The Week Ahead - Term 3, Week 2
Monday 19 July to Friday 23 July 2021
From the Head of College
Dear Parents and Caregivers
What a privilege it is for me to be addressing you for the first time as the new Head of College. I am humbly and courageously looking forward to working with and for you as this next season, in this the 75th Anniversary year of our wonderful College, begins. Thank you for the many warm greetings and words of encouragement which have been shared with me already.
I need to begin by acknowledging my predecessor Adrian Wiles and the College’s Leadership Team who so generously shared their time, knowledge and insights with me during my visit in Week 8 last term. This has certainly allowed for a very smooth and informed transition for me. What has stood out for me about Concordia is its strong sense of community, great pastoral care where every student is known, a culture of rich academic rigour underpinned by a philosophy of learning to learn and a mindset of it’s okay to make mistakes. Here is a great sense of a student-focused and Christ-centred community.
I am excited by the wonderful opportunities ahead to help grow the highly regarded reputation, opportunities and initiatives already in place at Concordia. What excites me is the wonderful passion and energy from the staff here to ensure that every decision made will ensure that better outcomes are achieved for every student who has been entrusted into our care.
From the College Pastor
Hello Concordia!
My name is Thomas Böhmert and I am your new College Pastor. I have come from St Peters Lutheran College in Indooroopilly, where I served as the Senior pastor for the last six plus years. Previously, I have served in a variety of school and parish contexts in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and the NT (where I served the Arrarnta congregations in and around Hermannsburg). My wife Lyn is originally from Toowoomba and attended Concordia for some of her schooling, so I feel I already have a connection with this community.
Our daughter Natasha has just finished her exercise physiology degree at UQ and has found work and a shared flat in Brisbane. You probably gathered from the funny dots over my family name that I originally come from Germany, where I spent the first 21 years of my life, mostly in the city of Dresden, where my parents and sister and family still reside.
Community News
Update from the Director of Marketing & Enrolments
Welcome back for Term 3! This is always an exciting term for the Concordia community. Please find below some important reminders.
75th Anniversary Celebration
All Concordia families are encouraged to attend the 75th anniversary celebration taking place on Saturday 4 September on the ovals at Stephen Street Campus. The event will be a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon with great food and drinks, entertainment and the chance to celebrate our rich 75 year history. There will be a dedicated kids zone so parents can enjoy the afternoon knowing their children are being entertained.
For planning purposes and to ensure we remain COVID-safe, we ask that all families who will be attending the event register in advance. Click here to learn more and register.
Uniform Items
Please note that delivery of uniform items has been severely impacted by COVID-19. We apologise for any inconvenience if items you are seeking are currently not in stock. We will keep the community informed of when items become available and thank you for your understanding during this difficult time.
Uniform Committee
鶹ý is undertaking a full review of the College uniform to ensure that it adequately reflects our identity and provides our students with correct apparel. The committee will consist of staff members, parents and interested students.
Involvement in the committee would require attendance at two meetings during Term 3 to provide feedback and discussion around the uniform. If you would like to be a member of this committee, please contact me at bianca.coleborn@concordia.qld.edu.au.
Lecture Theatre Upgrade
We have been delighted with the response to the Lecture Theatre Upgrade with 48 seats purchased in the first month of the campaign. We still need help to sell the remaining 52 seats. If you would like to donate to this worthy initiative, please .
A reminder that all seats purchased will be recognised with a name plaque on the chair of your choice, your name displayed on an honour board and a VIP invitation to the official opening of the Lecture Theatre once it has been refurbished. Seats are $500 and full tax-deductible under the 鶹ý Future Foundation. Click here to learn more.
Parent Lounge
A reminder that if your contact details - address, email, telephone - have changed, you can easily update your details in Parent Lounge. We encourage all families to familiarise themselves with Parent Lounge as it presents an array of convenient and helpful functions to assist with administrative tasks. If you need help with Parent Lounge, please contact Carolyn Lynch (HSC), Marteen Paynter (WSC) or Bianca Coleborn (SSC).
Mrs Bianca Coleborn
Director of Marketing & Enrolments
Barefoot Bowls - Parent Connect Event
All Concordia families are warmly invited to participate in the Parent Connect Barefoot Bowls event taking place on Sunday 8 August from 2pm to 6pm at South Toowoomba Bowls Club.
The cost for adults is $25 and children under 12 are $10. The cost includes nibblies, a meal and club membership (required to play).
To confirm your attendance, .
This should be a very enjoyable event for the College community. We hope you can join us for an afternoon of fun and friendly competition!
Resident Guru: Kathleen Jennings Author and illustrator
In Term 3, we are very excited to announce we will be hosting author, illustrator and Concordia Old Scholar, Kathleen Jennings, for a week long artist residency. During her stay with us from 26 to 30 July, Kathleen will be running workshops with Year 5 and 6 students and the Years 10 and 11 students.
