Great News!

As we commence a new term, we have so much to be grateful for and achievement to be recognised by celebrating great progress which has been made, both through individuals and together as a learning community. As I shared with staff this week, sometimes it can feel like the term is just one week too long, and I’m sure there are students who would concur. To everyone’s credit however, students and staff have been finishing well, with the level of student activity and connection in week 10 being most pleasing. Still, the holiday break will be welcomed I’m sure and well deserved.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to advise you of something that may well be of interest to you regarding the recently completed School re-registration process which LJBC has gone through. School registration is granted on a one to five-year term, with three to four years’ registration being most common. Through this process, the Department of Education’s Non-Government Schools Regulation Authority checks thoroughly all policies, procedures, practices and outcomes to ensure that the College is meeting all Australian Educational Standards. This is a robust process, which in our case was over six months in duration.

Part of this process included the registration officers meeting in person with the College Board of Directors, College Management Team, College Leadership Team and a sample of College students, teachers and parents. This was followed up with a full Campus inspection, general student and staff meet and greet, along with whole school day observations. Thank you to all of those involved for giving of your time and providing thoughtful responses to questions and contributing productively to the discussion.

After some continued clarifications and amendments, we received notification this week informing us that LJBC has been granted the maximum re-registration period of five years. This is a significant achievement, giving the College great confidence in regard to our record of delivering high-quality education and providing a safe, engaging and productive learning environment. This is a positive reflection on our whole community, students, parents and staff, with the Registration Officers personally, along with their report, being most complimentary, placing LJBC in high regard. Congratulations to you all, for helping in some way to create our unique College community.

Year 12 students are now well into preparing for final exams and assessment tasks. The Graduating Class of 2019 is held in very high regard by our teachers and students. They are at times very ‘colourful and energetic’, and will definitely be remembered fondly by us all.  We continue to pray for each of you, wishing the very best of outcomes through this pivotal stage of your education. We look forward to joining with you later in the year to celebrate the various Graduation events.

God’s Richest Blessing

Daryl Pollard

College Principal

The end of Term 3 brings many things to mind; Year 12 and Year 11 exams on the horizon, Year 10 preparing for Term 4 exams and finalising their course selections for 2020 and for lower school it is consolidating their learning as they move into Term 4 and the finish of the academic year. Understanding what it means to ‘study’ in all these different scenarios is quite important for all of our students.

What does it mean to Study? Do students understand the difference between study and doing homework? What it means and how to do so successfully is important for all students regardless of level or year group. It is at this time of year that we focus on study. Study takes in many different aspects but especially for students that are wanting to be successful in exams and final assessments and tests, it becomes a focused event. Students study to learn, review, and master information, processes and skills. Students should be active in their study, not passive.

Understanding how to be active in study is vital. Examples are such as – write or rewrite notes, then organise by topics. Draw a diagram to understand information and/or processes. Write out solutions to problems or write a summary of information. Writing allows the brain to follow the process of learning when a student is engaged with study.

For Year 11 and 12 students preparing for ATAR exams, using past papers will not only assist with content knowledge but in the process of specific course exam styles. All teachers have access to these papers and will be sharing these with students as well as past questions from exams. Students should be utilising this information as great models of questions to practice during this time of study. The City of Joondalup Library also has WACE and ATAR exams resources that can be found at the library during opening hours; please go to https://www.joondalup.wa.gov.au/place/joondalup-library to find out more information. Another great resource for all ATAR exams is on the School Curriculum and Standard Authority webpage at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/. Utilising past exams offers a variety of practice for any WACE exam.

Setting up the best study environment is a key aspect to successful study. Do you have a quiet space with a desk or table space that allows everything to fit on it that is needed for study? Correct lighting to see properly and without strain on the eye? Keep distractions to a minimum such as phones, computers (unless using them for study only – do not multi task for pleasure while studying) and music.

Balance study with rest and proper exercise and breaks. If you are straying away from the topic at hand, it is important to take a break – even a walk to get up and get a drink gives your brain that space to reset and refocus when you sit back down to work. Proper rest at night is a high priority during exam time. Feeding your body with a healthy diet not only makes you feel good each day but gives your brain the nourishment it needs to focus on maximum.

While this time of exam study may find students stressing, a small amount of stress will keep them focussed – if there is too much stress due to study or exams, then it is time to talk to someone about the nature of that stress. Sometimes it is just a discussion with parents or messages to teachers that will help to put this to rest. Helpful ways to manage exam stress can be found in Mrs Carter’s article in this newsletter.

As the term ends, find the correct balance of study and down time to be at your best for whatever academic event comes your way – Exams, Assessments or the in-class tests. Knowing how to be prepared is the best way forward.

We in the Curriculum Office support our students to be at their best. Remember, we are here to assist in any manner. All the best to all of our students for the end of this academic year!

