NewsBites - Term 4, Week 3, 2025

It was wonderful to come together as a College community earlier this week to celebrate the official opening of our new Administration and Student Services building. While we have enjoyed access to this impressive space for several months, Wednesday’s event provided a formal opportunity to acknowledge and give thanks to the many people and partners who made this building possible.

An important part of any capital works project at Faith is dedicating each new building or facility to God – the Creator of all things. As part of this tradition, a Bible verse is selected to appear on the official plaque mounted on the new building. For the Administration Building, Hebrews 3:4 was chosen: “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.” This verse serves as a reminder of the foundation of our Christian community – one that welcomes all but remains firmly grounded in our Lutheran traditions.

Throughout the many important speeches shared at the event, a common theme emerged: a building is only as valuable as the people who occupy it. Our College is truly blessed by all who make up ‘Team Faith’ – students, staff, and families alike. Every person matters here, and everyone’s unique gifts strengthen our community – one that is blessed by people, and by God and His gift of grace.

In the coming years, the College will continue to be blessed with further capital works that will benefit students across our P–12 community. However, an even greater blessing will be the continued opportunity to share in and strengthen the community we have together.

On behalf of the College, I would like to thank the Queensland State Government and the Block Grant Authority for their support of our recent capital works. I would also like to express my deep thanks and gratitude to members of the Lutheran Church and Lutheran Education Queensland, who not only joined us for the official opening but continue to provide leadership, support, and prayers. Their ongoing partnership helps our College to live out our vision of, “awakening potential and empowering learners for purposeful lives through Christ” in real and authentic ways each and every day.

Yours in Christ,
Tyson Kenny
Acting Principal 

Building Blocks (Curriculum + Resilience)

“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you’ve obviously never been in a bedroom with a mosquito.”

Clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller suggests that resilience isn’t something we just ‘have’, it’s born of experiences, and is something we build, together. He identifies three key ways schools and families can nurture resilience in young people:

1. Improve the quality of connections, friendship, compassion, and forgiveness in schools, families, and communities. Forgiveness is the central principle of cultural change.
2. Model and practise the skills of resilience through real activities, projects, and events - what educators often call social and emotional learning.
3. Strengthen student voice and agency by supporting young people to design meaningful projects that make a difference in their schools, communities, or world.

Looking around, it is clear to these ideas are alive and well in our Foundation Phase. Our programs are intentionally designed to teach students about the power of their voice - perhaps not how to be a mosquito in a bedroom, but how to use research, language, creativity, grit, and courage to create ripples of positive change around them.

In Year 7 Environmental Studies, students are planning and constructing water filtration prototypes, linking design and science to compassion and action. In Christian Studies, they’re exploring what it means to serve others through empathy and awareness projects that connect faith and community. Across subjects, students are discovering that they can make a difference - that problems worth solving are rarely too big when faced together.

Our Year 8 students are also building resilience through collaboration and challenge. In PBL (The Arts), they are exploring personal identity, using artistic expression to reflect who they are and how they see the world. In Christian Studies, they’re designing inclusive worship experiences, considering how faith can be shared in meaningful and welcoming ways. Technologies classes are focused on sustainable innovation, with students reimagining waste through upcycling projects that give new life to items destined for landfill. Together, these experiences are helping students connect purpose with possibility - learning that creativity, care, and conscience can shape a better future.

One way we can re-frame our thinking around resilience in the classroom is to consider how ‘bounce forward’ rather than ‘bounce back’. Each time students face a challenge - whether it’s refining a prototype, navigating friendship, or giving a presentation - they are developing the mindset and heart that will help them thrive in the years ahead. 

Did you know, that in 1914, Thomas Edison’s laboratory caught fire, destroying prototypes, research, and years of work. Instead of despair, some sources say that Edison told his son, “Go get your mother and all her friends. They’ll never see a fire like this again.” Other sources claim he said, "Thank goodness all our mistakes were burned up. Now we can start fresh again". Regardless of which version is true, Edison is characterised by his calm optimism, courage, determination, and resilience. The next day, he began rebuilding.

Take-away: simple things like talking about challenges, sharing stories of perseverance, or celebrating effort as much as achievement help reinforce these messages at home and in the classroom.

For more ideas and helpful parent resources, visit andrewfuller.com.au.

Lisbeth Goldston
Head of Learning - Foundation 7

This week has been an inspiring one for our Year 12 students as they participated in FOCUS Week - a dedicated period designed to support their preparation for External Assessments.

Students have been engaging in peer study groups, individual study sessions, and teacher-led tutorials, making full use of the support available in H Block. Each lesson has seen our dedicated Year 12 teachers on hand to provide valuable EA preparation, guiding students through strategies to remember key concepts, tackle complex problems, and refine their written responses.

The walls of H Block have come alive with flow charts, key terms, and exam-writing techniques, fuelled by a steady stream of pizzas, treats, and lollipops. Amid moments of quiet concentration, there’s been a wonderful hum of collaboration, joy, and laughter as students celebrated their “ah-ha” moments and shared the journey toward a common goal. It’s been heartening to see our community of learners and educators working together so purposefully.

We now look ahead to the commencement of the External Exam Block in Week 3. Parents and students are reminded of the Illness and Misadventure process should any unforeseen circumstance prevent attendance at an exam - please contact Mrs O’Shea on the day of the exam if this occurs.

As always, we remain mindful of student wellbeing during this important time and encourage all students to balance study with rest, sleep, nutrition, and recreation. Teachers will continue to be available in H Block during their regular scheduled class times for the four lessons prior to each exam, and the Heads of Phase (Wellbeing and Learning) will also be present throughout the exam period to assist with any questions or concerns.

A reminder to Year 11 students that access to lockers in H Block will be limited to before and after school and during break times. Please avoid visiting this area unless necessary and maintain silence when doing so to respect those sitting exams.

For all information regarding the exam period, please refer to the email sent home by Mrs O’Shea at the end of last term. Families are also reminded that students wishing to receive a letter confirming completion of studies (to enable them to undertake more than 12 hours of paid work per week) should complete the request form provided in that same email.

Emma O'Shea
Head of Learning – Graduate Phase