No. 10 Term 4 Newsletter 2021

Principal's Message

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope everyone had an opportunity to recharge the batteries ready for another big term. We have certainly hit the ground running. Our students at BCHS have the opportunity to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities from sport, music and drama to personal development and community service programs. The wide-range of extracurricular on offer presents students with opportunities to work together beyond the classroom.

Extracurricular activities are a part of most students’ everyday lives. I believe these activities have positive effects on students by improving behaviour, attendance, confidence, academic performance, school completion rates, preparation for post-high school life, and social growth. This is certainly supported by research which clearly shows a positive relationship between participation in extracurricular activities—whether they are sports, fine arts, or other—and academic success. 

Among many of the benefits involvement in extracurricular activities can:

• Provide a productive break from study. Extracurricular activities can offer a welcome break from studies and homework. They can provide the chance to get outside and exercise, see friends, pursue a hobby or simply de-stress and refresh their mind. They also help limit the time in front of a TV or computer screen.

• Help students build skills outside of the classroom. Extracurricular activities are great for developing general academic and soft skills. Think debating for public speaking, academic competitions for exam strategies and sport for teamwork. Balancing a number of commitments can help to improve time management skills and can boost self-confidence.

• Open students’ minds to new interests and views. While students usually have the opportunity to pursue a wide range of study areas through core subjects and electives, extracurricular activities allow students to explore an interest in more depth than what is covered in class — or maybe even find a completely new interest that they wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise. They can also provide a great chance for students to broaden their perspective of the world, particularly those involved in volunteering and community service programs.

• It looks good on a resume. Extracurricular activities are great to include on a résumé as evidence of well-rounded interests and skills. Participation in sport can indicate that your child has the ability to work as part of a team, the drive to reach and improve on goals and the commitment to attend regular training sessions. If your child has secured a leadership position — as a school, house, music or sports captain, for example — this will instantly catch the eye of both universities and employers.

• Provides social opportunities. Being part of a group or team provides a sense of belonging, with extracurricular activities offering an opportunity for your child to interact with others with similar interests and potentially build friendships outside of their usual circle.

God Bless
Craig Frattini

From the Deputy (Curriculum & Administration)

Curriculum Matters

Last week we held our Parent-Teacher interviews based on the reports issued at the end of Term 2. These reports will form the basis of our upcoming Academic Assembly in Week 6.  This assembly will recognise students using our Level Awards system – Gold (Level 1), Silver (Level 2) and Bronze (Level 3).  A letter detailing the new awards format was sent out to families early in Term 2.  The following are the Level cut-off percentages for the awards:

• Level 1 (Gold): 85%
• Level 2 (Silver): 78%
• Level 3 (Bronze): 70%

The assembly will be live-streamed with the link sent out on the day of the ceremony.

Assessment Calendars have been uploaded to the Compass homepage.  Students are reminded to make a note in their planners of when their assessment is due.  A reminder that if students in Years 11 and 12 are ill, they are required to submit a medical certificate if they are applying for special provision (purple form).  For students in Year 7 – 10 a note from home is sufficient. 

The final elective rotation for students in Years 7 and 8 will occur August 25^th.  Students in Years 9 – 11 who are looking at changing subjects are reminded this is the happen as soon as possible to reduce the catch-up time for the new subject.

Year 10 students have commenced work on their Careers Short Course in preparation for subject selection.  The successful completion of the Careers Short Course means students bank one point towards their QCE.  Year 11 students should start seeing the points they have accumulated after the completion of Unit 1 appearing on their Student Learner Account with QCAA.  Year 12 students will start to see the confirmed IA1 results for General subjects on their Student Learner Account.

Year 12 students and families were sent the Mock Block Timetable last term as well as the QCAA External Assessment Timetable.  Students also have access to the dedicated Google Classroom set up for quick reference.  Material relating to the external assessment has also started to appear on the Compass homepage.

This semester we will be holding subject selection sessions for students in Years 8 and 10.  In the coming weeks the handbooks will be published for reference and will provide the opportunity to do some pre-reading before the events.

