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At the heart of our school culture and vision statement of Inspiring Lifelong Learners, Critical Thinkers and Caring Citizens in a Christian Community is our commitment to nurturing academic excellence and character development of every student in our care. I am proud and feel very affirmed to see our students consistently practising respect, empathy and responsibility. These lifelong foundations are the cornerstone of our community and a testament to the partnership between home and school. Thank you, as parents and caregivers, for your supportive role in this process.

Our sports teams show tremendous dedication and spirit, achieving remarkable success in various inter-school competitions. Highlights include Swimming and Futsal, where excellent results have been achieved. Congratulations to our QCIS Swimming Team on winning the recently held QCIS Inter-School Swimming Competition for the 3^rd year in a row – thank you to all our swimmers, coaches, parents and HPE staff. Several students have broken swimming records and PBs, reflecting their hard work and commitment to excellence. We are immensely proud of all our sports students [stars] who continue to represent our school with pride and, very importantly, good sportsmanship.

Our Arts Department is alive with creativity as both our Junior and Senior College students embrace their music, choral, dance and visual arts programs. Musical rehearsals for "Anastasia" are progressing well, and it's encouraging to hear from Mrs. Merretz about the students' commitment and dedication to their practice expectations. We are eagerly anticipating a spectacular performance of Anastasia next term that will showcase the talent and hard work of around 120 students involved in this year’s Musical – keep up the good work, everyone!

I had the privilege last week to have lunch with the College Captains from all three campuses. These student leaders have been proactive in setting a positive example and driving meaningful initiatives within the College. From planning and organising community projects to leading school assemblies, they are proving to be responsible and inspiring role models. I need to commend our Year 12 College Captains and other leaders on their dedication and effort to fostering college spirit and student unity. Speaking of unity, the new Junior College building site over at Stephen Street is becoming a hive of activity as we begin to see Stage 1 of the college’s Master plan come to life.

With the school year and sports calendar well and truly underway, I would like to focus on the concept of losing well in this week’s edition. Children enjoy competing in various contests such as sporting events and dance recitals, to name a few, and sometimes there is a prize that they want to win. However, not everybody can win at once, and it can be upsetting for our child[ren] when the inevitable time comes, and they aren’t the winner. Here are some ideas to make them feel better about it.

• Congratulate your child for competing in the first place. Let them know that you are impressed at how well they tried.
• Encourage them to congratulate the winner if this isn’t possible immediately after the competition. Remind them that whoever won is as happy about it as they would have been.
• If they are upset about it or are acting like a sore loser, listen to what they have to say. Venting, away from a public audience, can be helpful for them and a chance for you to communicate some lifelong lessons and advice. For instance, help them determine what they could improve next time.
• Try to avoid trivialising the situation by saying something like “it’s only a game”. That helps to put things in perspective, but it doesn’t help bruised feelings. This is great advice once the dust has settled.
• Don’t punish your child for being upset or accuse them of being a poor loser. Let them work through their feelings and get over it with your help. Sometimes a special treat, such as an ice cream, afterwards is a great idea so that they see life quickly returning to normal again.

Losing teaches many valuable life lessons, one being that it isn’t the end of the world to lose. Helping our children through a defeat will help them face the next challenge with more confidence and smarts as they learn to grow with the outcome and the life journey awaiting them. What a great opportunity to instill strong character-building and family values! Enjoy the 2025 sports season[s] with your child!

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our college community as we move forward into the second half of Term 1. I am excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to celebrating more of our students’ achievements in the coming weeks. Please stay in touch.

Have a safe weekend.

Yours in Christ

Mr Anton Prinsloo
Head of College

Quote of the Week:

Sticking with a bad decision is not a triumph of commitment. It’s a failure of courage. [Adam Grant]

Teens are often unaware that their words, and or photos, can sometimes find their way to an unexpected audience with undesirable consequences. The key is not to fear technology, but to embrace it. As part of �鶹��ý’s Pastoral Care program, we aim to educate students on how to safety navigate the digital world and learn the importance of digital responsibility.

On Monday 3 March students in Years 5 – 10 will be engaging in a cybersafety education program. �鶹��ý has partnered with ySafe, a team of experienced and certified professionals that specialise in digital safety. Throughout this day, students will be engaged in an hour presentation that covers a range of topics including:

· Cyberbullying & Bystander Empowerment

· Safety on social Media and Games

· Digital Footprints and Fake Accounts

· Managing Toxic Online Behaviours & Online Conflict

· Developing Digital Wellbeing

· Managing Online Conflict

· Respectful Relationships

In addition to these sessions, we are pleased to announce that ySafe will also be delivering sessions to our parent community. Parent sessions will be held on Monday 3 March from 5.00pm – 6.00pm in the Lecture Theatre at Stephen Street Campus. This session will be packed with practical, strategy-rich content that covers the most important points all families need to know about online safety. It will include information about social media and gaming, screen time recommendations, and step-by-step instructions on how to set-up a cyber-safe home for all ages.

