At a school level, this revelation begins to paint a clearer picture of why some students have difficulty concentrating in class and we find that engagement levels in regular classes are vastly lower than in computer based lessons. In planning for the future we need to understand that the game based learning activities that we provided to our children as babies has established patterns of behaviour in the brain structure that maximises learning through visual stimuli and game based learning. As we find further details of this research, we will begin to formulate a thorough plan for the introduction of a digital platform for the learning and teaching program at Varsity College. I look forward to sharing more about this with you in the coming months. Arrangements for Teacher Strike
Tuesday 19 May I wish to inform all parents and carers that the Queensland Teachers' Union announced on Monday 11 May that a statewide, 24-hour strike will take place in Queensland state schools on Tuesday 19 May. This affects our school because many teachers are likely to take part in this industrial action, along with their colleagues across the state. I want to assure our school community that despite the strike, which runs all day on Tuesday 19 May, our school will be open to students on this day. We will put in place special supervisory arrangements during the normal school hours on Tuesday 19 May to ensure the safety of all students, as this is our highest priority. It is likely that regular classroom activity will be disrupted. Strike action is being taken in pursuit of a new salary package for teachers. Please contact my office with any queries that you may have regarding the strike and the impact it may have for your family. Jeff Davis
Executive Principal  Top
eNews Dear Parent, As a part of our school's new approach towards the way we communicate with you, we are excited to inform you that we now offer interactive, graphically rich, full colour electronic newsletters to all our parents. The concept of eNews is similar to the printed paper newsletters which we already send out regularly, but with added benefits - eNews is personally delivered directly to your email inbox via the Internet. This delivery method has many advantages. It is cost effective, time efficient and personalised to your name. Most importantly the school receives this service completely free of charge from Australian Newsletter Services who also supply our paper newsletters with the help of advertisers. To receive this service all you need is a computer with internet access and email. Those who currently do not have internet access at home can still receive our traditional paper newsletter. With our eNews service the distance between the school and the parents will be further shortened as the parents will be able to experience firsthand what activities the school is currently undertaking and the latest information on Academic, Health, Sport and other areas that may interest you. This way the whole family can share the success stories of your children as these eNewsletters can be forwarded to anyone with email. To sign up for our eNewsletter please type the link below into the address bar of your browser. Australian Newsletter Services has made the signup process automated and only takes a few minutes when prompts are followed. Your email address will only be used to send out school eNews and nothing else. This environment friendly approach to communication means that hard copy distribution of the Newsletter will be drastically reduced over the next 10 weeks. Classroom Newsletter distribution will cease at the end of Term 1. Hard copy Newsletters will be available at Campus Administration Offices from the beginning of Term 2. http://mailouts.austnews.com.au/subscription/V/varsity-college-signup.html If you experience any difficulties please feel free to contact AustNews IT Department on
1800 245 077 or email help@austnews.com.au. Thank you Top Upcoming Events
| YEAR LEVEL | DATE | EVENT | | Prep - Year 6 | 20 April (Mon) to
22 May (Fri) | Life Education | | Year 2 | 15 May (Fri) | Beeman | | Snr School | 19 May (Tues) | Chess Team Championship -Round 3 | | Years 5 & 6 | 20 March (Fri) to
29 May (Fri) | Interschool Sport(Fri) | Prep Aqua
Prep Yellow | 22 May (Fri) | Seaworld | | Years 8 & 9 | 26 May (Tues) | GC Sport - Round 4 | | College & Local Community | 27 May (Wed) | Creative Arts Showcase | | Years 7-9 | 27 May (Wed) | ICAS Computer Skills | | Years 7-9 | 10 June (Wed) | ICAS Science | | Years 7-9 | 23 June (Tues) | ICAS Spelling & Writing | | Years 7-9 | 4 August (Tues) | ICAS English | | Years 7-9 | 19 August (Wed) | ICAS Mathematics |
Top Preparatory School NewsFrom the Head of Preparatory School  Preparatory Mothers Day
