BNSHS Newsletter 31st July 2024
From the Principal's Office
Schools not only reflect the community which it serves but also build on and contribute to it by creating an environment where local identity and pride are fostered and celebrated. Over the past 2 weeks, the Bundaberg North SHS Community spirit and pride has been on full display in numerous settings. None more so than the Bundaberg Relay for Life. Our team of 29 students was led by Mrs Nelle Hearn and Mrs Amanda Denham, not only raised over $2500 but did it with fun and enthusiasm to the extent they were awarded the Best Themed Team at the event and Mrs Hearn was recognised with the individual award “2024 Individual Spirit of Relay Award”!
At the end of Week 2, our Sports Performance Program hosted the year 5/6 Rugby Tag competition here at school for students from our Feeder schools. It was a fun day of competition led by our senior Sport and Rec students which contributes to the transition of students from primary to high school.
Last Wednesday we welcomed the Japanese students and staff from Hakua High school with Mr Stephen Bennett (Member for Burnett) and Deputy Mayor Tracey McPhee attending. Mr Anthony Holt (HOD Languages), Ms Katrine Rayner (retired HOD) and Ms Rebecca Watson (DP) have ensured a fun, informative, 2 week visit for them to our beautiful region. Thank you to the families who have graciously opened their homes for the students to stay in over this time. The Hospitality students under the careful and expert guidance of Ms Liddell catered this event, exposing our guests to a variety of iconic Australian foods.
On the weekend, Ms Robyn Kent and myself has the pleasure of attending the North Lions Club 50th Year Dinner where our very own Mrs Keri Jensen was recognised for her community spirit and work with participating students over 12 years in the Lions public speaking competitions with the Citizen of the Year Award for 2024.
Also on the weekend, our Year 12 Coordinator, Mrs Deb Coates, attended the Quota Student of the Year dinner with 4 of our Year 12 students. Whilst all four students represented the school well, it was Ruru who achieved an Encouragement Award on the night!
Week 3 of this term also saw our Year 10 students getting out into the community on their work experience placements. This opportunity is a vital component of student development as they move through their final year of compulsory schooling and need to be making decisions about their future pathways. By participating in work experience, it allows students an opportunity to gain insight into the world of work and helps them to narrow down their fields of interest. We are extremely proud of all those students who participated. Personally, it was great to see Eddie at GX Outdoors (formally Grillex) when I was at the Principals’ Breakfast Industry Reference Group meeting on the Friday morning.
For those who didn’t participate or would like to go out again on work experience, there is still opportunity to on any of the holidays. Students should see Mrs Prince in G block for details and paperwork for this.
Continuing for the Year 10s this week is more information about their Senior Pathways with the Subject Evening and Subject Expo. Thank you to those families who attending the evening. Please take the time to consider the best pathways for your student at this point whilst trying to keep as many doors open as possible as students will change their minds! Below is a link to the Senior Subject Description booklet should you need to access it. All students have access to one printed copy each. Next week, the year 10s will commence work on their Senior Education and Training Plans (SET Plans) in OneSchool which is a place for them to document ideas / interests and their research into these fields so they can make informed decisions about what is the best pathway and course of study for years 11 and 12.
Attendance
As we analyse our Semester 1 data over these past few weeks, it has become evident that student attendance is over 8% lower on Fridays with over 25% of the school population away on a Friday! Whilst we have our Friday 5 with students able to go home at 1.10pm, can I please reinforce the need to attend each and every Friday which is a normal day for ¾ of the day. We hear many students saying it is only a half day – it is not! There are 3 full curriculum lessons occurring every Friday. Students should be at school each and every Friday just like every other day of the week. Please don’t be fooled by students saying ‘its only half a day’.
Also remember, there is always the option to remain at school to work on assessment, revision and /or homework in supervised groups if you are unable to pick students up at 1.10pm, this is a better option then keeping them at home instead. (see the form later in the newsletter if you need to register your student to attend Friday 5, or simply ring the office).
Natalie Brandon, A/Principal
The Watson Report
Nominations for Major Awards at Presentation Night 2024
At Bundaberg North SHS we have a Presentation Parade morning event and an evening event Presentation Night. An Award Committee has been formed to consider students’ achievements and involvement in extra-curricular activities. There are many awards across year 7 to 12. Some of these awards are determined by academic results, others consider representation of the school or extra-curricular activities. We recognise student involvement in the following categories: service, cultural, sporting, leadership. Year 12 students have the opportunity to nominate for our major awards. These awards include:
- Mayor’s Medal
- AMPOL Best All Rounder
- Burnie Johnson Citizenship Award
- Gladstone Ports Corporation Student of the Year Bursary
- Senior Cultural Award
- Gold Award
- Sportsperson of the Year.
Nominations are now open for year 12 students to complete the application booklet. A copy of this booklet has been emailed to students, and paper copies are available from the office. Students are encouraged to apply providing as much information as possible. Please note all applications must be submitted to the office Friday 16 August.
Reward Days Term 3
This term we have two Reward Days to recognise positive student behaviour and effort, with over 130 students who achieved a Reach for the Sky award, invited to attend. Students can attend the reward trip (see below) or get a $5 tuckshop voucher. Students have been asked which reward they would like. Electronic permission notes will be sent to parents/carers this week. Please note that both the trips (Inflatable World or Dreamworld) have a required co-contribution from parents/carers. All permissions and payments must be made by the due date mentioned in the electronic permission form. We’re looking forward to seeing students enjoy their rewards!
