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As we expected, bringing an entire college together has not been without its challenges. There have been new routines to establish, spaces to understand, traffic flows to navigate and countless little things to work out along the way. These are the inevitable "teething" moments that accompany significant change. What has impressed me most, however, has been the patience, flexibility and good humour of our staff and students. Our staff have worked incredibly hard to guide our young people through these changes, making adjustments, solving problems and continually looking for ways to make this new environment work for everyone.

I have also been encouraged by the feedback we have received from numerous parents. Many have commented on the wonderful energy they can feel across the college, the opportunities created by having Prep–Year 12 together and the excitement they see in their children. These affirmations are important. They remind us that while change can sometimes feel uncomfortable the possibilities created by that change are enormous.

One of the great advantages of being together is already becoming increasingly evident in the way our specialist facilities are being shared across the college. Learning spaces that previously belonged to one particular campus or year level are now being used by students and staff from across ����ֱ��. Our sporting facilities, specialist learning spaces, performance areas and shared outdoor spaces are becoming truly college spaces. Perhaps even more importantly, we are beginning to see those spontaneous interactions between our youngest and older students.

The fable of The Marble Lion recently came to mind as I considered the significant step taken by ����ֱ�� and how it provides a very appropriate message for the months ahead. The story tells of a beautiful courtyard where thousands of people walked each day. In the centre stood a magnificent lion carved from flawless white marble. Surrounding the lion were ordinary, flat marble pavers. One evening, one of the pavers looked up at the statue and sighed:

"It's not fair. We came from the exact same mountain, yet everyone walks over me while they stand in awe of you. Why?" The marble lion replied gently, "Do you remember when the sculptor arrived with his tools? He struck you once, but it hurt, so you resisted and cracked. He had to lay you flat. But when he came to me, I chose to endure. Every sharp cut of the chisel and every heavy blow of the hammer was painful, but I knew he was bringing out something greater. You did not endure the chisel, which is why you remain a flat stone. I allowed it to reshape me."

There is a powerful message here for all of us. School is not always a perfectly smooth path. Every week our students encounter their own "chisels" such as a difficult assessment, a complex maths problem, a demanding training session, disappointment on the sporting field, a friendship challenge or one of the many ups and downs that come with growing up. Our instinct can sometimes be to resist those challenges or wish they weren't there. Yet, it is often through these very experiences that character is shaped, resilience is built and potential is revealed.

Our role as a college and yours as parents is not to remove every challenge from the path of our students but rather to walk alongside them through those challenges. Our staff will continue to guide, encourage and support every student, while our partnership with families remains important in helping our young people develop the confidence and resilience to embrace challenges rather than run from them. The same is true of our college as we now continue building something new together. There will inevitably be moments when things don't go exactly to plan. We will need patience. We will need to listen, learn, adjust and sometimes simply give things time. There will undoubtedly be a few more "chisels" along the way and when they arrive, I hope we remember the marble lion. Thank you for your patience, encouragement and support as we continue this extraordinary journey together.

As I begin to reflect on my time at ����ֱ��, I am particularly grateful to be able to witness this next chapter unfolding. Five and a half years ago, the vision of a Prep–Year 12 College sharing one campus was still a future aspiration. Today, we are living it. There is a great sense of privilege in seeing the vision, planning, courage and hard work of so many people become our everyday reality. There is still a lot of work to do, but there is also a lot to celebrate.

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate our QCIS Track and Field Team on a fantastic result at the recent inter-school carnival, as well as other sporting teams who continue to be excellent ambassadors and competitors at the various weekly tournaments. I also want to extend my congratulations to our Arts students on their many successes and participation at various competitions, performances and events. It’s wonderful to see our students representing ����ֱ�� with pride, commitment and determination as our college continues to punch above its weight.

As we rush towards the end of Term 3, there is still plenty ahead of us - camps, assessments, performances, sporting events, learning opportunities and the many Year 12 celebrations that make college life so rich.

Wishing every member of our ����ֱ�� community a safe and rewarding remainder of Term 3.

Yours in Christ.

