"The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth."
Psalm 145:17-18
Jeff Davis
Executive Head of College
Executive Head of College, Jeff Davis shares an update from the last two weeks of Term 2.
Blessings
Culture and Wellbeing
National Reconciliation Week
We are thrilled to share the highlights of our recent Assembly held in the JLC, MLC and SLC in honour of National Reconciliation Week. This significant event serves as a reminder for Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to work towards reconciliation.
The Assembly was a resounding success, offering our students a unique opportunity to engage with the stories of our local Indigenous communities. We were privileged to host the Biren Cultural Group, who made an invaluable contribution by sharing their stories and enthralling us with traditional dances. The Biren Cultural Group brought the beauty and significance of their cultural heritage to life through their performances. Our students were captivated as they witnessed the vibrant colours, graceful movements, and profound symbolism embedded in each dance. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Biren Cultural Group for their contribution to our National Reconciliation Week Assembly and look forward to an ongoing relationship to further promote reconciliation in our College community.
Throughout the week, students were encouraged to reflect on their role in achieving reconciliation in Australia. They explored the importance of embracing diversity, promoting understanding, and actively contributing to a more inclusive society. This week provided a platform for students to consider how they can foster reconciliation within our school community and beyond.
As we continue to celebrate National Reconciliation Week, let us carry forward the lessons learned and inspire a spirit of reconciliation and unity. By acknowledging our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, we can work together to create a future where all Australians thrive.
Striking a Balance: Nurturing Healthy Tech Habits in Our Homes
In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of our lives, shaping the way we learn, communicate, and engage with the world. While technology offers countless opportunities and benefits, it also presents certain challenges that require our attention and guidance. As responsible parents, it is our duty to strike a balance between the advantages technology provides and the potential risks it may pose. By taking an active role, we can ensure that our children develop healthy tech habits that align with our Christian values.
The Bible urges us to be vigilant and discerning in navigating the ways of the world. In Ephesians 5:15, we are reminded to “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” To achieve this, let’s consider a few practical steps when it comes to nurturing healthy tech habits in our homes.
Establish clear guidelines and boundaries regarding technology usage
- Set limits on screen time (TV, YouTube, gaming, phones, streaming services, social media, apps). Screen time in this article does not include screens used for homework or work-related needs. Research indicates that children and teens in America and Australia are currently spending 8+ hours a day on screens. Recent empirical evidence reflects a high correlation of mental health issues and disorders when children and teens are using screens more than 2 hours a day. Experts across the globe strongly recommend limiting screen time for all ages to 1-2 hours a day.
- Homework using the ipad/computer is excluded from screen time totals and should be phone free (phone in a different room) to minimise distractions and procrastination.
- All phone/iPads/computer/TVs and gaming technology should be taken out of bedrooms each night. Not only are they tempting to use when we have trouble falling asleep, the notifications from apps/friends cause constant light or vibrations to occur throughout the night, which affects our sleeping patterns, whether we are aware of it or not.
Create technology-free zones or times within the home
- Designate certain spaces or hours where all technology is not allowed. This fosters an environment for family bonding, conversation, and spiritual growth. For example, set one hour of tech/TV free time commencing the moment dinner is ready to eat. Eating together is one of the best ways to develop communication skills and find out what each person enjoyed most about their day. How about taking turns on choosing the background audio only music for the tech-free hour. This time could be used to play board games, read books, chat, pray and have fun together once dinner and clean-up is completed.
Lead by example
- Children learn more from what we do than what we say. Be mindful of your own tech habits and demonstrate healthy digital behaviours. Show our children/young adults that we can use technology as a tool for positive change, while remaining grounded in our faith and values.
By being proactive and intentional, we can shape a balanced and healthy relationship between our children and technology. Let us heed the scriptural wisdom, be vigilant in our role as parents, and empower our young people to navigate the digital world with wisdom and discernment.
Imogen Zaharis
SLC Student Counsellor
From the ELC
Over the last few weeks our ELC children have had the opportunity to engage in some wonderful, rich learning experiences within our little ELC community.