Our Preparatory students certainly spoiled their mums for Mother's Day this year. We had cafes where students not only served the goodies but had also cooked them. There were songs sung dedicated to mothers and lots of hugs for all. We hope all the mums enjoyed their special day. Under 8s Day On Friday 29 May we will be celebrating being Under 8s. Our Preparatory and Year 1 classes will be organising an activity each and inviting the Years 2 and 3 students to participate - parents are more than welcome to come along and join us in celebrating the importance of the early years of learning. Activities for Prep and Year 1 students will be from 9 - 10.30am, Years 2 and 3 classes will have their activities from 11.30 to 12.30pm. All activities will be held in front of the PI and P2 classrooms. Students are to wear their sports uniform on the day and will need to ensure they have a hat and sunscreen on. Parent Contact Thank you to our parent representatives who attended our first parent contact meeting for 2009 last week. It was great to have time to share what is happening in and around our school and to receive feedback from parents on how we can continue to improve. Please check on your child's communication board for the name of your parent rep, they are more than willing to bring your ideas to the meetings and would love to give you feedback from the meetings. The next parent contact meeting will be Wednesday 3 June.  Curriculum Focus
Congratulations to all students on the wonderful work done with the first VIPs (Varsity Integrated Projects) for 2009. The Year 3 students enjoyed sharing their knowledge and skills with the many parents who attended the culminating activities. Students presented a wide range of all things Australian, including convict stories, powerpoint presentations and information booths - thanks to the parents who gave the students an audience to present to. Year 2 students presented their VIP work in the form of a Book Fair - students had planned, written and illustrated their own story book which has really lifted everyone's interest in reading - great work Year 2. Students in Year 1 have focussed on a drama unit that has seen them work with the angry giant to change his temper tantrum throwing ways, through drama students have learnt the importance of social skills and how communities must work together to achieve their goals. Students have created amazing work and the writing level of students has been most impressive. Thank You At the end of 2008 the Preparatory school was extremely pleased to be notified of a successful application for a sound field system. Through the generosity of the Lions Hearing Dogs, our school now has a superb sound system to support the learning of our hearing impaired students. Last week Peter Luck from the Burleigh Heads branch of the Lions Club visited 3 Yellow where the sound system is in operation supporting Summer Walters. Peter presented the school with a plaque which acknowledges the work of the Lions Club. Our school is extremely grateful to the Lions for their support to improve the learning for the deaf in our community. Summer and Mrs Eckert from Year 3 and Lions representative Mr Peter Luck. Shirley Hadwen
Head of School Preparatory School Top Years P - 6 NewsStudent Safety Varsity College prides itself on being a safe and supportive school community. The school embeds this school culture through the delivery of our TRAKS program (Tolerance, Respect, Acceptance, Kindness and Support). The program develops a common understanding and appreciation of how important it is to follow rules and display safe practices in and around the school grounds. With this in mind, we request that parents consider the needs and safety of others whilst driving and parking around the school. We appreciate the difficulties involved in finding an adequate parking space, but for the safety of the school community the following rules must be adhered to:  The staff carparks are closed to all non-staff vehicles. Parking of vehicles in this area increase the danger for the school community walking along the footpath and increase the possibility of damage to vehicles parked in this area. The gates to the staff carparks will be closed whilst students are exiting the school.
 It is requested that parents complete a turn at the roundabout on Bridgewater Drive and not in the entrance to the staff carparks. The practice of turning in the staff carpark entrance creates a danger for the school community walking along the footpath on Bridgewater Drive.
- The yellow markings on the side of the road indicate a no parking area. Parents who park in these areas may be booked by the City Council.
- Drivers must remain in vehicles in the Drop-off zone. If children are not ready to enter vehicles within the designated two minutes, drivers must exit the area and re-enter, or find an available parking space. It is important for drivers to continue to move to the far end of the drop-off area as other vehicles depart.
