importance of celebrating our differences – for these are what makes us stronger. The video is a mixture of inspiring speeches, and cultural performances representing China, India, Japan and Korea. The video closes with the Prep to Year 12 choir singing ‘We Sing Together’. We would like to thank Mr Alex Fox for his tireless efforts in helping to film and edit this video to the beauty that it is, as well as thanking all students, staff and parents who were involved in the making of this video. If you would like to watch this video as a family, we invite you to follow the instructions that are listed below.

Harmony Week 2022 was a special one and one that has opened up conversation between students and helped bring us together. If you would like to learn more about Harmony Week, please visit the official website at https://www.harmony.gov.au/

We thank everyone who was a part of Harmony Week 2022. If you or your family would be interested in being a part of the preparations for Harmony Week 2023 – or any cultural events leading up to this – please contact Samantha Middleton or Stephanne Siberry at the College.

Once again, Happy Harmony Week!

Instructions to accessing the Harmony Week video 2022:

1. Click on ClickView in the student portal
2. Click on Libraries along the top banner of the ClickView page
3. Click on A.B. Paterson College
4. Click on Events and then the video: Harmony Day HQ 2

Samantha Middleton - Junior School Curriculum Coordinator and Year 3 Teacher
Stephanne Siberry - Head of Library Services

Jujutsu is the name for traditional Japanese martial arts, which is originally centred on offence and defence techniques with no weapon. This martial art has evolved into specific disciplines like Judo and Aikido.

The Year 8 students this term have reflected on what they like to do when given a choice. We have compared hobbies, school clubs, sports practice days and the choices of clubs available in the different countries. When looking at the patterns in Japanese society, martial arts featured regularly in a teenager’s life.

This week, the Year 8 students were taken through a martial arts class in the ju-jitsu style. Our hope is that possibly one of the students now has something else that they say they have enjoyed and like to do when given a choice.

Some comments below from students:

• I enjoyed learning the horse pose. Hamish
• I like learning the moves with his friends. Kenta
• It was fun learning the way of gentle art with the workshop as it was educational but also fun. Becca
• Learning self-defence is important for all of life, so today was good for outside of school. Gorgia
• Self-defence and fighting techniques were good to see and experience but also learning about Japanese culture was fun. Summer

Sue Walduck
Director of Teacher Development & Effectiveness

La Familia Hispana (Hispanic Families)

In the Year 8 Spanish class, students have been studying the topic ‘Mi Familia’ (My Family) which investigates the similarities and differences of Spanish-speaking countries and Australian families.

This unit explores the importance of family, the concept of extended families, along with customs and traditions of families of Spanish-speaking countries. As part of their learning experience, students have the opportunity to watch an animated Disney movie based on an extended family from Colombia, Encanto (rated PG), listen to a talk from a Latin American College student on family, and snack on a traditional desert of churros (Spanish donuts).

• From my own experience, I find that Latin-American families prioritise family relationships above all else. A Latin-American’s family is a major source of their identity, being their sole dependable protection and support through hardships. Our family-oriented culture has shifted our household’s focus on cultivating a tightly knit home environment, one with copious amounts of cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. At most holidays and even on non-celebratory occasions, the entire family will meet at one member’s house to chat, usually dine, dance, and listen to music, amongst other things. As such, personal or religious beliefs and values are usually shared by all members and deviations are rare when still living at home. Unlike others, Latin culture emphasises that elders, due to their age, are not only deserving of utmost respect from youth but are also deemed as incredibly wise. Of course, this is more than true in my own family. Guest Speaker & Year 11 student, Victoria Guevaro Subero
• I had a wonderful time with the ‘cha cha cha’! There was lots of laughter and excitement in the DMPC when we got to boogie. I thoroughly enjoyed the paella, all the flavours mixed together perfectly for a flavour bomb! Overall, I had a great time experiencing a slice of the Spanish and Latin-American cultures. Year 8 Spanish student, Aliyah Luman

Thank you very much to Year 11 student, Victoria Guevaro Subero for your intimate discussion on family, to our College Senior Leadership Team for supporting this event, to La Profesora Lindeberg, La Profesora Valade and the entire Languages faculty, and lastly to everyone involved, MUCHAS GRACIAS! 

