This year marks a considerable milestone in the life of Moreton Bay College, and as this new term begins, it seems timely to consider what we are actually celebrating. In 120 years, much has been achieved in terms of the girls’ physical learning environments as we have watched the development and expansion of incredible and enviable facilities. However, this year is a celebration of people; it is a celebration of the students and staff who have gone before us and have lived the values of this College in word and deed; and it is a celebration of our families and College community.  So, over the course of this year, we will take time to reflect and honour the legacy of the last 120 years. 

John Dewey, the American education reformer said, “We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” I suspect many of us have taken time over the break to reflect on all we experienced last year in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. And what did we learn about this community which marks its 120^th birthday? I think we learned about the heart of MBC, about the care, compassion and creativity which abound among its people. 

It may not come as a surprise to you that I watched the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Scotland and, as in other parts of the world, there were none of the traditional fireworks which so often mark the end of a year. Instead, there was a breath-taking visual journey with the help of 150 individual drones lighting up the sky across parts of the Scottish countryside. The ingenuity of the visual feast was complemented by a narration from the Scots Makar (poet laureate) Jackie Kay. Her work, titled Fare Well, captures the challenges of 2020 and wishes for better times in 2021. She wrote.  

So, aye, the New Year’s born 

at midnight. Good riddance to the last page torn 

from this scunnered year.

And though we can’t First Foot 

or join together in a ring o’ hands, 

singing Auld Acquaintance fit to break the band, 

we send out Hope into this air, 

breathed out by all who care. 

The drone show reminded me of the ingenuity demanded of us all last year - of the need to adapt but also, the need to unite and work together with hope. It was the clarity of vision, and the culture of care to which we all contribute, that gave rise to a shared strength and resilience. We found a collective courage, to hope for better times, and work together for the best outcomes for our girls. As the drones lit up the night sky in Edinburgh writing, my reflections focussed on the primacy of enduring hope for 2021. May we, as one, celebrate our history, our people and the blessings of being part of this College community

Excitingly, this is the very theme which our Seniors have captured in their legacy for 2021,

Together we stride, power of the pride. 

We are excited for the group of Seniors who will lead in 2021 and we are inspired by the passion and energy they will bring to realise their goals. This week at both Primary and Secondary assemblies the Captains and Seniors have ‘launched’ their legacy and demonstrated they understand that united - the power of the pride - they can make great strides and achieve much. I have no doubt our Seniors of 2021 will leave their own unique mark in this their final, and our 120th, year. 

Certainly, our Seniors of 2020 left a mark with respect to their academic rigour and results. Facing the new QCE and all things ATAR, they demonstrated impressive focus, determination, and commitment. We communicated their outstanding academic outcomes in December and look forward to celebrating with them and their families at our Scholars’ assembly in early February. 

May I extend a particular welcome to all those girls and their families who are beginning their journey with the Bay family. I look forward to meeting you all over the coming weeks, at a range of College events.   

It is also my pleasure to introduce some new staff at the College. 

We wish them all well as they undertake their new roles in our learning community.  

I would also like to express my gratitude to those staff who were here working over the holiday period - in the Early Learning Centre; in the grounds, as gardens were maintained; in our buildings, as rooms and facilities were renovated; and all those in our corporate areas of Finance, Operations and Marketing. Of note, is the first phase of toilet renovations which have taken place in Secondary. We are excited to have been able to complete this work over the break and the girls will return to impressive new facilities based on the designs of the students in our Senior Design class. It was important to the College that the girls had agency in this significant refurbishment project, and they will see we have listened to their voices and ideas.  

At the start of 2020, many writers predicted a new decade where creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving, underpinned by astute social skills would be fundamentally important. 

How right they were! 

Thus, nurturing young women with these skills and a desire to build positive and productive relationships is paramount. Amidst the challenges of last year, we witnessed the power of relationships as people reached out to help others, and relationships sustained people in times of isolation or lock down. In 2021, we need to continue to harness the power of possibility when people work, and collaborate, together. 

This week at assembly I have taken the girls through another ‘light show’ – no drones required! The ‘lights’ I shared were the people who have illuminated our 120-year history. During my holiday, I visited close friends of my husband’s family – the Rowlands in Toowoomba. Mrs Rita Rowland (nee Collins) was a boarder at MBC in the 1950s and I listened to her talk of a school which she loved, at which she felt cared for and respected. I reassured her that this remained a core purpose; to create a caring environment where girls can grow to be the best versions of themselves. Over the course of this year, the College will acknowledge and celebrate such women, we will celebrate their history in a myriad of ways and affirm our culture of connection. As we unite the past, to the present, we continue to prepare our students for the future. 

I hope you can join us for the first major community event – our Twilight Picnic on Friday 5 February.  

We are one in 2021 

TASS Calendar for up to date information regarding school activities.

By Rev Peter

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

(Lamentations 3:22-23)

For those who are returning to MBC for 2021, welcome back! And for those new to our community welcome to our MBC family!

With the start of a new school year comes new possibilities and new challenges. However, after the beginning of 2020, we may be a little more cautious with our optimism for what lies ahead in 2021. Nevertheless, the Scriptures remind us of the possibilities of God’s mercies that are new every morning, while our school motto calls us to have Courage and Hope. 

These words Courage and Hope are also very much connected to the Christian story. It is a story that calls us to rejoice in all circumstances, to pray at all times, and to find courage and hope in the presence of God in our everyday lives, the one who made us and loves us.

Frederick Buechner reminds us of God’s nearness when he says, “God is right her in the thick of our day-by-day lives… Trying to get messages through blindness as we move around here knee deep in the fragrant muck and misery and marvel of the world.”

