BNSHS Newsletter 21 February 2025

From The Principal's Office

Welcome to the Week 4 Newsletter

I can report that students have made a truly positive start to the school year. As a principal I prioritise a visible presence around the school and on my rounds. I have noticed students in classes, following the ‘North Way’ and meeting our High Expectorations. The wearing of uniforms has impressed me with nearly all students meeting these expectations. I congratulate everyone on the attainment of this standard. The way in which we present ourselves is valued by the community. Employers, contributors to the school and community groups see high standards and appreciate that the values of the school are being embedded in student responses.  This bodes well for future student opportunity. It is my wish that employers and work experience providers have great confidence in the performance and values of our students, ensuring that students are provided with every opportunity of success.

I have attached a few comments from recent events which reflect the take up of our values.

“When I rang to pay Vinter’s Secret Winery for the visit yesterday, the owner wanted to pass on that the student’s behaviour was exemplary. 

She was very impressed with their behaviour and said how lovely they were.

It’s nice to hear good feedback about our students.”

“Good morning James,

The Bundaberg North IP@B group were great last week.

They engaged enthusiastically with all the activities in the program. At the conclusion of the industry visit with Strategic HR Supports the presenter Nathan thanked the students and sincerely told them he would have no hesitation in recommending any of them in the group to an employer. What a great encouragement for them all!

Looking forward to seeing the students again this week.”

Staff note too that rubbish is significantly less around the school and I congratulate all students for their commitment to this agenda.

Most pleasing has been the evident respect and mutual recognition between staff and students. Behaviour has been positive and the tone of the school, is truly positive.

If you or your child are having any concerns meeting the uniform expectations or engaging successfully at school, I encourage you to reach out to our support team who are more than willing to assist.

An area to consider is student attendance. Every Day Counts and we need to ensure that students are attending school, to provide them with the very best academic and social outcomes. The school attendance rate sits at currently 87%. When students are not attending, they are missing valuable learning and also likely to experience some fractured social experiences. Attendance is a key element of the Senior Agreement. For students to gain acceptance into the Sports program and receive invitations to some extra curricula events, their attendance needs to meet state expectations, generally over 90%.

I have provided an update of attendance per year level

I would like to mention the start of our Rugby League program and the generous sponsorship from Cheshire Machinery and the Local IGA on Gavin St and Phillips Energy who have committed financially to support the growth of our students in this program. Please have a look at the Sport @ North article below with links to the Cheshire Machinery Website to see the launch of the program.

Students next week will complete in the Lions Youth of the Year competition, a public speaking competition which allows students to demonstrate their maturity, communication skills and experiences. I wish everyone the best in this competition.

Our student council continues to provide positive leadership opportunities for the student body. I am pleased to report our engagement in the Shave for a Cure program where we will have a non-Uniform day on March 25. The student council provides a positive link back to the leadership team, providing feedback in weekly meetings.

Next Tuesday we have a school council meeting, where members of the community provide advice and direction and considerations for the leadership team. This meeting is valuable in steering the future direction of our leadership. To discuss these plans, please connect with the school council members whose names and portfolios will be on the school webpage.

I would like to welcome to the school our School Based Police Officer. Mitch will be with us at various times through the week. He can support with a range of issues that students may experience. Please book a time to meet with him on Friday if you have any concerns.

I thank all of the parents and carers who engaged with the Meet and Greet this Tuesday. It was wonderful to see connection being forged which will support educational outcomes for students.

Please support the delivery of our technology priority. The ability for students to have access to a device is critical for student engagement and success. Please watch this space as we will provide further updates re opportunities to borrow devices if parents are experiencing difficulty purchasing one.

Craig Martin, Principal

Senior Schooling Update

Formal Uniforms

It has been fantastic to see the vast majority of our Year 11 and 12 students wearing their formal uniforms with pride each Tuesday. Their commitment to upholding the school’s standards is commendable and it is clear that our senior students have risen to the occasion.

This pride in our school will be on full display at the upcoming 2025 Senior Investiture, scheduled for Tuesday, 25th February. This significant event marks an important milestone in our senior students' journey and we encourage all students to ensure they have the correct formal uniform for the occasion.

If any students are missing uniform items or are experiencing difficulties in accessing them, please reach out to the school for assistance. Our Year Level Coordinators, Janelle Hearne (Year 11) and Jessica Grogan (Year 12), are available to provide support and guidance.

Thank you to our senior students for representing Bundaberg North State High School with such pride and dedication.

Senior Assessment Calendars & Draft Dates

Senior Assessment Calendars were issued in RAS this week but are also available on One School and through the Q Parents App. We encourage students to record their assessment dates in their diaries, with an emphasis on draft dates for assignments and projects.