On Wednesday 24th May our ELC community participated in National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS). Celebrated annually, NSS aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children’s book that explores age-appropriate themes! This year’s story was called “The Speedy Sloth” By Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie. This wonderful, rhyming story tells the tale of a special sloth who breaks the slow-sloth mould to become a super speedy racer! This beautiful book imparts social and emotional lessons about the importance of being true to oneself and celebrating your own unique abilities.
On Friday 26th May we celebrated Under 8’s Day. Running for over fifty years within Queensland, Under 8s week is a time to honour, advocate and celebrate children’s right to play and how they do so in the context of being part of a community! The theme for this year’s Under 8’s Week is “PLAY – You, me and our communities”. To celebrate we invited our ELC families to engage in a wonderful interactive music session with Miss Tammy followed by some fun and engaging activities. These activities were designed to foster a sense of togetherness and strengthen the bonds within our community, whilst also sharing special moments for our families in children’s learning journey.
This week our ELC children are learning about National Reconciliation Week in an age appropriate manner within our daily curriculum. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is Be a Voice for Generations. This theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. For the work of generations past, the benefit of generations past, and the benefit of generations future act today for a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all. Reconciliation within the early childhood context is an ongoing process that requires commitment, empathy, and respect. It means creating a safe and inclusive environment where children can learn about and celebrate the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures and histories.
Across the ELC the children have shown a significant interest in construction. We have noticed throughout all our classrooms the children have been engaging in a variety of different construction projects using a wide range of construction materials from recyclable materials such as boxes, bottles, containers and egg cartons inside the classrooms to our loose parts materials such as pipes, spools, wood off cuts and tyres outside. Throughout these experiences the children have been developing and extending in a wide range of skills such as social, communication, problem solving, imagination and creativity, mathematical and fine and gross motor skills.
Katie Flanagan
Early Learning Community
Early Learning Community
From JLC Leadership
Dear JLC families,
It’s amazing how quickly the weeks fly by, as we look towards winding up for the end of Term 2. Our little ones have been diligently working on completing their culminating units for the term, and our teachers have been busy finalising the reports for Semester 2. Final reports will be available to all JLC families on the Parent Lounge during the first week of the holidays.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the parents who attended the P-2 Under 8s day. We truly enjoyed spending a morning of play with all our littlest JLC children, and it was especially heart-warming to witness the interactions between you and your child/ren. It provided us with a wonderful opportunity to connect as a community.
As we approach the end of the term, we encourage you to take some time to reflect on your child’s progress and achievements throughout the semester. Celebrate their growth and effort, as every milestone reached deserves recognition. It is through your continued support and involvement that we can create a nurturing and stimulating environment for our young learners.
Please remember to mark your calendars for the upcoming events next term, as we have some exciting activities and opportunities planned for our JLC community. One of our biggest events of the year is Grandparents Day which will occur in Week 2, Friday, 21 July in Term 3. Please remember to register grandparents using the link below, so we can plan for their attendance and cater for the morning tea.
Enjoy the final two weeks of term, before June/July holidays.
Christy Gittins
Head Junior Learning Community
What’s been happening in the JLC
Under 8’s Day: Prep – Year 2
It was incredible to see so many students and families coming together to celebrate Under 8s Day this year!
The theme for this year was ‘You, Me and Our Communities’, and students did a fantastic job of creating an artwork that showed their understanding of where they fit in a diverse group of communities.
Thank you to everyone who came together to have a great morning and contributed to making the event run. One delighted grandma spoke for many while blowing bubbles with a huge grin on her face said “I haven’t played like this since I was a child!”
As the event has undergone significant changes, we would appreciate your feedback – Please email jtaylor@hillcrest.qld.edu.au to share your thoughts on areas of strength or potential growth.
Prep Mother’s Day Pamper Afternoon
The Preppies recently celebrated Mother’s Day in a truly special way with a pamper afternoon dedicated to their mothers. The young students left no stone unturned in expressing their love and gratitude for their Mums, creating a heartwarming and memorable event.
Under the guidance of their teachers, the eager students prepared a delightful afternoon filled with pampering activities. The classrooms were transformed into mini-spas where the Mums had their make up and hair done. The children lovingly provided their mothers with massages, leg shaving and nail painting ensuring their mum’s felt relaxed and cherished.