Buechner’s words do reflect that life is a mixed bag of joys and sorrows, ups and downs – no one is happy 100% of the time. But there is hope because every day is a new day in which we might encounter God’s mercies.

So, as we begin this new school year, I encourage you to have courage and hope in the knowledge of God’s presence with you and while there will be ups and downs that you might find comfort in God’s constant loving presence.

May God bless you all in the year ahead.

As we commence a new year, we look forward to the ‘buzz’ of excitement a new class brings. This ‘buzz’ exists for the teachers, just as much as for the children. A fresh start, a new year and a positive outlook!

A very special welcome to all our new families. We hope the start as a ‘Bay Girl’ has been positive, organized and welcoming for both students and families. We hope you love MBC as much as we do! 

A big welcome to some new staff to the Primary School, who have already settled into their respective teams with enthusiasm and ease:

• Mr Lucan O’Brien- Year 3
• Miss Aimee Cross – Year 5
• Ms Tonia Ford – Year 6

Welcome back to Mrs Anita Clohesy (French for Year 2-4) and Mrs Mandi Thomas (PE for Year 5 and 6), who both return after maternity leave.

It is our role as teachers, teacher aides and administrators to ensure there is a safe and welcoming learning environment for all girls. Communication is vital between home and school to ensure this is the case for each individual. Please ensure that as parents and guardians you consistently share concerns and positive stories with teachers and leadership staff. The social interactions of the girls will be closely observed and monitored in the first few weeks and this will continue throughout the year. We will be communicating with the girls and clearly expressing our expectation for socially positive behaviours. For MBC to be a truly positive experience for all, we must be aware of issues that exist and find the delicate balance between building resilient individuals and managing inappropriate behaviours.

Sincere thanks to our families for the positive approach and extremely high attendance at the Meet and Greet sessions this week. As teachers, we value this day very highly. The benefits ensured a very stress free and personalised start to the year and we hope you feel the same way. We greatly appreciate the support and effort made by many working parents to rearrange work schedules.

My sincere thanks to our wonderful teachers and teacher aides for the enormous effort in producing the presentations for Meet and Greet sessions, and for preparing classroom environments that were organised and ensured the smooth start to the year. We are blessed to have such wonderful staff at MBC who are dedicated, knowledgeable, caring and passionate. 

In 2021 we will be focussing on:

• Embedding a cohesive approach to Teaching and Learning from Early Learning to Year 12 (more information to come to families soon)
• Ensuring our reviewed Home Learning (Homework) policy supports learning for all children and families
• Preparation for NAPLAN Online
• Continue the work we have been doing to ensure best practice with spelling, reading comprehension and problem solving
• Continue of refinement of data collection and analysis to ensure intervention and identification for all learners
• Continue our professional coaching sessions with teaching staff
• Continue refurbishment of primary spaces, including the girls’ bathrooms.

After much discussion and debate following consultation with staff and parents, a decision was made at the end of last year to make some changes to the Pre-Prep uniform for 2021. Our focus for the uniform is to ensure:

• The children feel part of The Moreton Bay Colleges’ community
• The children have a sense of belonging in the Pre-Prep environment
• Comfort and durability for the early years age group and inquiry/play based environment
• Ability for children to manage independently dressing themselves
• Affordability for families
• Safety of the children at this age and being able to identify the children as a Pre-Prep child.

We now have a unique Pre-Prep shirt that reflects both Colleges and reduces costs for parents. The photo below shows some of our new Pre-Prep children in the new uniform…the first with the joint Colleges in mind.

Prep-Year 6 class photos will be held on Friday 29^th Jan. The girls will need to be in their formal summer uniform for that day.

2021 will see The MBC Libraries continue to support our students and staff throughout the year by offering many different and varied opportunities to enhance their learning and love of literature, some of which are listed below. Between them, the Primary and Secondary MBC Libraries will host

• Author visits
• Book Clubs for Year 4, 5 and 6 students. This year we hope to launch a combined Year 6 and 7 WOP Student Book Club at which the students attend with an older significant family member or friend (their Wise Older Person-WOP!)
• Staff Book Club
• Pens to Paper: Writers and Illustrators Club for Secondary Students
• Annual literary events- Book Lovers Day, Library Lovers Day, National Simultaneous Story Time, Book Week, Indigenous Literacy Foundation Celebration and more!
• Book Fairs
• Write a Book in a Day event
• Birthday Books - Primary Students can choose to donate a Birthday Book to the Primary Library on their birthday. These donations are recognised at an Assembly close to the student’s birthday. This process was difficult to follow last year, due to COVID restrictions, but we hope to continue the much-appreciated process in 2021
• Readers Cup
• Kids Lit Quiz Australia
• Making and craft activities

The MBC Libraries team look forward to supporting all our reading communities throughout 2021. The MBC Libraries team can be contacted on primarylibrary@mbc.qld.edu.au and secondarylibrary@mbc.qld.edu.au

Welcome back! It has been wonderful to hear the chatter, stories and connections made this week among the students new and old alike. I would also like to extend Mrs Stewart’s welcome to new staff who have joined our College and those returning from leave. As we begin this year the Seniors of 2021 have challenged us all to create unity through their Senior Legacy Together We Stride – Power of the Pride. It is important for us as the adults to support and encourage our students as they begin the year.

