TERM ONE WEEK THREE

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from the principal Another HOT week in the northern tropics. I’d like to remind parents to ensure

that everyone has their hats and water bottles during the extreme heat and

high humidity of the weeks to come.

Bicycle Safety

I have also had a few concerned parents and posts on our Facebook Community page

related to road safety when riding bicycles along Yolanda Drive. Students should use the

designated bike path or shared footpath at all times and travel in the same direction as the

traffic. Please teach your child about the dangers at intersections when cars can cut corners

and limit the bike lane space available.

Mozzies

We have contacted the Townsville City Council to fog for mosquitoes as they are biting

students during the day. We have measures in place such as offering repellent to students but

I recommend that we ensure students bring roll-on repellent which they can wear if they are

susceptible or if you are concerned in any way. There was fogging last year around this time

too. In the meantime make sure you are well prepared and we will have repellent available if

students ask.

Car parking

As our enrolments reach 607 (with another 20 or so kindy students in attendance each day),

increasing pressures on car parking and the hot weather are not making for a good

combination. We have asked all staff to park on the roadside or on the temporary ‘gully’

carpark on Yolanda Drive as the Jonquil staff carpark is quite small. We are exploring other

possibilities but this will take some time. I thank you for your patience with this in this period of

growth. Once again, please do not park in front of anyone’s driveway – it is certainly not the

way to build positive relationships.

SRC Student Leader Inductions

What a great start to the year. It was my pleasure to head up to the Year 12 Camp at Paluma

last week and join in some of the activities and discussions about leadership. We are truly

blessed to have so many young people who are now placed in positions of leadership as

seniors or in the SRC, with so much talent, ability and determination to make a difference. As

we reflect on today’s ceremony, let’s consider the word ‘induction’ and study the importance

of it for our student leaders. The original meaning comes from the Middle English “to

introduce” and the verb “lead into” from the Latin. So today we celebrate for the first time the

lives of these young people as they actively begin their lives in service to others and in

leadership – in their classroom, homes, sporting teams, academic, social or spiritual fields of

endeavour.

Leadership training is an investment in our most important college resource – our people.

Recently our very own staff participated in some training, which called us all to read scripture

in deeper and more meaningful ways. In letter to the Hebrews 13:7 we read “7 Remember your

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from the principal cont’d leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imi-

tate their faith.” This verse and indeed the chapter reminds us all to keep a Holy life and in do-

ing so there are a number of things we can do to ensure we serve others and God in a way

that leads others to Jesus.

As parents, we know how challenging it can be to be an exemplary leader in our lives and in

our homes. I call upon you all to imitate the life of Christian leaders and to encourage these

young people whenever you can in this area. And they certainly need that encouragement

with so many modern day distractions that have the potential to lead these young people

away from the life that God has planned for them. It is as much our responsibility to lead so

that these young people will have every opportunity for service, leadership and to demon-

strate their faith.

Last year when we asked our students if they would like training in leadership at the national

Global Leadership Summit here at the college and the first nationally in 2019, we were over-

whelmed by the response with approximately 35% of our students from years 6 – 12 wanting

more training in this area. This week we have also held training days for our leaders at the SRC

training days as well as the GRIP leadership training day yesterday.

In 2020 we believe that this is the decade to make a difference; an intergenerational differ-

ence where these young people are so well equipped that they too will equip the younger

students coming through to fulfil every aspect of their live that God has planned. This is the

time to celebrate our servant-leadership skills within the ACC community.

Finally, may I encourage you all, the student leaders of 2020, with the words Paul uses to en-

courage his own inductee, mentee and student leader of the early church - Timothy:

“Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down be-

cause you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanour, by love,

by faith, by integrity. Keep reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that spe-

cial gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you

and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.” 1 Timothy 4:11 – 14 (MSG)

Blessings

Andrew Jones

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From the Head of Primary Our Year 6 Canberra Camp information evening will be held on Tuesday 25th

February in the Outside Hours Care building. A letter was emailed home today

and a hard copy letter, of the same, also went home today with the Year 6

students containing relevant details for the information evening and the camp

itself. We have been able structure the Canberra Tour in order to keep the

costings down to the same price as last year which is great. A deposit of $190 is required to

be paid by Friday 13th March as a number of camp items require advance deposits,

including airfares. We request that the Information Evening be for parents/carers only as

there can sometimes be sensitive matters discussed in that forum that would be problematic

for peers to be privy to. Our 2020 Canberra Camp will run from Sunday 9th August to Saturday

15th August inclusive. As usual, six staff members, including myself, will be accompanying the

students and conducting the Canberra Camp over this period. It is a key event for our Year 6

students which they continue to speak fondly throughout High School, right up to Year 12.