The atmosphere was one of pure joy and affection as the children pampered their mothers, expressing their appreciation for all the love and care they received throughout the year. Laughter filled the air as students shared stories and painted nails.
The Mother’s Day pamper afternoon at Hillcrest Christian College’s Prep showcased the importance of celebrating and honouring the incredible women in our lives. It served as a beautiful reminder of the endless love and support that mothers provide every day.
Learning in Year 1: Spotlight on 1RB!
On Friday, after our awesome Under 8s event, we created animal habitat dioramas. Each week we have learnt about Urban, Bush, Rainforest, Wetlands, Coastal and Ocean habitats.
For DCL we have engaged in reading stories, watched videos and took a hands on approach to create models of the habitats to deepen our understanding. We wrote information reports about ocean habitats – we had so many light bulb moments this week as our writing exploded with adjectives and impressive sentence structure to include features, animals, threats and fun facts!
In Maths, we learnt about properties of 2D shapes and how to generate o’clock and half past times on both digital and analogue clocks. Kahoot challenges consolidated our learning.
As a class we are so proud to have received the College Shield award for excellence in our appearance and upholding the uniform policy. Well done 1RB!
Learning in Year 2: Spotlight on 2KB
Did you know that slugs have four noses and cockroaches can live for up to one week without their head? These are just some of the many interesting facts we have discovered while researching our minibeasts in Year 2! In 2KB we have done a lot of work preparing for our upcoming minibeast day, where we will showcase our amazing skills and all that we have learnt. From minibeast hunts around the school, to directed drawings and researching facts on the internet, we were finally ready to write some information reports! It took a lot of hard work and determination to sort the information into the correct criteria and transfer our research from dot points into paragraphs. We are now learning to publish neat copies of our work and present it in the form of a booklet, poster and sculpture. Year 2 have had so much fun learning more about God’s creation and exploring how He has made everything for its purpose. God truly is amazing!
Year 2 Minibeast Incursion
‘Look at those compound eyes!’ ‘I can see this minibeast has two body parts, so it is an arachnid!’ These are just a few of the comments that were accompanied by squeals of delight as Year 2 enjoyed their Minibeast Incursion. The children were all engaged and excited as they discovered minibeasts in our school grounds! They then observed these tiny creatures under powerful microscopes. They were so excited to get such a close and detailed look at some of the minibeasts about which they have been learning. Melissa, who was our visiting incursion leader, was amazed at the scientific language that the children used when talking about and classifying these little creatures. Year 2 certainly are becoming minibeast experts and they can’t wait to share their learning with parents and other classes on Minibeast day in a few weeks time…and yes, the minibeasts were safely returned to their habitat so that they too can continue to thrive!
3TC Meets a Real Life Champion!
3TC are thrilled to share an extraordinary tale of inspiration and triumph. A former Hillcrest student, Kai Colless, recently accomplished a remarkable feat.
Late last year, Kai’s life took an unexpected turn when a rare condition left him unable to walk or pursue his passion for surfing. After undergoing a grueling 10-hour surgery and months of intensive rehabilitation, he defied the odds and made his way to the World Adaptive Surf titles in Hawaii.
Kai’s story touched the hearts of our 3TC students, teaching them invaluable lessons about courage, resilience, and determination. Moved by his journey, we wrote letters of encouragement and kept him in our prayers. As fate would have it, Kai’s indomitable spirit, supported by our words and the power of faith, propelled him to victory in the competition.
This week Kai came to celebrate his triumph with his Year 3 fan group and share some ice blocks as a token of his gratitude. This extraordinary experience has not only taught us the importance of faith, kindness, and encouragement but has also shown us the immense power they hold.
Maths in Year 4 – Spotlight on 4TP
Maths in 4TP is a collaborative effort as we explore the different concepts of mathematics. Direct instruction is just one component of our techniques, but collaboratively there is great value in children exploring the concepts together and verbalising their experiences in a shared context. Combine this with the use of technology and the various maths platforms that the College subscribes its students to as part of their learning experiences, and we have a variety of experiences to cater to all manner of learning styles.