Firstly, to assist your daughter in achieving this I encourage that you take time over the weekend to sit with your daughter and peruse her 2021 College Diary. It has wonderful information including:

• overview of key staff and their associated responsibilities
• parent communication flow charts, guidelines, procedures, contact lists
• student, staff and parent expectations

The Diary also contains significant College policies, procedures and regulations. As a number of these have had minor changes or additions for 2021, we ask that you read these with your daughter and sign the Acknowledgement of Policies on page 38 in their dairies.

Secondly, to be “Rebel Girls” our students need to be resilient, focussed and daring. Often as adults we are challenged on how to develop and foster these traits in our students. Resilience expert Susie Mogg believes that in changing our words and responses we can create a culture of resilience building for our girls. Some of her reframing suggestions are below:

Judith Locke further challenges the adults in a child’s life to support each other (school and home). As the year begins children, regardless of their age are often anxious of beginning again in new situations such as a new team, class, or group. Judith encourages all of us to reinforce the same message:

• Listen to them talk about their fears, talk to them about their past strengths in facing tricky things/situations and reinforce your confidence in them coping with this challenge.
• When they come home from their first day at a new activity, keep questions broad, ‘How was it?’ not, ‘Did you make a friend today?’ or ‘Is Sam in your class?’ This will not put unnecessary pressure on them or suggest things in which they should be disappointed.
• Keep expectations realistic. It is highly unlikely that they will form close friendships in the early days of a new school year.
• There are things you can say if your child is not in an activity/team/class they want to be in: 

1. Listen to them - then reflect back what you hear. ‘You’re upset because your friend is not with you. That is a completely understandable feeling’.
2. State the potential benefits of facing this challenge, i.e. making extra/new friends; learning skills to make new friendship/acquaintances; being able to focus more on schoolwork in class than time talking to their current best friend; learning how to work with a different type of teacher than the one they had last year.
3. Maybe tell them a story about how you learned a lot from a situation you had that was a bit tough but taught you a lot, or a time you went somewhere where you didn’t know anyone but learnt how to get on in unfamiliar environments.

Congratulations to all the Seniors of 2020. I challenged and reminded them many times that “they had this” and they certainly did. Their hard work, determination and hope was rewarded with excellent external and internal assessment results. We look forward to celebrating with these students at our Scholars and Academic Awards Event on the evening of Thursday 4 February. Information has been sent to all families of the 2020 Cohort. For further details please contact TandLOffice@mbc.qld.edu.au.  Please click here to access a summary of the 2020 Academic Results.

Our College policies and procedures have been updated for 2021.

Academic policies and procedures for Years 7-12 can be found using the following link on the MBC website https://www.mbc.qld.edu.au/mymbc/policies.

Part of the above implementation has been the update of our College absentee processes. Every minute a student spends in our classrooms at Moreton Bay College is essential for their learning and academic growth. Therefore, it is essential that students arrive to school on time and that absences for planned events, sporting or cultural activities are kept to a minimum. Absentee/leave procedures and the College responses are outlined below.

Absence: Illness Unexpected

• Notification: Notification by way of a phone call to the College (Secondary Student Services) on the day/s of the absence using the absentee line 3249 9302
• Action: Documentation such as a medical certificate may be required and the AARA (Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments) processes completed.

Absence: Illness Expected

• Notification: Notification to the College as soon as practically possible via email to studentservices@mbc.qld.edu.au.
• Action: Documentation will be required. Assessment items must be submitted on or before the due date. AARA (Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments) process to be completed for examinations. An acknowledgment email of the absence will be sent to parent/carer from the College.

Holidays / Travel

• Notification: These are discouraged during term time as every minute is a learning minute. Notification is to be provided to the College five weeks prior to the holiday/travel via email to studentservices@mbc.qld.edu.au.
• Action: Assessment items must be submitted on or before the due date. Year 7-10 examinations scheduled as soon as practically possible on return. Year 11-12 examinations are unable to be rescheduled and academic penalties may apply, refer to:  https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/certificates-and-qualifications/qce-qcia-handbook-2019. An acknowledgment email of absence will be sent to parent/carer from the College. PLEASE NOTE: this absence is NOT school approved.

Representation non international – school competition

• Notification: Notification to the College as soon as practically possible via email to studentservices@mbc.qld.edu.au.
• Action: Assessment items must be submitted on or before due date. Year 7-10 examinations scheduled as soon as practically possible on return. Year 11-12 examinations are unable to be rescheduled and academic penalties may apply, refer to: https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/certificates-and-qualifications/qce-qcia-handbook-2019. An acknowledgment email of absence will be sent to parent/carer from the College.

Representation non international – club or other

• Notification: Notification to the College as soon as practically possible via email to studentservices@mbc.qld.edu.au.
• Action: Assessment items must be submitted on or before due date. Year 7-10 examinations scheduled as soon as practically possible on return. Year 11-12 examinations are unable to be rescheduled and academic penalties may apply refer to:  https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/certificates-and-qualifications/qce-qcia-handbook-2019. An acknowledgment email of absence will be sent to parent/career from the College.

PLEASE NOTE: this absence is NOT school approved.

Representation International

• Notification: Notification to the College as soon as practically possible via email to studentservices@mbc.qld.edu.au.
• Action: Documentation will be required. Assessment items must be submitted on or before due date. AARA process to be completed for examinations. An acknowledgment email of absence will be sent to parent/carer from the College.

If you have and questions regarding the above processes, please contact your daughter’s Head of House or Secondary Student Services.

I wish you all a wonderful 2021 school year and look forward to reconnecting with our current families and furthering my connections with our new families over the coming weeks.

