Secondary News T1 W2 2022

Welcome Back

Whilst not the normal start to school we were expecting it has been fantastic to see our students back into the swing of school. There is a real buzz of excitement and energy around the place again this year.

This year saw us welcome many new families and students to the College. I thank our community for making them feel welcome.

In 2022 we have also added eight new teachers to the team. These teachers were interviewed by our students as part of the application process, and all bring different strengths to our team. It has been great to see them all settle in well and begin to make meaningful connections with our students. They are all fantastic additions to our staff.

In addition to our Year 7 Foundation Program and our personalised Senior Pathways Program this year saw the launch of MyPath@Faith. Our teachers have been working hard writing 74 courses that our Year 8 – 10 students can pick from. Already we have had many Entry Events for these courses from cooking pies to elite athlete presentations and Amazing Race activities. MyPath@Faith is a culmination of several years of research and planning to create something amazing that is student centred by design. I look forward to sharing more about this in the coming months.

Over the holidays we completed several projects (keep an eye out for pictures shared on our social media channels):

Painted two classrooms, the Lighthouse, the staffroom, and outside walls around the College.
Top dressed the oval and grassed areas.
Replaced the furniture in four classrooms with more modern contemporary furniture to facilitate our more student-centred approach to learning.
Finished the Student Reception project.
Refurbished Student Services to make the space more inviting for students.
Installation of four flag poles at the front of the College.

And there are more exciting things to be completed over the coming weeks:

Year 12 area reveal. An exciting use of space that will provide Year 12’s with a space at lunch and morning tea.
The arrival of grandstand style seating for Hayshed 1.
Six new covered tables and benches (4 in House Colours) for use by students.
The installation of two permanent, modern, gazebo style structures that include solar panels and charging stations for students to work outside and recharge their devices on.

As we embark on the new year I encourage you to keep an eye out for information pertaining to the many exciting opportunities at Faith. Our main avenue of communication is via email. We also have a College App, Facebook, and Instagram. These are used to share some of the great things happening at the school.

If you ever need further information about things happening at the College, please email secondaryschool@flcr.qld.edu.au or phone 3820 5500.

I will leave you with some photos of our Year 9 students collecting a stick as part of the start of their Ubuntu journey. Ubuntu is a College developed socio-emotional well-being program students in Year 9 complete throughout the year. Ubuntu is a Zulu word that translates to "I am, because you are".Ubuntu shares its roots with the Christian understanding about the unique roll of each member to care for and encourage one another within community. (1 Cor 12:12-31). The program supports a student’s development through adolescence and raises their awareness of how their actions impact others, how others’ actions help grow them and that we are stronger together as a community.

This is perfectly summed up by activities captured in pictures where students collect a stick from the grounds and bind their sticks with those of their classmates as they embark on their Ubuntu journey. On its own, a stick is weak and easily broken, but when bound together they are strong. Ubuntu is strength through togetherness, it is relationship, it is personal growth, personal challenge and it is growing community.

This message isn’t just for Ubuntu. It is for all of us. We are genuinely blessed to be part of this community and together we are better and will grow as one.

Stuart Needham
Head of Secondary