Students in Year 4 have been exploring fractions and chance lately in maths as well as in science experimenting with recording data on graphs. They enjoyed bouncing balls of different types to compare data and then hypothesise why different balls bounced in a variety of ways. To explore fractions the children have used computers and materials in group work to compare different fractions. Exploring chance is a great activity to do concrete activities such as rolling dice, pulling m and m’s or smarties of different colours out of a bag.
With SECRET Skills being part of our core emphasis in the College, we aim for students to self-reflect on their learning in order to set goals for growth. Discussing their experiences as part of collaborative learning as well as marking their work as they go whilst perusing task criteria helps develop this skill together with regular feedback from the teacher through spoken, written and electronic means.
JLC Specialist Art
In JLC Specialist Art with Mrs Parkes the students have been exploring a wide range of mediums and styles. A small sample of our artworks include:
- Prep chalk pastel owls to learn about the art element of value.
- Year 1 Peter Cromer inspired Australian animal collages.
- Year 2 Magiclay rose boxes for Mother’s Day.
- Year 3 Grotti Lotti inspired acrylic birds on canvas board.
- Year 4 ‘King Kong Chameleon’ drawings.
From the Head of the MLC
Dear Parents/Carers
It has been a very busy fortnight in the MLC with a large number of co-curricula opportunities on offer for our students. I challenge our students regularly to take advantage of as many different events and opportunities as possible outside of the classroom as it is something that helps to develop their SECRET Skills and creativity in a unique way. In just the last few weeks, students have been able to participate in the following;
- College Musical
- Oasis worship event
- Da Vinci Decathlon
- Reader’s Cup
- Sumo Robotics Cup
- Gold Coast Regional Debating
- Border Region Schools Gala Day
- Gold Coast Schools Futsal Competition
- Reconciliation Week
- MLC Lunchtime Clubs
I congratulate the large number of students participating in the events above as it is the majority of our MLC students who are involved, not the minority. We will continue to ask for student input into these events and what we can offer next term as it is part of our existing MLC Culture to provide student agency and choice in as much as we possibly can.
Assessments are starting to ramp up towards the end of term with Semester One reports due to be shared with parents at the end of term. Please support your children to stay on top of timelines as the term comes to a close and we will be sharing further details about reporting in the coming weeks.
As the temperature is starting to drop, we are seeing more students wearing their College jumpers each day. Please remind your children that we expect the formal jumper to be worn with the formal uniform and shouldn’t see the sports jacket being worn each day of the week. Our amazing Uniform Shop staff have jumpers ready for you to try on and are always willing to help find the right fit when purchasing one of these items.
Finally, I would like to share some thoughts from a Social Media and Gaming Presentation I attended during the week. There is no doubt that technology has a place in our society and does afford many positive outcomes when used correctly. Sadly, it can also be attributed to a decline in the amount of physical time our students spend interacting with each other as demonstrated in this graph. 
Parents sometimes ask me when they should let their child have a mobile phone and start to use social media and there is no one size fits all policy. Most parents are aware that the average age restriction for social media platforms begins at 13 so it surprises me just how many MLC students already have accounts on these services.
The right age for your child will depend on their level of maturity and your family routine. It is worth asking yourself the following before handing over a digital device;
- Does my child have a good sense of responsibility?
- Are they able to stick to the agreed rules?
- Do they show a good understanding of actions and consequences?
- Will they come to a trusted adult when they are distressed or if they encounter problems?
- Will they leave their device outside of their bedroom at night so they have a minimum of eight hours of sleep.
I hope these questions help you to form your own expectations as a family.
Have a blessed week.
Darren Rackemann
Head of Middle Learning Community
What’s been happening in the MLC
Year 5 Camp
Year 5
Year 7 Coordinates Treasure Hunt Assessment
These last few weeks in maths we have been learning about coordinates on Cartesian Planes. Cartesian Planes may seem like a very BIG word, and it may seem scary and boring, but this Treasure Hunt made it simple and super fun! We got to explore the College, while doing an assessment, by finding coordinates on a Cartesian Plane. Mr Johnson made this the least stressful assessment and most fun assessment combined into one! Reading instructions made it very helpful and I love the fact that it was linked to the College Musical: The Pirates of Penzance.