Welcome back to the 2021 academic year. I would like to welcome all new students to the MBC family. I sincerely hope that you have all had a holiday period that was full of joy, time with family and friends and relaxation. Over the holiday period we were thrilled to learn of the incredible successes of our 2020 Year 12 cohort. The students worked hard and made the most of all learning opportunities, resulting in wonderful outcomes. 

The start of the year is a wonderful opportunity for teaching staff to reflect and strengthen their practice. A strong focus during Professional Development week, was deepening teachers’ understanding of the new Teaching and Learning Approach. The Colleges’ have been working towards a common approach to strength the narrative and deepen the understanding behind Teaching and Learning at MBC. At the core of the Teaching and Learning Approach is role of all stakeholders and how we all contribute to an outstanding student experience. We look forward to the implementation throughout 2021 and working with students, teachers, and parents.   

At the start of the year, it is appropriate to remind families of the best way to contact members of the community. The communication flow chart makes this process easier for you to know whom to contact. 

We look forward to seeing you at the many upcoming event, either virtually or in person.

We look forward to all the exiting new learnings that students will be experiencing, and we thank you in advance for your flexibility as we navigate events in a ‘COVID normal’ reality.

It was wonderful to welcome our new and returning secondary students to start the 2021 school year at MBC this week! There has been a buzz of excitement as they connect with each other and with staff.

During last week’s Professional Development Days secondary staff participated in further restorative practice training facilitated by Margaret Thorsborne, who is widely recognised as an international expert on school and workplace bullying and has played a major role in the introduction of restorative practices into schools and workplaces in Australia and internationally. Continuing to develop skills in this area is important to staff given that restorative practice is embedded in our Positive Behaviours Policy and Procedure.

A restorative approach is based on a set of questions directed at both the person responsible for the harm and the person harmed. These questions sit within the College’s Positive Behaviours Procedure and appear in the graphic below:

Restorative practice seeks to repair relationships that have been damaged, including those damaged through bullying. It recognises that the development of healthy relationships requires justice and fairness. In restorative practice, conflict and wrongdoing are examined in relation to the resultant harm to others and to relationships. It provides a process to repair the harm whilst focusing on relationships.

Last week’s training provided staff with further skills and strategies to use when working restoratively with our students. Additionally, the training has reaffirmed the primacy of positive relationships in the MBC community and the critical role they have in optimising student wellbeing and in turn, the learning process.

Psychologist, academic and author, Dr Judith Locke, also returned to the College last week to work further with staff about the impact of overparenting on students, families, and schools. A key takeaway from Dr Locke’s presentation was the importance of children developing these five essential skills: resilience, self-regulation, resourcefulness, respect, and responsibility.

In her book The Bonsai Student, Dr Locke explains that a child with these skills can manage their reactions, cope with challenges and ultimately flourish. Moreover, spending time with a child who has these skills is enjoyable, making it easier for them to build relationships with others.

In contrast, missing even one of these skills places a child at a disadvantage both at school and in life beyond school. When these skills are not developed in a child, the likely outcome is neediness, laziness, and self-focus. In turn, these traits impact negatively on the relationship between parent and child, with both parties becoming resentful.

According to Dr Locke, a child who is resilient, able to self-regulate, resourceful, respectful, and responsible, is better equipped to adapt to changing circumstances. They are also more likely to have a positive schooling experience, good mental health, strong relationships, and success post-school.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, a recent article by Dr Locke - How to Raise a Resilient Child – provides parents with strategies for developing the five essential skills in their child. 

Connecting was the focus of Connect 4 Day on Wednesday 27 January, when 32 Form Teachers, 32 Year 11 Inter Year Carers (IYC’s), 22 Buddies, the College and House Captains, the 4 Heads of House and the Senior Leadership Team welcomed 131 Year 7 students and 22 new students from Years 8 to 11. 

Now in its eighth year – and formerly known as Fun and Friendship Day – Connect 4 Day was once again coordinated by Mrs Emma Pattemore, Head of Whitfield House, who has overseen this very special event since its inception in 2014. The Year 7s spent the day participating in a range of fun activities where the emphasis was on having fun and building positive relationships with their peers, their IYC’s and the House and College Captains. 

The day culminated in the Music Centre as the 4 Houses competed for the much anticipated and highly valued Connect 4 Day Cup, which - after a close contest – was won by Whitfield House. Picking up on the theme of the 2021 Senior Legacy - Together we Stride. Power of the Pride - House and College Captains led this final part of the day very capably and with great enthusiasm. Connect 4 Day was a wonderful success with all involved showing great energy and spirit throughout the day – especially our Year 7s!

On Monday 1 February, Paul Dillon, from Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA), will present to Years 10, 11 and 12 students. Paul will also deliver a presentation to staff entitled What’s happening and how can teachers make a difference?

On the same evening Moreton Bay College parents are kindly invited to attend Paul’s parent seminar, hosted by Iona College on the topic of Teenagers, alcohol and other drugs 2021: What’s happening, what’s out there and how much influence do parents really have?

Paul will also present seminars to the students in Years 10, 11 and 12 on Monday.

Paul has been working in the area of drug education for the past 27 years. For the past 18 years he has worked at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, where his key role is to disseminate information to policy makers, drug and alcohol workers and the general public.

Through his own business, DARTA, he is regularly contacted by the media and many organisations across Australia to give updates on current drug and alcohol trends in the community, particularly amongst young people.