School of Rock

I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate and say thanks to all those involved in the production and performance of School of Rock.  The Arts industry has been hit hard with covid-19 restrictions over the past two years - shows cancelled, audiences capped, live bands not permitted.  School of Rock was the first time a live band/orchestra could play in the Burdekin Theatre in two years.  When reflecting on the incredible achievement that was School of Rock, I thought about friends who have lost the opportunity to perform, draw an income and explore their creative side.  Right up until opening night we lived with potential that at any moment the show could be cancelled if covid-19 cases were on the rise.  Therefore, there was a degree of relief that we could bring our show to the stage. I have been proud of the shows I have directed and produced for the school.  I have been spoilt for choice when working with incredibly gifted and talented teenagers who are prepared to give up their time to represent their school, some of whom have moved on to a career in the creative industry – sound and lighting design, performance, costumes, some even starting their own performance school.  We don’t produce a musical every year, but when we do, it’s always a joy for those involved.  Supporting these students is a wonderful team I have worked with over a number of years to help bring these shows to life – Mr Guy, Mrs Wright, Miss Giovenco, Mrs Jones, Miss Licciardello, Mrs Licciardello, Mrs Reents and Mrs Telford – thank you for your help and guidance.

Elisa Rigano
Deputy of Curriculum & Administration

From the Deputy (Religious Education & Pastoral)

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you all had a restful break and are recharged for a busy second semester. 

Pastoral Expectations

Below is from my address to students from assembly this week:

Our focus this term is on respect, because it is at the heart of all we do at BCHS.  At BCHS we have respect for:

• Our faith
• Each other
• Ourselves
• Our learning, and
• Our school

How do we show this respect? We show respect to our faith by participating in homeroom prayer in morning and whole school Masses.  We show respect to each other by speaking nicely to one another, or not spreading rumours about someone else either in person or online.  We show respect to ourselves by working to the best of our ability and being the best version of ourselves that we can be.  We show respect to our learning through being prepared for our classes, completing our homework and assessment the best we can, and not disrupting the teaching and learning in the classroom.  And finally we show respect for our school by being proud ambassadors of BCHS both at school and in the community; by looking after our facilities and not vandalising or damaging school property; by wearing our uniform with pride; and the penultimate way that we show respect to our school is by making an effort each and every day to do your best and act your best in all situations.

It has been wonderful to see students settle back into school routine so quickly.  Well done and let’s keep the momentum going.

Mobile Phones and Cameras

A reminder that students do not need to use their mobile phones, cameras (digital or disposable), or other non-authorised devices while at school.  A student’s laptop is the only device that students should have on them during the school day.  We do have digital cameras, iPads, and other equipment that students can use should they need them for assessment or projects.  We encourage students to keep all other devices at home, or to hand them in to the Office for safekeeping during the day.

Online Safety

It can be hard to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape when it comes to technology.  Thankfully there are some great resources out there to help support parents and carers.  One such resource is the eSafety Commissioner, they have a range of resources from webinars, programs and training accessible via their website.

The following Term 3 webinars are aimed at upskilling parents and carers to support their teenager navigate risks online:

• eSafety's guide to online sexual harassment and image-based abuse

This Term 3 webinar will help parents and carers to understand online sexual harassment and image-based abuse, (non-consensual sharing of intimate images).   It is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 13-18.

• eSafety's parent guide to popular apps

Learn how to help young people safely use popular apps including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.  This webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 8-13.

Further information, including how to register for these webinars, can be found at https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars .

Founders’ Day

Catholic Education Week will be celebrated in Catholic schools in Queensland from 25 – 31 July 2021.  This annual event is held to promote the special ethos of Catholic schools and to highlight the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day.  

The theme for this year’s celebrations is:  A Spirited Tomorrow.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.

There are 309 Catholic schools in Queensland that educate around 154,000 students and employ more than 20,000 teachers and staff, and most will celebrate Catholic Education Week in some way.

In celebration of Catholic Education Week we will be celebrating Founders’ Day on Tuesday 27^th July.  St Colman’s Catholic School and St Francis School will join with us at BCHS to celebrate the proud tradition of Catholic education in the Burdekin since 1912.  Founders’ Day will commence with a combined schools Mass at 12pm in the Marcellin Centre.  We will then have afternoon tea before moving into groups and engaging in rotational activities for periods 5 and 6. 

