BNSHS Newsletter March 17th

Sport cancelled 17th March 2021

From the Principal's Office

This week we intended to begin our sign up for the first round of our new sporting competition – Cooper Cup however this was postponed due to poor weather.   We will be holding sporting meetings with all students so that they all have the opportunity to hear about the competition and the sports on offer and get the chance to sign up for one of the 3 sports for Term 2 – Futsal, Rugby 7s and Netball.  We are aiming to increase student participation in sport by providing ‘in school’ gala days throughout the year.  Students will be playing at different locations throughout the year.  Term 2 gala days will be held in Hervey Bay.  Term 3 gala days will be in Bundaberg.  Teams from Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Gympie have been invited along with the state high schools in the Bundaberg district.  We are looking forward to the first round of competition.  If you have any queries please contact Rob Thatcher – Sports Coordinator on rthat1@eq.edu.au 

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the North High P&C is to be held on Thursday 25^th March at 6.00 pm in the Administration Block at school.  Please come along and support the P&C.  There are several fundraising functions planned this year and with the ‘just do one thing’ parent campaign we are asking that parents attend one meeting or one function to assist.  ‘Many hands make light work’.  Your P&C need you and we ask that you please consider how you may be able to help this year.

Students are completing assessment at present – this is sometimes a ‘stressful’ time for students if they are not organised with their time.  All students have an assessment calendar and a homework diary to help plan their study and commitments.  Students are welcome to see their teachers if they require assistance.  Students need to submit/complete assessment by the due date.  Any concerns about students not completing assessment by the due date need to adhere to the assessment policy.  Students should be familiar with our assessment policy that follows the guidelines from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA).   Progress reports will be issued for all students in Week 10 of Term 1 and then face to face Progress Conferences will be held on May 13^th.  More details will follow about these conferences at a later date.

Robyn Kent, Principal

Friday 5 - Students remaining at school until 3pm.

Chat with the Principal

Year 7 vaccinations

Last Friday we were advised by Q Clinic that there was a supply issue with the vaccine due to be administered to to all year 7 students. As a result only half of the year 7 students received their immunisation and the remaining students will receive their vaccination Thursday, 18^th March, 2021.  Please prepare your students for their vaccination by ensuring they have a good, nutritious breakfast and have had a drink of water or juice.  

C-it B-it

Over the last two weeks we have run the C-it B-it program. C-it B-it is a free program for invited schools and is designed for a secondary-level class of up to 30 students.

We’ve delivered a program to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEM – If you SEE -it, you can BE -it (C-it B-it). Run by Microsoft in partnership with Education Changemakers, and facilitated by Queensland Computers Bundaberg, the program’s goals are to:

• Expose students to young, engaging and highly innovative STEM professionals.
• Equip students with real-world, hands-on STEM skills.
• Build their confidence as inventors of STEM products.

Our first challenge was to create the beginnings of a robotic hand to begin to understand the challenges of technical innovation. The students have shown a lot of resilience to persevere with the detailed instructions to achieve the goal and create a robotic finger that mimics the movements of the hand wearing the sensor the students created. The students working in their teams have been delegating tasks and responsibilities to ensure that they achieved a successful outcome. Our next challenge will be to come up with proposals on how to take what we have learned in creating this robot to the next level. These proposals will be submitted and be judged by an independent panel and prizes awarded later this year, but with only 10 schools in Australia being invited to participate we like our chances. We look forward to seeing how our students rise to this challenge and the two future challenges set for later this year within the C-it B-it program.

Mr Burrell, Head of Department 

Year 7 Indigenous Culture Day

All students of Year 7 enjoyed their time actively learning about Indigenous culture. They played games testing their accuracy for hunting, threw a boomerang, wove bracelets, practised the brolga dance and had their face painted while also learning about the history in our Bundaberg area. Then there was a chance to handle a variety of Indigenous artefacts before making some artwork of their own and learning about traditional foods. A special thanks to the four Indigenous students who volunteered to assist with running bases. These activities links into the history unit currently being studied and has benefited the students to greater understand what these activities tell us about Indigenous culture.

Miss Rayner, Head of Department - Social Science

Clean up Australia

Sunday, March 7th was Clean Up Australia Day. Reducing litter, especially plastics, is important to secure the future of many wild species that mistake plastics for food, such as turtles and sea birds. Our Planeteers organised a community event at Moore Park Beach where we cleaned up the beach, sand dunes and adjacent park area. While we were only a small group, members of the community were impressed by our students' participation in the event, as well as their presentation and conduct. Thank you to those who participated and to the parents who got them there. We hope to see more students participating in this worthwhile event next year.

We also conducted a school Clean Up Australia Day event in the week prior. It was great to see plenty of non-Planeteers participating alongside our Planeteers. Clearly litter in the playground at school is a concern to many in our school community and people commented that the grounds did appear cleaner that afternoon compared to other days. We can prevent litter in our grounds by reducing single-use plastics in lunch boxes and using the many bins around the school grounds to dispose of rubbish.

