BNSHS Newsletter 19 June 2024

Farewell from the Principal's Office

As the semester draws to a close, so too does my time as Principal at Bundaberg North State High School.  I will be taking long service leave at the end of this week and then retiring after 27 years at North High and 38 years in the Department of Education.  I arrived at Bundaberg North SHS in 1997 as a Head of Department for Home Economics.  I then became Deputy Principal for over 15 years before taking on the role as Principal in 2018.  

I want to thank the wonderful staff for their commitment to supporting all of our students.  Schools have become an increasingly complex place and the staff at North work tirelessly and are dedicated to providing the best support, education and guidance for our students. 

Thank you to the P&C, School Council and Local Community Education Body (LCEB) members for providing advice and guidance for our school and to our parent/carers for working with us to support the needs of each of the students.

I would like to wish our students all the best as they continue their studies this year and encourage them to always do their best to be the best and to strive to be an Outstanding Learner, with Outstanding Achievements and an Outstanding Future.

It has been a privilege to be the Principal of Bundaberg North State High School – we have a great school, and I am proud to have been part of the school community for 27 years.

Farewell,

Robyn Kent, Principal 

From the Principal's Office

I am delighted to announce the result of the recent recruitment process for the Principal position at Bundaberg North SHS.  I can now share with you the announcement made by Mr Darren Wallwork, our school supervisor.

Recently a recruitment and selection process was conducted for the principal position at Bundaberg North SHS. The successful applicant was Mr Craig Martin, who is currently acting Principal at Bundaberg SHS and is contracted through to the end of 2024.  Craig will commence duties at Bundaberg North SHS at the beginning of the 2025 school year. In the interim, Mrs Natalie Brandon has agreed to act as Principal at Bundaberg North for the duration of semester 2 during this transition period. I look forward to working with Natalie, the leadership team and staff in semester 2 and look forward to welcoming Craig to Bundaberg North SHS in the new year.      Kind regards Darren Wallwork, School Supervisor North Coast Region, Department of Education

I would like to congratulate Mr Martin on his successful appointment and offer my congratulations and thanks to Mrs Brandon who will be leading our school in Semester 2. 

Well done to sporting teams that competed in the interschool Netball and Rugby League competitions this term.   Congratulations to the Senior Netball team who won the Grand Final and to the Year 9/10 Rugby League team who were runner up.  An excellent result from the teams.

This week we are holding our athletics carnival.  We will be having a selection of events running on Thursday at school and then on Friday the whole school will travel to the Bundaberg Athletics Grounds by bus to attend our Athletics carnival.  There are no organised classes at school on Friday as all students will travel to the Athletics Grounds.  Please ensure that parents complete the online consent form.  Our school day will end at 3.00pm on Friday as the carnival will run all day.  Students will return to school by 3.00pm.  Students can wear their house colours or dress in the 1970s theme.  Closed footwear is required.  Students should also bring a hat and sunscreen.  A canteen will be available at the grounds.  Students are to remain at the grounds all day. 

Our Year 10s spent the day at Central Queensland University on Tuesday exploring the many opportunities that a university offers.  This experience will support students in their decision making for their Senior Education plan that they will be developing in Semester two.

Student assessment has been underway.  Semester one reports will be issued shortly followed by Parent teacher progress conferences early in Term 3.  Please watch for the information that will come out next semester advertising the progress conferences. 

Robyn Kent, Principal 

The Watson Report

Year 7 Class Changes

Congratulations to our year 7 students who have completed their first semester of high school! They have been working hard as they learn the ‘North’ way and high school procedures, participate in new subjects and make new friendships. 

As we approach the halfway point of the year we are making some changes to the year 7 classes. The purpose of these changes is to further support student engagement and academic progress. All year 7 classes will have student movement to accommodate student needs.  

A new addition next semester is our EAGLES class. Students will be invited to this class due to their academic excellence and commitment to their studies. The EAGLES class is for core subjects English, Humanities, Science and Mathematics. Parents/carers of students invited to be part of the EAGLES class will be contacted this week. 

All year 7 students will receive a new timetable indicating class changes when they return next term. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs Thornton, Junior Head of Department, or Mrs Watson, Deputy Principal, on 4130 0222. 

North Rewards

Gotchas are given ‘free and frequently’ to recognise positive student behaviour. Last Thursday was our ‘cash in’ day for term 2. Over 15,000 Gotchas were ‘cashed in’ for either a hot pie, sausage roll or soft drink. Great job students! Keep demonstrating Respect, Responsibility and Safety to receive Gotchas!