Parents from all campuses are welcome to attend this event. To register for this event, please click on the link provided: 

As a part of our partnership with ySafe, we have received access to the Online Safety Hub. The Online Safety Hub provides a rich source of information for you to help you manage cyber safety in the home, including engaging blogs, articles, guides and resources. The Online Safety Hub can be accessed using the link below:

In addition to the resources provided through the online safety hub, parents can gather more information on having digital safe conversations at home by accessing our SchoolTV series on cybersafety:

If you would like any further information or would like some further support around these issues, please feel free to contact a member of our Pastoral Care Team.

Take care,

Mr Tony Manteufel
Director of Pastoral Care and Wellbeing

A huge thank you to the students who welcomed our visitors as they walked through the College. An even bigger thank you to members of the College student leadership team who walked on the tours with families answering questions from our young guests.

Next, we are very much looking forward to the Parent Connect events, with the Garden Gala on 22 March at the forefront. This evening promises to foster celebration and connection within our community and marks the beginning of what we hope will become a wonderful tradition. We hope you can join us. Please purchase your tickets early to avoid missing out.

With the start of construction on our Master Plan, we are now in a significant new phase in Concordia’s growth. We look forward to sharing updates on this exciting development through our social media channels and newsletters. Merging the College into one is for the benefit of all, and we can’t wait to see the new buildings take shape.

Meanwhile, preparations for the Toowoomba Show are in full swing. �鶹��ý is proud to participate in a variety of events, highlighting the talents and dedication of our students. If you spot our entries, please take a photo and let us know!

Also, I hope you have been able to wear your Anastasia musical shirts recently. We very much appreciate your support in getting the word out about what will be another exceptional production in May. These shirts are one way of letting the community know. Please help us spread the word.

A key focus for the team now is our Twilight Tour on 30 April, one of the biggest events of the year. It is our Open Day for 2025. We have many opportunities throughout 2025 for families to take a look at our campuses, but this particular event is expected to draw the biggest numbers. It will offer friends, community members, and prospective families a glimpse into life at Concordia. We highly encourage you to mark this date in your calendar and tell your friends to come along.

In the spirit of celebrating student achievements, please don’t hesitate to submit stories of success. Achievements, no matter the size, are wonderful to hear about and acknowledge.

Don’t forget to explore our Business Directory located in the Teacher Kiosk. Supporting local businesses is vital, and you may find exclusive offers for the Concordia community.

When it comes to support, you can now show your pride in Concordia by wearing our brand-new Concordia supporter hats—all designed for parents, friends, and family to wear proudly. Please get your orders in early, as numbers are limited.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch. Thank you, as always, for your constant support.

Warm regards,

Ms Belinda Sanders
Director of Marketing & Community Engagement

You are invited to complete The What Parents Want – an Independent Schools Queensland Survey. It is a longitudinal study that tracks multiple aspects of parents’ decision-making time, and the anonymous data can provide our school with insights to better understand and support prospective and new families in our community.

If you are a parent of a Prep, Year 7 and/or new student, we’d like to ask you to complete this valuable survey (approx., 15-20 minutes). Other parents are also welcome to complete the survey. The survey closes on 24 March 2025. 

It was a pleasure to present badges and officially install our Year 6 Captains as they begin their leadership journeys. They had an inspiring experience at the GRIP Leadership Workshop this week, where they gained valuable insights into teamwork, responsibility, and leading with integrity. Some of their key takeaways included:

• GRIP stands for Generosity, Responsibility, Integrity and People - Sarah
• The thing that I learned from GRIP Leadership was that it is better to have a conversation than give instructions – Gracie
• The thing I learnt was, "prioritise an idea that helps others” - Fitzy
• My favourite memory of the GRIP leadership conference was, “many leaders don’t achieve what they intended because time goes by quickly and the year has ended” – Koto

Some of the other key ideas that students have come away with include:

• Fun is more effective than feeling forced.
• If you want to achieve your goal you have to work together rather than by yourself.
• Being a voice can protect others.
• If you are a leader, you need to lead by example for others. You shouldn’t use your leadership for power but use it for helping others.
• Do things in stages to make it work.

In the coming weeks, both campuses are eagerly preparing for our Family Fun Afternoons! Don’t forget to dress in white or black so you can fully enjoy the Colour Fun Run and Water Slides. Be sure to bring a towel, a comfortable chair, and a change of clothes. Our Parent Connect groups will also be hosting a sausage sizzle, so come along, enjoy an early dinner, and connect with our wonderful school community.

