Students Return for 2019 Academic Year

After a series of Professional Learning days, Departmental Meetings and teacher individual preparation, it was great to see the students return to the College over 4 & 5 February 2019. The new Year 7s settled in well and embarked on their 'Voyage' around the College as part of their orientation process. Feedback from staff, also through personal observation, suggests a most positive and organised start to the year.

College Open Night

The main enrolment evening for Year 7 students commencing in 2021 will be held on Wednesday 6 March 2019 in which each learning area will showcase their departments to the broader community. The focus will be on attracting Secondary enrolments for Years 7-12. We appreciate the efforts each department goes to in planning for this important evening. Feel free to make this event known to friends and family.

Year 12 Kick Off Day and Year 12 Ball

I recently attended the Year 12 'Kick Off Day' which was held in the Swan Valley. This day provided an opportunity for the Year 12 students to focus on their goals and strategies for the 2019 academic year. Group cohesion and teacher relationships were also fostered through targeted activities.

The Year 12 cohort is looking forward with much enthusiasm to the Year 12 Ball which is to be held once again at Frasers, Kings Park on Thursday 28 February. This is a significant event in the College calendar, and promises to provide some of the highlights for our year 12 cohort.

Year 12 Parent Information Evening

I recently attended the Parent Information Evening for all parents of Year 12 students on 5 February where parents were informed of the structures, terminology and delivery of WACE and General Studies courses. This was positively received by parents.

PK - 6 Parent Information Evening

Parents of students in the Primary years attended an Information Evening on 6 February where parents visited their child’s classroom to meet with the teacher, hear important aspects of the curriculum for the year and about the day to day operation of the Primary School, including curriculum delivery. I commend the willingness of the Primary teachers to stay late and ensure the transition of students into their classes runs smoothly and assist in relationship building with the parent body.

PK - 6 Parent Teacher Interviews – 11 & 12 February

Further to the Information Evening, this was followed by Parent Teacher Interviews over two evenings where parents booked individual appointments with their child’s teacher to discuss individual needs and learning plans. Again, I commend the Primary Staff on their cooperation and willingness to host these sessions.

These events have enabled teachers to establish a strong communication connection between teacher and parents, providing a crucial element of the teaching and learning process. Parents were also able to gain key information regarding the delivery of the literacy and numeracy programs, enabling greater understanding and support from home in these areas.

The Rite Journey Year 9 Parent Information Session

On 19 February I attended a Parent Information Session at which parents of Year 9 students were informed of ‘The Rite Journey’ initiative, where students are encouraged in their journey from children to young adulthood. This initiative is delivered as part of the Christian Education curriculum, with students exploring four main questions: Who am I really? How do I get on with others? Is there something more? What is my purpose? The program challenges students physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually with the aim of them becoming responsible, respectful and resilient young adults.

Planning for Academic Extension Pathways 2020

A review of academic outcomes and personal development programs will inform the planning and design of the Academic Extension Pathways Program, planned to be launched for the 2020 academic year. This is an exciting initiative, that will provide further opportunities for students to engage more enthusiastically in particular areas of interest and passion.

The four pathways or ‘Jewels in the Crown’ being developed are, a. STEM; b. Sport and Recreation; c. Music Performance; d. Christian Community and Ministry.

Details of this program will be progressively made available to the College Community as the structure develops.

Improvements in Student Learning

Another area of focus for the enabling of improvement in student learning is in the area of developing study skills, strategies, habits and routines, through age/stage of development appropriate instruction, teaching and mentoring. The first stage of this strategy has been to launch the ‘Red Tick Education Program’ to our Year 7 students early this term. Opportunities for staged access to this program will be made to other year levels including primary students and families.

Access Road, parking and access to Sports Centre

Access to the kiss and drive and car park off Shenton Avenue (Primary end) has seen some challenges due to the access roadworks. The Grounds Team have been instrumental in ensuring traffic flow continues and students can move safely through the area. I commend them on their work in this regard, very much appreciated.

Student access to the Sports Centre has also been challenging during Term 1 with Secondary students accessing the Sports Centre via a designated route through the Primary School. Students are to be commended on their responsible adjustments in this regard.