Cheyne Sandercoe – Head of Languages Faculty
Michelle Barriga – Assistant Head of Languages Faculty 

The Year 10 students studying Japanese have been exploring the types of experiences you have when staying with Japanese families around the world but more specifically those in Japan.  

This term, we were supposed to visit Yumeji (a Japanese style inn at Mt Tamborine) to see if the students really understood the cultural practices associated with entering different styles of Japanese accommodation.  While the excursion had to be cancelled for the safety of the students travelling to Mt Tamborine, the students were lucky to have the Yonezawas visit the College and show their 'spirit of hospitality' on our campus. The would-be hosts gave the students a wide range of gifts that are often shared with guests.  They received snacks, adult sized chopsticks and Japanese lollies.  

We are eternally grateful for  the support from our education partners and the ability for our students to experience a little bit of Japan here on the Gold Coast.

Sue Walduck
Director of Teacher Development & Effectiveness

VIVA LA FIESTA (Long live the festival!)

In Spanish-speaking countries, food and dance forms an integral part of daily life and celebrations in the Hispanic world.

This incursion involved our Year 9-12 students of Spanish and was a fusion of food (often seen in home cooking, paella) and Latin American dance. The themes of this incursion tie in perfectly with our Year 9 Spanish unit on festivals and celebrations, our Year 10 Spanish unit on Daily Life in the Hispanic world, our Year 11 Spanish unit on My World — Lifestyle and Leisure, and our Year 12 unit on Our Society — Socializing and connecting with my peers.

As part of their learning experience, students had the opportunity to watch a Latin American dance demonstration, partake in a dance workshop, as well as sample paella, a traditional Spanish rice dish.

• I had a lot of fun watching the instructors do Salsa at the start and then the Cha Cha lesson afterwards. I quite enjoy doing Latin dance because of the energy that you can put into it. Some of my friends said that I should do Latin dance and I am even thinking of doing some in the not-too-distant future. The music and the food created an enjoyable atmosphere and I hope that it happens again in the future. Muchas gracias! Year 12 Spanish student, Liam O'Riordan
• The dancers who performed for us today were amazing, their smiles and energetic dancing was so exciting to watch and be taught from as well. It was an honour to be a part of the Spanish culture and learn the many different dances performed and originated from Latin American countries. Afterwards, being cooked a beautiful traditional Paella for lunch was the best way to finish the morning! Thank you for this opportunity. Year 11 Spanish student, Abbie Briant
• I really enjoyed the Spanish incursion today; it was amazing to see some of the Spanish culture. The dances were amazing, their smiles and positive energy was so exciting, and I was so pleasured to be a part of it. The traditional paella was so delicious and was the perfect way to end an amazing experience. Thank you for this special opportunity. Year 11 student Ava Young
• The paella was awesome! When I was eating it, it reminded me of Spain and its rich culinary culture of ingredients as well as the fancy taste of Hispanic food. We did Latin-American dancing, and I learned the famous ‘Cha-Cha’ dance, which we mastered during that time. The best lunch time I have had this year so far! Year 9 Student, Alexander Feldblyum

A massive thank you to our special guests from Latin Mania, Mr. Alejandro Barriga and Ms. Carolina Monneron, and from Paella Magic, Mr. Stuart Williams. A special word of thanks to our College Senior Leadership Team for supporting this event, to La Profesora Lindeberg, La Profesora Valade and the entire Languages faculty, and lastly to everyone involved, MUCHAS GRACIAS!

Cheyne Sandercoe – Head of Languages Faculty
Michelle Barriga – Assistant Head of Languages Faculty

Vivan las fiestas - Long live the celebrations! 

Who doesn’t love a celebration?! This term Year 9 students of Spanish were taken on a journey as they developed a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture and language through an exploration of the diverse, colourful and at times passionate world of Spanish-speaking countries’ festivals and celebrations.