Teachers are emphasising the importance of the draft process, as it allows students to receive quality feedback and enables timely intervention if needed. If drafts are not up to standard or not submitted, teachers may contact parents/guardians to ensure students remain on track. This process helps ensure all students receive valuable feedback and reach their full potential. Ultimately, it keeps senior students on track to attain their QCE.

Vocational Education & Training

A wide range of students are actively engaging in Vocational Education & Training (VET) opportunities both internally and externally in Years 10, 11, and 12. Qualifications in Carpentry, Construction, Automotive, Electrotechnology, Health, Hospitality, Plumbing, Visual Art, and Salon Assistant Certification, among others, are currently being accessed by our senior students.

Many students are also participating in work experience, and in some cases, securing school-based apprenticeships and traineeships after completing their qualifications. It is fantastic to see so many students exploring diverse education pathways, both within and outside the school, to further their education and career aspirations. These opportunities align with the pathways students planned during last year’s Senior Education & Training (SET) Interviews.

Overall, it has been a great start to the year in the senior schooling space. Stay tuned for more pathway opportunities as we will continue to share information with students and families as they arise. At this stage in the term, our seniors need to ‘stay the path’ and focus on their upcoming assessment items to consolidate a strong Term 1 for 2025.

Aaron Ross, Deputy Principal

News from Mrs Brandon

Junior Sector News

Both Year 7 and 8 students have settled into the 2025 school year well. The students are wearing their uniform with pride, prepared for class – taking their diary into each lesson - and engaging with their classes. They have banked a large number of GOTCHA stamps which are our ‘free and frequent’ rewards for displaying our school values: Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Learning.

A new initiative this year in class is the use of a Literacy Assessment Placemat which is an A3 page with the Achievement Standards that will be used for this term’s assessment in the middle, key words and cognitions on one side and Learning Goals on the other. Teachers are referring to this placemat regularly across the week’s lesson to help students understand how they are going to be assessed.  Students have been asked to set goals for each subject using this placemat. It would be great for parents to ask their students about their goals on their placemats and for the students to explain how they will achieve this. If they can’t do this, encourage the student to talk with their teacher so they fully understand how they will be assessed and therefore, what they need to do to achieve that goal.

GOTCHA Stamps

As detailed in the first newsletter, we have introduced a new format of GOTCHAs Rewards for students with students obtaining a GOTCHA Passport to collect their stamps in and then banking sheets of 20 stamps with their RAS Teacher. This has been so well received across the school, we already have banked over 50,000 stamps! This is testament to the great start to the school year we have had!

Assessment Planners

By the end of this week, all students will have received their assessment planner print out, which details, for the Year 11 and 12s, all assessment for the year (minus the VET courses provided by external providers) and for Year 7-10, their assessment up to the June/July holidays.

In line with our school Motto – Realising Your Potential - this year we have added Draft Due Dates to the planners as students should be submitting a near complete version of their assignment / project at this Draft Date. This will maximise the feedback they are receiving from their teacher and, if acted upon before Final Due Date, should increase students results.

Below are links to the generic Year Level Planners for your reference. Alternatively, students have a printed copy or can access it via OneSchool, or Q Parent app users can see the assessment dates within this app – another great reason to get logged into Q Parents!

Resilience Project In RAS

Our rollout of The Resilience Project as the foundation of our wellbeing program is continuing in Year 7,8,9 and 11, with Resilience lessons also occurring in years 10+12. A cornerstone of the project is the practice of GEM – Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness.

We can already feel the building of a positive, friendly school culture within the grounds with students and staff greeting each other on the pathways, with a happy ‘Good Morning’ as they pass. I encourage you, the parents, to practice gratitude by asking your student questions like “what went well for you today”, or “what was a highlight of today?” By phrasing questions like this, it helps students to look for the positives of the day.

Attendance

Unfortunately, we already have a whole school attendance of below 90%. We strongly encourage all students be at school each and every day, unless they are unwell. Many students are also arriving late, that is, after the 8.45 start of day bell. If your student travels by bus, they are not to move away from the school, they should be entering the grounds as soon as they get off the bus. Likewise, parents who drop their students off, we need students here by 8.45am each and every morning.

Phones – Away for the Day!

Just a reminder that the State wide ban on mobile phones, smart watches and earbuds continues to be enforced. Students should not be accessing these devices during school hours – 8.45am to 3.00pm each day. If you have to contact your student during these hours, you should call the office if it is an emergency or leave a message for your student and they will respond after 3.00pm. Students should not be contacting parents / carers directly when they are unwell. If they are so unwell, they need to be collected, they should be in Sick Bay, where staff can monitor them and contact parents should the need arise. We appreciate your support in enforcing this policy, given its direct impact on the improve focus and engagement in classes we saw last year.

