No. 16 Term 1 Newsletter, 2024
From the Principal
Welcome to the new school year! Being new to the school, the past two weeks has been a high of celebrations and meeting new people accompanied by a challenge of weather. Burdekin Catholic High School is certainly an exciting place to be and I am thoroughly enjoying my move to the school and to the Burdekin region. Watching teachers, students and families returning with a sense of optimism, fully engaged in the life of our school community is fabulous. Meeting many new people that share a love of the school has been personally rewarding. I have enjoyed being able to connect with so many people.
50th Anniversary
This week I had the priviledge of offically launching the 50th Anniverary of Burdekin Catholic High School during the Opening Mass. I would like to share with you all my words of launch...
Today is a special day as we move into 2024, but this year is extra special! We gather not just as a school community but as torchbearers of a rich legacy that spans five decades. It is with immense pride and gratitude that I stand before you to announce and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Burdekin Catholic High School. Celebrating the moment when the land on which we are gathered became a co-educational high school, the moment it was officially named Burdekin Catholic High School.
Fifty years ago, a vision became reality as our school opened its doors to eager minds and hopeful hearts. Over the years, this school has grown into a nurturing haven of learning, shaping countless lives and fostering a sense of community that echoes through generations.
As we reflect on the past half-century, we cannot help but marvel at the remarkable journey we've undertaken together. Our school has witnessed the triumphs and challenges of each era, guided by a commitment to excellence, respect, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Today is not just a celebration of time passed; it is a testament to the dedication of every educator, the resilience of every student, and the unwavering support of parents and the wider community. It's a celebration of the countless hours spent in classrooms, the friendships forged on the school grounds, and the lessons learned both inside and outside these walls.
In reaching this milestone, we also pay respect to the founders, administrators, teachers, and staff who have shaped the identity of Burdekin Catholic High School. Their commitment to providing a holistic education has laid the foundation for the success stories that continue to unfold within these buildings.
As we embark on the festivities planned for this golden jubilee, let us not only revel in the nostalgia of the past but also look forward to the promising future that awaits. The journey of education is ongoing, and as we celebrate 50 years, we renew our commitment to fostering a nurturing environment that empowers each student to reach their full potential.
To the past students who have carried the torch of knowledge far and wide, to the current students who embody the spirit of this school, and to the future generations yet to grace our classrooms, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Together, we are the living legacy of Burdekin Catholic High School, of the vision of people in 1974.
Happy 50th anniversary, Burdekin Catholic High School! May the next fifty years be as bright and inspiring as the journey that brought us to this moment today.
We have many ideas to celebrate this year but particularly a celebration weekend on 16, 17 and 18 August - so mark the date in your calendar and share this with our community especially our past students. More details to come.
Setting our High Expectations
Our school sets very high expectations for personal appearance of our students. As we commence a new year I would like to remind parents and students that they enter into a contract with the College on enrolment agreeing to uphold the expectations of the school including the Uniform Policy, this means wearing the College uniform correctly. Parent cooperation in supporting these expectations would assist the College as we would prefer not to have to spend time asking students to follow basic uniform expectations when there are much more pleasant things to be talking about with our young people.
On a very positive note, I am very impressed with the way students are meeting the expectations of 'Away for the Day'. Our students have been keeping their mobile phones and smart wearables away ensuring that learning and wellbeing is the focus for the day.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Week 3 and 4.
Lorraine Wolffe
Principal
From the Deputy Principal - Curriculum and Administration
Dear Families
Welcome to 2024. While every year is special in our school’s history, 2024 has that extra bit of sparkle attached to it – our fiftieth jubilee. It will be a time of great celebration and reflection for not only students and families, but also the staff, past and present of our school.
Last week we welcomed all our students back to the school and some new faces were introduced to our school. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our Year 7s and new students. Our first week was a little bit eventful, but students settled very quickly into the routine of school. This week we celebrated the 2023 Academic Year with our Awards Night. It was a time for us all to reflect on the incredible achievements of our students across all spheres – service, cultural and academic. Special mention must be made of the Seniors of 2023 who returned to receive their Subject Awards and two students Beau Luscombe and Hannah Wilkie who also returned to receive their awards. Beau and Hannah secured apprenticeships over the Christmas break, but when told of their awards, were more than happy to return to be part of their year level and receive their awards.