We are also thrilled to once again host our Harmony Day Long Lunch on Friday, 21 March. Please refer to the flyer for more details—we warmly invite all families to join us for this special event as we celebrate diversity and togetherness with a shared meal.

Looking ahead, we will be sharing further details soon about the Concordia Lutheran Cross Country events. Our 10–12-��𲹰�-�DZ��� students will be tackling a new course this year due to the Master Planning construction site. Once the track is finalised, students will have the opportunity for a practice run at SSC.

A reminder that NAPLAN begins in Week 7, and families of Year 3 and Year 5 students have received important information this week. Please keep in mind that NAPLAN is just one piece of assessment, and we encourage a calm and positive approach.

To stay up to date, please read The Week Ahead each week, check Seesaw, attend parent-teacher meetings, and support students with home reading and homework.

Thank you for your ongoing support in making our college a positive and nurturing place for your child/ren. We look forward to a fantastic second half of the term, filled with learning, laughter, and lasting memories!

Blessings for the week ahead.

to view HSC's Events for Term 1 2025, Week 6.
to view WSC's Events for Term 1 2025, Week 6.

Mrs Juanetta Priest - Director of Campus (Hume Street)
Mrs Jackie Minnikin - Director of Campus (Warwick Street)

If your child is in Prep and you would like their vision screened, please complete a consent form using the below link or QR code.

�鶹��ý - Harristown
Screening commencement date: Monday, 17 March, 2025
Link and QR code will close on Sunday, 9 March, 2025

The following video explains the benefits of having your Prep child’s vision screened –

If you do not wish for your child to participate in the screening, please fill in the consent form and indicate that you wish to decline screening.

QCIS Swimming Success

Our swimmers have once again demonstrated their determination and teamwork at the recent QCIS Swimming Carnival. We are thrilled to celebrate their outstanding achievement in retaining both trophies – a testament to their dedication, the guidance of our coaches, and the unwavering support from our college community. While swimming is largely on individual pursuit, the support of the collective team has a significant impact on bring out the best in each athlete. On to Cross Country!

Anastasia

Rehearsals are in full swing for our upcoming College Musical, Anastasia. Students and staff are putting in countless hours perfecting choreography, refining harmonies, and bringing this incredible production to life. It is shaping up to be a spectacular show, and we cannot wait to share the magic with our community. Stay tuned for ticketing details.

New Beginnings in Agriculture

Our Agriculture program continues to expand, with students embarking on an exciting new journey in cattle and poultry showing. Last weekend, a group of students attended the Cooyar Show, gaining valuable insights into the world of livestock competitions. This hands-on experience will prepare them well as they step into the show ring themselves later in the year. We look forward to seeing them thrive in this new venture.

Year 7 Camp

The first of our College camps has just concluded, with our Year 7 students returning from their adventure at Alexandra Headlands. Camp is a time for forming new friendships, stepping outside comfort zones, and strengthening personal resilience. We hope they have returned with a deeper sense of connection to their peers and an increased confidence in their ability to take on new challenges.

The Rite Journey

Shortly, our Year 9 students will mark the beginning of their Rite Journey with the Calling and Departure Ceremony at Picnic Point on Friday 7 March. This special moment, set against the backdrop of the sun rising over the Toowoomba Range, invites students to reflect on their transition into young adulthood. We pray for clear weather so that families can fully embrace this meaningful milestone together.

Parent Connect – Garden Gala

Our SSC Parent Connect group has been busy planning a wonderful event to bring families together—the Garden Gala Evening, set for Saturday 22 March, in the Pear-Shaped Garden. This promises to be an evening of connection, laughter, and celebration, and we encourage our families to come along and be part of this vibrant gathering. Tickets can be purchased .

The season of Lent

As we enter the second half of the term, we also prepare for the beginning of Lent, which commences with Ash Wednesday next week. Students will also be treated to pancakes as we celebrate Shrove Tuesday in readiness for the season ahead.

Lent is a time for reflection, prayer, and renewal, reminding us of Christ’s journey to the cross and the grace we receive through His sacrifice. As a college, we encourage our students and families to use this season to seek opportunities for kindness, generosity, and spiritual growth.

Yours in faith

Mr Jamie Pukallus
Director of Campus

Upcoming Sport Opportunities

Darling Downs Trials

There are numerous Darling Downs trials happening across a variety of sports. If you would like to trial for one of these or need more information, please keep an eye on the notices or send Mr Biscoe an email Joshua.biscoe@concordia.qld.edu.au