Natalie Brandon, Deputy Principal 

NAPLAN Online

NAPLAN testing for student in Year 7 and 9 will occur from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March 2025. NAPLAN testing takes place exclusively online. Prior to the exam proper, students will practice using the online platform. Students are asked to bring headphones during the testing period. Headphones must be wired with a standard headphone plug. If students do not have headphones of their own, headphones will be provided by the school for the duration of the testing period.

A demonstration of the online testing, platform is available for parents at the public demonstration site.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN online, or wish to have your student withdrawn from the test, please contact the school and ask to speak the NAPLAN administrator Michael Findlay, or download a withdrawal record from the link below. All withdrawal forms need to be completed and returned to the office by Friday 7^th March.

Mick Findlay, Deputy Principal

School Photo Day - 19 March 2025

We are excited to announce that School Photo Day is just around the corner! It will take place on Wednesday, 19 March 2025.

Professional photographers will be on campus to capture memorable portraits of your student. To ensure the process runs smoothly, we kindly ask for your cooperation with the following:

• Forms and Payments: Please place your order online before the day of photography. Go to www.advancedlife.com.au and enter this code: XREVMX8E2. If you are unable to order online, please have your child hand the completed order envelope, directly to the photographers on the day of photography.
  
• Preparation: To help your child feel confident and ready, please remind them to brush their hair and teeth before leaving home. Should your child feel they need to wear makeup, please ensure that it is natural and subdued in nature
  
• Absent students: If your student is unable to attend school on Photo Day, we will arrange for a catch-up day on Thursday, 20 March 2025.
  
• Uniform
  
  • Year 7-10 – sports uniform
  • Year 11-12 – formal uniform (including school tie)
• Jewellery
  
  • Small studs or sleepers in ears (preferably only one)
  • One small nose stud (if required) We would appreciate this being removed if possible
    
  • No visible necklace
• Hair
  • Neutral hair colour
• Make-up
  • Natural and subdued in nature  

Students with inappropriate uniform, jewellery, hair and makeup will be supported by staff to meet school requirements. Students will only be permitted to participate in photos once these requirements are met.

We are looking forward to a successful Photo Day. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school office.

Mick Findlay, Deputy Principal

Year 7 & 10 School Immunisation Program

The Year 7 & 10 School Immunisation Program, run by Ozcare, is scheduled for the following dates at Bundaberg North SHS

• Year 7 HPV & dTpa Year 7 Clinic: Wednesday 26 March 2025 at 9.00am
• Year 10 ACWY & MenB Dose 1 Double Clinic: Wednesday 26 March 2025 at 9.00am
• Year 10 MenB Dose 2 Single Clinic: Wednesday 18 June 2025 at 8:45am

Emails have been sent to parents/carers of Year 7 & 10 children with more information and how to provide consent/non consent for this program.

If you are having any issues creating an account or booking this service, please contact the school’s immunisation service provider, Ozcare at administration.bundaberg@ozcare.org.au or by phoning 41308900.

Shelley Thornton, Junior School HOD 

Agriculture Students Explore Local Farming Practices

Seventeen Agriculture students recently embarked on an exciting Introduction to Agriculture excursion, traveling through Childers, Gin Gin, and Moore Park to explore local farming industries.

The journey was both educational and enjoyable, with students gaining firsthand insight into agricultural processes in the region. The highlight of the excursion was a stop at Vintner’s Secret, where students had the unique opportunity to speak with the owners about grape growing and winemaking. This hands-on experience provided valuable knowledge about viticulture while allowing students to appreciate the beauty of the park-like surroundings and animals during lunch.

This excursion offered a fantastic blend of learning, adventure, and agricultural appreciation, reinforcing the students’ passion for the industry.  All the students demonstrated the North Way during the excursion, earning high praise from everyone.

Tanya Derriman, Teacher 

Good news story-Huge thank you to our wonderful students!

This week we had the opportunity to witness how amazing our school community is in supporting each other. One of our vulnerable students found themselves in an unusual situation which they were not familiar with. Our students banded together and helped this student until they were safely reunited with their parents. We are so proud of how they supported each other and our student to help them feel safe and part of our wonderful school community.

Lynda Ehrke-Malone, HOSES

Up, Up and Away

The two Year 12 Tourism classes are currently preparing a Traveller Information Package for their International Tourism and Travel Unit. The majority of students have chosen to research Japan whilst others have selected destinations like Hawaii, Iceland, Thailand, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Singapore, Bali, Germany and Italy. We have enjoyed visits from our Principal Mr Martin and Deputy of Senior School Mr Ross, who have shared with us some of their personal travel highlights.  The travel itineraries are looking very impressive with students creating them in Canva. Keep up the great work students!

“Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”.

