Congratulations to our Primary and High School APS teams who collected the double-win for King's at both APS Athletics Carnivals this week for the second year running! The High School team started the event behind in points but kept increasing the pressure in every round to secure the victory and hold on to the winner’s shield once again. Well done for showing such perseverance. Special mention to our Year 12 athletes who have won consecutive HS APS Athletics trophies since they were Year 7 in 2018. All Age Champions and Event Records will be published in the next edition.
Placing in the Top 10 in the world for some of these events was an amazing effort. Many thanks to coaches Elly Meteyard, Jasmine Hawkins and Mrs Hawkins for helping to prepare these athletes.
Jasmine Hawkins (King’s Class of 2021 and Skipperoos Coach) competed at the World Championships (16yrs+) in ten events. Jasmine successfully won a silver medal, two bronze medals and a 4th in the world for individual consecutive triple unders, breaking her own Australian record. Jasmine was the only female Australian athlete to qualify for the Grand Finals (Top 6) at the World Championships in an individual event. A huge feat, and we are very proud of her.
The Skipperoos are looking for male athletes to join their team where they will attempt to qualify in 2024 for the 2025 World Championships, which will be held in Kawasaki, Japan. Please contact Mrs Hawkins or Miss Meteyard.
During Week 4, we congratulated our Year 7 and 8 students, who achieved impressive academic results in Semester 1. Students who achieved in the top 20 GPAs in their year level, who had mostly “outstanding” Learning Habits, or who showed an impressive measure of improvement across a range of subjects (Year 8 only) were invited to a pizza lunch to celebrate their achievements. We are so proud of our students who strive for academic success and improvement and look forward to celebrating our Year 9s and 10s in Week 5. Well done students and we hope to see even more students next semester!
The annual UQ/QAMT Problem-Solving Competition is open to all secondary school students in Queensland. The competition allows students to work on mathematical problems through different perspectives and challenges to apply their creativity and imagination to problem-solving. Achieving a High Commendation means the student was in the top 5% for their year level across the State, while a Commendation indicates that a student is in the top 10%. King's would like to congratulate our high achievers in this competition - Micah Young, for receiving a High Commendation award, and Thomas Beakley for earning a Commendation. Well done Micah and Thomas!
Year 12 Digital Art students had an exciting day of learning on Wednesday, 2 August, as they embarked on a photography expedition to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. To facilitate a real-life scenario, students were tasked with producing a series of photographs for the Sanctuary who were their (pseudo) 'client.' Under the expert guidance of Mr Jurin, the students ventured around the different enclosures, armed with high-spec cameras, to capture the essence of many magnificent creatures. The visit proved to be an invaluable experience for our aspiring photographers, as they honed their skills while immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the sanctuary.
Thanks to Ryan Robinson for sharing a couple of his favourite animal portraits from the excursion.
On 24 July, a select group of Year 5 and 6 students participated in the 'Write a Book’ in a Day program. Throughout the day, they showcased their creativity by crafting an entire book from scratch – from writing captivating stories to illustrating vivid imagery. This meaningful project honed their literary skills and nurtured their philanthropic spirit as the proceeds from the program’s entry fees will be used to support the Children's Hospital Cancer Ward. We are very proud of our students for embracing the 'Write a Book in a Day' event and producing three insightful stories during this unique and practical program.
We are thrilled to share the remarkable experience of two of our outstanding Year 10 students (Em Peardon and Jess Turnbill) who recently participated in the second round of the Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) at the prestigious Queensland Brain Institute at UQ. During their visit, they delved into the fascinating world of neuroscience, exploring brain tissue, small animal models, microscopy, and human brain imaging. The trip was enlightening for our young scholars as they engaged with cutting-edge research in various fields, particularly in Alzheimer's Disease, Motor Neuron Disease, and Bipolar Disease. We commend their dedication to learning and their eagerness to embrace the challenges of the scientific world. We are confident that this experience has left a lasting impact on their academic journey, and we look forward to witnessing their future accomplishments in neuroscience, and beyond. Congratulations to these bright students on their impressive achievements!
The saying goes “Teamwork makes the dream work” and as a staff of faith, we believe we were all created for a great purpose, however, the objective cannot be achieved without the help of others. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us of this: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
We are pleased to celebrate the achievements of 12 dedicated staff members who successfully completed the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge on Saturday, 15 July. Two teams of four completed the 48km distance while the other team of four hiked the whole distance of 96km. This is Australia’s toughest endurance event. Having to check in on those around you and not just yourself is exactly what our diggers did on the Kokoda track in 1942, and this is a value we want to instil in our future generations. We all spent time laughing, building friendships and creating memories. We also experienced real, raw emotions as we were pushed far beyond our limits. This experience built unbreakable bonds and through hardship we grew closer. With resilience and determination, the teams demonstrated commitment to the values of perseverance and teamwork. We would like to thank everyone who supported us and also the College for assisting with our registration. Congratulations to all participants for their outstanding achievements in the Kokoda Challenge - this could definitely be the start of something bigger to come!
The Gold Coast Eisteddfod was held on Friday, 28 July, and it was wonderful to see King’s ensembles achieve some impressive results, including First place for the Primary String Quartet, tutored by Sam Konise. Our Senior String Quartet, also tutored by Sam, earned a Very Highly Commended for their performance, while Vera Hardman’s Senior Flute Trio did very well to claim the Highly Commended award. All students were fantastic ambassadors for King's and gave their best efforts in their performances - well done!
