Welcome to the final St Luke's Way Newsletter for Term 3. Following, you'll find newsletter articles from St Luke's Principal, Virginia Warner, as well as all main areas of the School, and learning and development. Please open your newsletter article of choice by clicking from the options below.
‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.’ - Eleanor Roosevelt
Last Thursday, the Primary campus was the first group of students to enter the Performance Centre. It was truly a special worship service. Today, we held a Prep - Year 12 End of Term Service in this extraordinary new space and in between these two services, we held musical rehearsals and the Ladies Afternoon Tea, Jump Off - Jump Rope for Heart Day, and assemblies and worship services for students across the campus.
It has been simply awesome to watch the faces of our young people as they have entered and ‘owned’ their new facility. I am often struck by awe and wonder as I walk through my day and experience the learning and teaching that goes on here at St Luke’s each and every day. The new Performance Centre brings with it opportunities to expand and excel in our Performing Arts, Sports, and Media Arts programs. Perhaps even more importantly, the building is named after one of our three key tenets: Faith, Performance and Honour. Throughout the term, students have been developing artifacts to share how Faith, Performance and Honour are a lived experience of our values and culture, and the results are inspiring and humbling.
As I said to the students, we are thankful first and foremost to God for providing this remarkable new space. The vision of past Principal, Mr Craig Merritt, the School Council and key staff has been beautifully shaped by our architect, Natalie Bush and built by Jeff Lennox builders, including input from two Old Saints in Sam and Tom Lennox. How glorious it is to have this exceptional facility that will support our young people to flourish now and for many years to come.
The Ladies' Afternoon Tea last Saturday was a beautiful event celebrating what lies at the heart of St Luke’s Anglican School, our community. The unique beauty across the tables was a true reflection of the unique gifts and convictions of each individual, and it was an awe-inspiring tapestry of women supporting women and championing our wider community. The event raises money for the Breast and Prostate Cancer Association of Queensland in support of local breast care nurses and I would like to thank our major sponsor, GenesisCare, our guest speaker, Trish Wyatt, all of our other sponsors and the hostesses of each table who truly made it a memorable day. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Ms Deer and Mrs Algie who along with their team of fellow staff and students ensured all was in place for us to enjoy such a special day.
I pray that all of our community enjoys a change of pace and a special time of renewal and refreshment that comes with the school break. A reminder that classes resume on Tuesday 3 October.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Mrs Virginia Warner
Principal
Pre-Prep
This week, imaginations were ignited as Pre-Preppies explored the solar system and outer space. Together, they discussed the order of planets, sizes, gravity and constellations. Children also learnt some very interesting and fun facts, such as Uranus spins sideways and Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Another focus for Pre-Prep was working on their developing early literacy skills through sounds, words, rhymes, language and letter writing.
Kindy
As an extension of the Kindy children’s interest, they engaged in a water exploration with a variety of fine motor tools and containers. Role play was also a popular choice of play with friends setting up a hair salon and treating each other to some pamper time. Later in the week, Kindy friends had the opportunity to participate in creating culinary delights for a very exciting ‘Pizza Party’ experience. Children assisted in spooning the sauce onto the pizza base, adding a selection of toppings and of course enjoying the final product - yummy pizza!
Junior
Bubble blowing has always been a favourite with our Junior friends, and this week saw us engaging in giant bubble blowing. Learning to blow bubbles isn't always the easiest skill to master, but Junior children persevered until they discovered which technique gave the best outcome - big bubbles!
Happy Holidays
We would like to wish our families a happy and safe holiday break. We look forward to the return of all those smiling faces for Term 4 on Tuesday 3 October.
Warmest regards,
Mrs Catherine Donaldson
Director of Early Learning Centre
I think it is fair to say it has been a very busy and exciting 10 weeks of school. With all of our events this term, we thank those who attended and hope that you all have a lovely two-week holiday and look forward to welcoming you all back on Tuesday 3 October.
JRFH
Thank you and congratulations to ALL students who got involved with Jump Rope for Heart in 2023!!!
I would like to take one last opportunity to convey my heartfelt and sincere thanks to all of our students and the wider St Luke’s community for the giant effort skipping and fundraising for the Jump Rope for Heart program in 2023. The program was again a huge success, and all of our students had a wonderful time jumping, skipping and laughing through the term.
I am unsure of our fundraising total, but know that we are incredibly close to our goal of $20,000.00! I will communicate the final totals early in Term 4. All monies raised go towards vital heart research and different programs run by the Heart Foundation.
The prizes and certificates that our students earned during the program have been ordered, and I expect delivery in mid-Term 4. Thank you again for your support of this program, and I would love to see it so heavily supported again in 2024.