Mr Anton Prinsloo
Head of College

I had the privilege to attend part of the Yr 11 leadership camp last week and will stay for a day and night at the Yr 8 camp. It’s always interesting to observe students in this very different environment and notice various students show resilience, creativity, leadership and care towards their peers.

I was impressed by our Yr 11 students, their connection as a group, their willingness to give things a try, their empathy and care for one another and their resilience in the face of some sickness and other challenges. I am certain that this cohort will step up into leadership at the College and am looking forward to working with some of them in these roles from next term.

St Paul writes to the Christian community at Ephesus: Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, … Ephesians 5:15-16.

While Paul refers to opportunities to witness to the difference their faith makes to their life and choices - in the face of challenges and opposition, I think there is also a message for us, as we are given opportunities in life. How do we step into these opportunities? Where are we prepared to challenge ourselves (maybe stepping off the edge onto a flying fox, or trying to ride a surfboard for the very first time, or putting ourselves out there by applying for a leadership position)?

The wonderful thing is that our Lord provides us with plenty of opportunities – and if we miss one, or are not ready for one, there will be others. Of course, some opportunities come only once and our choices may influence the direction our lives take. But we have a Lord who walks with us and works with us no matter what. Just like he challenged and assured Joshua as he was about to take up leadership of God’s people, he challenges and assures us: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ I am looking forward to seeing our Year 11s step out courageously and in faith into leadership of our school for the next year.

Finally, I want to acknowledge and thank all the staff who challenge themselves and step out of their comfort zone in order to enable our students to experience these camps. Without their support all this would not be possible. At ����ֱ�� we work as a community to bless our students with opportunities.

May the Lord bless your week and guide you in the opportunities placed before you.

Thomas Böhmert
College Pastor

As with any significant change, there are still a few things that we are fine-tuning and bringing into line. We continue to listen, reflect and make adjustments where needed, with the aim of ensuring that our new campus is a safe, happy and well-organised place for everyone. Some processes are working beautifully, while others are still being refined as we learn what works best in our new environment. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate these changes together.

Most importantly, it has been wonderful to see our students learning so well. Classrooms are busy, purposeful places, and our students are embracing the opportunities that our new campus provides. There is a real sense that the excitement of the move is settling into a genuine sense of belonging, as students become increasingly familiar and comfortable in their new surroundings.

Of course, school is about much more than what happens in the classroom, and tonight our students will have the opportunity to enjoy our Junior College Disco! We are looking forward to seeing them dressed up, dancing, laughing and enjoying time together. A huge thank you to our staff who have helped make tonight possible. We hope it will be a wonderful evening for our students. We also look forward to seeing many parents enjoying quality time with each other.

We also have plenty to look forward to over the coming weeks, with our Grandparents’ Day, Father’s Day celebrations and Learning Showcase towards the end of term. These are wonderful opportunities for us to come together as a community, celebrate our students and share in the many things they have been learning and achieving. We look forward to welcoming our families and making some special memories together.

Thank you to our students, staff and families for the wonderful way you have embraced this new chapter, shown patience and flexibility as we continue to refine our processes, and supported one another along the way. There is certainly still plenty to learn and adjust as we settle into our new campus, but it is exciting to see our community continuing to grow and flourish.

Blessings for the week ahead.

to view JC's Events for Term 3 2026, Week 7.

Mrs Jackie Minnikin & Mrs Juanetta Priest  
Directors of Junior College

This term we welcomed Daniel Biscoe to our Team. Mr Biscoe will be working in Temme House. He brings a vast amount of boarding experience having worked in boarding previously within the Toowoomba area. I have no doubt that he will be a great asset to our team. Thank you also to Pastor Thomas who visits us every couple of weeks.

The wellbeing of our boarders remains one of our highest priorities, and this term we have continued to focus on ensuring that students feel supported, connected and valued. Over the past week we have been inundated with students’ illness. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the parents of those students who succumbed to Influenza and a special shout out to Nurse Libby who was instrumental in communicating and organising pickups with parents and Boarding.

