BNSHS Newsletter March 3rd

From the Principal's Office

As we reach the middle of term 1, students are starting to complete their first assessment tasks.  All students have access to their personalised semester 1 assessment schedule from OneSchool.  I would encourage all parents to be familiar with the assessment schedules of their children and assist them with managing their time to complete assessments by the due date.  We have a Bundaberg North SHS Assessment policy available on our website and students should be familiar with the expectations of assessment.   Assessment schedules are also available to download through QParents. All students will receive a progress report in week 10 of Term 1 followed by an opportunity for parents and students to meet their teachers for individual progress conferences on 13th May, 2021.  All students have been issued with a homework diary to assist them with managing their work.  The diary is another tool to help students develop organisational skills. I encourage you to check your child’s diary regularly.

Our P&C AGM and meeting will be held on Thursday 11th March.  We welcome all parents.  Our meetings are held at 6pm in the Administration block – second Thursday of the month.  Please come along.  We would like to promote our ‘Just one thing’ campaign again this year – if every parent could do ‘just one thing’ eg attend one meeting or offer to help out at one of the P&C functions etc it would benefit our children. 

Thank you,

Robyn Kent, Principal

Friday 5 - Students remaining at school until 3pm.

Junior School news

Self-Regulation

Recently I had my 10 year old make a statement about how unfair life as a child is stating; ‘You don’t understand because adults get to do what they feel like doing, when they feel like doing it.’

This is a statement that I often hear from students and it highlights an aspect of adult life that perplexes them.  

They are right, as adults we often have freedom over what we do and when we do it. The police don’t come to our house and arrest us for not vacuuming or haul us off to prison for eating cake for breakfast.

So, why do we drag out the dreaded vacuum and clean our house? Why don’t we eat cake daily for breakfast?

The question really is: how do we keep ourselves from shirking the responsibility of cleaning the house when we don’t want to? How do we refrain from starting the day with a oversized like of chocolate mudcake?

The answer is self-regulation. It is a vital skill but it is something that as adults we instinctively do. This semester when our Year Level Coordinators are speaking with students about being in the ‘wild brain’ at moments of choice how the qualities of self-regulation, responsibility and integrity are key.

During RAS, parades and curriculum classes our students have the opportunity to learn about these important qualities. We hope that from these learnings students are aware and able to explain and identify what self-regulation looks like and feels like when faced with a challenging situation. We look forward to providing our students with ‘outstanding futures’ by really future proofing them with skills such as self-regulation.

Cyberbullying

Whether you love it, loathe it or simply accept it, social media is part of life, especially for teenagers.

Social media issues are often complex and multilayered. At Bundaberg North State High School we deal with issues of cyberbullying in line with our Student Code of Conduct; however, there is a lot you can do to assist your student if they are impacted by bullying online.

Cyberbullying is the use of technology to bully a person with the intent to hurt or intimidate them. One in five young people have been bullied online.

Some examples of cyberbullying include:

• hurtful or abusive messages 
• creating fake accounts in someone’s name to trick or humiliate people  
• spreading nasty rumours or lies about someone 
• sharing photos of someone to make fun of them or humiliate them 

“Remember that bullying behaviour is way more a reflection of that person who is being mean, than it is a reflection of you” 

What to do

Resist the urge to respond 

Resist the urge to respond to any hate targeted at you online, it usually just makes it worse. Often people will say hurtful things just to get a reaction and you don’t want to be associated with that or provide them with any reason to get you in trouble as well. Stick to treating people the way you want to be treated online and offline, and you will definitely feel better about yourself. 

Screenshot evidence  

Before you block or delete, make sure you screenshot. If you’ve seen or been the target of mean or nasty stuff online, your immediate reaction might be to make it disappear, but it’s really important you keep evidence of it. This might help you out down the track if they continue to be nasty and you need to report it to eSafety (through eSafety Commissioner). However, if the bullying material involves nudes, be aware that possessing or sharing such images of people under 18 may be a crime, even if the picture is of you or you have just taken a screenshot for evidence purposes – this would become a Police issue.