Kindest Regards,
Hayley Russo
Jump Rope for Heart Program Coordinator
Year 6 Outback Tour Wrap-Up
Our Year 6 students put pen to paper to write camp recounts on what their thoughts were regarding the Year 6 Outback tour:-
During this camp we experienced many different places and activities. Near Emerald, we went to the Rubyvale Mines where we all had a sieve filled with sand and rocks. We then had to empty out the sand and wash the rocks. We were only then allowed to start mining for sapphires. We also went to a place called Desert Dreaming where we all got boomerangs and we had to make a story on them. Once we finished our stories we all gathered in the sand and shared our stories with each other. My favourite place we went to was the Qantas Museum. We all got to go inside the planes and look inside the Boeing 747. We also went inside the Boeing 707 which Michael Jackson had been on. - Rakan
I absolutely loved my camp experience and will remember it for the rest of my life. My favorite part was the Stockman's Hall Of Fame. I loved this because we got to have fun with our friends, finding museum artifacts and learning about the historic past. My second favorite part was the Rubyvale mines, because I loved mining and learning about Sapphires. Making the stew and doing activities at Camden Park Station was an impeccable event. When my group went on the scavenger hunt to find out the most famous place in Longreach, we won with a time of 7 mins and 30 secs. We also learned how to lasso a cow and crack a whip! The outback tour was one of the best camps I've been on and would love to go on it again someday. - Evie
Year 6 camp was the best! The second day we went to Rubyvale! In Rubyvale we went mining for sapphires and got a tour of the mine which was awesome. My favorite part of camp was the Quants Museum. We did the light show which projected up on the Boeing 747 and the Boeing 707. Then the next day we went back to see the planes during the day we got to go into the Boeing 747, the super constellation, and the Boeing 707 which Michael Jackson flew in. We also got to go on a train in Longreach where we saw emus. Then we stopped to have billy tea and damper. The train was 52 years old but still ran very well. - Oaklan
The Outback tour was a great experience because you got to spend a week's worth of quality time with your friends. My favorite places to visit were: Rubyvale and Desert Dreaming. Rubyvale was a great place and we got to go sapphire mining and explore the underground mines that used to be a workplace, we found many gorgeous sapphires that glistened in the sun and we got to see Microbats that were extremely cute. Desert Dreaming was an awesome place and we got to decorate returning boomerangs and tell a story with our drawings. We got to find out our totems, 4 of the totems that we learnt about were Emu, Crocodile, Brolga and a Kangaroo. We also got to learn new dances and the music was pretty cool too. In the end it was a fantastic experience that I would definitely go on again. - Caitlyn
The year 6 Outback tour was an amazing experience that will surely be remembered by the students and teachers alike forever. They traveled all the way up to Longreach to the Rubyvale mines where they were given a chance to mine their own sapphires; as well as explore their rich sapphire mines, now turned tourist attraction. Afterwards, they headed to the QANTAS Museum where the children experienced a nighttime light show, to learn about the past aircraft that led to our now comfortable and safe travel; As well as exploring the Museum to learn about many other flight-related inventions like Australia's orange ‘Black Box’. The year 6 cohort also traveled to the ‘Winton Age of Dinosaurs’ where the students were introduced to the long process of fossilizing; As well as having the opportunity to view many of these great fossils, including a 50 metre-long fossils portraying dinosaur footprints. - Brienne
The year 6 outback camp was absolutely of high quality and very much was astonishing. I loved the camp and was delighted to go, and learn all new types of new adventures and skills from lassoing bullheads to going inside a 747 aircraft and even looking at dinosaur fossils! These amazingly awesome tourist attractions that all of us year 6 students went to would’ve all been very grateful to go out and do it with our mates. Longreach, Emerald and Winton all may be polluted with bugs but is sure worth the experience of a true Australian tourist attraction, and is definitely worth the 6-12 hour trips. Thank you to all the teachers for going away from your families as well for a week and making this the best camp experience I have ever been able to rejoice in. - Ethan
Grade 6 Camp was amazing! That’s the only way to put it, I had such a great time and I got to see so many new things that I’ve never seen before. Here are my three favorite places we went. Qantas (where we saw the ‘Jumbo Jet’), Stockman’s Hall of Fame (where we went on a treasure hunt) and the Winton Dinosaur Museum (where we got to see real fossils and footprints). Not only did we see some amazing places, but we also got to have fun with friends and expand our friendships. The food was awesome too, thanks to our amazing chefs, and the places we stayed were also good, other than the bugs. There were bugs everywhere, but I think us girls were properly overreacting a bit. Anyway, it all turned out great and we got home safely. Grade 6 camp is definitely one to remember. - Eloise
My outback tour experience was truly remarkable. I loved all of the activities we did and the food that we were able to make; amazing food. My camp highlights was the Stockman's Hall Of Fame and the scavenger hunt all of year 6 did on the ipods was so fun. I also loved the food that the chefs made for us. In Barcaldine, The Desert Dreaming Cultural Centre was amazing. We were able to learn about what the Aboriginal people use to hunt and what different boomerangs were used for. We also customized our own boomerangs using what our aboriginal totem animal is, we learned some aboriginal dances and we even showed them what dances we do at school; the nutbush and blame it on the boogie. It was an amazing experience and I made amazing memories that I will remember for a long time. - Parker
Wide Bay All Schools Touch Competition
We would like to wish our Year 5 and 6 students who are competing in the Wide Bay All Schools Touch Competition on Friday. the very best. Play well, enjoy the experience and most of all, have fun.