To support the school community, staff will continue to commit to the management of the afternoon drop-off area and will continue to negotiate parking improvements with the Gold Coast Council. On behalf of the children of Varsity College, we would like to thank the school community for placing student safety first by displaying appropriate behaviours that align to the requests listed above. Top Junior NewsFrom the Head of Junior School Congratulations to all students and families for continuing to commit to the Varsity school policies and expectations. We are extremely proud of the high achievements and supportive environment that our school provides, allowing all students to learn to their optimal level. We thank you for your continued support as we continually strive to maintain, and further develop the great school we have. To maintain our supportive school environment, it is important that: - Students attend school in the correct school uniform every day
- Parents reinforce to their children their support of the school's high expectations of student behaviour
- Issues are communicated promptly through the appropriate channels of communication
Over the next three weeks, all Junior School teachers will complete one week of Literacy Training provided by Education Queensland. This training is mandatory for all Queensland teachers and is a quality program that will allow teachers to reflect and enhance their teaching of literacy. Replacement teachers will be left a comprehensive learning program to ensure continuity of student learning occurs throughout the training period. A number of before and after school programs have commenced this term. These programs are designed to provide students an opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills in areas of interest. Congratulations and thank you to all students and staff who have committed themselves to these sessions. The dates for the Junior School Sports Days for this year are: - Year 4 - Monday, June 15
- Year 5 - Tuesday, June 16
- Year 6 - Wednesday, June 17
- Championship Day - Friday, June 19
All students will have the opportunity to participate in track and field events on their year level day, with selected students competing in events on the Friday. I encourage parents to set the dates aside in their diaries for what will be an enjoyable week of student activity. Parents are also invited to view the Junior School Virtual Classroom. This site will be updated on an ongoing basis with up to date information, announcements, calendar dates, and links to external educational websites. Parents can access the site by following the links listed below.
- Website: www.elearn.eq.edu.au
- User ID: parent226
- Password: password09
- Click on ‘Varsity College Junior School - Parent Information' in right hand corner
Stephen O'Brien
Head of School Junior Congratulations   Well done to Tony Luo and Tyler Paurini who were selected in the Gold Coast South District U/12 Basketball Team.
Congratulations also to Kaitlyn Banner who was selected in the Gold Coast South District Cross Country Team. Jared Frazer
Varsity College
PE Department Maths Olympiad There are some enthusiastic students who are so keen to come to school, that they are attending lessons before school starts! On Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 8am, a selected group of students are being challenged on Maths Olympiad problems. The students are encouraged to think and apply concepts they've learned during the training sessions whilst learning more about the problem solving process. Here's a recent problem the students worked on: When two people shake hands with each other, that is called one handshake. Every person in a room shakes hands with every other person in the room. There is a total of 15 handshakes. How many people are there in the room? This week, the first round of competitions begins. These competitions will occur roughly once a month. Good luck to all of those involved. The HOD's Window Problem  A problem is posted on the window of the Curriculum Head of Department's Office in the Junior Administration Block. All junior school students are invited to take up this extension challenge. Students may enter their neatly written, named and dated solutions simply by dropping them through the HOD's open window. Results will be announced on assembly and there are prizes involved. The latest problem has been devised by our very own Dr. Burgess and it involves guessing a very common 3 letter word. Can you work it out?
Unplugged  Recently Professor Paddy Krishnan from Bond University gave a fascinating workshop to a nominated group of students. The workshop dealt with the binary number system. Did you know that if a binary system was used, a person celebrating their 100th birthday would only need 7 candles on their birthday cake? Also using this system again, 5 fingers on one hand can represent the number 31. Professor Krishnan will be visiting throughout the year and details will be passed on to classroom teachers.
Louise Sherrington
Acting HOD Varsity Junior School Top Across Campus NewsInstrumental News - A reminder that all students MUST return their band uniforms. If you still have one at home it must be returned to the music room ASAP. Please have it washed and put in a clearly named plastic bag.
- Congratulations to all Orchestra, Vocal group and Intermediate band students as well as Emily Roles and Tyler Parker for their tremendous contribution to the College's ANZAC Day ceremony.
