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Quarterly news from the PMSA Group for our school community. Term 4, 2020
To our school communities
In what has been an extraordinary year, I welcome you back for Term 4 and wish you all the best,
particularly our Year 12s who commence exams shortly. May God guide you and give you strength.
Planning ahead?
PMSA school term dates
for 2022 have recently
been set.
To see all terms dates, visit
the PMSA website.
APPLY NOW for 2021 PMSA Teacher Education Scholarships
The PMSA is proud to once again launch the PMSA Teacher Education Scholarships for 2021.
For current Year 12 students or recent graduates from PMSA schools, each year the PMSA offers a
limited number of scholarships, each worth $2,000 per year for up to four years of study.
The scholarships aim to foster a respect for the importance of teaching as a profession; foster
Christian faith and values in schools and encourage future teachers who hold Christian beliefs and
values; and assist aspiring teachers of Christian conviction to complete an approved teacher
education program to enable them to make a difference in the schools they serve.
For Brooke Hayes – 2016 PMSA Teacher
Education Scholarship recipient,
Clayfield College Old Collegian, and now
first year primary school teacher – the
scholarship allowed her to take on
opportunities to travel, to volunteer in
South-East Asia and to fund a practicum
experience in the Solomon Islands.
For more information on the
scholarships, eligibility, criteria, and
application requirements, please
download the application form on the
Scholarships page on the PMSA website.
Applications close on Friday 16 October.
2016 PMSA Teacher Education Scholarship winner
and Clayfield College Old Collegian Brooke Hayes To read about how this scholarship has
teaching Year 2 in the Solomon Islands during her assisted Brooke, visit PMSA news.
teaching degree.
PMSA Communique Term 4, 2020 /1
Rugby champions along the coast
Congratulations to both Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC) and Sunshine Coast Grammar School’s First
XV rugby teams which took out premierships in their respective 2020 competitions.
Their first rugby premiership since 1954 which they shared with two other schools, BBC was elated
to win their first ever outright GPS First XV rugby victory. Sunshine Coast Grammar proudly
secured their third premiership in the finals of the SCSSRU competition. Grammar’s Under 18 girls’
rugby team were narrowly defeated in the finals after being undefeated for the entire season.
Congratulations to these teams as well as all the school teams in their Term 3 sports. And
congratulations to all those involved in supporting the teams in their journey to grasp these wins.
Celebrating the life of Kevin Standish
It's with sadness we share the news of the recent passing of past PMSA
Board member Kevin Standish at only 66. Kevin had a long-standing
connection with PMSA schools and with the Presbyterian Church.
Kevin was appointed to the PMSA Board in 2010 and served for some time
on the Clayfield College Council as both a School Council member and as
Chair, as well as the Brisbane Boys' College (BBC) Council and the Somerville
House School Council.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin's family during this time of sorrow.
"The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18
PMSA Communique Term 4, 2020 /2
Welcome to new governance officers
Following recent callouts for new members on the PMSA
Board or one of the PMSA committees or School Councils, the
PMSA Board is very pleased to appoint four new highly-
accomplished governance members: Delvene Cockatoo-
Collins and Phillip Brooks to the Policy Committee, Dr Richard Delvene Cockatoo-Collins Phillip Brooks
Rylance to the Child Protection and Safeguarding Committee
and Sharon McAvoy to the Clayfield College Council.
The PMSA Board would like to warmly welcome these new
governance leaders to the PMSA family. These appointments
are a part of the PMSA’s continued transformation to become
a progressive leader in independent education and achieve Dr Richard Rylance Sharon McAvoy
our Christian mission.
In addition to these new appointments, current Council member Ken Watson has been appointed
Acting Chair of the Sunshine Coast Grammar School Council following the resignation of John
Glaister. Council member John Down has also been appointed Acting Chair at Brisbane Boys’
College Council. To read more about each of these appointments, visit PMSA news.
Indigenous Literacy Day
Our PMSA schools celebrated Indigenous Literacy Day on
Wednesday 2 September with student packs from the
Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF).
Kindly donated by UnitingCare, the young adult books are
engaging and humorous sharing stories of life and the
culture of Indigenous children living in remote Australia;
written by children from remote Australia and are available
in school libraries.
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a not-for-profit charity focussed on improving literacy levels
in very remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Acknowledgement of Country
As a part of the PMSA’s Christian mission and vision to build caring school communities, the PMSA
has developed a Groupwide standard to ensure respectful protocols are followed in all PMSA
meetings and gatherings publicly acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land. These are
also now included on PMSA public communication including our PMSA website and email footers.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our PMSA Group Office and
our PMSA schools stand and where our students have the privilege of learning each day – the
Turrbal peoples from the north side of the Brisbane River, the Jagera peoples of the south side
of the Brisbane River and the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara peoples of the Sunshine Coast.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
PMSA Communique Term 4, 2020 /3
Pledge for National Child Protection
During National Child Protection Week in September, the PMSA
pledged alongside hundreds of other organisations – “The PMSA
and our schools pledge to create safe spaces for children to
learn, where they are valued and their voices are heard.”
National Child Protection Week’s theme ‘Putting children first’,
aims to engage all members of the community to ‘Play a Part’ in
improving child wellbeing and keeping children safe in Australia.
In support of the Week, the PMSA encouraged all members of
our PMSA and school community to play our part in keeping our
children safe and well, particularly with the added stress on
families due to the pandemic.
This has always been important to our schools. Our newly
established PMSA Child Protection and Safeguarding
Committee, which is now a board-level committee, demonstrates the PMSA Board’s genuine
commitment to this very important issue. This Committee has some outstanding members with a
wealth of expertise and knowledge in the area. We are looking forward to further developing our
expertise and becoming a leader in child protection and safeguarding over the coming years.
More information
As I reflect on the 2020 year and the many challenges we are all experiencing, I strongly believe we
can seek strength and confidence for our journey ahead in God. I find Isaiah 41:10 gives me quiet
confidence for my journey "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will
strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand ".
If you would like more information about the PMSA or any of these stories, please see our website
for news at pmsa-schools.edu.au, Facebook page @PMSchoolsAssociation or LinkedIn page. If you
would like to receive information like this Communique straight to your inbox, please let us know
your details at pmsa-schools.edu.au/contact. We also welcome meeting with you directly. Please
contact us via email communications@pmsa-schools.edu.au or phone (07) 3371 0709.
With every blessing for the term ahead.
Sharon Callister
Chief Executive Officer, PMSA Group
About the PMSA
The PMSA owns four of south east Queensland’s outstanding independent schools – Brisbane Boys' College, Clayfield
College, Somerville House and Sunshine Coast Grammar School. The PMSA was formed in 1918 and is an ecumenical co-
operation between the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches to provide education founded on strong Christian values.
Operating each school together with a School Council, the PMSA provides the strategy and framework that fosters
excellence in teaching and learning, a caring Christian culture, and governance and policy-making support.
PMSA Communique Term 4, 2020 /4
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