Netball Queensland Primary Schools Cup
Best of luck to all of our Primary Netballers who are heading away this week to compete at the Netball Queensland Primary Schools Cup competition at Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast. We look forward to hearing all about the experience upon their return.
Our Primary staff wish you all a safe and enjoyable break with family and friends.
Kind regards,
Tonia Lassman
Head of Primary School
Dear Middle School Parents and Caregivers,
The St Luke's Middle School newsletter is recorded as a video by myself and Head of Senior School, Mrs Robyn Deer, and then uploaded to YouTube. For this fortnight's newsletter content please visit the following YouTube link.
Alternatively, you may wish to jump ahead to specific topics within the same video. If so, please go to the following category links.
Kind regards,
Matthew Hughes
Head of Middle School
Welcome to the Senior School newsletter for this fortnight. Head of Middle School, Mr Matthew Hughes and I have recorded a video update and uploaded it to YouTube for your convenience. To watch this fortnight's newsletter content for Middle and Senior School, please visit the following YouTube link.
Alternatively, you may wish to jump ahead to specific topics within the same video. If so, please go to the following category links.
Kind regards,
Robyn Deer
Head of Senior School
A Journey Through Time: Students' Service Learning Project with Meilene Residence
In a world that often celebrates youth and speed, we often forget the rich tapestry of life experiences that our elders have woven. The elderly, residing in Meilene, have stories to tell, wisdom to share, and lives to celebrate. Recognising the value of these stories, a group of dedicated students embarked on a Service learning project. They connected with the residents and listened to their life stories, in order to create portraits that captured the essence of their remarkable journeys. This project not only bridged generational gaps but also highlighted the power of empathy, Art, and community engagement.
The first step in this project was building connections. Students spent time with the residents, engaging in meaningful conversations that uncovered the unique life stories of each individual. They listened to tales of triumph and adversity, love and loss, and dreams realised. Through these interactions, students not only gained insights into the residents' pasts but also forged bonds of friendship.
Art was the chosen medium to capture these remarkable life stories. Students, guided by our Art Teacher, Mrs Fallon, began creating portraits that transcended physical appearances. They worked to encapsulate the spirit, emotions, and experiences of each resident in their artwork. The portraits became a tribute to the rich tapestry of lives that had unfolded within the walls of the facility.
This service learning project had profound effects on both the students and the aged care facility residents. For the students, it was an education beyond textbooks. They learned the importance of empathy, active listening, and the power of storytelling. Art became a medium of expression that extended beyond the canvas to connect hearts and minds.
For the elderly residents, it was a rejuvenating experience. The project allowed them to share their stories, feel heard, and serve as a bridge between generations, fostering a sense of belonging.
The culmination of the project was a heartwarming celebration, held last week when the students unveiled their portraits. Emotions ran high as residents, staff, and students came together to honour the remarkable lives portrayed in the images. It was a testament to the power of Art and human connection.
The Service learning project in Meilene transcended the boundaries of age and time. It was a journey of discovery, empathy, and creativity. It reinforced the idea that every individual has a story worth sharing and celebrating. Through this project, students not only produced beautiful portraits but also left an indelible mark on the hearts of the residents. It is a reminder that Service to our community can be a powerful force for positive change and a source of inspiration for generations to come.
Matthew Cathcart
Director of Community and Service
Wide Bay Surf Life Saving Competition
On Friday 8 September, a team of St Luke’s students competed in the Wide Bay Surf Life Saving Competition. All students competed with great sportsmanship, with many wins and places achieved in all water and beach events.
St Luke’s finished the day 2nd overall.
Wide Bay All School Touch Football
On Thursday 7 September, we had 5 teams compete in the Wide Bay All Schools Touch Football Competition against schools from all over the region. Our teams were extremely competitive and all players competed with pride and passion.
