Burdekin Catholic High School

From the Principal

International Women’s Day

It was lovely last Sunday to celebrate International Women’s Day with the Zonta Club of the Burdekin. To also see our young people give of their time to support the Zonta club with their hospitality skills was inspiring.

The 2024 theme for International Women’s Day is “Inspire Inclusion”. The 2024 IWD Website explains this theme further:

When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment.

Marist Principals' Forum

Earlier this week I had the priviledge of attending the Marist Principals' Forum in Brisbane. This is a gathering of all Principals of Marist Charism school in Queensland and Northern Territory. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to attend these meetings, to gain a better understanding of the stories of love, compassion and justice of Marcellin Champagnat, Mary and Jesus. Catholic schools participate in the Church's evangelising mission of bringing the Gospel to the world. Opportunities like this enable me to grow in faith and to lead a faith community in the Marist way.

Of course, this opportunity without the support of the Senior Leadership Team members and all our staff would not be possible. I am grateful for the professional team that I work with every day.

Lorraine Wolffe
Principal

Celebrating 50 Years 1974-2024

From the Deputy Principal - Curriculum and Administration

NAPLAN

Over this week we have been conducted the annual NAPLAN tests for students in Year 7 and 9. Most students have completed their tests, with only a few catch-ups to be completed next week. Students who have catch-up tests will be contacted with their schedule via email.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

School Photos took place on Monday of this week, with the catch-up day scheduled for this coming Monday, 18^th March at 9 am. Those students absent for photo day are to dress according to their uniform requirements for photo day. There will not be time to change into uniforms before the photo session. Students can change into their Day or PE uniform once their ID photos have been taken.

ASSESSMENT

On assembly this week I spoke to students about how important it is to maintain a schedule when preparing for assignments and tests. I also spoke about the importance of saving work appropriately and in multiple places such as, portable hard drives, USBs and emailing copies to themselves. An effective ‘saving system’ will mean assignments should not be ‘lost’ in cyberspace. Students were also reminded of planning revision for tests and checking for understanding throughout their unit of work via the completion of set activities such as homework. Homework is an important tool for that checking for understanding BEFORE it becomes a summative exercise.

A good quality draft is the key to good quality feedback. Feedback can only be provided if there is something to provide feedback on. Therefore, drafts should be a student’s best possible response to the topic. The bulk of work during assignment time should be during the drafting process. It should not be when the final version is due. If students are working long hours on a final copy, it means the draft was not their best possible response to the topic. If students have not utilised the drafting time allocated in class effectively, it means they will be using more home time to catch-up on work. It also means there is a temptation to use AI generated responses.

AI generated responses are not permissible and are not considered a student’s own work. As our assessment policy states, the work submitted by students is to be their own work. Outsourcing their assignment writing is not only going against our assessment policy, it also disadvantages the student moving forward, as they have not produced their understanding of the underpinning concepts being assessed with that task. It is important for students to realise that academic integrity applies at all times when completing work. Students in the Junior School will be completing an Academic Integrity Course, similar to the one Senior students complete. This course has just been released by QCAA and serves to support students in the areas of Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct.

REPORT CARDS

Teachers are in the process of finalising their Interim Report for Term 1. This progress report is designed to provide families with a snapshot of how students are progressing in their subjects. These reports will be published towards the end of Week 10, with Parent-Teacher Interviews scheduled for Monday, April 22^nd. Report cards will be released via Compass and bookings for Parent-Teacher Interviews will open once reports are released. Interview requests will close on the Friday of Week 1, Term 2.

Elisa Rigano
Deputy Principal

From the Assistant Principal - Pastoral

A Gospel Values and Marist Charism Pastoral Care Procedure
This year we introduced a Gospel Values and Marist Charism Pastoral Care Procedure, as outlined in our 2024 Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Framework. This procedure strengthens our students’ educational journey by focusing on one of the Marist Charisms from Year 7-11 and then a focus on the Marist theme in Year 12. All students received a Marist Journal at the beginning of the year to document the activities they undertake to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be a student at Burdekin Catholic High School, following in the footsteps of Marcellin and Mary. This Journal will follow students through their time at BCHS. Our Pastoral Leaders acknowledged students who have been living out their Marist Charism during our whole school assembly on Wednesday. Congratulations to the following students:

Year 7 ‘Family Spirit’ - Summer Pennisi
Year 8 ‘In the Way of Mary’ - Katrina Nguyen
Year 9 ‘Simplicity’ - Ethan Pengelly
Year 10 ‘Love of Work’ - Nathanael Minuzzo and Kobi Wright
Year 11 ‘Presence’ - Mylee Kovacich
Year 12 ‘First Light’ - Riley Nosworthy

Pastoral Care Programs for Term 1

Over the past term, students at Burdekin Catholic High School have had access to a host of Pastoral Care and Wellbeing initiatives. These initiatives were only possible due to prioritising partnerships with different community members and organisations.