Next term we will recognise students with excellent effort, behaviour and attendance with an invitation to Reward Day 2. There will be one day for year 7 – 9 on Friday 9 August with a trip to Inflatable World and one day for year 10 – 12 on 16 August to Dreamworld. The first step for students is to review their report card to check they have achieved at least four ‘excellent’ results for both behaviour and effort. Report cards for years 7 – 10 will be released after the holidays.

If you have any questions or feedback about North Rewards, please contact Mrs Watson via email (rwats34@eq.edu.au) or phone 4130 0222.

Time to reflect

As we approach the end of term 2, it is a good time for students and parents/carers to reflect on student weekly organisation and study habits. Students should be able to answer ‘yes’ to the following statements:

• I take my Student Diary to school each day and to every class.
• I use my Student Diary to record assessment due dates and homework.
• I use a weekly study planner to organise my time.
• I use a variety of study techniques for revision.

For more information on study skills, see page 11 of the Student Diary. There is also a weekly planner and goal setting for each term located in the Study Section at the back of the Student Diary. This section also has further study techniques and information about health and wellbeing. 

For assistance setting up a weekly planner or using study techniques, students can ask their year level co-ordinator.

Wishing all students and families a safe and happy holiday. See you in term 3!

Rebecca Watson, Deputy Principal 

Get Ready for the BNSHS 2024 Interhouse Athletics Carnival

Japanese students to visit North

Japanese Homestay EOI

Anthony Holt, HOD English/LOTE

The Scene Project

This year, the newly formed Drama Club has been working, in conjunction with the Queensland Theatre Company, on a performance as part of The Scene Project.  The Scene Project provides a platform for new and emerging playwrights through commissioning a script, distributing the play to the schools involved in the project and providing those school students with a performance space to showcase their interpretations of the specially commissioned script.   This year, the script Flowers in Antarctica by Wendy Mocke, has provided plenty of inspiration for the Drama Club. 

After reading the play and developing some ideas, students had the opportunity two weeks ago, to workshop their ideas with Jack McGovern, a past student of Bundaberg North SHS, who has been employed by the Queensland Theatre Company as a teaching artist, running workshops with the students from participating schools. During the workshop, our students worked diligently all day, enjoying the activities and inspired discussions which led to the creation of the framework for their 15-minute performance.

Students have begun rehearsals and early next term will be taking their interpretation, The Short but Epic Life of Steve the Sardine to the Moncrieff Theatre to perform it in front of the Queensland Theatre Company and other Scene Project schools. 

Sue Latimer, Teacher 

Celebrating Victory in the Open Division BDSSS Netball Competition

We are thrilled to announce a momentous achievement by our senior girl netball team! After an exhilarating season in the BDSSS Netball competition, our team has emerged victorious in the Open Division. 🥇🌟

Over the last six weeks, students from Years 8-12 participated in this competition, showcasing exceptional skill and sportsmanship. However, it is our senior girls who deserve a special round of applause for their outstanding performance and determination.

In a nail-biting final match, our girls demonstrated unwavering spirit and resilience. Initially trailing behind St Luke’s, they unleashed their North High Spirit in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. With grit and determination, they secured a draw and subsequently won in a thrilling tie-breaker 23-21.

This victory is not just about individual talent but also a testament to the power of teamwork and unity. The girls' dedication to each other and to the game has truly paid off, showcasing the essence of North High's values. Congratulations to: Ariana W, Frankie M, Zahlia W, Savannah G, Bella J, Sarah W, Ashlee E, Ella G, Zahlie J! Your achievement has brought immense pride to North High, and we commend each of you for your hard work throughout the season. Let's continue to celebrate this remarkable success and look forward to more victories in the future!

Sophie Parkinson, Netball Coordinator

Join Opti-MINDS and Let Your Brilliance Shine!

Get ready to unleash your creativity and problem-solving skills because Opti-MINDS season is almost here! 🧠💡 Whether you're passionate about innovation, drama, engineering, or just love a good challenge, Opti-MINDS is the perfect opportunity for you to shine.

Opti-MINDS invites teams of 4-7 students from all grades to collaborate on a Long-Term Challenge over six weeks. Your mission: to develop a 10-minute performance based on a given scenario. It's a chance to think outside the box, push boundaries, and create something truly extraordinary.