Senior School News
Last week, Year 11 students completed the QCAA Academic Integrity course and have settled well into their new subjects. Those students who are looking at wanting to change subjects are reminded to complete this process ideally by the end of next week (Week 3). Some students have secured school-based apprenticeships, thus opening up a new pathway and focus for the next two years. TAFE courses commenced this week and I am very pleased to say our tradition of Start Uni Now (SUN) courses is alive and well with this cohort. Three students have commenced university subjects this term.
Year 12 students have come back re-energised and focused on their final year of school at Burdekin Catholic High School. A couple of students have firmed up on their career goal and have had those all-important conversations with Mrs Dalle Cort to help them along their way. A reminder to any students who need AARA applied for their summative subjects, to see me about the application process.
Students in Years 11 and 12 are reminded of the AARA policy – special provision is applied for matters outside a student’s control, e.g. illness, pre-existing medical condition. Special Provision (AARA) is not applied when a student’s ability to complete their assessment is impacted by something within their or their family’s control, e.g. holidays, concerts. It is important that students keep on eye their assessment calendar to ensure they are best prepared for their upcoming assessment. To assist students in preparing for assessment, Elevate Study Skills sessions were held last week.
Junior School News
Year 9 students have commenced a new regime of classes – the first time they can select which electives to study. A reminder to Year 9s, if you are looking at changing subjects, collect a change of subject form from the office and submit it before the end of Week 3.
Year 7 and 10 students have received their forms regarding the state government’s immunisation programme. Please ensure these forms are submitted to the office by the middle of next week. Immunisations are due to take place Wednesday, 21st February.
Year 7 and 9 students will continue with NAPLAN preparation. A reminder testing is from March 13th – 25th. All testing will be conducted online. Further information about NAPLAN will be communicated in the coming weeks.
School Photos
Information about school photos and the schedule will be published in the next week. An email will be sent home with the order information, including available packages. The photo schedule will be held across the entire day (Monday, 11th March) and be run in our traditional format. Students will need to ensure their uniform requirements are good to go, including hair and jewellery. Years 9 – 12 are to wear their formal uniform, Years 7 and 8 their best day uniform. All students are to make sure their shoes are shiny and boys, please remember to wear black socks with your formal uniform!
Assessment Calendars
Assessment Calendars will be published next week. A PDF version will be available via the Compass homepage and a live calendar also synced to Compass. Changes of assessment dates will be communicated directly to students and families and via our newsletter.
Congratulations
Finally, I must extend congratulations to the Seniors of 2023 for their outstanding achievements. I am so proud of you all and I wish you all every success as you move onto the next exciting chapter post-Burdekin Catholic High School.
Elisa Rigano
Deputy Principal
From the Assistant Principal - Pastoral
As we begin a new school year, I would like to start by introducing our Pastoral Team for 2024. My name is Chiara Guy and I am the Assistant Principal – Pastoral and I work collaboratively with the following staff members to create a safe and welcoming environment for all of our students:
- Year 7 & 8 Pastoral Leader: Mrs Theresa Berryman
- Year 9 & 10 Pastoral Leader: Mr Leighton Gallagher
- Year 11 & 12 Pastoral Leader: Ms Kristie Stennett
- Guidance Counsellor: Mr Michael Dixon
- School Chaplain: Mrs Stephanie Ryder
The Pastoral Team provide support and guidance to our students as they navigate the highs and lows of their adolescent years, and the challenges and opportunities of their educational journey. Support is provided at a whole school level and with small groups or individuals. We value transparent communication between home and school and know from experience that a team approach with home leads to better outcomes for our students.