Coordinates and Cartesian Planes also linked to our other classes because in the book South or Shackleton’s Endurance it mentions their coordinates in Antarctica. We have learnt that coordinates and plotting are skills that can be used in our day-to-day lives. Learning about coordinates has helped me understand the book more and improved my math skills.
Denali Lowe and Kayla Hogg
Year 7
From the Head of the SLC
On Sunday evening I watched a segment on 7 News Spotlight on the current vaping epidemic. While vapes or e-cigarettes were initially developed to assist adults to quit smoking cigarettes, they have become extremely popular with today’s youth. While I have done significant research into the effects of vaping and how they can be obtained, this show gave some new insights from a student perspective and reinforced knowledge that I already had.
While many believe that the vape has no nicotine, this 7 News Spotlight report suggests otherwise. While the packaging may not indicate that the vape contains nicotine, they all do. As we now know, nicotine is extremely addictive and is how the cigarette companies have made their billions.
If you have not already done so, I encourage you to watch the 7 News Spotlight segment with your student. Use it as a stimulus for a conversation starter. Regular open and trusting conversations with your children will provide them with the confidence and security to reach out to you for advice before experimenting with risk taking behaviours.
If, through your conversations, you discover that your child is vaping, I recommend that you visit your GP for advice on how to quit. Also, if your child is concerned about a friend at Hillcrest who they believe could be vaping, they can anonymously reach out for support for them through Stymie. A link is also in Student Café.
Until next time.
Jason Day
Head of Senior Learning Community
jday@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
What’s been happening in the SLC
Year 11 and 12 Legal Studies Excursion
On Friday of Week 6 the Year 11 and Year 12 Legal Studies Students had the opportunity to attend a Legal Studies Excursion to the Supreme Court of Queensland. On this excursion, students experienced how real courtrooms and cases run, and had the opportunity to participate in a mock trial at the start of the day. Students also gained an appreciation for the history of the Queensland Legislative and Governmental bodies through travelling to the 12th floor of the Supreme Court – the home for some of Australia’s most ancient and important legal documents.
Oasis
On Wednesday, May 31, our SLC leaders hosted “Oasis” for Year 7-12 students. This special afternoon aims to create a safe place for students seeking a greater a sense of community and spiritual growth. There was live music, a free BBQ, games, a devotion and opportunities for students to connect with Alumni and local youth pastors and leaders. Here are a few reflections from our students:
“It was really fun to connect with the younger students and hear how their faith is doing.” – Joel
“It was a really great opportunity to worship God with all my friends. It was also really awesome to hear the testimonies of others, very inspiring!” – Claudia
“During Oasis I enjoyed being able to hear people’s testimonies and how they were able to change because of God.” – Skyla
The Doyle Junior Art Awards
We want to congratulate the following senior Visual Art students for being selected as finalists for the Doyle Junior art awards:
- Vincent Mastaglia
- Alessandra Mastaglia
- Harrison Vitetzakis
- Imogen Woof
The opening of the event will be held on Thursday, 15 June at 5pm at the Mudgeereba Memorial Hall, 62 Railway street, Mudgeeraba. The exhibition will run from 15 June to 25 June from 10am and 5pm. For more information please visit the Doyles Art Award website Home – The Doyles Art Award.
Pathways News
Future Doctors Australia program
‘The Future Doctors Australia’ program is now open! Please note, the spots in this program are strictly limited.
The Future Doctors Australia program offers a unique opportunity for students (ages: 14-18) aspiring to pursue a career in medicine. Through engaging sessions led by experienced medical specialists, practical learning activities, and insights into the admission process, the program aims to inspire and equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their medical journey. This is an incredible opportunity to gain valuable insights and guidance from medical professionals who are passionate about shaping the future of healthcare.
Dates of upcoming programs:
Sydney: 5 – 8 October 2023
Adelaide: 13 – 16 October 2023
Brisbane: 9 – 12 December 2023
Melbourne: 25 – 28 January 2024
For further information and enrolment details please visit WWW.NIECAREERS.COM.AU
Riviera Information Evening – School based apprenticeships
Riviera Australia will be hosting the Annual Apprentice Program Information Evening NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE BUT THREE TIMES this year!