Report and block 

Most social media services, games and apps have a function that makes it easy to report and block online bullying. You can find reporting links for social media, apps, games and websites in the eSafety guide (Australian Government eSafety Commissioner) . If people continue to post mean stuff about you that you can’t see, but your friends tell you about, encourage your friends to report it too. 

Talk to someone 

Cyberbullying can make you feel isolated and like everyone is out to get you, but that’s not the case. Make sure you talk to people you trust and get support from mates or adults that have your back, and you’ll realise that you are not alone. At school you can make an appointment through a Year Level Coordinator to talk about your concerns and get support.  

Report it to eSafety 

If you have trouble getting the content removed and you are under 18, you can report it to the cyberbullying team at eSafety. With their assistance, you get the hurtful content taken down and they point you in the right direction to get help and support.

It is an expectation that all students follow our Student Code of Conduct.

Parents I urge you to take a moment this week to speak with your student about what applications they are using online and the interactions that they are having. Social media is not an abstract place, it is a parallel world that some of our young people frequent and together we all need help them to be accountable and responsible as they would in their normal everyday life.

For more great resources and useful information around the big issues related to supporting parents and young people around e-safety, visit the eSafety Comissioner website at https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/big-issues.

Mrs Arnold, Deputy Principal - Junior School

NAPLAN online

Year 7 and year 9 students will be undertaking NAPLAN online from Tuesday 11^th May to Friday 21^st May. As this will be our first year transitioning to the online version of NAPLAN, your student may be involved in test familiarisation activities in the coming weeks. If you would like more information or have any concerns about NAPLAN, please read the NAPLAN Online information brochure, or contact the school.

C-it B-it

Our school has been selected as 1 of 10 in Australia to participate in the C-it B-it program.

It is open to all students from 7-10 with up to 6 mixed teams of 2-5 students. The first of the three challenges is to build part of a robotic hand, which we will be trying to extend into making a full robotic hand that mimics your hand through student manufactured sensors. The other challenges will be done in terms 2 (Astro Fashion) & 3(light it up).

Microsoft, through Education Change makers and with the support of our local Queensland Computers (who nominated us, thank you), have supplied everything that is needed to compete in the challenge. 10 Microsoft Surface laptops and pens and complete kits for the students to make the robotic hands, required sensors, and Arduino kits to run them have been supplied.

Please be aware that it will be limited to the first 6 teams that register for the event which are filling fast. Watch out for updates on the student progress.

Mr Burrell, Head of Department

Free dress day - Tuesday, 9th March

On Tuesday, 9th March the 2021 Student Council will hold their first free dress day for the year.  The theme is 'throwback' and students are encouraged to find an old photo of themselves and dress the same as the photo.  A gold coin donation is required and proceeds will go to Student Council projects.  Students should be reminded that they must still comply with the school's regulations in relation to sun safe, appropriate clothing and covered-in shoes.

Introducing....

My name is Helen Mader and I’ve recently joined the team at Bundaberg North State High School as a Year 7 English and Humanities teacher. I find so much personal reward in teaching. Having experience in a variety of settings from prep to upper primary, special education, and in inclusion and accessibility at the university, it is a real privilege as a teacher to spend quality time with students, and to promote their holistic education.

I firmly believe that what you put in to life is what you eventually get back. That certainly is the case with my job. I am blessed with such a professional and collaborative team here working in the best interest of all the students.  I look forward to getting to know your children and being an advocate for them in finding ways to engage them in learning, whilst supporting their socioemotional needs. Like most folk in this profession, I revel in those small moments where we make a connection, and see the kids evolve and develop in confidence.

Outside of work I strive for some balance with family time, enjoying coffees with friends and walks by the ocean to recharge and restore energy for a new week of learning.

Swimming carnival 2021

On Thursday 18^th February, North High held their annual Swimming Carnival at the Norville Pool. It was a great day filled with competitive and social swimming events, as well as water polo. There were many proud competitors from each of the houses: Tirroan, Monduran, Walla, and Mabbro. The events consisted of free style, breaststroke, back stroke, butterfly, and relays. The teachers and grade 12 students had a relay as well, with the students winning! There were a large number of people dressed in their themed 'pool party' attire, lots of inflatables and Hawaiian shirts of their house colour. Big thank you to all the teachers and students for making the annual Swimming Carnival a fantastic and fun day. When the points have been finalised, the results will be announced on Parade and then published in the newsletter. May the best house win!