Please take note of the following:

• Tuesday 27^th July will be a Wednesday timetable, which means Mass will be held in the assembly period. Wednesday 28^th July will be a Tuesday timetable.
• The Mass will be livestreamed, links will be published via our Facebook page on Tuesday morning.
• All students can wear sports uniform on Tuesday.  
• The tuckshop will only be operating at morning tea (first break) on Tuesday, students will not be able to collect orders or purchase anything at second break.
• Afternoon tea (fruit and biscuits) will be provided to all students.

It has been a number of years since we have been able to run Founders’ Day in this way due to renovations and COVID restrictions.  As a school we are very excited to be welcoming our primary visitors and I know that each one of us will make them feel welcome and at home at BCHS. 

A Prayer for Catholic Education

Almighty Father,
You sent forth your Son as a beacon of hope for all people.
As Teacher, he has given us the prime example of the importance of education.
As disciples, we look to him for inspiration and strength.
Thank you for the many sisters, brothers, priests, and laypeople who have dedicated their lives in service to our Catholic schools.

Thank you for the teachers and administrators who sustain our schools today.
Thank you for the parents who have given support and witness to the importance of Catholic education in their daily lives.

Thank you for the students who work hard to further their education.
Bless Burdekin Catholic High School and the many people who advance our mission.
May our building be a home for those who seek to grow in faith, knowledge, and service of others.

May our community always support one another and exhibit hospitality to newcomers.
St. Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.
St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop, pray for us.
And let us always remember, to pray for one another.

Amen.

Emma Timms
Deputy Principal – RE and Pastoral etimms1@bchs.catholic.edu.au

Year 6 Transition Day

We held our first Transition half day at the end of Term 2 for the 2022 Year 7 students. After arriving at midday students assembled in the Marcellin Centre where they were welcomed by Mr Frattini, Ms Timms, the Pastoral Leaders, and our Year 11 students. They enjoyed some afternoon tea before splitting off into groups to participate in the planned rotations. The three rotations included Sport, Drama, and Science. It was great to see students engaging excitedly in all areas as they settled into a totally new school setting. The day concluded with questions and feedback. We can't wait to see the future Year 7 students back again for our next Transition Day later this term. 

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MULKADEE 2021

Mulkadee 2021 was a great experience for all and is a significant event in the life of our Diocese. Mulkadee Youth Arts Festival, through Townsville Catholic Education proudly presented The Wizard of Oz on July 23rd.

Tutorials and the final concert happened last week at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre. Mulkadee focuses on the Arts and gives students the opportunity to be involved with great tutors who are experts in their field. Students also get the opportunity to meet and work with other students from across our diocese.  

Burdekin Catholic High School representatives include:

CHOIR:
Ashley Fawkes
Charlize Carter
Charlotte Agius
Layla Caston
Nina Oliveri
Piper Grogan
Reannea Wirth- Mc Intosh

DRAMA:
Faith Taylor
Mia Galbraith

Keep a lookout for daily updates shared on the Mulkadee facebook page. 

Anna Telford
BCHS Mulkadee Representative

Athletics Carnival

On the last day of Term 2 we held our annual Athletics Carnival. The sun was out and the students were buzzing with excitement as the day's activities kicked off. After weeks of training for some and amazing participation from others, the day came to a close and it was time for the winners to be announced. Marcellin went home victors scoring 3351 points, closely followed by Clarence on 3336 points. Polding came in third on 3039 points but also came away with the Spirit Trophy. 

Makayla Pirrone set the only record for the day in the U/12 100m running event, previously held by Bree Sexton in 2017. 

RECORDS SET 

Female U/12 100m  - PIRRONE, Makayla (Marcellin) - 14.52
Old record - SEXTON, Bree (Clarence, 2017) - 14.71

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Athletics Carnival - Age Champion & Runner-up Awardees