Dates:
Tuesday, 11 July 2023
Wednesday, 19 July 2023
Thursday, 27 July 2023
This is for current Year 11-12 Students (plus parents) who would be interested in becoming a School Based Apprentice / Full Time Apprentice for 2024. 
There will be some guest speakers of past apprentices, current apprentices, and current school-based apprentices, we will also be conducting a twilight factory tour.
The night is scheduled to start at 5:30pm sharp
Current trades on offer:
Cert III in Polymer Processing (Composite)
Cert III in Marine Craft Construction
Cert III in Timber & Composites Machining
Cert III in Furniture Finishing (French Polishing)
Cert III in Cabinetmaking
Cert III in Engineering – Fixed & Mobile Plant Mechanic
Cert III in Engineering – Fabrication – Welding
Cert III in Engineering – Fabrication – Surface Finishing
Cert III in Upholstery
Cert III in Electrotechnology (Pre-requisite Cert II in Electrotechnology)
To RSVP please use the QRCODE or click on this link.
Be sure to get in quick to book as spots are limited!
Interested in Studying a Trade Certificate in Term 3 or 4? Gold Coast Trades College
Gold Coast Trades College has availabilities in the following courses. Spots can fill fast so see Mrs McCully in the Pathways Centre for more information.
School Holiday Health Immersive experiences
Mater Education | High School Health Adventure
Are you a Year 10, 11 or 12 student interested in a career in the dynamic and fast-paced world of healthcare? Mater Education’s High School Health Adventure program is for you!
High School Health Adventure is a program that has been designed to create a realistic experience of ‘a day in the life’ of a health professional. The utilization of simulation with manikins, skills stations, digital technology and case-based scenarios help to create this real-world learning in a unique environment for high school students.
This hands on, immersive experience will cover basic health professional understanding of anatomy and physiology, give students hands on experience of managing patients requiring basic life support and emergency response, supporting patients and their family through medical procedures such as surgery and childbirth.
QIMR Berghofer | Holiday Science Experience
Looking to get a taste of what it’s like working in a medical research laboratory? QIMR Berghofer host a one day science experience program during the school holidays each year. Students can undertake a day of training in practical skills related to genetics, infectious disease or blood biology in our purpose built education laboratory facilities.
The program is open to Queensland high school students in Years 10, 11 or 12 and is free to attend.
Are you interested in a career in fashion? Uni of Sunshine Coast three day workshop over June school holidays
Are you a Year 10, 11 or 12 student interested in exploring your career potential in the exciting world of high fashion? If so, this three-day workshop is designed for you! Come and try out fashion-styling, direct a fashion photography shoot and illustrate your ideas while you create content for digital media just like a fashion influencer on social media! Incorporating the principles of sustainable fashion, you will work with a wide range of vintage clothing kindly donated by Bloomhill, a local not-for-profit charitable organisation.
When: 27, 28, 29 June 2023
Facilitator: Deborah Fisher established an international design career based in the USA, fashion forecasting and designing seasonal collections for major retailers including Bloomingdales and Macy’s. Returning to Australia, she now shares her knowledge and skills as an innovative fashion educator and researcher. Deborah’s qualifications include an Honours degree in fashion and fine arts from the prestigious Pratt Institute, New York.
Defence Forces Event – A Night in the Army Reserve
ACS QLD Gold Coast Chapter Presents: Preparing for the Digital Future
- Enrol for FREE in TAFE Queensland Metaverse-Ready micro-credential courses for high school students
- Enjoy the immersive experience using various technologies such as holographic wall by Axiom Holographic, metaverse platform by Imagine Realities, reality capture and mixed reality by Holovision, VR game by Professor Tech, XR spatial design including colour passthrough using Meta Quest Pro by TAFE Queensland
- Other exhibitors include Protech and Busy at Work
- Pizza will be served during registration time
WHERE: Auditorium & Black Box Theatre,
Level 1, TAFE Queensland Coomera Campus
198 Foxwell Road, Coomera QLD 4209
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 June, 5:30pm to 8:30pm
EVENT PRICE: FREE
REGISTER
Interested in an overseas working gap year?