The students will be experimenting, creating and exploring the mechanical, Australian Gothic birds and narrative construction through illustration and writing. Not only will this be a unique opportunity for our students to work with a celebrated arts professional, it will give them problem solving and creativity skills which will assist them in many aspects of the curriculum, not only English and Visual Art.
We also extend an invitation to our parents and community to join us on Thursday 29 July at Warwick Street Campus for a Wine and Words evening with Kathleen. See below for further information.
Community Invitation
MS Readathon
If you would like to participate in the MS Readathon in August, .
Drones, Robotics & AI Program
Project Based Learning at Concordia
Junior College
Training - Central Zone and QCIS
Out of School Activities
We have several out of school sporting opportunities this term. Here is a brief look at what is offered. See the flyers for more details.
JC AusKick @ HSC – Wednesdays pm
JC AusKick @ WSC – Thursdays pm
JC Hockey @ HSC – Tuesdays pm (School Sporting Program - More Information to come next week)
Drones, Robotics & Al Program – Thursdays pm
CZ Track & Field Training @ WSC - Wednesdays am & Thursdays lunchtime
CZ Track & Field Training @ HSC - Mondays pm & Tuesdays am and lunchtime
Term 3 Sport
Boys and Girls Soccer - College Sports uniform. Senior teams may use the Concordia playing shirts depending on numbers. If they have their own shin pads, it is advised to use these, however, we will also have some available each week to borrow. Where possible students are advised to bring a pair of long sports socks (preferably blue) to assist in holding the shin pads in place during the game. Students may wear moulded playing boots or regular sports shoes/joggers.
Uniform Guide
The CLC uniform shop hours are advertised in the App Notifications. There is also a Concordia Parents, Buy, Sell and Swap School Uniforms Facebook group that you could access to see if they have second-hand items that you may need.
Koojarewon Pre Visit - Year 3
We are very conscious that our Year 3 students have another ‘first’ in Term 3… it is their first school overnight camping experience.
While this is a little stressful for some students, it is majorly stressful for many parents. To assist both students and parents in this ‘first’, Koojarewon offer an opportunity for an optional pre-visit. This is a great opportunity for you to come out to the camp grounds and check out all of the facilities including the dorms, kitchen and dining hall and the overall camp environment. Camp staff will be there to field any questions from students and parents. The Year 3 teachers will also be there too.
If you are feeling a little unsettled about the upcoming camp, or would just like to come and check it out, feel free to come along on Monday 26 July between 3.30pm to 5pm. Address for Google Maps: Koojarewon Youth Camp, Borghardt Road Highfields.
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week always falls in our school holidays, but we had a belated celebration at our Junior College this week. The theme of NAIDOC for 2021 was ‘Healing Country’ and both JC campuses recognised this at a special Assembly this week. During these assemblies, Mr David Heuschele played his didgeridoo for us and Pastor Thomas Böhmert spoke at our Hume Street Campus. It is wonderful having a College Pastor back with us again.
Mr Trappett and Mr Heuschele then celebrated NAIDOC Week in Art lessons via Indigenous chalk drawings. Now would be a great time to join the 鶹ý Official Facebook group to see and share the video of the students' amazing work.
Outside School Hours Care
Hume Street Campus
From the Director
Welcome to Term 3. From all accounts, everyone has had a restful and safe break, and ready to return to extend our knowledge more. We would love to welcome two new students to our Campus, Malachy in Prep and Skylar in Year 2. We hope they settle in well and enjoy being a part of our beautiful community. We have also welcomed a few new staff members.
Change of Chapel and Assembly Times
We are very excited to be welcoming our new College Pastor, Pastor Thomas Böhmert. Pastor Thomas teaches Christian Studies at SSC on a Friday morning so we are going to move our time to Wednesday 8.35am so that he can join us throughout the term. You are very welcome to join with us as well. Please be aware, anytime you are on campus attending an event, you will need to sign in through our Sine Pro either on the Sine Pro app or through Reception.
Parent Connect Meeting
Date: 23 July
Time 1.30pm
Place: Resource Centre
Who: Any and all
Discussion Points
- Father’s Day Activity
Tuckshop Orders
At HSC, tuckshop is held on a Thursday. All orders are to be completed online at by 3pm each Wednesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Thursday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. Tuckshop will finish in Week 9.
Chess Lessons with Les Lord
We are excited that Mr Les Lord will be running Chess Coaching sessions commencing Tuesday 20 July 2021 from 10.45am to 11.30am in the Resource Centre. This will run for six lessons.
If your child would like to participate please submit your permission and payment on Parent Lounge in the Events and Payment section.