U/12 Female - Makayla Pirrone
Runner up - Lacey Catanzaro

U/12 Male - Jedd Giddy
Runner up - Carter Licciardello

U/13 Female - Matilda Richards
Runner up - Karli Cox

U/13 Male - Seamus Casey
Runner up - Charlie Predabon

U/14 Female - Ellyana Mugica
Runner up - Ashley Fawkes

U/14 Male - Nate Di Bartolo
Runner up - Kirk Viero

U/15 Female - Brigette Davies
Runner up - Maddison Smith

U/15 Male - Karl Dabelstein
Runner up - Austin Dewar

U/16 Female - Milla Castello
Runner up - Logan Roncato

U/16 Male - Jaycob Pirrone
Runner up - Oliver Gabiola

U/21 Female - Ciara McDonnell
Runner up - Amity Cornford

U/21 Male - Roman Iturriaga
Runner up - Ben Villis

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School of Rock - Musical

Congratulations to all those involved in the production of “School of Rock”.  “School of Rock” was an outstanding production.  Musicals don’t just happen.  They require a team effort and many hours of sacrifice. Overall, about fifty people were involved either as cast members, theatre crew, production team or musicians.  We even had past students come back and be part of the production team.  “School of Rock” was a high octane production from start to finish.  The moment at the end when we revealed the students playing the final two songs of the show, the cheers of the crowd were something special. Thanks to all those who supported our show, we truly appreciate it.

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NAIDOC Day

Year 10 Career Education Short Course

Year 10 students participated in the Career Education Short Course in Week One of this term.

The focus of the course is for students to recognise their current skills and attributes and explore options for the future.

During the week students had exposure to various presenters and experiences:

• QTAC delivered an ATAR zoom session (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank – previously the OP) This was specifically designed for year 10 students. Attached is the ATAR Presentation
• Guest speakers from local industries talked about 21^st Century skills relevant to their fields of work.
• JCU Experience, students participated in guided tours and had the opportunity to talk to lectures and students across all faculties.
• Virtual work experience.
• Heads of Departments talked to students about senior subjects.
• All students were issued a hard copy of the QTAC 2024 Year 10 Guide, which outlines the prerequisites set by Universities.
• Year 11 and 12 students talked about their experiences as School-Based Apprentices, Distance Education, and Central Queensland University, Start Uni Now (SUN) subjects.
• QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) was explained.
• Students were also shown how to access detailed information about Senior subjects on the QCAA website:

The week was not solely focused on ATAR and University pathways. Students who are interested in Trades were shown the TAFE at School guide which details the courses delivered at Home Hill and Townsville TAFE. (See attached)

The Career Education Short Course has four assessments, where upon completion of all four, students will earn ONE QCE POINT.

On the last day, we came together to pray and set a goal. Students wrote on a colored piece of paper a goal they would like to achieve by the end of the year. These goals will be returned to students at the end of Term 4.

Here are some more important events for Year 10’s and parents this term.

Career Expo: Monday, 2^nd August

Subject Selection Evening: Wednesday, 18^th August -5:30pm

SETPlan Interviews (end of Term 3)

Visual Art - Nykee Kynuna

Year 12 Visual Art student, Nykee Kyuna, has been selected by Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, to partake in a 3-day residency program.

“On the first of August, I fly south to Brisbane to attend the Design Tracks Art Workshop at the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA). I feel honored to have been selected to attend Design Tracks and intend to make my family, community, and school proud.  Many thanks to Mrs. Ellis, Mrs. Telford, Ms. Graham, and the school for supporting me with my application. The opportunity to workshop my art at QAGOMA is extremely exciting.”

‘Design Tracks: Creative Pathways’ is an annual 3-day residency program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait  Islander secondary students from across Queensland. It is hosted by QAGOMA Learning. The program offers students opportunities to work alongside established Indigenous Australian creative mentors. ‘Design Tracks’  encourages participants to feel inspired by the Creative Industries and consider their own future career pathways.

Senior Science

Year 11 Biology undertaking Student Experiments. To gain practice and prepare for assessment tasks in Year 12, students worked in groups to develop a laboratory-based research question on enzymes. They designed, performed, and then evaluated data from the experiment to draw conclusions from their evidence.

• Year 12 Chemistry students completing the final assessable experimental task for their graduation year. Students worked in a group to modify a method that allowed them to investigate factors that influence electroplating of copper. After gathering data, they individually interpreted and evaluated the results to prepare formal scientific reports.
• Another group worked to modify a method that allowed them to investigate the influence of salt or “farm run-off” on the growth of duckweed. After gathering data, they individually interpreted and evaluated the results to prepare formal scientific reports that form 20% of their final marks towards units 3 & 4.