- All instrumental and choral students are doing an outstanding job. Their hard work will be showcased at music nights this term - dates to be confirmed.
Tenille Barrett
Music Teacher Martial Arts Win Students from Bushi Kai Martial Arts at Varsity College, coached by Mr. Philistin entered in the National All Styles (NAS) Event on Sunday 19 April. Jade Henderson, Year 11, was overjoyed with her 3rd Place achievement in Continuous Sparring; while Christina Fern, Year 10, was equally thrilled with 1st Place in Points Sparring. With a turnout of 190 competitors, the girls were nervous but put their anxiety aside and decided to take in the motivating and intense atmosphere. Jade and Christina exhibited such an excellent display of fighting that they were photographed and will be featured in the Blitz Magazine. ‘The girls displayed good sportsmanship and were very well presented with a high standard of focus and technique' said the photographer. The students of the club are already training for their upcoming tournament in June and their next grading. Community Announcement Expressions of Interest
2009 Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test We cordially invite all members of our community to apply for the positions of: Chief Community Representatives 3 positions Community Representative 2 positions These representatives are required to assist in the supervision of Year 12 students who will sit for their QCS test on September 1st and 2nd, 2009. Applications will be forwarded to the Queensland Studies Authority who will select this year's representatives. Please send your initial ‘Expression of Interest' to Sandra Campbell no later than Monday 18 May at email address scamp57@eq.edu.au who will contact you with further details. Thank you for your interest.
Top 7 - 12 NewsCreative Arts Showcase We are very lucky to have a wealth of talented, creative students enrolled at Varsity College. Our problem is that our students' creative talents and achievements are not often showcased outside of the classroom for parents and community members to view. Therefore, we would like to invite you to our
Creative Arts Showcase
Wednesday 27 May 6:30 - 8:30pm at the Senior Performing Arts Centre Assembly Drive, Varsity Lakes |  |  |  |  |
This event will showcase a quality selection of performances, films and artworks from Grade 7 - 12 Creative Arts students. If you require any further information please email Geoff Watson at gwats9@eq.edu.au
Geoff Watson
Acting Head of Department
Creative Arts Off The Shelf - Library News  Readers Are Leaders Award
Loan statistics show that the humble book still has a place in our student's hands. Even in this high tech age, Varsity students are still getting pleasure and knowledge from the pages of books. 11 087 loans were made in Term 1.
Readers Are Leaders Awards will go to the following: | Class who borrowed the most | 7C | 317 items including text hire | | Class who read the most | 7E | 145 fiction and non fiction books | | Most books read in Middle school | 8C | Ilin Ho read 25 books | | Most books read in Senior school | 10C | Michaela Robb read 30 books | | Teacher who borrowed the most | 9B | Janine Hague borrowed 235 items |
Michaela Robb 10C received the first READERS ARE LEADERS Award for 2009. Michaela read 30 books in term 1 with a wide variety of genres and authors. This is the first year a senior student has read more fiction than the middle school students. Well done! Keep turning those pages. A recent report Impact of school libraries on Student Achievement identifies that a print-rich school library environment leads to more reading. Voluntary reading is the best predictor of vocabulary growth, comprehension, spelling, grammar and writing style. Has your child borrowed a book lately ? Take a keen interest.  Many Happy Returns
Parents - search under your child's bed ! We need assistance to return 136 books still due back from Term 1. The cost of these unreturned items amounts to over $ 6800. Invoices have already been sent home for your payment of these missing books.  Student ID Cards
Parents please ensure your child has their Student ID card with them at all times in a wallet at school. Library loans are only given when a card is presented Text Hire News After setting up the text hire loan system and managing it for almost 8 years it is now in a separate department from the library and is managed by Mrs Vicki Murphy. All loans returns and inquiries can be made in this new area housed in the back room of the library. ID cards must be  shown for any loan to be issued. This ensures speed and accuracy of loans. Senior Chess Competition The next interschool tournament is on Wednesday 19 May at All Saints College. If your year 8 - 12 child is interested in being part of the team - make sure s/he sees Ms Fischer in the library for an entry form. Cost is $12.  Gold Coast Bulletin Student Reporters
Any student who is interested in becoming a Gold Coast Bulletin student reporter, can email the paper on nie@gcb.newsltd.com.au. Then they can experience the thrill of having their work published. Watch the paper on Tuesday's TXT4U section to read any articles from our Varsity students.