HSC Auskick Program
Warwick Street Campus
From the Director
Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you all had some precious time to spend with your families and are feeling relaxed and refreshed. This term is one of new beginnings. The beginning of a new Head of College with Mr Anton Prinsloo at Concordia, and the beginning of a new College Pastor with Pastor Thomas Böhmert. We also welcomed Mrs Karen Maben our new JC Library Assistant to WSC this week.
WSC Chess Lessons with Les Lord
We are excited that Mr Les Lord will be running Chess Coaching sessions commencing Thursday 22 July 2021 from 7.45am to 8.30am in the Resource Centre. This will run for six lessons.
If your child would like to participate please submit your permission and payment on Parent Lounge in the Events and Payment section.
Tuckshop Orders
At WSC, Tuckshop is held on a Wednesday. All orders are to be completed online at by 3pm each Tuesday. Please notify Reception by 9am on Wednesday if your child is absent and we will cancel their order. Tuckshop will finish in Week 9.
WSC Auskick Program
Stephen Street Campus
From the Director of Campus
“Listen to this [insert name]: Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14
Welcome back to the start of our new semester. I never grow tired of the feeling of the College surging back to life as the students return and the hum of learning and activity fills the campus.
I extend a warm welcome to our new families and students who are joining us. We look forward to getting to know you and sharing this next chapter of life with you. We also welcome Pastor Thomas and Mr Prinsloo into our community and pray that God’s richest blessing may be with them as they serve our community.
Curriculum News
Term 3 is an extremely busy term for our Senior students. Year 12 students are feverously finalising their last IA 3 internal response task and then will begin preparations for the Mock Exam Block which occurs in Weeks 7 and 8 of this term.
Year 11 students are also finalising many of their final internal formative tasks before sitting their end of year exams at the end of this term. Year 11 students will begin their Year 12 academic year at the start of Term 4 this year. Mock Block and Year 11 exam timetables are being finalised at the moment and information will be released in the next few weeks.
Students currently in Year 9 and in Year 10 are finalising their elective subject choices for 2022.
Elevate Sessions for Term 3
Elevate Education is continuing to provide parents of 鶹ý exclusive access to their Parent Webinar Series for Term 3, 2021. The webinars begin on Wednesday 21 July at 7pm. To reserve your spot, click on the link below:
2021 Futures Expo
Thursday 29 July 5.30pm – 6.30pm marks the return of the College’s annual Futures Expo. Due to the COVID restrictions in 2020 the Futures Expo was moved online, but we are pleased to announce that in 2021 we are back face to face in the Concordia Function Centre.
Exhibitors attending include Defence Force Recruiting, USQ, Tafe, Aurora Training Institute, Golden West Apprenticeships, Australian Lutheran College, MEGT, Southern Cross University, Busy at Work, UQ Skills, Akadia Training and attending via Zoom will be the University of Queensland.
Mr Prinsloo Joins the PE Department
This term, the Year 7 students in HPE will be engaging in Ultimate Disc for their practical studies and Alcohol and Drugs awareness in their health studies.
In their practical unit, students will demonstrate leadership, fair play and cooperation as they participate in games of Ultimate Disc. They will explore the movement concepts and strategies involved in the sport of Ultimate Disc.
Toowoomba Battle of the Bands
Toowoomba Battle of the Bands competition for students aged 12 to 25! We know we have a lot of talented musicians at Concordia - why not enter the competition?
Duke of Edinburgh Award – Gold Level Residential Project
The Duke of Edinburgh Award provides a great opportunity for young people to explore their full potential and find their purpose, passion and place in the world. There are three levels to the Award – Bronze, Silver and Gold. To achieve an Award, each young person must learn a skill, improve their physical wellbeing, volunteer in their community and experience a team adventure in a new environment. For the Gold level, you must also complete a ‘Residential Project’, something which offers unique experiences outside the usual comfort zone over a minimum of five days.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Is your child interested in doing this award?
The Award is a leading structured (non-formal education) youth development program, empowering all young Australians aged 14-24 to explore their full potential and find their purpose, passion and place in the world, regardless of their location or circumstance. The Award is a fully inclusive program and has no social, political or religious affiliations.
Term 3 Sport Training
Track and Field Training sessions are as per below:
- Week 2: Long Jump, Triple Jump and Sprints
- Week 3: Throws and Sprints/Middle Distance
- Week 4: High Jump and Sprints
- Week 5: Long Jump, Triple Jump and Sprints/Middle Distance
- Week 6: High Jump, Throws and Sprints
Great Things Happen When You Have a Go
Check out this video from the Australian Olympic Committee
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics begin this Friday 23 July and continue until Sunday 8 August.
Boarding
Boarding News
The holidays are over and back to school! We hope that you all enjoyed your time with your children. They have all returned to College very positive and happy. Students arrive in dribs and drabs on the travel day every term and the excitement one hears in their voices when they see their best friend, boarding sisters or brothers arrive, reiterates how our boarders have made Concordia Boarding a home away from home.