BDSSS Finals Day
Tuesday 12 September was Finals Day for the BDSSS Term 3 Sporting Competitions.
Three of our Tennis Teams made it through to finals day. Two teams in our A Division and one from the B Division battled it out on the day. There was great skill on display with fantastic tennis competitions and enjoyment.
Three of our touch footy teams also competed at the finals day. Our Year 8 Boys Team, 9/10 Girls Team and Mixed Open Team all hit the fields for a big day of touch. All teams played well, giving their best on the field.
A huge congratulations to all competitors in all sporting arenas!
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday 4 October 2023 – Sports Assembly
Friday 10 November 2023 – Sports Awards Dinner
Sporting Representatives
Congratulations to our 2023 Sports Representatives. Please click here for the full list.
Len Kirchner
Director of Co-curricular (Sport)
Matilda the Musical Jr.
As each day passes we continue to hit milestone after milestone for our upcoming performances of Matilda the Musical Jr. Students have now worked in the new Performance Centre for two rehearsals. We have assembled Matilda’s Room and the Library. Microphones are being installed, costumes have been finalised and over 80% of tickets have now been sold. This is a very exciting time for our students. If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, get in quick before they are all gone! Tickets can be purchased via this link.
Bundaberg Sinfonietta - Christ Church Concert Series
Australian Landscape in Poetry and Music.
Performed by past St Luke’s student Catherine Lynagh and Narrated by Alexander Voltz, evocative and beautiful works by Australian Composers will be performed at this outstanding concert.
Date: Sunday 17th of September
Time: 2.00 pm
Where: Christ Church Bundaberg
Tickets: $10 at the door (Eftpos is Available)
Sarah Ferguson
Director of Co-curricular (Culture)
There is no update this fortnight from the Director of Academic Welfare and Careers.
Mr Kane Kersnovske
Director of Academic Welfare and Careers
Hello Parents, Caregivers and Students of St Luke's.
Visit our webpage where you can find everything you need to know about the Turtle Café, including this term's downloadable Turtle Café and ELC menus, and our FlexiSchools ordering system. It's all located by clicking right here.
We are currently seeking volunteers to assist each day between the hours of 7.30 am and 2.30 pm. If you can spare a day, several days or a few hours to help with morning tea or lunch, please email me at kylie-johnson@stlukes.qld.edu.au. Any help is very much appreciated.
Yours in Nutrition,
Kylie Johnson
Turtle Café Convenor
Shop Hours
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (with the exception of Public holidays)
7.45 am to 11.00 am and 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm
Holiday Opening Hours
The Uniform Shop will be open on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September between 7.45 am – 3.30 pm (closed between 12.00 pm and 1.00 pm) for last-minute fittings for next year, as well as top-up items you may need for this year.
Student Fittings for 2024
We are currently completing fitting students and placing orders for the 2024 school year. Thank you to all those families who have already fitted their children. Please book your appointment via the parent portal to have your fitting completed.
Exciting New Uniform Shop
We will open our Uniform Shop in our beautiful new space from Thursday 28 September. We will be located in the front of the new Performance Centre, via the front entrance from the main carpark. It is very exciting and I look forward to seeing you there!.
Online Ordering
Online orders can be placed through Flexischools via this link. Please note that Flexischools online ordering is not available during the holiday periods.
Mrs Fiona McCartney
Shop Supervisor
There is no update this fortnight from the Learning Hub.
Ms Sarah Simpson
Learning Hub Manager
Notice of Enrolment Termination
The Notes to the Schedule of Fees lists the following requirements for withdrawal of enrolment:
If the student is to leave the School the parent agrees to give at least one term’s written notice to the School. This notice should be received:
not later than the first day of term at the end of which it is intended that the student should leave, or
if it is intended that the student should leave during a term, not later than the first day of the immediately preceding term.
If the parent intends to cancel or (with the School’s agreement) postpone or otherwise vary the student’s enrolment, the parent will give notice to that effect to the School no later than the first day of the term immediately preceding the date of entry.
If the parent fails to comply with either of the above paragraphs, the parent will pay or forfeit (as the case may be) to the School one term’s fees and charges in lieu of notice unless the Business Manager, in his/her sole discretion, agrees to remit payment of those fees wholly or partially.
Free Kindy in 2024.
The Queensland State Government has recently announced that Kindergarten will be free for eligible-aged children who attend a government-approved program offering free Kindy from 1 January 2024. This is 15 hours a week or 600 hours a year of free Kindy. The St Luke’s Early Learning Centre is currently in the process of working with the Queensland Government to determine our eligibility and what it will look like for our Pre-Prep program. We will share more information, as soon as we can.
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