DID YOU KNOW: The average pencil will draw a line approximately 70km long or write about 50 000 words. Thought for the week: It's nice to be important
But it's more important to be nice READERS ARE LEADERS Judi Fischer
Teacher Librarian Sports Herald! Cross Country I am happy to report that the years 7-12 Cross Country was a huge success. I was impressed by the record number of participants and by the colours and outfits made especially for the occasion. I was suitably impressed too by the talent on display and by the number of students just out to have fun. Well done to all the students on their behaviour and effort. A lot of hard work goes into preparing an event like the cross country, so I'll get my huge thank-you's out early. Firstly to the set up crew; Mark Drover, Neil Blackbeard, Steve Harriott, Adam Marks, Hayden Sutherland and our year 12 leaders (Daniel, Chase, Regan, Erin, Josh and Chanelle) - I might just add that they weren't all morning people!! Also to Ms N Brazeau, Mrs J Macdonald and our Varsity College Staff for their help on the day. Age Champions
| 12 years Girls | 12 years Boys | | 1st Makaela Grono | 1st Milan Egic | | 2nd Tayla McKinley | 2nd Javen Leyshon-Reid | | 3rd Dionne Straw-McMahon | 3rd Jack O'Shea | | 13 years Girls | 13 years Boys | | 1st Kiah Melverton | 1st Leonard Ong | | 2nd Gabby Sutherland | 2nd Cody Burns | | 3rd Rhiannon Rawton | 3rd Joe McAfee | | 14 year Girls | 14 Years Boys | | 1st Maddy Payne | 1st Jason Bacon-White | | 2nd Brittany Button | 2nd Jordan Kennedy | | 3rd Hayley Carnie | 3rd Daniel Dowsett | | 15 Years Girls | 15 years Boys | | 1st Caitlin Jaeger | 1st Scott Chen | | 2nd Maddy James | 2nd Dane Lancaster | | 3rd Tegan Eastburn | 3rd Luke Styles | | 16 years Girls | 16 years Boys | | 1st Aimee Cusack | 1st Jeff Jarvis | | 2nd Grace Wrenn | 2nd Ben Napier | | 3rd Gabby Ranalletta | 3rd Jack Martin | | Open Girls | Open Boys | | 1st Brooke James | 1st Daniel Bailey | | 2nd Shannon Beckett | 2nd Mitchell Williams | | 3rd Lindsey Wessell | 3rd Ash Curmi |
To our top 10 runners who go through to the Secondary Schools District Championships to be held on the 21st May 2009, we wish you the best of luck. Congratulations to Makaela Grono and Daniel Bailey who were the fastest female and male respectively around the cross country course. Interestingly, Makaela is in year 7 while Daniel is in year 12. This is a highly commendable feat for Makaela. Well done. Sailing Many of you may not be aware but Varsity College has introduced a sailing program in 2009. So far we have purchased eight boats and have started implementing a program run by Mr Geoff Watson and Mr Fred Eisel with some of our Year 10 students. In future we hope to offer sailing as a sport option for middle school students. Basketball Excellence Our basketball excellence program is running well. It is pleasing to see the depth coming through the school, with our middle school students outshining many other schools in the cluster competition. I really enjoyed being a spectator last week at an afternoon game against Southport. Adam Darragh's professionalism and ability to motivate those boys blew me away. I do hope to get to more games as the season progresses. Keep up the hard work basketballers! Cluster Sport There is only one Tuesday left in our cluster sport rounds with finals being played on Tuesday 26 May. All of our teams will be involved in this day; however, some will be playing off for lower positions. Teams playing for the top position include; girls' and boys' basketball, netball, rugby league, cricket, boys' tennis, girls' and boys' soccer, girls touch and AFL. Good luck to all of our teams and I look forward to notifying our stakeholders of our successes. District Cross Country The primary school districts have already been run. Congratulations to all of our year 7 competitors and in particular Makaela Grono who made it through to South Coast Trials. The Secondary School district carnival is on next Thursday 21st May at Pizzey Park. Ron Martineko (PBC) and I coordinate this event, so I would like to see many of our Varsity College students competing. I am running a bus to the event at the cost of $7. 8 weeks until the Gold Coast Marathon! Happy running. Katherine Tewes