Our Parent-Teacher Communication afternoons this term will be in Weeks 6 and 7 –

Wednesday 4th March, Wednesday 11th Mar, and Thursday 12th March. These appointments

will be 15 minutes in duration, running from 3.15pm – 5.30pm. An email will go home next

Friday from our IT manager Mr Potter, explaining how to book an appointment online for an

appointment with your child’s teacher. If you book an appointment but for some reason am

unable to make it on the day, please contact the school to let your child’s teacher know so

that they can be aware of that and either book another parent in or alternatively,

commence the next appointment early as we can often run behind time if parents are late

or do not turn up. If you find that there are still things to discuss after your 15 minute interview

time slot has ended, please make a time to continue your discussions at a later date, rather

than taking up time from the next person’s interview.

With the recent extreme heat, we have been closing the oval down during the break period

and opening the College Hall, the Chess

Club and other rooms to make air

conditioned places available for students

during that time.

The formal Induction Assembly for

College Student Council members and

Sporting House Captains this morning was

a wonderful opportunity for students, staff

and parents to acknowledge our young

student leaders and to commit to

supporting them in their roles of service in

2020.

Rod Lane

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Last year our Senior Visual Art

students enjoyed a ”Big Day Art” in

the city. We met Mr Tom Gray, the

organist at St James Cathedral, who

surprised us with a special private

performance of the gorgeous pipe

organ.

What a glorious sound! We were

blown away - all goosebumps and

wide eyed wonder!

Mr Gray contacted me again just

last week and generously donated

a number of beautiful art books on

stained glass, sculpture and

ceramics from his personal library.

Thank you Tom!

We are all feeling very blessed!

Mrs Lane

GENEROUS DONATION

Role: Year 5 Teacher

When did you start at the College? 2018

What do you think makes ACC a great place to work? ACC has a genuine commitment to

being God’s school. It is full of amazing staff, students and families who make it a great place

work.

What is God doing in your life right now? My family is a defence family, so God is working out

our next steps regarding where He’d like us to be located in the coming year.

Where were you born? Adelaide

What would we find you doing on the weekend to relax? Watching basketball, reading,

cooking or doing family things.

What is your secret talent/skill/ability that not too many people know about? I’m a pretty

good cook. I used to work at a bakery while I was at university and I own 100 cookbooks.

What is your ‘Deep Hope’/ goals /dreams for 2020? My goal for 2020 is to help the students in

my class further develop into the people that God wants them to be academically, socially

and spiritually.

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Maths Study Group is on Mondays from 3-4pm in B1/B2 for Year 4, 5 and 6 students who have returned their registration

forms

REMINDER: Scholastic Book Club orders are due THIS Monday, 17th February

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If you would like to access Canvas or Office 365

(or Email) from home you can now access all

these via our College public website:

- Go to: www.acc.qld.edu.au

- Click on ‘College’

- Select either ‘ACC Canvas LMS’ for Canvas or

‘ACC Office 365’ for OneDrive / Email.

STUDENT ACCESS TO CANVAS OR OFFICE 365

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Key Dates for 2020 Date Event

Tuesday, February 25 Canberra Info Evening

Wednesday, February 26 Secondary Parent/Teacher Meet & Greet BBQ

Uniform Free Day

Friday, February 28 Primary Interhouse Swimming

Monday, March 2 Senior Music Performance Evening

March 3 and 4 College Photos

Wednesday, March 4 Interschool Chess Comp

March 4, 11 & 12 Primary Parent Teacher Communication

Thursday, March 5 Secondary Interhouse Swimming

Friday, March 13 Secondary Interschool Swimmng

Tuesday, March 17 Primary Interschool Swimming

Wednesday, March 25 Welcome to Kindy BBQ

March 26 & 27 Year 7 & 11 Team Building & Challenge Days -Barra Fun

Park

Saturday, March 28 P & F/SRC Trivia Night

Friday, April 3 Easter Assembly

We have 346 members signed up to our ACC

Community Facebook page.

Join in on the conversations, questions and

comments which are helping to build our community.

Request today to join ACC Community page.

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PRAYER POINTS

Thanksgiving for answered prayer.

Prayer for staff and students with family members battling cancer.

Prayer for more parents to join our P & F – to join the committee and

to attend meetings.

For the upcoming P & F Family Trivia night – that it would build positive

relationships in our community.

Prayer for the health of our staff and students during the heat wave –

and thanksgiving for those making changes and offering their break

time to allow students to have indoor options during break times.

For our Parent/Teacher interviews - that they will build our relationships

and partnerships between school and home.

Prayer for the amicable resolution of parking conflicts with our

neighbours as well as safe and affordable solutions to our ongoing

parking shortage.

Prayer for maintaining relationships with our neighbours, as we have

to lock our external gate access.

Prayer for families experiencing conflict and for wisdom and love for

those who teach and support them.

For positive relationships with our students, staff and parents.

Pray for all our school leaders and Board – that they would be

listening to God, reading His word diligently and in fellowship with all.

For the health of our staff and students, in particular for a staff

member admitted to hospital this week.