Students identified events and moments in time closer to home that they themselves hold dear and compared these experiences with those similar in the Spanish-speaking world. Socio-cultural appreciation was a focal point, as students pondered the endless possibilities of experiencing Hispanic celebrations. They learnt the cultural significance of why a particular celebration is important and the history, traditions, customs, and beliefs surrounding it. Linguistically, students learnt how to express their intention to visit a festival and to describe how it is celebrated. In this writing task, students were encouraged to tap into their creative side and explore writing in Spanish through the medium of comic strips and advertising posters.

It was a true joy to sight their efforts in the target language and to see their creativity flourish.

Click here to see a full view of the Snapshot of a student's work.

Cheyne Sandercoe – Head of Languages Faculty
Michelle Barriga – Assistant Head of Languages Faculty

Learning another language is never just about the acquisition of vocabulary. A bunch of words thrown together only makes sense when delivered in a culturally sensitive manner. Language classrooms purposely try to challenge students’ ways of thinking.

“When you stretch your mind, you stretch the world around you.” ― Gustavo Razzetti. 

This week, in the Year 7 double lesson for Japanese, we challenged students to be mindful and totally present in their lesson (even if it was the end of the term). The students were asked to participate in a martial arts lesson like many Japanese teenagers do in their school or club activities.

Martial arts and respect are connected. Martial arts and mindfulness are connected. Iaido is a Japanese martial art that focuses on the drawing of the sword. Ultimately, this 400 year old martial art actually asks participants to solve problems without drawing a sword. So, with these challenging paradigms set, the students stretched their body physically and their minds mentally. The sensei gave us an opportunity to challenge our thinking and perhaps a chance to learn from another culture for our own daily life.

Sue Walduck
Director of Teacher Development & Effectiveness

This term we have been talking about the importance of identifying our Character Strengths. We are learning that everyone has different character strengths which makes us unique but when we come together, we complement each other. Although our year didn’t start the way we all intended, we have continued to use our Growth Mindset to ensure our students are feeling safe and comfortable in their new environment. We continue to encourage new friendships and are learning how to negotiate, take turns and resolve disputes ourselves using our High 5 strategies (ignore, talk friendly, walk away, talk firmly & report).  In first few weeks in Prep, we have negotiated class and playground rules while learning about school-based routines and expectations.  

"When a child feels safe, that child is able to take the risks necessary to be in relationships, to explore, and to try new things. Simply put, feeling safe makes learning possible. Research has shown that children, who feel insecure, play and explore less, and have more difficulty with peer relationships."

We are beginning to understand the importance of a Growth Mindset and learning the appropriate language. This is challenging our students to redirect their thinking from a Fixed Mindset to a Growth Mindset. We are using phrases such as ‘I can’t do that yet…’, ‘I’ll give it a go’ and ‘mistakes are also a discovery’.  

The Prep Teachers have been discovering more about the students’ preferences and we are working towards introducing individual goal setting.  

We have enjoyed our first term of lessons with the specialist teachers for Health and Physical Education (HPE), Japanese, Music and Library. Our College is a big place, and we are getting to know our way around. 

Prep this year holds many exciting experiences and we look forward to a rewarding adventure together. 

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

Last year’s Teru Teru Bouzu Holiday Challenge was such a success that we decided this year to move the challenge to the classroom. Students were super excited to make their weather dolls out of red yarn, white cloth, filling, and to top it off, a little gold bell was tied around the neck as a final touch. It was lovely to see those not as confident at tying string working collaboratively together to achieve success.

You may recall that Teru Teru Bouzu are little handmade dolls that are hang up in one's home (often at a window or on a porch) in the hope of fine weather. When they are hung upright it is hoped that the next day will be sunny. When they are hung upside down, they are known as Fure Fure Bouzu and it is hoped that rain will come the following day. Judging by the weather, I think that a lot of students have wished for rain! Well done to all our Year 1 students in your demonstration of great patience and perseverance. Barriga Sensei is so proud of you all!

A big arigatou goes to those families who emailed photos of their child’s doll hanging up (or down) at home.

Cheyne Sandercoe - Head of Languages Faculty
Michelle Barriga - Assistant Head of Languages Facult

It feels like only yesterday that a group of A.B. Paterson College students were guests at Honjo Higashi High School, Japan home staying, experiencing school life firsthand and eating Japanese delicacies.