Day: Monday 1 February Time: 6.45 – 8.00pm Venue: Iona Performing Arts Centre (IPAC)

Over the course of a school year, we understand that situations arise for students and families which make it necessary for parents to collect their daughter during school hours. As part of our safety measures to protect every student, the procedure for an early departure from school is as follows:

• Parents are to communicate details of the early departure by completing and signing a Departure Slip on pages 136 and 137 of your daughter’s Secondary Diary.
• Prior to meeting you and leaving the school grounds, your daughter needs to communicate to the relevant staff member (e.g. classroom teacher at the time of departure from school) that she will be leaving class/school during that staff member’s lesson/activity.
• The relevant staff member signs the Departure Slip
• The student leaves the class/activity to meet with her parent(s) in Student Reception as specified on the signed Departure Slip.
• The parent signs their daughter out, as per College policy.

We thank you in advance for supporting this procedure when collecting your daughter from school before 3.10pm.

Moreton Bay College is pleased to announce our continued involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an exciting development opportunity that encourages young people to accept challenges, set goals and explore their interests. The Bridge Award is both fun and challenging and helps participants aged from 12 years to build confidence and resilience, with Bronze from 14 years, Silver from 15 years and Gold from 16 years of age. There are two levels of The Bridge Award – Level One and Level Two. To achieve each level, participants will complete an Adventurous Journey and regularly commit to three ongoing sections: learning a Skill, participating in a community Service and taking part in Physical Recreation. Students can use activities they are already doing to complete these components. 

Successful completion of the Award is recognised by presentation of a badge and certificate on Assembly and in 2021 the opportunity to add colours to a student’s blazer (Bronze = third colours, Silver = half colours and Gold = full colours) and additionally QCE points as outlined in the information pack. The Duke of Edinburgh is an internationally recognised Award scheme currently run in 140 countries around the world. 

At Moreton Bay College we are strongly committed to assisting our young people to achieve success and grow as a person through The Bridge Award and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. 

Students are invited to attend an information session presented by our Award Leader Jennifer Johnstone at lunch on Tuesday 2 February in C9. This will involve a 10-15 minute presentation and question and answer time. 

Please note: Year 7 students wishing to use CAMP as their Adventurous Journey for LEVEL 1, must have returned signed forms and made payment prior to attending the Year 7 Connect Conference on 11 February 2020.

Please click this link to view the Information Pack for 2021. All forms should be returned to student reception.  We look forward to guiding our young people towards achieving their potential through this highly reputable Queensland Award programme.

Welcome to all families who have students enrolled in VET this year and welcome back continuing VET students and families.

The majority of external Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) courses will commence next week.  This includes TAFE, Mater Education, Barrington College, Prestige Services Training and Redmako.  The VET program at MBC during 2021 has over 100 Year 11 and 12 students studying a variety of Certificate II, Certificate III and Diploma courses.

Students will be studying various courses on MBC campus, MBBC campus, TAFE Southbank campus and via virtual classrooms.  We look forward to success across all the alternative learning pathways.

For more information regarding VET or if your daughter is interested in studying a VET course in 2021, please contact me as soon as practical on 3907 5743 or shehabk@mbc.qld.edu.au.

It has been a pleasure this past week starting at The Moreton Bay Colleges, meeting staff across both schools, and beginning to learn the culture here. 

During even this short time, a phrase I have heard quite a few times already is “Two schools, one community”, which I think is an important and exciting concept. We live in a world where students must navigate wildly conflicting influences, and so I believe accessing an education that values seeking meaning and engagement across communities is fundamental to building societies that are places of compassion, understanding and justice. 

Within this context, the Arts hold an almost unique position in our education system. We can offer our students few other endeavours that so integrate the 21^st-century requirements for critical and creative thinking, emphasise a team ethic that build personal and social skills, and hold an integral obligation to listen and communicate. These all sit within an environment that is collegial instead of competitive, and collaborative rather than individual. In a society that undervalues principles and overvalues judgement, there are huge benefits to involvement in activities that promote cultural sensitivity and aesthetic learning.  

Participation in ensemble music therefore becomes an invaluable component of a well-rounded and holistic education, as well as a source of great connection and joy within our community.   

But don’t just take my word for it – follow THIS LINK to hear what renowned jazz trumpeter and music educator Wynton Marsalis has to say about music education. His words are aimed initially at teachers, however, they also speak directly to the importance and impact of learning music for both our students and the whole of society.

Welcome to new staff

We are fortunate to welcome a number of new staff to the Music Department for 2021. Mrs Jenna Woodforth will take on the role of Primary Classroom teacher and choral conductor at MBBC during Semester One. Mrs Woodforth comes to us most recently from teaching at Iona College and I know this experience working in a boys school environment will transition to our school seamlessly. 

Mr David Cox brings to us a wide range of experience not only teaching at a variety of schools but also working professionally in corporate and army reserve bands. He will take on a role as Multi-woodwind teacher, working with private clarinet and saxophone students, as well as within the immersion programmes. 

I would also like to welcome Miss Emily Moolenschot, who started at the end of last year teaching immersion and private percussion at MBBC and will this year extend her work further by taking on some advanced orchestral percussionists at MBC. 

Upcoming Events

We have a busy start to 2021 with two Scholars Assemblies, the Twilight Picnic, Instrumental and Choral Music Camps and the start of the combined college’s musical production The Wiz, all during February. These events provide exciting performance opportunities for our rock bands, stage band, Vocal Point, and Senior string & vocal students, as well as some intensive rehearsal opportunities for many advanced students.

Please keep a close watch for email communications from the Music Department so you are up-to-date with all the information you will need to make these events as successful as possible.

MBC students were very active over the holiday period on the sporting field, achieving some strong results: 

Rhythmic

On December 6 and 7 Premier Gymnastics competed at the 2020 State Championships and HP Team event held in Caloundra.