Kimberly Eyre

Dean of Studies

Recently the Year 8 Opti-MINDS Team flew to Brisbane to compete in the Opti-MINDS Queensland and National Finals and came home National Champions of the Division II Language and Literature Section. Opti-MINDS is a creative problem-solving program that encourages sustainable thinking and gives students opportunities to solve the problems of the future.

The team was in the city for three days. On the first day we took a river cruise up the Brisbane River to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The cruise was a great opportunity to see the city and delve into its’ diverse history, whilst the sanctuary was filled with adorable animals that we all loved. On the second day of our trip we, among the other Opti-MINDS teams, entered the 20/20 Youth Vision Forum. All of the teams came up with a positive idea/project for the future and we shared these ideas with our peers. Our teams’ idea, The Embracelet Project, was highly popular, and three separate parties reached out to us about implementing the program within their schools and communities. On the final day we competed in the actual competition, which had two sections. The first was a “spontaneous” challenge, where we had 10 minutes to solve a problem as creatively as possible. The second was the long-term challenge, where we were locked in a room and given three hours to create a 10-minute presentation based around a problem we had to solve. Overall, it was an amazing, fun and challenging trip that we would recommend to any who have the opportunity to go.

Gabrielle Hawkes on behalf of the Year 8 Opti-MINDS team

On Friday 23 August the College Inter House Athletics carnival took place at HBF Arena. This year the format was different to allow students strengths to be highlighted and to allow students the responsibility of choosing which events to compete in.

The following students excelled in their chosen events and achieved LJBC records.

The following students achieved medals for outstanding performances on the Carnival and were awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals respectively.

Well done to all our medal winners

The competition between the Houses was tight and competitive throughout the day. The house points were as follows;

1. 8363 - Lancier
2. 8024 – Windsor
3. 7338 – Cumberland
4. 6636 – Batavia
5. 5870 – James
6. 5753 – Arcadia

Well Done to Lancier House winning the LJBC Athletics carnival for 2019.

A special THANK YOU! to all parents that assisted on the day and another special THANK YOU to Joondalup Little Athletics Club for their support and assistance on the day.

Jonathan Grullis

Health & Physical Education Teacher

"One of the funniest performances I have seen in a very long time!!"

"An excellent performance! SO WORTH IT!"

"Wow to the students, they were truly brilliant!"

Congratulations to the Year 12 General Drama Class on their production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon! After months of hard work, they performed two shows to enthusiastic audiences who laughed, cried and participated their way through the megastory of fairytales. It was such a joy to see the audience reactions and hear their favourite parts. I am so proud of the Year 12s who showed dedication, team work and amazing talent to pull off such a brilliant show! Thank you to everyone who was involved and who spread the word to make this performance one of the highlights of the year!

Eileen Devereux
Drama Teacher

During week 2 of this term 191 students across years 7-12 took part in the Australian Mathematics Competition.

The following Year 12 students have been awarded a Credit certificate, meaning that these students have distinguished themselves from the rest of Australia by placing in the top 50% of their year in the country in the senior division:

• Thomas Archibald
• Alex MacKerron
• Jenna Simkiss
• Emma Spence

Students that place in the top 25% of the country are awarded Certificates of Distinction.

• Michael van Jaarsveld was placed in the top 9% of his year group in the country and
• Emma Winton in the top 18% of her year.

Jacob Dworkin has achieved a Certificate of High Distinction which places him in the top 5% of his year group in Australia for his division.

A special mention and congratulations goes to our top performing achiever in this competition, Jack Jennings. Not only did Jack receive the 'Best in School Award' for achieving the schools highest standardized score, but Jack also managed to score within in the top 1% in his year in all of Australia in the senior division. He is awarded a Prize Certificate for his outstanding achievement.

Leigh-Anne Hopkins

Head of Mathematics

Come and enjoy the Year 9 productions - you will be entertained by not one, but two productions!

It’s Not You, It’s Me
Whether your boyfriend is a Canadian secret agent or a monk in training, or your girlfriend is a psychic or pathological liar, one thing is for sure: they are about to dump you. Exploring the painful art of breaking-up through comedic, awkwardly realistic characters, this series of wildly hilarious scenes are sure to make you feel relieved not to be on the receiving end of those five fatal relationship words.

Appropriate Audience Behaviour
Carol and Ashley are expecting a tale of woe as they take their seats to watch Hamlet, but the real tragedy is that they're sitting next to the world's noisiest weirdos. The audience takes the spotlight as everyone from a cough-drop obsessive to a guy watching the play like a football game steals the show from the unseen Shakespearean masterpiece. An outrageously meta comedy that reminds us where the drama belongs-onstage.

Come along and support the Year 9 Drama students in Founders Hall at 6.30pm on Thursday 31 October. The evening should conclude at approximately 7.45pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

Eileen Devereux and Elzette Schroeder
Drama Teachers

Bacon and egg rolls, barista coffee and some quality time with their children – what more could a Dad need?! It was a fun morning where dads, guardians and significant male figures came to enjoy the breakfast as well as being given some light-hearted questions to chat about while they had their breakfast. Students enjoyed dressing their dads up for the photo booth. The flute choir was there to entertain us with their skillful music.