The world may have changed since then, however, if last’s weeks Zoom chat is any indication, our sister school relations are stronger than ever, and the world has become a little more closer.

Both Year 11 and 12 students of Japanese had the opportunity to introduce themselves and the College in the target language to our Japanese counterparts, and our students had the privilege of hearing firsthand the interests and hobbies of some of the English Club students from Honjo Higashi High School.

We look forward to many more opportunities, starting from next term, to communicate and foster grass-roots internationalisation.

Cheyne Sandercoe - Head of Languages Faculty
Michelle Barriga - Assistant Head of Languages Faculty

Over the past fortnight we had seven students represent South Coast at the Queensland School Sport State Swimming Championships held at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre. Adam Reimer, Toby Zhang, Max Anderson, Tyler Walmsley, Bennett Longhurst, Ava Woodfield and Josh Hibberd all did themselves and the College proud with their performances. Please see below for a summary of some of their outstanding achievements.

Individual Medallists:

• Ava Woodfield – Gold Medal (State Champion) – 50m Freestyle
• Ava Woodfield – Gold Medal (State Champion) – 100m Freestyle
• Max Anderson – Silver Medal – 50m Backstroke
• Josh Hibberd – Silver Medal – 50m Butterfly
• Ava Woodfield – Bronze Medal – 200m Freestyle
• Max Anderson – Bronze Medal – 100m Backstroke
• Max Anderson – Bronze Medal – 200m Backstroke

Relay Medallists:

• Josh Hibberd – Gold Medal (State Champion) – 4 x 50m Freestyle
• Ava Woodfield – Silver – 4 x 50m Freestyle
• Ava Woodfield – Bronze – 4 x 50m Medley
• Josh Hibberd – Bronze – 4 x 50m Medley
• Max Anderson – Bronze – 4 x 50m Freestyle

For our students to be selected into the South Coast team is a huge achievement, as the South Coast region is consistently the top performing region at the State Championships. This was the case once again in 2022, with our students contributing to an overall victory for the South Coast region.

Two of our students, Ava Woodfield and Max Anderson, have been selected into the Queensland team to compete at Nationals later in the year. Congratulations to Ava and Max for their amazing achievement – it is a just reward for the hard work you put in at training.

In addition to being selected in the Queensland team, Ava Woodfield swam the qualifying times to compete at the Open Age Australian Swimming Championships later this year. This competition forms the selection trials for the Commonwealth Games and World Championship teams, providing Ava an amazing opportunity to gain racing experience amongst Australia’s elite athletes. We can’t wait to see how Ava goes at this meet!

Congratulations to all students involved with the State Championships!

Nathan Burgess
Director of Activities

Over the past few weeks, the A.B. Paterson College Libraries have had an ‘over a-bunny-ance’ of small bunnies invade our bookshelves. Hopping in from across the Junior School – some have been followed by small chicks, homes and burrows and even a peregrine falcon! The bunnies appear to be multiplying quickly (as rabbits do), but at last count we appeared to have just shy of 60 bunnies living in our College libraries!

These bunnies are quite unique in the fact they appear to be made from computer parts, pom-poms, glitter, paddle pop sticks, paper, googlely eyes and a few even from some... old socks!?! At closer inspection, it is clear to witness that these bunnies are also made from the love and magic that only a Junior School child could gift upon them.

Our judges quickly descended upon the library to collate and view our bunnies – and we thank them for their ‘co-hop-eration’! It was quickly determined that all bunnies were winners – as each one was unique, and it was obvious to see that every creation came from a place of love, hard work and creativity. With careful consideration and discussions surrounding originality, creativity, craftmanship and student work, the judges further choose grand prize winners from each year level. Congratulations to all our ‘egg-cellent’ creators and a special thank you to our judges for their time and difficult decisions.

Each bunny has returned home with its owner – no doubt to decorate holiday tables over the break. Every creation took home a small prize and our grand prize winners also received a $15 gift certificate to be spent at the Scholastic Book Fair, running at the College in Term 2, between Monday 23 May and Friday 27 May.