Solar Panel installation

The installation of over 1200 solar panels on the College roof space has progressed well over the holiday break. The panels are now connected, with full operation expected within this week. I commend our Business Manager, Mrs Lee Krug, along with Mr Andrew Burbidge, Infrastructure and Operations Manager, for enthusiastically driving this fantastic project and initiative.

Pre Primary Toilets

The construction of a small toilet block in the Pre Primary area is almost complete, with minor finishing works currently underway.  

Primary Play Equipment

The Primary Play Area is soon to be upgraded this week, as older unsafe equipment is replaced with new play stations. Please note that the planned building of the Primary Years Outdoor Adventure Playground is still on track, with construction planned to start as soon as possible following the completion of the current road project. Exciting times for our Primary students and staff.

Hopefully this communication is helpful to you, in being informed regarding some of the developments, initiatives and processes as they stand at the start of our school year. As always, I encourage you to continue to communicate with us regarding any clarification, observations or queries you may have and I look forward to this ongoing conversation.

God’s Richest Blessings

Daryl Pollard

College Principal

With the start of a new academic year I was once again reminded of why I love working in a school where every twelve months we start anew. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new students and our Year 7 students who arrived looking so fresh in their new uniforms and mostly bright eyed and eager to begin their journey at the College. Timetables and maps were given out and there was such a buzz as they navigated their way around our ‘large’ campus.

A huge thank you to our Year 10 Student Counsellors who so ably assisted the Year 7 students as they embarked on their LJBC Orientation Voyage gathering ‘visa’ stamps in their passports, keyrings, House coloured jelly beans, special pens and icy poles as they familiarised themselves with our College campus. I was once again reminded of how young our students are when a student asked if lunch time was to eat or play? Smiles and a sense of excitement was felt and quite evident in their outlook.

Our returning students quickly settled into their friendship groups reflecting on the summer break, discussing their new teachers and anticipating what the new year will bring. New students have been given a buddy who will help them to settle in to their new environment developing that all important sense of belonging.

On Friday 1 February, the 2019 Student Council enjoyed their Induction event where they were challenged by the indoor wave, surf pool and climbing challenges at Aloha Surfhouse. House meetings allowed the teams to brainstorm their ideas over Krispy Kreme’s on improving what the Houses already do so well. Seeing the Heads of House join in the challenges displayed the collaborative commitment of all to their House. I look forward to the colourful ideas and rivalry that 2019 brings.

Term 1 is a busy term with the Inter House Swimming Carnival which took place on Wednesday 13 February. All Lower Secondary students participated in the carnival that was held at the HBF Arena while the Senior Secondary students joined the carnival at 12.00pm. On February 21 and 22 the Year 7 overnight camp allowed our students to get to know each other better  before they elect their student councillors on Friday 8 March. Last night (28 February) our Year 12 students enjoyed their much anticipated Year 12 Ball which is one of the highlights on the Year 12 calendar. You will also see them wearing their 2019 Class Jackets from now on, which is something that they have been eagerly waiting for.

Staff have been well prepared for the year ahead having completed their CPR updates, Mandatory Reporting and Grooming Professional Learning prior to students arriving at the College. The Student Services Team have developed both personal and professional goals which were facilitated by John Kipps allowing us to break down our big picture thinking into more tangible small goals.

Ultimately, as we embark on 2019 I challenge all students to get involved in everything that the College has to offer, developing a positive attitude to all that you do and appreciating the beauty and uniqueness of each individual.

Helen Del Frate

Dean of Students

Wednesday 6 March 2019

Welcome Cooper!

We would like to welcome Cooper the Secondary Wellbeing Dog to the LJBC community. Cooper will be with the College Counsellor two days per week.

Cooper may attend counselling sessions, psychological assessments and meetings with the College Counsellor, with the goal of assisting students to feel more comfortable when discussing issues that might otherwise be difficult to talk about, to help them feel supported and to facilitate developing the therapeutic relationship.

During break times and before school Cooper can often be seen walking around the school with Mrs Carter, greeting students as they arrive to the College and saying hello.