There has certainly been no shortage of activity around boarding this term. Our students have participated in a range of activities, providing opportunities for them to relax, have fun and build friendships outside the classroom. Our students were wonderful ambassadors for the College/Boarding when we had a group of 14 Japanese students visit us in week 4. Our students enjoyed 4 days and nights with this group. Japanese culture night was one of the highlights and one that many will not forget. Thank you to the catering staff and Tyrone. Everyone loved the food. Some other highlights were Movies, pizza nights, shopping, sports, Ten Pin Bowling, walks to the park and Paint tag. These experiences are an important part of boarding life, as they give students opportunities to develop independence, try new things and create the memories that become such an important part of their boarding experience.

There is still plenty to look forward to as we move through the remainder of the term. One of the highlights will be our Boarder Recognition Dinner where we acknowledge our Year 12 students Bella, Henry and Jyana. We will all celebrate their achievements, contributions and efforts throughout the years. These occasions are particularly valuable because they allow us to pause and recognise the many ways in which our students contribute to the boarding community. Each Year 12 student will also have family join them for dinner.

We will also come together for the Valedictory red carpet walk and dinner. This again is an opportunity to celebrate our Year 12 boarders as they prepare to conclude their schooling journey, watching our graduating students arrive in their cars and all dressed up is always a special moment.

As we approach the final weeks of the term, there is still much to look forward to. Thank you, as always, to our students, families and staff for the support you continue to provide to our boarding community. I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of the term, and I look forward to sharing these final weeks with our boarders and celebrating all that they have achieved.

Stay safe and look after each other. Keep warm!

The Boarding team

Maureen
Boarding Coordinator

We were recently delighted to announce our 2027 College musical, SPAMALOT. Based on the much-loved Monty Python classic, this production promises to deliver plenty of laughter, energy and memorable moments for audiences of all ages. As King Arthur famously declares, “We’re Knights of the Round Table, we dance whenever we’re able!” and we have no doubt that ����ֱ�� students will bring the same enthusiasm and creativity to the stage. The next exciting step is the audition process, which begins on Friday 4 September. We encourage students interested in performing or contributing behind the scenes to get involved and be part of what promises to be another outstanding College production.

For our Year 12 students, this week has marked an important milestone as they commence their Mock Examination program. These examinations provide a valuable opportunity for students to experience assessment conditions similar to those they will encounter during External Assessment in Term 4. We encourage students to view the mock exams not simply as a test of current achievement, but as an important benchmark that can help identify strengths and areas requiring further consolidation. The final weeks of schooling are rapidly approaching, and the dedication and perseverance shown now will lay a strong foundation for success later in the year.

Our Performing Arts students continue to achieve outstanding results, most recently at the Toowoomba Eisteddfod. Students represented the College with distinction across a range of ensemble and solo performances. Particular congratulations go to Arts Captain Lily Pietsch, whose remarkable achievements included winning the Year 12 and Under Brass Championship, receiving multiple first-place awards and being recognised with both the Paul Morton Trophy and the John Burstow Trophy. Lily was also awarded the Clive Berghofer Brass Scholarship. We also congratulate our many ensemble groups, with the Big Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble both receiving Highly Commended awards, and all participating students for the professionalism, dedication and musicianship they demonstrated throughout the event.

Looking ahead, the remainder of the term promises to be both busy and memorable. We look forward to welcoming families to Grandparents Day, celebrating the invaluable role grandparents play in the lives of our students. The Boarder Recognition Dinner will provide an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of our boarding community, while ROAR Day will once again bring the College together in a spirit of fun and participation in what is our final House based competition for the year. Finally, we will celebrate significant milestones for our Year 12 students through Year 12 Arrivals and the Valedictory Dinner, occasions that allow us to recognise their contributions to the College and mark the beginning of their transition to life beyond school.

As always, thank you to our students, staff and families for their ongoing commitment to the ����ֱ�� community. Your support, encouragement and partnership continue to make our College a place where students are challenged, nurtured and inspired to grow.

Yours in faith,

Mr Jamie Pukallus
Director of Secondary College