Congratulations to our Senior Class of 2022 who have now been formally inducted as leaders of the College at the Senior Induction Ceremony that took place on Friday 11 February at the Sharks Event Centre. It was wonderful for our entire College at the Sharks Event Centre and live streamed back at the College to witness our Year 12 students accepting their Senior Badges from Board Chair, Mr David Tanner, and Principal, Ms Joanne Sheehy. This was a very proud moment for each individual student as they crossed the stage. This important event in our calendar signifies the transition of our Year 12 cohort into their final year at the College and formally acknowledges them as leaders of our student body.

After our College Captain, Charley Ellwood, led his peers in the Senior Pledge, each student received their badge and signed the Senior Register. This register is the same one that all Year 12 students have signed at their Senior Induction Ceremony since the College’s inception and represents each student’s acknowledgement of the duties and responsibilities they agree to undertake as a member of the Senior Cohort.

The Year 12 students and College Community were captivated by the wonderful singing of the Year 2 Choir. Their performance of Tiny Bubbles by Katherine Ruhle was delightful and beautifully conducted by Rachel Newcombe and accompanied by Nadia MacKenzie.

In his College Captain’s address, Charley Ellwood announced the Year 12 quote from Warner Bros’ Be Brave, Take Risks, and go for the Kaboom!’, and how this is a clear message that the Class of 2022 are looking forward, and that potential challenges will not deter or diminish them from achieving their goals as individuals and as leaders. Charley further encouraged ‘everyone to reach out into as new environment, even if it meant stepping out of your comfort zone’. As a result of this, Charley went on to say ‘For many, the obstacle holding us back is the fear of failure, and the knowledge that what you are doing has an inherent risk attached. However, it is this overcoming of fear and the refusal to be held back by it that makes the seemingly unattainable goals we may have, attainable’.

In response, Year 11 student, Charlotte Squire, offered words of encouragement and support and how the interactions that each and every senior has with younger students has a profound impact ‘…one person can change the world’. Year 6 student, Jinyu Yan, spoke of the close relationship that Seniors build with the Junior School and encouraged the newly inducted seniors to embrace their inner self and take charge of the legacy they leave behind and the opportunities for leadership this year.

The Year 12 cohort entered the Sharks Event Centre this morning as students of the College, and as they exited, they left as inducted Seniors of A.B. Paterson College. On behalf of the entire College community, we wish our newly inducted Seniors the very best on their journey this year.

Simon Edgar
Acting Head of Senior School

Splashes were a plenty on Thursday afternoon, as our star Year 4-6 swimmers hit the water to trial for the APS Swim team and battle it out for Age Champions. 

Director of Activities, Nathan Burgess will release the APS team early next week and our Age Champions will be presented at the first Year 4-6 Assembly opportunity. 

Well done to all of our amazing A.B. Junior School swimmers!

On Tuesday, 8 February we had Safer Internet Day. As the official committee in Australia and a leader in the global effort, eSafety celebrates the day as one of the most important events of the year. This is supported by the Australian Government through the eSafety Commissioner. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about the role we can all play in creating a better internet and how to utilise it in a safe manner.

Safer Internet Day is a way of dealing with internet safety and is something parents, young people and the entire community need to commit to if we are to promote the positive use of technology in our communities. The internet can be an amazing resource! Used wisely, it can open up a world of information, connectedness and learning, but… with these benefits come serious and real dangers such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyber-bullying, and the anxiety that can arise from constantly being connected.

Throughout Week 3 and into Week 4, the whole College is going to be engaged in a variety of activities to raise awareness of how to use and navigate the internet in a safe manner. We will also encounter ways in which students can identify dangers and what their rights and responsibilities are. Students will also be encouraged to report suspicious or inappropriate behaviours and who they are able to speak to about this.

As a College, we have a Cybersafety Committee which is comprised of a dedicated group of teachers from across the College. Throughout 2021, we worked on continuing to align practices across the College and also received feedback from staff, students and parents through targeted surveys. This feedback has led to a number of initiatives including a whole College focus on cybersafety lessons being incorporated into both the Junior School and Senior School SELF (Social Emotional Learning Fundamentals) programs.

We also have the Parent Teacher Information Evenings on Tuesday, 15 February for Senior School parents and on Wednesday, 16 February for Junior School parents. At both of these evenings we have Dr Judith Locke presenting developmentally appropriate information sessions. Dr Locke is a clinical psychologist with experience in adult, child and family therapy. She is a parenting expert who delivers training sessions in resilience, parenting, well-being and related fields to parents and staff. She will be able to offer realistic and practical strategies for parents. This will include ways you can manage internet time and device usage at home. This year we will see Dr Locke discuss a range of pertinent issues including strategies for understanding the cyberworld in which our children now increasingly immerse themselves within. These are highly informative sessions which I would strongly encourage you to attend online via the Zoom links communicated earlier this week.

Therefore, across the College our focus is not only on the specific ‘Safer Internet Day’ but ensuring we have aligned, contemporary practices across the College which cater for our student needs.

As a College community we need to continue to work together to make every day a Safer Internet Day!

Simon Edgar
Acting Head of Senior School

A.B. Paterson College have wonderful staff, who selflessly give their time, talent and treasure each and every day for our community and for our students educational experience.

Our amazing Maintenance team member, Leigh, has donated this incredible gift to our Art Department - his personal Takamine Guitar! This guitar is appreciated beyond measure and Leigh's generosity will make such an impact on the musical talents of our Senior School Instrumental Music Program students, who will no doubt be lining up to play.

Thank you Leigh, we are so grateful for your generosity!

Great excitement amongst Year 3 this week as they learned about Digital Systems. 

They explored and dismantled a laptop computer and were thrilled by what they discovered. Students then created their own ‘unplugged’ personal computer to consolidate what they had learned. They were so animated in their discussion and were thoroughly engaged with the task.

Well done Year 3!

More outstanding results achieved by our Class of 2021 - this time it is Bessie Xu in the spotlight! Bessie was surprised when she opened her mailbox and saw the Subject Achievement Commendation awarded by QCAA for obtaining the highest result in Queensland for Chinese SEE!

Also in the past month, Bessie received a few scholarship offers. On top of the Bond Excellence scholarship, Bessie was also offered the UQ International Onshore Merit scholarship and the QUT International Merit scholarship. Bessie has decided to accept the QUT scholarship to study a Bachelor of Creative Industries majoring in Media and Communication. 

Huge congratulations Bessie!