No. 23 Term 2 - Week 6 Newsletter, 2024
From the Principal
Reconciliation Week
Week 7 we bring to mind two significant events that are deeply connected to our Catholic Ethos: Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week. We take the time to reflect and increase our awareness of how these events align with our faith.
On Monday morning we will pause to acknowledge Sorry Day, to reflect on the pain and suffering endured by our First Nations brothers and sisters due to the historical forced removal of children from their families. As Catholics, we recognise the importance of repentance and forgiveness. Our commitment to reconciliation begins with a heartfelt apology—an acknowledgment that healing requires humility and a willingness to listen to the stories of others.
During National Reconciliation Week, we celebrate the resilience and cultural richness of Australia’s First Nations peoples. It is a time for all Australian people to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. ‘Now More Than Ever’ is the theme this year and is a reminder of the continued need to work for justice for Aboriginals and Torres Strait islander peoples.
Staffing Updates
Over the past few weeks the school has had some staffing updates that I would like to share with you.
Dana Lennox: Mrs Lennox, Academic Leader - Humanities and the Arts, has commenced her Parental Leave and we wish her and her husband all the very best as they await the birth of their baby.
Brittany Furnell: Mrs Furnell, School Officer - Inclusive Education, has also commenced her Parental Leave and we wish her and her husband all the very best as they await the birth of their baby.
Karl Myer: Mr Myer, has resigned from teaching to commence his transition to retirement. Karl has been a part of the BCHS community for ten years commencing in Term 4, 2013 and has been an educator for many more years. Mr Myer has been a Humanities and English teacher during his time at BCHS. We wish Mr Meyer all the very best as he transitions to retirement.
Christine Flanagan: Mrs Flanagan has been appointed Acting Academic Leader - Humanities and the Arts while Mrs Lennox is on leave. We wish Mrs Flanagan all the very best as she embarks on this leadership role.
Lawrence Zanella: We welcome Mr Zanella back to the staff of BCHS. Mr Zanella will be working at BCHS as a part-time teacher in Humanities and Religious Education. Mr Zanella is known to many families as he worked for many years at BCHS.
Junior Toilet Block
We are very close to the handover of our refurbished junior toilet block from Simon Bell Constructions. This is a wonderful facility for our students with high visibility to ensure our student feel safe.
Celebrating 50 Years of BCHS - Weekend Celebrations
The planning is in the final stages for our enormous weekend of celebrating 50 years of BCHS. We have three events planned - come to one OR come to all. Friday Night will be a free ticketed event; Saturday Night will be a cost ticketed event and Sunday Morning, our Anniversary Mass.
Tickets for the Anniversary Gala Dinner will go on sale very soon.
Road Safety
Over the last week we have seen an increase in the number of students riding to school - this is fantastic! We have increased our access to bike racks at the school.
When riding bikes in the busy parts of the morning and the afternoon:
Road crossing – it is essential that students dismount from their bikes to cross the road in Gibson Street including near the roundabouts.
Pathways – it is important that students ride their bikes slowly along the paths that have students and parents during the busy times.
It is always important for our bike riders to be predictable for pedestrians and drivers to ensure safety for all in the community.
Yours in Christ
Lorraine Wolffe
Principal
Enrol for 2025
Enrolment applications for Year 7, 2025 (current Year 6 students) have opened. Please enrol now. Applications for other year levels are also available.
Online applications can be completed here:
When you have reviewed the information on this page, you can start an online application. To enquire about vacancies in other year levels, please contact our School Office 47832366.
From the Deputy Principal
Assessment Reminders
We are now at the time of term when assessment will be due, but just as we enter the winter months, sickness can take hold. Here are some reminders about what to do when seeking special provision.
Special provision is granted on a case-by-case basis. Poor time management is not grounds for an extension. An extension of time for assignments is considered appropriate when a student’s ability to complete the assignment, including the draft, has been impacted by circumstances outside of their control. The same rule applies for tests and examinations. Events such as holidays, extra curricular activities and personal commitments are not grounds for special provision. If students know they have these commitments, it is their responsibility to ensure they meet the due dates by managing their time. Tests and examinations also fall under these guidelines.
In Years 11 and 12 the rules around special consideration are taken from the QCE and QCIA Policies ans Procedures Handbook. Appropriate documentation must be provided with any application, for example, stuxents require medical documentation in the instances of illness when applying for special provision. Tests will not be rescheduled unless appropriate documentation is provided. Failure to complete the suite of assessment in Years 11 and 12 will have an impact upon students’ QCE success. Any short-term special provision applied is recorded with QCAA.
In Junior, the same rules apply for special provision, with the only exception being the documentation for illness. A note from home will suffice, however where an injury impacts on a student’s ability to complete assessment in subjects such as HPE, we do need the medical report to ensure we are following the doctor’s orders. Assessments, including tests, may also be redesigned into a different style/type to meet the evidence of learning required of the unit. We may also use any formative testing and notebook work in Junior as this is considered evidence of learning to match against the achievement standard.