YEAR 7 - 9 | YEAR 10 - 12 |
Friday 9 August Inflatable World session (2 ½ hours) $10 co- contribution from student | Friday 16 August Dreamworld trip $50 co-contribution from student |
LEAP Clubs at North
Each semester there are many club activities on offer at Bundaberg North SHS to engage and extend students. Please see the list of current clubs on offer below. All clubs are free and open to students from any year level. Join a club for a fun way to spend break time!
Rebecca Watson, Deputy Principal
Earth and Environmental Science
In year 11 Earth and Environmental Science, students have learnt about how the Earth’s atmosphere has changed over the history of the Earth and how increasing greenhouse gas emissions causes more thermal radiation to be trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. Today students tested models of greenhouses to observe how a thicker atmosphere increases the temperature and how the Earth’s albedo (how light or dark the surface is) also plays a role in absorption and reflection of thermal radiation. Students used our Vernier data loggers to create graphs to show how the temperature changed for the different models. In year 12, the students will look in more depth at climate change and Earth hazards and will continue to investigate the importance of models to understand phenomena on Earth. Learning about these topics helps students to make up their own minds about these often political issues and to think about solutions for the future.
Tracey Roberts, Teacher
Ecoman @ Ulton Accountants
A big congratulations to Year 11 Business students Bryce, Ben, Mia and Hannah for their participation in the Ecoman Program sponsored and held at Ulton Accountants last week. These students were responsible for improving the profitability for a fictional business over three days. Students took on the roles of Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer, Production Manager, Human Resources Manager and Marketing Manager. All of the school groups presented their annual results and company outlook on the final day to a group of prominent business owners, Ulton Partners, school teachers and parents. The school is very proud of your efforts.
Keri Jensen, Teacher
Sport at North
Student Success!
Big shout out to Malae, Toa, Bailey, and Hayden for representing North last week in the combined Bundaberg Schools Open Boys team against Xavier Catholic College in the Dolphins Cup! The boys fought hard, showcased their skills, and brought the North spirit to the team.
Well done, boys! We're proud of you!
Year 11 Sport and Recreation Success!
This term, our Year 11 Sport and Recreation students have been diving into events management. On Friday, North High hosted its inaugural Rugby League Tag Tournament for our local feeder primary schools! Year 11 and 12 Sport and Recreation students took on various roles throughout the day, from officiating and scoring to timing and managing. They all did an outstanding job on the day!
A huge thank you to Moore Park Beach SS, Kolan South SS, Sharon SS, and Yandaran SS for participating and showing great effort, sportsmanship, and positivity.
Congratulations to the Year 5/6 Moore Park Beach SS team for winning the tournament in a thrilling GF! And a big shout out to our Year 11 and 12 students for running such a fantastic event!
Thanks again to our local Dolphins and NRL GDO’s for their support on the day!
SPP Rewards Trip!
Recently, 40 students from our Sports Performance Program were rewarded for efforts in upholding the program's high standards! They had an incredible day in Brisbane, touring the Dolphins' home ground and facilities at Kayo Stadium. Students explored the players' training, recovery, and preparation areas, and chatted with Dolphins staff about being their best by investing in themselves and careers in the sports industry.
The excitement continued as they watched the Dolphins take on the Rabbitohs that night. For many, it was their first live NRL game, and they were thrilled to witness such a great match. They even got to snap photos with some of their favourite players from both teams after the game!
A massive thank you to the Dolphins NRL for this amazing opportunity and their support of our program. Our students were incredibly grateful and enjoyed every moment.
We can't wait for our next rewards trip!
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
Important dates
| Friday, 22nd August | QATSIF Graduation | |
| Monday, 25th - Tuesday 26th August | Wide Bay Athletics | |
| Monday, 25th August | BSHS | QAMT Year 7/8 Maths Quiz |
| Tuesday, 26th August | BNSHS Admin | P&C Meeting 6pm |
| Wednesday, 27th August | St Lukes | Chess - Wide Bay North Interschool tournament |
| Wednesday, 27th August | BNSHS Hall | Case of Conspiracy Incursion |
| Thursday, 28th & Friday 29th August | QUT | Year 10 QUT & Mathema Gallery STEM Trip |
| Thursday, 28th August | Dorrie Day | |
| Friday, 29th August | Bundaberg Netball Association | Netball Carnival |
| Monday, 1st - Friday, 5th September | Inside Advance Manufacturing Showcase - Student Tours | |
| Monday, 1st September | Student Council Meeting | |
| Tuesday, 2nd September | School Captain Interviews | |
| Tuesday, 2nd September | BNSHS Oval | Feeder School League Tag Event |
| Tuesday, 2nd September | Bundaberg Showgrounds | RYDA Road Safety Excursion |
| Thursday, 4th September | Bundaberg Touch Association | Wide Bay Schools Touch Competition |
| Friday, 5th September | Student Free Day | |
| Friday, 5th September | Senior Reports Issued | |
| Saturday, 6th September | Riverside Christian College, Maryborough | OPTI-Minds Regional Event |
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
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.
Friday 5, Term 3 2024
Friday 5 - Students remaining at school until 3pm Term 3, 2024
This form is not activeYear 7, 2025 enrolments open