Sports Co-ordinator
Varsity College Middle & Senior Campus Varsity Rugby League This year Varsity College has entered a senior rugby league team in a local competition sponsored by the Gold Coast Titans Rugby League Club. The competition is run over a 6 week period. The team is coached by Craig Hodges (aka - COACH) who is a staff member at the school. Craig has been involved with the sport for some time and brings a vast array of experience and passion. Mr Harriot (aka - THE MAN) has helped to co-ordinate the team from behind the scenes. Early last term the senior team had a trial game against Robina State High School. Although they lost this game the fought back in the last half by scoring 3 tries. It was a good opportunity for the boys to have a good hit out and bond as a team. Two weeks ago the boys played their first game against Pacific Pines State School. Tries were scored by Brigham the Tank, Yoshi the Warrior and Cup Cake the cup cake. Ty was handy with the boot kicking the conversions. Budda played for the first time (approximately 6ft 7in and weighing 130 kgs) and proved to be a handful for the opposition for obvious reasons. All the boys played well with a final score in favour of Varsity 28-8. If you would like to support the boys please contact the school for details regarding game times. We would like to thank Mr Davis (aka - THE PRINCIPAL) for giving us the green light to participate in this program. Congratulations to the Kangaroos on beating the Kiwi's. However, revenge is sweet. GO THE KIWI'S. Mr Grace
Creative Arts Top Middle School NewsFrom the Head of Middle School Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the Talent Quest in Week 2 of this term. It was a ‘full house' with a very appreciative audience. A huge thank you to Victoria Fleri and her hard working band of volunteers, who helped to make this a successful and memorable evening. Attendance "It's not okay to be away because everyday counts". Over the coming weeks, we will be sending home brochures about the importance of student attendance at school for continued success and achievement. Below is some of the important information contained in the brochure. Queensland Department of Education Guidelines to Absenteeism states, "Each parent of a child who is of compulsory school age must ensure that the child is enrolled and attends school on every school day for the educational programs in which the child is enrolled unless the parent has a reasonable excuse". Does the occasional day away from school really affect my child's education? Yes - Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance is associated, on average, with higher student achievement. Do I need to let the school know if my child has been away? Yes - Parents must let the school know the reason for the absence, if not beforehand, then on the day of their child's return to school. Every day counts:
Every day counts: - because children achieve better when they attend school all day, every day.
Every day counts: - because going to school means getting a better chance at life.
Every day counts: - because school helps children build social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.
Every day counts: - because going to school is a legal requirement.
Vaccinations A reminder that Middle School Vaccinations begin this term on the following date: - Wednesday 13 May - Year 8 Females (Hepatitis and HPV)
- Year 8 Males (Hepatitis and Chickenpox)
Term 2 Date Claimers: - Monday 18 May & Tuesday 19 May - Year 7 Students will be involved in a Science Expo at school.