The Quota Beenleigh Eisteddfod was held late last month and King’s ensembles shone there too. Our Mezzo String Orchestra won 3rd place overall, ably trained by Ryan Chislett. At the same event, King’s Chamber Ensemble collected 1st Place to win the Club Beenleigh Trophy. Congratulations to our student performers and tutors for these outstanding results!
The Year 4 students had a special treat with a visit from some very talented high school students who play in the King’s Chamber Ensemble and the Senior Concert Band. The two groups performed for the Year 4 students during a special Instrumental Music Concert. The students were entertained and delighted seeing these talented musicians, from their own school perform for them. This memorable experience was an opportunity for them to be inspired by what is possible when practice and dedication are applied to the instrument they are currently learning. Thank you King’s Chamber Ensemble and the Senior Concert Band members for giving your time and inspiring these up-and-coming musicians.
Even before Term 3 started, King’s student Micah Young blazed a trail of success at the annual Queensland Junior Championships. Micah started the competition seeded as the second-highest rated player but brought his A-Game to finish equal-first. He pulled an incredible 6.5 points out of eight rounds and King's is very proud of the work Micah has put in to secure his win in the Under 18 Chess Championship, especially at only 13 years old!
Primary State Qualifiers were held on Monday, 24 July, and two of King's Reedy Creek teams qualified for the Term 4 2023 State Championships. Congratulations to Rentaro Inukai, Joshua Ong, Siannah Cooke, Harley Miao, Kevin Zhou, Sophiah Cooke, Jayden Smith, and Jamie Wang for qualifying their teams. King’s Team One began with 22 full points, placing them in close second behind Emmanuel 1. Rentaro Inukai captained his team, commanding 6 points over the competition to finish equal first. Congratulations to Joshua Ong who also finished equal first on board 2, and Siannah Cooke who won her board prize outright, a full point ahead of the competition. Honourable mention to Harley Miao, pulling 4 points for his team and keeping ahead of the competition. We look forward to seeing you compete in Term 4 at Brisbane St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace for an intense weekend of chess.
Chess coaching continues at Reedy Creek Campus with FIDE Masters Jack Rodgers and Yi Liu who have been directing our top players in preparation for the State Tournament in Term 4. We are so honoured to have these top players mentor the students, providing Master level insight. Mr Cooke and Mr Evans are delighted to see our students’ mind’s blown away by the complicated tactics and strategies introduced by Jack and Yi. If you’re interested in more coaching, upcoming tournaments, or just some fun events, please contact Mr Cooke or click the links below:
Chess Challenge Registration Term 3 After School Coaching
We look forward to welcoming our beloved grandparents to King's on Friday, 18 August for Grandparents' Day! We will be hosting our VIPs in our primary classrooms for some fun activities as well as enjoying a Prep - Year 6 Grandparent's Day morning tea in the King's Table Forecourt. Noah's Ark will host their event later the same day. Please see the details below and extend this invitation to the grandparents in your family.
Prep - Year 3
9.00am - 9.40am [classroom-based activities]
Combined Grandparent's Day Morning Tea
9.40am - 10.20am [King's Table Forecourt]
Years 4 - 6
10.20am - 11.00am [classroom-based activities]
Noah's Ark
2.00pm - 3.00pm [classroom-based activities]
Further details will be shared in the coming weeks.
King's is currently hosting the Queensland Government's Mobile Dental Van near the Sports Centre until 4 October 2022. This free dental care service is offered free of charge to any child who meets the eligibility criteria:
- four years or older and have not completed Year 10
- eligible for the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule
- referred by Community Child Health Nurse (Lift the Lip Program) or
- be listed as a dependent on, or hold a valid Centrelink concession card
BOOK YOUR CHILD'S FREE APPOINTMENT BY PHONING 1300 300 850
Find out More...
At King's, we believe in giving every student the chance to chart a fulfilling course for their academic and professional aspirations. One of the ways we help with this is by running annual Secondary Education Training Plan (SETPlan) interviews. These interviews are designed to equip students with tools to make informed decisions about their academic journey in Years 11 and 12 and evaluate their chosen subjects for correct alignment with their desired future pathway. High School were very pleased to host over 80 SETPlan interviews on Tuesday, 25 July, where students and their parents engaged in meaningful discussions with the Teaching and Learning team. They provided personalised guidance and support to set students on the best path to success. Well done to our students for actively participating in these meetings and to our parents for your invaluable support which plays a vital role in the collaborative development of our students. Together, we will continue to empower our students to thrive in their chosen pathways.
Those who were unable to attend these interviews will have a meeting arranged for them with Mrs Bull, Future Pathways Officer & VET Coordinator, in the coming weeks.
Two of King's recent alumni, Kai Prideaux and Isla Gainfort, returned to the College recently to provide an insightful session for our Year 12 students. Kai is now studying at the University of Melbourne and Isla is at Griffith University and both were able to draw from their remarkable journeys to give guidance on navigating the challenges of external exams and scholarship applications. The cohort were inspired as they reflected on their own Year 12 experiences and consider their teritary possibilities. Thank you Kai and Isla for generously giving back to the King's community!
There are a number of traineeships available and these vacancies are listed on King's Careers site. These change on a weekly basis as new positions become available. Students are encouraged to source their own traineeship employer if there is nothing on the list that appeals to them.
CURRENT TRAINEESHIPSStudents in Years 10 and 11 can apply for external study options to enhance their career options. Students need to ensure they have good time management skills to cope with the workload.
The 'Where to Next' Hub is available on CareersEvent.com, and provides an informative Careers Hub for senior students and their parents. Visit the hub for access to tertiary webinars, upcoming events and the latest news on careers and courses.
For a full list of events or to register for the King's Careers Newsletter, visit King’s College Careers.
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