CCUSA facilitates summer camp work, work experiences, volunteer programs and intern placements in the USA, Canada and UK for young travellers.
This can be done during a gap year, or before, while at, or after you finish university, college or TAFE.
Download all programs brochure HERE
Camp Counsellors USA and Canada programs:
These are open to those who are 18 and over by 1 June of each year. The program runs from June to September (northern hemisphere summer) allowing you to spend nine weeks living and working at an amazing summer camp in the USA or Canada. Aussies are always high in demand to work as camp counsellors/leaders at the 1000+ camps that CCUSA work with across the USA and Canada. This program can be done, before, during or after Uni/TAFE/College. Applications for 2024 open in June.
- CLICK HERE for the electronic brochure for Camp Counsellors USA program.
- CLICK HERE for the electronic brochure for Camp Counsellors Canada program.
Here are two videos with some really good information:
- This is a short video explaining all of our programs on offer.
- This video is a little longer and goes into our most popular program of Camp Counsellors USA and Canada. This was a live zoom call so there are questions asked throughout.
CCUSA‘s unique programs are designed to teach leadership, professional development and work-related skills. In today’s society, communication, collaboration and creativity are critical for success in the work force. Many Australians believe a GAP year experience between high school and tertiary studies – or after graduating university, before entering the work force – is an effective way to gain these important skills. Working or volunteering overseas is also useful in guiding students in personal growth and deciding on a study or career path.
Complete a Certificate II in Hospitality over your school holidays at Palazzo Versace
Learn in a real hotel with classes delivered over the June/July, September and December school holidays.
Scan the QR code for more information and enrolment. Spaces are limited and applications close June 9.
Academic Enrichment
Hillcrest Year 8 Team Places 2nd in Da Vinci Decathlon
Co-curricular
Kai Pyyvaara cranking it at Crankworx Mountain Biking Festival
Elijah and Ryan win Regional AFL
Student Achievements
Noah Kerry- Australian Gymnastics Championships 
Last week Noah Kerry (Year 8) competed at the Australian Gymnastics Championships, held at Carrara. He competed in the international stream of the Youth U15 division in Tumbling and Double Mini Tramp. Noah finished the competitions with a gold in the tumbling and the U15 Youth National Championship Title. He was selected as part of the men’s Queensland tumbling team. Queensland walked away with a silver in this event. Noah finished with gold and a national title, a second and third placing. Congratulations, Noah. Your dedication to your sport is inspirational.
Jaime Charles Tumbling Queensland State Champion
Jaime competed at the Queensland Gymnastic Senior State Championships in March. She qualified in Trampoline and was the Queensland State Champion for National Level 5 Tumbling. Jaime became a Queensland State Team member to compete in Individual and Synchronised Trampoline and Tumbling at the Australian National Gymnastics Championships held at Carrara during May with athletes coming to the Gold Coast from all across Australia.
Jaime and her synchronised partner (Grace Chan, Year 6 ) qualified for the final and achieved a 6th place result in Trampoline and Jaime qualified for the finals in Tumbling and achieved an 8th placing result.
Grace Chan Qualified for Queensland Trampoline Gymnastics Team
Grace Chan competed at the Queensland Gymnastics Senior State Championships in March and qualified for the Queensland Trampoline Gymnastics Team for Individual Trampoline. It was an honour for Grace to be a State Team representative for the Australian Gymnastics Championships held on the Gold Coast in May. Grace placed 15th for National 5 Individual Trampoline. Together with her synchro partner, Jaime Charles (Year 7), they placed 6th for Synchronised Trampoline.
Hayley Mackinder Claims Multiple Wins at Swimming Championships
At the 2023 Australian Swimming Championships held in April, Hayley, Year 10, won the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke all under Junior World Qualifying time.
As a result of her performance at the Australian Championships she has qualified for the Australian Junior Dolphins 2023 World Team to represent Australia and compete at the Junior World Championships in Israel in September. Well done Hayley!