- Tuesday 26 May - Yr 8 & 9 Sport (Round 5)
Have a great week! Margaret Heiser
Head of Middle School Architectural Walk for Students A dream is initiated by so many different origins - an enthusiastic parent, a box of Lego, an encouraging word or just an opportunity to explore another's world. A small group of Year 7 students had the opportunity to explore a dream with a visit to an architect at Delfin House; Mr Pearson. These students were shown the plans and techniques created and used by architects as well as seeing the plans come to life in our local area. They were able to quiz Mr Pearson about possible career paths and returned to school with great enthusiasm. This is a wonderful example of how Delfin continues to support the youth in our community and we are very grateful for their contributions. Ms Gaylyn Morgan
Year 7 Teacher Middle School Hip Hop Group (aka - CREW V) As we know it can be very difficult finding something to do during lunch. However, many students enjoy music and dance. So I decided to combine both. For most of term one, middle school students who enjoy learning hip hop dance have been meeting every Thursday during lunch time. They have been learning a hip hop routine which they will be performing in week 6 on the 27th of May during the arts show case night. Please feel free to come along to this night of entertainment, skill and dedication. Polynesia Jam The students of Polynesia Jam are preparing to entertain the community of Varsity College yet again. Our first performance for the harmony celebrations earlier in term one focused on the richness of the New Zealand Maori culture. However, during the arts show case night on the 27th of this month they will be taking you on a journey through the exciting islands of Samoa. With smiles and costumes to match it will be a thrilling time of fun and laughter. To embrace the modern contemporary styles of dance the students will also be doing a hip hop routine as well. Please join us as we celebrate culture in its fullness. Fa'afetai - "thank you" in the Samoan language Mr Grace
Creative Arts Top Senior School NewsFrom the Head of Senior School A statewide snapshot of the education outcomes of last year's graduating seniors was published on a school-by-school basis in The Courier-Mail on Tuesday May 5. The publication of Year 12 outcomes is part of wider Government reforms to provide more information to parents and the community about student and school achievements. The data, compiled by the Queensland Studies Authority and presented alphabetically by school, includes the percentage of Year 12 students receiving tertiary offers, the number of students completing or continuing school-based apprenticeships or traineeships, the percentage of students with an OP 1-15 and the number of vocational qualifications awarded. This year the report also includes information on the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), the Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma offered by the Queensland Academies and a number of schools. The Year 12 graduate profile is not a league table - it does not rank schools. What it provides is an overview of the wide range of learning options students can now choose from, whether it be studying for university entry, a vocational qualification or a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, and the outcomes students are achieving. The data for Varsity College showed that in 2008 approximately sixty percent of students chose to undertake studies in the OP pathway and from this group of students sixty-five percent obtained an OP of 1 to 15. From the 2008 Year 12 cohort, ninety percent of students were successful in receiving an offer of a tertiary study placement and nearly sixty percent of all our Year 12 students obtained one or more Vocational Certificate. If you have any questions about our school's data you should contact me, Jo MacDonald. From May 5 you can access the Year 12 outcomes data and an information pack at: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/ Jo MacDonald
Head of Senior School Our IT Trainees Meet the Minister! Minister for Works and Information, Rob Schwarten addressed members of the IT Gold Coast community at a luncheon held at The Glades Golf Club at Robina recently. Three Varsity College students were invited to attend this luncheon by their employer Intrepica with whom they are undertaking a Certificate IV in Multimedia. Mr Schwarten acknowledged the tremendous opportunities available to both students and employers who enter into a schoolbased traineeship arrangement. The students were commended and recognised for their participation in such a worthwhile program. Pictured below left to right is Rob Schwarten, Callum Donald, Shannon Tonkin, Elaine Fang, Linda Dallas I must congratulate the students on their impeccable behaviour and representation of Varsity College; they made a great impression on the many business proprietors who were in attendance. Linda Dallas
Industry Liaison Officer Top P & C NewsHere is an introduction and a little information on our P&C Executives ..... P & C President