The Pastoral Team together with the Senior Leadership Team carefully designed a transition program for the first two days of school. These days had a focus on warmly welcoming back our students and preparing them for a successful new school year. Monday 22 January saw the arrival of our Year 7s who were greeted by our 2024 Seniors. This day was centred around establishing our buddy system and welcoming our Year 7s into the BCHS family. Our Year 7s were able to get to know our school, our staff and their classmates. Since then, buddy bonds were further strengthened during our Buddy Bowling activity, and this will continue at our Year 7 & 12 Pastoral Day next week. When the rest of our student body returned on Tuesday 23 January, they were provided with time to prepare their homeroom spaces and equipment, set up laptops and re-establish expectations which are all foundational for a positive school year. Pastoral expectations and process were outlined to students in year level meetings. Pastoral expectations and processes, including our positive reward system, ‘Away for the Day’ processes for Personal Mobile Devices (PMDs) and our Uniform Policy for example, can be accessed at any time in our updated 2024 Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Framework.
At Burdekin Catholic High School, we do hold high expectations for our students as we believe that students will rise to the expectations that are set for them when in a supportive environment. Over the first two weeks we have focused on supporting our students to meet our expectations with gentle reminders regarding our expectations as students transition back to school from their break. We are aware of some students with breaches to the Uniform Policy. These include hairs cuts, false eyelashes and length of skirts for example. Failure to meet our uniform expectations by Monday 5 February will result in our normal uniform consequences.
As we embark on week 3, I would like to acknowledge and thank our students, families and staff for ensuring that despite the disruptions with the cyclone, a positive and successful start to the year has been achieved.
Chiara Guy
Year 7 2024
From the Assistant Principal - Religion
Welcome back to 2024 and a special warm welcome to our new families to BCHS. The past two week seen many events take place.
Our students had a staggered start to the year. On Monday the Staff and Year 12s welcomed the Year 7s to high school. Several activities were organised to help the year 7s transition. One special event was the Welcome Mass held at the Sacred Heart Church. Father Manoj presided a heartfelt welcoming Mass that made our year 7s feel part of the BCHS community and Parish. At the end of the Mass father blessed silver Marist pins that the year 12s presented their Year 7 buddies. This pin is a symbol of becoming part of the BCHS and Marist Family. At the introduction of the Mass I reflected on what it means to be a student at BCHS – a Catholic school in a Marist Tradition. During their time at BCHS students will be give every opportunity to discover their intellectual, spiritual, and social gifts and leave our school gates with strong minds and gentle hearts. Mrs Wolffe our new Principal and Mrs Boland a new teacher were also given a Marist pin.
Last year Mrs Guy and I accompanied our school captains on the Marist Summit in Brisbane. It was here that we were inspired to work together and plan our pastoral programs to coexist with our Marist Characteristics. Each year level will be focusing on a Marist Characteristic.
Year 7 – Family Spirit
Year 8 – In the Way of Mary
Year 9 – Simplicity
Year 10 – Love of Work
Year 11 – Presence
Year 12 – 2024 Marist theme for the year – First Light
To gain a deeper understanding of these Marist Characteristics Sinead Fitzgerald, our Regional Assistant Marist Youth Minister unpacked the relevant characteristic to each year level on the second day of school.
Sinead also ran a three-hour workshop with Staff to explain all the Characteristics in a Twilight faith formation professional development. This was a great opportunity to reinforce current knowledge and refresh Staff with Marcellin Champagnat’s mission and the Characteristics.
This Wednesday the whole school participated in the Opening Mass which happened to fall on the Feast Day of St John Bosco. He mission was to lead young people to connect with Christ via his educational style and pastoral practice. Our year 12 students lead the Mass with reverence, setting the tone for the year.
We are quickly approaching the season of Lent. On Wednesday 14th February – yes that is also St Valentine’s Day – we will have our Ash Wednesday Liturgy at 12:05 pm in the Marcellin Centre. Parents are welcome to join us.
Antonetta Dalle Cort
Assistant to the Principal - Religious Education
From the Mathematics Department
Year 11 student Cleo Delle Baite was selected to represent BCHS at the recent UQ Mathematical Summer School in the last week of the holidays. Cleo has provided a snapshot of her dynamic week:
- Environmental Mathematics: Equations and graph plotting unveiled the secrets of population growth in animal species, with a keen focus on the mysterious ‘k’ value.