Students should be managing their time to ensure they are preparing steadily for their assessment. This means they should be working at school and at home. Leaving study to the last minute is not encouraging long term retention of material. All subjects rely on the long term memory as the curriculum is designed to build upon previously taught material.
AARA - Years 11 and 12
A reminder for any students who have long-term medical conditions, to make a time to see me and talk about the AARA process. AARA is special provision applied where needed for those students who have a long-term medically diagnosed condition or trauma. If the condition impacts the ability to complete timed assessments, in particular, students should be making a time to see me to discuss what we can do to support their application to QCAA. The application is lodged through the school and requires school and medical documentation. The application is reviewed by QCAA and the decision communicated to the school.
Reporting
Semester One report cards will be issued at the end of Week 10. Early in Term 3 there will be the opportunity to discuss the progress of your child at parent-teacher interviews. The process of booking an interview will be the same as it was in Term 1.
Drama Festival
Preparations are well underway for this year’s Interschool Drama Festival performance. Burdekin Catholic High School will be performing Beowulf: On a Budget at the Burdekin Theatre on Friday, 31st May at 6:30 pm. Burdekin Catholic High School has a proud history of performances at the festival and this year we cannot wait to take to the stage.
Tickets are available from the Burdekin Theatre box office or online at
Elisa Rigano
Deputy Principal
From the Assistant Principal - Pastoral
School Captains Luncheon
The 2024 School Leaders, Caitlin, Corey, Riley and Porsha attended a luncheon hosted by Dale Last on May 14th. The luncheon was an opportunity for our school captains to meet with Mr Last and the school leaders from the four local high schools. Projects the school captains are working towards in their school community and issues they feel need to be addressed in the wider Burdekin community were discussed. Our leaders represented our school with pride, offering their point of view in discussions and gathering ideas to implement in our school this year.
Year 7 & 8 – Embrace Program
Our Year 7 and 8 students have been working through a Pastoral Care Program known as ‘Embrace’ during pastoral care lessons on Wednesdays. The evidence based, engaging, inspirational and fun program has a mission to:
- Provide tools to promote positive body image.
- Celebrate body diversity in shape, size, ethnicity and ability.
- Promote positive physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
- Combat toxic messaging in media and advertising.
Recently students have been focusing on the functionality of their bodies and appreciating what their bodies can do. We encourage families of students in these year levels to have a conversation with their child about their experiences with this program so far.
Year 12 - Ready Set Vote
Try Time! is an educational program run by the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys. The Year 12 students engaged in the ‘Ready Set Vote’ module during their pastoral care lesson on Wednesday. This module, sponsored by the Australian Electoral Commission, focussed on the importance voting, how to enrol and how to vote.
Chiara Guy
Assistant to the Principal - Pastoral Care
From the Assistant Principal - Religion
The liturgical calendar has celebrated important events recently. The Ascension of the Lord marks the 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection when he ascended into heaven to be with his Father. This was the end of his time on earth with his disciples. It was their mission to continue the work that Jesus had started. In Matthew’s Gospel he reflects on Jesus’ final words, his commissioning of the disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19) His mission is now our mission and the Church’s mission. Nine days after the Ascension, Mary – the mother of Jesus and the disciples prayed continuously which brings us to Pentecost. This is the beginning of the Church. So, what is Church? Is it bricks and mortar, a physical building where we celebrate the Eucharist, Baptisms, Funerals and Weddings? Church is us! As disciples it is our responsibility to continue the work that Jesus did on earth. My challenge to our BCHS community is to live out this mission, show respect and compassion to parents, carers, peers and staff. Offer to volunteer for a charity. Maybe something simple as offering a smile or kind words of comfort to those who are suffering or lonely.
Over 200 years ago a young man called Marcellin Champagnat made it his mission to make Jesus known and loved. Thursday the 6th June is the Feast Day of Saint Marcellin Champagnat. On Wednesday the 5th we will celebrate Mass in the Marcellin Centre at 12 pm, everyone is welcome to attend. During the week activities will occur to acknowledge and celebrate St Marcellin, the founder of the Marist Brothers. BCHS was founded by the order of the Marist Brothers in 1953. We are a Catholic School with a Marist tradition that make up over 600 Marist schools worldwide and 54 schools in Australia.
Antonetta Dalle Cort
Assistant to the Principal - Religious Education
From the Guidance Counsellor
Social Media
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the social media we consume can have a powerful effect shaping our thoughts and behaviours. This report from SchoolTV examines this phenomenon, emphasizing the potential negative effects on mental health and body image.
As a parent, you can engage your children in discussions conversations about the types of content they are consuming on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. By fostering open dialogue, critical thinking, and a balanced approach to social media, we can begin to mitigate the impact it may have.
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: Social Media Influencers
Michael Dixon
Guidance Counsellor
Burdekin School Sports
Community News
Little Athletics QLD is hosting a Little Athletics Coles Winter Carnival in Townsville at the Townsville Sports Precinct on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June and it is open to U7 to U17 Athletes. This competition is open to non-registered athletes for a fee of $25!