On behalf of the Library Team, we wish you Hoppy Holidays! We hope you will find the time to snuggle up like bunnies in a burrow and read some great books together. As for Term 1 – ‘That’s all, Yolks’ – We look forward to reading with you in Term 2!

Grand Prize Winners

Prep: Aishita – PB and Serena – PB

Year 1: Nolan – 1H, Bowen – 1F and Isabelle – 1L

Year 2: Archer – 2L, Victoria – 2S and Treia – 2S

Year 3: Audrey – 3B and Max – 3B

Year 4: Alana – 4A

Year 5: Meg – 5W and Rachel – 5W

Stephanne Siberry
Head of Library Services

Our Prep to Year 3 Makerspace after school program is seven weeks of discovery and creation. Being project based, we develop our fine motor skills while exploring the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. One of the programs strongest attributes are our ‘Green Jackets’. The program has Senior School student volunteers, who help manage the program and work with our youngest Makerspace students to aide them and give advice with their projects and creations.

The term started off by making suncatchers to capture the beauty of our Queensland Autumn sun. We first combined colourful tissue paper and laminated sheets to create a rainbow of colours, and then added frames, decoration and string to make them look beautiful, hanging in our windows.

Slime is always a hit in P-3 Makerspace and this term we got gooey with the addition of glitter. While our young chemists are smiling from ear to ear on a ‘Slime day’ – we can never be as sure of how genuine our families’ smiles are when they pick up their child with a bag of homemade slime to take home!

We enjoyed entering new realities in Prep to Year 3 Makerspace. Students get to have a go with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Students use our iPads and the Quiver App to bring their artwork to life. We also explored Space and the Space Station using Oculus VR headsets. At home time, we could see that our families were excited to have a go with these as well!

Our Makerspace students also became both jewellers and coders in one afternoon. We explored the coding concept of ‘binary’ and learned some beginner basics in computer coding. Using the binary alphabet, students created binary bracelets or necklaces, with their initials on it using binary code – or patterns.

As we are getting closer to Easter bunny time, we thought we should discover ways we can protect eggs from breaking as they are transported. This was done through an egg drop. Students had to form small teams and using various materials available to them – students needed to work together to create padding to protect their egg when dropped from the Prep bridge. The excitement that followed was intense and many students wanted to go back to the drawing board when their egg didn’t survive the flight. We were impressed to be part of a conversation where a child was worried about ‘food wastage’. Students then suggested that their learning from this project might be able to stop many more eggs from breaking in the future – when they ‘grow up and have a job’.

We always end our Makerspace program by making ice cream and discussing the science behind this. The delicious final project is created with basic ingredients, plastic bags and kid-power. As this is a definite outdoor activity (our librarians feel faintish at the thought of ice cream being shaken in the Lilly Pilly), we were lucky that the rain held off both days – and then poured down to rinse away any sticky residue left in our Gumnut Gardens.

It is safe to say that our Prep to Year 3 Makerspace program was a success this term! We have a new group of Makerspace students beginning in Term 2. Our Year 2 and Year 3 Makerspace students meet on Wednesday afternoons in the Lilly Pilly Learning Centre and our Prep and Year 1 students meet on Thursday afternoons in the Lilly Pilly Learning Centre. While our program is full for Term 2, please consider registering your child for Term 3 or Term 4. Places are available first to students who have not been able to join earlier in the year and then by waitlist to our past Makerspaces.

Please use the link to register or contact Stephanne Siberry in our A.B. Paterson College Libraries for more details – https://makerspace.abpat.qld.edu.au/

Stephanne Siberry
Makerspace Coordinator/Head of Library Services

Chess is a game of skill… all skill and nothing but total logic. It is an opportunity for two minds to meet and clash in a land of pure reason that is devoid of chance. (Chess Forum, 7 July 1972).

Our Senior Chess Club members took part in the Gold Coast Secondary North Interschool Chess Competition last Wednesday at Somerset College.

The pride of representation and reason was evident amongst the Senior Chess Club players at our championship, where first-time and seasoned players to interschool competition kept their cool within the nerves and excitement of a full day of chess tournaments.