With 33 Rhythmic athletes competing including 15 MBC students and two Alumni, Premier had a massive medal tally of 16 Gold Medals, nine Silver Medals and six Bronze Medals.

Congratulations to the following MBC students who medalled:

Aileen Chiang, Cameron Laskus, Jamie Cupitt, Abigail Greenwood, Tillie Moyle, Polina Leonova, Tanika Dolley, Taya Hodgkinson, Tiarna Price, Lauren Blackwell 

MBC students April Moyle, Sophie Blackwell, Mila-Kate Nicholson and Jessie Dixon also participated at the State Championships.

Aerobics

On December 8, Moreton Bay College AeroSchools gymnasts competed at the 2020 Aerobics Aero Schools State Championships in Caloundra.

MBC had an impressive medal tally:

6 Gold Medals

1 Silver Medals

Medallists include-

State Champions (Gold)

Jessie Dixon, Siobhan Gardner and India Dunlop - Level 2 Mini Trio

Oliva O'Reilly and Leyla Minott - Level 4 Intermediate Pair

Cameron Laskus and Kyah Percy - Level 4 Intermediate Pair

Lily Bock and Skye McKibben - Level 5 Junior Pair

Abbey Johnson and Jema Gilchrist - Level 5 Intermediate Pair 

Yena Lee Kang, Sarah Pinango-Dao, Jasmin Simon, Kiran Simon, Isobel Smith, Tessa Boardman, Alice Di Betta, Mya Ward and Emma Johnson - Division 2 Aero Dance Intermediate Teams  

Runner Up (Silver)

Madeline Wieland, Jema Gilchrist, Abbey Johnson, Lily Bock, Skye McKibben & Briar Duffield - Division 2 Aero Dance Intermediate Team 

Basketball

Two MBC students have been named in the Basketball Australia’s National Performance Programme congratulations to Alice Dart and Vahayliah Seumanutafa

The National Performance Programme (NPP) is a dedicated and intensive programme for Queensland’s elite basketball athletes, providing development, training and support for athletes identified at the National & International level.

Water Polo State Titles - 19-25 January 2021   

Moreton Bay College students competed at the Water Polo State Titles from 19-25 January. It was a very successful tournament for Moreton Bay College students.

Although MBC did not enter a school team for this competition, it was great to see MBC students involved in both the Maroon (A Division) and White (B Division) sections of the tournament. Each competition was held across three days with a rest day in between, and many girls participated in more than one age group. 

Congratulations to the following students on their results:

U12 Maroon Gold – Georgia Green (Mermaids Pink)

U14 Maroon Gold – Jazmyn Green (Mermaids Pink)

U14 Maroon 7^th – Tiana Gorshkov, Zarah Milligan (Mermaids Blue)

U14 Maroon 9^th – Ynez Harrap (River City)

U14 White 9^th – Georgia Green (Mermaids Rose)

U16 Maroon Gold – Jayda Milligan (Mermaids Pink)

U16 White Gold – Jazmyn Green (Mermaids White) also named MVP (Most Valuable Player) for White Division across all teams.

U16 White Silver – Clancey Smith, Rennah Paterson, Phoebe Neilson (Mermaids Rose)

U16 White 6^th – Mai Lee, Mackenzie Lucht (Carina Leagues Warriors)

U18 Maroon 8^th – Jayda Milligan (Mermaids White)

U18 White Gold – Clancey Smith (Mermaids Rose)

U18 White 9^th – Phoebe Neilson (Mermaids Aqua)

Open 4^th – Jayda Milligan (Mermaids)

MBC Old Girls Alice Campbell and Gabrielle Seccombe featured in the U18 Maroon and Open Divisions.

District Sport Clarification

Representative pathway through District and onto Met East in respective School Sports:

Lytton District Sport - students turning 12 years or under in 2021(born 2009, 2010 or 2011) Please see Mrs Rosemary Harm for further information.

Composite District Sport - students turning 13 years to 18 years in 2021(born 2008, 2007 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003). Please see Mrs Sue Pavish for further information.

These age groups are regardless of what Year level students are in across the Primary or Secondary school. 

Met East Trials: All paperwork available to be collected from the Waller Centre Sports Office.

Metropolitan East Secondary Softball Trials   

13 – 19 Years Girls Softball

Date: Thursday 11 February, 2021        

Time: 9.30am – 2.00pm approx.

Venue: Redlands Softball – Sturgeon St, Ormiston

Transport: Transport to this trial is the responsibility of parents.

Requirements: Parent Consent and Medical Form and Individual Nomination form (To be completed and handed to your school’s sports coordinator by Thursday 4 February)

Your Sports Coordinator will then send the forms to the Met East Softball Coordinator.

All nominations must be sent through your school or they will not be accepted. 

Note that invitation to trial is not automatic. Students will be advised of their acceptance into the trial by notification through their school. 

Students attending the Regional trial must be able to compete at the State Carnival from: 25 March – 28 March at Redcliffe.

The cost of participation at the Met East trials is $22. 

Metropolitan East 13 - 19 years Boys and Girls Golf:

Trial Date:  Monday 15 February 2021

Time: 7.30am arrival for 8.00am Tee Off.

Venue: Wynnum Golf Club. 64 Stradbroke Ave, Wynnum

Transport: Transport to this trial is the responsibility of parents

Requirements:  Parent Consent and Medical Form – available from the Waller Sports Centre. Individual nomination form, player resume, Golflink results as well as the required playing equipment, appropriate clothes and footwear. 

