tis the season of farewells, as we head to glorious summer. I wish all our students and their families happy holidays and festive good cheer with our extended families and friends. It is a very happy time, the long hot summer in Queensland with Christmas bringing us together. We say farewell to esteemed Teacher colleagues, Ms Crane (SS Japanese), Miss Fung (Music), Miss Goodwin Film TV and New Media, and JS PE), Mrs Hiley (Yr 5), Mrs Muir (Chemistry, Science and Munns House), Mr Pederson (Maths, ITS, Business, Careers and academic assistance) and Dr Simeoni (Physics and Mathematics). Sadness at the departure of these highly regarded people comes chopping at the heels of our Year 12s’ departure last Friday, poignantly a very happy occasion at their Graduation Assembly. A few words in a Newsletter article will not do justice to any of these Teachers and their profound work for the School with their care for the children and the extras that they all have done whilst at CCPS. The new Principal, Mrs Cuthbert, is this week engaged with the selection process for new staff and no doubt announcements regarding appointments made will soon be forthcoming for our community. For my part, I am so glad for our Year 12s that their QCS Test results are considerably stronger than the previous year’s. This means that they will receive good positive scaling results, for their subjects, with their OP results being published Saturday 14 December. Whilst the OP is only a snapshot in time, a single number, and its meaning is soon lost in time as young people drive onwards into the future, it is still a measure of achievement for each young person in Queensland. It has been my pleasure to have helped our students to learn in my seven years as Principal, and we look forward to a glorious summer in the years ahead, with new staff and new Principal. I thank our community for their support for the School, and to me. I borrow powerful meaningful memories with me, of happy faces in the wind, the sea and the sun. There are very happy days ahead for all. Dr Dirk Wellham – Principal