Afterwards, Pastor Phil Ingham from True North Church shared a message about how our dads have the opportunity to make a difference in their child’s lives every day and other meaningful aspects of being a Dad. Students then honoured their dads with a hug.

Parents were encouraged to look out for the introduction of the Fathering Project – LJ Dads in upcoming information sent out to parents.

A big thank you to the Chaplaincy Staff, Nina Shrinkfield (Flute choir tutor), Pastor Phil Ingham and students who came early to help cook the breakfast and play in the flute choir. Thank you to the dads, guardians and significant male figures for taking the time to enjoy the morning with their children.

Catherine da Silva

Secondary Chaplain

We all face stressful situations throughout our lives, ranging from minor annoyances to more serious worries. With exams soon approaching, this newsletter article includes relaxation techniques to help you evoke the relaxation response and reduce stress. It is recommended that you sample several of the below strategies to see which one works best for you.

Belly Breathing: When we breathe deeply, it sends a message to our brain to calm down and relax, reduce tension and relieve stress. One breathing exercise is ‘Belly Breathing’. This can be done by placing one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest. Take deep breaths in through your nose and let your belly push your hand out. Then, slowly breathe out through pursed lips, feeling the hand on your belly go in. The hand on your belly should move more than the one on your chest.

Body Scan: This technique blends belly breathing with grounding. After a few minutes of belly breathing, focus on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time, and mentally release any physical tension you feel there. It can be helpful to start with your feet and work your way up to your neck and jaw. A body scan can help boost your awareness of the mind-body connection. 

Grounding: Look around the room and name five things you can see, then five things you can hear, then five things you can feel. Repeat the exercise by finding four new things, then three, two and one thing.

Three Items: Look around the room and choose three items. Describe them to yourself in detail, including the colour, texture, shape, uses of the item and where you think it might have originated.

Helpful Self-Talk: Your inner voice can help you relax and cope with difficult situations. Encouraging yourself can be just as important (and often even more important) as having others encourage you.  Practice saying helpful things to yourself like, ‘It might be tough but I can have a go’, and ‘If I take this calmly I can do it one step at a time’.  Always challenge unhelpful self-talk.

Alyssa Carter

College Counsellor

In the theme of repurposing and being mindful of waste and consumption, we are looking to repurpose old ‘things’ for the College Production as part of our set. We are looking for the following small items: clocks, cutlery, small mirrors, plates, cups, old fashioned glass bottles, glasses (spectacles), jewellery (plastic and/or metal), interesting rocks/coral/driftwood, combs/hairbrushes, rope, crab nets, fishing nets and fishing rods. If you have anything lying around the house which could be put to use, please drop it off at College Reception, Student Reception or Primary Reception.

Elzette Schroeder
Drama Teacher

Past student Jayden Mclean’s favorite quote is one by Niels Bohr and it is something he remembers his Dad saying, which was “An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.” It has been a quote that has stuck with Jayden to inspire him to keep going and be willing to fail and experiment to get better at something he pursues.

Are you looking for a PART TIME or NEW JOB, or returning to the WORKFORCE? You will need a RESUME and LINKEDIN PROFILE

Sign up for our PCA Resume & LinkedIn Sessions:

You will receive:
-15 Minutes with our Career Development Practitioner, employed by one of the biggest recruiters in Australia, to review your existing resume and cover letter
-15 Minutes with our LinkedIn Specialist to update or create your LinkedIn profile
-15 Minutes with our HR Professional for interview tips
-A LinkedIn Profile photo taken by our photographer

PCA Outstanding Collegian Award

The 2019 #PCA Outstanding Collegian Award is here again! Applications for the $2 500 award is now open. All past students (collegians) can apply for the award.
Amy Frost, the winner of the 2018 award, explains in this short video how easy it is to apply for the award… https://bit.ly/2lysllu

Calling all volunteers - volunteering time counts towards PPP hours

The PCA has various opportunities for volunteering and mentoring that benefits the wider LJBC community. Please register your interest to volunteer at PCA@ljbc.wa.edu.au

Share your story

Friendships, marriages and business partnerships have been forged at LJBC. Who did you meet at the College? If you would like to share your story please email PCA@ljbc.wa.edu.au

If you are a past student and have changed your name, email or postal address, please email me at PCA@ljbc.wa.edu.au

To find out more and hear interesting stories about our Collegians, information about job opportunities, follow the PCA Facebook Page https://www.facebook/PCAatLJBC/ and to join the conversation, go to https://www.facebook/groups/PCAmembergroup/

Chaleen Botha

President of the Parents & Collegians Auxiliary

If there is a possibility that you may withdraw your child from the College during or at the end of 2019, please be reminded that College Policy states families are required to give ten school weeks’ written notice addressed to College Registrar. Registrar@ljbc.wa.edu.au

Sally Yeomans
College Registrar

Join our Principal for a tour of the College each month during term time.