Research indicates there are many reasons dogs are known as “mans best friend”. One study (Beetz, Uvnas-Moberg, Julius & Kotrschal, 2012) summarizes the positive effects of human-animal interaction as follows:

• “Improvement of social attention, behavior, interpersonal interaction, and mood
• reduction of stress-related parameters such as cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure
• reduction of self-reported fear and anxiety
• improvement of mental and physical health, especially cardiovascular health.”

The effect that Cooper has had at the College can already be seen and we look forward to what is to come as he continues his training and impact within the College community. As one student said, “You should bring Cooper to school every day because he makes people happy. I was sad but now I am happy.”

Alyssa Carter

College Counsellor

The Music Department would like to congratulate Zac for being selected to sing the National Anthem at the Joondalup Citizenship Ceremony on Australia this year. We are always thrilled when LJBC students represent the College at community events. Well done Zac!

Music Department

Welcome to Music at LJBC in 2019! We have a busy schedule with lots of opportunities for all students to be involved and to flourish musically this year. It is not too late to start private lessons.

Staff News

We are pleased to welcome new staff into the Music Department this year. Joanna Wolny will be tutoring cello, Charlotte Chapman tutoring violin and the new Primary Music Specialist teacher is Emanuel Troaca. We are thrilled to have such talented and passionate additions to our team.

Congratulations go to Bonita Holthaus on the birth of her son Marcus and we welcome Nina Shinkfield back after the birth of her third daughter, Torielle.

It is with sadness that we farewell Kerri Sloper who leaves us this year to tend to family matters. We are grateful for her contribution and acknowledge the wonderful work she did with our students.

New Initiatives

This year we have the first music scholarships running at LJBC in Year 3 and Year 5. This is a very exciting initiative and we congratulate these students on successfully attaining these scholarships.

The Year 3 String Program and the Year 5 Band Program will continue to run as College Sponsorship programs for all students in those year groups.

The Competition Band will be competing in Mount Gambier at the Generations of Jazz Competition in 2020 as well as other competitions this year. This opportunity is available to secondary students who play jazz band instruments. Further details are available in the Music Office.

There is a further opportunity for all students from Year 2-12 to audition and become involved in the 2020 whole College Production this year. We are very excited about the next production. Watch this space!

All students who have private instrumental lessons, as well as sponsorship students, will be able to enjoy our recently refurbished music tutor rooms. The décor is modern, bright and age appropriate. We are thrilled with the stunning results of this revamp. Just a note: NO school bags are allowed to be taken into the tutor rooms. Instruments have storage areas in the tutor room area, but school bags must remain outside the rooms.

Updates for Term 1

 Start dates:

• Ensembles: Secondary W3, Primary W5
• Sponsorship Program: W3
• Private tuition: W2

 Communication:

• Parents please sign the music diaries each week, tutors will communicate in the diary and leave notes and instructions for practising
• All secondary students are to have their music timetable attached to their student organiser so that they can show the teacher when they request to leave class for a music lesson
• If students stop lessons then please let us know by completing the withdrawal form found on the College website

Have a wonderful year and remember - Employers Want Creatives. Music enriches lives and builds creativity in students. We look forward to embarking on this journey with you.

Tammy van der Nest

Director of Music PK-12

On 30 November Maassen Sensei, Miolin Sensei, and Webber Sensei set off with18 LJBC students on the Japan Tour. We flew overnight and hit the ground running on day 1 with a visit to a STEM museum and a digital art museum called ‘Borderless’ on Odaiba island. We had our minds blown by the light art at Borderless and all enjoyed the robotics and science projects available at Miraikan.

Over the next few days in Tokyo, we visited traditional places such as Asakusa Shrine, Meiji Jingu, and some more modern places such as Disney Land and Tokyo Skytree Tower. We met with some students from a local school in Tokyo and our students became ‘insta followers’ with bonds instantly made. It was so rewarding to see our students using their Japanese and enjoying the company and hospitality of the Japanese.

After seeing some of the main sights of Tokyo, we took the shinkansen and went into the mountains of Nagano where we stayed at a ‘ryokan’ Japanese style inn and we enjoyed the change of pace from Tokyo, some fresh air, and some cooler weather. We went to see the snow monkeys keeping warm in the natural ‘onsen’ hot springs at Yudanaka and enjoyed the 2km hike either way. We were reminded that anything worth seeing in Japan is usually at the top of a very long, steep set of stairs! Back at our ryokan we were treated to a very Japanese style ‘sukiyaki’ meal in a traditional hall where there was certainly no shortage of food. Students all embraced the different foods and we saw many step out of their comfort zones! After dinner we bonded over a few hours of Karaoke where every one let their hair down and got involved. Luckily, we were out in the countryside as some voices were a little better than others!