Miss Roberts, Planeteers Coordinator

Day of Excellence

The BNSHS Days of Excellence Program is an extension and enrichment activity for nominated students from Northern Alliance state schools. The program gives students in years 4, 5 and 6 the opportunity to engage in activities linked with the Australian Curriculum’s General Capabilities focusing on critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, ethical understanding and intercultural understanding.

Northern Alliance principals are invited to nominate high performing, independent learners from years 4, 5 and 6 to participate in these events each term.

In 2021, the Days of Excellence will give students the opportunity to connect with local organisations and work to suggest a solution to a problem posed by this organisation. Each Day of Excellence will see students work with different local organisations, with their solutions being pitched to the organisation representatives.

The first Day of Excellence took place on Wednesday, 3^rd March, and saw students work with representatives from Bundaberg Tourism to develop a proposal for a new tourist attraction in the Bundaberg Region.

The creative collaboration between all the students was impressive. Their amazing ideas ranged from a water park and hotel at Moore Park Beach; an indigenous food garden and centre offering locally produced products and workshops; an indigenous art gallery and stand up paddle boarding experience based at Bucca; an extension to the Bundy Brewed Drinks experience; a multicultural festival and water park. The end pitches were well thought out and the representatives from Bundaberg Tourism were very impressed.

A huge congratulations to all the students who participated in the day, we are looking forward to working with you again soon!

Big thanks also to Bundaberg Tourism for donating their time so generously.

Miss Gray, Head of Department, Junior School

Cross Country 2021

North High’s Annual 2021 CROSS COUNTRY will be held on Tuesday 30^th March from 9am – 10:00am.  This is a voluntary competition.  Students who want to participate in the cross country competition do not need to register until the morning of the race. Runners will go to their Period 1 class teacher to have their roll marked and then they should report to the registration area behind the hall.  Runners will need THEIR OWN WATER BOTTLE as no water cups will be provided.  Runners will compete in the age group that they turn this year.

Runners may wear their running clothes to school and change into uniform after the race. Appropriate shoes must be worn. No music devices are allowed.  This is an inter-house competition with point being awarded to students' house - Mabbro, Monduran, Tirroan and Walla.

From the Sports desk

Unfortunately Summer finals day which was to be held Thursday 1st April has been postponed until Thursday, 29th April.  The Cross Country was run earlier this week and we had a great turn out of students.  Results of Cross Country will be announced at the first whole school assembly next term.

Students will find the 'Sport at North High' page on their Sharepoint site will have all the information they need along with links to downloads and the BDSSS calendar.  

Parents can head to our school website, and visit the Sports page for all the same information.  You will find links to the website below.  

Mr Thatcher, Sports Coordinator

Shave for a cure / colour for a cause.

NORTH HIGH ROCKS – Virtual ‘Shave for Cure / Colour for a Cause’. Are you feeling the pinch of social isolation? Are you itching to do something?  How about helping to find a cure for blood cancer?  Then, join ‘NORTH HIGH ROCKS’ and have your head shaved, cut or coloured!

Our ‘colour for a cause’ / ‘shave for a cure’ event will be happening on 31^st March. This is Wednesday of week 10, Term 1. 

Simply click on the link below,

https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?TeamID=122791

then click on the ‘join our team’ tag just under the big green sponsor button.

We ask that you fundraise within your family and through your social media platforms. Due to social isolation restrictions we ask that you do not go seeking sponsors by ‘knocking on doors’.  We cannot stress this enough - NO door to door canvassing for sponsorship!!

Parents must sign the consent form at the link below and specify if they are consenting to their student colouring or shaving. 

Please see Mr Hogan for more information.

P&C News

The next P&C meeting will be held tomorrow, Thursday 10th June.  We would love you to join us: 6pm at the Administration block.  

North High school back packs are still availabe for purchase through the school canteen.  These bags are large, tough and have a lifetime guarantee.  They are a great buy for just $70. 

Have you thought of using the QKR app to pay for your students tuckshop orders?  You can order and pay in advance, or even order for a whole week ahead.  

Chess Tournament

The 2nd Children's Sunday Chess Tournament run by the Bundaberg Chess Club is being conducted on 28/03/2021. All enquiries about Bundaberg Chess Club Junior Chess should be sent to mobile:- 0418686497 or email presidentjohn@live.com.au. 

Cost is $8.00/child. A maximum cost of $16.00/family for 3 or more players. The cost includes 6 rounds of competitive chess plus a chess lesson from Mr John Harris who is a top-rated chess player in Bundaberg. 

1st round commences promptly at 9.00 am at the U3A building (upstairs) next to Improvements Gym on Woongarra St, Bundaberg.

Could players please arrive 15 mins early to register for the tournament. The session should finish approximately 12.20-12.30 pm. All children need to bring a water bottle and sufficient morning tea.

Prizes are given on each Sunday for 1st to 3rd place, with 2 lucky door prizes and 2 prizes for most interesting game. Children can accrue points through regular attendance at the Sunday Tournaments towards Grand Prix prizes at the end of the year.

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.