Vincent Churches off to Cross Country Championships in Hervey Bay
Vincent Churches, Year 10, attended the South Coast Regional Cross Country event on 30 May. He finished 3rd in a field of 40 U17’s and has now qualified for the State Cross Country Championships being held in Hervey Bay on 15 – 17 July.
Student Achievements
We love celebrating the achievements and success of our Hillcrest students. If you have a child that has reached a state or national level in their area of interest – anywhere from sport, the arts and more – we would love to hear from you and celebrate this success in our College News. Please fill out the form here.
Parents & Friends
Save the Date – Hillcrest Fete
Mark this date in your calendar for the Hillcrest Fete: Saturday, 18 November 2023.
Other News
NEW Hub Menu!
We are thrilled to announce the release of our new and exciting Hub menu, now available for online ordering through Flexischools! We have kept some of the old favourites whilst introducing some delicious hot meals such as Spaghetti Bolognese, Butter Chicken, and Fried Rice. And that’s not all, as the weather cools, be on the lookout for more additions throughout the term.
We have designed a smaller menu to cater for our Year 9 Rise Program in Coolangatta.
To make sure we are catering to your needs and preferences we will be sending out a questionnaire soon to gather your valuable thoughts, suggestions, and feedback.
We hope you enjoy the new menus and look forward to hearing from you.
Reedy Creek Campus
Rise Program Campus
COFFEE from The Well Café Connect !
Whether it is for a moment of self-care or a time to connect with others, we invite you to enjoy this space.
Open daily from 7.30am-9am.
Josh, Hannah and Maddi look forward to meeting and serving you.
Safety on our campus – Roadways
Ensuring the safety of our students, staff, and parents on campus is of utmost importance to us. As such, we have implemented strict traffic restrictions during school hours. Please take note of the following measures that we have put in place to maintain the safety of our community:
- Deliveries and tradespeople are permitted to drive through the College grounds during school hours, but must do so at an extremely low speed and with hazard lights flashing. Please note that there is no access beyond the Middle Years reception during morning tea (10.20am – 11.40am) and lunch breaks (12.20 – 1.40pm)
- The access to Chocolate Drive is closed to everyone except emergency vehicles from 2.50 pm to 3.10 pm.
- ELC & JLC parents are permitted access to chocolate drive, however, may not proceed beyond the Middle Years reception between 9am and 2.30pm
We kindly request your cooperation in following these guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. Thank you for your understanding and support in keeping our community safe.
College Uniform Shop Hours
With the weather starting to cool down, please be sure to stop by for your winter items. Alternatively you can log in to the online shop and place a click and collect order via the website.
In-Store Trading Hours
Monday to Friday, 7:30am – 9.15am
Bus Services
We hope that you have had a wonderful Term 2 and that the remaining two weeks will be enjoyable too. As we approach the end of the term, we would like to remind you to please check your account balance and make the necessary payment for bus travel through the RollCall app by Friday, 2 June. To ensure a smooth process, please follow the instructions below:
- Log in to your RollCall Parent Portal.
- Click on the “My Transaction” tab located at the top of the page.
- On the right-hand side of your “My Balance,” click on the green “Add Credit” button.
- Select the student for whom you would like to add credit. Please note that you can only add credit to one student at a time.
- Enter the desired credit amount.
- Click on the blue PayPal icon (note that the name may vary depending on your banking provider).
- In the PayPal popup tab, sign in with your PayPal account or choose the option to pay with a card.
- Enter your payment details and click “confirm” once you are satisfied.
Please notify us of any changes to bus travel passes, to ensure your child/ren’s profile is set to your chosen pass and invoiced accordingly, and that any booking changes have been updated within the Rollcall App.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the payment procedure or encounter any issues while using the RollCall app, please do not hesitate to contact us at buses@hilcrest.qld.edu.au. We are here to assist you.
Can Your Business Help our Students
The Pathways Team is looking for opportunities for our students. Can you offer:
- Work experience?
- A school based
- Traineeship/apprenticeship?
- Other opportunities to
- Benefit our senior students?
Contact Lucinda Crews, Pathways Engagement Coordinator lcrews@hillcrest.qld.edu.au.