From the country side we then went on to base ourselves in Shin-Osaka with easy access to the Shinkansen line. We did a little more sightseeing in places such as Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Nara before visiting our sister school Hanazono. Students loved reconnecting with students they have hosted in the past as well as participating in some traditional club activities. We were greeted by teachers, students and members of the P&C and our students were surprised by the excitement which we received when we arrived; many saying they felt like super stars!

The tour group are commended on their behavior, their ability to try new things and embrace the different, as well as how well they looked after each other and took turns in leading the way. We were all so proud of how they conducted themselves, even when tired and hungry!

We look forward to hosting our sister school Hanazono here at LJBC in Term 3 this year and we will be asking again for people to volunteer as host families. We thank the families in advance for hosting as without your support the relationship could not continue! More information to come at a later date.

Webber sensei and Maassen Sensei

Japanese Teachers

College Honours

College Honours was presented to 7 outstanding students at our recent Awards Assembly. College Honours recognises students who have received multiple Colours awards. It acknowledges the exceptional contribution these students have made to the College and their willingness to participate in College activities, going above and beyond the requirements of any position the student has held. Students who are awarded College Honours, have generously given of their time to lead and serve others selflessly, thereby enriching the life of the College.

Jaden Hopkins - Cultural, Curriculum and Service Colours

Jaimee Klaassen - Cultural, Curriculum and Service Colours

Tatum Botha – Curriculum and Service Colours

Adam Giltrow – Service and Sporting Colours

Tylah Mayger – Cultural and Service Colours

Justine Paul – Curriculum and Service Colours

Emma Winton – Curriculum and Service Colours

Bronwyn Carruthers

Secondary Curriculum and Student Pathway Manager

LJBC Year 7 Community Workshop for parents

• Topic: Referencing Workshop
• Presenter: Mr Stephen Sampson Head of Secondary Library Services
• Purpose: This workshop will address what is expected of our Year 7 students in regards to the construction of their research assignment reference lists. This will enable parents to effectively assist their children with this aspect of their schoolwork. Often teachers allocate a percentage of their marks to referencing. Once students know how to construct and present their references, the marks allocated will be a giveaway! It may just be enough to move up their grade!
  Topics covered: 1. The layout rules for a reference list and 2. How to use the Online Generator to create each reference citation
• Places available: 20 – registration required
• Date: Wednesday 20 March
• Location: Secondary Library
• Time: 7 - 8.00pm
• Tea & Coffee supplied

How to register: Please email Stephen.Sampson@ljbc.wa.edu.au

Stephen Sampson will contact each respondent to confirm placement.

Stephen Sampson

Head of Secondary Library Services

On Wednesday 13 February our first major College event for 2019, the Inter House Swimming Carnival, was held at HBF Arena. This year saw a different format for the Carnival with a morning session for Year 7-9 students and an afternoon session for Year 10-12 students. The alternating year group were involved in a range of fun House competitions following their time in the pool.

We are so excited with how this year has kicked off!

2019 started with an amazing Student Council Induction Day, spending the day at Aloha Surf House - rock climbing and learning how to surf. Well, for most of us learning how to stay on our boards!  We also had the chance to meet the honourable Mark McGowan, which was an incredible honour. We are so blessed with such an enthusiastic group of students that we get to work alongside. Our student council team is absolutely amazing and so full of ideas.

We also want to take this opportunity to formally welcome all Year 7s, their families and all the new students that have joined LJBC. We hope you all feel settled and are happy here.

Our main goal for this year is to focus on building the community of the College, especially between students and making our school a greener and more environmentally friendly school. We’ve had lots of suggestions on what we can do to reduce our environmental impact as a College and look forward to implementing these.

We are would love to hear of any ideas that students want to put forward and are always open to new suggestions.

We both are looking forward to what is ahead for the rest of the year!

Todd Rennix and Justine Paul

Head Boy and Head Girl