- Probability and Real-Life Challenges: Cleo navigated the intricacies of probability, predicting cyclone movements and orchestrating evacuations within budget constraints.
- Graph Theory Adventures: Completed graphs transformed the classic rock-paper-scissors game, while Eulerian circuits and Hamilton cycles added depth to our graph theory understanding.
- Topology and Optimal Decision-Making: Exploring topology, dimensions, and boundaries led to practical applications in optimal decision-making using the Cartesian plane and coding.
- Fractals, Limits, and Functions: Our last single lecture touched on fractals, limits to infinity, epsilon, and functions, offering a diverse range of mathematical perspectives.
- Unlocking the Power of Computers: A week-long exploration of DFAs, NFAs, and regular expressions answered the fundamental question of ‘What can computers do and what can’t they do?’
Grand Finale: The program concluded with insights into math careers, a spirited math relay with 35 questions in 35 minutes, and an extensive campus tour.
Cleo’s passion for Mathematics has been further ignited by this wonderful experience.
From the Guidance Counsellor
Hi, my name is Michael and I’m the new Guidance Counsellor at the school. A bit about me, I’m a registered psychologist and have spent the last 6 years working in the child and adolescent space in the Townsville region. Below is a little bit about my role as a Guidance Counsellor, and you are more than welcome to reach out at any time for an appointment.
Every school in the Townsville Catholic Education diocese is supported by a Guidance Counsellor as a part of the Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Services Team. Guidance Counsellors seek to support students in achieving appropriate educational outcomes, and this is accomplished by assisting students and staff in the removal of as many barriers as possible (academic, social, emotional, personal or behavioural barriers). Supporting students may involve meetings with teachers and/or parents, individual counselling, academic and behavioural assessments, or facilitating group programs.
In the high school setting, most referrals are through pastoral support by the Pastoral staff (Assistant Principal-Pastoral and Pastoral Leaders). Students can also self-refer if they are having difficulties. Parent consent is not required for students to access confidential counselling services; however, the parent-school partnership is of paramount importance and students are encouraged to communicate with their parents regarding any counselling support accessed. Referrals for academic and behavioural assessment is identified by the school through a formal referral process and requires parent consent. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact the office to schedule it in.
I also want to recognize all the hard work Felicity has done in this role over the years, and I acknowledge the huge shoes she’s left behind which I hope I can fill. Finally, thank you all for the warm welcome, and I can't wait to see what this year holds!
Michael Dixon
BCHS Guidance Counsellor
mdixon3@bchs.catholic.edu.au
Career News
Last week on Wednesday Elevate Education delivered sessions to students to give them the skills to cope with senior schooling. The presenter, Matt - a past student from Marist Ashgrove has just completed a degree at Queensland University of Technology. His energetic delivery, knowledge of the Elevate program, and experiences as a high school and university student had our students engaged.
Year 12s participated in Finishing Line and Ace your Assessments.
Year 11s participated in Study Sensei and Time Management.
WHO IS ELEVATE?
Since 2001 Elevate has been transforming the way study skills programs are run across Australia. Drawing upon over 20 years of research into the habits of the country's top students. Their high impact seminars and workshops help students improve their study techniques, increase motivation, build confidence, and lift exam performance.
Students completed surveys after each seminar and their feedback was very positive:
100% of year 11s would recommend the seminar to their peers and consider the seminar time well spent.
96% of year 12s would recommend the seminar to their peers and consider the seminar time well spent.
Parents and students have access to resources on their website: https://au.elevateeducation.com/
They also offer fortnightly parent webinars, to register click on the link below.
https://go.elevateeducation.com/auschoolwebinars
These are the upcoming webinars:
How to Get (And Keep) Your Child Motivated
February 14 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
How You Can Help your Child Manage Their Time
February 28 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm (AEDT)
How You Can Take Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!)
March 13 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm (AEDT)
How You Can Help Improve Your Child’s Memory
March 27 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm (AEDT)
Burdekin School Sports
Community News