Students attending the Met East trial must be able to compete at the State Championships on Sunday 28 – 31 March at Keperra the Gold Coast. 

The cost of participation at the Met East trials is $22. 

Metropolitan East 13 - 19 years Boys and Girls Tennis:

Trial Date: Thursday 11 February 2021

Time: 7.30am arrival for 8.00am start.

Venue: Griffith University Tennis Centre, Sports Road, Mt Gravatt

Transport: Transport to this trial is the responsibility of parents

Equipment: Students must bring all personal equipment, tennis balls will be supplied.

The following form is required if selected for the Met East trial:

FROM STUDENTS (or school representative) to the Convenor of the trial:

• Composite District Parent Consent and Medical Form
• Individual Nomination Form

Students who do not have this document will not be permitted to trial. These forms are available from PE staff in the Waller Centre.

Nominated students must be available to attend the State Carnival on 14-17 March 2021 at Tennyson. 

The cost of participation at the Met East trials is $22.

Lytton District Trials: 10-12 years.

Please note dates may be subject to change

Information regarding these sports will be distributed nearer to the trial date as it becomes available.

Swimming: 12 February. Qualifying times apply.

Netball: 23 February

AFL: 24 February

Hockey: 4 March

Basketball: 10 March

Touch: 18 March

Rugby Union: 25 March

Soccer: 20 April

Cross Country: 6 May

Tennis: 7 May

Softball: 2 June

*As MBC has a large 10-12 years population, it may be necessary to hold internal trials to select girls to attend the district trial.

Come and try sessions for the below age groups and any new girls on Friday 26 February 7.00am- 8.00am. Please meet on the college oval. Please bring mouthguard and shin pads if you have them. 

Age groups/teams

U9- born 2012/2013/2014

U11-born 2010/2011

U13- born 2009/2008

Trainings will be held every Friday morning during term from 7.00am - 8.00am on the college ovals. 

U13 Turf: 

MBC is endeavouring to register an U13 Turf team into the 2021 BWHA season.

If your daughter is interested in trialling for this turf team, please click on the link below for information and the registration process.

Girls born 2010, 2009 and 2008 are invited to register here. 

If you require further information, please contact Angie Lambert through clubhockey@mbc.qld.edu.au

Malpass Tennis offer a variety of tennis related services to suit all ages and skill levels. Their programmes are run by a team of highly experienced coaches that are here to help you achieve your tennis related goals. The services we offer include private coaching to suit your individual development, group lessons that provide a fun learning environment amongst friends, squad training for high intensity and tactical guidance, competitions and much more.

If you would like to sign up for classes or would like to know more about what we offer, please contact us via email at:

Info@malpasstennis.com.au

Swimmers are expected to attend the Team Session on Friday morning.

Second Touch Trial: Monday 1 Feb   3.30pm-4.30pm College Oval for Year 4-6

Trainings will start Monday 8 February

Monday afternoons 3.15pm-4.30pm and Wednesday mornings 6.45am-8.00am

Touch Metro Meet Monday 1 March 2021. Windsor Park, Albion

Andrews Cup Touch Tuesday 16 March 2021 the Gold Coast.

Andrews Cup Tennis trials and training

Training commencing Monday 1 February 9 (Week 2)

Primary Tennis Championships  

Sunday 28 February, MBC Tennis Courts: - 9.30am -2.00pm

Andrews Cup Tennis

Tuesday 16 March 2021 in Toowoomba.

Training for 10-12 years begins Tuesday 2 February (Week 2).

Training continues - Tuesday and Thursday Mornings from 6.45am-8.00am

Training for 8-9 years will begin late February. More specific information will be given nearer to the starting date.

Cross Country Metro meet 6 May at University of Queensland.

*2 of 4 need to be attended.

**All swimmers must attend.

Swimmers are expected to attend the Team Sessions on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

Please contact Nikki McGregor at pool office for any further clarification or enquires.

Cross Country Camp:  Friday 9 – Sunday 11 April

Please see attached flyer with further details.

To secure a place a deposit is required by Friday 19 February. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, numbers for this camp may be limited.

Training will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 6.30am commencing in Week 1.

Please meet at the pool canteen.

Year 7 trials: Wednesday 3 February (6.45am). 

Thursday 4 February (6.45am) – All gymnasts must attend first training session.

Offered to all students in Years 7 – 12.

Any students interested in QGSSSA Cricket are welcome to attend training on

Monday 1 February (3.15 – 5.00pm).

First game is Wednesday 3 February (PM).

Long Jump training will commence Week 2 for Secondary students only.

Trainings: Tuesday and Thursday mornings 6.45am – 7.45am.

Please meet at the pool canteen at 6.45am promptly.

Hurdles and Sprints will be offered in Week 3 – details of training times will be advertised on the College App when available.

Please refer to the below schedule for trial times for students in Years 7–12.

Training times will be decided once teams have been finalised.

QG fixtures are held on Friday afternoons in Terms 1 and 2, commencing Friday 12 March.

From 18 to 20 January, 60 MBC girls from Years 7-12 took part in the annual MBC QG swimming and water polo camp. This year, the camp was held as three individual day trips: venturing to both the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. 

The camp started bright and early at the MBC pool with all the swimmers receiving a QG Swim Camp T-shirt, singlet and cap. The first activity of the camp was a team training session, which was followed by a delicious breakfast of smoothies and muffins generously prepared by our Aquatic Support Group. The team then travelled up to the Sunshine Coast, where the girls conquered a challenging yet rewarding beach session run by three military PTI’s at Currimundi Beach. The day ended after having lunch and a relay session at Sunshine Coast Grammar School. 