Tayla Christie and Hannah Ferguson – Mabbro House Captains 

Social and Community Studies

During first term the Year 11 Social & Community Studies class have been learning about “Health: Recreation and leisure. On Friday 27/02 and Monday 01/03, the class went on excursions to the ‘Bundaberg Botanical Gardens’, ‘Lake Ellen Heritage Hub’ and ‘Boreham Park’. The purpose of the excursions was to view the types of recreational facilities the Bundaberg Regional Council offers to its residents and visitors.

The term culminates in a project in which the students design their own ‘Recreational Precinct’. Not only do they ‘design’ the precinct, they have to explain what a ‘Recreational Precinct’ is, the role the precinct plays in the community, justify the ‘facilities’ they include in their precinct and the role the Bundaberg Regional Council plays in providing these facilities to the residents of ‘Bundaberg’ and its visitors.

11 'REC'ers take on the jack

Lawn bowls is the Semester 1 sport for the Year 11 Recreation students. Students have been having fun learning about the draw & drive shots & strategies to take out their opponents. Students are enjoying the slower pace sport at the Burnett Bowls Club & interacting with the volunteers. They have a few more weeks to harness their skills to bring home the championship title against their peers.

Miss Tibbey, 11 & 12 Recreation Coordinator

Indigenous induction camp

Our Junior Indigenous Induction Camp at Riverside Retreat was a great start to 2021 for our students.  The overnight camp gave the students the opportunity to build relationships with fellow peers and staff.  

Students participated in a number of fun activities such as beach olympics, canoeing, team building activities and obstacle courses during the 2 days. One of the biggest highlights was the opportunity for the students to experience camping out in the bungalows.  

Thank you to all students and staff who attended the camp, we look forward to the experience in 2022!  

Jayden Alberts, Community Education Counsellor

Change of exam dates

Year 11 Tourism

Wednesday 24 February the two year 11 Tourism classes embarked on a tour of the Bundaberg area beaches as well as a stop at the Bundaberg Area Tourist Bureau.  The aim of the day was to collect data for their assignment on Local Tourism.  The assignment asks the students to create a tourism event or place which would increase tourist numbers to Moore Park Beach.  We were very lucky that it was a beautiful day, even if it was a little humid and hot, to be out and about.  The students were able to walk around at Elliot Heads and chat to some locals and tourists about what they thought about the area.  Our second stop was at Bargara after a drive through Innes Park.  At Bargara the students were encouraged to walk around the main area and look at the shops and the beach to be able to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the area as a tourist attraction.  The tourist information centre was our next stop where we were given a talk by the lovely ladies from the centre about how tourism impacts the local economy.  The classes and I were surprised at what the tourist information centre had to offer.  Our last stop was at Moore Park, so that students could begin to form their ideas for their assignment.  It was a fabulous day and one that was enjoyed by all, including the bus driver.

Mrs Burrell, Tourism teacher

Year 6 experience day

Oh what a wonderful Experience Day the Year 6 students had while the Bundy North High  students were at their swimming carnival. The students and their teachers from Bundaberg North, Kolan South, Sharon, Oakwood, and Moore Park Beach state schools loved getting a chance to experience the specialist subjects North High offers.

A huge thank you to the North High teachers who hosted the day – your passion for your subjects shone through and it was a  delight to see happy faces of eager learners throughout the day. 

Mrs Gray, Head of Department - Junior School

Defence force visit

Last month we had a careers information presentation by representatives from the Australian Defence Force. Students were informed about the many jobs in the ADF, eligibility, commitments and more. See the link for the information session at the Multiplex on the 29th of March. 