Last year, North High proudly sent three teams to Opti-MINDS, with two teams advancing all the way to the state finals in Brisbane! Imagine the thrill of competing on a state-wide stage, showcasing your talents, and making memories that will last a lifetime.

Why Join Opti-MINDS?

Innovation: Explore new ideas and approaches to solve complex challenges.

Creativity: Express yourself through drama, design, and performance.

Problem: Solving: Tackle real-world problems with your team and find innovative solutions.

Interested? Register your interest with Miss Parkinson at spark408@eq.edu.au

This is your chance to be part of something incredible and connect with like-minded peers who share your passion for creativity and innovation.

Let's make this Opti-MINDS season at North High the best one yet! Join us, and together, let's make magic happen.

Sophie Parkinson, Opti-MINDS Coordinator

P&C News

Our tuckshop is looking for volunteers. Please email Jacky our convenor if you are able to offer any help jburt144@eq.edu.au 

We are always looking for new Committee members. The P&C meets once each month to discuss matters of concern to the school and the school community.  If you would like to connect to the P&C but are not able to attend meetings in person, we are happy to have you join the meeting via Teams or phone.  Meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month in the conference room in A Block and commence at 6:00pm.  You will find meeting dates on the school websites event calendar. 

www.facebook.com/bundabergnorthhighpandc

pandc@bundabergnorthshs.eq.edu.au

Mrs Shelley Hansen, P&C President 

P&C News

P&C ask for your uniform donations

My name is Shelly Hansen.  I am the President of the BNSHS P&C Association and I am seeking your help.  Sadly, there are students at our school whose families are not able to provide them with a uniform.  I would like to ask for your assistance by donating any items of North High uniform that your children no longer need.  The P&C try to support all requests for assistance but with your help we may be able to extend that support further.  

All uniform donations are greatly appreciated, and we thank you for the continued support of our school.  

Thank you for your help, Shelly Hansen, P&C President

Callout for volunteers

Can you volunteer some time either at home or in tuckshop?

We have some jobs for the tuckshop that could be completed at home such as cutting foil into squares, cutting burger paper (baking paper), putting labels on bags and more.

We also need assistance in our tuckshop. This can be a background position (not student facing). The jobs could include washing up, stocking fridges/ice cream freezer/spoons and helping with food preparation (cutting salads/fruit).

The main days needed are Tuesday and Thursday from 8am-12noon, but any amount of time from 1 to 4 hours would be extremely helpful.

We can also sign off on your Centrelink, work/volunteer forms.

If you think you could spare some time, please contact us via email – pandc@bundabergnorthshs.eq.edu.au

Shelly Hansen, P&C President 

Friday 5, Term 3 2024

Friday 5 - Students remaining at school until 3pm Term 3, 2024

Important dates

Containers for Change program

Bundaberg North SHS supports the Containers for Change program and raises money for student resources.  If you have empty bottles or cans and would like to donate them to North High we would be very grateful.   You can either bring them to school office and staff will give them to the Tuckshop or you can take them to one of the recycling depots and quote our school code – C10002160.  

Thank you for helping our school and the environment.

QParents in 2025 at BNSHS

QParents is all about making parents’ lives easier. QParents is a safe, private app to help parents and caregivers manage important details about their child’s education. Once you are registered, you can sign in securely and- Make payments online- Check your student’s timetable, assessment calendar and report cards- Inform the school of your student’s past or future absence- See upcoming events- View enrolment details- Update your contact details.

From 2025, the school will be asking all parents to submit their consent for excursions through QParents. Click the link below for more information or contact the school to arrange for your unique invitation code to start your registration process.

You can watch the introductory video at the link below to learn more about QParents and how it can work for you.

QPARENTS INTRODUCTORY VIDEO

Stymie - #saysomething

What does Stymie do for young people?

Of every 30 young people in Australia seven will be dealing with a mental health issue, yet only two will reach out for support. Stymie works with you to give the young people you are working with, the power to say something or ask for help. We are an early intervention initiative that changes and saves lives.

Stymie empowers young people to ask for help when they need support, or if they are seeing or experiencing harm.

Stymie provides online reporting for schools. Encrypted, anonymous notifications are delivered within seconds to authorised recipients, who respond according to their wellbeing framework. The notification provides the option to include screenshots or images that validate the notification.

Being able to anonymously report, relieves feelings of helplessness for those who want to help their peers but don’t quite know how. Our purpose is to support you in creating an environment where harm can be minimised and effective action can be maximised.

Stymie can be used by anybody. It does not have to be a student at our school. The link to make a notification is on the school website front page