The original activities planned for the second day were cancelled due to wet weather, so following a “sprint challenge” training session in the morning, the team stayed in the MBC Waller Centre, where the Senior swimmers taught war cries and lead fun games and activities. The girls then cooled down in the pool with “Flipper Polo”- playing fun games of water polo. From here, the team hopped on the bus, which travelled to the Gold Coast for some fun at Top Golf, where the girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves (and the unlimited fajita’s and drinks), with a very entertaining bus ride home finishing the day. 

The last day saw the girls at Manly pool for a yoga class, followed by a fun, Senior-lead pool session, which was filled with lots of games and relays to build teamwork. After breakfast, the girls were challenged with an MBC Swimming History trivia. The team then travelled to the QG championships venue- Chandler Aquatic Centre, to participate in race time trials and a whole team relay. Back at MBC for a picnic lunch, the camp concluded with fun prizes and awards. 

Overall, the camp was very enjoyable, with lots of fun and challenging activities which helped to achieve the goal of building a more connected team to go forward into the 2021 swimming season, with sights set on the big day: QGSSSA.

There was an error in the Week 0 newsletter. The newsletter said the Seniors’ Induction is on Thursday 31 January.

This is incorrect and our Seniors were inducted last year.

Apologies for any confusion.

Join us to welcome new families to the College Community and reconnect with current families as we launch our 120 years of MBC celebrations.  

Please register attendance here.

A friendly reminder, Term 1 tuition fees are due to be paid on 28 January 2021.

Parents and caregivers seeking any alternative tuition fee payment terms may consider using Edstart, offering two options to help spread tuition fees into more manageable payments:

• Edstart Extend: a funding package that allows you to extend your tuition fee payments for up to 5 years after your child completes school. Edstart Extend is generally most useful for secondary school families, where fee payments can be extended for up to 5 years after graduation. Primary families may be eligible to use Edstart too if they are wanting a way to spread their current account balance over multiple years. 
• Edstart Pay: a simple payment plan that enables you to spread each term's fees in weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments (designed for families with children from all ages). An alternative to the direct debit arrangement currently offered by the College.

You can find out more about Edstart by visiting their website at www.edstart.com.au. 

In providing information about Edstart, the College does not provide any recommendations, brokering or advice services. The College does not receive referral fees, commissions or other remuneration from Edstart.

The MBC Parents and Friends Association welcomes new and returning families to a new year, with new opportunities to be part of the incredible MBC community. The MBC P&F is made up of an Executive Committee with dedicated support groups. Aquatics, Sailing, Tennis and Performing Arts raise funds as well as support our girls. 

2021 Management Committee 

President  

Veronique Van Heeswijk: pandfpresident@mbc.qld.edu.au

Vice President  

Theresa Jory

Secretary  

Felicity Donaldson

Treasurer 

Ryan Houston

Committee Members  

Sally Griggs 

Alison Kubler

Renee Blackwell 

Volunteering is a great way to meet other parents and support our daughters! We are always looking for new parents to join us. If you are interested in finding out more, please don’t hesitate to contact Veronique van Heeswijk on 0402558941 or come along to one of our monthly meetings. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 3 February (7.00pm in Primary Library). I encourage all interested parents to join us.

Search ‘MBC P&F Association’ and join our group. For more information on P&F Meetings and events click here.

For any students interested in the Wynnum Wolves Football Club 2021 pre-season girls training and development sessions, please see the attached flyer.

We offer weekly Group Drama classes for building confidence, creativity, imagination and social skills through the art of Drama. Classes are tailored to all students, whether they're in need of a little confidence or love performing already!  

Classes currently being offered include Years 1-10 at MBC and Years 2/3 and 5/6 for MBBC. Classes resume in Week 2 Term 1 (week beginning 1 Feb.) Fees for the Term are $180 per student.  

All new and returning students can enrol through our online form available here - Extra-Curricular Group Drama Online Enrolment Form- or through the link in our information booklet attached.  

If you would like further information or to register your interest for other grades, please feel free to contact the Coordinator Talisa Pariss-Proby at talisa.pariss@gmail.com. 

Chess Mates chess classes are about learning, not just facilitating games of chess. We teach about winning and losing in a supportive environment. It’s been shown that learning to play chess can improve a child’s overall performance at school compared to children who have not learnt chess. In other words, learning chess helps your child to become future proof. Our chess classes help your child improve their concentration, problem-solving skills, developing their emotional intelligence, making friends, and having fun… all at the same time.   

Chess Mates at Moreton Bay College

Monday 3.15pm – 4.00pm

Location: Learning Room 1

Starting Week 3

$15 per session 

To know about what we stand for, our founder Ash did a TEDx talk at UQ last year. Here is a link to it 

The aim of the Speech and Communication Programme is to develop confident, clear, and expressive communication skills in interpersonal and performative contexts.

Students develop skills in verbal, visual and vocal communication, such as:

• Speech clarity, audibility, expressivity and vocal power
• Non-verbal communication skills, such as effective gesture, mime and physical theatre skills
• Presentation and performance skills (e.g. public speaking, prose, poetry, drama and individual acting skills).
• Confidence and creativity in a variety of communication contexts
• Enhancement of oracy, literacy, memory retention and reading aloud skills.

Lessons are 30 minutes weekly, either during or out-of-school hours and are taken individually, in pairs or (for younger students) trios. Students are offered several performance opportunities throughout the year including at presentation evenings, assemblies and AMEB examinations.

Further information and enrolment details are available through Coordinator Helen Steele (helensteele3@icloud.com).