Principal's Message
Dear Peace Community,
I have had the privilege this term of representing the College at a number of external forums and gatherings as I connect with the wider Cairns community. These connections have included JCU and CQU universities, other independent Carins schools, our state LCA Synod AGM and our state and federal MPs.
What struck me about these connections was the strong consistency of the values and reputation of PLC as a place of Christian faith and excellence in learning where young people have been inspired, cared for, and equipped for service in the community. My role as Principal is to continue to build on the positive legacy of the past.
We have some exciting initiatives planned for 2024 and beyond. It was a pleasure to share some of these insights at the recent Principal鈥檚 Forum with parents. Early next term, I will be sharing a more detailed update on one of these initiatives, our Year 6/7 PIVOT transition program, which is designed to prepare our students for a successful transition into secondary school.
We are also working in several other areas around the College as a part of our Strategic Plan and I look forward to giving you an update on our progress in the coming months.
Critical Incident
At the time of writing, it has been just over four weeks since the critical incident occurred which challenged our community in such a sudden and unexpected way. It has tested us in a way that is hard to describe to people outside the College. We continue to learn and grow from the experience, both personally and professionally.
We are praying and working with both families, whose worlds have been turned upside down by the incident. No words can fully express how their lives have been changed, but we continue to walk with them.
To those staff and students who have been directly and indirectly impacted by the event, we continue to offer them support and encouragement through outside agencies and give them the time to heal.
To the amazing people who serve in our emergency services - the Cairns Police, the Cairns Ambulance Service, the Carins and Townsville hospital staff, the Cairns Headspace Support Unit for young people's wellbeing 鈥 and our fellow independent schools who provided direct counseling support in the days after the event 鈥 Trinity Anglican College, Freshwater Christian College, 麻豆果冻传媒 College, and St Andrews Lutheran College 鈥 we say a grateful thank you.
To the schools, agencies, well-wishers, supporters, and others who have reached out to offer their thoughts and prayers, we thank you.
God reminds us through His word that He travels with us in our time of need. We have felt His presence through the words and actions of others and, as a result, are able to step forward into the future with confidence.
Reconnecting with the Past
This term I have been privileged to reconnect with Hopevale and Wujal Wujal communities 'on country'. These communities, along with Coen, were instrumental in the establishment of 麻豆果冻传媒 College, donating funds to purchase the land on which the College now stands. Our school logo bears the Wujal Falls and the Hopevale palm tree in recognition of this connection. Over the past 29 years, like all relationships, we have experienced a range of highs and lows in working together. The past months have been about reconnecting and re-establishing this partnership. We look forward to building on these past foundations as we move towards celebrating 30 years of Lutheran education in Far North Queensland in 2024.
MMG Survey
Early next term we will be sending all stakeholders, via MMG, an engagement survey. Conducted every two years, the survey provides an opportunity for the PLC community to provide feedback on points of celebration, as well as highlighting areas of growth. It will allow the College Council to measure our performance against sector benchmarks and provide an adjustment in planning for the Strategic Plan, which was formulated in late 2022. It will also provide me, as the principal, with a baseline for future growth and development.
Investment in Community
In Week 2 of Term 3, you will receive a flyer regarding an invitation to donate towards the air conditioning of our Peace Centre. This building, located in the heart of our College, is a powerful symbol of community and connection. It鈥檚 our gathering place, our sacred space. It鈥檚 a place we would like to linger longer in 鈥 if not for the challenges of temperature control. Your contribution will enable this to occur and I encourage you to consider this project.
Shane Jurecky
Principal