Greg Ewart I have enjoyed a positive association with Varsity College since 2003, when our eldest son Alex started Year One. I now have three sons at the school - William in Year One, Sam in Year 5, and Alex in Year 7. I have enjoyed being part of such a supportive and innovative college and one which provides incredible opportunities for its students both within the curriculum, and also in extra curricula activities. I am very impressed by the presentation of the college and its students and will strive to maintain these high standards. The year ahead includes some very exciting building projects and plans for new resources for our students. In the short term, we will see the creation of exciting teaching and learning environments. I am particularly interested in these, being an architect myself. The P&C will strive to support the construction and furnishing of the new buildings across both campuses. I hope to involve a wider cross-section of our student population to showcase our school, and invite parents and local businesses to make their talents and knowledge known to the P&C. Together we can work toward earning the revenue required to ensure the buildings can include quality fittings and furniture. I would like the school community to unite and help to create resources we and the students can be proud of. Vice President Years 4-6
Elaine Cassar Elaine has two children who are new to Varsity College this year; Taylor in Year 7 and Peyton in Year 6. Elaine has a background in education and psychology and is originally from Sydney. A belief in parents working in partnership with schools to support children's education is why she is supportive of the P and C. P & C Meeting There is a change to our normal third Wednesday May P & C Meeting. It will be as follows: Where: Chinese Immersion Room, Senior Campus (access via staircase next to Senior Library) Date: Wednesday, 27 May, 2009 When: 6.30pm -8.30pm Child minding is available for school aged children. Please contact Sue Jones on 55769394 to advise if you require this service. We held the April P & C meeting in this room and it was a great success. Our idea for seeing other parts of the school is working and those who attend, are getting a good idea of what is available on the Senior Campus. We were able to have our Agenda displayed on the smartboard. It had been proudly donated to the Chinese Immersion room by the Brisbane LOTE offices. It was also noted that this room is air conditioned and again, this was a donation from the Chinese Embassy. Art Union Preparatory classes thank you for supporting this raffle which assists the school and the community. To finalise your participation, please return your sold or unsold tickets to school ASAP. They should be returned to the P -3 Administration Office in a sealed envelope marked P & C, Art Union. We need all tickets back before we can distribute the next allocation of tickets. Volunteers - Fundraising This year we are looking at doing some great fundraising activities such as the Lapathon, Chocolate Drive, Golf Day, Trivia Night to name but a few. In a school this size we need help!!! We would like to have a base of helpers to call on for your support. Activities such as these are only as successful as the people who make them a success. We know that we have a wonderful school community out there, so please come on board and lend us a hand. Help can be as varied as distributing information and supplies, collecting funds, assisting in set up etc. It's all for a good cause, our children, so why not put your hand up and be counted. If you are interested in lodging your name and contact details, please contact Sue Jones on 55769394 or pandc@varsitycollege.eq.edu.au Uniform Shop News
| Prep/Junior Uniform Shop | Ph: 5576 9308 | | Monday & Wednesday | 8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. | | Thursday | 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. | | Middle/Senior Uniform Shop | Ph: 5562 3512 | | Monday, Tuesday & Thursday | 8:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. |
Winter Uniform As the cooler mornings are approaching, and that little extra warmth is required, jumpers and tracksuits are available and new suppliers' winter stock is also available. However, you can still purchase Bintax stock available at a 15 % discount, while stocks last. Our new style Teflon (shower proof) jacket and track pants are now available. The lining is made from a static micro fibre mesh, which warms up with your body temperature. Some of our senior students are wearing these and they look very smart. Feedback has been very positive and this is another great option for winter. Price Increase - Caps Caps have had a price increase. As of 18 May, caps will cost $15.00.
| Caps | $15 | | Wide Brim Hats | $ 5 | | Bucket Hat | $11 |
To support being Sun Smart, we will be offering wide brim hats for $5.00. This is a massive saving as the original price was $11.30. Exchanges/Refunds/Faulty Goods As of 18 May, the P&C in line with trade practice policy, will have a 28 day return policy with proof of purchase. We thank you for your co-operation concerning this matter. Exchanges, refunds and faulty goods must be returned to the shop with your receipt. Thank You Robina Hoogendoorn
Uniform Shop Convenor Top Community News | FREE Triple P Parenting Program Varsity Lakes - Staring in JUNE Our Triple P group program is a highly regarded positive parenting program to help parents with children aged 2-12 years. We can offer you information, support and practical answers to everyday parenting concerns. Starting in June - For further information or to enrol
please phone June or Felicity on: 0419 794 118 |
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Dear Parents and Guardians