CQU connect with Year 8 students

The Year 8 cohort have commenced a 3-lesson program during JETP led by the CQUniversity Connect Team. During these lessons, students will have a chance to investigate how their personality aligns with potential careers, explore current and future occupations, investigate skills and capabilities for the future workforce, and get tips on how they can begin shaping their future now. The program is delivered mainly by current University students and all lessons are interactive, with activities and videos designed to inspire thought discussion. 

Miss Coulton, Guidance Officer

Mayor's Telstra Innovation Awards

We currently have 1 team getting ready to participate in the Mayor’s Telstra Innovation awards 2021, but we are looking for more. There is still time for interested students to register an entry for this and if you are interested please contact Mr Burrell in The Arts staffroom lower C block.

Meet the Emotional Brain

Last newsletter we learned a little about the region of the brain referred to as “Wild Brain”. This time, we meet our “Emotional Brain”.

The Emotional Brain is a complex combination of different systems in the brain linked with memory, learning and emotions. It overlaps with some parts of Wild Brain and is difficult to simplify. Part of the Emotional Brain is our Limbic System - a key system in the management of our neurochemistry. When our Emotional Brain is happy, our limbic system releases more “happy chemicals” such as endorphin, oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine into our system. When our neurochemicals are balanced, we feel safe, connected and “happy”. When we are in this state, we learn more efficiently.  As we learn how to feed our emotional brain we are able to empower ourselves towards maximising our time in the learning zone.

From the Sports desk

2021 Cooper Cup

In 2021 North will compete in the Cooper Cup. This will see us compete in sport against schools from across the Wide Bay and Capricorn districts.

Teams will meet for a ‘carnival’ type day during the last week of terms 2 and 3. Teams will be divided into Y7/8; Y9/10 and Y11/12. Team nomination and selection will start during term 1 and continue throughout term 2.

During term 2 coaches will organise ‘practise’ games against other state schools in Bundaberg. These games will have to be played after school and own transport would be required. The Cooper cup games will be played during normal school hours.

A bus will be provided to transport teams to Hervey Bay in term 2. There will be a small fee that will be finalised closer to the date.

In 2022 Cooper Cup will also be played in term 1, with 3 more sports on offer. We are very excited to be a part of the Cooper Cup and believe it will provide students with greater opportunities to be involved in sport, especially to those who may not have given sport a go in the past. We encourage all students to consider playing in a team both in term 2 and 3.

Term 2, Week 10 – Hervey Bay

Netball, Futsal, Rugby 7’s (Boys & Girls)

Monday 21/6 – Yrs 7 & 8

Tuesday 22/6 – Yrs 9 & 10

Wednesday 23/6 – Yrs 11 & 12

Term 3, Week 10 – Bundaberg

Touch, Basketball, Volleyball

Monday 13/9 – Yrs 11 & 12

Tuesday 14/9 – Yrs 9 & 10

Wednesday 15/9 – Yrs 7 & 8

Please follow the links below for information about Bundaberg trials

P&C News

The “Bundaberg North High P&C Association” will hold its annual general meeting on Thursday 11 March 2021 at 6pm in A17. All positions are declared vacant. If you would like to nominate for a position, please complete the attached form and submit to me prior to the meeting:

• President
• Vice-President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Any other committee member the association may decide

We would really welcome your involvement in making our P&C / school the best it can be.

Extract from Constitution – Nomination of Office-bearers

Officers of the Association may only be elected as follows:

1. any two members of the Association (the Nominating Members) may nominate another member (the Candidate) to be an Officer
2. the nomination may be made:
   1. in person, by the Nominating Members, at the relevant meeting, or
   2. if the Candidate cannot be present at the relevant meeting, by giving the Secretary, before the meeting, a nomination in writing signed by the Nominating Members and the Candidate
3. if there is only one nomination for a position the Candidate will be elected to the relevant office if the candidate receives the votes of a majority of the members at the meeting
4. if there is more than one nomination for a position the Candidate who receives the majority of the votes will be elected to the relevant office.

Important dates

TALKING FAMILIES:Are you having one of those weeks where you feel like you haven’t quite got this whole parenting thing figured out? Don’t worry, you’re far from alone. Check out some practical ways to reframe our thinking and realise we’re all in this together.  Click on the link below for more information.