Seasoned player, Alexander Feldblyum expended every shred of his problem-solving energy and was spread prone by the end of the competition. Ruvindu Siriwardana was unstoppable, and the speed of his moves was a testament to his chess skills. Zach Wang and Summer Wang displayed wisdom and positivity through all tournaments, while Fahad Yasir and Emma Zhuang met all challenges well and conquered each round with graciousness and teamwork.

All A.B. Paterson College Senior Chess Club representatives did our College proud with their respect, superb chess manners and overall point score. 

Chess Club Supervisors – Trent Davis and Lena White    

It's time to step into the spotlight!

On Saturday 28 May and Sunday 29 May, we will be holding the annual A.B. Paterson College Vocal Festival for Years 4-12 students. 

The Vocal Festival is an Eisteddfod-style performance event providing an opportunity for talented singers across the College to perform solo.

Entries are now open for A.B. Paterson College students in Years 4-12, and will close April 29. 

If you have not already received information about how to take part in this eventm, and would like to be involved, please contact Miss Rachel Newcombe - rnewcombe@abpat.qld.edu.au.

Gymnastics

Congratulations to Kiara Lowman (Year 6) who competed at the Gymnastics Queensland State Trampoline Championships over the weekend in Tumbling (TUM) and Double Mini Trampoline (DMT)

In Tumbling Kiara placed 3rd in the U13 International division – combined with boys.

Double Mini Trampoline she placed 5th in the U13 International division  – combined with boys.

Well done Kiara!

State Softball Championships

Congratulations to Year 8 student Gabi who just finished playing at the State Softball Championships for South Coast under 13-19's.

As the youngest team in the competition there are high hopes for next year! Special thanks to Mr Cashman for his encouragement and support of Gabi.

Well done Gabi!

Last weekend, both the Under 12 and Under 14 Runaway Bay Cricket Club teams played in and WON their Grand Final matches against Helensvale and Palm Beach respectively. 

Both teams had a large representation from A.B. students and we congratulate all of them for their hard work and dedication over the entire 21/22 season. 

Well done to the Under 12 team with Mac Mitchell, Ruby Hasted, Ethan McIntyre and Aidan McIntyre and the Under 14 team consisting of Riley Thompson, Mason Zirbel, Nevindu Dammannagoda, Hugo Hawke, Byron McNiven and Aran Silva. 

Tennille Mitchell
HPE Teacher

A truly magical moment for Prep Teacher, Rebecca Barraclough.

Rebecca has not seen her Mum and Dad for two and half years. They were coming in the holidays but arrived early so they surprised Rebecca and her daughter Evie at school - a very emotional moment.

We hope that all of our A.B. community have a 'magical moment' and catch up with relatives over the holidays.

Wishing our A.B. community a safe and happy holiday!

Bumper sticker competition is back for 2022!

Each week, two lucky winners will receive $100 off their school fee invoice for the following Term. At the end of Term 3, the 38 lucky weekly winners will be invited to an exclusive afternoon tea where one lucky family will win free tuition for their eldest child for Term 4!

Hurry! Competition starts Week 1 of Term 2! 

All you need to do is collect your bumper sticker from College Reception, put it on the back of your car and then register your vehicle details at collegebumperstickercompetition@abpat.qld.edu.au

More information is available in the flyer - to open click here.

SEND IN THAT EMAIL NOW TO REGISTER!

Good luck!

The April school holidays are fast approaching! 

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.

Advertising in our 2022 Inspire Business Directory will be closing in 2 weeks! The Business Directory is an opportunity for you to share with us the business you own or work for and how we as a community can support you!

Here is the link to the online version of the 2021 edition - https://issuu.com/advpublishing/docs/abpaterson_inspire_issue_2_9thpass?fr=sMWY4YTM4ODU5NDE.

Ad costs for the 2022 edition have not changed from last year:

$300 + GST / full page ad
$450 + GST / double page spread

The guides will be printed and distributed, one per family. We will then have the electronic version available on the College website, Foundation website and via the College app.

Please contact Head of Foundation and Alumni, Stephanie Bryan or Ben Ryan from ADV Collab when you can to secure your ad and discuss your artwork requirements.

Click here to see the full Inspire Directory Advert.