Shake & Stir for Year 7

Theatre group Shake & Stir delivered their performance of ‘Terrortorial’ to year 7 students earlier this term. The production armed our year 7 students with a host of tools to tackle change head on, renew their confidence and reassure them that everything will work out for them this year. BCHS has worked with Shake & Stir for a number of years and once again, this performance was transformative for our young students.

Inspirational Talks from Locals for Year 10, 11 and 12

Larni Vasta and Jaidyn Lambie-Fabbro were guest speaker earlier this term. They shared empowering words to our students in years 10, 11 and 12. Larni, a former BCHS student, shared how BCHS principles continue to guide her through her studies at JCU and life in general. Jaidyn, Manager of Fabbro Diesel Services, emphasised the importance of punctuality, attitude, presentation and effort from an employer’s perspective.

PPEP for Year 10 girls

The Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia visited our Year 10 girls to deliver the Periods, Pain and Endometriosis (PPEP) Talk. The PPEP Talk is designed for students in year 10, an age where most students have begun menstruating. The Program informs and educates students on menstrual pain and Endometriosis in particular. Students learnt how to identify whether their pain is normal, how all the different symptoms fit together, simple ways to reduce their pain and how to look for further help if pain is severe. For more information about PPEP, please visit their website: https://www.pelvicpain.org.au/ppep-talk-schools-program/

P.A.R.T.Y. for Year 12

Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) is an in-hospital injury awareness and prevention program aimed at providing teenagers with information about trauma. BCHS had 25 students from Year 12 opt in to attend this informative day at the Townsville University Hospital. Students learnt how to recognise potential injury producing situations, make prevention-oriented choices, and adopt behaviours that minimise unnecessary risk. Students met a range of emergency service professionals, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and people who have experienced trauma and survived – often with significant disabilities. For more information about the P.A.R.T.Y Program, please visit their website: https://partyprogram.com/

RYDA for Year 11

BCHS Year 11 students attended the award-winning RYDA Road Safety Education workshop on Friday March 10^th in Home Hill. RYDA is designed for 16–17-year-olds as they begin to drive or ride in cars driven by their peers. The workshop provided students with the tools, habits, and motivation to act and stay safe on our roads throughout their lives, as both drivers and passengers. The workshop combined personal stories, demonstrations, and interactive activities. For resources and articles to support parents and caregivers, please visit - https://rse.org.au/about-ryda/parents-caregivers/.

Australian Airforce Cadets for Year 7 & 8.

Bruce Medley from the Australian Air Force Cadets visited our Year 7 and 8 students at a recent year level assembly. Bruce captured the audience when he explained the opportunities available to students who sign up and take part in the Cadets program. Students were given a flyer regarding how to sign up to Cadets.

Chiara Guy
Assistant to the Principal - Pastoral Care

From the Assistant Principal - Religion

Last Sunday was the halfway mark for Lent, this is called Laetare Sunday. The word Laetare is the Latin word meaning ‘rejoice.’ This midpoint expresses hope and joy during the time of fasting and penance. To mark this occasion some priests, wear a pink stole. Father Manoj wore a pink stole at services last weekend and in his homily, he spoke about how Laetare Sunday is a time to rejoice. The colour pink indicates a glimmer of the joy that awaits believers as we approach Easter, prior to entering the sombre days of Passiontide. Isaiah’s scripture explains this feeling or joy.

“Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exalt and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”

Isaiah 66:10-11

In week six BCHS took the lead at 5:30 Mass at the Sacred Heart at the first Youth Mass for 2024. Parishioners welcomed the energy and spirit that our students added to the Mass. The choir, saxophone and confident readers represented the BCHS student body with pride and reverence. Students, teachers, and family are all encouraged to join in Youth Masses as well as weekly services to celebrate the Eucharist. Father Troung’s message was for our young people to invite a friend to the next Mass.

Youth Masses are once a term. Our upcoming Mass dates are:

Sunday 26^th May 5:30 pm Sacred Heart Church, Ayr

Sunday 18^th August 9:00 am Location TBC

Sunday 13^th October 5:30 pm Sacred Heart Church, Ayr

Youth Mass

Walkathon is only two weeks away!