Keri Jensen, Teacher 

Clean Up Australia Day

Sunday March the 2^nd is Clean Up Australia Day. Each year we organise a community clean up where students can participate in a clean up in the local area. This year we are cleaning up the North Lions Park from 4.00pm to 5.00pm, meeting at the toilet block. Participating students need to wear school uniform for identification, including correct footwear for safety. Students should also wear a hat and sunscreen. Each participant will be provided with gloves and rubbish bags. Parents are welcome to stay and participate too. Each student participating needs to have a consent form completed beforehand. These can be collected from Mrs Roberts in upper C block staffroom. Extra forms will be available on the day if required. Each student will receive 30 gotcha stamps for participating.

On Thursday February 27^th we will also be doing a lunch time school clean up. Students wishing to participate in this event should meet outside of classroom CG10 (under C block) at 1:15pm (second break). Students participating in the lunch time clean up will receive 20 gotcha stamps for participating.

Let’s help reduce litter going into our waterways.

Tracy Roberts, Teacher & Planeteers coordinator 

Accounting students ventured to Brisbane

Recently, year 11 and 12 Accounting students ventured down to Brisbane for the 2025 BEAQ and QUT Student Accounting Forum. Students began with a Q&A session with guest speakers, featuring Matt Friend who is an accountant for the Brisbane Broncos. The students then got a taste of university life, learning about the DuPont Analysis tool. They finished the day off with a job costing session whereby students were tasked with building a bridge out of Lego. All students did a fantastic job of upholding the school key values for the entirety of the excursion. 

Amy Wilson, Teacher 

Reef Guardian Eco-Challenge

Bundaberg North State High School is a Reef Guardian School. Each year we enter the Reef Guardian Eco-Challenge. Last year we won in the Senior digital division. This year’s challenge has been released. It is a series of 8 small challenges that each involve at least one aspect of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) and are also aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Each registered student who submits an entry into any of the 8 challenges will receive a participation certificate. Students who submit entries for all 8 challenges will receive an “Eco-challenge champion” certificate. Winning entries will receive a certificate, a Reef Guardian School hat and a Virtual Learning Experience from the Reef Authority for their class. Every entry will go into an overall draw to win a GoPro Hero action camera. So, the more challenges you enter, the more chances you have to win. There are separate categories for middle school (7-9) and senior school (10-12). Students who wish to register should contact Mrs Roberts (trobe176@eq.edu.au or upper C block staffroom). Entries are due in September this year.

Tracy Roberts, Teacher & Planeteers coordinator 

Sport at North

Swimming Carnival Consent Form 2025

SPORTS PERFORMANCE PROGRAM 2025 – OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED!

We are beyond excited to kick off our Sports Performance Program for 2025!

A huge welcome and thank you to our incredible sponsors who are backing our athletes this year:

• Platinum Sponsor – Ross Cheshire from Cheshire Machinery

• Gold Sponsor – Nellie Bannister from IGA Local Grocer (Gavin St)

• Silver Sponsor – Jeff & Martin Philips from Philips Energy

We’re also proud to continue our partnership with Dolphins NRL, who continue to support our program!

At our launch, our Rugby League students showed off their brand-new training uniforms and put their media skills to the test with some player interviews!

Our students have been grinding in training both after school and in sport classes, and we can’t wait to see them hit the field with skill, pride, and determination!

Massive thanks to our sponsors for making this possible – your support is helping us provide more rewards and opportunities for our students!

GO CRUSHERS!!

Bundaberg District Cluster 1 Trials

The 2025 Bundaberg District Cluster 1 Trials calendar has now been published on our website. Students can see Mr Thatcher in L Block for more information.

GPs in State School Program at North

Did you know that Bundaberg North State High School has a Nurse Practitioner (NP) available 4 days per month? I’m here to provide health advice, medical assessments, and support for students right on campus.

✔️ Need help managing asthma, acne, stress, or sports injuries?

✔️ Want advice on sleep, nutrition, or general wellbeing?

✔️ Have concerns about sexual health, periods, or chronic conditions?

I provide a confidential, supportive space, with no cost to discuss health concerns. Drop in and say hi!

📅 Location: Nurse/GP room (shared with Nurse Robyn)

Claire Bayliss, Nurse Practitioner 

Friday 5, Term 1 2025 Registration

Friday 5 - Students remaining at school until 3pm Term 1, 2025

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

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 

The School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI)

The School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI), established by the Australian Government to provide free home internet for unconnected families with school‑aged students has been extended until 30 June 2028.

The national cap for this initiative has been set at 30,000 and nominations will be accepted until this target is reached.

New families eligible for the SSBI will receive free home internet until 30 June 2028. Families who have already signed up for the initiative will have their service automatically extended until 30 June 2028 (no further eligibility checks will be required).

Families are able to self-nominate through the National Referral Centre. The National Referral Centre can also provide families assistance with nomination details and contacting and arranging a service provider if required. The contact details for the NRC are:

1800 954 610 (10am-6pm Mon-Fri AEDT)

www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.

Webchat and call-back options are also available via the website.

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.