This week on assembly service leaders Mai Galbraith and Ella Pirrone spoke about the Walkathon. Sponsorship cards were issued to students during homeroom. Year 12s took the time to personally handwrite the names of students on the sponsorship cards as a personal invitation to get behind fundraising. When students complete the course, they enter their sponsorship card in a box for the chance to win fabulous prizes. The Walkathon is a rich part of our history at BCHS. Our wonderful librarian Mrs Dobbins has been going through our archives and found a photo of the 1979 Walkathon! Although our students will be having fun during the Walkathon the focus is to reflect on those less fortunate, walk in someone else’s shoes – the shoes of our brothers and sisters who do not have the basic living standards as we do. In my newsletter article in week six, I mentioned that our goal is to raise $4000 that will provide a school in Samoa with a 10 000-litre tank so students can have clean drinking water. Parents, family members and BCHS Community, take out your phone, scan this QR code or click on the link below to sponsor our students who will be walking in the shoes of those less fortunate. On Thursday 28^th March, BCHS is bringing to life John’s Gospel,

' This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Year 12 Seniors

Senior Students, Our Future Leaders

Values, morals, and ethics – a personal reflection of family and community.

At the beginning of the year, our Year 12 student leaders, were photographed picking up litter, demonstrating respect for their school and being role-models for other students and school community. (Photos)

Year 12 students Daniel Agius, Joey Southwell, Lucas Ackerman, and Lincon Boccalatte (photographed) have been using their skills, repairing, and helping around the school, removing cyclone damaged objects and broken seating. Today, they were helping out again. Mr David Guy explained that, “The boys have been replacing missing seat boards and replacing old loose rusted bolts with new, larger galvanised bolts on the fixed seating. All of the loose and unstable mobile seats have been removed and will be refurbished and replaced.” He added, “All of the year 12 construction class are currently working on various school improvements.”

In Religion and Ethics, Year 12 students are studying ‘Heroes and Role Models’. The focus is centred around values, attributes, actions, and lives of people in society who are role models and heroes that inspire and influence others to be ‘servant leaders’. Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of a servant leader, and His life and teachings show us how important it is to lead with love, compassion, and a servant's heart.

This concept is described by Robert K. Greenleaf in ‘The Servant as Leader’, an essay published in 1970, that state:

“The servant-leader is servant first … It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions …The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types.”

“The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society?“

Therefore, the servant-leadership qualities, which is the focus for senior students at BCHS, is to motivate students to consider the growth and well-being of individuals and communities to which they belong.

Year 12 Construction Class

From the Arts Department

Senior Visual Art Students – Kinaesthetic Learning Through Experience.

This term, our Year 11 and 12 Visual Art students travelled to Townsville to view the artwork at Perc Tucker Regional Art Gallery and Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts. The purpose of this excursion aligns with students’ assessments in 2024. By viewing a diverse range of art forms, students are introduced to how artists creativity is driven by their personal, cultural, and contemporary contexts. This is the basis of making art and therefore essential for our senior Visual Art students who will focus on creating their own body of work based on their contexts.

Visual Art is a creative and expressive communication, enabling students learn to pose and solve problems, work independently and collaboratively, and create and express meaning through traditional and contemporary art practices.

Year 7 Excursion - Billabong Sanctuary

Last week, our Year 7 students embarked on an educational journey to the Billabong Sanctuary for an unforgettable Science excursion. Immersed in a biology unit focusing on classification and ecology, they delved deep into the fascinating world of Australian wildlife.

Led by knowledgeable rangers at the sanctuary, they encountered iconic animals including crocodiles, wombats, snakes, echidnas, and cassowaries. Through close observation, they gained insights into animal behavior and ecological roles, reinforcing classroom lessons on classification and ecology.

This hands-on experience sparked curiosity and left them with cherished memories, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Thanks to the dedicated educators and rangers, our students are inspired to continue exploring and learning about science and the environment.

We wish all the best to our Year 7 students as they apply their newfound knowledge in their assessment task.

A SPECIAL REPORT: Celebrating Harmony Week

Harmony Week is a celebration held annually in March across Australia

Harmony week aims to promote diversity, respect, and inclusiveness. This event is an excellent opportunity for parents to teach their children about different cultures, traditions and customs. The goal is to encourage everyone to appreciate and celebrate differences and promote a sense of community and belonging for everyone.

As a parent, you can engage your children in discussions about multiculturalism and encourage them to ask questions. Promoting a more harmonious and inclusive society, can help children grow up with a greater appreciation for the richness and diversity of Australia's cultural landscape.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report: Celebrating Harmony Week

Feel free to reach out to me anytime via email or by calling the office.

Michael Dixon
Guidance Counsellor

School TV

Wellbeing Survey